Article: Defenseless: How Can The Twins Improve In The Field?

[Nick Nelson]

On Monday night in Kansas City, Kyle Gibson had made it through five innings with only one run allowed. He opened the sixth by facing Mike Moustakas, who sent a hard-hit but fairly routine line drive to left field. Oswaldo Arcia trotted after it, reached his glove out, and... dropped the ball. Figuratively and literally.

 

Moustakas reached, as did the next two batters, and by the end of the inning Gibson was long gone and the Royals were up 4-1.Now, this was on Gibson to some extent. He needs to recover better from that mishap and, in general, you're not going to have much success when you give up four walks and eight hits with no strikeouts in an outing.

 

But porous defense has been an ongoing theme for this club in the early weeks. They rank last in the American League with negative-12 defensive runs saved. Their defensive efficiency (rate of balls in play turned into outs) is worst in the major leagues at 69.3 percent. Even on a more traditional level, their 11 team errors are second-most in the AL.

 

This isn't unexpected by any means, but that doesn't exactly make it easy to stomach -- least of all for a new manager who famously preaches fundamentals and steady execution. Paul Molitor undoubtedly cringed at the sight of Arcia flubbing a routine play in left field on Monday, and he has to be aware of the devastating impact that a sub-par fielding unit is having on a pitching staff that allows more contact than any other team in the game by a wide margin. (The Twins have averaged 5.1 K/9; no one else is below 6.3.)

 

But what can be done about it?

 

Here are a few ideas for improving the Twins' team defense, some drastic and some less so:

 

* Swap Oswaldo Arcia and Torii Hunter in the outfield.

 

This is probably the least dramatic option, as it allows you to keep all the same hitters in the lineup. It's also not exactly a guarantee for improvement, as Hunter is no great shakes in the outfield himself at this point and has barely ever played in left. Still, even at age 39 he appears to be moving around and reacting better than Arcia, and there's more ground to cover on that side. Perhaps Arcia would benefit from returning to right field, where he's spent the majority of his time as a pro.

 

* Replace Arcia with Eddie Rosario.

 

Rosario made a late run in spring training, impressing coaches with his athleticism and aggressiveness. He has good speed and range in the outfield corners and would almost certainly represent a substantial defensive upgrade over Arcia. Unfortunately, Rosario is off to a slow start in Triple-A, batting .240 with 15 strikeouts and two walks through his first 12 games.

 

* Make Eduardo Escobar the starter at shortstop.

 

This was discussed a little bit on Monday. Santana has slumped at the plate in the early going, but his defensive issues may be more costly. Escobar is considered a steadier glove, and Santana might be best served sharpening his skills at shortstop in the minors after spending minimal time at the position in 2014.

 

* Call up Aaron Hicks to play center.

 

You'd have a hard time arguing that Jordan Schafer is at the root of the team's defensive issues, but he's stretched defensively in center and is far better suited as an occasional fill-in at the position rather than a regular starter. Hicks, for all his problems at the plate, is a strong defender capable of making exceptional plays. His bat could hardly be worse than Schafer and Shane Robinson, who have combined for a .424 OPS. Or, if the Twins really want to shake things up, they could...

 

* Call up Byron Buxton to play center.

 

He's the best defensive player in the entire system, and several scouts have suggested that he could play a Gold Glove-caliber center field in the major leagues right now. Installing Buxton as the starter in center would be by far the most impactful move the Twins could make to upgrade their defense, but it's not something I would endorse and probably not a notion they would take seriously at this point. Buxton's development outweighs the importance of what's presently happening with the big-league club, and while he might not be THAT far away, there's little evidence that he's prepared to face MLB pitching at this time.

 

Do you like any of these ideas? Do you have some of your own? Sound off in the comments.

 

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[jokin]

So, my conclusion after reading this piece?   As of April 22, the Twins have a handful of nuthin' in terms of quick-fix options.

 

How about a trade?  The teams with excess OFers in the offseason still have them.  The Dodgers 5th OFer,  Scott Van Slyke, would be an immediate huge upgrade in LF, plus he can play the other two OF positions acceptably.  5 years of team control, but he also could be a relatively valuable trade chip once Buxton and Rosario are ready.

 

How about a waiver claim?  Gary Brown, former 2010 1st round draft pick and 2012 top-rated prospect for the Giants, who was just DFAd by the Cardinals. Hasn't proven he can hit MLB pitching at all, but he's only 26,  super-fast, and a true plus-defensive CF.

 

 

[Seth Stohs]

At some point, I think you just go to Aaron HIcks. If they're convinced that he isn't the guy, I'd advocate a trade for someone like Drew Stubbs of the Rockies. He's a gold-glove caliber centerfielder, right-handed, a ton of power and speed, and strikes out a ton... He's making almost $6 million this year and the Rockies are hardly playing the 30-year-old. It's too much for what he brings, but the defense would be a good thing. And hey, they have the $6 million thanks to the Santana suspension.

 

I'd still probably advocate for Hicks, even though he's not doing much offensively... unless you could get Stubbs (or someone like him) without giving up much in terms of prospects.

[Buford_T_Justice]

I agree on Hicks, although I see in last night's box score that he got picked off. Just not sure his head is all the way in the game.

 

If Hicks is brought up, who goes? Robinson or Schafer? Maybe Nunez?

[Kwak]

If the photo shown of Arcia is the play vs KC referenced--this is no "can of corn". Many of the same posters that scream for "play the young guys"--give up very quickly on a guy when he struggles.  This what leads to a team of Shafers, Escobars, Milhones, Suzukis,...you get my drift. You can't demand the Twins play the "young, high-up-side" guys" then quit on them before one month is up--no, you commit to them. Just like the Twins committed to Plouffe and Dozier.

[KGB]

Like a lot of things with Hicks, you think he should be a good defensive outfielder, but he doesn't show it. 

 

Career totals               UZR                UZR/150

Hicks                           (10.9)                   (9.8) 

Schafer                        ( 8.4)                    (3.9)

Robinson                        7.8                     13.6

 

I hope they don't go to Hicks again just because they don't like the other options.  He really needs to earn the promotion from AAA this year or they should just play Robinson more if defense upgrade is what they want.

[bird]

As painful as it is to watch, I'd be inclined to leave things as is, but give Robinson much of the time in CF. That is, until Rosario and/or Hicks play consistently well both defensively and offensively for two months or Buxton dominates AA for two months. If that doesn't happen at some point in time during 2015, they're in deep doo doo.

[Mike Sixel]

Arcia should be in right, imo. Moving around a young guy with fielding issues was a terrible idea. The Twins should play the young guys and see what they have. Enough with the old, bad, players already. That said, Escobar is not old. I think I might go to him. In center? Hicks has shown he can't hit or field, over two years. No interest in him coming back until he does something in AAA. Buxton should be right whet he is for now.

[tobi0040]

 

As painful as it is to watch, I'd be inclined to leave things as is, but give Robinson much of the time in CF. That is, until Rosario and/or Hicks play consistently well both defensively and offensively for two months or Buxton dominates AA for two months. If that doesn't happen at some point in time during 2015, they're in deep doo doo.

 

I would love to disagree on this topic because it is really, really hard to watch for the time being.  But unfortunately where the franchise is right now, I think they have to wait.

 

In 2-4 months, a lot of this gets sorted out and we are not winning the world series this year anyway.

 

One of the main things that helps is I doubt both Arcia and Vargas prove to be MLB caliber DH and LF.  If one gets sent down, then the other becomes the DH and it opens up some better defensive options.  Given they are both young, we need more reps to see which one.  You would hate to choose before you need to. 

 

Buxton at some point fixes CF, but he has a ton of rust to shake off first.  No need to stunt his development to get better CF play for a short period of time.  And if LF opens up, it may be Hicks vs. Rosario and we need time to pick who.   Or if Sano sticks at 3B, can Plouffe play there?  Has to be an upgrade over Arcia.  But Sano has rust to shake off too.

 

The only thing I could really get behind right now is swapping Hunter for Arcia.  If Arcia has a future in the OF, it is in right IMO.  So why not keep him there.  From what I have seen, a 39 year old Hunter is at least a wash with Arcia.

 

 

[chopper0080]

Man, if Hicks is not a better option defensively, that was a huge miss as a draft pick.

[tobi0040]

 

Man, if Hicks is not a better option defensively, that was a huge miss as a draft pick.

 

Yup.

 

Good athlete and good speed does not equal good at defense in this case.

[Tibs]

 

If the photo shown of Arcia is the play vs KC referenced--this is no "can of corn". Many of the same posters that scream for "play the young guys"--give up very quickly on a guy when he struggles.  This what leads to a team of Shafers, Escobars, Milhones, Suzukis,...you get my drift. You can't demand the Twins play the "young, high-up-side" guys" then quit on them before one month is up--no, you commit to them. Just like the Twins committed to Plouffe and Dozier.

 

http://m.mlb.com/video/v81918783/minkc-arcia-drops-moustakas-fly-ball-in-the-6th/?c_id=mlb

[tobi0040]

 

http://m.mlb.com/video/v81918783/minkc-arcia-drops-moustakas-fly-ball-in-the-6th/?c_id=mlb

 

Arcia has had 210 games though.  Granted the Twins added time to this process by moving him to LF.

Edited April 22, 2015 by tobi0040

[Cap'n Piranha]

The solution is simple, but impossible. Call up Doc Brown, tell him to fire up the Delorean, and stop TR, from consummating a deal with Hunter. Keep Arcia in right, call up Hicks and play him every day (so at the end of the year you know whether you should keep him or not), and move Santana to left. Esco plays every day at short, and voila, you've improved your defense at at least two spots, without giving up much in offense.

[tobi0040]

 

The solution is simple, but impossible. Call up Doc Brown, tell him to fire up the Delorean, and stop TR, from consummating a deal with Hunter. Keep Arcia in right, call up Hicks and play him every day (so at the end of the year you know whether you should keep him or not), and move Santana to left. Esco plays every day at short, and voila, you've improved your defense at at least two spots, without giving up much in offense.

 

I would prefer a time machine.  Move ahead two years and then report back with which players are starting MLB caliber players.   Then we can just play those guys.

[ALessKosherScott]

Petition the league so Arcia, Hunter and Mauer can all DH?

[jimmer]

 

Petition the league so Arcia, Hunter and Mauer can all DH?

Nothing at all wrong with Mauer's defense.  He certainly doesn't belong in that group of defensive hacks.

[Shane Wahl]

1. I don't understand why the Hunter-Arcia thing went down the way it did in the first place.

2. I don't understand why when Schafer and Robinson are both in the game, Schafer is in CF. 

3. I don't understand what, exactly, is going on with Hicks' defense. They claim was that he was MLB-ready defensively *years* ago. How does poor route running escape evaluators for the Twins from 2008 or whatever-on?

4. I don't understand how Danny Santana didn't get time to learn LF in the offseason and spring training. Just as an option and additional chance for him. 

 

The Hunter-Arcia swap must happen. That is the minimum.

[Winston Smith]

 

At some point, I think you just go to Aaron HIcks. If they're convinced that he isn't the guy, I'd advocate a trade for someone like Drew Stubbs of the Rockies. He's a gold-glove caliber centerfielder, right-handed, a ton of power and speed, and strikes out a ton... He's making almost $6 million this year and the Rockies are hardly playing the 30-year-old. It's too much for what he brings, but the defense would be a good thing. And hey, they have the $6 million thanks to the Santana suspension.

 

I'd still probably advocate for Hicks, even though he's not doing much offensively... unless you could get Stubbs (or someone like him) without giving up much in terms of prospects.

Stubbs would likely work or Bourjos is sitting on the bench  for the Cards. He doesn't hit much but he'd really help the D. Send Vargas down for some work, he looks over matched, and bring up Hicks to play LF. Let Arcia and Hunter play RF and DH. It might be time to find out if Pinto is a player or not like Hicks.

[troyhobbs]

Swapping Hunter and Arcia might be ok. Hicks should probably be up although I'm convinced he's no longer vital to the team's future. He can hit LHP though, has a decent OBP, can play a good CF, and is probably better than Shaeffer/Robinson. No surprises here though, it's gonna be a long season no matter what they do about it.

[Squirrel]

I wish they had tried the Hunter in left, Arcia in right scenario during ST. But maybe give it a try and hope that Rosario and/or Hicks starts taking off in AAA.

 

And I think I'd split more time between Santana and Esco at short. I think Santana needs to stick it out there, but if he's pushing too hard then give him more relief there and let him work into it more through the season.

 

That would be what I would do now, but long term? Gotta hope these hopefuls start pounding on the door.

[Boom Boom]

Arcia to DH, send down Santana and give SS to Escobar, call up Buxton now, Vargas to 1B and Mauer to LF.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

1. I don't understand why the Hunter-Arcia thing went down the way it did in the first place.

2. I don't understand why when Schafer and Robinson are both in the game, Schafer is in CF. 

More data points suggesting a deference to veteran's (and anointed starter's) preference taking priority over optimal asset deployment.

 

See also: Pinto in AAA (deferring both to pitcher preferences and to Suzuki), the opening day bullpen, veterans on minor league deals with opt-outs, Correia starting into August last year, etc.

[TheLeviathan]

 

3. I don't understand what, exactly, is going on with Hicks' defense. They claim was that he was MLB-ready defensively *years* ago. How does poor route running escape evaluators for the Twins from 2008 or whatever-on?

 

 

Great post.  I had the same question and I wonder how often this happens to other teams.  Plouffe was a similar issue and there may be others I'm not remembering either.

 

Either way, it's made me take all defensive scouting reports on minor leagues with a giant grain of salt.

[MileHighTwinsFan]

I think Hicks is up in the next month if he can get and keep is average north of .250 and his OBP in the .350 range. 

 

 

 

 

[tobi0040]

 

I think Hicks is up in the next month if he can get and keep is average north of .250 and his OBP in the .350 range. 

 

I agree. I think the Twins want another couple month audition before Buxton arrives.

 

Hicks is currently at .250/.340/.420.  Granted it is only 11 games, but the slugging is encouraging.  One HR, two 3B, and a double to go along with 7 singles.

[gocgo]

Remember when we let Alex Presley go in favor (and I think that word fits) of Jason Bartlett?  Houston scooped him up and he was gone.  Alex Presley, in my mind is the equivalent of the two CF that we have now.  Would we be better?  Maybe.  He's a career .259 hitter and I can't imagine him playing worse CF.  Would we have a respectable place holder for Buxton/Hicks/Rosario?  Yup.  Water under the bridge, but a bad decision can haunt for years.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

Great post.  I had the same question and I wonder how often this happens to other teams.  Plouffe was a similar issue and there may be others I'm not remembering either.

Baseball America has some interesting historical ratings.

 

Trevor Plouffe:

ORGANIZATION BEST TOOLS

Rated Best Defensive Infielder in the Minnesota Twins system after the 2004 season
Rated Best Defensive Infielder in the Minnesota Twins system after the 2005 season

 

Aaron Hicks:

ORGANIZATION BEST TOOLS

Rated Best Athlete in the Minnesota Twins system after the 2008 season
Rated Best Defensive OF in the Minnesota Twins system after the 2008 season
Rated Best Outfield Arm in the Minnesota Twins system after the 2008 season
Rated Best Strike Zone Discipline in the Minnesota Twins system after the 2008 season
Rated Best Athlete in the Minnesota Twins system after the 2009 season
Rated Best Defensive OF in the Minnesota Twins system after the 2009 season
Rated Best Outfield Arm in the Minnesota Twins system after the 2009 season
Rated Best Strike Zone Discipline in the Minnesota Twins system after the 2009 season
Rated Best Strike Zone Discipline in the Minnesota Twins system after the 2010 season
Rated Best Defensive OF in the Minnesota Twins system after the 2010 season
Rated Best Outfield Arm in the Minnesota Twins system after the 2010 season
Rated Best Defensive OF in the Minnesota Twins system after the 2011 season
Rated Best Outfield Arm in the Minnesota Twins system after the 2011 season
Rated Best Defensive OF in the Minnesota Twins system after the 2012 season
Rated Best Outfield Arm in the Minnesota Twins system after the 2012 season
Rated Best Strike Zone Discipline in the Minnesota Twins system after the 2012 season

 

LEAGUE BEST TOOLS
Rated Best Outfield Arm in the Midwest League in 2010
Rated Best Outfield Arm in the Florida State League in 2011

 

Plouffe's defensive rep was probably never very strong (best of a weak group?) and evaporated fairly quickly (he was spending time off of SS as early as 2006, in high-A ball, only his second full season as a pro).

 

Hicks could still be a special case, for both defensive and offensive evaluation (not to mention transition/adjustment to MLB).

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

Remember when we let Alex Presley go in favor (and I think that word fits) of Jason Bartlett?

You could have had him back this spring.  Cleared waivers for the Astros, was sent to AAA.

 

The problem wasn't losing Presley -- the problem was never finding/targeting players notably better than Presley (and some notably worse).

[mickeymental]

maybe it's time to return hicks to the mound -- then trade him to the national league where he'd be an above-average hitting pitcher.