Trevor Larnach is on the Clock

"The Twins have too many left-handed corner options ..."

This has been a mantra since the end of last season .... and then the Twins added Joey Gallo.

Trading time is quite ways off, so the team will need to embrace what they have and let them play. The player who doesn't look up to the task, in my estimation, is Solano. In a week the Twins will need to take a hard look at their current roster. I am unable to predict tomorrow or further into the future, due to personal limitations, but Farmer and Kirilloff should both be on the airplane to Los Angeles. This will be the Twins version of bringing in a couple of keys.

Not a good day for an article discussing Larnach's status after what was it, four K's last night?  All I remember is the seventh with the bases loaded and our 2-3-4 hitters coming up.

I continue to believe that AK will be a special hitter.  Saw he had two hits again last night.  Sure looks to me that should Larnach continue hitting like of late for another week or so, AK is up and Larnach is in St. Paul.  That also solves the problem of how they create an opening for AK without losing Gordon, who has been hitting like last year the last couple games.  The Twins sure as heck need some clutch hitting, will AK be part of the answer?

I bet Larnach gets optioned down when AK ready to come up.  Really they are interchangeable pieces. Since Larnach still has option year left he will get sent down if he does not get on hot streak soon.  He has always been a streaky hitter, but we need at least him or AK to reach what he hoped.  

53 minutes ago, tony&rodney said:

"The Twins have too many left-handed corner options ..."

This has been a mantra since the end of last season .... and then the Twins added Joey Gallo.

Trading time is quite ways off, so the team will need to embrace what they have and let them play. The player who doesn't look up to the task, in my estimation, is Solano. In a week the Twins will need to take a hard look at their current roster. I am unable to predict tomorrow or further into the future, due to personal limitations, but Farmer and Kirilloff should both be on the airplane to Los Angeles. This will be the Twins version of bringing in a couple of keys.

"Bringing in a couple of keys!"  I love it!!  "Don't touch my bags if you please, Mr. Custom's Man!"

The potential is definitely there for Larnach, unfortunately for him and the Twins, I don't think we are well bit to sit around wait for potential this year. The power is off the charts, but that doesn't matter when you're not barreling up balls. I think mentioning his approach is an interesting discussion. He walk a lot, obviously nice to see, but I think he's gotta rethink his game plan. He's clearly struggling on all off-speed, I've watched most of his ABs and aside from the changeup HR, not sure he's hit another off speed pitch hard. Makes me think he's sitting red dead on the fastball, I don't think it's working anymore, he's not adjusting to the off-speed.

I personally don't think we can afford to have a guy struggling for long, taking up a middle of the order spot on this team. The calls for Kirilloff will get loud, another 2-hit game last night, tonight is an important game for Larnach I imagine.

20 minutes ago, Cody Pirkl said:

Why is it a bad time for an article discussing how Larnach could be running out of time the night after he strikes out four times? He could get optioned for Matt Wallner before the Cleveland series and I wouldn't be shocked.

That comment was 'tongue in cheek,' Cody.

9 minutes ago, chpettit19 said:

He looks like he's trying to sit on off-speed now, and it's causing him to miss the fastballs he used to crush. That's a really bad combination when he's still struggling to hit off-speed. He's trying to make an adjustment, and that's what we should be expecting, but the Twins have finally gathered some depth so how likely won't be as patient with adjustments as they would've in the future. Nice for the team overall, but tough for individual players. Gordon seems to be figuring out his adjustment to take himself off the hot seat, and now it's Larnach who needs to get his straightened out, or he'll be making that adjustment in AAA. The bigger problem is that AAA pitchers may not be good enough for him to truly make the adjustment, and when he comes back he'll likely still have a major league adjustment to make and he'll still likely not have a lot of time to make it.

May have nailed the problem, chpettit19.

Gotta believe that they will flip Larnach and AK.  Question is, how soon?

Also becoming concerned with Miranda's bat.  Had a couple nice games, what was it a week ago?  But otherwise nothing like last year.  

Last night was a eye opener for this team as a whole. Bases loaded with no out and 50 million in payroll coming up to bat. They hit two infield ground balls on the first pitch they see. Larnach is not the problem. Up and down this lineup is a joke,they all want to wear a dumb vest. All we needed was a fly ball to score a run. You win by scoring one more run than the other team,not hitting one more homerun. Maybe it is time for a change at hitting coach and maybe time to send a Miranda to St. Paul. This might be the shake up the team needs. The way things look they might be under 500 before returning home.

The article reads as a provocative "time to give up on Larnach" piece, perhaps to generate discussion but maybe he really believes it?  500 AB that has been broken up due to injury is not enough to declare failure.  However, this is a team with a realistic goal of winning the division, winning a playoff game and hopefully with that monkey of the back, who knows...and Larnach has an option.  So, it's definitely reasonable to send him down to work on a pitch selection and punishing pitches in the power zone while providing the MLB at-bats to someone else for awhile. 

The ultra-talented Soto is also taking too many pitches which puts him into poor hitting counts.  It's hard to find that balance.  I'm hoping that Larnach is smart enough to be able to figure out how a pitcher is trying to pitch him and then be ready and able to hit a pitch on the edge of the zone.

Where has it been shown or seen that Kiriloffs is much of any better than Larnach?  Inthe limited time he has been with the Twins he hasn't shown much at the major league level.  AK several times has shown great AAA numbers only to prove he can't be a consistent major league hitter.  Wallner?  You really think he's ready or the answer?  If some of those players are returned to the major league roster soon why are people worried about who may lose their roster spot?  If the FO can't find anyone on this roster to send to minors or release they have got to go.  This 26 man roster has plenty of candidates for release/ demotion.

Larnach has been up and down at the plate but then add in his limited outfield range and his lack of knowledge on how to play an outfield wall and it could be time to make a change!

I like that both Larnach and Miranda take full healthy swings most of the time. They don't look bad in their swings. But how about some solid contact. It's gotta come soon. 

12 minutes ago, David Maro said:

Last night was a eye opener for this team as a whole. Bases loaded with no out and 50 million in payroll coming up to bat. They hit two infield ground balls on the first pitch they see. Larnach is not the problem. Up and down this lineup is a joke,they all want to wear a dumb vest. All we needed was a fly ball to score a run. You win by scoring one more run than the other team,not hitting one more homerun. Maybe it is time for a change at hitting coach and maybe time to send a Miranda to St. Paul. This might be the shake up the team needs. The way things look they might be under 500 before returning home.

I miss Paul Molitor.

Great timing for this Cody because Kirilloff will be coming up soon and Farmer will just make the roster crunch a little tighter.  When you factor in Gallo, Kepler and Wallner for the immediate future, and Rodriguez for the year or two future as well as the strong possibility that the Twins could take an toolsy outfielder with their 5th pick in the June draft, Larnach is indeed on the hot seat a bit. 

Kepler is in his last year with the team.  Gallo is signed for only one year.  So beyond this season, there is still a place for Larnach.  But he's supposed to be a middle of the order power bat and it just hasn't come to the fore yet.  He leads the team in RBI's but that's more a function of the abundant opportunities he's had. 

Last night's 7th inning with bases loaded and nobody out was beyond frustrating seeing big guns like Correa and Buxton both swinging at the first pitch and both making weak contact with grounders back to the pitcher.  Larnach battled back well from falling behind 0-2 to bring the count full, but in the end finished with a strikeout and earning the "Golden Sombrero" (4 strikouts in a game, from Hrbek and Gaetti days) for his effort.  

2 hours ago, IndianaTwin said:

I think Farmer is actually shooting for next week's home series, though that probably has more of an impact on Castro than Larnach. 

I fully agree that Castro is the first to go when Farmer or AK are brought up.  My eyes tell me Larnach is a good hitter, but it's hard to argue with the stats.  Unless someone goes on the DL, I suspect it's Larnach or Solano who get moved out after Castro.  Gordon's ability to play so many positions should keep him on the roster.

2 hours ago, Cody Pirkl said:

I've been a Larnach believer the entire season, and while I think he is nearing a point where they have to send him down, I don't look at that as giving up on him.

 

I think sending down a 26 year old healthy hitter might not be giving up on him but it is a sign of the beginning of the end, you can't have a guy like that clogging up the 40 man forever, IMO.

This is a nonsensical article. Larnach is cheap (four years of team control), plays solid defense, and already has a better bat than Kepler. He’s taking solid at bats compared to the rest of the roster. I’d rather keep him long term and would end the Kepler charade once and for all.