Jason Bartlett

[darin617]

I have no idea how Jason Bartlett made this team. When I looked at his spring training stats and it looks even worse, 3 hits in 38 AB's is good enough to make the club? The bigger joke is him being a super utility and back up CF.

I hate to start such a negative post, but how could there not be any better players on waivers than Jason Bartlett.

[boomerb5]

There aren't any guys that Gardy is so deeply in love with. Except maybe Kubel. If the club is going to lose 100 games, I'd rather it be with young players that were maybe rushed a little bit than "proven veterans" with AA-caliber skills.

[nathanaakre]

Not saying he's going to be representing the American League at Target Field in July, but give the guy a chance in real games. He's hardly played in two years. I hope the same people that blew off Hicks' hot spring last year as "only spring training" (you were right by the way) aren't the same people destroying Kubel and Bartlett for their springs this year. Maybe they won't come around, but they were both very good hitters before - let's see if they can do it again!

[Shane Wahl]

Not saying he's going to be representing the American League at Target Field in July, but give the guy a chance in real games. He's hardly played in two years. I hope the same people that blew off Hicks' hot spring last year as "only spring training" (you were right by the way) aren't the same people destroying Kubel and Bartlett for their springs this year. Maybe they won't come around, but they were both very good hitters before - let's see if they can do it again!

 

Other than in 2009, Bartlett has never been good.

 

Kubel is in freefall.

 

These are bad roster decisions.

[Craig Arko]

Other than in 2009, Bartlett has never been good.

 

Kubel is in freefall.

 

These are bad roster decisions.

 

Given the material to work with, what would the good roster decisions have been?

[BHtwins]

The problem isn't "giving them a chance" The problem is there is a finite number of roster positions and the players who lost them to Kubel and Bartlett have a brighter future even if they're not perennial starters.

 

Id rather be young and ugly with the opportunity to get better then old and ugly and stuck in neutral.

 

I hope I'm wrong but this maybe one of those errors in decision making.

[kblack1011]

Gardy is just setting up to bring Nick Punto back. Losing 90 games and getting an extension, he going for 100 loses and a lifetime contract.

[Mike Sixel]

If you want to know why people are down on him, look at his stats the last three years....this isn't an untested rookie. He's closer to my age than Buxton's age.

[TheLeviathan]

Given the material to work with, what would the good roster decisions have been?

 

Sign better ones?

 

I don't get how people think there is some way to wiggle out of this for the Twins. These options stink. These are the options the Twins chose to go with into ST. No matter how you slice it the roster looks woefully unprepared.

[specialiststeve]

Bingo!!

[S.]

No matter how you slice it the roster looks woefully unprepared.

They're very prepared...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

...for another top draft pick!

 

http://gifrific.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/George-Costanza-Winking.gif

[notoriousgod71]

There aren't any guys that Gardy is so deeply in love with. Except maybe Kubel. If the club is going to lose 100 games, I'd rather it be with young players that were maybe rushed a little bit than "proven veterans" with AA-caliber skills.

 

Funny, because Gardy hated him when we had Castro. Wonder what he did in a year and a half to earn Gardy's unconditional love.

[Craig Arko]

Sign better ones?

 

I don't get how people think there is some way to wiggle out of this for the Twins. These options stink. These are the options the Twins chose to go with into ST. No matter how you slice it the roster looks woefully unprepared.

 

A couple of weeks ago people had Gibson, Pinto, Hicks and Arcia all going to AAA. We now get to see them. Yup, it's going to take time to prepare them. That's not the end of the world.

[tobi0040]

Other than in 2009, Bartlett has never been good.

 

Kubel is in freefall.

 

These are bad roster decisions.

 

He was at least a league average ss in 2006 to 2008 and 2010. I actually think he has better odds of starting next year than parmelee or pressley did. or even florimon. even at 35 and that is sad.

[Dman]

I predicted that Bartlett would make the team before spring training started. After watching him in Spring training I was hoping that I was going to be wrong about that. I hate to go negative but I am with most posters who believe there had to be better options than JB.

 

Maybe a good club house guy is just what this teams needs? I don't know what else to say.

[TheLeviathan]

A couple of weeks ago people had Gibson, Pinto, Hicks and Arcia all going to AAA. We now get to see them. Yup, it's going to take time to prepare them. That's not the end of the world.

 

None of those players have anything to do with this. We were going to get to see them regardless of this.

[Craig Arko]

None of those players have anything to do with this. We were going to get to see them regardless of this.

 

I hope you have an enjoyable season in your own way. I plan to.

[zwiefz]

Jason Bartlett made the team for a few reasons in my opinion:

 

1)He apparently is versatile defensively, although I haven't seen enough of him play anywhere besides shortstop to verify that myself so I have to trust those who have been watching him daily

 

2)He is essentially another coach who will help teach the younger players the "Twins Way". That phrase has brought nothing but scorn and laughter the past few years, but Bartlett was around when it actually existed, was something to be proud of, and something to strive for. This is the same reason that guys like TK and Guardado are brought in for spring training instructors.

 

3)He knows and is comfortable with his role. He is the 25th man. Very little is expected offensively from the 25th man on any team in MLB. What is expected is someone who is professional and is ready to go that once(maybe twice) a week when someone needs a break or gets hurt. Otherwise they essentially rot on the bench. I would rather have that position be filled with an expendable veteran than a young player who still has room to grow and truly would rot if left on the bench. Chris Hermann, Danny Santana, and some of those guys that are close need to play.

 

So, basically I think Bartlett(and Kubel to a lesser extent) are great guys to have on the bench-so long at that's where they are. If Bartlett plays sparingly than I think it is great. If Gardenhire develops a Punto-ish crush on him and plays him daily then I will agree that it makes no sense. Only time will tell.

[Craig Arko]

Jason Bartlett made the team for a few reasons in my opinion:

 

1)He apparently is versatile defensively, although I haven't seen enough of him play anywhere besides shortstop to verify that myself so I have to trust those who have been watching him daily

 

2)He is essentially another coach who will help teach the younger players the "Twins Way". That phrase has brought nothing but scorn and laughter the past few years, but Bartlett was around when it actually existed, was something to be proud of, and something to strive for. This is the same reason that guys like TK and Guardado are brought in for spring training instructors.

 

3)He knows and is comfortable with his role. He is the 25th man. Very little is expected offensively from the 25th man on any team in MLB. What is expected is someone who is professional and is ready to go that once(maybe twice) a week when someone needs a break or gets hurt. Otherwise they essentially rot on the bench. I would rather have that position be filled with an expendable veteran than a young player who still has room to grow and truly would rot if left on the bench. Chris Hermann, Danny Santana, and some of those guys that are close need to play.

 

So, basically I think Bartlett(and Kubel to a lesser extent) are great guys to have on the bench-so long at that's where they are. If Bartlett plays sparingly than I think it is great. If Gardenhire develops a Punto-ish crush on him and plays him daily then I will agree that it makes no sense. Only time will tell.

 

Yeah, Bartlett is more or less this year's Jamie Carroll.

[Mike Sixel]

Which young players is he going to teach? Plouffe? Floriman? Dozier? Mauer? Suzuki? Kubel? Willingham? that is 7/9 of your starters......who are these mythical young players on the roster?

[Kwak]

Gardenhire demanded a veteran roster--and now he has one. Recall how the last two seasons were explained as "not providing the right players to Gardenhire"? Now he has them--and the FO has him! It's win or it's Gardenhire's fault now.

[JB_Iowa]

Which young players is he going to teach? Plouffe? Floriman? Dozier? Mauer? Suzuki? Kubel? Willingham? that is 7/9 of your starters......who are these mythical young players on the roster?

 

Pinto, Hicks, Escobar. That's it for me.

 

I suppose you could include Dozier in that group but he'll be 27 in May and Florimon turned 27 in December. Still don't seem like young players to me but I guess that "young" is in the eye of the beholder.

[zwiefz]

Mike-First of all, you are correct that there isn't a lot for Bartlett to teach Mauer, Suzuki, Kubel or Willingham.(4 of 13 position players, Bartlett makes the 5th true veteran)

 

But just because Plouffe(2 1/2 yrs in MLB), Florimon(1 1/2 yrs in MLB), and Dozier(1 1/2 yrs in MLB) were starters all of last year doesn't mean they don't have things to learn. I think the results of last year prove they do. I would classify these three as 'young veterans'

 

As far as what you call 'mythical young players' I would put Hicks, Arcia, Pinto, Escobar and Colabello in this category(Colabello may be older than the other three but he still has virtually no MLB experience.

 

So 8 of 13 position players have less than 2 1/2 yrs played in the big leagues. I would consider that young.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

I will go on record as not opposing the Bartlett decision on its own. He's just a utility guy (I think?). It's when placed against the broader picture I agree the whole thing just invites scorn. Very much moving the goalposts here.

[Guest USAFChief]

I'm tempted to think the Twins are keeping Bartlett around as a hedge against the very real possibility Florimon doesn't hold onto the everyday SS job, and hoping to catch lightning in a bottle with a cheap veteran if (when?) it becomes apparent they can no longer keep running Florimon out there. I wouldn't be surprised to see Bartlett at SS quite often.

 

I don't think they signed him with the idea of turning him into a super utility guy, it's just the role that allows him to stick around for now.

[Mike Sixel]

Inexperienced is not equal to young.

[S.]

2)He is essentially another coach who will help teach the younger players the "Twins Way".

I never really understood "experience in the lineup", when said experienced players are not good. Exactly what skill-set and knowledge is Bartlett bringing to the team that our coaches shouldn't already be able to teach the young players? I can see the arguments merit if we were talking someone like Thome or even a situation like Suzuki to help Pinto with game calling, but Jason Bartlett? C'mon.

Quoting my own post from the Presley thread, since it's more relevant here and I'm interested in your take since you seem to believe Jason Bartlett has something to teach the younger players that our coaches can't offer, and this somehow offsets the fact that he isn't an outfielder and he hasn't done anything to prove he belongs on any major league team in any position (let alone outfield) in quite some time.

[Tibs]

Honest question, who would you guys have rather seen on the roster besides Jason Bartlett? (signing better players isn't an option for this question)

[Dr. Evil]

Other than in 2009, Bartlett has never been good.

 

Kubel is in freefall.

 

These are bad roster decisions.

 

Absolutely agree.

[Mike Sixel]

Honest question, who would you guys have rather seen on the roster besides Jason Bartlett? (signing better players isn't an option for this question)

 

You mean to be the 4th OF? Presley. And why was not acquiring good players an option this offseason?