Twins AFL Report - Week 1: Royce Rollin'

Makes sense to move Lewis around, as Polanco is going to stay in the line-up and Arraez looks like the second baseman. Lewis is still likely a year away, at which point Cron's contract expires, and they could move Sano to first and Lewis plays third. Or, if Buxton can't get past his chronic injury issues, he could be in the outfield.

Thanks, Steve.

I recall hearing several years ago that a high percentage of players from the AFL go on to play in the big leagues the following year.  Don't remember the percentage, but it was higher than I would have guessed.  With Lewis beginning his fall as one of the stars, seems like there is a good chance he will be in Minnesota sometime in 2020.  But where will it be on the diamond?

The AFL also provides him the opportunity to shine and move up in those national rankings.

I like Rortvedt; hope he can end up hitting enough to make it. The defensive tools are there, i think. But Jeffers may already have passed him in the organizational rankings because of his bat. That said, it's nice to have to prospects moving up in the catching ranks again; it was pretty empty there for a while!

Chalmers is really interesting. If he can keep the BBs to a manageable number, he could rise really quickly. There's no question he's got the stuff, but whether he can control it enough to be a real starter will be his question until he proves it. If he gets that bb/9 in around 3.5 he's going to be scary. If he's hanging around 6, it won't matter how nasty the stuff is, because no one will bother swinging at it until he grooves one. nice start in the AFL, glad to see him getting some work there.

I like Rortvedt; hope he can end up hitting enough to make it. The defensive tools are there, i think. But Jeffers may already have passed him in the organizational rankings because of his bat. That said, it's nice to have to prospects moving up in the catching ranks again; it was pretty empty there for a while!

 

Chalmers is really interesting. If he can keep the BBs to a manageable number, he could rise really quickly. There's no question he's got the stuff, but whether he can control it enough to be a real starter will be his question until he proves it. If he gets that bb/9 in around 3.5 he's going to be scary. If he's hanging around 6, it won't matter how nasty the stuff is, because no one will bother swinging at it until he grooves one. nice start in the AFL, glad to see him getting some work there.

I don't know how one can say that Jeffers has passed Rortvedt.  Wasn't Rortvedt moved up to AA well before Jeffers?  And he hit well there until he started battling the injuries.  If I recall, Jeffers made the move around the time Rortvedt was battling his injuries before missing the later part of the season?  

I don't know which will end up being the better Twin, but suspect both will eventually play in the major leagues.  The future for either with the Twins appears to be as Garver's backup, playing about +40% of the time.  Although either could fill that role by 2021, expect you are right and Rortvedt's bat will have to improve, whereas, Jeffers will need to improve his D.  

1] Chalmers is exactly the kind of flier this FO should have picked up. Re-built arm, new lease on life, new organization, he could be gone after 2020. But he could also gain better control and finish next season rocking AA ball and be in the conversation for 2021.

2] With all of his athleticism and pure potential, I love Lewis moving around in the AFL. It has nothing to do with his potential as a SS. So young, and with all his gifts, he might be rough around the edges, but the ability to play SS is absolutely there.

But Polanco continues to grow and develop at SS. And I don't care about metrics anybody wants to spout. The simple fact is he is still young, still growing in to the position, and still improving. If Lewis turns out better, FINE. But the Twins will find room for Lewis. He could turn out to be an outstanding 3B with Sano moving to 1B/DH/backup 3B.

When I first mentioned Lewis moving to 3B last season as a possible outcome, some told me it would be a waste of talent. Huh? To me that's like saying Machado or A-Rod playing 3B is a "waste". Makes no sense to me.

Tabling the idea of Lewis moving to CF to replace Buxton at some point...a maybe, but with other CF options in the system who are intriguing...Sano is fine at 3B, and probably going to continue to improve. Ditto for Polanco at SS. Then you have Arraez at 2B. Unless traded, how about Gordon at SS or 2B, or a fine utility option. Further down the list, Javier at SS/3B. Does Bechtold figure in here somewhere the next year or two?

The point being, you put the best players on the field and where they can perform the best. Haven't we all seen how much positional flexibility matters to a team? Nothing wrong with having an uber-talented infield and moving guys around.

1] Chalmers is exactly the kind of flier this FO should have picked up. Re-built arm, new lease on life, new organization, he could be gone after 2020. But he could also gain better control and finish next season rocking AA ball and be in the conversation for 2021.

2] With all of his athleticism and pure potential, I love Lewis moving around in the AFL. It has nothing to do with his potential as a SS. So young, and with all his gifts, he might be rough around the edges, but the ability to play SS is absolutely there.

But Polanco continues to grow and develop at SS. And I don't care about metrics anybody wants to spout. The simple fact is he is still young, still growing in to the position, and still improving. If Lewis turns out better, FINE. But the Twins will find room for Lewis. He could turn out to be an outstanding 3B with Sano moving to 1B/DH/backup 3B.

When I first mentioned Lewis moving to 3B last season as a possible outcome, some told me it would be a waste of talent. Huh? To me that's like saying Machado or A-Rod playing 3B is a "waste". Makes no sense to me.

Tabling the idea of Lewis moving to CF to replace Buxton at some point...a maybe, but with other CF options in the system who are intriguing...Sano is fine at 3B, and probably going to continue to improve. Ditto for Polanco at SS. Then you have Arraez at 2B. Unless traded, how about Gordon at SS or 2B, or a fine utility option. Further down the list, Javier at SS/3B. Does Bechtold figure in here somewhere the next year or two?

The point being, you put the best players on the field and where they can perform the best. Haven't we all seen how much positional flexibility matters to a team? Nothing wrong with having an uber-talented infield and moving guys around.

Jorge Polanco gets a lot of player comparisons to Jose Ramirez  IF Lewis is truly an elite defender at SS, I would fully count out the idea of Polanco shifting to 3rd ala Ramirez either.  I know Polanco's arm strength would be suspect there, but hopefully the extra range would make him passable.

Is it just me or does Lewis have a little Derek Jeter in his game? 

Is it just me or does Lewis have a little Derek Jeter in his game? 

I've seen that comp before, and he kind of looks like him and has that star quality like Jeets had, which certainly feeds into it. 

Lewis is a different kind of athlete though. 

Is it just me or does Lewis have a little Derek Jeter in his game? 

Jeter was an overrated defensive SS, so hopefully not.

Jeter was an overrated defensive SS, so hopefully not.

Jeter was overrated, but I'd pretty thrilled if he ended up being Derek Jeter.