By the Numbers: Which Twins Hitters have the Most Value

Actually, your thoughts for a 13 player position player roster is just about exactly how my mind plays it out.

I keep coming up with a 14 man roster list because I keep including Parmelee in my head. I may be stubborn, or just foolish, but I just keep seeing "just enough" from him at times when he's given a shot, that I want to include him as a possible.

I think people sleep in regard to Nunez. As a nice, versatile player with a solid bat and equipped with some power and position flexibility, I like him. I'd like the Twins to work him more next ST in the OF. Not as an option, but as a fill in.

Escobar has done NOTHING to lose his spot as a starter, except being born with less overall talent than someone like Santana. Santana offers even more offense, and even more range and "potential" as a defensive player. And I know the "P" word can be a nasty one, and I don't want to take anything away from what Escobar has done and meant to this team...but...I think he might be better used as an almost everyday player, similar to Nunez.

I have been advocating for some time for a quality FA LF, 1 year stopgap or 2-3 year player is to be debated. Not sold on Schafer yet. I want to be. I want to see if how he plays CF, though Santana could also fill in, and KNOW he won't hit long term like he has thus far with the Twins. But I am intrigued by what I see and love him on the base paths.

Pinto. Suzuki. Here is where the Twins actually have to get smart. Can they do that? I'm not being snarky! But barring some unforeseen injury factor, there is not going to be a great deal of opportunity for AB's in the DH spot. I was, and am, in favor of signing Suzuki. But you would have to be misguided, stubborn, or stupid to not make room for a player with the potential of Pinto. Offense isn't everything, of course, but the kid has worked hard, and continues to work hard, to better himself, and has a strong arm. You simply can't ignore his potential for the sake of the "safe" and experienced veteran player.

Ugh.  Schafer.  Scrap heap.  Fooled.  Next.

Good article. I was not a Schafer fan, but he has started to intrigue me. I also think Hicks just looks different this time, calmer and his PA's are more solid looking. I have always been a big fan of Oswaldo. Still he drives me nuts. Lately some of his hardest hit balls have been at someone, it happens. He looks like he is trying to work the count. He is not a work the count guy. He needs to hit the first fastball he sees that is a strike. As he matures he can look at the finer aspects of hitting. As for the OF he is rough, going to his left is not that bad, but his backhand is not good. But something tells me he is gonna.be really good. He is 23, and I bet there are a ton of teams that would take him tomorrow. Suzuki? Always was and still is an average catcher. Great Gardy guy also. We were handed a gift. We signed him as a third choice, he got unreal hot, and then two teams needed a catcher. So we did what any losing team would do, we extended him two years. Pinto is also rough, and the pitchers claim not to enjoy throwing to him. (Then they should throw better than they have to Kurt). Santanna should finish the year at short. If he can play he can, if he can't he will end up as either a super utility guy, or Dozier's replacement. Other teams have great athletes at short, we don't seem to. The summary: the lineup the Twins started the season with, and mostly still embrace is on the way to -90 again. The players on the field are average. I know it's sacrilegious but I include Dozier, and Mauer as a first baseman. There is nothing to be lost by trying other replacements. What can happen? We could lose 96 I suppose! Yet they treat some of these guys as All Stars. For this team spring training started on the 11th game after the ASG. Lastly, why does it make a difference who we start against contenders. We have shown a consistent ability to lose with the norm, and it's time for us to evaluate our players. Showing Gardy's "respect for the game" should include putting a decent team on the field in 2015!

1 hundred percent agree.

RF-Arcia (If doesn't improve and Hicks emerges possibly moved to bench or platoon)

CF-Aaron Hicks (til Buxton)

LF- Free Agent (possibly Traded at deadline or moved if Hicks finally emerges)

C- Kurt Suzuki

1B- Joe Mauer

2B- Brian Dozier

SS- Danny Santana

3B- Trevor Plouffe (Until Sano moves him to bench or trade at deadline)

DH- Kenys Vargas

Bench

OF- Jordan Schafer (Until regression or pushed aside by emerging prospects)

C- Pinto (Until he shows he can handle major league pitchers or is pushed aside by prospects)

IF- Eduardo Escobar

IF- Nunez (Until Plouffe is moved to bench by Sano)

Agree with Platoon on Hicks;  he looks pretty solid in the 6 games he's gotten the starting nod here lately.

7-for-19, 2 BB, 6 RBI's in 6 starts

There's still a lot of talent there, I think he puts it together enough to be on the 25-man roster for a while, just not sure what position yet.

The 25-man roster...eh, 13 bats...is pretty set with the above. I could see the Twins signing a Cuddyer-like guy, but that pushes Hicks to CF or e start with Schafer or have musical chairs like this year, finally settling on Santana. If Santana is the shortstop, I can live with Escobar and Nunez on the bench. Vargas is DH and back-up at first. I see Pinto starting at Rochester so the Twins need a catcher. A bat or a throwout guy. 

The Twins could replace Plouffe and get a better bat. The Plouffe becomes the reserve guy. Arcia could tank. Sophomore slump on Vargas and Santana (remember Pinto and Parmelee in September?)

I would love to see the Twins sign a $20-million dollar starter and go from there. Bullpen possibilities are an overabundance. They could bring back Burton for a decent contract (nooooo, you all cry) and overpay Duensing and Swarzak. With the payroll as it is, and the lowend of the payroll as it is, the Twins could easily spend $32 million on a slugger and a 1st starter and still come in under $100 million and remain that way for 2016 and probably 2017.

I enjoyed the analysis. The only move I would not be in favor of is signing a left fielder with the idea of trading him later. Schafer has earned a chance at a regular spot.  Not sure he will keep it.  Hicks does look different. Looks like the game is slowing down for him. I am not sure if Arcia will ever figure it out but he is still young. If Sano comes up Plouffe may be looking for playing time. Try him at a corner spot. Maybe,maybe maybe Buxton stays healthy and comes up.

If Twins were a contender I would agree that they sorely need a proven corner outfielder. But next year I would still develope.

Thank you for the calculations.  Converting them to .500 AB makes it easier to compare them.

The numbers confirm what we have seen from Santana.  However our eyes have told us that Santana is not as good a SS as E Escobar. 

Schafer has not been here a month.  I'd like to see what the numbers say when the season is over.

Pinto confirmed in AAA that he is a hitter and he should get regular AB in 2015. 

These numbers show us that Mauer could easily sit more so that Vargas can play 1B and Pinto can DH.

Although Arcia's numbers do not look so great, the Angels intentionally walked him twice.  Numbers don't tell us everything. 

There is a lot of talk about Santanna the fielder, but not much about Santanna the lead off guy. This teams offensive problems often stem from hitting with RISP. Needless to say things get even worse without RISP! That said, Santanna is currently the only player we have that has consistent and considerable success in the one hole. Making him a utility player or sending him to Rochester is not good. The problem with the Super Utility role is exacerbated by the possibility that the current management stays in place.

What about Joe? Watching him play this year I came to several conclusions. (Opinions). To wit: I like Mauer. I think he is a phenomenal athlete, and I could care less how much Jim Pohlad pays him. I think the amount of abuse he takes is disgusting. But he does seem a man out of place. On the Twins he is the 3 hitter. But he is not a 3 type hitter, and on a team with better talent he would not be in that position. (I played short on a softball team, and even I did not think I was a SS). With the change in ball parks, and the emphasis on playing down the LF line, his limited power is limited! (I wonder what he would do in Fenway)? Anyway I was watching him the other day and I thought: he is a lead off style hitter without lead off style speed. He has large frame, but not much power. He was a great catcher, in a first basemans frame, and he has a right fielders arm, playing first base. These are not criticisms, they are observations.

The Twins offense is fun to watch, there's a lot of swing and miss, but a lot of fun to watch. I wish I could say the same for the guys who throw the ball for a living.

This definitely seems more plausible, and sensical, than a March, 2015 Santana demotion..

Plausible, sensical, but just wrong on so many levels....