Don't Sleep On Brent Rooker

[Tom Froemming]

Brent Rooker looked good in his (brief) time with the Twins last season. It doesn't seem there's much hype around him heading into this season, but he's one of the guys I'm most excited to watch this spring. Here's a discussion around how I think he's well-positioned to find regular playing time, at least to start the season.

 

[ashbury]

If you hit, Rocco will find a spot for you in the lineup. Our manager has his subtleties, but I don't think he plays it cute on the fundamental stuff.

[DocBauer]

Going to bullet point here:

 

1] Get over Rooker not being 22/23. He was a college player, maybe a bit of a late bloomer. He's made steady and productive advances through the system. MANY very good players didn't hit their stride until mid 20's. Nobody said he was a drafted future HOF'er.

 

2] I was a bit surprised how comfortable he looked and how well he hit in his SSS because despite his milb numbers, he always seemed to need a few weeks to get his legs under him and make adjustments before raking. And then I remembered what he did at AAA in 2019 and his time in St Paul in 2020 and I am no longer surprised at his SSS performance.

 

3] In regard to Kiriloff, forget all the service time B.S. for a moment, other than the one playoff game and his time in St Paul, he's had ONE GAME above AA. Not only could he benefit from a "ramp up" to begin 2021, but how about time for Rooker to show what he could do as a LF/1B option the first month? Eventually, there will be room for Kirilloff, Larnach AND Rooker post Cruz. (Potentially trades out of the equation for this discussion).

 

There is nothing wrong Rooker on the initial roster and Kirilloff at St Paul initially unless ST blows everything up somehow.

[BeatTheRich]

 

There is nothing wrong Rooker on the initial roster and Kirilloff at St Paul initially unless ST blows everything up somehow.

 

Make service time a non-issue. Extend Kirilloff now. Problem solved!

[BeatTheRich]

And I see that you've covered this service time extension idea in the video, Tom. Great work. Love the enthusiasm for Rooker. Great to hear that he's heading into the season healthy. That break last year was so untimely. I'd love to see the Twins find a way to keep both guys up out of the gate.

[Rosterman]

Rooker gives us a great alternative if Sano continues to...lumber along. With Kirilloff and Larnach in the mix, not to mention the possibilities of Celestino. outfield is not really an issue. The Twins have some fine prospects.

 

You look at the production of Kepler, Buxton and Sano. They all have some pluses, but also aren't tearing things up. Stat wise, Rosario looked better on paper overall.

 

The Twins have some players to make long-term decisions about, use as tradebait for room for the youngsters, and a possible dynasty in the making from the Falvey/Levine administration.

[DocBauer]

Make service time a non-issue. Extend Kirilloff now. Problem solved!

I love the idea and the enthusiasm. And I think this kid is going to be a STUD and a centerpiece moving forward. But if I'm not mistaken, isn't AK repped by Boras? The Twins may not be a "favorite" of Borasm but we've always had a good relationship with him, past and present. In fact if you believe in "scuttlebutt" most agents reaĺy like and appreciate our FO. But if I'm correct on the Boras notion, there won't be an extension anytime soon unless it's BIG.

 

Forgive my memory if incorrect.

[BeatTheRich]

In one scenario last month, A. Gleeman used Luis Robert and Eloy Jimenez as comps to arrive at a six-year deal worth 46 million or so, with reasonable team options for years seven and eight. This is his high estimate, given the higher prospect status of the two Sox.

 

So, not cheap, but not breaking the bank for eight years of control. It depends on whether you're willing to bet on Kirilloff's upside. If you hold off, and he takes off, all bets are off on much it will cost to retain him. I like our chances that Twins management will make the right call.

[Shaitan]

I have Vargas or Brett Walker III-level expectations for Rooker, but he looked great in the SSS last year. The fun of this game is that I hope he proves me wrong.

 

He definitely deserves a hard look and I think he's pushing to get it.

 

And who cares about his age. What matters is if he can play now. In a perverse way, it's ideal to have a player his age just hitting MLB as they're controllable through their prime. It's not fair to the player, of course, but advantageous to the FO and subsequently to the overall budget.

[yeahyabetcha]

Rooker does seem to appear to be the most major league ready of the prospects. The problem is with the signing of Cruz, he would have to make the roster as the everyday left fielder or as one of the 4 bench players. Given his lack of defensive abilities, I don’t see him making the opening day 25.

[Dave The Dastardly]

Twins fans in the past have complained about the club dumpster-diving, signing players on the downside of their careers hoping they might squeeze another semi-productive year out of them. And Twins fans have also bemoaned the club leaving prospects in the minors until they're almost old enough to qualify for social security before they get a major league tryout. And now we have Rooker, who is in his prime baseball age, has proven he can whack the ball at the major league level, and some are now suggesting he's "too old" for the major league club and is therefore only trade bait?

 

I must contemplate this. Perhaps with a hot toddy or two.

[nicksaviking]

If the pre-draft reports of his obsessiveness with film study and swing mechanics was accurate and not just lip service, he’ll probably easily endear himself to the coaching staff.

[Major League Ready]

 

Rooker does seem to appear to be the most major league ready of the prospects. The problem is with the signing of Cruz, he would have to make the roster as the everyday left fielder or as one of the 4 bench players. Given his lack of defensive abilities, I don’t see him making the opening day 25.

 

Who would be a better option in LF? I think the fact that his Milb assignment has been almost exclusively OF of late is telling in terms of the team's plan for him. Rooker makes the opening day roster.

[Dman]

I've been a little to slow to come around on Rooker mainly because he has only played one complete season since he has been in the org.  HIs K rate is tad over 30% combined but in the dreaded 40% range at AAA.  You start getting into that 40 percent range and you are approaching 50% of your at bats are automatic outs with no contact so that is concerning to me.  Granted in a very short stint in MLB ball he only K'd at a 25% rate but that was only 19 at bats I believe and once pitchers load up on the breaking balls which seem to be his kryptonite I am still concerned.

 

I will say he has been good for about 900 OPS at every level except AA where he still had a solid 800 OPS and I think he played through injuries that year and it was the only year he came close to playing the whole season.  So those 900 OPS's all come with a small sample size warning even his stint in MLB.

 

I am not particularly down on the bat as he has light tower power and a pretty solid approach from what I have read but he will always be a liability in the field as well so his playability seems limited to me.  He is a good DH candidate and I don't know if he is horrible at 1st base but it seems like he would give up less defensively there.  I know Sano is there already and his bat is bigger and athleticism better as well but keeping Rooker in the outfield will eventually bite the team IMO.

 

Tom has always been Rookers biggest cheerleader and I want to see Rooker succeed as badly as everyone else does I just see some things that make me less certain than others.

[yeahyabetcha]

Spring training and injuries might decide things, but the Twins may consider Arraez, Cave, Garlick, Broxton and maybe even Kirilloff as better left field options.

[Doctor Gast]

I like Rooker, the problem is we have a lot of strong bat/weak glove types that favor 1B/DH along with aging vets and other bats we want in the line up. We have an abundance at this noncrucial position. I can see him platooning with Cave to begin the season if Broxton has difficulty hitting for average (IMO if Broxton can hit he should have priority). In that case the Twins would need a true super utility player (someone who plays SS and CF well).

Rooker is a strong bat and is MLB ready,I wish him well

[old nurse]

 

I've been a little to slow to come around on Rooker mainly because he has only played one complete season since he has been in the org.  HIs K rate is tad over 30% combined but in the dreaded 40% range at AAA.  You start getting into that 40 percent range and you are approaching 50% of your at bats are automatic outs with no contact so that is concerning to me.  Granted in a very short stint in MLB ball he only K'd at a 25% rate but that was only 19 at bats I believe and once pitchers load up on the breaking balls which seem to be his kryptonite I am still concerned.

 

I will say he has been good for about 900 OPS at every level except AA where he still had a solid 800 OPS and I think he played through injuries that year and it was the only year he came close to playing the whole season.  So those 900 OPS's all come with a small sample size warning even his stint in MLB.

 

I am not particularly down on the bat as he has light tower power and a pretty solid approach from what I have read but he will always be a liability in the field as well so his playability seems limited to me.  He is a good DH candidate and I don't know if he is horrible at 1st base but it seems like he would give up less defensively there.  I know Sano is there already and his bat is bigger and athleticism better as well but keeping Rooker in the outfield will eventually bite the team IMO.

 

Tom has always been Rookers biggest cheerleader and I want to see Rooker succeed as badly as everyone else does I just see some things that make me less certain than others.

34% is in the 40% and now that approaches 50%?  Wow

[Dman]

 

34% is in the 40% and now that approaches 50%?  Wow

 

 

Good point bad math on my part I divided by AB instead of PA.  Should have just went to Fangraphs I guess.  34% is in range you are correct.  30% is generally the goal to stay behind and he is not far from that at 34% and hopefully can improve it as well.  So ignore that in my initial analysis.

[Major League Ready]

 

34% is in the 40% and now that approaches 50%?  Wow

 

Some context is also helpful. The 34% is his worst year in the minors and his K rate was reasonable in college. It is concerning that his K rate went up to 34% in AAA but he did manage to produce a very good OPS even with that K rate. Hopefully, it was a spike that he will get past.

[nicksaviking]

Some context is also helpful. The 34% is his worst year in the minors and his K rate was reasonable in college. It is concerning that his K rate went up to 34% in AAA but he did manage to produce a very good OPS even with that K rate. Hopefully, it was a spike that he will get past.

The high K rates are also heavily skewed toward the early months each year. It has taken him about two months at every level before his strikeouts started dropping into a reasonable range.

[Major League Ready]

 

The high K rates are also heavily skewed toward the early months each year. It has taken him about two months at every level before his strikeouts started dropping into a reasonable range.

 

Thanks! That's good information. His college numbers sure improved every year. It sure would be nice to have a couple prospects exceed expectations. I will be pulling for Rooker to rock! 

[old nurse]

 

Some context is also helpful. The 34% is his worst year in the minors and his K rate was reasonable in college. It is concerning that his K rate went up to 34% in AAA but he did manage to produce a very good OPS even with that K rate. Hopefully, it was a spike that he will get past.

He had a groin injury that year.I don’t know if he was trying to play through it or not. Brandon Warne might know, he usually follows these things.  College numbers were under 20%. Rooker seems like a prospect people want to dog rather than wait a couple years in the majors 

[Cornholio]

He reminds me of Bob Allison. Even looks like him, both in and out of the batters box. Their swings are a couple of generations apart, though. Hopefully Rooker can achieve similar results.

[big dog]

I really enjoyed watching him hit for that too-brief period last fall. It would have really been nice to have him on the bench to PH against the Astros. Good luck to him this year.

[Dman]

 

Rooker does seem to appear to be the most major league ready of the prospects. The problem is with the signing of Cruz, he would have to make the roster as the everyday left fielder or as one of the 4 bench players. Given his lack of defensive abilities, I don’t see him making the opening day 25.

 

I was thinking the same thing especially when they still had Wade on the roster but am starting to change my mind.  The Twins used him primarily in right field when he came up and it makes me wonder if they see advantageous platoon splits there with Kepler? or maybe Kepler needed some days off or they liked Rosario's bat better and his fielding in left?  I don't know but they used him there despite his below average defense there.  He was a better defender in left in a very small sample size but still below average, but if he stays in the outfield he can flip a lefty bat to a righty.

 

I like Tom's idea of using Rooker at 1st to spell Sano the best or if Sano is injured to step in and take over for a bit so he is versatile enough in the field to make him valuable as a limited utility player.  If he makes the roster they could also platoon split left field with Rooker and Cave.  I haven't looked at Cave's splits and maybe that isn't a problem but should help them load up on righties when going against lefties so he works out well for the team there as well. Twins are huge believers in Hard hit rate and he has it in spades his OPS has been pretty rock solid throughout the minors so the bat looks pretty good he just needs a spot in the field. The more I look into it the more I am beginning to think Tom is right.  Unless Rooker regresses or isn't healed from the injury he has a solid chance to make the roster.  

 

I am not sure what the Twins plans are for Garlic who is an older version of Rooker with slightly diminished results.  Rooker also was much better in MLB last year than Garlic.  The Twins also have Kirilloff and Larnach in the wings so personally I don't really see the need unless they think they can pass him through waivers and have greater depth at AAA, but it seems like it would take an absolute disaster for them to need him or have room for him in the outfield.  His numbers make him look like he could be a breakout candidate so maybe they think he can help or maybe they think they can flip him later in the year?  Don't know but to me he doesn't look like a great fit right now.  If I had to guess I would say he has a great Hard hit rate and they just couldn't resist adding another power bat for free,

[Taildragger8791]

I've been a believer in Rooker succeeding due to how hard he works at studying hitting, swing mechanics, pitches, and then using that to evolve to get better. He's cerebral and self-aware enough to figure out what's going on and try to make adjustments. It speaks to the apparent progression when he moves up a level, struggles, and then comes around. He might not have a naturally elite 'hit' tool but he'll eke out every ounce of ability. 

[Dodecahedron]

Rooker was MVP caliber when he had his cup of coffee. It's impossible to read into that one way or the other. He has great numbers in the minors too, so there is no reason to believe he will turn into a pumpkin.

 

Most players stumble a bit as they acclimate to the majors, even if they don't stumble right away. We all need to remember to be patient when Rooker has a 20-game slump or finishes a year with a sub-.800 OPS.

 

Also, yes, don't sleep on Brent Rooker. His elbows are very pointy. Sleep on La Tortuga.

[MMMordabito]

Not trying to belittle defense, but if you are surrounded by Buck, Donaldson and Simba, you can probably have confidence that you will always have help in the range area.

 

Yes, he'll be a DRS negative, but if the bat is playing, you may need to give and help to get.

 

Dark-horse shot at AL Rooker of the Year this season.