A DH platoon causes a defensive substitution shortage at catcher, middle-infielder or defensive outfielder. Especially in a 13-man pitching staff and a three-man bench configuration.

 

(8) starting position players

(1) regular DH = Arcia

(5) starting pitchers

(1) backup catcher

(2) infield utility guys

(1) DH / 4th outfielder = ABW

(7) bullpen

(25) Total - active roster

 

So what's the problem?

Arcia is not the second best power hitter.  Clearly Sano and Dozier are the top two.  Arcia can't even crack the Active Roster!  Best DH option?  No.  Arcia is the sort of hitter who has a brief scorching hot streak followed by a lengthy, ice cold slump.  Vargas is probably better than Arcia as a pure DH--he is not hopeless when required to bat on his "weaker" side.  Where is Plouffe in your scenario?  He plays someplace--and is a better option than Arcia.  Then, there's Mauer--he will play somewhere.  True, Mauer will never be a power hitter.  Nor will he ever be worth his contract--but Mauer will get paid and will hit more consistently than Arcia--just not at at a $23MM level (or even close).  Are there power hitters available on the open market?  Yes, and much better ones than Arcia.  

 

(8) starting position players

(1) regular DH = Arcia

(5) starting pitchers

(1) backup catcher

(2) infield utility guys

(1) DH / 4th outfielder = ABW

(7) bullpen

(25) Total - active roster

 

So what's the problem?

Problem occurs when you need a 13-man pitching staff ((8) bullpen) and 3-man bench. If Vargas is your backup DH, your bench has (1) infield utility guy; (1) backup catcher (who can't be used as PH without an emergency catcher on the roster); and Vargas.

 

Problem occurs when you need a 13-man pitching staff ((8) bullpen) and 3-man bench. If Vargas is your backup DH, your bench has (1) infield utility guy; (1) backup catcher (who can't be used as PH without an emergency catcher on the roster); and Vargas.

 

Do the Twins need 8 relief pitchers? I always thought 7 is pretty typical. As far as PHs go, whoever doesn't between Arcia and ABW would be a big power-bat option. I'm thinking someone among the trio of Mauer, Vargas, and Kepler will be next year's starting 1B, leaving one of the other two as a really good option as well. The other utility infielder could be Escobar in the case Polanco gets the starting job.

 

With those options, who needs the backup catcher (Suzuki if the Plouffe-for-Hedges trade goes through) to pinch hit?

 

As far as a 4th, defense outfielder goes, do you need one with a starting three of Hicks, Buxton, and Rosario?

12 pitchers IS typical, but the Twins have needed 13 pitchers many times in the last 5 years. If Hicks, Buxton and Rosario can play every inning of every game, then Vargas/Arcia can platoon at DH, but if of the three is unavailable, Vargas DH's and Arcia (or ABW) plays an ugly corner OF. That is do-able but not ideal.

Okay I'm running with this thing. If the Twins can work out a trade for Plouffe (let's say to SD for Hedges), here's a possible 25-man roster next season (probably mid-year).

 

Starters:

Hedges ©

Mauer/Vargas/Kepler (1B)

Dozier (2B)

Polanco (SS)

Sano (3B)

Rosario (LF)

Buxton (CF)

Hicks (RF)

 

DH Platoon/4th OF/#1 PH):

Arcia

Walker

 

Bench:

Escobar (IF, emergency OF, #3 PH)

Mauer/Vargas/Kepler (1B, #2 PH)

Suzuki ©

 

Starting Pitchers:

Hughes

Santana

Gibson

May

Berrios

 

Relief Pitchers:

Perkins

Jepson

O'Rourke

Meyer

Duffey (long guy)

B. Petersen

??? - go get a stud LHP

 

I'd be pumped to watch that team and impressed with the front office. Minimal moves, which they like, deserving promotions, and a young exciting team, which everybody likes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A lot of Arcia's power came from his strong hip turn, so a lingering hip injury would explain Oswaldo Arcia's predicament pretty well. Even if it's "healed up," he could be swinging the bat with a less vigorous hip turn for fear of re-injuring it, which would change his swing, killing his batting average and power.

 

Dang, what a lousy way to spend this transition year, stuck in AAA nursing a bad hip. Arcia could wind up going to some other team, then become Nick Swisher 2.0.

If it is in fact a hip injury, this may be a permanent thing.......

 

Good question. Could be 1, 2, 3, some combination, or none of the above.

 

I understand Arcia is erratic in the field and will never be as good as the average or median outfielder. But.

 

But, actually when Arcia played in right field, he was capable of making some nice plays. That seems to be a more natural position for him. His best play was the soft fly or liner towards the foul line, on his glove side, when he could initiate a full-out run towards the ball without worrying about running into anybody, and then make a sliding catch of it. Here is one example. Those are plays Hunter does not make. 

 

People are contributing to this myth that Arcia is the worst outfielder in the major leagues, when he's really not even that close. Even Hunter was worse than Arcia in 2014.

 

If the Twins are smart, they will walk over to the shredder and feed Arcia's entire 2015 season into it. Someone in the office should tell him he has a future here. Give him the inside shot to win the RF job next season and platoon him against lefties. Substitute him from the game in the late innings when favorable. 

I'm a believer that much that is said about Arcia's defense is word of mouth stuff.  Just like the person responding to this topic saying Dozier and Rosario play "outstanding" defense. 

 

 

Okay I'm running with this thing. If the Twins can work out a trade for Plouffe (let's say to SD for Hedges), here's a possible 25-man roster next season (probably mid-year).

 

Starters:

Hedges ©

Mauer/Vargas/Kepler (1B)

Dozier (2B)

Polanco (SS)

Sano (3B)

Rosario (LF)

Buxton (CF)

Hicks (RF)

 

DH Platoon/4th OF/#1 PH):

Arcia

Walker

 

Bench:

Escobar (IF, emergency OF, #3 PH)

Mauer/Vargas/Kepler (1B, #2 PH)

Suzuki ©

 

Starting Pitchers:

Hughes

Santana

Gibson

May

Berrios

 

Relief Pitchers:

Perkins

Jepson

O'Rourke

Meyer

Duffey (long guy)

B. Petersen

??? - go get a stud LHP

 

I'd be pumped to watch that team and impressed with the front office. Minimal moves, which they like, deserving promotions, and a young exciting team, which everybody likes.

 

Nothing not to like about this, and I agree with minimal moves, especially going with youth.  Millone and Nolasco will still be around as well.

 

Nothing not to like about this, and I agree with minimal moves, especially going with youth.  Millone and Nolasco will still be around as well.

 

Yep, I feel like Nolasco and Milone will be the two "we'll take anything for these guys" guys for the Twins. Milone could be the other LHP reliever if he is still around and performs well. Nolasco could start the year in the pen if he's still around (which he'll probably be since any team that would take his contract would be insane). That may give Petersen some time in AAA if needed.

 

If it is in fact a hip injury, this may be a permanent thing.......

I'm dealing with severe shoulder impingement in my right arm these days, so I know that joint injuries can linger a long time. Hopefully Arcia has had access to professional rehab that is much better than I've been getting from the VA. Even so, it could take a while.

I wonder if they should shut him down and see if he can find his bat in winter ball. A left handed power bat under team control would be incredibly valuable to this organization. They have to give him a shot next year in a platoon role.

The Twins may have used an 8 man bullpen several times but they didn't need an 8 man bullpen especially if they improve the bullpen.  If you have Hicks in RF and Arcia/Walker platooning at DH then there aren't problems.  Even Vargas isn't that bad as part of a platoon if you have Eduardo Escobar who can play OF.

 

I'm dealing with severe shoulder impingement in my right arm these days, so I know that joint injuries can linger a long time. Hopefully Arcia has had access to professional rehab that is much better than I've been getting from the VA. Even so, it could take a while.

Yup, and Arcia is constantly grinding away on that hip.

 

Best of luck to you on your shoulder rehab.  Maybe someday those that manufactured these wars will stepup and pay for the recovery of those who fought those wars.

I think there's one spot for Arcia or Vargas. The Twins aren't going to carry two guys who can't field. I believe Vargas still has options for next season.

I hope it is injuries, but I suspect Arcia has regressed as a hitter AND opposing pitchers have discovered how to pitch to him.   I'd love for the Twins to have too many players who deserve roster spots coming out of Spring Training next year.   That is a GOOD problem to have.

Edited August 15, 201511 yr by puckstopper1

I hope it is injuries, but I suspect Arcia has regressed as a hitter AND opposing pitchers have discovered how to pitch to him.   I'd love for the Twins to have too many players who deserve roster spots coming out of Spring Training next year.   That is a GOOD problem to have.

As long as they aren't trying to squeeze one more year of a mediocre (but deserving of a major league job) decline phase veteran while at the same time designating a player with the upside of youth.

Arcia will make it over Vargas mainly due to options.  I'm not totally ready to give up on him, but he is not a MLB outfielder. 

 

If Arcia is on the roster, who is our 4th outfielder ala Robinson?  Or do we do the Escobar/Nunez thing?  Wish we had Zobrist now. 

 

I'm a believer that much that is said about Arcia's defense is word of mouth stuff.  Just like the person responding to this topic saying Dozier and Rosario play "outstanding" defense. 

I might agree with this, except for all those outfield assists last night

Dealing a player with more value than Arcia both with the bat and the glove (Plouffe) so Arcia can have a roster spot as a right-hand only platooned DH is about as beneficial a roster move as Gardy insisting on carrying three catchers.

Trade Plouffe as part of getting a catcher. A DH platoon of Arcia and Pinto make sense. I still think there would be room for Vargas too if he earns it.

Arcia needs a change of scenery.  So does Marcel Ozuna.  Could a trade work out?

 

 

"Let him go somewhere else, develop and make us look stupid once again"

 

The percentage of MLB players who develop and succeed with the organization that drafted them, is amazingly small.

Every MLB team repeatedly appears stupid in this regard.

If every MLB team jumped off a bridge...

If every MLB team jumped off a bridge...

Jumping off a bridge is intentional.

Failing to develop a drafted player is UN-intentional, but happens often.

False analogies can be either, but you just used one.