What if the Best DH Option for the Minnesota Twins is No DH At All?

This makes sense if we want to find at-bats for the three young outfield prospects over the next couple of seasons.

This works if we have a quality bat in the super utility position. Maybe that guy is both cheaper and more useful than a full time mashing DH

I am torn on Cruz.  The first month of the season he was Mr. Clutch and literally almost single handedly propelled the Twins into 1st place in the division.  The next month where it looked liked he was hurt not so good.  

Honestly I don't love the idea of losing his bat as it seems to be the most consistent bat we have.  It is also a bat that can do damage.  The question is will he stay relatively healthy throughout the season?  If no then that money could be spent on pitching and or as you said rotating players through the DH.  If he does stay healthy though you lose one of the best bats in MLB and that will hurt especially come playoff time.

This is one of MANY decisions that the Twins will need to make over the next few months.

They are heading for a major turnover of their roster with Odorizzi, Hill, Bailey, Clippard, May, Romo, Gonzalez, Adrianza, Avila, Rosario, Wisler and Cruz all possibly departing.

Many decisions will be made on how confident the team is with the players in the system as well as the availability and cost of free agents or trade targets

It will be very interesting to see how all this plays out...

While Cruz has definitely been a huge plus in the lineup over the past couple of seasons, I feel this is the easiest place for the Twins to save money without a major hit to their offense. We have quite a few good young bats in the system. They "seem" as if they can hit for power and average. Again, not as much as Cruz has in the past couple of years, but not an automatic out. They would be an inexpensive option so we could spend money elsewhere. plus it is a reasonable way for the Twins to give every day players a bit of a day off. While it is unknown how these young players would perform in the big leagues, it is also unknown how much longer Cruz can play like a 20 year old.

I think it is a good move.

Is gonna be interesting, Matt. Count me among those who tend to agree with what you are saying. Would be happy with Rooker/Sano getting a lot of the DH at bats with others penciled in once in awhile when needing some rest.

The route suggested is what many teams have done over recent years, and normally is done when no true DH can be found.  For whatever reason many players perform worse as a DH than when they play the field.  I am one that thinks if you have a guy that performs well as a DH you should stick with them, and not shuffle so many guys into that roll for a game or two, for rest purposes.  I also find it unlikely too many players bats, save sano or rooker, that will be worth resting on defense but keeping bat in on offense.  

It is a option if Twins feel the need to save money and get younger guys at bats and would not be opposed to it. 

I'm not a big fan of pursuing a DH. If one materializes on your roster, than use him as "the" DH as Sano might become someday. I like rotating guys to DH. Breaks the routine, concentrate just on hitting, injury relief, whatever. I think it helps keep everybody's batting eye in tune. But it's hard to argue with a guy who can mash as a DH everyday. Is that guy still Nellie Cruz?

 Cruz's       leadership is invaluable, we can`t replace it w/ an expensive bat. So if can`t resign Cruz, I agree w/ you that there shouldn't be a set DH but used it   to rotate       to   our strategical advantage & get bats in the line up 

I think it's a reasonable option if they can't work out a mutually acceptable deal on Cruz. Nelson Cruz is special and worth allocating a position to...not a lot of other guys that are worth that that the Twins could likely bring in. And his intangibles as a clubhouse leader play into that, and why he's maybe worth more to the Twins than to others.

With Rooker, Kirilloff, and Larnach pushing for ABs, this is not a bad option. I have a fair amount of faith in the FO these days, so I think they'll be considering this seriously as they make all of their calculations.

A rotation of many players in the DH position would work. However, we do need to consider whether Cruz still has life. If the answer is yes, sign him back into his slot and if he falls off the Earth there should still be players to rotate in his absence.

Signing Cruz is more than just a gesture of thanks for his last two years, but rather a bet on 2021. Sometimes you need to push in.

I honestly have never seen a lineup that I liked this idea but with Rooker, Krilloff and Garver all able to play first and Sano looking more like a true DH every day I think this might actually work> 2 of the 4 man 1st and DH and Rooker and Krilloff can both play outfield until the natural position for all is found.

I generally concur with the article. Cruz is a special talent, but given his age I don't think the Twins should go beyond one year. To me, the issue is whether Sano can eventually play a respectable first base. If he can't, they will need to keep the DH spot open so he can get his at bats.

I would like to see Sano traded and Cruz signed for 1 year with a team option for a second year. Then sign him as an assistant hitting coach.

I do not think that they can pay Cruz what he wants and the same is probably true with Ozuna and those are the only two I would want to see at full time DH.  I really like having Kiriloff, Rooker, Larnach alternating at DH and LF.  And I hope they really come through because the loss of Eddie and Nelson really weakens our lineup.  Who moves up to 3/4 - I am not a Max Kepler fan - Sano's Ks are not acceptable for me.  If Garver is back to form he can be there.  But this lineup is not going to give us what we have come to expect. 

Put Kirilloff in the 3 hole, with Donaldson right behind him. Both of these guys will take a walk but are not afraid to swing on any count.

Rotate players through the DH that at their best projections and performances regarding left/right are significantly worse than Cruz. 

Sure. That is a great idea. I am totally sold by all the arguments.

Make room for extra at bats that will perform signigicantly worse.

Yup.

That is a better fit, for sure.

Opening the season:

Garver/Jeffers catching. But Garver can play 1B and also DH.

Sano at 1B. But Sano, for all intents and purpose, would be the long-term DH of the future who can also play 3B.

Rooker. Corner outfield. Possible 1B. Possible fulltime DH.

Kirilloff. Corner outfielder. Also called a first baseman. Doesn't need to DH.

Donaldson. 3rd baseman. Because of his contract and age, will he switch to, say, 1st base, or need to be only a DH?

You got five guys for 1B/3B/Corner OF/DH. Not to mention fill-ins if someone NEEDS to not be in the field. Not taking into account keeping a Jake Cave. And Trevor Larnach is in the wings, looking for work, too.

That is where 2 years for Cruz becomes problematic. 

And Sano is still the dark horse/elephant in the room. Will he produce, or will he just be...okay. We all want HIM to be the next David Ortiz. Admit it!

No Cruz and no Rosario? We'd better get back to the days of the piranhas to have more baserunners to score. Sano struck out last year half his at bats. After Kepler hit home runs his first two at bats, there weren't many more of them. Donaldson couldn't stay on the field. Garver was cold as a codfish soaked in lye. Matthew Taylor's points about staying fresh and Cruz's age are well made, but if the Twins go that way they had better hope that a platoon can produce without Rosario's explosiveness and Cruz's steadiness in the lineup.