Article: Rundown: Cruz, Cahill, Soria and Ramos

[DocBauer]

Rosario runs well. He plays the outfield well too. I'm not saying your idea wouldn't work, but I think the guy has plenty of speed to play a corner outfield spot, doesn't he?

Rosario came up as a CF and then moved to LF. He has even played some CF, and played it fine from what I have seen, but somewhere along the line the Twins decided they liked Kepler better there.

 

He also played a year at 2B in the minors. As Brian referenced, not sure if the Twins didn't like him there, or simply decided with Dozier there, to return him to the OF. He played at 3B in one game last season and made a tremendous play while there.

 

I am absolutely not saying he should be converted, but with athleticism and at least some infield time as a professional, he warrants a look at 2B/3B as a fill in option due to injury or late game switches at least.

[diehardtwinsfan]

From what I remember, Rosie was considered an average defender at 2nd. He was moved b/c he wasn't going to be starting over Dozier. 

 

 

[Riverbrian]

From what I remember, Rosie was considered an average defender at 2nd. He was moved b/c he wasn't going to be starting over Dozier.

If you are correct. It would mean that the organization threw away an at least “average” infield defender for the sake of a locked in role or consistency and the possible consequences of that are:

 

Keeping a Cave in the minors to play a Motter when an infielder is needed.

 

I’m not saying that happened. I’m saying that type of roster management and playing time deployment is possible, actually likely as a result of closing that Rosario playing infield door.

 

Again I’m not saying that Rosario should have been permanently moved to middle infield but removing any consideration of him ever playing infield again, can and will force a team to deploy a Motter like option over a stronger outfield injury replacement option.

[ashbury]

 

If you are correct. It would mean that the organization threw away an at least “average” infield defender for the sake of a locked in role or consistency and the possible consequences of that are:

Keeping a Cave in the minors to play a Motter when an infielder is needed.

I’m not saying that happened. I’m saying that type of roster management and playing time deployment is possible, actually likely as a result of closing that Rosario playing infield door.

Again I’m not saying that Rosario should have been permanently moved to middle infield but removing any consideration of him ever playing infield again, can and will force a team to deploy a Motter like option over a stronger outfield injury replacement option.

While I routinely use this strategy when playing OOTP on my computer, how do you deal with the real-world complexity when, for example, Rosario protests, "I'm not a utility player"?

[Riverbrian]

While I routinely use this strategy when playing OOTP on my computer, how do you deal with the real-world complexity when, for example, Rosario protests, "I'm not a utility player"?

I’d have a sit down with his agent and him. I’d look him in the eye and say with complete honesty. “When you reach free agency more doors are open for you when you are proficient at multiple positions because some teams have OF filled and need a 2B and some have 2B filled and need an OF. The more teams that can use your services, the more bidders for your services... the bigger the contract... so do yourself a favor and consider the big picture implications of your hardline stance... help yourself and your baseball team at the same time and let’s win some baseball games.

 

Do you want a cookie? My grandma baked these. They’re fantastic”.

 

It’s why I’ve said before. If I’m Tyler Austin... I’m begging for the chance to play OF. If I’m Trevor Plouffe I’m begging for the chance to play OF. Demanding to play only one position is naive and short sighted and that doesn’t even consider a flat out selfishness by refusing to help your current team address a need. The very second you express it... you just shortened your career and cost yourself money.

[ashbury]

 

I’d have a sit down with his agent and him. I’d look him in the eye and say with complete honesty. “When you reach free agency more doors are open for you when you are proficient at multiple positions because some teams have OF filled and need a 2B and some have 2B filled and need an OF. The more teams that can use your services, the more bidders for your services... the bigger the contract... so do yourself a favor and consider the big picture implications of your hardline stance... help yourself and your baseball team at the same time and let’s win some baseball games.

Do you want a cookie? My grandma baked these. They’re fantastic”.

It’s why I’ve said before. If I’m Tyler Austin... I’m begging for the chance to play OF. If I’m Trevor Plouffe I’m begging for the chance to play OF. Demanding to play only one position is naive and short sighted and that doesn’t even consider a flat out selfishness by refusing to help your current team address a need. The very second you express it... you just shortened your career and cost yourself money.

Rosario's agent replies, "the top free-agent contracts last off-season were Eric Hosmer, who played nothing but first base for his old team and nothing but first base for his new team. Yu Darvish. He plays pitch. JD Martinez. He can barely track a slow roller to right field. Lorenzo Cain. Nobody asked him to branch out and play a corner OF spot, much less second base. My client is not a superstar but profiles as a cornerstone player like these guys. You're asking him to be Eduardo Escobar, who just signed for $6 or $7M a year, or Marwin Gonzalez, who MIGHT crack $10M a year, both for just three years; positional flexibility doesn't really move the needle on salary. You're not going to have a happy player if you insist on this during the remainder of his time in Minnesota. My compliments to Granny."

 

Tyler Austin, yeah. Guys on the bubble should be all-in if offered any kind of chance. Plouffe, he wound up like Austin but for a while there looked to be on a different trajectory.

 

Don't get me wrong, I adore positional flexibility. It's just that it swims against a very strong current.

[Riverbrian]

 

Rosario's agent replies, "the top free-agent contracts last off-season were Eric Hosmer, who played nothing but first base for his old team and nothing but first base for his new team. Yu Darvish. He plays pitch. JD Martinez. He can barely track a slow roller to right field. Lorenzo Cain. Nobody asked him to branch out and play a corner OF spot, much less second base. My client is not a superstar but profiles as a cornerstone player like these guys. You're asking him to be Eduardo Escobar, who just signed for $6 or $7M a year, or Marwin Gonzalez, who MIGHT crack $10M a year, both for just three years; positional flexibility doesn't really move the needle on salary. You're not going to have a happy player if you insist on this during the remainder of his time in Minnesota. My compliments to Granny."

 

Tyler Austin, yeah. Guys on the bubble should be all-in if offered any kind of chance. Plouffe, he wound up like Austin but for a while there looked to be on a different trajectory.

 

Don't get me wrong, I adore positional flexibility. It's just that it swims against a very strong current.

 

I think you under state how strong of a current this all swims against. The strength of the current, reveals itself just by the opposition I face on this website to sensible solutions to problems. Not to mention, the hard calcified baseball conventions passed on from teacher to student and arbitration compensation models that are now out-dated but still have real life influence on pocketbooks.

 

But in the end, I don't care. If you want to get where you are going, you must jump into the current and swim against it. And most importantly, precedent has been established. The Rays, and now the Dodgers and Cubs have jumped into the water, with the current and are thriving in the waters of rejuvenation baby. 

 

Anyway... Let's get back to Eddie and his agent.

 

Eddie... this is your career and you got to do what's best for your career. I really can't advise you so I won't try... but... if... well... I'd start with getting a new agent.

 

Hold on... sit down... I'm sorry that was harsh... Ash... I didn't mean to insult you... Me and Ash go back a long way Eddie... it's the way we talk to each other, I obviously didn't mean that, I think the world of Ash but yeah... you need a new agent... you are getting some horrible advice here. 

 

Hosmer? Cain? I find it interesting that Ash failed to bring up Moustakas and that is what agents do. They talk about highlights and keep the low lights out of view in an attempt to mislead me and unfortunately misleading you at the same time.  You don't get the whole picture this way... The agent says Hosmer triumphantly and you are thinking... Hosmer yeah... 8 years... yeah... That's what I'm talking about but Moustakas turning down a QO and settling for 5.5 million dollar deal is conveniently glossed over in an effort to mislead you and me and get a cheap like from Chief.

 

Did Hosmer get all that he could get just having the Royals and Padres interested in his services... I can't answer that but the same market principles apply to Hosmer, that apply to Moustakas that apply to Cain and that apply to Lance Lynn and Logan Morrison... Supply and Demand rules the...

 

Did Ash mention Brian Dozier. No... He really didn't... did he. Brian Dozier is currently sitting in a 10 deep pile of available 2B free agents and maybe 5 jobs for them. I wouldn't scoff at what Eduardo Escobar received or what Marwin Gonzalez is gonna receive until you see what happens to Dozier this year who was once the top 2B in all of baseball. Believe me I know... I tried to trade him the year before and we couldn't get a decent offer for him so we didn't make the deal. Supply and Demand my friend... Supply and Demand. Anyway... this is going to be a real long meeting if we start looking at both sides of the ledger. 

 

Ash... you've had the supply and demand talk with Eddie right? Or are you talking to him about how you can sell ice cubes to Eskimos instead.  

 

Supply and Demand rules the market place, always has and always will. Being proficient at multiple positions increases the demand and that is obvious to a first year economics or marketing student in the first semester, while moving you into a world of limited supply because baseball hasn't advanced to where it should be but will be soon. 

 

And let's talk about that... Is Cody Bellinger another Eduardo Escobar? Is Kris Bryant another Marwin? Why would you let your own agent who is supposed to be speaking up on your behalf attempt to throw you into a bucket like that? And we can talk about this bucket... because your agent just brought up Escobar and Marwin in a negative context to make a point. He's attempting to mislead you and me at the same time by talking about Escobar and Marwin in a negative context and not talking about Bellinger and Bryant in a positive context. You are not getting both sides of the picture. The utility guy used to be the guy who didn't get a starting job and became the guy who filled in at multiple positions so the utility guy has always had a less than talented badge on it's sleeve. Bellinger and Bryant and before him Zobrist have smashed through that wall.   

 

At the end of the day... If the two of you come to conclusion that you are going to make more money and have a stronger career by refusing to play another position to help your team and career. If the two of you conclude that playing left field exclusively the rest of your baseball career is the best path to a multi year contract pay off. If you think it will help you get an extension from us or this stance will cause the Yankees to admire the way you stood for your principles and therefore pay you more... then I totally understand that you have to do what is best for you. 

 

I'll tell Granny that her cookies were a hit, now if you excuse me... I gotta make some calls, it sounds like you are going to force me to bring in a third basemen to back up Sano and I'm gonna have to cut your friend Jose Berrios to make room for him.

 

It's been pleasure... Ash... Anytime you are in town... Give me a call... we will have lunch.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ashbury]

It's been pleasure... Ash... Anytime you are in town... Give me a call... we will have lunch.  

Holding out for the baseball road trip you promised.

[DocBauer]

In order to have the most versatile and flexible roster...whether Cruz is signed or not...and regardless of Rosario/Kepler/Cave in thr infield, or the opposite for Austin... I have maintained the team absolutely needs another infield option.

 

No matter how much you like Sano, believe in him, hope, expect, you still need some insurance. That also goes for anyone in the infield. While I like Adrianza in his role, he can't be the only option available.

 

Reading an article at MLB, they went through a list of potential 2B out there. There are 3 guys who really interest me:

 

One is Solarte, who I have mentioned previously. Coming off a down season, he has been a decent hitter with pop and has played everywhere in the infield with a few games in LF.

 

Another is Derek Dietrich. He plays 1B/2B/3B/OF. Solid bat, not a bad OB, solid power, and a LH bat.

 

Lastly is Wilmer Flores. Decent bat, not a great OB. Solid power. Plenty of experience at all 4 infield spots.

 

I can't believe any of these 3 would be overly expensive to sign. Any of them could fill a useful and regular role at various positions daily.

 

Thoughts?

[Riverbrian]

 

In order to have the most versatile and flexible roster...whether Cruz is signed or not...and regardless of Rosario/Kepler/Cave in thr infield, or the opposite for Austin... I have maintained the team absolutely needs another infield option.

No matter how much you like Sano, believe in him, hope, expect, you still need some insurance. That also goes for anyone in the infield. While I like Adrianza in his role, he can't be the only option available.

Reading an article at MLB, they went through a list of potential 2B out there. There are 3 guys who really interest me:

One is Solarte, who I have mentioned previously. Coming off a down season, he has been a decent hitter with pop and has played everywhere in the infield with a few games in LF.

Another is Derek Dietrich. He plays 1B/2B/3B/OF. Solid bat, not a bad OB, solid power, and a LH bat.

Lastly is Wilmer Flores. Decent bat, not a great OB. Solid power. Plenty of experience at all 4 infield spots.

I can't believe any of these 3 would be overly expensive to sign. Any of them could fill a useful and regular role at various positions daily.

Thoughts?

 

I forgot about Flores... thanks for reminding me. I'd add Flores to my list of players who have "a chance" of replacing a decent percentage of any projected numbers lost by an injured or bummer like performing Sano or Schoop. 

 

 

[Riverbrian]

 

 

 

Tyler Austin, yeah. Guys on the bubble should be all-in if offered any kind of chance. Plouffe, he wound up like Austin but for a while there looked to be on a different trajectory.

 

 

 

 

By the way, Plouffe he has become my poster boy of what has been wrong with the Twins organization but in this context. 

 

If Plouffe and his agent demanded that he was a 3B only. Or if the Twins demanded that Plouffe could only play 3B.

 

Whoever made that decision just tied Plouffe down to the railroad tracks with the Sano Train coming and Dudley Do-Right is nowhere in sight.