Physics Guy

The 2015 Twins Organization Discussion is up on Minor League Ball http://www.minorleagueball.com/2014/10/14/6975889/minnesota-twins-organization-discussion-for-2015

Please clarify. I don't think you typed what you meant.

The big issue is that we have another SS who can hit better than .250 and has some pop. It's not a bad problem for the Twins, but I don't think it necessarily is good for Santana.

I don't understand why people continue to express skepticism of Santana's ability to play SS. I saw nothing in the games I watched that tell me he can't play SS. He has the speed to have good range and has a stronger arm than Escobar. He's not as polished as Eddie and Escobar may be the steadier player, but Santana has a higher upside defensively than Escobar, IMHO. If the Twins decide they need him in the OF next year for the short term, I can live with it, but eventually needs to be at SS. I want my middle of the diamond defense to be Santana, Dozier and Buxton by 2016.

Just thought I would share this article about Jackie Bradley Jr. and Xander Bogaerts. Seems to mirror Hicks a bit. http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2014/08/22/red-sox-made-rookie-mistakes-with-bogaerts-bradley/UU8BvcvtLgZNHCaonEIdoO/story.html

Bonnes leaked it on KFAN. Sounds like a Wild Daily/Journal site is in the works!

Hicks is clearly one of the more perplexing players on the Twins roster. I agree with many that his floor is most likely a 4th OF. He can play all three OF positions and has the ability to get on base. If that is what he becomes, I will be disappointed. I hope that a new manager can light a fire under him and get him to achieve closer to what we all hope he can be. He was most likely promoted too early in his career. He has proven multiple times that he is slow to adjust when he moves up. Not only did he move up, but he did so from AA originally. Hindsight tells us that was a very bad decision. Bringing in a stopgap CF after trading Span and Revere would have been the smart thing to do. I still don't have a problem with the trades, Meyer and May should be in the rotation at some point this year. I would like the new manager to start Hicks in CF next year if he deems Hicks ready to handle it. I could see a partial platoon with Schaefer to help build Hicks' confidence. Schafer bats from Hicks' weakside and posted a .681 OPS against RHP last year. Start Schafer against the better RHP on occasion, maybe 20-30 starts. Schafer can get additional starts in LF and RF to give those players a break and be a defensive sub there as well. Hicks is still young, he will be 25 all of next season. I still hold out hope he can be a .750 - .800 OPS OF. If so, he can play in the corners when Buxton is promoted. If not he becomes the 4th OF. Yes, he needs to do more than just walk.

Sano and Meyer would have been picked as the most likely going into ST last year. I'm sure nobody had Santana or Vargas as possibilities. Who are the possibilities next year? Sano and Meyer are the two obvious options. My guess is that Buxton may burn up his rookie eligibility this year, but not spend enough time to make the list. Rosario and Berrios?

It worked fine for Cabrera. The Nats did it with Rendon. Why can't it work? I see Sano progressing defensively much like Cabrera. He'll be athletic enough to play OF for a year or two. Be serviceable at 3B for a few years and then move to 1B. Plouffe didn't start at 3B. He moved around until Valencia bombed out and we had a need at 3B. He's developed into a decent 3B after making it to the majors and bouncing around. I don't see why it's a problem. Yes, ideally 3B would be open when Sano is ready and we slot him in. When was the last season things were ideal. I'm starting to second guess my stance on Santana also. I was pushing for Santana to be at SS, but now I'm reconsidering. If we don't pick up anybody, I might suggest having Hicks in CF, Escobar at SS and Santana in LF. Schaefer could be worked into the mix as needed. I think I would be OK with it until one of those proved they didn't deserve their spot.

Two players in the top 20 out of a 12 team league is above average.

Not that I have seen, just speculation due to their teams' situations. Washington has Zimmerman and Strasburg nearing FA and will need to extend with a big contract for both. I think Fister is near FA also. Gio is their #4 of #5 with Roark who is a much cheaper option. Florida has proven they will trade young players before they reach FA if they are unable to get extend them. I don't think they have had much luck with Stanton so far.

I had Dozier as well and he did well for me. Santana was a big pickup for me this year. Not only did he give excellent production, he was eligible at 2B, SS and OF. That kind of production with versatility makes managing a roster much easier.

Isn't this pretty much what they did with Santana. Granted, he was still playing a more challenging defensive position. What Ryan is talking about is pretty much what Miguel Cabrera did in Florida. He started in LF because they had a 3B (Mike Lowell). He spent three season as primarily an OF until he moved back to 3B. I'm not saying that's what we do, but there are some similarities. Plouffe is not Mike Lowell, so I doubt it would happen for very long.

Hard to say since he was playing SS in New Britain at 21. He did play 25 games at 3B at Fort Myers the year before. Yes, I know you weren't really looking for an answer, but I thought I'd look it up anyways.

This year is not the time only if we don't make any changes. I don't want to wait to start winning until the young guns come up. I would rather we have a "winning" team when they come up. I don't think we are that far from being a .500 team or better. Adding a SP to the front end of the rotation would do much to get us on the right track, whether it be a trade for a guy like Gio or signing one of the top 3 FA. If you look at the BRef site, the entire group of starters were at .700 OPS or better. Our offense is on the right track. Now we just need to improve the pitching and possibly OF defense.

Agree that Escobar really doesn't deserve to lose a starting spot, but this sort of thing happens. I still believe Hicks has a higher ceiling than Escobar (but also a lower floor) and I think the defense with Hicks in CF and Santana at SS is better than Santana in CF and Esco at SS. Plus having Esco as the utility IF makes us stronger defensively. I could very easily see either scenario happening in April. I think the 10th starter role is a great spot for him.

Back to trading for Gio. Assuming they would want a 2B for Gio, what do people think about trading Dozier for him? I'd hate to trade him, but with Escobar as a stopgap and Polanco not to far off it might be palatable. I'd rather see a package built around Escobar, but not sure that would interest the Nats. How about Escobar, Kepler and Thorpe for Gio.

They moved him to 2B because Danny Espinosa has become a brutal hitter and Zimmerman was blocking him at 3B. I think they now realize that Zimmerman can't handle 3B physically. My guess is they let LaRoche go and put Zimmerman at 1B.

I also would like them to get Gio, but they really don't need a 3B. Rendon will be playing 3B for them for awhile. 2B is their biggest weakness. Gio has been one of the targets I like, but I'm not sure how we come up with a package they would go for without trading Dozier. I'm not sure Escobar and prospects is enough.

1.5 x 100 total or 1.5x 20M/yr? I can see the $150, not the $30M.

Yep, misread what you wrote. He struggled more as a lefthanded hitter, which would be against RHP. He should sit against the better RHP. The problem is we don't really have a good LHB to sub in for him. It's too bad Hicks has the same platoon problem that Esco has. Otherwise maybe a Santana at CF/SS and Esco/Hicks platoon would be a short-term answer. The problem is, I wouldn't want someboy regularly switching off between SS and CF. Doesn't seem too great for development. Since you mentioned it for Escobar, I looked up some numbers for a few other pertinent players. Santana was good from both sides of the plate, although slightly better as a lefty. Escobar was much better as a righty. Plouffe has improved his platoon splits and is no longer a liability vs RHP. The one that shocked me was Hicks. I knew he was much better from the right side, but this is crazy: vs RHP .178 BA/.300 OBP/.212 SLG vs LHP .279 BA/.410 OBP/.382 SLG

If they are lighting it up, that indicates they are ready. I would hope the Twins would find space to use them.

I think you misconstrued what I was talking about. I was referring to the chatter on our forums, not specifically on whether they will/will not be called up. I contend that the "noise" on the forums will be directly related to how the guys on the big leauge team are doing. If Plouffe, Hicks and Arcia are all playing well, I don't think there will be as many pushing for call up Sano and Buxton right away. If all three are stinking up the joint, everybody will want them up. I want Sano and Buxton to come up when they are ready to contribute.

I would say that depends on what Plouffe, Hicks and Arcia are doing at that point. The Twins' record would have a big part in that also. I hope that the forums are "quiet" on the issue and they can call Buxton and Sano up when they are truly ready and the Twins have a need.

It seems as though you are very skeptical of Santana's ability. I've seen similar comments on other threads from you. What are you seeing that leads you to believe this? I would agree that Escobar is a more accomplished SS at this stage in his career. I think Santana has the potential to be much better. He has both the range and arm necessary to be an elite defender. Although he didn't play a ton at SS this year, the "eye test" for him tells me he has good hands also. Consistency seems to be his biggest issue, sometimes making spectacular plays but then missing the routine ones. Florimon was much the same when he first came up and he turned out to be an above average fielder. I wouldn't say he's better than Escobar at this point, but I would sure like to give him the chance.