The Twins Won’t Exercise Max Kepler’s Option…Will They?

I've always liked Kepler.  But before this 5 to 6 week barrage he had hit a total of only 216 since the start of the 2021 seasons.  Not great fir the past two and half years.  I don't mind if they keep him but I actually think it's time for both Kepler and Polanco to go this off season.  GobTwins

5 hours ago, Fire Dan Gladden said:

Much to the chagrin of the mob, I believe they will pick up his option.  There are other OF at a higher risk of not being here next year (Taylor, Gordon, Gallo).

You have to ask yourself what type of improvement could you get for $10m?  Kepler is a known product.  He has been with the organization a long time (sorry guys, there is value in that).  Brings strong defense and decent power.  If he was more consistent with the bat, he would be making considerably more.  By all accounts he is a good clubhouse glue guy.

Personally, I would like to see him provide more flexibility in the OF, playing wherever they need him.  He is a strong enough defender to play all three positions.

There are much bigger concerns than Kepler on the roster, feels like an easy decision.

You  make a subtle comment about where he plays in the OF - I think his unwillingness to play CF is detrimental to the team.  If he's going to make $10M next year with us- He needs to be willing to play where we need him to play.

90+ percent chance they pick-up Kepler's option unless he really falls off the rest of the way.  80+ percent chance he is a Minnesota Twin in 24.  We just don't have much depth.  

Polanco is a different story.  2;1 he is not a Minnesota Twin.  We have enough options that it's not a huge risk letting him go. I think there is a good chance they exercise the option because there is decent chance he has trade value.  The 2nd year option reduces risk so I can see him bringing something back.  I hope he is good the rest of the season and gets us a nice prospect.  A AA RH hitting OFer or a catcher would be great.

We can feel pretty good about the future INF with Kirilloff / Julien / Correa / Lee / Castro / Farmer and maybe Miranda / Prato or Severino.  I hope Lewis ends up in the OF but who knows things could change where it makes sense to have him in the IF.

1 hour ago, USAFChief said:

I just don't see Julien at 1st. Stone hands there is worse than at 2nd. A 1st baseman doesn't have to be mobile, but needs to have a soft glove. That ain't Julien. 

Does Julien really have trouble receiving a thrown ball? He has trouble with batted balls but that's very different.

5 minutes ago, USAFChief said:

From where I sit on my Ekornes stressless recliner he has bad hands, which manifest themselves in catching baseballs no matter how they originate.

Obviously catching a line drive, whether from a bat or an arm is way easier than catching balls bouncing, but not all throws to a first baseman are chest high on a line.

Maybe I'm over reacting, but he just looks to me like a miss waiting to happen. 

Also maybe he can improve, but IMO that's unlikely. A guy with soft hands can learn to field grounders. A guy with a good but inaccurate arm can learn to throw. But bad hands...those are tough to fix.

Julien is currently unplayable as a second baseman. He fumbles grounders and isn't good enough turning the pivot. Rocco is correct in regularly removing him from the game for a defensive replacement. If he can't handle 1B he's pretty much a DH.

1 minute ago, USAFChief said:

I agree he's not a good 2nd baseman, but I think he would be even worse at 1st because he'd handle the ball so much more. You'd add another x number of ground balls not turned into outs.

If he's actually this hitter then I'd live with his defense at 2nd. 

But that's just like, my opinion, man.

You handle the ball more at 1B but they're easier chances. 2B definitely has more total difficult chances than 1B. Inability to turn a double play is a killer when it comes to defensive value at second. Arraez went from below average 2B to Gold Glove candidate at 1B. It's not that hard.

I don't know what to expect the FO to do ...

Kepler has a .233 career batting average ( is that acceptable with his defense  , and some say his defense is diminishing  ) , Kepler had a career year in 2019 with a .252 average .

He has never hit before or after 2019 , his previous high average was .243 in 2017 he has not been a consistent hitter or a clutch hitter since 2019 , like his defense all these years ( nothing but raindrops falls ) ..

I'm glad Kepler has found some success but Kepler has always been a streaky hitter ,,,

Everyone  calling for him to be traded or dfa'd this year but now the tune has changed since the allstar break , WAY TO GO MAX , keep riding the high road please ... 

If the Twins resign Kepler  , I hope we don't go back to demanding he gets dfa'd or traded , one year is enough ...

Do you we need to bring him back though? We have so many good young outfielders in the minors raring to go. Martin, Williams (Kirilloff to OF), Larnach, Stevenson, Prato, Kiersey, and Camargo are all ready to go or almost ready. We can trade him and get some good value now. 

1 hour ago, gman said:

Before jumping on the keep Kepler bandwagon, what happens if they put Buxton back in the outfield next year(which everyone is hoping for) but it's not center field. He can't maintain his health in center and never has. He can't even do it from the bench.

If Buxton play's left or right do you keep Kepler? Do you then trade both Larnach and Wallner?

No way we trade Wallner unless we’re getting a better player back in return. I don’t even think Larnach will get traded because they still believe in him. 

2 hours ago, Hashim said:

Do you we need to bring him back though? We have so many good young outfielders in the minors raring to go. Martin, Williams (Kirilloff to OF), Larnach, Stevenson, Prato, Kiersey, and Camargo are all ready to go or almost ready. We can trade him and get some good value now. 

Right, why not then ,just dump the whole current Twins team and replace them with the current Saints, Good Grief.

3 hours ago, USAFChief said:

I agree he's not a good 2nd baseman, but I think he would be even worse at 1st because he'd handle the ball so much more. You'd add another x number of ground balls not turned into outs.

If he's actually this hitter then I'd live with his defense at 2nd. 

But that's just like, my opinion, man.

The Chief Abides.  

My feeling on Kepler is... if this FO is willing to give a washed up Gallo $11M they will give an inconsistant Kepler $10M. 

Sure, why not let him go.  We've never made a move like and had any reason to regret it.

Aaaaaannnnd right on cue, note that Kepler has been kept out of tonight's line-up due to being hit by a pitch on his foot in Monday's game........after supposedly being ruled "just fine" earlier in the day.

Hopefully, not a reprise of his 2022 2nd half toe injury for which he had surgery......

Even if it is, I still think that the general consensus opinion of "yes" to the option signing will still continue to be accurate.

47 minutes ago, Althebum82 said:

Aaaaaannnnd right on cue, note that Kepler has been kept out of tonight's line-up due to being hit by a pitch on his foot in Monday's game........after supposedly being ruled "just fine" earlier in the day.

Hopefully, not a reprise of his 2022 2nd half toe injury for which he had surgery......

Even if it is, I still think that the general consensus opinion of "yes" to the option signing will still continue to be accurate.

Facing a tough lefty and no need for him possibly do more damage. It was a good decision to give him a day off.

13 hours ago, JD-TWINS said:

He missed a waste high throw from the catcher on a steal play at 2B about 3 days ago. Completely missed the ball - decent throw - looked like a fool. I like Julien, but he has no intuitive feel on the defensive side.

He needs to get to Winter ball somewhere after season ends and he needs to work on his skills at 2B!!!

He's probably a lost cause then. There is too much to work on to master 2B when you can't catch a thrown ball yet.

18 hours ago, farmerguychris said:

You  make a subtle comment about where he plays in the OF - I think his unwillingness to play CF is detrimental to the team.  If he's going to make $10M next year with us- He needs to be willing to play where we need him to play.

Is it his unwillingness or the team's?  Are there other factors at play?  Don't automatically assume he is the problem in this...