stringer bell

So that absolutely means that Sano will never play third base again. If he can't make it as an outfielder he won't make it to the big leagues. (Sarcasm)

I don't remember any Gardy comment about Esco at second. He played sparingly there because of Dozier, but from what I've seen, he is not great on the pivot and the strong arm is somewhat wasted at second. That said, I think he would be okay to fill in for a Dozier injury or to give him an occasional day off. Of course, I'm counting on my long shot to come in. That means the Twins can use Rosario at second to fill in!

In the article I listed Hicks' absolute upside as Austin Jackson, who come to think of it could be a Twins' trade target (he bombed in Seattle), I almost included his floor--Joe Benson, who is/was athletically gifted but never showed he could handle pitching above the AA level. To me, so far that is all Hicks has proven. Is there someone who has seen something beyond three wind-blown homers all hit right handed in Spring Training, that demonstrate that Hicks can ever be solid .800+ OPS hitter? This is a big man all of 6'2" 190, and last year he had nine extra-base hits in 235 PAs. We've already got Mauer as a big singles hitter.

"Fool me once, shame on me. Fool me twice, shame on you". Aaron Hicks has been the starting center fielder for the Twins the last two opening days. He was a thorough disappointment in 2013, eventually getting demoted to AAA and not being recalled in September. With the bar set considerably lower in 2014, Hicks still fell far short of expectations and offered much content for sports analysts with his supposed lack of preparation and short-lived decision to abandon switch hitting. Hicks spent much of this summer in New Britain and Rochester, but was recalled in September. Aaron got 70 plate appearances in September with the big club. There was talk of better focus and more confidence, but the result was something short of scintillating. Hicks hit .250 with a .648 OPS. His OBP was an entirely acceptable .348, but he had only three extra-base hits in those 70 plate appearances. The "eye test" left this observer equally unimpressed. Hicks hit the ball hard only a handful of times. Getting good wood on the ball is a part of his hit tool that seems to be missing to this point. On top of the offensive struggles, there have been whispers and inferences that Hicks is not committed to being a great baseball player. He skipped winter ball last year. He supposedly didn't know who was pitching one day and showed up late for a non-mandatory session with the training staff so that the manager felt he couldn't use him on that particular day. And then there is the switch-hitting debacle. Hicks has always been better as a right- handed hitter. Many on this site thought the answer was simple--abandon switch-hitting. Without consulting his manager nor discussing it with anyone else on the team, to public knowledge, Hicks decided to give up switch-hitting. When it became obvious he needed work to have an acceptable chance against right-handers and because he was able to rehab after a trip to the disabled list, Hicks was sent to Double-A and then optioned there when his rehab time ended. The idea was to work on the swing, but shortly after being optioned, Hicks went back to switch-hitting. The platoon splits are pretty stark--Hicks' combined OPS was .615, but his OPS was .792 against left- handed pitchers and only .512 vs right-handers. This is the contrast between tools and skills. Everyone remarks that Hicks has tools and he does--good speed, strong throwing arm and big athletic body. The tools are good, but they aren't exceptional, except for perhaps his outstanding throwing arm. The skills haven't caught up with the tools. Maybe they never will. I think Hicks' absolute upside is Austin Jackson--supposedly the next great all-around center fielder, who has been pretty good, but never an All-Star and a guy who hasn't become a high-average hitter, accomplished power hitter, stolen base threat or Gold Glove defender. Given the Twins' dearth of outfield options, Hicks will most likely get another chance to make good on his potential. I maintain that what is best for his development and ultimately best for the team is to go to Triple-A and build his confidence by dominating at that level. He has just turned 25 so there is a chance that he is a late bloomer who will thrive when he "gets it". The Twins, however, can't assume that he will. Fool them three times, shame on them. View full article

Congrats to Danny and Kennys. Along with Arcia, the Hispanic contingent is on the way.

If I'm predicting, I think the "patience" lineup is pretty close. I would like to see some outfield improvement and I'm going with one "off the reservation" prediction that Eddie Rosario will make the team out of Spring Training. He's hitting .444 in the AFL. (I know, I know--9 at-bats). Also, in the same vein, I think a trade for the Cards Peter Bourjas (sp) would make a lot of sense.

Rosario had two more hits and a SB last night (now 4-9 w/ 2 SB). Buxton didn't play. Rogers started and gave up one earned in 2.2 innings. Kepler had a hit and an assist from right field. Keep it up Eddie. There is a job to be claimed on the Twins and if you're undeniably the best player, last year shouldn't matter.

In the absence of a moderator, I'll provide a welcome to you "The Bunk". I don't know for sure what the moniker stands for, but if it is a reference to my favorite television show, you're doubly welcome here. On to the topic: Doc has ably pointed out the problem or more aptly, the situation. Do we go with the lower upside Escobar or the raw, but obviously talented Santana? Regardless, both are assets to the team. I guess I think Escobar is one of the nine best players so he should be starting, even if that means that Santana is in center field. My projection is this: both guys won't hit for as high an average as they did in 2014. I see Santana as a particularly weaker hitter RH than his numbers came out this year--look at the strikeouts--but overall he will continue to be a plus offensive player. With more experience, I see Santana drawing more walks and keeping his OBP acceptable. I continue to want to be shown that Danny can handle shortstop. I attended spring training last year. While I loved what I saw of Santana's hitting and speed, he was a train wreck at short by every measure: routine plays, fundamentals, throwing, catching, positioning. In the regular season, he didn't look nearly as raw or overwhelmed, but it was a SSS. If he gets regular at-bats, I see Escobar regressing a bit in batting average, more than a little in the extra-base categories. Escobar is a solid bottom-of-the-order guy, I think, with a fairly good average and some extra base power. Defensively, he turns outs into outs, which 30 out of 30 managers appreciate (and probably most pitchers). He has good hands and his arm is strong and true. The thing is that after Escobar makes a play you seldom say "what a play!" or "oh my!". There isn't much spectacular about Eddie E. Perhaps it is fitting (or perhaps not) but where these two guys end up might depend on the play of others. If no one can adequately take over center field, the Twins might be forced to go with Santana in the central garden. I would expect his CF defense to continue to dramatically improve with more reps there.

Good comparison to the Marlins when Miggy was a rookie. Lowell was a solid 3B and the Marlins wanted Cabrera's bat in the lineup. If Sano is ready, then maybe he can play outfield for a while. If Sano bombs in left, switch it up. If Plouffe reverts to a less than average player, Sano moves in as the regular at third.

"Fool me once, shame on me. Fool me twice, shame on you". Aaron Hicks has been the starting center fielder for the Twins the last two Opening Days. He was a thorough disappointment in 2013, eventually getting demoted to AAA and not being recalled in September. With the bar set considerably lower in 2014, Hicks still fell far short of expectations and offered a lot of content for sports analysts with his supposed lack of preparation and short-lived decision to abandon switch hitting. Hicks spent much of this summer in New Britain and Rochester, but was recalled in September. Aaron got 70 plate appearances in September with the big club. There was talk of better focus and more confidence, but the result was something short of scintillating. Hicks hit .250 with a .648 OPS. His OBP was an entirely acceptable .348, but he had only three extra-base hits in those seventy plate appearances. My "eye test" observation was equally unimpressed. Hicks hit the ball hard only a handful of times that I can remember. Getting good wood on the ball is a part of his hit tool that seems to be missing to this point. On top of the offensive struggles, there have been whispers and inferences that Hicks is not committed to being a great baseball player. He skipped winter ball last year. He supposedly didn't know who was pitching one day and showed up late for a non-mandatory session with the training staff so that the manager felt he couldn't use him on that particular day. And then there is the switch-hitting debacle. Hicks has always been better as a right handed hitter. Many on this site thought the answer was simple--abandon switch hitting. Without consulting his manager and not discussing it with anyone else on the team, to my knowledge, Hicks decided to give up switch hitting. When it became obvious he needed work to have an acceptable chance against right handers and because he was able to rehab after a disabling injury, Hicks was sent to Double A and then optioned there when his rehab time ended. The idea was to work on the swing, but shortly after being optioned, Hicks went back to switch hitting. The platoon splits are pretty stark--Hicks' combined OPS was .615 but his OPS was .792 against left handed pitchers and only .512 vs right handers. To me, this is the contrast between tools and skills. Everyone remarks that Hicks has tools and he does--good speed, strong throwing arm, and big athletic body. The tools are good, but they aren't exceptional, except for maybe his outstanding throwing arm. The skills haven't caught up with the tools. Maybe they never will. I think Hicks' absolute upside is Austin Jackson--supposedly the next great all-around center fielder, who has been pretty good, but never an All-Star and a guy that hasn't become a high average hitter, accomplished power hitter, stolen base threat or Gold Glove defender. Given the Twins' dearth of outfield options, Hicks will most likely get another chance to make good on his potential. I maintain that what is best for his development and ultimately best for the team is to go to Triple A and build his confidence by dominating at that level. He has just turned 25 so there is a chance that he is a late bloomer who will thrive when he "gets it". The Twins, however, can't assume that he will. Fool them three times, shame on them.

Plouffe's split vs. RH pitching this year was a .738 OPS. That isn't near the platoon split of Mauer or Arcia. Plouffe, for 2014, showed himself to be an everyday player against all kinds of pitching.

Entering 2014, Eduardo Escobar was pegged by most as a standard-order utility infielder. He was a switch-hitter with a pretty good glove and OK speed who had demonstrated the ability to capably fill in at short, third and second. There was some chatter that EE shouldn't make the Twins coming out of spring training, but most viewed him as a good fit for the utility infielder role. Some wanted to see "Eddie 400" in 2014--that is at least 400 at-bats-- to see what the still-young Venezuelan could do with more consistent playing time. The early season gave Escobar his chance. Pedro Florimon, already seen as a subpar hitter, got off to a woeful start and Escobar got several early starts at shortstop. The rest is, as they say, history. Escobar hit .357 in April and backed that up with a .322 (.865 OPS) May. Florimon was demoted and Escobar became the de facto starting shortstop. Escobar returned to earth in June and July--his average fell to .274 at the end of June--and then he stabilized. Eduardo finished with a .275 batting average and his OPS ended at .721, good for a 102 OPS+. The season qualifies as a breakthrough. Escobar had more plate appearances than in his previous three years combined (over a year and a half in the majors). Escobar set career highs in almost every offensive category, played solid defense at three infield positions (metrics vary among the three) and showed durability. Esco still has some issues. He struck out 93 times and walked only 24, keeping his OBP relatively low at .315. Many, including myself, doubt he can replicate his extra-base numbers (35 doubles among 43 XBH). Escobar is not an explosive runner and thus will never have excellent range. All of this limits his upside to about what he was this year. Escobar ended with dramatic platoon splits. In just over 300 ABs, he had only a .654 OPS as a left-handed hitter, while in 131 at-bats as a right-handed hitter, his OPS was .877. It does appear that Eduardo has been a stronger RH batter throughout his limited major league career. If someone had said going into the season that the Twins would have a young switch-hitting shortstop who could field capably, and be an asset at the bottom of the order, most Twins fans would have been ecstatic and guaranteed the guy a starting spot for years. However Escobar's rise coincided with the emergence of Danny Santana, who has the speed and explosiveness that Eddie 400 lacks. Next year's role for Escobar is up in the air. He may revert to a 3-position utility guy or he could become a "10th starter" filling in for multiple infielders, but not having a specific position. If injuries occur, Escobar could slide in for whoever gets hurt. If Santana stays in the outfield, perhaps he could hold shortstop. View full article

Harmon started 40 games at third in '65. His OPS for the season was .885, so that probably lifted the OPS for the position over .700.

Physics guy--there is zero reason to sit Escobar against left handers. He was a better hitter against lefties than Plouffe, Dozier, or Santana. He was a far superior alternative to Mauer and Arcia against southpaws.

Masterson got traded to the Cards in midseason--not eligible.

I've been thinking about Rosario for a while. He had a disappointing season in New Britain, but the young man can hit and he would fill the bill for the Twins as far as being a good fielder, with some speed in either left or center. It certainly will require both a good AFL and spring training for Rosario to threaten for a roster spot, but if the Twins don't acquire an outfielder there is room for someone to step up.

Entering 2014, I had Eduardo Escobar pegged as a standard-order utility infielder. He was a switch-hitter with a pretty good glove, okay speed who had demonstrated the ability to capably fill in at short, third and second. There was some chatter that EE shouldn't make the Twins coming out of spring training, but most viewed him as a good fit for the utility infielder role. Some wanted to see "Eddie 400" in 2014--that is at least 400 at-bats to see what the still-young Venezuelan could do with more consistent playing time. The early season gave Escobar his chance. Pedro Florimon, already seen as a subpar hitter, got off to a woeful start and Escobar got several early starts at shortstop. The rest, as they say, is history. Escobar hit .357 in April and backed that up with a .322 (.865 OPS) May. Florimon was demoted and Escobar became the de facto starting shortstop. Escobar returned to earth in June and July--his average fell to .274 at the end of June--and then he stabilized. Eduardo finished with a .275 batting average and his OPS ended at .721, good for a 102 OPS+. The season qualifies as a breakthrough. Escobar had more plate appearances than in his previous three years combined (over a year and a half in the majors). Escobar set career highs in almost every offensive category and played solid defense at the three infield positions (metrics vary) and showed durability. Esco still has some issues. He struck out 93 times and walked only 24, keeping his OBP relatively low (.315). Many, including myself, doubt that he can replicate his extra base numbers (35 doubles among 43 XBH). Escobar is not a explosive runner and thus will never have excellent range. All of this limits his upside to about what he was this year. Escobar ended up with dramatic platoon splits. In just over 300 ABs, he had only a .654 OPS as a left handed hitter, while in 131 at-bats as a right handed hitter, his OPS was .877. It does appear that Eduardo has been a stronger RH batter throughout his limited major league career. If someone would have said going into the season that the Twins would have a young switch hitting shortstop who could field capably and be an asset at the bottom of the order, most Twins fans would have been ecstatic and guarantee the guy a starting spot for years, however Escobar's rise coincided with the emergence of Danny Santana, who has the speed and explosiveness that Eddie 400 lacks. Next year's role for Escobar is up in the air. He may revert to a 3-position utility guy, he could become a "10th starter", filling in for multiple infielders, but not having a specific position. Perhaps he can hold shortstop, if Santana stays in the outfield. If injuries occur, Escobar could slide in for whoever gets hurt.

Honestly, I don't expect much more than one free agent pitcher signing, someone like McCarthy or Masterson, perhaps up to Santana. There is a need for a good defensive outfielder who can hold his own at the plate, but almost all of the available free agents are bat-first players and there aren't many who would significantly improve the defense. If the Twins get an outfielder, it probably will be through trade. Secondly, it looks like the drumbeat has really started to bring up the top prospects, ready or not. Buxton would be expected to skip two level after playing less than fifty games last year, Sano would be expected to skip one level after playing zero games in 2014. Just not feasible IMHO. Finally, Shane, I know you really like Herrmann, I just don't know why. In parts of three seasons, he has 276 PAs and an OPS+ of 53. I wouldn't call him a defensive whiz behind the plate or in the outfield and he will turn 27 this year. The much-derided Pedro Florimon has a higher OPS+ (57) despite putting up a -11 in 86 PAs this year.

Halsey, I said that Dozier's personality is the polar opposite of Knoblauch. Away from the field, Dozier reminds me of Cuddy, while Knoblauch was driven and intense all the time. On the field, Dozier is pretty intense and seems determined to get better and make the most of his abilities, which summarizes Knoblauch's time with the Twins.

Joe Mauer is a former MVP and a three-time batting champion. As a catcher, he has won five Silver Sluggers and three Gold Gloves. These are Hall of Fame credentials for a 31-year-old. Last year, Mauer was shut down after suffering a concussion. The symptoms were present until well into the offseason. Mauer and his advisors decided it was time to give up catching. With the exit of Justin Morneau, a move to first base was an easy call. I was among those who thought that Mauer would be able to play more games and provide more power when he abandoned catching. For the 2014 season, I was wrong. Mauer had a career-low .277 batting average and managed only 518 plate appearances. Mauer's OPS and OPS+ approached career lows, as well, and he managed only four homers, about one homer per 130 plate appearances. In addition, Joe continued a disturbing trend of increasing strikeouts. He fanned 96 times, about 18.5 percent of the time, compared to maxing out at less than 12 percent his first eight years in the league. His strikeout percentage has increased dramatically each of his last three seasons. This year, Mauer suffered injuries, missing games with back spasms, an elbow injury and mid-year went on the DL with an oblique injury that reportedly bothered him for most of the rest of the season. It has also been reported that Mauer was rusty coming in to the spring because he didn't have his normal workout regimen due to the concussion. Combined with the adjustment of switching full time to first base, Mauer had an uncomfortable first half of the season. At the All-Star break, he was hitting .271 with a .695 OPS. Joe picked up the pace after the All-Star break. His OBP after the break was .397 and his OPS after the break was .805. Mauer also had fairly dramatic platoon splits. Against left-handers, he managed only four extra base hits and had an OPS of .654 (.776 against righties). No one can dispute that Mauer's numbers were far below career norms. The question is whether he is going hard in to decline mode or whether he can recapture his Hall of Fame- worthy form from his first ten years in the majors. No one really knows and no one knows the extent of the injuries, including the concussion he suffered in 2013. My speculation is that Mauer has long been a premier player using his somewhat unique approach. I think that he now needs to adjust that approach. He needs to be more aggressive early in the count and find pitches to drive. He also needs to be stronger, so that some of his 360-foot fly balls turn into 380-foot home runs. Defensively, Mauer looked uncomfortable at first at the beginning of the year. By playing 100 games at first, he got more comfortable and became a pretty good defensive first baseman. All of that matters little if he can't come back and again be a top hitter. View full article

In my book, Brian Dozier was the Twins best position player in 2013. He had a better year in 2014 and again, I think he was the best everyday player on the team. Dozier is a study in contrasts--he isn't a big guy, but has led the team in home runs the last two years. He is a converted shortstop who has become very comfortable as a second baseman. Most guys his size are told to "use the whole field", but he is perhaps the most pronounced pull hitter on the team, certainly among the right-handed hitters. In 2014, Dozier had an up and down season. He started slowly, lifted his average through June and then tailed off. Dozier hit a bunch of homers early and continued hitting an occasional long ball until the All-Star break. The power tailed off from there and he was stuck on 20 homers for a long time. He finished with 23 long balls and 21 steals, one of only a handful of Twins to ever reach 20 in both categories. One improvement Brian made throughout the season was his ability to take a free pass. He had 89 walks (3rd in the AL) and was hit by nine pitches giving him 98 passes to first base. Despite having nearly the same batting average as in 2013, he increased his OBP by 33 points to .345. Dozier scored 112 runs (second in the AL), the most by a Twin this century. He drove in 71 runs despite hitting first or second almost exclusively. Dozier's defense was highly appreciated by TD regulars in 2013 and there was carryover into 2014. He did make more than his share of web gems, but he also committed too many errors (15). Dozier is a better than average defensive second baseman, but he sometimes needs to fight the urge to try to make the spectacular play. While their personalities are polar opposites, Dozier reminds me of another Twins second sacker, Chuck Knoblauch. Each year Knoblauch added another facet to his game. Dozier added selectivity this year and I expect next year he'll be a better situational hitter or better bunter or perhaps win a Gold Glove. I think he has the desire to win and excel and the Twins need more of that. Dozier has solidified his position with the Twins. If he doesn't improve at all, he still is a better than average player who can win a game with his bat, his glove and his legs. His durability, power, defense and the fact that he'll be under team control for four more years make him desirable to other teams, but I believe he has great value for a Twins team that may be on it's way up. Expect Dozier to have another solid year in 2015 and be a major contributor when the Twins are again contenders. View full article

Great opportunities for the Twins prospects. It is crucial for Buxton to get reps at that level. I have been thinking that Rosario is my sneaky pick to make an impact with the Twins next season.