Florimon or Dozier?

[Kenneth Kitsom]

What about Levi Michael? How does he project?

[Kenneth Kitsom]

I woudn't be opposed to Dozier moving back to SS next season and keep it warm until one of the SS prospects is ready.

[Shane Wahl]

I woudn't be opposed to Dozier moving back to SS next season and keep it warm until one of the SS prospects is ready.

 

Dozier seems to only be able to play second base at a level that merits his being on the field at all. Excellent defense can make up for sub-.700 OPS. But he might only amount to an average defensive player at SS.

 

As far as Michael is concerned, he is unfortunately putting up very similar numbers at Fort Myers in 2013 as he did in 2012. Hopefully he plays well enough the rest of the season to earn a start at NB next year. Else . . . he is trouble.

[Boom Boom]

How come the Twins didn't draft any shortstops this year?

[diehardtwinsfan]

Both of these guys are likely placeholders. If one were to catch lightening in a bottle, I'd bet on Dozier, but I think that's looking more and more unlikely. Rosario will likely be transitioning into 2nd base at some point over the course of next year. That's when this decision will be forced. I personally would go with Dozier over Florimon if forced to choose. I could see moving Plouffe back to short as well (especially given the lack of high ceiling prospects there) if both Sano and Rosario get called up. That would leave Dozier as a utility guy.

 

The one problem I have with this discussion is that it really should be Florimon vs. Dozier vs. Escobar. Escobar should have a shot too.

[Joe A. Preusser]

I've said it before and I'll say it again. If we had to, we could play both of these defensively strong guys in a lineup that included Sano, Hicks, Buxton, Mauer, Arcia, et al to carry the offense. Being strong defensively up the middle is worth some hitting ability. Both Dozier and Floriman can hit ~.250 with low power. More than enough to be pieces on a championship team with others hitting a ton.

[johnnydakota]

its up to 2 HR, and the one I saw was a second deck, (what seemed like a) 500 footer. When the Twins traded Liriano to the White Sox, he pretty much looked the same when he was with the Twins: got some strikeouts, walked people, and looked lost on the mound at times. Something has clicked in Pittsburgh so far and thats good for him, but Im not faulting the Twins for trading him. I guess Im just happy they actually got something in return for him instead of letting him go as a free agent.

Um what did they get for him? yup thats what i thought ....

[Joe A. Preusser]

Um what did they get for him? yup thats what i thought ....

 

They got an AAAA defensive SS and an AAAA starting pitcher. For 2 rented months of 5+ ERA. Good trade for the Twins.

[Guest USAFChief]

 

Offensive production at SS starting mid-2014 and especially in 2015 and 2016 isn't going to matter much.

 

IMO, offensive production matters from every position. Outs made by a SS don't count less than outs made by a 3rd baseman. The 9th place hitter comes up once every time through the lineup, just like every other place in the lineup. Another problem with "player x doesn't have to hit" is that lineups rarely go through a season intact, so the 1-8 hitters you planned on having in spring training often aren't all there. Now you have a backup at another position or two, plus that guy in the 9th hole, and pretty soon your lineup is struggling to consistently put up the kind of runs you need to put up in the American League.

 

If you have to settle for a guy who can't hit, so be it. But you should never be satisfied with that, or think it doesn't matter.

[Joe A. Preusser]

IMO, offensive production matters from every position. Outs made by a SS don't count less than outs made by a 3rd baseman. The 9th place hitter comes up once every time through the lineup, just like every other place in the lineup. Another problem with "player x doesn't have to hit" is that lineups rarely go through a season intact, so the 1-8 hitters you planned on having in spring training often aren't all there. Now you have a backup at another position or two, plus that guy in the 9th hole, and pretty soon your lineup is struggling to consistently put up the kind of runs you need to put up in the American League.

 

If you have to settle for a guy who can't hit, so be it. But you should never be satisfied with that, or think it doesn't matter.

 

I can't argue with your points, they are all true. But I like to think of it as "runs/9 innings" potential rather than a sum of individual parts. I have seen many teams put several poor hitting but excellent defense guys in their starting 9 and still hit plenty enough to make deep playoff runs. Remember, one of Tim Laudner's nicknames was "Buck Eighty-Six" for a very obvious reason. And I would still expect both Dozier and Flori to hit in the neighborhood of .250, anything less likely isn't worth it.

[snepp]

"Buck Eighty-six" was, at least by OPS, league average offensively at this position.

 

 

Neither Florimon or Dozier have shown that much.

[GCTF]

Alternate thread title...Lethal injection or Firing Squad?

[Joe A. Preusser]

"Buck Eighty-six" was, at least by OPS, league average offensively at this position.

 

 

Neither Florimon or Dozier have shown that much.

 

Sorry Snepp, but that's not accurate. Laudner's OPS was 27th out of 50 for all catchers that year, but most of the players with worse OPS played much fewer games, so Timmy was close to the worst hitting regular catcher in baseball. And BTW, the Twins' other catcher, Mr. Butera (Sal, not Drew), had a much worse OPS that year, and they both batted south of .200. The other players' offense was simply amazing by 1987 standards, something the 2015-16 version of the team has at least a chance of repeating.

[SydneyTwinsFan]

Beresford is a better Escobar, though he may have to start at short if Santana isn't sticking there defensively.

Not wanting to bash my fellow Aussie, but I'm not sure I get this. The only time Beresford has cracked a .700 OPS in 7 minor league seasons is when he's repeated a level (.711 2nd time around at Beloit, .721 in his second run at NBR). Doesn't give me any confidence he can swing a major league bat.