RH OF bat that crushed lefties..

[weitz41]

I really like Mitch Haniger but wanted to do a little searching for other options.

After trading Urshela and putting Miranda at 3rd you could say we have a RH bat opening at 1st. So now I'm looking for an outfielder/1B who hits lefties that I can platoon with Kep/Arreaz/Kirlloff/Larnach/Gordon, start in a OF corner or at 1st base.

Wil Myers: https://www.rotowire.com/baseball/player-splits.php?id=10972

Mitch Haniger: https://www.rotowire.com/baseball/player-splits.php?id=12491

I'm just looking at their offensive stats here from 2022. I don't believe either is a gold glover anywhere on the field and neither was fully healthy last season. Haniger is the better overall player but if I'm looking at just lefties and home/away splits. Myers makes a lot of sense, plays 1st base and likely could be signed on a one year deal. Just food for thought

[Blyleven2011]

Myers I think plays both positions  or did in the past ...

He has never really put together his career that he was projected to be ...

I wouldn't be interested  but he does make the most sense if he still plays both positions above average ...

[weitz41]

12 minutes ago, Blyleven2011 said:

Myers I think plays both positions  or did in the past ...

He has never really put together his career that he was projected to be ...

I wouldn't be interested  but he does make the most sense if he still plays both positions above average ...

Thanks for the response.

Baseball reference says he played a little less then 1/2 his games at 1st in 2022. It fits the FO's MO of can play multiple positions but not a star anywhere.

I want the FO to sign Correa, Rodon, Haniger and some decent BP arms. Will they...highly unlikely. I didn't dig into current Twins but Myers .800+ OPS against left-handed pitchers is valuable. On top of that he's way better away from Petco Park. Also 800+ with RISP and RISP/ with 2 out. All thing this team was not very good at last season.

[Riverbrian]

I wouldn't look so hard for that lefty masher. 

1. Lefties pitch approximately 28% of the innings thrown in major league baseball. If you are looking to sign players for duty with actual money. Find the guys who can hit Right Handers since they will throw the majority of the innings and spend actual money on them. More bang for your buck. 

2. Players who only hit lefties decently in those 28% of all MLB innings thrown should have much less value and shouldn't cost much to acquire if you want them. You can pick them up off the floor... Like Kyle Garlick for example. 

3. Haniger hits right handers as well as left handers. I'd lose my mind if he was platooned. ?

4. Myers looks more like left-handed pitcher specialist and platoon worthy but... but... you don't want to invest in that.  

5. If you are going to platoon someone on the short side. You have to have the left handed compliment that out performs the right handed dude platooning with him in order to justify it. 

5. Here are numbers from the Twins last year vs. RH hitting. Look at the lefties piled up at the bottom. 

https://www.espn.com/mlb/team/stats/_/name/min/split/32/table/batting/sort/OPS/dir/desc

 

When you see what the lefties were actually doing against right handed pitching... there were times we were forcing it. 

 

Bring me Haniger. 

 

 

[Vanimal46]

24 minutes ago, Riverbrian said:

I wouldn't look so hard for that lefty masher.

Totally agree with your post. I’m not sure where this fascination with finding LH pitching mashers came from. There is no dominant LH starting pitcher in the AL Central. 5 out of the 45 who made FanGraphs’ qualified innings criteria are LH pitchers in the AL. That could change depending on where Rodon and Quintana land. 

[talkintwins]

Mitch Haniger has only had one healthy season in the last 4 years. He missed all of 2020 with a back injury which has been an on-going problem ever since, in addition to knee, wrist, and ankle issues. A lot of missed time throughout his minor league career dating back to 2013. Only 3 healthy seasons over 10 years. He'll turn 32 before the next season begins. Love the profile, but if he couldn't stay on the field through his 20s, I'm not optimistic that his next few seasons will be much different. Haniger should be an automatic hard pass for this team.

[weitz41]

MLBTR's Anthony Franco chat last night said Myers should be around 1 year for $5 mil as a platoon player. I like the fit even if others don't

[talkintwins]

Oddly, Wil Myers often hits better when the shift is in play. His career contains so many "what if" scenarios considering how injuries derailed all of his momentum, Not sure there's much juice left to squeeze out of Myers. Might be more prudent for the Twins to find out what their MLB-ready prospects are capable of contributing in '23.

[LA VIkes Fan]

If the choice is between Wil Myers and Kyle Garlick getting 300-400 ABs, give me Wil Myers. But why is that the choice? We're looking at essentially a part time #4 or #5 OF.  Should get 150-200 ABs max.  The vast majority of the OF ABs outside of Buxton need to go to Gordon, Larnach, Wallner and Kirilloff unless we can sign or trade for a RH hitting every day OF. I don't Myers is that guy. Garlick playing twice a week isn't ideal, but I'd rather spend the money elsewhere than commit another #4-6m to Myers above what Garlick costs. Moreover, we need to give the 4 younger guys ABs against LH pitching or they will never improve.  Yes it will be painful but no pain, no gain.  

[mnfireman]

Guess who?? Right-handed OF vs LHP 2022;

Player A slash line:   82 PA  -  .243/.305/.500  .805 OPS  6 HR 12 RBI  - 31 yrs old on opening day.

Player B slash line:   71 PA   -   .246/.338/.426  .764 OPS   3 HR  7 RBI  - 32 yrs old on opening day.

Player C Slash line:  100 PA  -  .264/.320/.495  .815 OPS    6 HR 22 RBI  - 32 yrs old on opening day.

Pretty much the same player, but 1 of them will cost league minimum, 2 of them will cost Millions.

[weitz41]

1 hour ago, mnfireman said:

Guess who?? Right-handed OF vs LHP 2022;

Player A slash line:   82 PA  -  .243/.305/.500  .805 OPS  6 HR 12 RBI  - 31 yrs old on opening day.

Player B slash line:   71 PA   -   .246/.338/.426  .764 OPS   3 HR  7 RBI  - 32 yrs old on opening day.

Player C Slash line:  100 PA  -  .264/.320/.495  .815 OPS    6 HR 22 RBI  - 32 yrs old on opening day.

Pretty much the same player, but 1 of them will cost league minimum, 2 of them will cost Millions.

I get it. It's not a popular choice this time on the off season. C by the way is Myers numbers from rotowire.

Try and here me out. The Twins have and excessive number of left-handed players. They could really use a right-handed outfielder that hits left-handed pitchers well and has power. Due to the Urshela trade (not a fan of) we can plan on Miranda/Arraez manning 3rd. So, a platoon at 1st is possible. Let's say Skubal is pitching for Detroit. Do you want Myers in RF or Keplar? Luis Arraez or Myers at 1st and Miranda at 3rd?

Max Kepler MLB Split Stats (rotowire.com)

Luis Arraez MLB Split Stats (rotowire.com)

It's an improving on the fringe's addition not a Correa addition. You decide.

[talkintwins]

5 hours ago, mnfireman said:

Guess who?? Right-handed OF vs LHP 2022;

Player A slash line:   82 PA  -  .243/.305/.500  .805 OPS  6 HR 12 RBI  - 31 yrs old on opening day.

Player B slash line:   71 PA   -   .246/.338/.426  .764 OPS   3 HR  7 RBI  - 32 yrs old on opening day.

Player C Slash line:  100 PA  -  .264/.320/.495  .815 OPS    6 HR 22 RBI  - 32 yrs old on opening day.

Pretty much the same player, but 1 of them will cost league minimum, 2 of them will cost Millions.

Well-said. The Garlick deal was a no-brainer insurance policy. Let someone else pay millions for the risk Haniger & Myers bring. FWIW, Haniger is reportedly seeking an AAV close to what Buxton makes...

Meanwhile, Chad Pinder in 2022 vs. LHP:  158 PA - .260/.280/.447 7 HR 23 RBI - 31 yrs old in '23. Not an endorsement.

Let the kids play. We've waited this long for them for a reason. Twins can find RH hitters at other positions, if necessary.

[Richie the Rally Goat]

14 hours ago, talkintwins said:

Well-said. The Garlick deal was a no-brainer insurance policy. Let someone else pay millions for the risk Haniger & Myers bring. FWIW, Haniger is reportedly seeking an AAV close to what Buxton makes...

Meanwhile, Chad Pinder in 2022 vs. LHP:  158 PA - .260/.280/.447 7 HR 23 RBI - 31 yrs old in '23. Not an endorsement.

Let the kids play. We've waited this long for them for a reason. Twins can find RH hitters at other positions, if necessary.

I’d rather see Larnach, Gordon and Wallner man the Corner OF spots than Kepler, but I’m not exactly convinced Wallner is ready or Gordon has really turned a corner hitting (though health improvement seems legit) or that Larnach and Kirilloff can be healthy for a season.

im not asking for a platoon hitter in the OF, I want a better hitting RF (who hits righty if possible).

I think a good hitting every day RF would make a world of difference. Maybe Gordon or Wallner could be that guy, but lots of risk for 23. Haniger can hit and field well enough to be that guy, but you’ve changed my opinion on whether he “should be” that guy with the injury history.