Michael A. Taylor is the Insurance Policy Minnesota Needed

Taylor would be great in the role as Buxton's backup in centerfield. Unfortunately, he has been and continues to be the starter, a role that is too big for him.

So we're using Taylors awful offensive career as the benchmark and celebrating any marginal projected uptick? What are we doing here? The guy has been the starting CF'er all year, and there's nothing to suggest that's going to change, i.e. he should be judged as such. He's sitting at a .683 OPS with a near career high in K% and career low in BB%, but hey if we feed him enough ABs he'll maybe surpass the ten (ten!) doubles he hit last year during another miserable offensive campaign. Oh and about those SBs, he's tied for 33rd in baseball with noted speed demons JT Realmuto and Freddie Freeman. I mean c'mon....

At what point do articles like this and others currently on the front page just become trolling? Honestly. 

Michael A. Taylor's lack of offense presents a silver lining.

Taylor has good value as a 4th outfielder/defensive sub and pinch runner.  Unfortunately the team is not using him in that role - he has played in the most games of any position player this year.    I'll say one thing for him unique to this team - he can stay healthy - well at least until we overexpose him and wear him out.        

The Minnesota Twins employ one of the best centerfielders in baseball, but unfortunately, he often isn’t able to field the position.

And now, even when he is, he isn't given the chance. Where is he now? On the IL again and it is not due to playing centerfield. His last 3 IL stints had nothing to do with Buck playing defense but the powers that are in control are protecting him from injury. How's that working out? Is it insanity, stupidity or both? Face it, the guy is made of glass. A full bodycast of bubblewrap or medieval body armor are the only things that will keep him in the lineup AND on the field for a full season. 

So, IOW, he's Rudy Gobert. Woohoo!

7 hours ago, chpettit19 said:

Hey now, JT stole 21 bags last year. That was 14th most in all of baseball.

And Freeman got 13, which was good for 34th in baseball.

If you're in the top 15 in any category in the entire league you're doing something right. Top 35 is pretty solid, too. Don't hate on the big boys and their base stealing skills.

Of f****ing course he swipes two tonight...

No offense to the big boys but on the whole I think we're reaching to justify Taylor's consistent presence in the starting lineup.

To me, it begs the question where is the depth in the organization?  We seem to push out corner outfielders by the dozen, but if Celestino is in the equation as depth in center, we don't have much.  Why so may corners guys, and no one coming up in center?

Actually, same could be said for 1st base and catcher.  How many of those has the organization produced recently?  

We seem to be very deep at certain positions, having to move guys around to get them all in sometimes, but have nothing at other positions.  Lots of infielders (minus 1st base), and lots of corner outfielders.  Is it a priority for this FO, or just a coincidence?  I have wondered for awhile now.  🤔

Buxton getting a team friendly deal?  Come on 100 mil for an 8 year part time player isn't bad.  Buxton has been an overall bust.  Sure he has his streaks where he hits very well then longer streaks when he looks like a minor leaguer.  I think Buck negotiated a good deal for himself.  He's been a huge frustrating disappointment.  I wouldn't count on much help from h I m this year ( again)

31 minutes ago, Whitey333 said:

Buxton getting a team friendly deal?  Come on 100 mil for an 8 year part time player isn't bad.  Buxton has been an overall bust.  Sure he has his streaks where he hits very well then longer streaks when he looks like a minor leaguer.  I think Buck negotiated a good deal for himself.  He's been a huge frustrating disappointment.  I wouldn't count on much help from h I m this year ( again)

Agreed.  He does have power; last year and so far this year he has hit 38 home runs combined, but they have resulted in 74 RBI's combined.  His low average and high strike out rate do not make up for the occasional solo home run.  His golf swing (sorry, "launch angle") he is married to will bring home runs when he truly squares up, but it doesn't allow him to square up often enough to be an overall effective hitter.  And someone should tell him that.  Preferably a coach or two, as he has stopped taking my calls.  😏

4 hours ago, chpettit19 said:

Yeah, I'm not suggesting Taylor is an answer to the CF problems here. Just that his SB numbers, and those of the 2 guys you mentioned, are awfully respectable. 

Overall, the Twins lack CF options right now. I wouldn't mind seeing Castro there more, but his defense out there is quite questionable. He's learning it, and not a butcher, but at this point this team needs to win games 1-0, 2-1, or 3-2 most nights. I don't think Castro brings enough offense above what MAT does to justify the loss in defense in CF. I don't think MAT, or Castro, are answers to anything, but I also don't think they're the biggest questions we have. I'd replace Kepler before I replaced MAT. I'd stop pinch hitting for Kirilloff with Garlick just because Kirilloff is the first lefty to face a lefty (I'd DFA Garlick and never invite him back, actually). I'd drop Correa to the bottom of the order. I'd play Jeffers over Vazquez 65% of the time. I think those are all bigger answers to the Twins questions than MAT in CF.

Yeah I get that, my point was just that Taylor swiping a few bags, especially on this team (and with his paltry offensive output) isn't enough of a silver lining to justify running him out there every day. 

Agreed, the article was about Taylor so I'm really only commenting on him. I'm not a big Castro fan despite his recent tear, so yeah if that's my only option then Taylor ftw. I'd force Kepler into CF, and if he refuses he's DFA'd. He has little to no value in MN and there's no reason to run him out there hoping some contender is willing to give you anything for a late inning defensive replacement. 100% on Kirilloff too, I can't stand watching him be platooned. I don't understand it. Yes to Correa dropping. I'm fine with more Jeffers but that means he's going to see a lot more RHP so adjust expectations accordingly, but it can't be that much worse than Vazquez right now. 

8 minutes ago, chpettit19 said:

I wouldn't ask Kepler about CF at all. I don't think he brings any value there either. He's a worse fielder, and no better hitter, than Taylor. I think they should DFA Kepler no matter what. The mindless platooning drives me nuts. It's to the point where I seriously think other managers/FOs sit in pre-series meetings and actively laugh at how easy it's going to be to manipulate the Twins lineup however they want. I can't imagine there's ever been a team in MLB history that pinch hits for the top 4 players in their lineup as frequently as the Twins. Makes me want to cry. As for Jeffers, I just think he's turned an actual corner, and he's a solid hitter. He was drafted for his bat, and made some legit changes to his swing, and approach, this offseason. His OPS vs lefties this year is .690 (35 PAs) while his OPS vs righties is .917 (72 PAs). I don't think he'll maintain a .917 OPS against righties, but I think he's significantly better in the box than Vazquez.

If they're each hitting strong side maybe you eek out some production, Idk, but I only suggested it because I have no faith this FO makes the necessary move and cuts bait. I'm not shedding any tears if Kepler just goes. Yep, some of these early game substitutions are infuriating. 

He’s got more CF starts than any other Twin has games played regardless of position. The starter has zero. Batting a little better than his career norm…so, there’s that. It could have been worse.

I’m just waiting for Rocco to DH him. You KNOW it’s coming. If you can DH a 35-year old Donovan Solano (5 times so far), you can DH Michael Taylor

12 hours ago, chpettit19 said:

I wouldn't ask Kepler about CF at all. I don't think he brings any value there either. He's a worse fielder, and no better hitter, than Taylor. I think they should DFA Kepler no matter what. The mindless platooning drives me nuts. It's to the point where I seriously think other managers/FOs sit in pre-series meetings and actively laugh at how easy it's going to be to manipulate the Twins lineup however they want. I can't imagine there's ever been a team in MLB history that pinch hits for the top 4 players in their lineup as frequently as the Twins. Makes me want to cry. As for Jeffers, I just think he's turned an actual corner, and he's a solid hitter. He was drafted for his bat, and made some legit changes to his swing, and approach, this offseason. His OPS vs lefties this year is .690 (35 PAs) while his OPS vs righties is .917 (72 PAs). I don't think he'll maintain a .917 OPS against righties, but I think he's significantly better in the box than Vazquez.

I hate to stray too far from the article, but speaking of catchers do you know who would be considered the emergency 3rd catcher if one was ever needed?  I ask, because I have seen so many games this year where Rocco will pinch hit our back up catcher for someone else, leaving no catcher on the bench in case of an injury.  Crap, one game he put Jeffers in as a pinch RUNNER.  Do we have an option if the worst should happen and, let's say, Jeffers pinch hits and is now out of the game and Vazquez gets hurt?  I don't remember even Rocco using both catchers in a game as often as he does, much less any other manager.  If it hit the fan, do we have a plan C?  

5 hours ago, Mark G said:

I hate to stray too far from the article, but speaking of catchers do you know who would be considered the emergency 3rd catcher if one was ever needed?  I ask, because I have seen so many games this year where Rocco will pinch hit our back up catcher for someone else, leaving no catcher on the bench in case of an injury.  Crap, one game he put Jeffers in as a pinch RUNNER.  Do we have an option if the worst should happen and, let's say, Jeffers pinch hits and is now out of the game and Vazquez gets hurt?  I don't remember even Rocco using both catchers in a game as often as he does, much less any other manager.  If it hit the fan, do we have a plan C?  

Farmer is the emergency catcher from what I heard when we acquired him ...