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I second that - but who is our 2019 2B?


mikelink45

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blog-0057395001536160950.jpgWho's on second does not have the ring of who's on first, but it is a legitimate question. After my last two blogs puzzling over SS and 3B where we are below league average in fielding, we need some strength up the middle. I will not speculate on Dozier and his half year greatness routine because I do not see him coming back. I hesitate to speculate about Escobar which is a big fan favorite for every infield position, but he has now seen the bigger world and knows he can make some choices.

 

So there is Logan Forsythe. He has had 2700 ABs and has a lifetime average of 249 and a total WAR of 12.9 so he is not a terrible choice. He will not have the HR power of Dozier, but he should not have the 1/2 year splits that Dozier did either. His defensive WAR accumulated over 8 seasons is 12.9 - not spectacular, more league average. In fact, if you look closer, he accumulated just under 1/2 of that WAR in one really good year - 2015. If SS and 3B were great we could tolerate league average, but with league average being the highest of the three positions I am not sure that we can look at this as a championship infield.

 

Of course Polanco could slide to 2B or 3B and then we have to figure out SS, but I am not looking at signing or trading players in this essay. I want to see what is in the cupboard. Adrianza is our backup for all three positions. This year, according to Baseball Reference Adrianza has a -0.3 WAR for 2018. Good utility, but too much exposure is not good.

 

Who is in the minors - Petit is our fall infield call up. Gregorio is 33 years old and has a 0.1 WAR over parts of six years. I do not nominate him for second base full time. For the Rochester Redwings we had Alex Perez play 14 games and bat 244 and Taylor Featherstone played 55 and batted 167. I do not believe either of them is going to make MLB this next year. As a matter of fact I do not remember reading about them in TD minor league stories.

 

Travis Blankenhorn, who is listed as a prospect for reasons I do not know, is 2B in Fort Myers where he played 124 games and batted 231! And he was backed up by Alex Perez who hit 208. Not going here.

 

If we go down to Cedar Rapids Michael Helman in 27 games hit 355, Jordan Gore in 63 games hit 305, and Jose Miranda in 104 games hit 277. I do not know their fielding prowess, but I suspect the answer for next year is not at this level.

 

Those are the in-house answers.

 

So I do have to look at FA options - Machado and Donaldson are the best infield options, but not at second. Elvis Andrus is a possibility for SS or 2B, Brian Dozier is the person we know best, but I do not think Brian liked how things went this year so do not expect him back. Daniel Murphy is not going to leave the Cubs! DJ LaMahieu is coming from the Rockies - do you trust their stats?

 

My prediction - Logan Forsythe is the 2019 2B, but we better do something to increase the infield fielding! Maybe this will insure Mauer is back since we need a glove at 1B no matter how the person hits and Austin, Sano, Cave, or Rooker is not going to anchor the infield with their gloves.

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Do not think that Gordon is ready,  Arraez is a who knows, but fielding a major league average fielder if they can hit could be OK.

Backing our developing pitching staff with decent defense is big.  I am more in favor of moving Polonco to 2nd and finding a SS for a year or two. 

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As with 1B, there will be a number of intriguing options in 2020, including Gordon and Arraez. But, for 2019, especially for the first half of the season, the cupboard is indeed bare.

 

Since Free agency began, I to, fantasize that my home team could get their pick, but I don’t think Machado will be interested in the Twins.

 

What is Starin Castro’s contractstatus? The Twins would need a minimum of three years of control to even consider trading for him.

 

If I had to guess, i’d Guess Forsythe or some other mediocre 1 year 30- something they sign late.

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I am currently guiding a trip in Michigan and pictured rocks and Sleeping Bear Dunes. Unfortunately all I have is my phone and it does not allow me to comment on your individual postings. But I really enjoy all the comments and thoughts

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