Article: Does the Logan Morrison Signing Make Sense for the Twins?

[Platoon]

If I knew how good an OF he was I would have a more educated opinion. I assume he is functional. And he certainly is a better hitter than anyone not named Sano in the DH slot. The good news, relative to the sense of this acquisition, is there is absolutely no chance that Sano plays the field to start the season, and very little chance he goes north. But sooner or later Miguel will return. The problem is I cannot see him as a regular third baseman this year. And if that happens either Sano or Morrison are redundant. What I do like is that it gives the team quite a bit of trade chips at the break.

[nicksaviking]

I like the move a lot. One year deals with options are really nice. I would have preferred a RH bat but there's not a lot available and Morrison did hit lefties pretty well last year.

 

The fact that he bought into and succeded with the new flyball/launch angle phrnomenon is very encouraging.

 

We'll have to mark down 2018 as the year the Twins signed a guy to a low dollar/no commitment deal who hit 38 HR the prior year, and it was largely met with "Eh" from the league and the fan base.

[Thrylos]

 

This puts the Twins 40-man at 15 position players and 25 pitchers. I somehow still don't see them cutting ties with a batter for now, despite the flexibility issue; they still have a month before any 25-man decisions have to be made. A lot can happen.

 

Escobar, Adrianza, Vargas, and Grossman are all out of options.  One does not fit in the same team as Morrison.  It is a numbers game, 15 position players or not

[crapforks]

Last year, Andrew Miller had better stats against righties. Who are the other lefty relievers to worry about?

I don’t know that there are any specific relievers to worry about. I’m just thinking about the AA and above LH relievers in the division. The matchups later in the game would go into deciding who gets called up. Mauer, Kepler, Rosario, Castro, and Morrison from the left side in the starting lineup most days. Maybe Granite on the bench. Polanco, Escobar, Adrianza, Grossman, Vargas (at least for now) are switch hitters. Potentially only Dozier, Sano, Buxton, and Garver from the right side. The Moyas and Jays in the rest of the central are probably excited that their cup of coffe just got more likely.

[NewClearHarley]

I love this acquisition because it means Grossman is not starting regularly. He is a very good OBP guy and he will make a decent bat off the bench. Most days Mauer and Morrison will both be in the lineup between 1B/DH. If Sano plays at DH or 1B some game days, then Escobar plays third, Mauer or Morrison takes the other slot, and LoMo could also potentially spell Rosario or Kepler. 

[Puckett34]

 

Many people forget that LoMo has also played 254 career games in the outfield. I have always wanted 25 guys who can play and roster flexibility so everyone can actually play by moving some people around from time to time to accommodate. 

 

Well, you are the President of the "Baseball Player Positional Flexibility" Club.    I'd be disappointed if you didn't want that. 

 

 

Love the signing.    Anytime you can improve the roster, I'm all for it.    As many have said, looks like it's either Vargas or Grossman that is the odd man out.    I'd be willing to bet that Vargas is out given his limits in the field.    Would be nice if Vargas had a option left to have some value in a trade, but I don't think he has much value in a trade outside of a throw in of a bigger trade.

[ewen21]

One reason I like the deal is that it sends a clear message to Mauer:

"If you want to come back in 2019 you are going to need to earn it, big fella"

 

Seemed a week ago Joe had the open invite to come back so long as he wanted to.  That may have changed and I think that is a good thing.  

[Dantes929]

 

Really like him slotted in at DH instead of a Grossman, Escobar, etc. This guy, when healthy, can crush the ball.

You can't tell me adding a 25-30 HR caliber power bat into the DH slot in this lineup is a bad thing at this point.

 

I can if its Napoli.    I like this signing so much better.

[Nine of twelve]

One reason I like the deal is that it sends a clear message to Mauer:

"If you want to come back in 2019 you are going to need to earn it, big fella"

 

Seemed a week ago Joe had the open invite to come back so long as he wanted to.  That may have changed and I think that is a good thing.

Another way to look at it is that it gives the Twins the inside track to whichever player they feel will be a better fit for 2019. Edited February 25, 2018 by Nine of twelve

[ashbury]

Escobar, Adrianza, Vargas, and Grossman are all out of options.  One does not fit in the same team as Morrison.  It is a numbers game, 15 position players or not

No disagreement with these facts, but we don't even know whether it's an issue. We may find out later that any of the players won't be good to go on Opening Day. That happens; Ehire was on the DL to start the season in 2017, for example. And any injury move need only be the short DL, not the 60-day variety.

 

There's nothing wrong with sketching out a few scenarios, but we are a long way from it being desirable for the team to commit in one direction or the other. 15 is a really low number, especially when AAA is a bit barren of young talent pushing to make the squad. For all we know, Grossman and Vargas will be Opening Day starters of necessity. I don't hope for that, but they could tide us through. And you never know, one of them might Wally Pipp the nominal starter.

[jorgenswest]

Granite has options so I would think he fits better as the 4th man on the bench. He can be sent to AAA when a 13th pitcher is needed.

 

They don’t need to start the season that way though. They can start with a bench of Escobar, Adrianza, Garver and Grossman. That can last as long until there is a need for a 13th pitcher and then someone will be DFA’d.

 

Neither Grossman or Vargas have any trade value. How could they? Good DHs can’t get a contract in this market.

[BJames]

The real question is: what would Vargas stat look like if he got 550AB's???  It might not matter now.  You take what you can, but I'm not sure this is a big upgrade.  A corner outfielder that is RH and can Hit a little is what we need.  Grossman is a liability. 

[Deduno Abides]

I don’t know that there are any specific relievers to worry about. I’m just thinking about the AA and above LH relievers in the division. The matchups later in the game would go into deciding who gets called up. Mauer, Kepler, Rosario, Castro, and Morrison from the left side in the starting lineup most days. Maybe Granite on the bench. Polanco, Escobar, Adrianza, Grossman, Vargas (at least for now) are switch hitters. Potentially only Dozier, Sano, Buxton, and Garver from the right side. The Moyas and Jays in the rest of the central are probably excited that their cup of coffe just got more likely.

2017 vs. lefties (OPS, ISO, wRC+):

 

LoMo: .761, .186, 109

Grossman: .696, .082, 96

Vargas: .597, .123, 56

 

With today’s four man benches, teams can’t worry about a AAA reliever when building a roster.

[sploorp]

 

Grossman OBP + Vargas power = Logan Morrison. With him and Aybar and Granite in camp both Grossman and Vargas have to be on the lookout. Especially Vargas since he has no positional flexibility.

Grossman is a right handed bat.  I would say Granite is the guy who has to worry.

[Doctor Wu]

 

Doubt Vargas is worth any more than a throwin on a trade, more likely a release candidate.  More likely Grossman is traded, since do not see a role for him here.  Twins still need one more bench type. 

I can't see either Vargas or Grossman having much trade value at all to other teams. Too many other players with similar skills still looking for jobs. I'd imagine one or the other, or both, being put on waivers if there is a numbers crunch by the end of spring training.

[slash129]

 

Grossman is a right handed bat.  I would say Granite is the guy who has to worry.

 

At least Granite has options.  Grossman is good at walking against lefties, but that's about it.

 

Danny Valencia anyone?  Mashes lefties, one year removed from 68 games at 3rd (albeit below average), plays a little corner OF,  defensive replacement at 1st (on Mauer's off days), might be had on a minor league deal

[jud6312]

We're gonna need a new nickname for him. If I have to hear "LoMo" for two years, I'm going to start punting kittens into one of our 10,000 lakes.

[Tom Froemming]

 

We're gonna need a new nickname for him. If I have to hear "LoMo" for two years, I'm going to start punting kittens into one of our 10,000 lakes.

Can we just stretch it out to LogMor?

[diehardtwinsfan]

I'm thinking we call him Wolverine. 

[VirginSturgeon]

Absolutely love the signing!    Never can have too many quality hitting options.  

[Major League Ready]

 

I think a RH bat who can play corner OF makes so much more sense.

 What free agent OFer other than Martinez would that describe?

[Doomtints]

Most of the left handed hitters in the division play for Cleveland and Minnesota. This can be a smart move for the Twins considering the pitching makeup of Chicago, Detroit, and Kansas City.

 

I would personally prefer a righty as the 1B backup since the current 1B is a lefty, but whatever. I can't fault their logic, but the Twins have to be careful about becoming one dimensional.

[Danchat]

 

 

After he walked twice Monday and added an RBI hit, Vargas said he plans to wait and see what happens next.

“I don’t know,” Vargas said. “I got no chance to play right now with this club, so I will just let my agent do his job and try to give me an opportunity somewhere.”

It's basically confirmed that Vargas will be gone. If the Twins can get anything for him in a trade, they'll move him sooner than later.

 

By the way, this eventual move will open a 40 man spot. I wonder how that might be filled?

[jimmer]

Makes complete sense.

[gagu]

 

Last year, Andrew Miller had better stats against righties. Who are the other lefty relievers to worry about?

Yup. He has had better stats vs RHB´s for the last five seasons.

[USAFChief]

What free agent OFer other than Martinez would that describe?

Carlos Gomez, Matt Holliday, Carlos Gonzalez, Jose Bautista, Austin Jackson, off the top of my head.

 

Trades, too.

[Major League Ready]

 

Carlos Gomez, Matt Holliday, Carlos Gonzalez, Jose Bautista, Austin Jackson, off the top of my head.

Trades, too.

 

Gonzalez, is a LH hitter. I forgot about Jackson. He had a nice year last year and is still in his prime.  That would have been a decent move but he is the only FA that would have move the needle. Gomez had a good year last year too but he was bad a couple years before that so I would not have cared for him.  Holiday has been declining for about the last 5 years so I don't think he is a difference maker and Bautista had an OPS+ of 76 last year and will be 37 this year.

Edited February 27, 2018 by Major Leauge Ready

[prouster]

Gonzalez, is a LH hitter. I forgot about Jackson. He had a nice year last year and is still in his prime. That would have been a decent move but he is the only FA that would have move the needle. Gomez had a good year last year too but he was bad a couple years before that so I would not have cared for him. Holiday has been declining for about the last 5 years so I don't think he is a difference maker and Bautista had an OPS+ of 76 last year and will be 37 this year.

Right. I think Morrison is better than those options even though he's left handed.

[AlwaysinModeration]

The Twins have spent years without having a strong, consistent option (and in particular, that is a power threat) from the DH spot. There have been many many days that the DH has been a utility infielder or even the back-up catcher.

 

Morrison probably won’t hit 38 home runs this season. (We said that about Dozier last year too.) But his signing, his left-handedness, his on-base/slugging combo - on a cheap contract with an option - is a huge win for the Twins, and a great step in the direction of fielding the strongest line-up possible. I see nothing not to like about this move.

 

Well done, Thad Levine. And Odorizzi, too, if he really played a role.

[USAFChief]

Gonzalez, is a LH hitter. I forgot about Jackson. He had a nice year last year and is still in his prime. That would have been a decent move but he is the only FA that would have move the needle. Gomez had a good year last year too but he was bad a couple years before that so I would not have cared for him. Holiday has been declining for about the last 5 years so I don't think he is a difference maker and Bautista had an OPS+ of 76 last year and will be 37 this year.

And Morrison has had an OPS higher than the .730s once since 2012 and isn’t an OFer.

 

There’s nothing wrong with adding Morrison, but we’ll see both how he hits and how he gets ABs. And I still would have preferred a RH hitting 4th OFer....which were available.