Twins 2019 Position Analysis: Right Field

Let's consider something else about Max Kepler: His sports background. Early training in dance footwork and balance have given Kepler a level of athletic poise that few possess, even at the MLB level. The benefits of that poise are two-fold: It gives him the ability to make improvisational plays, and it helps him avoid "clumsy" accidents that with less gifted athletes often result in injury. 

 

Kepler's athletic poise reduces his chances of injury from clumsy footwork. It also reduces his chances of throwing injuries, because his footwork is almost always precise. We can expect Kepler to have a long, healthy career of consistent high quality performance. Even when he's sliding or diving, Kepler is always on balance.

 

Let's consider something else about Max Kepler: His sports background. Early training in dance footwork and balance have given Kepler a level of athletic poise that few possess, even at the MLB level. The benefits of that poise are two-fold: It gives him the ability to make improvisational plays, and it helps him avoid "clumsy" accidents that with less gifted athletes often result in injury. 

 

Jimbo, I hope you didn't hurt your back with that extreme stretch!

 

While I think there is some truth to this, I can't help but picture that highlight from last year of Kepler catching a lace with his cleats and falling flat on his face out in right. Poise, grace and pure athleticism...

 

There's a reason ballet dancers wear slippers. All blame goes to the maker of baseball cleat shoelaces.

Thanks again Nick! These are fun and thought-provoking reads.

Why put Keirsey in the Depth category? He's more of a deeper prospect at this time.

Kepler.  Wade.  Kiriloff.  Larnach.  Rooker.  With Kepler signed to the extension, where are they going to go with all of these highly thought of prospects?  Only one can move to 1B.

 

Kepler.  Wade.  Kiriloff.  Larnach.  Rooker.  With Kepler signed to the extension, where are they going to go with all of these highly thought of prospects?  Only one can move to 1B.

 

I think Kepler can play any spot in the OF defensively. Nelson Cruz isn't going to DH forever, and having a player who can also play 1B or OF in that slot as your primary guy isn't bad (maybe it's Rooker). And there's also no reason why you can't trade a guy, you just have to hope you trade the right one and get appropriate value for them.

 

Kepler.  Wade.  Kiriloff.  Larnach.  Rooker.  With Kepler signed to the extension, where are they going to go with all of these highly thought of prospects?  Only one can move to 1B.

Against left-handed hitters, the Twins will look at analytics and place four players in right field.

"...seemingly verging on an offensive breakthrough at age 26."

 

I know spring training is the time of year when optimism runs wild.  But the "seemingly verging" phrase could be used on maybe 20 Twins (across the Majors and the Minors).

Might someone on this site expalin the differences betwee a left fielder and a right?  I assume a part of it involves the arm and its ability to throw from right field to third base.  And perhaps, given that roughly 70% of hitters are right handed so there are maybe more chances for a left fielder.  I do appreciate Nick Nelson's articles that separate LF from RF.

My quick take ... and you may get many ...

 

In an ideal world you have 3 center fielders, and you put them wherever you want. In the real but still-near ideal world, you pick the best all-around guy for CF, and then you pick one guy with a CF arm but not quite the speed to play the position, and let him play RF, for the reason of the throw to 3B you mention. You take the other guy who has the speed to play center but lacks the arm, and put him in left, again with the throw to 3B in mind. ("Arm" includes both the strength and the accuracy, and perhaps when forced to choose, you choose the latter as the better arm.)

 

In even less ideal situations, such as a plodding no-arm guy, it might not really matter which corner you stick him in, and will depend on the strengths of your other corner candidate.

 

I think RF gets about as many total chances as LF.

 

There are no absolutes. Michael Cuddyer is deaf in his left ear, so he played RF, the better to hear his partner in center. We had the fairly recent experience of watching rag-armed Ben Revere do OK in RF for a time, because Josh Willingham was signed with RF in mind and then during Spring Training it was learned he wanted to stay in left, and the team went with the veteran's wishes. Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans.

I’m not sure that jibes with reality. A right fielder running toward center field is going to have his left ear closer to the center fielder on plays over his head. His right ear would be closer only on plays in front of him - when he should be able to see the center fielder.

 

While I think there is some truth to this, I can't help but picture that highlight from last year of Kepler catching a lace with his cleats and falling flat on his face out in right. Poise, grace and pure athleticism...

Even Fred Astaire could slip and fall. It was just very, very unlikely. Same goes for Roger Federer, Lionel Messi, etc. They too can slip and fall. But the rest of us will slip and fall a lot more often. 

 

There's a reason ballet dancers wear slippers. All blame goes to the maker of baseball cleat shoelaces.

Imagine Daniel Day Lewis running through the forest in baseball cleats. Oh, the humanity!

My quick take ... and you may get many ...

 

In an ideal world you have 3 center fielders, and you put them wherever you want. In the real but still-near ideal world, you pick the best all-around guy for CF, and then you pick one guy with a CF arm but not quite the speed to play the position, and let him play RF, for the reason of the throw to 3B you mention. You take the other guy who has the speed to play center but lacks the arm, and put him in left, again with the throw to 3B in mind. ("Arm" includes both the strength and the accuracy, and perhaps when forced to choose, you choose the latter as the better arm.)

 

In even less ideal situations, such as a plodding no-arm guy, it might not really matter which corner you stick him in, and will depend on the strengths of your other corner candidate.

 

I think RF gets about as many total chances as LF.

 

There are no absolutes. Michael Cuddyer is deaf in his left ear, so he played RF, the better to hear his partner in center. We had the fairly recent experience of watching rag-armed Ben Revere do OK in RF for a time, because Josh Willingham was signed with RF in mind and then during Spring Training it was learned he wanted to stay in left, and the team went with the veteran's wishes. Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans.

I would note that we also were subjected to R. Grossman in RF, yet another situation where the guy with the arm (Rosario) was left in place. And Willingham in LF because of 'veteran deference'? Sort of like Dozier leading off. Putting players in positions they prefer vs positions that help you win is one of the reasons you are no longer managing a MLB team. And rightfully so.

 

I think the defensive stats should be taken with a grain of salt. They spiked mostly b/c Buxton wasn't in center (same happened for Eddie in LF). If Buxton is playing CF full time next year, Kepler's defensive value will probably revert closer to his 2016-2017 numbers.

 

One could actually argue that Buxton being out showed Kepler's and Rosario's true defensive value.  When Buck is in, those two don't get as many chances and so their defensive metrics go down.  But when Buck is out, those two get more chances, and they show what they are truly capable of.  Just because the metrics go down when Buck is in doesn't mean Kepler/Rosario are actually worse fielders.  I'd say it simply means they are getting less opportunity to show their true capabilities.