stringer bell

I would say that Arcia has a track record of being able to be pitched to. The holes in his swing have been exploited by good pitchers. He can hit a mistake a long way. A lot of hitters start out that way, but IMHO Arcia has not gotten to the point where he can close up the holes in his swing.

There are a lot of decision to make with the Twins' position players. About the only completely sure thing is that Brian Dozier will be in the lineup every day. There are options for the Twins and the team has a manager without a long track record, so we don't know which direction he will go on many of the choices to be made. The merry month of May saw an extremely productive offense combined with improved defense from the position players. So far, June has shown a lot of the reverse of that. Let's look at the issues and digest both my predictions and opinions. Catcher has been a weak link this year. Starter Kurt Suzuki has predictably regressed, both on offense and defense. His throwing actually seems a bit better this year, but I believe that has more to do with pitchers doing a better job of holding runners than with Suzuki improving. Suzuki is durable, but I would much rather see him catching less if a better option could be found. Far more balls have found their way to the backstop this year than last year. Also, Suzuki really hit left handed pitching last year. This year, not so much. Internal options to improve the position are limited. Eric Fryer has put up good numbers at AAA, but he hasn't hit in the majors and he's almost 30 years old, Josmil Pinto has shown a good bat, but has defensive and concussion issues and Stuart Turner is a fine defender, but can't stay above the Mendoza line in AA. I have suggested for a while going for a good two-way catcher (Jonathan Lucroy or someone like that) and sending prospects. The second option would be to acquire someone to platoon with Zuke. We've seen guys do this before, many guys pretty unheralded until they are used properly. The third option would be to trade for a blocked prospect (for example SF's Susac). First base. Is Mauer done? The supremely talented, exceptionally athletic player of a few years ago has hit like Chris Parmelee (without the power). The bat seems slow, the swing longer and the results have been dismal. Right now, he is the worst regular first baseman in baseball. It's not just lack of power, he isn't even getting on base. Defensively, he looks more athletic than some, but remains a fish out of water, seemingly always hesitating when there is any choice to be made. The Twins are stuck with Mauer and his contract. He will have an incredibly long leash before there is serious consideration of benching him, but I don't think Molitor can stand for him to continue to hit third. Brian Dozier is the Twins best positon player. The only decision that needs to be made is where he hits in the lineup. I've liked him hitting first, but with Buxton in the majors, he should be shuffling down. When the move is made for Buxton to hit first, I would move Dozier to third and consider having Mauer hit second. Shortstop. I like Escobar quite a bit. He had a fine season last year and I think he would be an above-average bat and glove if he got regular at bats as the shortstop. Danny Santana started the season as the shortstop, but has regressed hard. He is intriguing because of the tools, fast hands and feet and a rocket arm, but he has to stop chasing pitches and recognize which ones to swing at. Jorge Polanco also figures at short. I'm not convinced he can play well enough defensively, but he looks like the most complete hitter of the shortstop candidates. Trevor Plouffe is a solid third baseman. He will stay there at least until Miguel Sano is ready to go and perhaps longer than that. I visualized Plouffe as a guy who could move around, but he has been good enough at third that he should stay there for the Twins until Sano proves he can be an upgrade. Trevor could be a valuable trade chip if the Twins go with Sano. I think Sano sees some time in the majors this year. The young slugger needs to improve on defense before he can move Plouffe down the road. My third and final decisions blog will discuss the outfield and why the Twins probably need to trade a prospect or two.

Is my sarcasm detector on the fritz? I'm reading that as a sincere comment.

Did anyone else notice how many more votes there are for the AL? It looks to me like someone figured out a way to stuff the ballot box/evade the 35-vote limit and are voting exclusively for KC players. IMHO, only Perez should be in the top two at his position. The totals for Rios and Infante are laughable. I started a "Dozier All-Star" thread and electing Infante almost certainly would cost him his best chance to represent the AL. There is a history of the commissioner stepping in for justice on the All-Star team. I wonder if Manfred would do that.

A lefty specialist would be nice, but a left handed reliever who can pitch a couple clean innings a week would be even better. Maybe Rogers can be that guy, especially if he can pick up just a little zip on the heater. The questions on converting pitchers are always there--can he get ready quick? Can he pitch two days in a row and four or even five times in a week? How is he at holding runners? If the answers to those questions are positive, there's a chance for a good job in the majors. If the guy was only so-so vs. RH hitters, then he would need to be used properly.

Buxton could be back in Chattanooga in two weeks. Rosario could go 1-25, but IMHO, those guys will hit. I was going to ask who would have more extra base hits by the time Hicks got off the DL--Hicks or Buxton--but previous posters have pretty much made that point. Sub .300 OBP + negligible power equals backup player at any of the corner positions. Sugar Shane has better number in about the same number of plate appearances.

I mentioned earlier that the situation is better for Buxton to not have the most recent center fielder looking over his shoulder starting today. Buxton will have two weeks to stake a claim in CF. It may have influenced the move they made. I really wish they would get down to 12 pitchers, but every time the move seems imminent something seems to happen.

A little over a year ago, I wrote a blog about Danny Santana. He's was called up in a roster emergency and stayed with the club and thrived for the entire season. Things haven't gone nearly as well this year and Danny was optioned to Rochester a week ago with no time frame for his return. The crux of that blog was that temporary call-ups are long shots to stick around, but sometimes lightning strikes. Eddie Rosario has been compared to Santana because he was called up after not dominating his league in a scenario where it would be expected that he would be returned to Rochester when guys got healthy. Rosario came out of the chute hitting, struggled soon after that, but has stabilized with a +.700 OPS and a batting average above .270. Rosario has driven in a decent number of runs and hit three homers in just over 100 plate appearances. Detractors point to Rosario's lack of patience (he's only walked four times) and high number of strikeouts. I see more and more good at-bats. Eddie is aggressive and won't walk much, but my eyes see a player who is becoming less likely to chase and who makes good contact a lot. Rosario's defense in left and right field is a marked improvement for the guys who started the season in those spots. I think that gives Eddie a bit more slack when he does encounter a slump. I think Eddie Rosario was recalled at exactly the right time and is blossoming as the season progresses. Further, I think he is in the majors to stay. This squeezes other young outfielders like Oswaldo Arcia and Aaron Hicks and prospects Max Kepler and Adam Brett Walker II. It looks like a good problem to have, with so much talent competing for playing time.

I don't pay much attention to All-Star voting. I know that no Twins will be voted in, and I agree with that decision. Further, I know that Brian Dozier isn't in the Top 5 in voting at his position. However, with each passing day I am more and more convinced that Dozier both could be and should be in Cincinnati for the All-Star game next month. Last year I had hopes until the last day that Dozier would be named as a late sub for a middle infield injury because he was already participating in the Home Run Derby and the game was in Minneapolis. This year, I have hope he will be named to the squad and think that he deserves the honor. Dozier supplies power and extra-base sock from the second base position. He is a fine base runner and a good defender. Let's look at the numbers, shall we? Fueled by a high number of walks, Dozier's OBP is tied for third, trailing the guy who should start (Kipnis) and Dustin Pedroia. He is the leader in slugging and second in OPS (behind Kipnis). Dozier also leads all AL second basemen is home runs, runs, and RBI. Brian is also second in WAR, again behind Kipnis. Now for the downside. There is big competition at second base. Defending batting champ Jose Altuve is a fine player, as are Pedroia and Ian Kinsler. Robbie Cano also has been a perennial All-Star, but this year has struggled mightily. Altuve leads in the voting and Kipnis is a near guarantee to be in Cincinnati. Dozier would have to prevail over All-Stars Pedroia and Kinsler to make it as the third second baseman. The best thing that could happen would be for Kipnis to overtake Altuve, but it doesn't look like that will happen. The best way for Dozier to make the All-Star team is for him to keep producing. With less than a month to go before selections are made, he certainly has stepped up his game and I hope he gets the deserved honor.

DocBauer has started a thread similar to what I intend to write. In my case, I'm going to provide my opinion as well as naming issues, so I decided to make a blog entry. There are a lot of issues, but many of those issues are not about weakness, but strength. That is an interesting situation to be in for the Twins, since they have lost more than 90 games in each of the last four seasons. I'll start with the pitching staff. The Twins possess seven starters, none of whom is a #1, but all who are capable, or so it appears. Hughes, Santana, and Nolasco have contracts that run through at least 2018. Gibson and May are not yet eligible for arbitration and won't be after this season. Milone is eligible for arbitration, but would be under team control for this year and three more years, and Pelfrey will be a free agent after this year. Things can change, but currently that is two too many starters. There are prospects getting close, as well. It is possible the Twins may trade one of their pitchers. The TD community prefers the (so far) overpaid Nolasco, but with that contract, it is unlikely that they'll find a taker unless they get a bad contract in return. If I'm the GM, I keep my cards close to the vest, but Milone and Pelfrey have to be available. I'm thinking of a deadline trade that is most difficult to make, one that can help both teams this year and beyond. The bullpen is weak. Their ERA is 12th in the 15-team American League, and their peripherals are even worse. Much of the blame has fallen on veterans Brian Duensing and Tim Stauffer (Stauffer was just DFAed), but even their effective bullpen arms allow too many hits and strike out too few. The problem with left handed relievers, outside of closer Glen Perkins, is especially grim. Left handers Caleb Thielbar, Duensing, and Aaron Thompson have allowed far too many base runners, 48 hits and 20 walks in 44.2 innings, with most of the good work coming in April from Thompson. I think one of the lefties will be switched out for Thielbar soon, but another left handed reliever is needed and probably gets acquired from outside the organization. Right handed relief has been better, and there are more options. Blaine Boyer has been a surprise, Casey Fien has been fine, when healthy, and Pressly, Tonkin, and Graham have all had their moments. I think a true power arm for the late innings combined with a solid lefty would transform the bullpen. Many relievers become available for less than monumental returns at the trading deadline. I would hope the Twins could acquire a couple of arms for prospects lower than the top 30 prospects.

Interesting game. What were the Twins with RISP? I know it wasn't very good. Hughes was only so-so, but the bullpen was good. How often do you lose a game when the opponents dive and miss four balls? Still they only won by one run.

A little more cold water--when teams are in a losing streak, there's usually a blown save or two mixed in.

Eddie! Buxton "walks" home.

Buck with another chance to do something at the plate.

Nice job, Fien.

Fien for a second inning, much better than going with Thompson or Duensing.

Zuke is heading for Butera territory.

Now officially a battle of bad bullpens.

Nope. The net effect of his AB was an out, not advancing the runner.

In a comparable number of at-bats, who has the better stats, Hicks or Sugar Shane?

Well, still a break, but it would have been huge if the run wasn't permitted.

Dozier's magical run-scoring ability not enough there, I guess.

Make 'em pay, Trevor!

On another serious baseball note, Brian Dozier has the second-best OPS of AL second basemen. I think he deserves an All-Star spot.

Is every cut fastball a "little cutter"?