Twins To Deploy More Platoons In 2017?

Love the idea!

I will hold my optimism a bit. This was one of the things Molitor was supposed to do. It does take org Buy in, but I need to see a signing or two.

The most obvious platoon is first base and DH being between Park, Mauer and Vargas. 

Rosario's splits are not that great against LH pitchers, but they are better than Kepler's.

 

I agree with tobi0040 though. Still not sure of any options Molitor might take advantage of.

I think taking turns sitting the two vs LHP is good idea, especially with their ages. That way they can continue to get some work vs LHP, but not have their confidence and numbers dragged down as much by facing them as often. 

I would also think a smarter analytics department can make the decisions of who sits between these two by using information on which one of these guys struggles or succeeds more vs whatever pitches that LHP uses the most. 

Making Grossman the everyday DH may be better than platooning him with Rosario or Kepler. Rosario hasn't shown a huge platoon split in the majors so far, and Kepler just needs to stay on the field. I know this probably means you would need Granite or Palka on the bench instead of Park, and that Vargas would get fewer at bats, and I'm OK with that.

So, we LOVE Danny Santana again??       

I had already filled out half my employment application when I noticed the heading actually read "deploy"!

Platooning is a concept long, LONG overdue at Target Field. 

Last year, Vargas had a 1.262 OPS versus lefties. Mauer had a .793 OPS versus righties (which would have been higher, probably, but for his late season injury). Put them together and you have a stud corner infielder. 

While I agree the Twins should try a 1B platoon, we shouldn't expect too much from it.

 

Vargas didn't have extreme splits in MiLB. He was slightly better against RHP most seasons, actually.

Last year was likely due to small sample size, but Vargas is still much better v lefties than righties (by like 140 points) and after last season deserves a shot to have at least a platoon role with the team. 

If Vargas can at least hold up his career average against lefties and Mauer does .800 or better against righties, which he should, then you do have a pretty solid everyday first baseman. And if Vargas can repeat what he did last year, or at least have some proximation of those numbers, then you indeed have a stud corner infielder. 

The overarching point, however, is that by putting players in situations where they can perform best, then you are going to get better overall production. There is no point to having Mauer play first base against lefthanded pitchers at this point in his career when he has injury problems and an OPS of less than .700 when there's a guy on the team who plays first base and who last year completely destroyed those lefties.

I argued for a couple years that the ideal outfielder would have been Hicks and Arcia as a platoon.   Hicks was great against lefties and Arcia was great against righties and so would start most games but Hicks could play most late innings of games.    Mauer not facing lefties makes a lot of sense now also.   So does the catching spot.   None of these are so special anymore that you want them to get at bats against same siders. regardless of results.

All of these ideas will be great when teams go back to 10 man pitching staffs.

All of these ideas will be great when teams go back to 10 man pitching staffs.

Or expand the rosters to 30 players but I am afraid they would just go with 18 man pitching staffs.

Or expand the rosters to 30 players but I am afraid they would just go with 18 man pitching staffs.

MLB could expand rosters AND, at the same time, put a limit on the amount of pitchers a team can have on the roster.

MLB could expand rosters AND, at the same time, put a limit on the amount of pitchers a team can have on the roster.

They could also leave roster size the same and put a limit on the amount of pitchers a team can have on the roster.

They could also leave roster size the same and put a limit on the amount of pitchers a team can have on the roster.

Problem is, once the 5th starter was introduced, it hurt the bench and once the DH was introduced, it hurt the bench in the AL.  And that was before teams started using, and expanding, bullpens more.

Problem is, once the 5th starter was introduced, it hurt the bench and once the DH was introduced, it hurt the bench in the AL.  And that was before teams started using, and expanding, bullpens more.

Leave the roster size alone, or maybe expand by one. Put no restrictions on positions. Heck, let 15 man staffs evolve.

If reducing the bullpen and expanding the bench is really an advantage, let some smart GM/manager use it to their advantage. Let "market inefficiencies" resolve the issue.

Let baseball be baseball. The last thing I want to see is baseball become more like football, with offense, defense, special teams, nickel packages, etc etc ad nauseam.

Baseball has already become that way with shifts, relief one batter specialists,  more relievers at expense of position players.   Which market efficiencies are you talking about?   The multiple relievers in an inning might increase odds of winning while also fueling the slower pace of a game which is still a complaint of some fans which put butts in stadiums.   Roster size or expanding by one are already restrictions and rather arbitrary.     Reducing the roster size might inspire market efficiencies to go back to 4 man rotations and other things.  Expanding might lead to 6 man rotations and other thinigs.    Its all rather arbitrary and I was really just pointing out possibilities rather than advocating anything.     I am not a fan of 4 pitcher innings and I like platooning of players where it makes sense but neither are big on my list of peeves.

If some teams don't know how to manage a roster it's their own faults. All teams are dealt the same hand. Every manager would love an extra roster spot but this won't solve the problem. Every team would simply stash another pitcher on the roster and keep starving the position player side.

As for the Twins platooning, if they don't do it they are simply being stubborn. They have a glut of C-level DH and 1B players who could become B-level players if platooned. With some luck, maybe they even get A- production out of somebody and can flip him for a more solid player later on. In the meantime, they could freely stock the rest of the bench with defensive specialists as they would always have a capable bat on the bench that is reasonably warmed up.