Can the Twins Win With Jose Iglesias?

[RpR]

37 minutes ago, ashbury said:

I missed this tidbit, and can't find a confirmation online.  Where did you run across it?

I checked Google and MSN no such news but I did find this:

With the game already out of hand in the eighth inning, the Cubs put in shortstop Andrelton Simmons to pitch that final half inning. Now, Simmons is one of the best defensive shortstops in baseball history with a cannon for an arm. He’s been clocked throwing 94 mph from shortstop, which could have translated to some serious heat on the mound.

Simmons, though, went with a different approach.

Instead of showing off the arm, Simmons decided to throw exclusively looping breaking balls to the Reds hitters. He threw as slowly as 39 mph and topped out at 79 mph (once). He made history with this pitch to Kyle Farmer.

According to Codify Baseball, the 44.9 mph “slider” was the slowest pitch to draw a swinging strike in baseball history (or at least since these types of things were tracked). Farmer could only smile about missing that meatball of a pitch. He did eventually single on the at-bat, and the Reds went on to score five runs off Simmons who really should have showed off this arm

https://ftw.usatoday.com/lists/cubs-andrelton-simmons-pitch-45-mph-reds-swinging-strike-video-reaction-mlb

They could get him for his defense, and pitching ability, much better than Gordon.?

[DJL44]

Quote

 Can the Twins Win With Jose Iglesias?

Yes, but not as often as they would with someone else.

[Craig Arko]

7 minutes ago, DJL44 said:

Yes, but not as often as they would with someone else.

Enrique Iglesias?

[stringer bell]

Referring to the OP, yes the Twins could win with Iglesias, if he’s the eighth or ninth best regular, hitting somewhere between seventh and ninth in the order. 
 

The Twins need to improve offensively and in the pitching department. If they do and have average health, they will be pretty good. 

On 10/22/2022 at 3:14 PM, Richie the Rally Goat said:

 

They aren’t going to get more healthy in 2023. Need a better hitting RF than Kepler and a decent, CF capable league average or better hitting, 4th outfielder.

I agree that the team needs better production from the outfield, but a return to health isn’t out of the question. 

[Richie the Rally Goat]

50 minutes ago, stringer bell said:

Referring to the OP, yes the Twins could win with Iglesias, if he’s the eighth or ninth best regular, hitting somewhere between seventh and ninth in the order. 
 

The Twins need to improve offensively and in the pitching department. If they do and have average health, they will be pretty good. 

I agree that the team needs better production from the outfield, but a return to health isn’t out of the question. 

Sure, players are durable until they’re not. Players are injury-prone until they’re not. I get that and agree to an extent, and Nick Gordon is the prime example of the latter.

are you planning on AK, Larnach, and Buxton all suddenly becoming 130 game players?  3 of the 5 primary outfield rotation players haven’t played more than 100 games since 2018 and each of them have only done so once in their careers. Kepler, is a poor hitting RF who plays strong D, I don’t even want him on the team except that he has been a relative iron man compared  to the other 4, and Gordon shouldn’t be an every day player.

something has to change, and Wallner needs to be an every day player too.

How can a lineup with 5 players all needing high quality backups overcome a black hole at SS?

[Fighting4par]

Yes, yes they can.

[dxpavelka]

15 hours ago, Major League Ready said:

The answer is not a SS that is so horrible at the plate that he is below replacement value when both offense and defense are combined.  The answer is the best player in aggregate. 

Didn't you complain Larnach was going to be horrible too?  He was just fine.  Miranda had a small sample size at 3rd but I honestly don't recall him costing any runs at all in the time he played 3B.  I do recall him driving in the most runs on the team. 

Iglesias would be a decent move to bridge the gap to Lewis.  His net production would be better than Simmons and he could fill a utility role thereafter.

How would we know what Larnach is?  He can't stay on the field.

[stringer bell]

10 hours ago, Richie the Rally Goat said:

 

Are you planning on AK, Larnach, and Buxton all suddenly becoming 130 game players?  3 of the 5 primary outfield rotation players haven’t played more than 100 games since 2018 and each of them have only done so once in their careers. Kepler, is a poor hitting RF who plays strong D, I don’t even want him on the team except that he has been a relative iron man compared  to the other 4, and Gordon shouldn’t be an every day player.

something has to change, and Wallner needs to be an every day player too.

How can a lineup with 5 players all needing high quality backups overcome a black hole at SS?

I agree with much of what you are saying. Further, it was an embarrassment to be in contention and have an outfield consisting of three of (green rookie) Wallner, Gordon, Celestino and Jake Cave. What I don't agree with is that the Twins will be without their top five outfielders as much as they were this year. 

I don't expect all five that were out for the stretch run in 2022 (Buxton, Kepler, Garlick, Larnach and Kirilloff) to stay healthy all year or be ready for a stretch run, but I would expect more than zero to be basically healthy for that duration. Saying that, I do expect better health for the outfield than 2022. Having an upgraded replacement for Garlick and having two or three capable outfielders in reserve (Gordon, Celestino, Wallner) should be enough depth to have something left at the end of the season. It just hasn't happened the last two or three years. 

[Karbo]

20 hours ago, Major League Ready said:

Wouldn't that basically be the same team we have this year plus a RH outfielder?  Would Mitch Hannigar makes this team anything close to a contender?  I am hoping for a more significant change.

Better catcher but main thing IMO they shouldn't be as decimated by injuries. You know lightning strikes twice etc. This year probably would have been a lot better by improving pen, and even half the injuries. I think the pieces are there minus ss and catcher already.

[GeorgiaBaller]

One of the biggest factors you are losing at SS with Correa is his leadership.  Someone to be out front, encouraging and working with the other guys, and being a field general.  Bringing some heart to the team.  The clubhouse has been rudderless since Torrii Hunter.  Maybe Royce Lewis can be that big personality when he finally gets back.  He is dynamic, but if he cannot stay on the field, nothing else matters.  He may be an injury prone player like Kirrilloff and Larnach---he is going to have to prove otherwise BEFORE you can plan to build around him.  

The Twins are fun because they are hometown, but they are a long way from the the caliber of teams you see in the playoffs right now.  It is hard to get excited about them for next year until they fill the gaps on the mound, behind the plate, at SS, and to commit to a regular LF'r.  too much to do to believe they are more than a 3rd place team next year.

[Sparky55]

If we don't resign Correa then we better spend that money on Rodon!

[Major League Ready]

1 hour ago, Karbo said:

Better catcher but main thing IMO they shouldn't be as decimated by injuries. You know lightning strikes twice etc. This year probably would have been a lot better by improving pen, and even half the injuries. I think the pieces are there minus ss and catcher already.

I am part way there with you.  They had something like the 2nd most time lost to injury in the league.   However, I still never believed this team was a serious contender.  More pieces have emerged but I still think they are a fringe contender with Correa.  So, It comes down to how the front office projects Lewis.  He is not as valuable at any other position.  

Houston is a very well run organization.  They were basically faced with the same scenario.  They chose to go with Pena and invest the $35M elsewhere.  Of course, Houston is a bigger market with more revenue.  Even the Yankees, passed on the big SS class last year.  I bet theyb do the same this year because they have a couple great SS prospects.  It's simply more productive to invest elsewhere when a team has a young player ready to take over a position.  I was so disappointed when he got hurt because we were perfectly set-up for him to transition this year knowing Correa would opt out.

I see a Lewis / Lee left side of the infield in a couple years.  

[Thebigalguy]

I prefer Correa. If not him, stay in house.