Find me a center fielder

[Twins Daily Admin]

Aaron and I talked a little about this on Gleeman and the Geek and I'd like to enlist the forum's help.

 

It's driving me crazy watching Hicks in MLB, similar to how it drove me crazy to watch Carlos Gomez in MLB. He needs time in AAA. He might need a lot of time in AAA. And the only reason he's here is because the Twins simply don't have any type of replacement with Fuld on the DL.

 

So find me a replacement, and by "replacement" I mean a replacement level player whom the Twins could acquire from another team. I don't even mean a major league center fielder, or at least not a starter. I certainly don't mean a prospect. I'm talking about a backup center fielder or a starting AAA center fielder that isn't going to kill us. I'm talking about the definition of filler.. The kind of guy that we can flip to a team for a solid reliever, or a prospective middle-of-the-rotation pitcher.

 

Winner gets my first born. Or a Minnesota-based Papa John's pizza. (My choice.) Hell, I'll award the top 3 - and I don't even have three kids, so one of you lucky posters is getting the dog. (Or, again, a pizza.) And also credit in a story if I write about this, which is looking increasingly compulsory.

 

I keep bragging about the great baseball minds out here, so don't prove me wrong. Open up another tab and get the Twins out of this mess.

[diehardtwinsfan]

Toronto has a guy named Maesteroni who fits that mold

[diehardtwinsfan]

On a more serious note, AJ Polluck strikes me as a guy who can be acquired cheaply.

[TheLeviathan]

I keep saying it - Peter Bourjos appears to be in the doghouse in St. Louis. He'd be ideal.

[amjgt]

What about someone like Drew Stubbs in Colorado. They seem to have a relatively full OF which is leading to time share.

 

Stubbs is on a 1yr, $4M deal and has always player CF (decently).

[meister]

Mastroiani & A.Pressley really do seem to fit. I'm down for Danny Santana getting a look since he is swinging so well.

How about Xavier Avery? Probably too much of a prospect. How about Justin Ruggiano?

[jorgenswest]

I keep saying it - Peter Bourjos appears to be in the doghouse in St. Louis. He'd be ideal.

 

I did read about his benching after a poor April, but his strong May numbers have him at his career OBP of .306. I think the Cardinals have the player they expected. Good defense. Weak bat. His defense will make him a valuable bench OF when Taveras arrives. Unfortunately, I don't think the Cardinals will be looking to designate him for assignment or dump him in trade.

[TheLeviathan]

I did read about his benching after a poor April, but his strong May numbers have him at his career OBP of .306. I think the Cardinals have the player they expected. Good defense. Weak bat. His defense will make him a valuable bench OF when Taveras arrives. Unfortunately, I don't think the Cardinals will be looking to designate him for assignment or dump him in trade.

 

These are all reasons why he fits what John was looking for also.

[glanzer]

Nyjer Morgan looked great when we saw him in Cleveland. If Bourn is ever 100%, you'd think Morgan would be very expendable, perhaps even within the division.

 

Emilio Bonifacio has played plenty of center with the Cubs. He was picked up for virtually nothing earlier this year and the Cubs are going nowhere.

[oldguy10]

Why were the Twins so reluctant to pick up Bonifacio? He would be a perfect fit for them and cheap to boot. But now I'd be willing to bet they will just ride with Hicks and Fuld when he comes off the disabled list, what other decent options are out there realistically?

[ChrisKnutson]

The Twins should try to acquire Jose Tabata because he could be a very good player (look at his stats) and the Pirates definitely have outfiled depth at the major and minors (Josh Harrison, Travis Snider, and Gregory Polanco), and they could use a solid starter like Kyle Gibson and the Twins then could call up on May, Meyer, or Darnell for our rotation, and honestly this is the perfect time to trade Gibson for some talent.

[jorgenswest]

These are all reasons why he fits what John was looking for also.

 

OK. I thought he was looking for replacement level. I don't think we could get him for a reliever. The Cardinals aren't dumping him. Center fielders are to difficult to find. Trevor May possibly. Would you do the deal?

[jorgenswest]

AAA Center Fielders 26 and older (I assume the younger players are still prospects). Take your pick.

 

[TABLE=width: 273]

NAME

TEAM

AGE

Jason Bourgeois

LOU

[TD=align: right]32[/TD]

Clete Thomas

LHV

[TD=align: right]30[/TD]

Jason Pridie

COL

[TD=align: right]30[/TD]

Julio Borbon

NOR

[TD=align: right]28[/TD]

Corey Brown

PAW

[TD=align: right]28[/TD]

Darin Mastroianni

BUF

[TD=align: right]28[/TD]

Blake Tekotte

CHA

[TD=align: right]27[/TD]

Nick Buss

SAC

[TD=align: right]27[/TD]

Gorkys Hernandez

CHA

[TD=align: right]26[/TD]

Matt den Dekker

LV

[TD=align: right]26[/TD]

Tim Wheeler

COL

[TD=align: right]26[/TD]

[/TABLE]

[cmathewson]

I don't get the lack of patience. Prior to Saturday's game, he had gotton on base in 12 straight games. It's not as though the rest of the line up did anything on Saturday. So why fixate on one game? I think it's a style thing. If you're going to have a laid-back attitude, you better put up Mauer numbers. Even Mauer takes flack for not busting his tail because he makes it look easy. Give the kid a break. Failure is part of development. Deal with it.

[cmathewson]

Also, you're spoiled. Puckett. Hunter. Span. Few teams have had that kind of stability at that position. Still, there was Becker. And it took Hunter a couple of years to settle in. If you start chasing replacement players, you'll never develop the kid.

[ALessKosherScott]

If we're going to give Hicks the Becker treatment, this is going to turn into 1996 really quickly. Gomez should be the history lesson as to why we should have a little patience.

[AlwaysinModeration]

Eddie Rosario.

 

I'll take sausage and pepperoni on my pizza. I don't need anymore kids.

[TheLeviathan]

OK. I thought he was looking for replacement level. I don't think we could get him for a reliever. The Cardinals aren't dumping him. Center fielders are to difficult to find. Trevor May possibly. Would you do the deal?

 

You're making an awful lot of assumptions about what it would or wouldn't take. I just think he fits the model of what was suggested.

[Richie the Rally Goat]

The Twins should try to acquire Jose Tabata because he could be a very good player (look at his stats) and the Pirates definitely have outfiled depth at the major and minors (Josh Harrison, Travis Snider, and Gregory Polanco), and they could use a solid starter like Kyle Gibson and the Twins then could call up on May, Meyer, or Darnell for our rotation, and honestly this is the perfect time to trade Gibson for some talent.

I agree that Tabatta is a possibility, as well that the Pirates have been trade partners in the past, but isn't Gibson a bit steep? I would think Tabata could be had for Burton or Darnell.

[stringer bell]

If we're going to give Hicks the Becker treatment, this is going to turn into 1996 really quickly. Gomez should be the history lesson as to why we should have a little patience.

Except that by using a "Gomez timetable", Byron Buxton would already be established as the future of the franchise in center field. Hicks has this year and maybe part of next year to establish himself. I have said it many times in many ways, I don't think Hicks will ever hit enough to be a viable regular as a corner OF.

[Riverbrian]

Current MLB backups:

 

Colorado is worth a phone call because they are kinda silly with CF options right now... both Drew Stubbs and Brandon Barnes would look good in a Twins uniform.

 

The Cards are also worth a call... If Bourjos is too expensive... Maybe the price is lower for Jon Jay.

 

The Pirates are worth a call... Just to see if Jose Tabata could be had cheaply. I've also been a fan of Josh Harrison. I've never seen him play CF but I think he could.

 

AAAA:

 

I would be interested in both Tony Campana and Julio Borbon... Really interested.

 

And I think Melky Mesa would be a lottery ticket... And you can't win the lottery unless you buy a ticket. Chances are... you just gave away a Buck but Melky Mesa could payoff big.

[Richie the Rally Goat]

I don't get the lack of patience. Prior to Saturday's game, he had gotton on base in 12 straight games. It's not as though the rest of the line up did anything on Saturday. So why fixate on one game? I think it's a style thing. If you're going to have a laid-back attitude, you better put up Mauer numbers. Even Mauer takes flack for not busting his tail because he makes it look easy. Give the kid a break. Failure is part of development. Deal with it.

I think it depends on your idea of patience, and how patient you are with Buxton as well. Pressing Hicks into Major League futility doesn't seem terribly patient.

 

I think a replacement level CF with options or somewhat aged veteran who can still cover CF for a couple months while Hicks can learn how to track a ball and get his swing together shows more patience than pushing a guy into service he's not ready for.

 

We're all waiting on Buxton, but he's been injured this year. We don't know the time table, but it should be at least one full season away, if not two. I would rather have a more polished Hicks to earn his place on the roster as CF, 4th OF or LF, than placeholder Hicks who is just waiting for Buxton to come and eat his lunch for him.

 

edit: to your point on getting on base 12 games in a row, that's only part of development. Even after getting on base 12 games in a row he sports a .581 ops, and still loses fly balls. He shows the ability to make advanced plays that someone of his level should not, such as coax a walk and make the amazing crashing off the wall catch, but he lacks many of the fundamentals such as tracking fly balls and making solid contact with the bat. I think a stint in AAA would polish him up.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Has Fuld said how he is doing?

[Twinsoholic]

Melky Mesa was just acquired by the Blue Jays along with TWins' old friend, P. J. Walters. For cash! Now, trade for Melky with the Jays.

[Riverbrian]

I don't get the lack of patience. Prior to Saturday's game, he had gotton on base in 12 straight games. It's not as though the rest of the line up did anything on Saturday. So why fixate on one game? I think it's a style thing. If you're going to have a laid-back attitude, you better put up Mauer numbers. Even Mauer takes flack for not busting his tail because he makes it look easy. Give the kid a break. Failure is part of development. Deal with it.

 

I promise to be very patient with Aaron Hicks... I have high hopes for him.

 

However... At this moment in time... I feel it was the Twins Front Office showing the lack of patience by giving him the starting job prematurely.

 

In my opinion... His bat isn't ready... I rarely see him hit the ball hard. Defensively... He needs work on balls hit over his head and I'd like to see him become more aggressive with his arm.

 

He has a hose... I'd like to see him just attack with it on occasion.

[Brandon]

I don't know of any with a rifle arm and an ability to have a .330 OBP. That type of on base percentage doesn't kill your line up and it looks like he just needs to tweak parts of his game. He is better than anyone suggested. If you are looking just to send Hicks down, I agree with The suggestions for Cubs utility player, St Louis guys and a guy we already have up in Santana. If we make Santana the starter we could sign Juan Pierre to back up. He'll hit like crap and has a bad arm but can run and doesn't cost anything in terms of talent.

[Thrylos]

The Twins just acquired a CF who has 109 OPS+ (.263/.417/.342) in the majors this season. That's Hicks' RHB slash line. He just quit switch hitting. Give him some time. All the replacement level players mention (including Sizemore) can't touch this.

[Danchat]

The Twins just acquired a CF who has 109 OPS+ (.263/.417/.342) in the majors this season. That's Hicks' RHB slash line. He just quit switch hitting. Give him some time. All the replacement level players mention (including Sizemore) can't touch this.

It should be interesting now that Hicks is giving up left hand hitting. I think he'll be able to get the ball into the outfield more often. Also, anyone know how Fuld is doing? I thought he'd be back by now. I think he's a fine backup and we don't need to acquire another CF, or at least not trade for one.

[AlwaysinModeration]

The Twins just acquired a CF who has 109 OPS+ (.263/.417/.342) in the majors this season. That's Hicks' RHB slash line. He just quit switch hitting. Give him some time. All the replacement level players mention (including Sizemore) can't touch this.

He did?

[Squirrel]

He did?

Yes