chpettit19

Cuddyer was a career 113 OPS+, or wRC+ of 112, player. Jose Miranda had a wRC+ of 117 last year, and an OPS+ of 114. I don't think he's some superstar, but you're also overselling Cuddyer by quite a bit. Cuddyer had 5 of 15 seasons that were better than Miranda's rookie year. Miranda may go downhill from here. Wouldn't be the first player to peak as a rookie. But he was also a high draft pick, and there's a decent reason to think he'll be a solid MLB player. And Miranda was better as a rookie than any season Plouffe had. So I'm not sure why we should consider him having a "way to go to reach" the Plouffe level when he's already eclipsed it.

The point is that Michael Cuddyer didn't establish himself as an above average big leaguer until he was 27. Miranda is 24. The comparison is pretty apt. As others have pointed out, you're comparing Cuddyer's full 15 year career to Miranda's first 159 games. Cuddyer appeared in parts of 4 seasons before he got 159 games under his belt.

It's going to be interesting to see what they do with Lewis. I'm a supporter of him being the new MAT, and starting in CF the majority of the time now that Buxton seems to be a long ways from being an everyday CFer. I think Lee is actually the one who takes 3B. Miranda may end up being the backup 1B/3B moving forward. It's going to be very interesting to see what they do with everyone.

Lightyears is an exaggeration (just like comparing any TD poster to Harmon), but you can go look at what they'd done by either age or first 600+ PAs in the majors and Jose Miranda has been better than Michael Cuddyer was.

Miranda's going to have an interesting career to follow. I think he has tremendous bat to ball skills, but he doesn't have great power. Not bad power, but not the kind of power you'd want from someone who struggles so much with the glove at a corner position. To me, he's either going to have to find more power, or be a much better fielder. I think he's kind of Kepler like in that he's not the heart of the order type hitter that he's talked about as, or put in the lineup as, and it's going to make people think he's a bad player when the truth is he's more likely just a solid regular who should be hitting 6-9 in an order instead of 3-5.

Is that because Miranda has been lightyears better than Cuddyer at this point of their careers?

I'm hoping he's serviceable while getting the majority of the playing time for the rest of May, and Lewis takes the job on June 1 when his rehab assignment is done, if Miranda hasn't figured it out. Give Miranda the Padres series off and see what Farmer can do. Give Miranda the first game against the Cubs, and if he's still swinging at first pitches 6 inches inside after the pitcher hit a guy, and walked 2 guys, put him back on the bench for a week. I'm generally against talking about player's hearts, mental status/focus, etc. because it's stuff we simply can't know, but Miranda certainly looks like he's in his own head, and really forcing things right now. There's half a dozen cuts to the dugout a game where he's on the ipad watching video it feels like. I think the kid is working, but he looks like a guy who's thinking about every ball hit to him, and trying to do too much at the plate. I think he needs a few days off to just relax, and get his approach back. It can't be fun for him right now. Let the kid come back up for air for a series. It's tough to watch him drown right before our eyes.

Lewis is now in Wichita on a rehab assignment. He's playing SS and 3B to start, but they haven't ruled out the OF in the future. I'd think Miranda should be hearing footsteps at this point as Lewis started his rehab stint Saturday (if I'm remembering correctly) and only gets 20 days. So the Lewis decision will come before the end of May. I'd think if he's mashing, and playing everyday. by the end of the month, and Miranda is still swinging at everything, Miranda will be replaced by Lewis at 3B. Edit: I was wrong, they announced Sunday that he'll start his rehab on Thursday. So they have 20 days from Thursday which puts them at the last day of May if my math is correct.

A 2 run shot, and 5 scored by non-HR wouldn't do that?

Why none by HR?

Pull percentage is the number of balls he put in play that were pulled. It's nothing complicated, just breaking the field into 3 sections (pull, middle, oppo) and tracking where players hit the ball. His career numbers with his average at the bottom: There has absolutely been an attempt by him to go the opposite way, or back through the middle, more. I don't remember exactly when it became a big talking point, though. He's always been pull heavy (league average this year is 36.8 pull, 37.7 straight, 25.4 oppo), and likely always will be. His swing is just very stiff, and it ends up leading to a lot of popups, or grounders. I was just pointing out that he has by no means gotten away from attempting to go up the middle, or the other way, since 2019. It's interesting that his most pull heavy season was his best season, but I don't think anyone expects him to hit 30 homers a year again, so being as pull heavy now likely isn't a great option.

Kepler had a pull percentage of 50.8 in 2019. Highest of his career. He was at 42.6, 41.9, and 41.7 the last 3 seasons.

Here's season by season stats for high leverage situations. Minimum 10 PAs in shortened seasons, 20 in longer.

But my argument is Nick isn't good enough to do it. You disagree, and that's all good. Sano to RF is also an example of a player switching positions to get a better lineup. That's why I point out their difference in talent. I don't think Gordon at 3B is Sano in RF, but it's also not Mookie anywhere. That's why I don't like the comparison. I'm excited to see Kirilloff. I think him and Lewis are the keys to this team taking the next step. I fully expect Kirilloff to be a star. And I hope I'm wrong about Larnach to AAA being a fix. Wouldn't be the first time I was wrong. But I'm happy to have Alex back.

Does anybody know if Kirilloff is at the ballpark and available? I'd hope so otherwise I don't know why they wouldn't wait til tomorrow to send Larnach packing.

I like to live a bold life and give hot takes!

Rodriguez

Larnach optioned to AAA, and Kirilloff called up, so I'd assume the lineup is different.

Larnach to AAA (don't like it), Kirilloff to MLB.

Answer: Trevor Larnach.

You said "much less of a defensive risk." I read that as Nick Gordon is a better infield defender than Mookie (Mookie was a 55 grade infielder coming up), and I'm not willing to say there's anything on a baseball field that Nick does better than Mookie. I'll take Mookie swinging left handed over Nick swinging left handed even! (Kidding. Mostly.) I pointed out Mookie taking infield just to point out that an argument that Nick's been playing it in recent years couldn't be used. Not to hold anything against Nick. Mookie has even played game innings in the infield the last few years. All I'm holding against Gordon is that he wasn't as good a fielder coming up, and hasn't been a great fielder since he's been in the majors. Mookie Betts has been. And Mookie was moved for players significantly better than the players that bounced Gordon. Yeah, I want filters of guys being moved from, and to, specific spots. A guy moving from CF to LF doesn't mean anything in the context of putting Gordon, or a similar player, at 3B. Guys move. I'm not denying that. But a guy moving from 2B to LF doesn't have any baring on guys moving from 2B/LF/CF to 3B. I don't think the list of guys who match Gordon's profile being moved to 3B would be long, or impressive. I don't think you think that, but when you compare Mookie and Gordon as both "multi-positional" and leave it at that you're missing a whole truck load of context. Solano is "multi-positional," but I'm pretty sure neither of us want him on the left side of the infield. And at this point the team just expects me to drink beer and keep book. Or provide a good laugh by trying to hit a HR. 😄 I think Gordon at 3B for any more than 3 games in a season would be a bad situation. If that's all you're suggesting as "occasionally" then we can agree. I don't think you're crazy for wanting to try him at 3B occasionally, or prioritizing a bat over a glove, but I have a different balance on the bat vs glove scale, and/or a differing opinion on what certain players are capable of. But if we all agreed I'd have to do work at work all day instead of having debates on the internet, and that doesn't sound like fun.

There was an article about Buxton on The Athletic today. It sure feels like they don't have any immediate plans to put him in CF. The latest talk had been mid-May they'd look at it, but they seem very happy with him at DH, and he doesn't seem to mind spending the vast majority of the season there to keep his bat in the lineup. I think we all need to accept that Buxton to CF isn't a real option for any large chunk of the season. I don't think Buxton to CF is part of any immediate plans to get Kirilloff on the field for the Twins. Larnach's seat would appear to be the most likely to be warming at this point. But it was Gordon last week so things can change quick. I just hope Kirilloff is up soon. Like May 10th (I think that's his first day being eligible to be recalled) soon.

Will be interesting to watch how he throws against all the Cleveland lefties tonight. I didn't know he had such big splits so that's interesting info. The Guardians have 5 guys who'll bat lefty against him tonight. The innings limit is going to be interesting to watch them navigate this season. If he breaks down again his career as a starter is likely over. But if he can get to 120+ innings this year they'll have some decisions to make for next year. He's an interesting case.

I hope you can understand why I will not accept comparing Nick Gordon to a first ballot HOFer in any way. I hope you can understand why I will not accept suggesting Nick Gordon is better, let alone "much" better, at anything on a baseball field than Mookie Betts. Mookie Betts has been one of the 10 best defenders (and overall players) in baseball for a decade. It wasn't a secret that they were moving Gordon because of defensive concerns. Mookie didn't move because he couldn't play mIF, he was moved because the Red Sox had 2 all stars up the middle already, and he didn't move back because he's a multi-time gold glove winner in RF and there was no need on his teams for him to move. Mookie Betts is faster, has better hands, and a better arm than Nick Gordon. Gordon is not only not "much less of a defensive risk" than Mookie, he's much more of a defensive risk, and it's not even close. Nick Gordon has spent his career struggling to stay on a mediocre MLB roster. Mookie Betts is a first ballot HOFer. They're not the same. I'd love to see a list of guys who moved to LF and 2B because of arm concerns who then moved to 3B. It'd be a fascinating list. There's a difference in their ability to be multi-positional. I've played OF in softball in recent years, but I wasn't good at it. I'm technically "multi-positional," (since I'm normally an IFer) but it doesn't mean you should use me in the OF. You say "if it's a problem, fix it then" as if they're going into it completely blind. They know Nick's capabilities. He's not some random guy off the streets. They've watched him play 4599 innings of SS. They know if he can handle 3B. There's a reason he's only played 23 innings of it in his career. I'm all for flexibility, and having versatile pieces you can move around. But putting guys in spots they can't play (Gordon at 3B, Gallo or Kepler in CF) on anything other than an emergency basis doesn't win you more ball games. We weigh defense differently, clearly, so simply won't agree on this. I have no desire to have a White Sox style defense. It loses games. It's lost them multiple games to the Twins alone this year. I don't think Solano is the problem, but I'm not interested in corner defenders who are defensive liabilities and only hit on the short side of a platoon (same reason I don't like when they have Garlick on the roster). He was great for the Twins early, and I have no problem with Solano. He can put the bat on the ball with the best of them. But he's not very important when it comes to the Twins maximizing their win total this year. Miranda and Larnach are, or at least could/should be. Larnach can't adjust to major league pitching in AAA. Either he's going to figure it out, or he isn't. Having him mash AAA pitching and then coming back still needing to adjust to major league pitching doesn't help the team. If I were in charge, he'd have until next week when Kirilloff can be called up to start showing signs of life or I'd put him on the bench as a pinch hitter/part time player and give Kirilloff his ABs. To get Kirilloff on the team you have to remove someone. Castro is going to go for Farmer, I'd expect, and that leaves just Solano for Kirilloff. If Larnach hasn't figured it out by the time Lewis is ready then I'll send him down, and at that point his future with the team is in question as he's 26, has known struggles hitting major league breaking stuff, and they have multiple other lefty bats pushing for playing time. I'm simply not interested in Larnach's ability to hit AAA pitching. He has to adjust to major league pitching, and it's now a question of how long of a leash he has before he starts getting passed up by other players. Right now Kirilloff is his nearest competition. I'm not a big Wallner believe, but he's closing in fast, too.

Why is Nick Gordon much less of a defensive risk? Mookie Betts came up as an infielder and moved to RF because of Pedroia. He's continued taking ground balls in fielding practice his whole career. Nick Gordon has fewer than 300 more IF innings in the majors than Mookie. Mookie is a terrible example, and he's superior to Nick Gordon in every way, even on paper. Is occasional once a week? Once a month? Everyday for a 2 week Miranda demotion? 3 times during a 2 week Miranda demotion? 3 times a week for the rest of the season to rotate everyone through? Occasionally has a pretty big range of what it could mean. I wouldn't send Miranda down to AAA to get Kirilloff in the lineup. I'd consider DFAing Solano to get Kirilloff up maybe. I'm not happy with the current production from Miranda or Larnach, but I don't think either of them would be served well from a demotion. They need to figure out major league pitching. Can't do that in AAA. They've graduated and they need to make the major league adjustment. But Farmer taking some time from Miranda at 3B starting next week, and Kirilloff taking some time from Larnach in LF starting next week would be a plan I'd endorse. Neither of which include Gordon at 3B, even "occasionally."