Lewis Optioned

[Squirrel]

28 minutes ago, Otto von Ballpark said:

On the need for pitchers: we have an off day tomorrow, Duran hasn't thrown the past 3 days, Pagan and Smith haven't thrown the past 2 days. So we don't have an urgent need for pitchers right now.

Looking ahead, with Bundy back, we have 6 starters including Winder. Winder just threw 78 pitches out of the pen last night, so he's going to be unavailable for a bit no matter what. If we don't want to option Winder right now, I think Smeltzer is on track to start Friday, and it could make sense to option him after that start.

And we still have Stashak in the pen with options -- a big part of his utility right now is that he can be swapped out anytime for a fresh arm if we really need it.

Okay ... which pitcher are you sending down then?

[Vanimal46]

43 minutes ago, Number3 said:

The whole thing is a result of the boneheaded budget busting, locker room destroying totally jackass signing of Carlos Correa for $105,000,000.00 to play the position of the number 1 overall pick in the entire draft. And now its even more asinine if neither Correa nor Lewis can play any other position besides shortstop. Like another poster said, its almost like intentional moves to run whats left of the fan base off. Don't tell me about master plans. So if they do bring Lewis back on May 30 is he then going to able to play multiple positions when he is evidently unable to on May 18? Also agree about the pitching last night. How do you remove a pitcher after giving up no runs and 2 hits in 3 innings and then watch a pitcher give up 5 runs and 9 hits in 3.2 innings? Was that the master plan for that game? Hey Rocco, you can't plan a baseball game. That is why you play the game.

Congratulations! This is the hottest take of all! 

[TheLeviathan]

Defensible, sure.  But it feels like we sent down one of our best regular 9 today and that doesn't feel great.  

It does make me want to resolve the future with Correa as soon as possible so we can decide where Lewis should be getting comfortable.

[TwinsDr2021]

Totally make sense to send one of your top hitters (Currently) down, because the rest of the team is hitting so well there just isn't any possible way to keep him in the lineup. I would understand the move if Miranda wasn't terrible (currently) or Jeffers was hitting so well that it makes sense to have two catchers in the lineup.

It shouldn't be that hard to get him playing time, sure it might affect Gordon's, Urshlea and maybe a couple of others, but should anybody really care that these guys gets less starts?

 

[Otto von Ballpark]

52 minutes ago, Squirrel said:

Okay ... which pitcher are you sending down then?

I mean, I'd send down Miranda right now for Correa.

If they want to activate Larnach before Friday's game, probably send down Stashak then. Not that Stashak is bad, but he's 8th in the bullpen depth chart now, or 9th if you count Winder as a reliever rather than a 6th starter. Update: Larnach will be on a rehab assignment this weekend, so you don't have to decide the pitcher to send down until Monday.

If they plan to start Smeltzer on Friday, he'd be an obvious candidate to option when activating Ober for Saturday or Sunday. Winder should be available again by Sunday if necessary.

[Otto von Ballpark]

FYI, Larnach still hasn't started a rehab assignment, so we're unlikely to need a spot for him until Monday, at least.

 

[Squirrel]

10 minutes ago, Otto von Ballpark said:

I mean, I'd send down Miranda right now for Correa.

If they want to activate Larnach before Friday's game, probably send down Stashak then. Not that Stashak is bad, but he's 8th in the bullpen depth chart now, or 9th if you count Winder as a reliever rather than a 6th starter. Update: Larnach will be on a rehab assignment this week, so you don't have to decide the pitcher to send down until Monday.

If they plan to start Smeltzer on Friday, he'd be an obvious candidate to option when activating Ober for Saturday or Sunday. Winder should be available again by Sunday if necessary.

Well, okay ... now that changes everything. We didn't have that piece of information prior to all of this. Now I change my stance. But I guess they felt sending Miranda down then they have no back up at first base. So  ... who knows. But ... I still think Royce will be back up in a couple weeks when the Twins have to trim their pitchers down 13. Whenever Larnach is ready, Miranda will go down. And Lewis will be up on the 30th/31st when they send down their 14th pitcher.

[Squirrel]

1 hour ago, Number3 said:

The whole thing is a result of the boneheaded budget busting, locker room destroying totally jackass signing of Carlos Correa for $105,000,000.00 to play the position of the number 1 overall pick in the entire draft. And now its even more asinine if neither Correa nor Lewis can play any other position besides shortstop. Like another poster said, its almost like intentional moves to run whats left of the fan base off. Don't tell me about master plans. So if they do bring Lewis back on May 30 is he then going to able to play multiple positions when he is evidently unable to on May 18? Also agree about the pitching last night. How do you remove a pitcher after giving up no runs and 2 hits in 3 innings and then watch a pitcher give up 5 runs and 9 hits in 3.2 innings? Was that the master plan for that game? Hey Rocco, you can't plan a baseball game. That is why you play the game.

This is over the top. I understand the upset and frustration with this decision, but tone down the rhetoric, please

[Puckett34]

1 hour ago, Vanimal46 said:

Congratulations! This is the hottest take of all! 

[Rosterman]

We want Lewis to play shortstop, period. If you want to have a guy learn a position, send Miranda to St. Paul to play first base and bring up Curtis Terry (in place of Garlick) on the roster.

Kirilloff is also the first baseman of the future and should be getting as much reps as possible.

Gio is only here for another season, so Miranda, if he can get his bat going, WILL be the third baseman.

Yes, Correa needs to play everday at shortstop. So we better see him at that position everyday for the nhext couple of weeks, otherwise there were better choices to send to the minors in the shortterm.

[shortround81]

For anybody who has online access to the PP (link per Betsy Helfand):

Lewis AAA Decision

[nicksaviking]

1 hour ago, Rosterman said:

We want Lewis to play shortstop, period. If you want to have a guy learn a position, send Miranda to St. Paul to play first base and bring up Curtis Terry (in place of Garlick) on the roster.

Kirilloff is also the first baseman of the future and should be getting as much reps as possible.

Gio is only here for another season, so Miranda, if he can get his bat going, WILL be the third baseman.

Yes, Correa needs to play everday at shortstop. So we better see him at that position everyday for the nhext couple of weeks, otherwise there were better choices to send to the minors in the shortterm.

Why can't Lewis move back to shortstop once (if) Correa is gone?

He literally played zero shortstop last year and still looked the part this year.

[MABB1959]

Kepler should take a seat and let Lewis play RF.  

[Mike Sixel]

5 minutes ago, MABB1959 said:

Kepler should take a seat and let Lewis play RF.  

Kepler is 8th in fWAR among right fielders right now. This can't be a real take. He's hitting 35% above league average right now. He's an above average fielder. Wow.

[Bigfork Twins Guy]

I think this is the appropriate move.  I hate to see his bat out of the lineup but he needs to play SS every day and get the most reps possible there so that he is ready to take over that position next year when Correa opts out.

[shortround81]

Correa gave Lewis a pep talk before he was sent down last night

[nicksaviking]

51 minutes ago, Bigfork Twins Guy said:

I think this is the appropriate move.  I hate to see his bat out of the lineup but he needs to play SS every day and get the most reps possible there so that he is ready to take over that position next year when Correa opts out.

Again, what if Correa doesn't? What if Correa manages a usable but not worthy .750 OPS and doesn't opt out? What if he does that for the next three years? Lewis is just sitting in AAA until 2025 because shortstop is the ONLY position anyone can play him? Even though that shortstops tend to be the most capable defensive players and can typically play just about any other position? And even though Lewis already proved he can play SS even after a year NOT playing SS?

[Mike Sixel]

1 hour ago, nicksaviking said:

Again, what if Correa doesn't? What if Correa manages a usable but not worthy .750 OPS and doesn't opt out? What if he does that for the next three years? Lewis is just sitting in AAA until 2025 because shortstop is the ONLY position anyone can play him? Even though that shortstops tend to be the most capable defensive players and can typically play just about any other position? And even though Lewis already proved he can play SS even after a year NOT playing SS?

Come one. They aren't keeping Lewis down until 2025. Sigh.

[jorgenswest]

I just can’t get worked up over roster moves. The roster is so fluid with injuries. I would expect he goes down and mixes in SS with time at a few other positions and then be back up. Wasn’t it about a week ago every batter on the 40 man roster was on the team? He will be back.

[nicksaviking]

35 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

Come one. They aren't keeping Lewis down until 2025. Sigh.

Obviously.

I'm much less bothered by the 'It was OK to send Lewis down' takes than the 'Lewis has to be sent down so he can immediately and constantly play SS or he'll completely lose that skill' takes.

[Otto von Ballpark]

Manny Machado played 2 games at 3B in the minors before he was called up to play the position every day in MLB. (And that was before widespread shifting, when 3B and SS had less overlap.)

Yes, Manny Machado is/was a special talent -- but so is Lewis!

[KirbyDome89]

I don't see any way to spin the demotion where it's the right move to make at this moment. Even if it's "just 10 days," that's 7-8 games an inconsistent offense is without one of its better hitters. It was repeated ad nauseam around this time last season; these games matter just as much as the ones in August/September. 

[Drunk_Goose]

31 minutes ago, KirbyDome89 said:

I don't see any way to spin the demotion where it's the right move to make at this moment. Even if it's "just 10 days," that's 7-8 games an inconsistent offense is without one of its better hitters. It was repeated ad nauseam around this time last season; these games matter just as much as the ones in August/September. 

I think you are reading too much into this friend. I really don't think with Lewis being gone for a week or two that all of a sudden we will go into a downward spiral. I know you are not neccessarily saying that, but just in general I think our bats will be ok until he gets back.

He will come back, at least that is the hope, as a better more all around player and can contribute on other areas on the diamond. I see no big negatives with this move unless his self-esteem is really harmed because of this, but I have faith he will not let this adversely affect him and keep on keeping on.

[KirbyDome89]

8 minutes ago, Drunk_Goose said:

I think you are reading too much into this friend. I really don't think with Lewis being gone for a week or two that all of a sudden we will go into a downward spiral. I know you are not neccessarily saying that, but just in general I think our bats will be ok until he gets back.

He will come back, at least that is the hope, as a better more all around player and can contribute on other areas on the diamond. I see no big negatives with this move unless his self-esteem is really harmed because of this, but I have faith he will not let this adversely affect him and keep on keeping on.

No, I'm not saying the club is heading for a tailspin. I am saying that removing one of your best bats isn't a great strategy when the offense has been a roller coaster with more downs than ups to this point. I'd much rather the Twins roll into the next couple series with all of their best available players. 

I really doubt he comes back is and is hotter than when he was sent down, but here's to hoping on that one. The big negative is what I already listed; you're handicapping yourself.

[ashbury]

5 hours ago, Otto von Ballpark said:

Manny Machado played 2 games at 3B in the minors before he was called up to play the position every day in MLB. (And that was before widespread shifting, when 3B and SS had less overlap.)

Yes, Manny Machado is/was a special talent -- but so is Lewis!

Chipper Jones played nothing but SS in the minors, then was called up and stepped right into the Braves' starting 3B role.  Worked out OK.

[KirbyDome89]

1 hour ago, ashbury said:

Chipper Jones played nothing but SS in the minors, then was called up and stepped right into the Braves' starting 3B role.  Worked out OK.

He was a switch hitter though, apples to oranges.

[Otto von Ballpark]

12 hours ago, ashbury said:

Chipper Jones played nothing but SS in the minors, then was called up and stepped right into the Braves' starting 3B role.  Worked out OK.

Thanks! Some of the Chipper Jones parallels are great:

- first overall pick, just like Lewis
- per B-Ref, Jones exclusively played shortstop in the minors, as you note (even moreso than Lewis, apparently)
- missed his entire expected rookie MLB season to a torn ACL (very similar to Lewis in 2021)
- next year, had his rookie MLB season spring training shortened by a labor dispute (like Lewis 2022)
- made the team as a rookie playing 3B and occasionally LF (Lewis 2022, now that Correa is back?)

A difference was that Jones was a poor defensive shortstop, it appears -- 56 errors in his first full minor league season, followed by 32 and 43 the next two years. I don't know that he was ever expected to play shortstop in MLB, but the record suggests they were in no rush to convert him.

And of course, the Braves won the World Series in Jones' rookie season. Hopefully that becomes another parallel with Lewis!

[Riverbrian]

15 hours ago, jorgenswest said:

I just can’t get worked up over roster moves. The roster is so fluid with injuries. I would expect he goes down and mixes in SS with time at a few other positions and then be back up. Wasn’t it about a week ago every batter on the 40 man roster was on the team? He will be back.

You are right... He is just a phone call away. 

With me... It's whatever led to this decision. 

Any decision that leads to Lewis going down and Miranda staying up... scares me. shakes my faith. 

The move itself... is survivable.

Whatever processes led to this decision... if they remain... may not be survivable. 

Any way you slice it. They sent down one of our best players. 

[GeorgiaBaller]

Finally a problem I like to hear---too many talented players to get on the field right now!!!

 

[Squirrel]

1 hour ago, GeorgiaBaller said:

Finally a problem I like to hear---too many talented players to get on the field right now!!!

 

Yep, a good problem to have, but there will never be a moment where everyone will agree with the decisions … most likely most will disagree ? That’s what discussion forums are for