Shortstop Continues to Be a Revolving Door for the Twins

Seems like they draft SS after SS, and none of them stick. I wish we had Houston's ability to pick 'em!

1 minute ago, h2oface said:

Seems like they draft SS after SS, and none of them stick. I wish we had Houston's ability to pick 'em!

It's somehow the FO fault Royce got hurt?

1 hour ago, sweetmusicviola16 said:

Reaquire IKF from NYY.

Why?

I am fine with using Farmer to begin.  I think Lee will eventually take over and Lewis will be at a different position - those are difficult injuries that have long term repercussions.   I think Polanco is a likely trade candidate along with Kepler (and not because of Gallo).  Gordon has been written off for SS by the team - a shame, and now the OF is getting too crowded.  Sometimes the FO over thinks things.

Interesting and a bit sad when you look at the history...especially recent history...of the Twins that they have had so few SS that were truly great/very good players. When I was a kid growing up and learning baseball and falling in love with the Twins, Smalley was the SS. And he was pretty damn good. The next really good SS was Gagne, who never won ANYTHING, but was damn good with the glove and OK with the bat. Heck, even Pat Mears was pretty good for a few years, as was Guzman. Since then it's been poor production, glove only, promising but traded away, etc. 

I am in the camp that wanted Correa because he would change all of that. I think, despite probably retiring with enough $ to make his great grandkids rich, he's so damn smart he could make a fine manager one day if he wanted to stay in the game. But, alas....

Unless something with Lewis is just "wrong" or chronic with his knee going forward, I believe he's our SS at some point in 2023 and going forward. Maybe I'm just a super optimist, but I believe in him 100%. My wanting Correa back wasn't about a disbelief in Lewis, but to add someone special to the organization and let Lewis be great somewhere else, probably 2B, allowing Lee to play 3B, Miranda sharing 1B and 3B and DH, etc.

I've seen enough of Lewis at SS in milb highlights, ST games, and his brief 2022 at the ML level to know he can handle the position. Can he become a Gold Glover at SS one day? Who knows? That's like trying to predict a top pitching prospect to challenge for or win a Cy Young. With his bat potential, do we care if he's GG worthy? Who knows, with time he might be. But how about just really good defense, making all the normal plays, a few great ones, and let him learn and develop and see how good he might be?

Reminder, he's an amazing athlete who lost nothing athletically after his last surgery. This latest setback was only a partial tear with the new re-inforcement techniques being used. IMO, he's going to be fine. And even if he loses a half step of elite speed and quickness, he's still got plenty left.

49 minutes ago, tony&rodney said:

Actually, that should be corrected to many scouts. The Twins have played him there quite a bit and now they need to reap what they sowed. Farmer will get time too. The plan is to ease Royce Lewis back into the lineup by mid June. Lewis did not have a full tear and should be good to go by mid May or June 1, making him ready by the first day of Summer. If the Twins won't sign the big boys they need to give the kids a shot. I also am not opposed to the team being open to using either of Nick Gordon or Brooks Lee. 

The reality is he played mostly 3B and 2B in college but is a great athlete so the Jays decided they should try him at SS. And the Twins have carried on this idea. And it's not a stupid idea. He's a wonderful athlete with at least a decent arm. It's sort of the reverse draft idea where you draft and sign a bunch of SS knowing most will transition to a different spot eventually, with some turning out to be solid utility players.

I've always stated that if there is any chance a prospect could play SS, you play them there as long as you can in hope they just might STICK. And let's be honest, except for some truly GREAT glove SS, most still struggle a little at the ML level initially. So I wouldn't abandon Martin still being a SS. But this kid has been behind the 8 ball since drafted.  He's drafted, sits out a whole year, then goes straight to AA and is asked to play a different position. 

I'm encouraged by Martin after his AFL performance not because it's a mostly hitter friendly league, but because he continued his upward trend in the last month or so what he did in AA, reportedly healthy again. He can play 3B a d 2B. The Twins have stated he's a "natural" in the OF. But at some point, despite all of his athleticism, you have to come to the conclusion he's just not a starting ML SS. And that's OK. 

I've compared him many times to Alex Gordon of the Royals. He was a top 3B prospect who just didn't turn out to be the 3B that they thought he would be, for whatever reason. And I would never say DON'T continue to play him at SS as he could be a viable backup there, but at some point you have to  be smart enough as an organization to realize what you have. Martin is a LF/CF, top of the order hitter who can cover 3B/2B and  be an emergency SS. Deal with it and watch him explode as a hitter and producer, potentially. 

I hate to compare greatness with a prospect, but Lee is a Ripken, Correa type of SS. Great intelligence, instinct, hands and arm. He could just settle in at SS and never look back. But I think we agree that Lewis has the ability to be a quality SS. And he doesn't have to be great.  And who knows, very good to great only happens with time. 

I don't know if Lewis is ready June or July. I think the Twins will be somewhat guarded. But he's their guy moving forward.

My thought is, for the immediate future, maybe they should grab an Iglesias or Andrus short term to allow Farmer to be a solid super-utility option. 

Martin is not playing short in the majors. Lewis and Lee are already off him. Put him in left or center or at second. They are not seeing him up for success this way. Put your players in the best possible position for success.