On the Hot Seat

[stringer bell]

There have been several articles about moves to be made to improve and make the club younger.  Winning four games out of the last six and five of nine probably makes any move less imminent.  There are several guys who haven't done much so far, some are safe because of contracts, one because he's a Rule V, and some because the replacement options are not much better.  Here's one guy's opinion of who is on the hot seat:

 

1) Jordan Schafer:  The Twins don't have anything other than an arb-eligible contract invested in him.  Schafer is 4-28--that is bad.  He has been less than satisfactory in center and he hasn't stolen a base.  That is worse.  What is keeping him in the majors is his nice month and a half with the Twins last year and the lack of an obvious replacement.  I've written on two other threads that the replacement might be Rosario.

 

2)  Blaine Boyer:  He has been OK his last couple times out, but prior to that, he was dreadful.  Again, the Twins don't have much invested.  Possible replacements include Michael Tonkin, AJ Achter, and Lester Oliveros.

 

3)  Tim Stauffer:  Unimpressive in the spring, equally unimpressive so far in the regular season.  The club owes him on a $2.2M contract and his track record is better than his performance so far.  Possible replacements include the same guys who would replace Boyer.

 

4)  Mike Pelfrey:  In the last year of a two-year contract, big Pelf hasn't reached the sixth inning.  He has made changes (more changeups, a couple breaking balls), but he still can't get deep in games and it all hasn't clicked.  Pelfrey may well get sent to the bullpen instead of DFAed. 

 

5)  Eduardo Nuñez:  He hasn't played much and despite four hits in six at-bats, he has managed to make an embarrassing play in the field and one on the bases.  Nuñez is out of options and may be lost to the club if DFAed.  Barring injuries, a replacement would be someone like Josmil Pinto.

 

6)  The Three Amigos:  Three guys who have started the season as regulars after finishing last seasons as regulars.  Danny Santana is hitting under .200 and been below average in the field.  Kennys Vargas is hitting .200 and has been dreadful left handed.  Oswaldo Arcia is hitting in the low .200s with one homer and the expected poor performance in the field.  Prolonged struggles by any of these guys could get them sent to Rochester for more seasoning.  Replacements could be the aforementioned Pinto or Eddie Rosario or Aaron Hicks.  All three of these younger players have options remaining and haven't logged much AAA time. 

 

Unfortunately there are quite a few more who could get released or optioned.  Chris Herrmann, JR Graham, Trevor May and perhaps Shane Robinson.  Herrmann and Robinson have performed quite well (SSS), May pitched well his second time out.  All have earned some rope IMHO.

[curt1965]

What about Staeffler(sp)?

[stringer bell]

 

What about Staeffler(sp)?

Forgot about Stauffer.  Will edit my original post.

[USAFChief]

Forgot about Stauffer.

Lucky you.

[chopper0080]

It is always best for the long term to focus on what is working/wrong with the process rather than the result.  Winning 4 games doesn't change the fact that we need to get our young players experience, need solid relief pitching and defense to keep us in close games where we have a chance.  We are fourth worst in run differential, and we need to keep that in mind.

[SwainZag]

 

It is always best for the long term to focus on what is working/wrong with the process rather than the result.  Winning 4 games doesn't change the fact that we need to get our young players experience, need solid relief pitching and defense to keep us in close games where we have a chance.  We are fourth worst in run differential, and we need to keep that in mind.

 

Run differential shouldn't mean much after 12 games.  39% of the runs given up came in the 11-0 loss to DET and the 12-3 loss to KC.  That skews things a lot.

[chopper0080]

 

Run differential shouldn't mean much after 12 games.  39% of the runs given up came in the 11-0 loss to DET and the 12-3 loss to KC.  That skews things a lot.

Very true.  I expect this team will lack consistency in wins, but hopefully we can at least develop consistency in keeping games close.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

The hot seat list looks pretty accurate. I overestimated Schafer. Like another poster pointed out, Schafer is terrible at playing line drives in front of him. Not to mention he's not getting on base. However, I think he still has value as a bench-only guy with speed and a D replacement. Small quibble--I think Trevor May pitched pretty good his first outing too. Molitor is tending not to use the late inning PH, which limits Nunez usefulness quite a bit. And then there's Pelfrey.......

[DocBauer]

I haven't seen anything from Stauffer to convince me he is any kind of answer. Sorry. I dont know that I trust Hoyer either, though his last couple outings were solid.

 

Not saying Pe lfrey will thrive in a bullpen role, but I think he has a **** if he will embrace it. Good, healthy results as a ML starter are now an exception, not the common.

 

I didn't expect a lot from Stauffer, but I definately expected more than this. Very disappointed. But right now, I dont know if there is a viable solution. Play Robinson more because he's better defensively and is hitting NOW?

[Mill1634]

We should have kept Anthony S. TBH.

[stringer bell]

Revisiting this topic:  Vargas looks absolutely clueless at the plate.  Even though he got the W today, Stauffer looks very hittable and Boyer isn't getting many guys out.  Three guys who might have warm posteriors.

[Squirrel]

Revisiting this topic:  Vargas looks absolutely clueless at the plate.  Even though he got the W today, Stauffer looks very hittable and Boyer isn't getting many guys out.  Three guys who might have warm posteriors.

I'm willing to give Vargas more time, but he certainly needs to figure it out.

[jorgenswest]

It is too early.

 

Their baseball staff assessed the roster and made their decisions. They need to stay the course. They can't react to a few weeks of slump. They need to let it go longer. They also need to let Pinto and Hicks go longer. If they flip them now with Vargas and Santana (with Escobar at SS and Nunez utility) and the numbers are reversed, do they flip them again in three weeks?

 

If their baseball staff is incapable of making good decisions, it really doesn't matter what they do. They will not progress to a contender. Without good decisions, a team in the Twins market cannot win.

 

One decision is really hard to fathom though. They have a reliever who had the lowest career WAR in the history of baseball for any reliever with over 100 innings. He has further solidified his spot in that list with his performance this year. That was clearly a very poor decision based on a handful of spring appearances. An experienced GM should know better.

[beckmt]

I could see flipping Vargas for Pinto.  That should happen end of the month.  Vargas needs to see more pitching at the higher level (AAA) than not helping up here.  Rest should wait until the middle to end of May for changes.  One bullpen spot might change (TR is in Rochester this week), but that would be the extent of it.  Boyer is the pitcher I would let go and bring up one of choices from Rochester(mine would be Oliveros).