TD Mailbag: Center Field, Meyer's Role and More

There's no doubt that Meyer will be in the starting rotation if he's in AAA.

They can limit his pitch count to save him for the full year.

"Plus, maybe Hicks goes on a nice roll, regains confidence in swinging from both sides and turns into an everyday player. With his patience and defensive prowess, he only needs to hit a little bit to be a valuable starter. I haven't given up on him by any means."

I really hope this is true, and I believe it could happen.  However, reading it reminded me of the Calvin and Hobbes strip where Suzie Derkins is sitting alone, sad, saying she wished Calvin wasn't so mean to here and she wished he would play with her.  Then she made a face and said "while I'm at it, I might as well wish for a pony".

Here's hoping there's a pony under the Twins' tree.

In connection with the Hunter question: 

I'm hoping that Walker gets an invite to the MLB camp so that he can receive some insight from the likes of Torri Hunter out in RF.  I think Kepler will benefit just as well.

It has been noted that Walker has contact issues, but it is also noted that he takes first pitch strikes and runs counts to 3-2 quite often.  Maybe the likes of a Hunter could get him to stay agressive and understand how pitchers might pitch a guy with his skill set at the big league level.  I think the new coaches and manager along with Hunter will provide some major upgrades this year offensively as well as defensively.  New voices sometimes bring new results.

I am surprised that Nick has Vargas penciled in as the cleanup hitter. My personal thought is that Plouffe and Arcia will both out-hit Vargas next season. Plouffe batting 7th seems way too low for me. I'm not very bullish on Vargas right now. He had a good few weeks, but then struggled to end the season. Despite having several holes in his game, lots of people (front office included) seem to have his name carved in for the DH/clean-up position for 2015. He definitely has the potential to be a solid contributor, but right now his seems like the most likely player to struggle to start the season and get sent down to AAA for more work. 

This is why I am surprised the both Parmelee and Colabello were let go last season.  That leaves Pinto as the only available bat to DH consistently if Vargas fails and needs more time in AAA.  With Parmelee, Hunter could slide in and DH some with Parmalee in RF.  maybe Sano is ready after 6 weeks in this scenario....

On Hunter he can also light a fire and stay on Hicks to be better and not let up. In addition to making a better environment to succeed. 

Back to Vargas, I do think he has shown enough bat control to be the clean up hitter over Arcia at this point.  Plouffe or Hunter could hit there if they prefer a veteran in that spot.

If TR says he is looking for bullpen help then he is looking for bullpen help.  I think he is looking for a low cost bullpen piece and not a specific player.  If he was looking for a player he would have signed Neshek as the 2 year deal he got isn't prohibitive as its only 2 years.  Neshek probably would have signed here since its close to home all things being equal.  He probably would have given a small discount to come back. So that tells me TR is watching Pohlads pennines and is going to go after more depth and let them all sort it out in spring training.  I do not think Meyer will start the season in the pen.  The Twins have stated several times he doesn't have the resilience for the role. 

Interesting questions fellas!

 

I do think a Hicks/Schafer platoon would be beneficial.  If Hicks can play an average, or above-average CF hitting in the 9 spot in the order, what would he have to hit for the members of this board not to have his head on a platter after a month?  Hicks hitting 9th in this order is a lot less of a burden than him hitting leadoff two seasons ago.  Would .235/.360/.350 do it?

 

If Meyer doesn't win a spot in the rotation I would also much like to see him in the bullpen rather than starting in AAA, especially if he will be on an innings count again this year.

 

As for leading the team in HR, I gotta go with Arcia.  I think it's his breakout year and I will go with 36 HR.

I'd much rather see the Twins keep Meyer in AAA as a starter than plopping him in the bullpen where he'll get used sporadically.  He's only pitched 1 season at AAA and by all accounts his off speed stuff needs a lot more work.  Why not keep him in the role he was traded for and work on that in Rochester?  People keep mentioning the Santana example as a route to follow with Meyer, but they forget that Johan was a rule IV pickup.      

Interesting questions fellas!

 

I do think a Hicks/Schafer platoon would be beneficial.  If Hicks can play an average, or above-average CF hitting in the 9 spot in the order, what would he have to hit for the members of this board not to have his head on a platter after a month?  Hicks hitting 9th in this order is a lot less of a burden than him hitting leadoff two seasons ago.  Would .235/.360/.350 do it?

 

If Meyer doesn't win a spot in the rotation I would also much like to see him in the bullpen rather than starting in AAA, especially if he will be on an innings count again this year.

 

As for leading the team in HR, I gotta go with Arcia.  I think it's his breakout year and I will go with 36 HR.

If a Twins player hits 36 HR, I might eat my hat.  Only way that's going to happen is if most of the damage is done on the road...or the Dome is miraculously rebuilt.  We do remember that Target Field is where Twins homers go to die, right?

I will have the pepper ready in preparation if I'm wrong (hat already has enough salt on it....I know...ewwwwww).

Johan had also never pitched above A ball when the Twins took him in the Rule V, not IV draft.  He also pitched more out of the pen for 4 seasons than he did as a starter before making the jump.  

 

He wouldn't be the first pitcher to get his feet wet in the pen before jumping to the rotation.

My mistake on the rule IV vs. V typo.  The only thing with Santana was that by the time he joined the Twins as a major leaguer in 2000 he was 21 years old.  When he turned 25 he had already completed the transition to full time starter and WON 20 games in 2004.  

Meyer will be 25 in January.  Do the Twins really want in the bullpen at his age?  I still think the better path would be to make the team as the fifth starter (assuming he earns it) or pitch in Rochester as starter until there is an opening.  

I'm not a fan of starting someone with shoulder issues in the bullpen early in the season and then moving him to the rotation later in the season.  Yes, it keeps his innings down but it also could potentially mess up his shoulder when he needs to be stretched out midseason. 

Start him a week or two late in AAA, limit his starts to 80 pitches early in the season and call him up in May/June when the inevitable injury happens.