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    Twins Have Unmatched Run Of Instability At DH

    Tom Froemming

    By Tom Froemming

    Much has been made about the Twins' aversion to making young slugger Miguel Sano an everyday designated hitter. But it hasn't been just Sano, The club has avoided committing regular DH at-bats to any single player for several years now.

    There were five teams that had a player DH at least 100 games in 2016: the Red Sox (David Ortiz, 140), Tigers (Victor Martinez, 138), Royals (Kendrys Morales, 138), Angels (Albert Pujols, 123) and Mariners (Nelson Cruz, 107). Four more teams had a DH meet that mark in 2015: the Yankees (Alex Rodriguez), Rangers (Prince Fielder), Astros (Evan Gattis) and A's (Billy Butler).

    That's nine of the 15 AL teams who've had a player meet the century mark in games at DH the last two seasons. How about the rest of the league?

    Image courtesy of Ken Blaze, USA Today

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    You have to go back to 2011 to the last time the Orioles (Vlad Guerrero) and Rays (Johnny Damon) had a 100-game DH, and 2010 for the Blue Jays (Adam Lind) and Indians (Travis Hafner). The White Sox have had their share of veteran sluggers, but the last time they had a player DH in 100 games was 2008 (Jim Thome, who also reached 99 games at DH in '09).

    That would be the longest drought without an "everyday" DH, except for the fact the Twins have them beat ... by a decade. The last Twins player to DH 100 games? Paul Molitor in 1998 (he also accomplished the feat in '97 & '96). The last time the Twins even had a guy DH in half their games was in 2009 (Jason Kubel, 82).

    Things were especially unstable at DH last season. Miguel Sano and Byungho Park shared the team lead in appearances at DH with just 36. Joe Mauer (34), Robbie Grossman (19) and Kennys Vargas (13) also had at least 10 games at DH. The only other teams to fail to have a player reach even 60 games at DH were the Yankees (led by A-Rod's 57 games) and A's (led by 53 games at DH for Khris Davis).

    But it's not like that was all by design. Of course, if Park continued his hot start Paul Molitor would have gladly penciled him in at DH 100-plus times last season. Park had a .900 OPS through his first month and a half in the big leagues before falling apart.

    And maybe Terry Ryan would never have brought in Park if the team didn't feel it was too early to make 23-year-old Sano an everyday DH. To be fair, that was an entirely sensible approach to take (deciding to put him in right field is another discussion). Even the greatest designated hitters of all-time spent many of their younger years in the field.

    Any discussion about great designated hitters has to start with David Ortiz, right? Despite being in his mid-20s, the Twins were primarily DHing Ortiz in his last three years in Minnesota, but he played first base in 79 games over his first two seasons in Boston. Once he turned 29, Ortiz never played in more than 10 games in the field in a season.

    Chili Davis mostly played outfield prior to coming to Minnesota in 1991 and switching to DH as a 31-year-old. Jim Thome was a third baseman through age 25 and didn't switch to DH until joining the White Sox at age 35. Paul Molitor played all over the diamond before becoming a primary DH at age 35.

    Edgar Martinez primarily played third base until he was 32. Harold Baines was an outfielder before he switched to DH in his age 28 season. Frank Thomas was one of the biggest dudes to play the game, but even he played more first base until he was 30.

    One last bit of DH info fun, since the DH was instituted in 1973 the Twins have had a 100-game DH 12 times. That's the exact number of seasons David Ortiz played at least 100 games as a DH.

    Here is the list of Twins' leader in DH games for each season (over 100 games in bold):

    16: Miguel Sano/Byungho Park 36

    15: Miguel Sano 69

    14: Kennys Vargas 40

    13: Ryan Doumit 49

    12: Ryan Doumit 48

    11: Jim Thome 59

    10: Jim Thome 79

    09: Jason Kubel 82

    08: Jason Kubel 85

    07: Jason Kubel 36

    06: Rondell White 54

    05: Matt LeCroy 63

    04: Jose Offerman 39

    03: Matt LeCroy 63

    02: David Ortiz 95

    01: David Ortiz 80

    00: David Ortiz 88

    99: Marty Cordova 85

    98: Paul Molitor 115

    97: Paul Molitor 122

    96: Paul Molitor 143

    95: Pedro Munoz 77

    94: Dave Winfield 76

    93: Dave Winfield 105

    92: Chili Davis 125

    91: Chili Davis 150

    90: Gene Larkin 43

    89: Jim Dwyer 73

    88: Gene Larkin 86

    87: Roy Smalley 73

    86: Roy Smalley 114

    85: Roy Smalley 56

    84: Randy Bush 88

    83: Randy Bush 104

    82: Randy Johnson 66

    81: Glenn Adams 62

    80: Jose Morales 85

    79: Jose Morales 77

    78: Glenn Adams 100

    77: Craig Kusick 85

    76: Craig Kusick 79

    75: Tony Oliva 120

    74: Tony Oliva 112

    73: Tony Oliva 142

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    You can find more of Tom's work on his YouTube channel, TFTwins. He also runs a prospects/draft coverage Patreon with fellow Twins Daily contributor Jamie Cameron, Limestone Pipeline. 

    Follow Tom Froemming on Twitter: TFTwins

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    Featured Comments

    jimmer

    jimmer 9,961

  • Verified Member

    • Posted (edited)

     

    On the list of Twins problems of the past couple of decades, this one isn't even in the top five. They've had strong offenses aplenty over that time. It's not like their offense was bad last year. 

    15 teams in the AL

    11th in wRC+ (bottom third)
    11th in OBP (bottom third)
    13th in K% (bottom third)
    8th in AL in HR (average)
    8th in AL in OPS (average)
    9th in AL in slg% (below average)
    9th in runs scored (below average)

     

    And most of these guys on offense are the ones that provided the 2nd worst defense in the majors this year.

    Edited by jimmer
    Thrylos

    Thrylos 8,325

  • Old-Timey Member

    • Posted

    Having the DH position as a rotating position to keep for regulars who might have slight issues and/or need a rest is the way to go.

     

    Unfortunately, the Twins made a pretty large investment on Buyng Ho Park to be their designated designated hitter.  Just did not work out the way that the Ryan Front Office have planned it (captain obvious statement of the year.) 

     

    Also: No matter what, unless someone is practically crippled, like Kubel, you never want to make a young player a full time DH while they have the opportunity to grow in a particular position.  DH was established to extend the career of hitters who just could not play the field any more, like the aforementioned Molitor, Jim Thome, Don Baylor, etc.  You just don't do that to a kid, if you have any sense.

     

    USAFChief

    USAFChief 80,197

  • Twins Daily Contributor

    • Posted

     

    Having the DH position as a rotating position to keep for regulars who might have slight issues and/or need a rest is the way to go.

     

    Unfortunately, the Twins made a pretty large investment on Buyng Ho Park to be their designated designated hitter.  Just did not work out the way that the Ryan Front Office have planned it (captain obvious statement of the year.) 

     

    Also: No matter what, unless someone is practically crippled, like Kubel, you never want to make a young player a full time DH while they have the opportunity to grow in a particular position.  DH was established to extend the career of hitters who just could not play the field any more, like the aforementioned Molitor, Jim Thome, Don Baylor, etc.  You just don't do that to a kid, if you have any sense.

    Having the DH as a rotating position is  one way to go.  Not necessarily the way to go.  Plenty of teams have done just fine with a full time DH.  Plenty have done just fine without one.

     

    I think the DH was established because in general, pitchers can't hit.  It was a way to inject offense into the game (and it's inarguable that it has...the AL has averaged more runs per game than the NL in the DH era) under the theory it would attract more fans.  Extending careers was a byproduct of the DH, not the reason for it.

     

     

    DocBauer

    DocBauer 22,927

  • Old-Timey Member

    • Posted

    Again, nothing wrong with a full time DH, especially if it's an older player who can't get it done in the field so much any longer, but still caries a nice stick. Or a good hitter who just isn't as good defensively as the player in front of him. But I much prefer a balanced roster where I can plug in that 4th OF, quality utility infielder, or backup 1B or catcher and let the "regular" have that half day off.

     

    I agree with Thrylos in general, in regard to Sano in particular, that to pigeon hole a young player in to a DH slot is just wrong, unless he proves himself unworthy to play defense, or another player, with a good bat, is just better in the field and he's stuck behind him.

     

    For the umpteenth time, would everyone quit trying to make a DH out of Sano at this point? Perhaps he could be better conditioned and work a bit harder. Perhaps. But he's still very young and has 700 ML AB's.

     

    Again, for the umpteenth time, look at Gatti and Koski for the Twins, who took time to develop defensively. Or Boggs, Thoma, and the list goes on and on for guys with big bats who took a little time to develop defensively.

     

    Sano is a good athlete for his size. He has a big gun for an arm. He charges the ball surprisingly well. Give him some time to find himself and develop at 3B. And if he can't, I'd think he'd be a logical choice to play 1B down the road. But it is very short sighted and impatient to declare him as a DH only at this point.

    The Wise One

    The Wise One 689

  • Verified Member

    • Posted (edited)

    ESPN lists stats DH as DH. Twins rank right in the middle, number 8.   They could have kept Morales or Ortiz and been better off. They could have signed Nelson Cruz.    They could have signed Gattis, Laroche  or any other number of respected hitters that went into the tank.   The game of 20 20 hindsight  is a painfull one. What the Twins have done is average for the league. That it is a revolving door is immaterial. What to do going forward is the question. For a rebuilding team, they should get as many AB to developing hitters.  Revolving doors are just fine as long as they don't hit you in the behind

    http://www.espn.com/mlb/stats/team/_/stat/batting/seasontype/2/split/86/league/al/sort/OPS/order/true

    Edited by The Wise One
    KirbyDome89

    KirbyDome89 6,252

  • Verified Member

    • Posted

    More important than whether the Twins go with a full time DH or a platoon are the results at the position. I would prefer a platoon because it gives the team flexibility defensively, but I definitely wouldn't complain about having a full time DH like Nelson Cruz or Edwin Encarnacion. The number of games started by individual players at the position is irrelevant but the statistical numbers put up at DH definitely are not. 

     

    As a side note; Joe Mauer is to some posters on the site as the patriarchy is to feminists. Instead of honestly looking into situations to see where a perceived issue is rooted, one would rather glance at Mauer's contract and proclaim it the reason for every fault this team has. 

    Mr. Brooks

    Mr. Brooks 7,174

  • Verified Member

    • Posted

    15 teams in the AL

     

    11th in wRC+ (bottom third)

    11th in OBP (bottom third)

    13th in K% (bottom third)

    8th in AL in HR (average)

    8th in AL in OPS (average)

    9th in AL in slg% (below average)

    9th in runs scored (below average)

     

    And most of these guys on offense are the ones that provided the 2nd worst defense in the majors this year.

    Thank you Jimmer. There seems to be a disconnect between what our offense actually is, and what perception of it is.

    I get that the offense is not add bad as the pitching, but middle to bottom third in the league definitely leaves plenty of room for improvement.

    The Wise One

    The Wise One 689

  • Verified Member

    • Posted

     

    15 teams in the AL

    11th in wRC+ (bottom third)
    11th in OBP (bottom third)
    13th in K% (bottom third)
    8th in AL in HR (average)
    8th in AL in OPS (average)
    9th in AL in slg% (below average)
    9th in runs scored (below average)

     

    And most of these guys on offense are the ones that provided the 2nd worst defense in the majors this year.

    Since the topic is DH, the difference in having an above average dh from what they did would be in the range of 20 runs. Not really enough to make much of a difference in those rankings. It would also do little to change the defensive rankings.   Rankings will change as the vaunted  prospects mature and grow as players, much as many others have done before them.

    jimmer

    jimmer 9,961

  • Verified Member

    • Posted (edited)

     

    I think the Twins should go into 2017 with Mauer as the LH side of a DH platoon. He apparently doesn't have the stamina to play in the field for a full season, judging by Molitor's sparing use of him late.

    Yeah, with our commitment to having the worse defense possible, I concur with having our best defensive 1B, who gets on base better than practically anyone on our team, sit in favor of either the FA signing hat was so bad he had to go down to AAA (Park) or the guy who had a nice 18 games in June and then went back to being what he was in 2015 (Vargas) :-)

     

    Unfortunately, it seems the best we are going to get out of Mauer is very good OBP and high quality defense.  We make him our main DH, we take anyway one of the two things he has left of value in his game, and replace him with inferior defenders.

    Edited by jimmer
    Boom Boom

    Boom Boom 831

  • Verified Member

    • Posted

    Yeah, with our commitment to having the worse defense possible, I concur with having our best defensive 1B, who gets on base better than practically anyone on our team, sit in favor of either the FA signing hat was so bad he had to go down to AAA (Park) or the guy who had a nice 18 games in June and then went back to being what he was in 2015 (Vargas) :-)

     

    Unfortunately, it seems the best we are going to get out of Mauer is very good OBP and high quality defense. We make him our main DH, we take anyway one of the two things he has left of value in his game, and replace him with inferior defenders.

    I was more interested in trying to keep Joe healthy. If it mitigates leg soreness and keeps him in the lineup late in the season, it might also improve his offensive numbers.

     

    I'm not too concerned about first base defense.

    LaBombo

    LaBombo 14,541

  • Verified Member

    • Posted

     

    There is nothing wrong with having a professional designated hitter on a team. Just think, the Twins could've kept Ortiz and paid him less than they are paying, say, Joe Mauer. In the end, imagine what that would've given THIS team.

     

     

    A lower draft choice?



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