It's time to make some adjustments

[Brock Beauchamp]

I'm not at all a Gardy defender, but TR didn't leave him a lot of options, did he?

 

Nope. It was a bad situation all around.

[jimmer]

Suzuki IS the same catcher that caught our staff last year right?  When we had pretty much the worst rotation in the game?  Do we believe it's Suzuki or perhaps Allen who has helped the team improve a bit?  Or maybe just having May in the rotation helped considering he has very close to a 1/3 of the WAR our rotation has?  

 

Last year, the narrative was Suzuki had finely turned around his offense...predictably went back to his normal self in the 2nd half and this year.  Now he's magically better with the rotation is doing comparatively well?  Hogwash.

 

I doubt Suzuki losing his job would hurt us at all.  It could really help though.

[Brock Beauchamp]

Suzuki IS the same catcher that caught our staff last year right? When we had pretty much the worst rotation in the game? Do we believe it's Suzuki or perhaps Allen who has helped the team improve a bit? Or maybe just having May in the rotation helped considering he has very close to a 1/3 of the WAR our rotation has?

 

Last year, the narrative was Suzuki had finely turned around his offense...predictably went back to his normal self in the 2nd half and this year. Now he's magically better with the rotation is doing comparatively well? Hogwash.

 

I doubt Suzuki losing his job would hurt us at all. It could really help though.

There was a lot of talk about how Kurt worked on framing after last season and his numbers there are drastically improved in 2015 (-20 runs last season, 0 runs this season).

 

But given his offense, I don't think it really matters, he's just bad at something else now.

[jimmer]

 

There was a lot of talk about how Kurt worked on framing after last season and his numbers there are drastically improved in 2015 (-20 runs last season, 0 runs this season).

But given his offense, I don't think it really matters, he's just bad at something else now.

He has improved a lot and yet he's still below average. I'm sure it's helped the staff some, but is it sustainable?  26 catchers have caught 3500 or more innings this year, he sits at 17th for framing.And, like you said, given his offense it doesn't matter.

 

18 catchers have had 250 or more PAs, he's 17th in WAR. 26 catcher have 200 or more PA, he's 25th in WAR.  We can replace him without too much worry.

[DJSim22]

1.  Are we developing the kids or trying to win?  I hear all this talk about bringing up every prospect in AA or AAA, then hear we should send down Santana.  Doesn't make much sense to me, he clearly has the most potential of the SS on the roster.

 

2.  WAR and other metrics are helpful, but to solely use them to fill out a roster is beyond foolish.  Especially at a position like catcher.  Can the Twins replace Suzuki?  Sure, but how will the new catcher work with the pitchers, call a game, go through line ups and all the other off day reports with the pitchers?  I'm in agreement to look for a new younger catcher, but simply saying he's 17th of 18 in some stat is waaaaay to simplifying things.  AJ is a perfect example.

 

3.  Tonkin is a AAAA reliever imo. He seems to almost be used as a ROOGY or whatever you want to call a one or two out righty. 

 

4.  The Duensing stuff is starting to get hilarious.

 

5. I have no desire to see Arcia's lack of defense in RF on a regular basis.  Any hitting will only negate the horrible defense.  His future is as a DH, and I'd rather have Sano.  Also, I'm not about to move four guys positions to make room for Arcia as DH.

 

6.  Arcia for Rosario?  So the same offensive numbers a drop in speed and a big drop off in defense?  Haven't we learned over the past couple years that defense in the outfield is important, especially with pitchers K rates in the 6's? 

 

7. I agree a May for Pelfrey swap is coming if they don't make a trade. 

 

8.  The Twins need an 8th inning reliever and to have Fien pitch the 7th.  I don't see TR bringing in an 8th inning guy.  Too bad we couldn't trade Arcia for one. 

[jimmer]

DJSim22,

 

I used WAR because it takes into account the players overall contribution.  By your post, it seems your issue with WAR as an indicator of his ranking among his peers centers around the idea it doesn't it fully evaluate certain parts of his defense.  Rest assured, whatever flaw it has it is applied among all players at his position in the same way.  But  let's discount the defense part of his WAR.  Not sure it helps the argument for Suzuki, since it's the part of his game that is seriously helping his WAR.

 

We could simplify it a bit more I guess. Use more acceptable forms of evaluation. How is Suzuki's offense (and I use that term loosely) helping the team win? What with his OBP under.290 and his sub .590 OPS. Or his 19% CS rate (league average 32%) which allowed 64 SB so far.?

[USAFChief]

DJSim22,

 

I used WAR because it takes into account the players overall contribution.

 

Whether one believes in the validity of WAR or not, it's particularly iffy for catchers, since UZR doesn't rate catchers.

 

Not that we need it to think the Twins could use some better play behind the plate.

[jimmer]

 

Whether one believes in the validity of WAR or not, it's particularly iffy for catchers, since UZR doesn't rate catchers.

Not that we need it to think the Twins could use some better play behind the plate.

That's fine.

 

As I went on to say, almost every acceptable traditional stat says the same thing as WAR ends up saying in regards to him.  He's been horrible this year on offense and defense.  

[stringer bell]

Time to forget about upside and potential on the current team. If Escobar is the better alternative (I think he is) for the remainder of the season, he should be in there 5-6 days per week. I think D-San should go back to the minors, but with Polanco taking the reps at short in Rochester, that could mean a trip to Chattanooga.

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

Time to forget about upside and potential on the current team. If Escobar is the better alternative (I think he is) for the remainder of the season, he should be in there 5-6 days per week. I think D-San should go back to the minors, but with Polanco taking the reps at short in Rochester, that could mean a trip to Chattanooga.

The Twins are contending.

 

Upside does not matter when Santana, had he enough plate appearances to be a qualifier for the "leader" board, would be the third worst position player in all of baseball according to fWAR.

 

I don't care if Danny Santana is Byron Buxton at that point - and he's nothing like Byron Buxton - he's helping this team lose on a nightly basis.

 

It's not helping Santana and it's hurting the Minnesota Twins to roll him out to short on a nightly basis. This isn't a "give 'im a few more ABs, he'll sort it out" issue. This is a player who is currently horrible at the game of major league baseball. He should have been in the minors months ago to sort out his swing and discipline issues.

 

It's not a matter of whether Escobar is a better option. He is a better option because it's almost impossible to be worse.

 

I'll say it again: 2013 Aaron Hicks was a better player than 2015 Danny Santana. That's how bad Santana is this season.