Is Eddie Rosario Facing a Make-or-Break Year With the Twins?

[SwainZag]

Eddie before and after his injury last season:

 

Before: .282/.312/.529/.841 OPS     

After: .268/.465/.465/.750 OPS  

 

I really don't think he ever fully recovered and it impacted his defense as well.  The top player you have no problem paying $8M to play a corner spot, the bottom one you do.  

 

I really hope he comes into camp fully recovered, we will see what his numbers do, especially hitting in an even better lineup.  IMO, Eddie wasn't traded not because he didn't have value, but simply a contending team doesn't trade a piece like him unless they have someone knocking at the door and confidence they could replicate his production, which IMO, the Twins do not.

 

[Richard Swerdlick]

We could use another good starting pitcher. It seems to me that we either trade Eddie, trade some prospects, or some combination of both to get the ptiching we need. I expect this to happen yet this winter.

[DannySD]

Eddie is a predator and he makes the lineup better. You can squint and see Larnach or Kiriloff having good numbers in replacement, but Eddie is a huge part of the team and I don't think he goes away as easy as people think. 

[DocBauer]

Keep in mind, I'm a huge fan of Eddie, love to watch him play, and absolutely forgive the occasional misplay in the OF or bad judgment one while running the bases because he makes another 3 or 4 outstanding plays to make up for it.

 

I can even forgive his free swinging ways...to some degree...as long as he is producing overall and preferably slightly lower in the order.

 

BTW...not only do I believe just ankle affected his hitting last season, but I also wonder if he was sort of "green lit" at the cleanup spot?

 

I do think, however, that Eddy's days may be numbered due to simple economics. Even a totally healthy Eddie in 2020 and 2021, we have a couple younger, less expensive, highly regarded prospects who have bright future that could replace him in the next year or two.

 

I love Eddie. I just think he's probably gone in 2yrs...not that I'm asking for that to happen.

[wabene]

I don't think the Twins keep Eddie beyond 2020 because of Larnach and Kirilloff. Only one needs to be ready by 2021. That said, the Twins need a healthy Rosario this year.

 

Word is that Rosario had a bad ankle in 2019. Probably so, since his statcast speed data shows a full ft/sec drop - not normal for a 27-yr old. As a result, he dropped about 0.8 WAR just on baserunning between 2018 and 2019.

 

With health, I expect his defense to be a bit better in 2020 too. His glovework has never been great, so I don't expect his upside to be more than an average OF. (Note: baseball savant OAA doesn't include "arm". He has saved between 5-7 runs per year with his arm, according to DRS).

 

Even with improvement, I don't think the Twins will want his salary on the books in 2021. And with a better 2020, he'll become a viable trade chip for a SP in the offseason.

Sausage pizza? That's about enough of the Eddie bashing thank you!

[Mr. Brooks]

Sausage pizza? That's about enough of the Eddie bashing thank you!

Where in that post did you read any bashing?

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

Be careful. You are not allowed to be an Eddie fan on this site. Are never allowed to say anything good about him!! Such a joke

The reality is that Rosario wasn't very good last year. He was quite good the year before that.

 

Don't promote lazy takes, no one wears them well.

 

No one here wants Rosario to fail, as we are all Twins fans... but the reality of the situation is that he stumbled a bit last season, particularly on defense, and he's facing a big pay raise in the coming offseason. Cody is making a valid point: what will it take for the Rosario to earn that last year of arbitration when he's due something around $10m or more?

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

The Plouffe comp is so insulting. 

No, it's not.

 

Trevor Plouffe, like Eddie Rosario in 2019, was a completely competent MLB starter.

 

But the way the arbitration system works squeezes "competent starters" out of the mix in year 2/3 because it makes little sense to keep a 29 year old starter at $11m when you can go get a 31 year old starter for $6m.

 

Trevor Plouffe has a career 8.2 fWAR. That's fine, that's what you would expect out of a decent MLB starter for several years but when arb clocks them in for 1.2 WAR at $11m, you cut bait. It's not an insult, it's just the financials of baseball because you can hit free agency and get a similar player for half the price.

[wabene]

Where in that post did you read any bashing?

The part where he said they should trade him for some chips and a sausage pizza?

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

The part where he said they should trade him for some chips and a sausage pizza?

wut

[Major League Ready]

 

The reality is that Rosario wasn't very good last year. He was quite good the year before that.

 

Don't promote lazy takes, no one wears them well.

 

No one here wants Rosario to fail, as we are all Twins fans... but the reality of the situation is that he stumbled a bit last season, particularly on defense, and he's facing a big pay raise in the coming offseason. Cody is making a valid point: what will it take for the Rosario to earn that last year of arbitration when he's due something around $10m or more?

 

He was sensational the 1st half of 2018 and horrible the 2nd half. 1st half vs 2nd half stats are as follows.

OPS 930 / 642
wRC+ 149 / 70
Ave 315 / 254
Swinging outside the zone 39/47.5
War 3.3 / .1

 

I would guess that he will be here in 2021 if he performs similarly to 2019 in 2020. I would think one of the prospects will push him to a bench role during 2021 or to be traded if he does not improve upon 2019 in 2020. Obviously, if he makes it on to the 2021 team there is always the possibility the super Eddie we saw in the first half of 2018 could reappear. I don't see them getting rid of him until one of the prospects forces the issue.

[RaoulDuke]

I doubt Eddy will be a Twin at the start of the next off season.  There is too much traffic jam in the outfield with Kirillof/ Larnach/ Raley/ Cave/ Wade to pay him. 

 

 

The semi worrisome part of it is Cruz is most likely gone as well, and that is 2 of the clubhouse leaders.