Article: Oswaldo Arcia To Be Called Up On Monday

[Seth Stohs]

6-4-3 | StarTribune.com

 

The Star Tribune's Phil Miller writes that Oswaldo Arcia will join the Twins on Monday for a couple of days while Wilkin Ramirez is gone on paternity leave.

 

Hopefully the Twins play so we can watch Arcia rake!

[Twins Daily Admin]

You can view the page at http://www.twinsdaily.com/content.php?r=1564-Oswaldo-Arcia-to-be-Called-Up-on-Monday

[Brock Beauchamp]

I don't know how I feel about this move. At this point, my gut instinct might be to put Arcia in CF and send Hicks to Rochester. Oswaldo had quite a bit of time in CF and while he's not going to be good in the position, there's simply nowhere else to put him in the field and DH is crowded already.

[John Bonnes]

On the one hand, this feels a lot like rushing him through AAA, the same way the have Hicks and Hendricks and Dozier and Revere and ....

 

On the other, Arcia has never really stumbled. And I love the message it sends - those that are doing well will get their shot.

 

And, candidly, I'm just excited to see the kid live. I'd be especially excited if they gave him some time in CF.

[Seth Stohs]

It's 3 days... He should play RF twice and DH once and give days off to Parmelee, Doumit and Morneau (or Mauer).

[Brock Beauchamp]

On the other, Arcia has never really stumbled.

 

That's the key for me. I was wary of Hicks coming to Minnesota for a few reasons... First, he stumbled badly every time he was promoted... To ask him to skip a level was expecting quite a bit from the kid. Second, his numbers in AA were good but they weren't eye-popping, especially when compared to the younger Arcia.

 

Arcia hasn't struggled to hit anywhere in several years. I don't worry about his brief stint in AAA too much... The kid just rakes wherever they send him.

[Brock Beauchamp]

It's 3 days... He should play RF twice and DH once and give days off to Parmelee, Doumit and Morneau (or Mauer).

 

But given Hicks' below-.050 BA, are we really sure it's just three days?

 

I think there's a good chance we see Hicks go down and Arcia stay up.

[Badsmerf]

Very excited to see Arcia! Hopefully he can keep his composure and put some pressure on the Twins to keep him up. I've only seen clips of him hitting, and can't wait to actually see the whole package.

[IdahoPilgrim]

On the one hand, this feels a lot like rushing him through AAA, the same way the have Hicks and Hendricks and Dozier and Revere and ....

 

On the other, Arcia has never really stumbled. And I love the message it sends - those that are doing well will get their shot.

 

And, candidly, I'm just excited to see the kid live. I'd be especially excited if they gave him some time in CF.

 

I saw him in New Britain last year. Only two games, but man, it was exciting. I saw one of his long homers - the kind where the outfield doesn't even bother moving.

[John Bonnes]

It's 3 days... He should play RF twice and DH once and give days off to Parmelee, Doumit and Morneau (or Mauer).

 

I think that's the most probable scenario. Also, I wouldn't blame them for not wanting him to be learning a new position when he's trying to adjust to big league pitching.

 

But I still hope they think out of the box a little on this one. If he can play center field - and that's a fairly easy thing to find out - then I'd love to give him a trial there at this level. Otherwise, his path is blocked barring trade or injury.

[gunnarthor]

I think we're all getting ahead of ourselves here. He'll get a couple starts in RF and be sent back down. Glad to see him get the call up - sends a good message to him but also to Benson.

[Badsmerf]

I think that's the most probable scenario. Also, I wouldn't blame them for not wanting him to be learning a new position when he's trying to adjust to big league pitching.

 

But I still hope they think out of the box a little on this one. If he can play center field - and that's a fairly easy thing to find out - then I'd love to give him a trial there at this level. Otherwise, his path is blocked barring trade or injury.

Blocked? By a guy that has strike outs in 50% of his PA? If the Twins will try it, I'd be all for it. Shoot, with way Buxton is hitting he might be the opening day CF in 2014 lol.

[Mr. Brooks]

Blocked? By a guy that has strike outs in 50% of his PA? If the Twins will try it, I'd be all for it. Shoot, with way Buxton is hitting he might be the opening day CF in 2014 lol.

 

He said he's blocked if they are not willing to try him in CF.

[biscuit]

Hey. Doumit and Hicks combined are batting .218. How can it hurt to have Arcia fill in for either one of them?

[YourHouseIsMyHouse]

Yeah, my immediate reaction was that this doesn't sound good at all for Hicks. I think the Twins would play Arcia in RF and DH Parmelee. Doumit has been terrible too, so Parm should get plenty of ABs in that role. Mastroianni would become the starting CF. Maybe there isn't a big chance that's how they go forward, but I'd approve of it.

[JB_Iowa]

The only conclusion I can draw is that the Twins have decided that they aren't going to play the service clock game this year.

 

Excited to see Arcia.

[Mr. Brooks]

Yeah, my immediate reaction was that this doesn't sound good at all for Hicks. I think the Twins would play Arcia in RF and DH Parmelee. Doumit has been terrible too, so Parm should get plenty of ABs in that role. Mastroianni would become the starting CF. Maybe there isn't a big chance that's how they go forward, but I'd approve of it.

 

If Arcia can play CF at even a non embarrassing level, he should.

Doumit has a track record. If he's healthy, he's going to hit okay. His bat will come around.

[Mr. Brooks]

The only conclusion I can draw is that the Twins have decided that they aren't going to play the service clock game this year.

 

Excited to see Arcia.

 

If he's only staying up for 3 days (not that we know that for sure at this point), then his service time isnt going to be affected much by this.

[JB_Iowa]

If he's only staying up for 3 days (not that we know that for sure at this point), then his service time isnt going to be affected much by this.

 

Perhaps not but it just seems like in other years, there's no way we would see some of these youngsters (despite injuries, etc. on the major league club).

[Mr. Brooks]

Perhaps not but it just seems like in other years, there's no way we would see some of these youngsters (despite injuries, etc. on the major league club).

 

I'm not saying there isn't a change in philosophy though I think it's too early to say, but part of this is that we haven't typically had a roster with so many bad to mediocre players on it.

Its easier to call up youngsters with this roster then it was with some of our better rosters in the mid to late 2000's.

[Pitz]

Willingham in LF, Arcia in CF, and Parm in RF sounds like a really slow outfield. Given the Twins' low K pitching staff, I'm not sure I'd want to see that (but I guess I don't really get to watch many games anyway).

On the other hand, maybe it's in the better interest of the Twins to just say, 'The heck with pitching and defense, let's see if we can out-slug some teams 65 times this year.'

[TheLeviathan]

One would like to think the performance of Hicks so far would make the Twins cautious to give Arcia anything more than a taste. This is a bad baseball team again, at this point I don't see why we throw another piece of the future at this mess.

[Brock Beauchamp]

One would like to think the performance of Hicks so far would make the Twins cautious to give Arcia anything more than a taste. This is a bad baseball team again, at this point I don't see why we throw another piece of the future at this mess.

 

I've always been higher on Arcia than I have been Hicks so it may be clouding my judgment but I don't see Oswaldo coming up and striking out in 50% of his ABs. I don't worry nearly as much about Arcia figuring out MLB pitching as I do Hicks.

[TheLeviathan]

I've always been higher on Arcia than I have been Hicks so it may be clouding my judgment but I don't see Oswaldo coming up and striking out in 50% of his ABs. I don't worry nearly as much about Arcia figuring out MLB pitching as I do Hicks.

 

Even so, there may be other aspects of his game that some refining could help with. At this point, why have him up unless he is ready. I have a problem with bringing up an elite prospect this early to a bad team unless he's basically demanding to be called up. I don't think we're quite there with him yet personally. His time is coming and I'm excited, but I hope this is just a brief taste.

 

Let's go snag Bourjos for Slama (Duensing? Not to mock the rule) or something and reboot this thing in the outfield. Hicks and Arcia should get nice and comfy playing with each other in AAA and be ready for later in the season.

[mudcat14]

The only conclusion I can draw is that the Twins have decided that they aren't going to play the service clock game this year.

 

Excited to see Arcia.

This is what stands out for me too. Correct me if I'm wrong, but whether he's up for three days or 300, his service time clock keeps ticking regardless. I don't think they bring him up unless they're giving him a chance to stick. Ramirez can play CF as well. Doesn't look good for Aaron at mid-week, but it's probably best for him to work things out at Rochester. I do think if Oz can handle it the job, we'll definitely be a seller at the deadline (if not way before.)

[Riverbrian]

I really don't know if Arcia should be up for 3 days or not.

 

But... I'm really looking forward to watching him play. Hope it will be fun.

[Mr. Brooks]

This is what stands out for me too. Correct me if I'm wrong, but whether he's up for three days or 300, his service time clock keeps ticking regardless. I don't think they bring him up unless they're giving him a chance to stick. Ramirez can play CF as well. Doesn't look good for Aaron at mid-week, but it's probably best for him to work things out at Rochester. I do think if Oz can handle it the job, we'll definitely be a seller at the deadline (if not way before.)

 

You are wrong. MLB service time only keeps ticking if he happens to go on the DL before he is sent down.

[snepp]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but whether he's up for three days or 300, his service time clock keeps ticking regardless.

 

Service only accumulates if a player is on the active roster. If he comes up for 3 days, then goes back down, those are the only 3 days of service he'll get.

[Oxtung]

I think the Twins have to be hoping he'll play well enough to force Hicks down (not that it would take much offensively). Starting his service clock for what could be 3 days of sitting on the bench (not saying Arcia will sit on the bench but you could bring up Clete Thomas or Brandon Boggs or somebody to do that) is terribly stupid imo. I'm sure the Twins are thinking he'll be back up later in the year so what does it matter but what happens if he gets hurt and has to sit out the rest of the year. Now you've wasted a year of service time for 3 days of backup duty. So unless they're giving Arcia a legitimate shot in CF and sending Hicks down in a few days I think this is a terrible move.

[cmathewson]

My only worry is he goes 4-4 and 3-4 and they feel a need to keep him and send someone else out. Three days isn't going to do anything to his development. Getting a taste might even make him hungrier to file off all the rough edges and get up here for good.

 

But if he gets an extended look, I worry about his long-term development. I'm not all that worried, though, 'cause the scenario is an extreme long shot.