Mark Canha is (Still, and More Urgently Than Ever) the Perfect Twins Free-Agent Target

I am not normally someone who likes the whole platoon thing and playing different positions every day.  I prefer putting your best players at each position on the field and letting them play their game.  Having said that, getting a veteran player who can give back up flexibility at both positions and a right handed bat to boot, I would be on board with that signing.  My only question would be is he considered a good addition to the clubhouse, or not so much?  That would be the only deal breaker for me.  

The author really gave many of the reasons why not to sign the player, 

18 minutes ago, Mark G said:

My only question would be is he considered a good addition to the clubhouse, or not so much?  That would be the only deal breaker for me.  

He's been in MLB for a decade and nobody has openly complained about him.

Sure sign him, since it does seem the Twins are lacking in the DH department, still leaves a bench of Vazquez, Castro, Martin and 1 of (Julien/Helman/Keirsey/Gasper)

Does this move make the team better, IMO maybe slightly but not forcing a Gasper or Julien DH.

and on a side note does this site constantly cause your browser to crash?

Not so much above average bat at 1B and a below average fielder to boot (pun intended) feels like a let down from Santana.  Holding out for Alonzo.  Make it happen.

Canha's a pro. In terms of his clubhouse presence, I don't think that's anything to worry about. Besides, you have Correa and Buxton as the clear leaders. There won't be issues.

In terms of on-field, he's better than the in-house alternatives, but not by much. 

Sign him to a minor league contract and have him available in case of injuries......sure.

49 minutes ago, dxpavelka said:

Not so much above average bat at 1B and a below average fielder to boot (pun intended) feels like a let down from Santana.  Holding out for Alonzo.  Make it happen.

Alonso. And it's not happening. 

Yeah great. They have no money!

Ok hissy fit alert.  I do not want to read about how our FO “prides itself on finding creative solutions”.  Waiting around every year so you can sign some decline phase vet for peanuts is hardly creative.  In fact it’s the opposite of creative.  It’s all the more maddening because we can’t develop our own prospects to be difference makers so you end up with…..average.  Let’s add Canha and go get those 82 wins.

The defense is taking a downgrade, especially losing Kepler and Santana. I would prefer they add someone who is a good defender, like Bader, as a backup.

so sickening when its considered smart to sign someone that doesnt hit .250

16 minutes ago, MinnInPa said:

so sickening when its considered smart to sign someone that doesnt hit .250

League average is .243

1 hour ago, TwinsDr2021 said:

Sure sign him, since it does seem the Twins are lacking in the DH department, still leaves a bench of Vazquez, Castro, Martin and 1 of (Julien/Helman/Keirsey/Gasper)

Does this move make the team better, IMO maybe slightly but not forcing a Gasper or Julien DH.

 

and on a side note does this site constantly cause your browser to crash?

It does cause the iPad to crash and frequently to reboot. It seems like it does moreso whammy you stop and rethink about what you are posting and loses what you  were working on 

I think we could do better. A 35 year old corner OF/1b with no power and below average hitting? Just because he's right handed and could play the two positions we need help at, doesn't mean he would upgrade who we already have. Numbers are similar to what Martin or Keirsey could probably put up in the OF. Miranda will surely put hit him and maybe even Julien too. I say pass. Should be someone better available in FA or in a trade.

13 minutes ago, DJL44 said:

League average is .243

The good old days when league average was a robust .260. Maybe some steroids to get it up to 270 again would be in order. 

41 minutes ago, JD-TWINS said:

Seems to me that Martin and Miranda generate same or better offense at like positions. Castro & Martin in corner OF spots v. lefties. I’m usually very pro veteran for depth but it seems that at 35 and peak year 6 years ago (2019) the Team should fill spot with youth or via trade for a REAL contributor (maybe just a 1B)?.

Grichuk, to me, made most sense for the cost….signed this week for $5M.

Canha’s defensive flexibility and MLB experience are attractive though. Miranda has a “reverse splits” bat so he isn’t very effective against LH pitching. Also, there needs to be an alternative at 1B…………..I’m hoping they can scrape by a couple months and maybe Keaschall could fill that roll?

I would have liked Grichuk. When he declined the 6 million option i figured he wa pricing himself out of markets. It is not like hee was going to get a 3/30 at his age.  I hope his agent pays him the money he lost out on 

54 minutes ago, DJL44 said:

The defense is taking a downgrade, especially losing Kepler and Santana. I would prefer they add someone who is a good defender, like Bader, as a backup.

Yep, this team's defense was already mediocre to bad last season, and this season is shaping up to be ugly. 

A flyball heavy pitching staff and bad OF defense? What can go wrong? 

Cosign on Bader. Assume he still is able to get something like 5-7.5 million. And I think he's very clearly worth that. Plus, the Twins obsessed with platoons, he's hit significantly better against LHP in his career with a .328/.291 woba L/R split. 

I'm just not really interested in adding 35 year old guys who, while they supply a "floor" for performance, don't really have much in the way of "upside."  I'd rather see our young guys to what they can do.  If you're willing to accept mediocre you will BE mediocre.

Absent a Paddack for Mountcastle trade or a SWR and Paddack for Casas trade, assuming the Twins trade Paddack for "something" and shed his $7.5 million, I'd rather see a trade with Tampa for Yandy Diaz. 

Maybe Yandy Diaz (23.4) for SWR (19.9) straight up would work.

2 hours ago, TwinsDr2021 said:

Sure sign him, since it does seem the Twins are lacking in the DH department, still leaves a bench of Vazquez, Castro, Martin and 1 of (Julien/Helman/Keirsey/Gasper)

Does this move make the team better, IMO maybe slightly but not forcing a Gasper or Julien DH.

 

and on a side note does this site constantly cause your browser to crash?

I'm glad someone brought up the Browser crashing , mine crashes all the time  , mostly when I'm typing a post  , I thought it was just me because I'd never heard any complaints before  ...

TD we have a problem  !!!

Everyone is naturally going to have different ideas about where the Twins can improve upon their performance from a prior season. Sometimes there are multiple concerns such as SP, RH OF, etc.

When I thought about what I saw on the field last season, my main complaint was a general lack of athleticism and specifically poor to mediocre defense. I don't need to rely on statistics and analytics very much but a stopwatch helps occasionally. The TD Blueprint exercise has outlived its time based on the total absence of participation last November and that is fine. My goals were to improve the defense at a minimum and add a couple of younger players with some upside. Ultimately I was willing to gamble a  downside of 78 wins for an upside of 93 wins. This is quite a variance which often happens with less experienced players. The additions I'm reading about and the stand pat plan currently taken by Falvey looks like at least an 82 win team but could be 88 if things go right. 

Sometimes I find myself objecting to one player or another and realize it isn't the player so much as that the base competency returns mediocrity as a ceiling. I see the weaknesses of the Twins fringe players but feel they deserve an opportunity to lift themselves and the team. Manuel Margot was a good player for a long time but the Twins managed to use him to a level that highlighted the worst of his talents at a time when poor Manuel was down. These decisions are almost a parody of how the Twins use veterans on the downside of their careers.  So now Mark Canha is the latest name to float. A decent player three years ago, but still able to gain an MLB contract ..... for a team hoping to win half of its games.

The writer gives way to much credit for this FO being creative ...

Being creative after all the better players are signed and now you begin the dumpster diving in free agency is not creative because the prices have dropped  , well if your smart you have to realize the talent has dropped significantlyas well ...

Why didn't the FO be bold and creative when they signed santana last off season and give him a base salary with incentives and a club option for a second season with a base salary and incentives  , santana was fun to watch at first base , this year our pitchers era's are going up...

Because the talent that mostly remains in free agency is the lesser talent  , it only makes sense to go with our younger players who are just as capable to play the game  as the remaining free agents are ...