Twins & SS Stephen Drew?

[Brock Beauchamp]

Like I said in another post, I'm not a huge fan of Drew.

 

But he's the best SS on the market and the Twins literally have nobody else who projects to be above average in the next half decade.

[Trevor0333]

I wasn't as high on a potential Drew signing until I realized...

 

For the 2014 season

Danny Santana - 23 years old (AA)

Niko Goodrum - 22 years old (A+)

Jorge Polanco - 21 years old (A)

 

With both Santana & Polanco on the 40 man I had thought they were a little older than they actually are.

 

If Drew is signed to a 3 year deal, he will not exactly be blocking any legitimate SS prospects. If Santana blows up you can easily move a SS like Drew with 1 year & 12mill on his cotnract at the age of 33 in the final year of his deal.

 

The benefit of signing Drew is not only having an immediate improvement at the only postion without a top prospect nearing the MLB roster. It keeps you from forcing Sanatana, Goodrum, & Polanco into the position before being ready while letting one of three to distance themselves from the pack.

[Joe A. Preusser]

I know this drum has been beaten to death, but it's not just SS that could be blocked with a Drew signing. Moving Dozier back to SS and letting Rosario play 2B is still very much an option. I say go all in on another SP, move Worley to the pen, and cut bait with Diamond (hope he catches on with another club). Deduno and Gibson fighting for your 5th SP position for a year until Correia's contract is up is not a bad thing. Meyer supplanting Deduno in 2015 is also not a bad thing.

[Joe A. Preusser]

Like I said in another post, I'm not a huge fan of Drew.

 

But he's the best SS on the market and the Twins literally have nobody else who projects to be above average in the next half decade.

 

Except Dozier?

[twinsfan34]

If you wouldn't sign a three+ win player for a bag of balls, then your team is never going to get anywhere.

 

 

 

Using a 54 AB sample size?

 

 

That's just how the MLB Playoffs roll. It's not a big sample size. But, you have to perform in small sample sizes. The Twins made the playoffs 6 years from 2002-2010. But couldn't do much during that small sample size. It matters. I'd sign Mark Lemke the day I made the playoffs. Guy was just money.

 

Drew will cost $10M more than Florimon, he, like most free agents, are not a good return on investment.

 

 

Yeah, I know about the differences in WAR. SABR > BR & Fangraphs. BR agrees more with SABR. SABR suggests Florimon is a better defender than Drew. And, from the eye test, I'd have to agree with SABR.

 

Florimon had better HR numbers in the minors than Dozier's best MiLB season, Dozier, who hit 18 HR last year. 9 HR in 120 games...he's still got some season left. 26...he should get better. No advanced metrics on this one.

 

Eh, I don't think one use Drew's career line, much of those better numbers was when he was a totally different player. Ankle/foot injuries you don't recover like you do from a knee. Totals were post injury. Which is who he is now, thus the 2 years.

[Trevor0333]

Except Dozier?

 

Maybe he can improve but he was terrible as a SS & it definitely affected his offense.

[Joe A. Preusser]

Maybe he can improve but he was terrible as a SS & it definitely affected his offense.

 

I completely agree. But then he took a step back (to 2B) and figured out his offense. I firmly believe he could make the transition back to SS and be that much more valuable and productive.

[Brock Beauchamp]

Except Dozier?

 

It's questionable whether Dozier can play short in the majors, much less be above average.

[Trevor0333]

The way this off season is playing out I love the idea of just F'n going for it. If they can sign Drew 3/30 & Garza 4/60 while flipping Corriea, Burton, May, & Hicks to the Phils for Brown, Papelbon, & 5 Mill towards his contract.

 

I know Browns defensive is not good, I had thought he was solid as a prospect defensively before seeing his defensive stats as a pro. He & Arcia spilt time at RF/DH when Rosario mans LF flanked by Buxton in CF, that is quite an outfield.

 

By dumping Duensing & Doumit while moving Corriea & Burton they are not taking on any extra salary for Pap's 13M this year and only 8M in 2015 with the $5M taken back in the deal. Since he is not closing games his 2016 option will not vest. This allows the payroll for both Garza & Drew singings.

 

Dozier/Drew/Mauer/Willingham/Brown/Arcia/Plouffe/Pressley/Pinto

Hermann/Mastrioanni/Florimon/Parmelee

Garza/Nolasco/Hughes/Deduno/Diamond

Perkins/Papelbon/Fien/Swarzak/Theilbar/Worley/Albers

 

Losing Fielder, Fister, & Peralta this team is going to regress. Sherzxer will not be as amazing although Verlander will be better after a bit of a down year. Losing Smyly in the pen to start this year will hurt the already poor bullpen even with the Nathan addition.

 

Down goes the Tigers, down goes the Tigers!

[Marta Shearing]

2015:

1. CF Buxton

2. 1B Mauer

3. 3B Sano

4. DH Arcia

5. RF Hicks

6. LF Rosario

7. 2B Dozier

8. SS Drew

9. C Pinto

 

1. Garza

2. Meyer

3. Nolasco

4. Hughes

5. Deduno/May/Gibson/Berrios

[Linus]

The thing I like about this idea is that if there is one area of weakness in the organization it is shortstop. We have a couple of OK prospects that are 1-3 years away from playing big league ball - maybe. The thing that I don't like about the idea is that Drew is not as good a defender as Florimon, period. I don't care what dWar or anything else says, Florimon is a superior defensive SS and it ain't close. Drew is clearly a better hitter but he isn't going to get better and Florimon might, given his age and lack of experience. All things considered I'd take the money and put it towards signing Garza instead of Pelfrey / Arroyo.

[twinsfan34]

 

You're using Baseball Reference when you refer to dWAR. BR uses RZR as their defensive metric. UZR is a much more accurate measure of defense because it includes RZR and other factors. Here are Fangraphs measures on the two players..

 

Drew UZR: 5.3

Florimon UZR: 4.3

 

Drew WAR: 3.4

Florimon WAR: 1.3

 

 

I'll take a look into this. I know it's different, but haven't looked into how exactly. I know BR's as well as SABR's work more than I do Fangraphs. (only so much information a guy can take it)

[Trevor0333]

The Mets like him but seem convinced they will need to overpay by quite a bit to get him to leave Boston. Thats a little suprising to hear but if true the Twins would surely be in the same boat & that's surely not TR's MO.