A Three-Step Plan to Drastically Improve the Twins' Infield Defense in 2020

I would actually move Polonco to 2B, Arraez to 3B and aquire a short term SS for the next year or 2.

Overall, I like it but I have a nagging feeling that acquiring Mike Moustakis to play 3rd, leave Polanco at short (even though he makes some bad plays on his errors, he does often make sensational plays...in Strat-O-Matic, I might rate him a 1 e25.

With Moustakis at 3rd, Polanco at short and Sano at first makes the Twins formidable offense potentially even more formidable.  Moustakis might be the only position player we need to acquire - I think Brent Rooker might be ready to beat out Jake Cave.  Although I love Cave’s hustle, he’s not even major league average for a starting outfielder and with all the Twins’ injuries, we need major league offense at those positions.  For example when, Kepler and Buxton (never a guarantee for being available) were both hurt, our subs out there were decidedly subpar.  I think if Rooker had’t been injured, he might have been the guy to go to....his AAA numbers were pretty good and I sense he still has a big upside.

This article got me thinking about the evolving skill set required of all infielders in an analytics driven world where an infielder might find himself at various positions on the field on any given pitch.   Should we be developing infields with players that possess a different set of skills and deploy those skills in the manner that makes the most sense on any given pitch.     

Will we get to a point where the notion of a shortstop, third baseman and second baseman are irrelevant and we position infielders on pitches to play to their unique strengths.  In the case of Polanco - having him on the left side of the infield against pull heavy left-handers makes sense because of the range he has over Arraez in terms of covering more territory while the other players overshift to the second base side.  However, it may make more sense to put Arraez at third against pull heavy right handers so that he can use his arm from 3rd to make a play.  

Seems like the days of pigeon-holing players into a defined "position" makes no sense and instead we should focus on filling out infields with the requisite skill sets to defend against any given hitter.

Don't see how this (Ahmed) makes you better. Makes you better defensively, and worse offensively. The way the game is played now, offense is a must-have...infield defense is a nice-to-have. If you're trading prospect capital on anything other than pitching right now (and not sure why you would)...you'd be better off just getting a 1st or 3rd baseman who can rake.

And literally any SS in major league baseball is a more likely trade candidate than Lindor. Just say'in.

Great thought provoking article! My immediate thought is that I prefer Cron at 1B over Sano. Miguel’s footwork and ability to grab low throws in the dirt are far inferior to CJ’s. I also maintain that Cron’s bat before the thumb injury was very solid and he was on his way to a 30 HR season. Miguel’s greatest assets are his bat and arm, and I haven’t seen great aptitude at First. I also think that Polanco’s best position is 2B. Which brings us to Arraez , whose best position is also 2B. I believe our infield may be in a status quo until 2021, when perhaps Nelson Cruz ( eventually slows down ) doesn’t return and Royce Lewis is in the mix at SS. It should also be noted that Nick Gordon’s best position is also 2B , and neither Brent Rooker or Zander Wiel are equal to Cron defensively. So, I like the idea of improving the infield defense, just don’t see it happening til 2021, especially since we still have Marwin and Adrianza for 2020.

Overall I like the idea.  However, of the SS listed for trade I am not sure any of them would be available for what Twins would be willing to give up.  SS is most expensive position, and to get a hitter and top fielder at that spot you have to pay big for it.  No way would Cleveland give up Lindor, to division rival, for less than Lewis, Kiroloff, and a top pitching prospect, whoever they want, that is minimum, in my mind.  Then we will have to pay him big in couple years.  

Story, could be got for less, but I am always skeptical of any Coors field numbers without lookings at his home road splits.  Just looking them up, they are not good, his average is .301 home, .250 road, his OBP is .368 home .313 road, and OPS is .998 to .756 road.  He clearly gets a boost from Coors field. 

Ahmed is just not good offensively, so as long as you are okay with major drop off in offense, for the defense, and maybe we are, but he is aging as well, and may have drop off in range going into year 30 season.  

FA José Iglesias is also going into age 30 season and has poor offense.  Not saying the Twins should not look into things, but the only guy on the list that I would be super sold on would cost so much in prospects that the Twins would need to be going all in and be ready for some bare cupboards down the road.  

I'd like to see the defense improve, but I don't think moving players to new positions means that they will suddenly be better (at positions they've rarely played).

I'd give the current core 1-2 more years to hopefully improve, then revisit position changes as the SS prospects hit The Show.

I like the idea overall. I don't think that throwing from third is any farther than from SS in many instances. And less in some. Also, it seems to me that the harder the ball is hit and the less time Polanco has to react to it the better he plays. The 3 hoppers eat him up, as do the tag plays at second base. Bottom line, he is a good hitter and a lousy SS. Whether this particular move is a good idea, or is made, I hope the day does not come when MLB becomes an all bat game, and defense is simply something to do before your next AB!

I'd non-tender Cron, take the $7mm and buy Polanco a new, bionic arm....

You want to make it 2 positions where you have a well below average hitter for the position. Better defense at the expense of offense. The difference in woba would  suggest you lose more runs on offense than you would save on defense.

By itself, Sano in place of Cron at 1B is a degradation and not an improvement in defense. The strengths Sano brings as a 3Bman are mainly negated over at first. Cron isn't fleet of foot but was pretty nimble.

 

I don't envision Sano being good at scoops, based on how he reacts to rockets hit toward him at third; someone will need to handle those scattershot throws now to be coming from third instead of short.

 

Two steps forward with the other moves proposed, one step back - which means not a very marked improvement, I'd be afraid.

Was thinking the exact same thing.

Step 1: Sign Josh Donaldson to play 3B.

That's all of the steps.

Polanco's problem at short is his absolute lack of fundamentals, especially throwing the ball.  He plays shortstop but throws/flips it likes he's playing 2B.  I'd move Polanco to 2B, bring up Gordon to play SS, move Sano to 1B and play Gonzalez at 3B.  Arraez will be on the bench (I'm still not convinced he'll hit long term and his defense is pretty bad).  The OF should be solid if Kepler stays in RF and Buxton can stay healthy.  I think Rosario's fielding problems are related to him trying to make a super human effort on every play and not using his head.  I hope Garver keeps improving defensively.

No, you did NOT say good-bye to Cruz.  Signing Didi would be worth 3 more wins per year for the 3 games a year he personally kills the Twins all by himself.

Brain freeze, Cron not Cruz.