Article: What's the Plan with Tyler Austin?

[Penthang]

Id like to see Austin get a chance, but don’t feel good about that with a 13 man bullpen. The 13th guy is usually only a mop up guy that the manager doesn’t want to use in meaningful situations anyway. Astudillo could be the mop up guy and his bat could be in the lineup 3-4 days a week or more if he earns it as a high OBP guy.

[Richie the Rally Goat]

Option Cave, have Austin be 4th OF/Bench bat. Get him ABs every game and see what you got.

[Riverbrian]

Make him be a one dimensional 1B only type and you will kill him and his career. 

 

If he can play OF... you have given him a chance to help you and a chance to prolong his career. 

 

He was an OF in the Yankees minor league system. I won't pretend to know the circumstances but I know that there is always circumstance. 

 

 

 

 

 

[sdangus]

Yes, I have been promoting Austin as a possible outfield fit all along. That does leave them without a decent defensive replacement OF if they go with a 13 man pitching staff, however. So I guess it depends on what kind of bench Rocco wants.

That big right handed bat against left handers would sure look good in the lineup, though.

[caninatl04]

Yes, I have been promoting Austin as a possible outfield fit all along. That does leave them without a decent defensive replacement OF if they go with a 13 man pitching staff, however. So I guess it depends on what kind of bench Rocco wants.

That big right handed bat against left handers would sure look good in the lineup, though.

So, with a 3 man bench, who would they be against RHP?

[rdehring]

Smart move would be to hang on to him thru spring training.  But that means someone else needs to go today/tommorrow when Cruz is added to the roster.  My choice would be Granite or Reed.  With that said, wouldn't be surprised to see Austin traded later today to open that spot.

[Jim Hahn]

Make him be a one dimensional 1B only type and you will kill him and his career.

 

If he can play OF... you have given him a chance to help you and a chance to prolong his career.

 

He was an OF in the Yankees minor league system. I won't pretend to know the circumstances but I know that there is always circumstance.

 

But that is what Austin is, a one dimensional 1b type. It is highly unlikely he can play OF at above a barely passable level, or the Yankees would of continued to use him there, at least in the minors when he was residing there between his short stints in the majors. There are too many guys like him, and unless they can hit same side pitching at a league average level, they have very little value except as a shuttle piece between the majors and minors.

 

The large pitching staffs seemingly necessary in modern baseball, have ruined things for any sort of one dimensional bench player. In fact it has pretty much ruined any type of straight platoon, that was common even 20 years ago or so. This is why any infielder coming thru the Twins system in the last ten years, has generally played all over the infield and often in the OF too. Corner types like Rooker are played in both corner OF spots and 1b. Teams really need 8 regulars but anyone not starting has to play several positions.

 

It is even difficult to accomadate a full time dh. Which is why Cruz received less money than he might of, if he could still play the OF or if there were larger rosters. This is why you need ready minor league talent that are above AAAA types. The bench isn't near large enough to protect a team from injuries and poor performances.

Edited December 29, 2018 by Jim Hahn

[ChrisKnutson]

If we’re trading Austin, I’d prefer it if we packaged him, Granite, and Littell for a quality LH reliever.

[Jim Hahn]

If we’re trading Austin, I’d prefer it if we packaged him, Granite, and Littell for a quality LH reliever.

I could be wrong, but I doubt if Austin or Granite have much value in a trade. Most teams already have their own Austin's, and Granite was hurt and ineffective last year. Littel may have some small value, but not much if teams view him as a likely AAAA pitcher.

[Riverbrian]

 

But that is what Austin is, a one dimensional 1b type. It is highly unlikely he can play OF at above a barely passable level, or the Yankees would of continued to use him there, at least in the minors when he was residing there between his short stints in the majors. There are too many guys like him, and unless they can hit same side pitching at a league average level, they have very little value except as a shuttle piece between the majors and minors.

The large pitching staffs seemingly necessary in modern baseball, have ruined things for any sort of one dimensional bench player. In fact it has pretty much ruined any type of straight platoon, that was common even 20 years ago or so. This is why any infielder coming thru the Twins system in the last ten years, has generally played all over the infield and often in the OF too. Corner types like Rooker are played in both corner OF spots and 1b. Teams really need 8 regulars but anyone not starting has to play several positions.

It is even difficult to accomadate a full time dh. Which is why Cruz received less money than he might of, if he could still play the OF or if there were larger rosters. This is why you need ready minor league talent that are above AAAA types. The bench isn't near large enough to protect a team from injuries and poor performances.

 

I don't know if Austin can play a passable OF or not and I'm going to assume you don't either. 

 

However, Making the assumption that he is one-dimensional and assuming that it is highly unlikely that he can't play the OF based on the Yankees moving him to 1B is dangerous.

 

The Yankees had an outfield surplus and a gaping hole at 1B. I don't know if that's why the Yankees moved him from OF to 1B but... the explanation is extremely plausible and plausible enough to doubt that he was moved because he was terrible in the OF. 

 

I'd think it would be safer ground to simply wonder why he couldn't beat Bird for the 1B job. 

 

And... I know I'm not trusting the Twins to make a capable assessment after watching them stiffly deploy playing time over the years.  

 

I agree with the last two paragraphs you type... and therefore... If Austin can play some OF... it would be insane to throw that away. If Rosario could play 2B... it would be insane to throw that away... If Castellanos can play 3B... it would be insane to throw that away. But teams throw flexibility away all the time for stability or consistency and the shrinking pitching staffs are working against them. Starters can't just trot out to the same position every day. Utility guys don't have to be only guys who didn't win a starting job and then get shackled to one position.  

 

Just stop the madness. Starters can move to different positions and still be starters... See Kris Bryant, See Cody Bellinger.

 

When Adrianza gets a chance to play. Polanco could move to 2B so Adrianza could play SS instead of Adrianza moving to 2B and Polanco playing SS.  

 

The Twins have a long history of this kind of crap. 

[ashbury]

We probably get for Austin only about what we gave up to get him in the first place.

 

Defensively, in the outfield, he'd probably be about like Wil Myers or Franklin Gutierrez, if my favorite QnD scouting source^* is to be trusted. Just to set the expectations, at least for myself. Very average, probably plodding, but not embarrassing. Definitely an option to consider.

 

^{* _{Out of the Park, the baseball game - they claim to put in some effort in this regard, as a aggregator of scouting opinions}}

[nicksaviking]

I think plenty of teams would take Austin as a third or fourth piece in a deal.

 

Though perhaps not if he has another half season with a 35% K rate. So I’d look to move him now while other teams can still project potential on him.

[darin617]

 

If we’re trading Austin, I’d prefer it if we packaged him, Granite, and Littell for a quality LH reliever.

 

You can't throw in a bunch of junk and expect to get a quality arm back. Only way that happens if you take on a bad contract.

[ChrisKnutson]

I could be wrong, but I doubt if Austin or Granite have much value in a trade. Most teams already have their own Austin's, and Granite was hurt and ineffective last year. Littel may have some small value, but not much if teams view him as a likely AAAA pitcher.

Perhaps naming Granite was a stretch, but I gotta believe a package of Austin, Blankenhorn, and Littell could at least bring back something of value.

[ChrisKnutson]

You can't throw in a bunch of junk and expect to get a quality arm back. Only way that happens if you take on a bad contract.

I agree, the FO should take on Mark Melancon’s (or Martin Prado’s) bad contract as a way of acquiring Tony Watson (Adam Conley).

[Jim Hahn]

I think the problem here is that a lot of you think Austin's skill set is more valuable than I do. He didn't look like a particularly good 1b to me, in a small sample size. He is plodding and slow on the basepaths. I don't know if he can play the OF as noted above, but would be very surprised if he is as good as Grossman. His contact skills are poor, his walk rate is mediocre, and he hasn't shown he can hit same side pitching at a decent rate. What he does is hit home runs. If you give him enough AB's he could probably get 30 or more in a season. Now I think what he can't do thoroughly out weighs what he can do.

 

Sure, he could improve his weak areas, some at least. But I think Cron is better, now and don't think you need 2 guys like that on the 25 roster, especially with today's big pitching staffs. I do hope the Twins can sneak him through to the minors, because he has value as insurance behind both Cruz and Cron.

 

I don't know how the FO values him. They could have a different view than I do. Judging from their off season moves, they don't seem to have a lot of confidence in him. I do think that modern stats tend to overvalue power and undervalue contact skills. I could be wrong about that too.

[Vanimal46]

I think the problem here is that a lot of you think Austin's skill set is more valuable than I do. He didn't look like a particularly good 1b to me, in a small sample size. He is plodding and slow on the basepaths. I don't know if he can play the OF as noted above, but would be very surprised if he is as good as Grossman. His contact skills are poor, his walk rate is mediocre, and he hasn't shown he can hit same side pitching at a decent rate. What he does is hit home runs. If you give him enough AB's he could probably get 30 or more in a season. Now I think what he can't do thoroughly out weighs what he can do.

 

Sure, he could improve his weak areas, some at least. But I think Cron is better, now and don't think you need 2 guys like that on the 25 roster, especially with today's big pitching staffs. I do hope the Twins can sneak him through to the minors, because he has value as insurance behind both Cruz and Cron.

 

I don't know how the FO values him. They could have a different view than I do. Judging from their off season moves, they don't seem to have a lot of confidence in him. I do think that modern stats tend to overvalue power and undervalue contact skills. I could be wrong about that too.

I concur with you on your assessment. Teams can try to move players around the field to create 'flexibility' but there's always a cost. It's reasonable to expect he won't be as good defensively in the OF as he is at 1B. And he wasn't particularly good at 1B to begin with. So to recoup some lost value playing out of position, he needs to be really good with the bat to make up for it. He's not particularly good with the bat either.

 

If he clears waivers and sent back to AAA they can play him at catcher for all I care. I don't want to see this experiment at the MLB level.

[Riverbrian]

 

 

 

I think the problem here is that a lot of you think Austin's skill set is more valuable than I do. He didn't look like a particularly good 1b to me, in a small sample size. He is plodding and slow on the basepaths. I don't know if he can play the OF as noted above, but would be very surprised if he is as good as Grossman. His contact skills are poor, his walk rate is mediocre, and he hasn't shown he can hit same side pitching at a decent rate. What he does is hit home runs. If you give him enough AB's he could probably get 30 or more in a season. Now I think what he can't do thoroughly out weighs what he can do.

Sure, he could improve his weak areas, some at least. But I think Cron is better, now and don't think you need 2 guys like that on the 25 roster, especially with today's big pitching staffs. I do hope the Twins can sneak him through to the minors, because he has value as insurance behind both Cruz and Cron.

I don't know how the FO values him. They could have a different view than I do. Judging from their off season moves, they don't seem to have a lot of confidence in him. I do think that modern stats tend to overvalue power and undervalue contact skills. I could be wrong about that too.

 

That's fair.

 

I'm saying that I have no idea but I find his skill set interesting enough to see if it blossoms into something with more AB's and I don't believe he's had enough chances to show what he could or can't be. 

 

I don't have this down to a science either but I'm interested. 

 

However, If he can only play 1B, He'd have to hit at an extraordinary level to survive. 

[darin617]

Trade him to Baltimore or Seattle.  Let him go to a team that doesn't want to win many games so he can get a full season of AB's.

 

Then if he is doing what most think he is capable of doing he will be rewarded and traded to a contending team.

 

Sad part is that Austin has such great potential and will most likely not be given the AB's he needs to do it in MN. To be honest, the best place for Austin would be to go play in Korea or Japan. Eric Thames got another chance in MLB after a few outstanding years in Korea.

[DrNeau]

Need to give Austin ABs. Find a way. RF?

[darin617]

 

Need to give Austin ABs. Find a way. RF?

So have him platoon with Kepler? If so when will Cave get some AB's?

[DrNeau]

So have him platoon with Kepler? If so when will Cave get some AB's?

Maybe. Battle it out in spring and see what happens.

[DrNeau]

Kepler gets more walks. If he figures out how the hell to hit, he has a very high ceiling. Tired of watching him take 500 ABs and .224 to reach his little 20 HRs, though. Cave had a better year.

[jokin]

 

Kepler gets more walks. If he figures out how the hell to hit, he has a very high ceiling. Tired of watching him take 500 ABs and .224 to reach his little 20 HRs, though. Cave had a better year.

 

So have him platoon with Kepler? If so when will Cave get some AB's?

 

Sustainability is in question.... Cave in 2018: BABIP .363 K%: 33%

 

Steamer projects a huge regression for Cave (.702 OPS/.3 WAR), with Kepler maintaining his WAR (2.6). FWIW, Kepler's defense rated much higher than Cave's in 2018.

 

Given the lopsided L/R hitting situation in the OF, it looks like the Twins might try Buxton becoming Cave's occasional part-time platoon partner, with Cave additionally spelling Kepler and Rosario on occasion. Didn't look up his minor league stats, but Cave was dreadful vs. LHP in 2018 (.598 OPS).

 

It looks like the Yankees gave up on the idea of Tyler Austin playing significant innings in the OF after his 2015 AAA season. Right now, he looks like a man without a position, or even a roster spot. Unfortunate, if that's the way it works out, especially if Cron pulls another LoMo debacle.

Edited January 1, 2019 by jokin

[DrNeau]

Good points. You know, if Kepler or Cave were good, we wouldn’t even be worried about Austin getting ABs.