Supplementing the Twins: A Bat for Hire

To summarize in one or two badly constructed sentences. Bautista is old and declining. Frazier has seen better days as a Red. Carlos Santana plays the same position as Joe Mauer and this team needs 1/3 of the payroll paid to what are currently middle of the pack 1B.

Interesting names, but nothing here that excites.  Age is one thing none of us can ignore - it is the finall equalizer and I feel like Bautista and Frazier are fighting that right now. Santana at 32 has only a few years before he spirals downhill but would be the only one I would expect to get a good return on if the contract does not exceed 3 years.  

I don't they need anyone spectacular. A decent bench bat should do it.

If Kepler can take a step forward, Rosario, Polanco, and Buxton maintain a fraction of their second half performances, and Sano gets/stays healthy, this could be one of the top 3 offenses in Major League Baseball.

This all assuming we don't see Rooker at some point.

 Obvious answer to all the questions but one is Shohei Otani.    

Top of rotation pitcher.  Check

DH most day.  Check

Backup outfielder.  Check

Bench bat on days he doesn't start.  Check

Pinch runner on days he doesn't start.  Check   (3.9 to 1st base?)

Backup 1st base.  Check    6'5"

Only box he doesn't check is right handed bat but we can teach him to switch hit.

Wouldn't an internal candidate like Mitch Garver be acceptable?

It's obvious the days of the "DH only" are pretty much over due to teams wanting to carry more pitchers.

I don't get looking at outside candidates when there may be candidates that will give the team the bat and the defensive flexibility needed.

I mention this, because, frankly, every dollar not spent on a FA position player is another dollar for a FA pitcher.

I've been pondering Frazier lately.   With Sano's leg injury I wonder if that fit (or a 3B capable player) makes the most sense.   I've commented elsewhere that I'm interested in Howie Kendrick.   Checks some boxes.   Right-handed, plays corner OF and some IF, brings veteran voice to clubhouse, probably won't be too expensive.

How about austin jackson ? 

Yeah, and I'd almost rather see them give Vargas/Park a shot at that bench bat spot. I know neither guy has been amazing but they also have some upside and they don't cost anything new.

 

I'd like to see a run at a top free agent pitcher and maybe one impact reliever whose name is not Brandon Kintzler. Other than that, let it roll.

Why not Kintzler?      I thought he did very well for us and you appear to put him in the impact reliever category.     I was prepared not to like him when he came up but all he did was pitch well for us for two years..   

I'd love to see what a full season of Vargas, a healthy Park, and even Brent Rooker can do before I spend $ that should be dedicated to fixing pitching (2 starters, 3 end of the pen relievers.)   I would not mind taking flyers on MiLB contracts and see whether any of them can stick.  That's about it.

 

The bat are not the problem here.  Grossman is fine as well.  

Vargas and Park have no place on the twins IMO. Park is will be 32 next year and Vargas is what he is (not a good ball player, but does have occasional power)

Rooker seems more like a 19 candidate to me.

Agree with everything else you said.

If for some reason they don't think Sano is going to be able to play 3B for 120+ games next year, I wouldn't mind Frazier for the right price. He strikes out too much but I like the walks and he is only a few months older than Park.

It's probably not a good idea to have Bautista and Castro on the same roster, after what happened in Cuba - January 1, 1959.

My vote would be Park/Vargas until July when Rooker has smashed about 20 HR for Chattanooga. Then its Rooker hitting the go-ahead 3-Run Shot in game 6 of the World Series for the win. I'm REALLY excited about that kid!

I'm just more of the opinion that Santana makes zero sense to this club. Minnesota makes zero sense to Santana too. They already have a good offense, not to mention a 1B for next year at the least and possibly longer (and quite possibly a nice one in Rooker as well).

This

I'd take Santana on a short-term deal, maybe Bautista fo $1 to PH. Frazier? Zero interest. 

  I'm biased.  I've always liked Santana.  Not sure of the fit.  I think he's a better short-term fit than long term, assuming Sano moves to 1B after Mauer's contract runs out in '18.  Also likely going to get a 3-yr deal from an AL team. 

  This team proved more than adequate offensively, so my first reaction is every dime should be spent on pitching. 

  Hate to say it, but Frazier may be the better short term fit b/c he can play 3B if Sano isn't ready.  If Sano is ready to hit in April but not field, he can DH.  Frazier could also DH and of course adds the RH bat this lineup needs.

I think it's a little easy to be harsh on Kennys Vargas.

Everybody wants the David Ortiz of 2016, but this is where Kennys ranks in the stats among the 23 players who had 100 PA or more in 2017 as DH:

wRC+.... 10th

OPS........ 8th

WAR........ 9th

Above average in each of these stats.

Not Chili Davis, but not Jason Tyner, either.

I'd love Santana, and he'd be a great fit on most any team. But, assuming this team doesn't pony up via trade or FA for a true #1 SP...unlikely as there just aren't many available first of all...were talking, roughly, $11-15M for Lynn, Chatwood or Cobb. Add in a couple really nice bullpen arms at $5-7M each, and we're hitting $120M-ish.

Santana puts us the $130M category. Very affordable, overall, with more money coming off the books the next couple of seasons to help pay for extensions, etc. Even with a Mauer and Dozier re-sign, we end up netting additional dollars. But to jump that far, that fast toward $130+M just seems unreasonable. And I also agree that I don't think Cleveland would let him walk anyway.

Frazier? Maybe. But would he really be an upgrade over Escobar at 3B if there is a Sano playing in the field situation?

I think a good, solid, useful player for less money is really warranted. Maybe Kenrick. And while it might seem overly optimistic, if Grossman could just settle in as a player between his 2016-17 years, he could be very useful at either the top or bottom of the order.

Carlos had a pretty good July - August, but he was toast April through June. Sure, it can happen to anyone, but my bet is that last half year was his last hurrah. I think his slide is coming hard.

Not sure why anyone thinks Frazier would be a good acquisition. Just because he can play 3B if Sano can't is a poor reason. Escobar proved he is more than capable of filling in. In fact, in 2017 Escobar almost matched Frazier in Home Runs per AB, hit 40 points higher than Frazier, is just as capable defensively, is younger, and cheaper. 

As for Santana, why would the Indians let him go, especially to a division rival, and on top of that he isn't going to replace the Golden Boy at 1st or at DH. If Sano can't play 3B then you got too many bats vying for the 1B/DH spot.

Bautista at this point would be another dumpster dive as his BA and HR stats have declined the last 3 years. He's toast. Better to spend money elsewhere.