Article: The Ripple Effect of Mauer's Move to First

[ashbury]

A ripple effect I don't see mentioned except in passing is DH. With Joe behind the plate the DH role had to be kept available for him at about a 20-25% rate (42 games in 2012, 29 in 2013). Perhaps the Twins will go out and find a really good hitter to hold down the DH role full time now; or maybe an in-house candidate will assert himself.

[Alex]

A ripple effect I don't see mentioned except in passing is DH. With Joe behind the plate the DH role had to be kept available for him at about a 20-25% rate (42 games in 2012, 29 in 2013). Perhaps the Twins will go out and find a really good hitter to hold down the DH role full time now; or maybe an in-house candidate will assert himself.

 

This is a great point, but it probably is a season or two away with Doumit and Willingham on the roster.

[ashbury]

Colabello is 30 and at his prime and ready to decline. Parmelee is 25 and has not entered his prime yet.

 

The prime for a big leaguer has been demonstrated to be in his 20s. Still, this is empirical and based on thousands of "typical" big league trajectories; one learns a lot as one progresses through the minors, and when the physical side starts to deteriorate there isn't much learning left that could compensate. In a case like Colabello, after 2 years there could still be some learning left to do when facing better pitching talent than he ran into in the indy leagues. I am far from being on the bandwagon for him, but it's less implausible than for most that his peak season might still be in his 30s.

[Alex]

RE: Sano

 

While I know that Sano's injury doesn't seem to be too bad, just the fact of the (hopefully) near miss really shows that slotting in prospects as automatic at a position or making significant roster plans around them isn't always effective.

[ashbury]

This is a great point, but it probably is a season or two away with Doumit and Willingham on the roster.

 

Both these players are on many fans' "wish list" to trade away, and were even before now.

[Alex]

Both these players are on many fans' "wish list" to trade away, and were even before now.

 

Yeah, mine as well, but I don't really see the Twins doing it this offseason. I could be wrong.

[Siehbiscuit]

RE: Parmalee and Colabello -

 

If you take "AGE" and "how they were acquired" and just look at how these two could help the Twins in 2014, I think the better option to make and help the team is Colabello. He put up ridiculous numbers at AAA. Both of these guys are blocked now by Mauer at 1B and with Buxton, Arcia, Rosario, Walker, Hicks and Kepler having a much brighter future and being more talented OF options in the near future, Parmalee and Colabello may only may only be filling in in 2014.

 

Instead of looking at age, consider MLB experience. How much time has Parmalee had to figure it out at the MLB level? Parts of 4 different seasons. One Sept call up he looks like, well, Josmil Pinto, but the rest like the Chris Parmalee we all can't stand. Colabello may not have youth on his side anymore, but he only has had 1 opportunity to show anything. He has proven that he can't do it. His second go around could be his breakout party! I woud love to see Colabello be a real DH. Not a DH where position players go to get a day off, but he has a bat everyday and maybe 6-8 times a year he plays some 1B, when Mauer needs a day off.

 

Nothing against Parmalee, but I haven't seen any development. I'm willing to give Colabello another chance, but as the DH. His only plus skill is hitting.

[Richie the Rally Goat]

I hope Sano is really special and comes in mid-season and tears it up.

 

He Might... He Might Not...

 

What I want to see happen doesn't always match with the reality of what will happen.

 

I'd rather not burn his MLB time watching him struggle... I don't want him learning while the Arb clock ticks... When Sano comes up... I want him to hit the ground running and provide a big boost ala Puig, Harper, Braun or Trout. If he's ready to do that out of Spring Training... Bring him on... If not... Let's wait.

Agreed, no hicks 2.0

[stringer bell]

I actually think it's good and bad. As a catcher, he's not playing 10 more years. As a 1B, he probably is. Think of all the hits! Voters love counting stats.

 

I also think that he declines more slowly, meaning that he could have some pretty impressive seasons even as an "old guy." Think Wade Boggs - he hit .300 when he was past forty years old.

 

Of course, there will be a WAR difference without the boost from catcher, and there is the fact that bat-only type players that end up at 1B are going to be compared to Mauer from here on out.

 

But even if Mauer isn't the clear-cut number one bat at 1B, I still think he accumulates enough WAR to make him a HOF shoo-in. Besides, I think everybody knows that he didn't want to move from catcher, and they won't penalize him for it. Call it the "Puckett effect." The circumstances are out of his control at this point.

 

In any case, I think his body of work thus far leaves him maybe 2 or 3 more .850-.900 OPS seasons away from a no-doubter.

One more batting title almost certainly gets him there--3 as a catcher plus another--and he may not even need that. I wouldn't be at all surprised to see Mauer win a batting title in the next 2-3 years.

[stringer bell]

A ripple effect I don't see mentioned except in passing is DH. With Joe behind the plate the DH role had to be kept available for him at about a 20-25% rate (42 games in 2012, 29 in 2013). Perhaps the Twins will go out and find a really good hitter to hold down the DH role full time now; or maybe an in-house candidate will assert himself.

Hammer!!??

[stringer bell]

Colabello-Parmelee: Besides the "how acquired" and "how old" there is the defense aspect. Chris Parmelee is a capable right fielder and a decent first baseman. Colabello is neither. The other factor of note is handedness. With "franchise makers" Buxton and Sano as righties along with Dozier and Pinto, it would seem that adding (or keeping) left-handed sock would be important over and above Arcia and Mauer. In a platoon situation, Parmelee might thrive. If Colabello is platooned, it means he is a bench player who gets probably 40 starts guaranteed when a lefty starts for the opposition. My observation is that both players are flawed and won't amount to much, but that Parmelee has the better chance of being a productive regular. Colabello not so much, but if he were to thrive it would be one heck of a story.

[stringer bell]

Sano: Someone offered up the opinion that there was absolutely no reason to start Sano in the minors in 2014. The answer is that there is--and it is the year 2020! Holding Sano back at least three weeks leaves him under team control for 2020 when he be about 27(?). Keeping him in the minors until past midseason avoids super2 arbitration and changes his salary and contract to the team's advantage as long as he is a Twin. That is not even counting the benefit he might enjoy from playing part of a season in AAA.