Center Of Attention

Two phrases stand out>>>>. "A perceived lack of range at the corners". And >>>> Santana played an adequate CF! This is a team with offense as its strength. While I don't believe the offense will be as good as last year it's still the Twins current boasting point. As to CF, the only criteria at the beginning of the season is how fast you can get between the gaps, with a glove on your hand, and catch the ball while dodging the corner OF's.

I keep reading about Rosario's amazing AFL stint. Interestingly, we never hear that Max Kepler's OPS with Salt River was 50 points higher. So if Rosario was that amazing, then Kepler must be superlative.

Or maybe we just want Rosario to be better than he really was last year?

My feeling is that Hicks will take the job and remain there.  Schafer will spell him in center throughout the season.  All the off season worries about CF will be for naught. 

A side note:  Dorsey has an article on the Twins this morning in the new-press.  I could fill in alot for that article. 

Saw that Hicks is apparently working with Carew again.  Maybe Rod can get through to him this time,

  https://twitter.com/RevMama/status/560572324345151489/photo/1

I see Rosario making his debut before Buxton or Sano. I Would even bet he's the first rookie to debut this year. If you're going to give the kid a shot, you might want to do it early in the year cuz Buxton is up by September...

I want the Twins to do option B - start Schafer in CF and have Hicks be the backup and play 3 times a week giving each guy a day off.  I actually think Hicks doesn't have more to learn in the minors.  He has played in almost 600 minor league games and has almost 2600 AB in the minors.  I think a role in the majors where he doesn't have the immediate pressure of being a starter but still has somewhat regular AB (3 games, 15 AB a week) is the best route for him to get comfortable and grow.

I think the Twins will start the year with Option A again (for the 3rd time) with the same results.  

Any chance Santana stays at SS and Escobar plays CF?

Preferred Option?  Who are you talking about?  Molitor or Ryan?  Molitor stated he wanted Santana at SS.  This is not surprising because Santana displayed many flaws as a CF (hitting independent of position) and SS was "his position" while developing  as a player.   Escobar, well I think we saw his best last year as a SS--saying no more.  This leaves the options concerning Hicks and Shafer as Molitor's preference for CF.  There isn't enough information to say if one option (player/platoon) or another is Molitor's prefence.

Then there's Ryan's preference.  It sure looks like he wants Santana at CF and Escobar at SS.  This isn't surprising because that option was his "brain child" last year.  There will be another "position competition" in Spring Training (very similar to previous competitions of seasons past). The date that the final decision is made (as well as the decision made) will be "telling" to the future direction of the team.

To me, it's baffling how a team that has been so terrible over the last few years can even fathom putting Hicks or Schaeffer on the field over a hitter like Escobar.  Plan D, PLEASE.  Face the facts.  Hicks has had his shots and fell on his face.  We have Buxton arriving next year at the latest, and better (and younger) options in the corners for the following years.  Even if Hicks comes out of nowhere and is better than he's shown at any point in his major or minor league career, he holds down CF for what, maybe a year?  Ditto Santana.  Santana was by most accounts raw defensively at SS.  Is he a stop gap to Polanco or Gordon?  Couldn't Escobar fill that role just as well?  

As a perennial 90 loss team, shouldn't we be putting our best lineup out as often as possible rather than crossing our fingers that Hicks or Schaeffer will develop into a stop gap at best?  
 

Any chance Santana stays at SS and Escobar plays CF?

For me, it'd be preferable to keep IFs in the IF and OFs in the OF.

I have a hard time ignoring everything but his OBP. That seems like a bad way to build a team. He can't hit MLB pitching. He barely hit minor league pitching. 

 

I think Hicks should be in AAA.

 

I think they will start him in CF in MN.

I can't agree more.  I think Hicks will start on the big league team.

Hicks' OBP does look good, but it just seems like that can't be sustainable unless we starts learning how to hit.  He has been slow to get going at every level he has been at, and I can see why the adjustment period would be the slowest at the MLB level.  Maybe between working with Carew and getting some mentorship from Hunter, he will finally put things together.

My guess is he hits a little better to start the season, but the OBP comes down.  He ends up hitting about .230 or so in April and part of May before he gets the ax. 

I hope I'm wrong and he figures it out and breaks out this year, but odds are kind of against it.

IIRC wasn't Hicks having trouble from the left side.  Based on what happens in spring training I am thinking the Twins will Platoon Hicks and Schaeffer in center.   That way they can find out what both players bring to the team.  Should build trade value for two players instead of one as well.  

Santana needs to win that shortstop position otherwise how do they get his bat and speed into the game?  If he isn't good enough defensively then maybe they make a change and let him play center.  I would like to see Escobar play short this year as I think he can build trade value if he does, but he looks like the odd man out in this scenario and back to a utility role.  That is my two cents.

Random thoughts:

Hicks did not seem to run very good routes to balls in CF. He seems very average defensively. And he would have to hit better to be a corner outfielder. Santana looked a lot like an infielder who was a good athlete playing in the OF. Shafer looks like a better defensive choice, which to start the season is where they should go. And I am not really a huge Shafer fan.

And as for the mentoring abilities of Hunter, there seems to be no evidence anecdotally of that trait. In fact the few people who would comment or speculate publicly seemed to specifically question that premise. Obviously I dont know him personally, but while he seems to be a publically affable guy, Torrii seems to be all about Torii. There is a reason he is in right, and Oswaldo has made the ill advised shift to left. And it ain't because anyone on the Twins thought it was a great idea.

Should: Platoon Hicks and Schafer.

Will: Acia hits 15 day DL with a stiff back. Rosario gets called up and moves to center when Arcia comes back. Hicks or Schafer gets sent to Rochester.

Escobar had 35 doubles, 2 triples, and 6 HR's last year! q; )

 

I'd hope they platoon Schafer and Hicks until one of them (hopefully Hicks) shows they're the better option.

 

 

Denard Span always talked about Hunter's mentoring and how it helped him. Jackson in Detroit did the same.

I think a lot of those times an interviewer comes up and asks a young player about a veteran player's contribution for a story or some part of a story they are doing about the veteran and what are the young players going to say? We've seen Hunter get in fights with players in the dugout, is that leadership? Some seem to think so.  I don't think it is and when a guy like Hunter takes on a guy like Pujols, I definitely question it. I think Hunter TALKS a good game.  He definitely loves the spotlight. He likes to do things old timers view as leadership.  Whether it is actual leadership or not is debatable.  As far as what those young guys really think about the veteran is anyone's guess.  I doubt the young guy is going to say, 'Nah, I don't really get much from Hunter, except how to NOT do a press conference.' 

I'm not sure I'd spend any time on Hicks.  Been down that path before. 

I'm starting Schafer in CF.  He's got the defense and has shown that with AB's, he can hit.  I would never knowingly go into a season planning on a platoon.

That being said, I still like the offensive and defensive potential of Santana in CF and Escobar at SS.  My whole thing on this is:  did Escobar do anything that would merit demotion.  Santana would have to win the job by a WIDE margin.

And I still hate the idea of moving Arcia to left to accommodate and overpriced, $10M 1 year rental on a player that most are speaking of as a coach and not so much as a player.