Can Catcher Be Where the Twins Find Offense?

The problem with upgrading offensively at catcher is they only play 80-100 games behind the plate. That's about the same as the offensive upgrade you get from the 80 games Buxton plays every season.

Contreras would be a primary option.  Sorry, I just don't think Jeffers will EVER hit and see him as a career backup.  Putting any faith in Jeffers giving them anything other than mediocre production both offensively and defensively is misplaced hope.  All Contreras would cost them is money.  Otherwise, a trade for one of the Blue Jays catchers or Travis d'Arnaud from the Braves is needed.  William Contreras is the catcher of the future in Atlanta.  Maybe they would part with d'Arnaud.  

And as long as it seems a near certainty that Correa will move on taking the money it would take to keep him and signing someone like Bogaerts and shoring up the catcher position seems like a good idea.  What if the Twins could parlay the loss of Correa into the additions of Bogaerts, Contreras and Woodruff (trade).  It's tough to see Correa move on, but that kind of reallocation of assets would make the Twins a much better team for 2023.   

Keith Law had this to say about Contreras "He’s an athletic catcher with a strong arm, but is a below-average framer "    Our front office is big on pitch framing (although they took Sanchez).  Contreras is the only Catcher FA worth looking at and he would be a big upgrade at bat and with his arm.  None of our minor league catchers have that much promise so this could be a significant move.

Yes get Contreras. All he will cost is money which the Twins have plenty of with Correa and Sano coming off the books. Stop trading top prospects away for players other teams are willing to let go when really good players are available as Free Agents. 

25 minutes ago, rv78 said:

All he will cost is money which the Twins have plenty of

I agree with this. The Twins have money to spend in the budget and are low on prospect capital. They need to spend some money acquiring talent this winter.

1 hour ago, TopGunn#22 said:

Contreras would be a primary option.  Sorry, I just don't think Jeffers will EVER hit and see him as a career backup.  Putting any faith in Jeffers giving them anything other than mediocre production both offensively and defensively is misplaced hope.  All Contreras would cost them is money.  Otherwise, a trade for one of the Blue Jays catchers or Travis d'Arnaud from the Braves is needed.  William Contreras is the catcher of the future in Atlanta.  Maybe they would part with d'Arnaud.  

And as long as it seems a near certainty that Correa will move on taking the money it would take to keep him and signing someone like Bogaerts and shoring up the catcher position seems like a good idea.  What if the Twins could parlay the loss of Correa into the additions of Bogaerts, Contreras and Woodruff (trade).  It's tough to see Correa move on, but that kind of reallocation of assets would make the Twins a much better team for 2023.   

IMO Jeffers, like Kepler are stuck in a bad rut, my patience w/ him is less because of his defense (except for his framing, which will soon become obsolete). Contreras bat will be welcome or a trade w/ TOR or ATL if they're satisfied w/ Pina as their back-up. Still do we have what they want in trade? mainly a front-line pitcher. We have to be creative.

IMO Bogeart would be comparitive to Correa in price and I think Bogeart will be gone before Correa.

This would be a good idea especially if stolen base attempts pick up.  My only caution to the FO is that at 32 years of age, he may not last more than a year or two behind the plate.  If they sign him, make the duration no more than 4-years and develop plans of where to play him (probably DH) those last few years when the wear and tear on his body catches up with him.

2 hours ago, Doctor Gast said:

IMO Jeffers, like Kepler are stuck in a bad rut, my patience w/ him is less because of his defense (except for his framing, which will soon become obsolete).

I'm going to bet Jeffers plays out his entire career before we get an automated strike zone in MLB.

I'm not convinced Jeffers is a #1 catcher so yes plz. Also I don't miss Garver or Rorveldt. Garver is injured more then Buxton and Rorveldt makes Sanchez look like an offensive star. The farm is slim pickings on anyone who could help anytime soon. Contreras would be a huge upgrade but I think a trade is the way they go. Someone like the Padres Nola or Mejia from the Rays. 

It's hard enough to find a good defensive catcher that can stay healthy and isn't terrible with the bat. Trying to reach past that to get one of the very few that are excellent offensive players seems expensive. Taking on that expense at a position where guys are hurt or resting as much as catchers do seems risky. That makes it expensive and risky, which is not my first choice. Find a merely good catcher and spend big dollars for a big hitter that's likely to be on the field 140+ games. 

5 hours ago, Bigfork Twins Guy said:

This would be a good idea especially if stolen base attempts pick up.  My only caution to the FO is that at 32 years of age, he may not last more than a year or two behind the plate.  If they sign him, make the duration no more than 4-years and develop plans of where to play him (probably DH) those last few years when the wear and tear on his body catches up with him.

Unless he is related to Perez or Molina

Contreras is a .240 hitter who drives in about 55 runs a year.  Do the Twins want to give a big contract to an aging catcher with modest offense?

Cubs will have to offer him a QO, he'll probably won't take it so the club who picks him up will have to ante up a high draft pick. That'll drive down some bidding so I doubt he'll get what he wants. If the bid is low enough we'll have to figure out if we want give up a draft pick for him.

I think we need to give Jeffers a chance to prove himself, hopefully for 80-100 games next year.  

As far as a backup, he needs to be above average defensively.  As far as catcher's offensive being a concern, look to other positions to provide power & average. 

To date, the Twins organization has not replaced Crus's or Rosario's RBI's.  The Twin's do not have a 3, 4, or 5 hole hitter as of now.  Miranda (69 RBIs) has shown signs of being one of them in the future.  

I think there is more holes than starting/relief pitching or catching.

#1 the Twins need a First baseman.

Why we didn't pickup Hosmer when the Padres paid people to give him away is beyond me. A veteran prescence and an excellent fielder who was batting  278 with 16 HR at the time would have been a godsend. 

Miranda belongs at 3B and Arraez needs to be traded!

We have a SS, provided Lewis is healthy.

Urshela & Gordon make up an excellent utility infield tandem (provided one of them can learn to back up the SS position).

Kiriloff at 1B would solve our problem there if he can ever get his wrist sorted out, but if not then Hosmer should be a target.

What we need most in the field is a slugging OF, Larnarch has not proven to be that guy.

Power hitting  OF, starting pitcher,  catcher should be our targets in free agency.

Offer Contreras 4/$100 with a 5th year that guarantees based on games played.  We have the money and a gaping hole at the position.  He can give us 100 games at C and another 30+ at DH