Ranking the 2023 Free Agent Shortstop Class

  On 10/12/2022 at 5:01 PM, Battle ur tail off said:

I would prefer a guy with that kind of athletic ability and defensive prowess to play a middle of the diamond position though, wouldn't you?

Expand  

3B is a more difficult defensive position than 2B, especially with all the shifting.

  On 10/12/2022 at 5:13 PM, DJL44 said:

3B is a more difficult defensive position than 2B, especially with all the shifting.

Expand  

Shift is gone after this year. But I would also disagree on 3B being harder to play. 2B has much more ground to cover, has to handle cuts, double plays, etc. 

Catcher, SS, 2B, CF that is where I want all of my athletes if possible. 

  On 10/12/2022 at 5:16 PM, Battle ur tail off said:

Shift is gone after this year. But I would also disagree on 3B being harder to play. 2B has much more ground to cover, has to handle cuts, double plays, etc. 

Catcher, SS, 2B, CF that is where I want all of my athletes if possible. 

Expand  

Not true about the shift being gone. The SS can slide all the way to 2B, they just can't cross over the center line. 2B can play all the way to the edge of the OF grass. Teams will still be shifting and 3B will need to have range to cover the left side.

2B has to turn the pivot but their throws are easy. They can play a lot deeper than 3B which gives them more time to react.

Lots of question marks going into next year. Shortstop may be the biggest one but isn't the only one. 4 infielders with their primary positions being the same, Urshela and Miranda at 3B and Arraez and Polanco at 2B to me means at least 1 has to go. Unless you're going to continue to play a pair of them at 1B as well, which I don't think is the answer to the problem. You don't trade the AL Batting Champion do you? He's shown he's a better hitter when he's on the field verses playing DH. Do you continue to let Miranda play 1B or trade Urshela and move Miranda to his normal position. Polanco goes where if you put Arraez at 2B? Does fielding take a hit with Miranda at 3B and Arraez at 2B? Will Kirilloff make a comeback and be able to play 1B? Maybe the Twins should look at moving Wallner to 1B and have him play there in AAA for a season to hone his skills defensively or is that completely out of the question? I guess if they think Sano can play RF then anything is possible. Gordon has to stay as a utility guy, he's shown he can play at an average level in the outfield or at 2b and SS. Do the Twins live with another season of Kepler hitting .220 in the middle of the lineup? Hope not. Will Larnach finally become the LFer to replace Eddie? Who backs up Jeffers? The FO will decide if the Twins are actually going to be "Contenders" or just be "Competitive" like they said last year.

  On 10/12/2022 at 5:08 PM, mnfireman said:

So if they upgrade the OF and 1B/DH to all-star types, who of Kirlloff, Larnach, Kepler, Arraez, Miranda and maybe even Polanco and Urshela do you trade? All have showed that they have big upside, but have ???'s attached to them.

 

Expand  

Well as of right now I am not counting on AK for anything, Larnach would be starting, Kepler a back up outfielder (or traded for anything if Wallner proves his worth). Arraez at 2nd, Polanco at SS, Miranda at 1B/DH, and Gio the third basemen. If Lewis or Lee comes up to play SS, Polanco moves to 2nd, Gio stays at third, Miranda to back up 1B/3B/DH and Arraez super utility playing 1B/2B/3B/DH/LF there would be plenty of at bats to go around. Again not my first choice but the improvements in the other spots would make up for things.

  On 10/12/2022 at 5:01 PM, Battle ur tail off said:

I would prefer a guy with that kind of athletic ability and defensive prowess to play a middle of the diamond position though, wouldn't you?

Expand  

Problem is he’s had 2 ACL injuries and expecting him to hold up at SS for any length of time is blue sky…….may happen, but not much certainty there. If they can sign a SS they’ll fit Lewis in at 2nd, 3rd or OF going forward. Polanco may be washed? Only makes sense to pay Urshella one more year. Need a right handed batting outfielder……Lewis fits all 3. Sure, try him at short but sign one if can make a solid deal.

  On 10/12/2022 at 6:05 PM, rv78 said:

Lots of question marks going into next year. Shortstop may be the biggest one but isn't the only one. 4 infielders with their primary positions being the same, Urshela and Miranda at 3B and Arraez and Polanco at 2B to me means at least 1 has to go. Unless you're going to continue to play a pair of them at 1B as well, which I don't think is the answer to the problem. You don't trade the AL Batting Champion do you? He's shown he's a better hitter when he's on the field verses playing DH. Do you continue to let Miranda play 1B or trade Urshela and move Miranda to his normal position. Polanco goes where if you put Arraez at 2B? Does fielding take a hit with Miranda at 3B and Arraez at 2B? Will Kirilloff make a comeback and be able to play 1B? Maybe the Twins should look at moving Wallner to 1B and have him play there in AAA for a season to hone his skills defensively or is that completely out of the question? I guess if they think Sano can play RF then anything is possible. Gordon has to stay as a utility guy, he's shown he can play at an average level in the outfield or at 2b and SS. Do the Twins live with another season of Kepler hitting .220 in the middle of the lineup? Hope not. Will Larnach finally become the LFer to replace Eddie? Who backs up Jeffers? The FO will decide if the Twins are actually going to be "Contenders" or just be "Competitive" like they said last year.

Expand  

  On 10/12/2022 at 6:05 PM, rv78 said:

Lots of question marks going into next year. Shortstop may be the biggest one but isn't the only one. 4 infielders with their primary positions being the same, Urshela and Miranda at 3B and Arraez and Polanco at 2B to me means at least 1 has to go. Unless you're going to continue to play a pair of them at 1B as well, which I don't think is the answer to the problem. You don't trade the AL Batting Champion do you? He's shown he's a better hitter when he's on the field verses playing DH. Do you continue to let Miranda play 1B or trade Urshela and move Miranda to his normal position. Polanco goes where if you put Arraez at 2B? Does fielding take a hit with Miranda at 3B and Arraez at 2B? Will Kirilloff make a comeback and be able to play 1B? Maybe the Twins should look at moving Wallner to 1B and have him play there in AAA for a season to hone his skills defensively or is that completely out of the question? I guess if they think Sano can play RF then anything is possible. Gordon has to stay as a utility guy, he's shown he can play at an average level in the outfield or at 2b and SS. Do the Twins live with another season of Kepler hitting .220 in the middle of the lineup? Hope not. Will Larnach finally become the LFer to replace Eddie? Who backs up Jeffers? The FO will decide if the Twins are actually going to be "Contenders" or just be "Competitive" like they said last year.

Expand  

Not sure why this wouldn’t work - Urshella at 3B 80% of time……Miranda 20%…….Miranda DH 30% of the time & 1B 30%……..Arraez 20% at 2B & 1B 50% & DH 25%………Kiriloff DH 20% & 1B 20% & 40% LF.

Arraez needs days off (DH) for his legs. Same with Polanco, so Arraez plays some 2nd along with Gordon. Arraez was hurting in 2nd half and had hit .360 in first half so his average being down when DH in 2nd half at bats has a little more behind the reasoning than just not hitting at DH.

Polanco plays 2B 7 of 10 games and DH’s 1 or 2 times every 10 games. Buxton will need to DH at times as well!

Right handed hitting outfielder - maybe R. Lewis? That along with pitching is our need! Kepler, Walner, Larnach, Gordon, & Kiriloff have the corner OF & CF covered when facing RH pitching………need a right handed bat!!!

  On 10/12/2022 at 7:04 PM, JD-TWINS said:

 

Not sure why this wouldn’t work - Urshella at 3B 80% of time……Miranda 20%…….Miranda DH 30% of the time & 1B 30%……..Arraez 20% at 2B & 1B 50% & DH 25%………Kiriloff DH 20% & 1B 20% & 40% LF.

Arraez needs days off (DH) for his legs. Same with Polanco, so Arraez plays some 2nd along with Gordon. Arraez was hurting in 2nd half and had hit .360 in first half so his average being down when DH in 2nd half at bats has a little more behind the reasoning than just not hitting at DH.

Polanco plays 2B 7 of 10 games and DH’s 1 or 2 times every 10 games. Buxton will need to DH at times as well!

Right handed hitting outfielder - maybe R. Lewis? That along with pitching is our need! Kepler, Walner, Larnach, Gordon, & Kiriloff have the corner OF & CF covered when facing RH pitching………need a right handed bat!!!

 

 

 

 

Expand  

This could work, but don't expect anything from Kiriloff. My gut feel, he is done. As is done for good. 

I also HATE Arraez at any position besides 1B. He is flat out not a good fielder anywhere else. 

I literally love the guy as a player, but I think shopping Polanco for pitching is probably not a bad idea this offseason. That said, I don't want to move him for peanuts or for guys way down the line, Would love to be able to use him to get major league ready/ML pitching, stud relief help, etc.

Not sure this is feasible, and this would likely lead to more Aaraez at 2nd, but I would at least put some feelers out there to see what his value in across the league. 

I want to try Urshela and Gordon at SS until we see what we have in Lewis and his recovery. I don't want to dump money in that position unless it is for an elite player, e.g., Correa.  Otherwise, use that money for a right-handed hitting OF and a Catcher, plus whatever pitching you can find that doesn't break.

  On 10/11/2022 at 4:59 PM, Battle ur tail off said:

I'm not sure this list does us any good as there is a pretty good chance that half or more of these guys resign with the club they are currently playing on...

 

 

 

 

 

Expand  

How about Correa being one of that half? 

How about 8/$234.4M? 

Spread out as $35.1M for the first four years (see what I did there?), followed by two years at at $32M and two years at $30M, with opt outs after four and six years. For the Twins, the price trickles down a little when he hits age 32 and then again at 34. At those points, if he thinks he can beat $124M over 4 seasons or $60 over 2 seasons, he can do it.

Yeah, there's Lewis, but I'm willing to let him bang his way into the lineup at another position. And in several years, maybe he takes over at short and Correa moves to third like A-Rod did.

  On 10/12/2022 at 4:45 PM, mnfireman said:

So you want to win next year but you also want to start Polanco at SS and Arraez at 2B? Sorry, can't do both. It weakens the defense up the middle, especially with no shifts next year. They also both wore down this year as the season progressed and I don't see that changing next year. 

I don't know the teams plans for SS next year, but Polanco should not be it. Maybe we'll get surprised by an off-seaon trade....

 

Expand  

Who were the primary starting SS and 2B the last two years the Twins made the play-offs again?

  On 10/12/2022 at 8:39 PM, howeda7 said:

Who were the primary starting SS and 2sB the last two years the Twins made the play-offs again?

Expand  

They might have done better with a talented SS, Polanco's 22 errors has to be near a Twins record ; Schoop was very good at 2nd base for some bone-headed reason they pulled him for Arraez in 2019.

Right now I think our best option is to sign Correa, we need him. If something down the line happens, we can always trade him. Farther down the line he can be worth more & further removed from HOU, a trade could be benificial once Lewis is ready. 

  On 10/12/2022 at 1:32 PM, DJL44 said:

I think Royce Lewis could be an All-Star caliber player at 3B. They could trade Urshela to make room when Lewis returns.

Expand  

We have Urshela and Miranda and then there is Julien.  Keep Lewis at SS until Lee pushes him out. 

  On 10/12/2022 at 10:34 PM, mikelink45 said:

We have Urshela and Miranda and then there is Julien.  Keep Lewis at SS until Lee pushes him out. 

Expand  

Urshela is a free agent after next season and Miranda's glove makes clanking noises. Julien is a 2B or LF.

  On 10/12/2022 at 8:39 PM, howeda7 said:

Who were the primary starting SS and 2B the last two years the Twins made the play-offs again?

Expand  

You might want to go look at the rest of the roster for those two teams and see why the team made the play-offs, again.....

Why would any one want Miranda at Third Base, ever?

At First Base the Twins were morons for letting C.J. Cron go.

Maybe the FO should focus on finding players that can hit AND play defense. The Twins seem to have too many players that are good at one but not the other. To make matters worse, guys that can like Correa are 1 and done, or like Buxton who can't stay on the field. The team is a shadow of being good overall and they expect the fans to support them. Yeah, right!

Turner having a bad night......

  On 10/12/2022 at 5:08 PM, mnfireman said:

So if they upgrade the OF and 1B/DH to all-star types, who of Kirlloff, Larnach, Kepler, Arraez, Miranda and maybe even Polanco and Urshela do you trade? All have showed that they have big upside, but have ???'s attached to them.

 

Expand  

Field calls on: Kepler, Polanco & Urshela.

Larnach = LF, Wallner = RF, Miranda = 3B, Kirilloff = 1B

Plug in Gordon or Martin or a Free Agent till Lewis is ready, then flip the Free Agent at the deadline.

  On 10/13/2022 at 7:00 AM, Jacksson said:

Field calls on: Kepler, Polanco & Urshela.

Larnach = LF, Wallner = RF, Miranda = 3B, Kirilloff = 1B

Plug in Gordon or Martin or a Free Agent till Lewis is ready, then flip the Free Agent at the deadline.

Expand  

As Bill the Cat used to say, ACHH - ACHH!

I mean, the real answer, if you sign any of these dudes long term, is Carlos.

He is the youngest, so it lessens the long term risk, of all the "top" SS.

Plus, he LIKES it here.  They literally just have to offer the most.  Instead of the most, plus plus, like they normally do.  Sign the man