Bill Brown69

Buxton Kepler Cruz Sano Kirilloff Donaldson Polanco Catcher Simmons Subject to change on who is pitching and who is hot but I would give the top 2 at least 15 games off the start to see how they do.

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.

Part of this conversation is why I think Kepler is a perfect #2 guy. Hit a ton of doubles from there and then someone with an eye like a young Mauer to take a walk so they can have the DP set up but it also makes for 3 run homers

I don't have it right now but look at how many years the guy hitting behind Walker led the league in RBI. He was an elite baserunner from an instinct point and was standing on second average of about 65 times a year.

They pay the front office to make these decisions. I am really not sure I would offer either a long term deal right now. They might have hit 2 homers on Keplar and Polanco over the winter. This winter lets hit 2 more but it is their decision on who to bet on.

I actually hope he plays nearly every game from here on out. Give a little rest to everyone else and get them fresh for postseason.

He got us 5 wins or more on something banned. We can look at this like he cost us the postseason or we can look at it like he gave us the postseason.

I am not sure on that or this. They have a decent chance of getting 5 over 30

If the price is bearable I LOVE IT

First off Doc, thank you for the sight you give. I have mentioned before that my Dad was a Minor League catcher. If he would have had my stick or I would have had his glove,,,,,,,,,unknown. Hundreds and beyond hours of picking his brain, trying to learn the game from his side. Tiny things that make or break a player. That is why after 15 years of getting a check of some sort he spent the next 15 coaching youth baseball. His retirement from that was based only on not wanting to seem biased one way or the other on me.(or he was afraid of what home life would be if he did the right thing and I was the backup!) Somewhere in the 80's (I was done) he told me I had come over to watch a game. I went and watched with him. No idea, but Carlton Fisk was catching for the White Sox. About the 7th inning he looked at me and said "now you know why he is the best catcher ever" Dad was a huge fan of the big red machine in the 70's. ???? What about Bench I asked. His reply was Bench had a stick and the arm with a flair but give me Fisk every day. Joe Mauer is the only guy I have ever seen who Dad might have liked better. From all those hours of gleaning info and all the other things I have learned to look for IMHO Joe was the best catcher I have ever seen. I was born in 69 so I have seen a few good ones and a few HOF's Side note, I asked Dad who was the best he ever played against. Took him about 1/10th of a second to say Frank Howard. I asked him who was the best player ever and it took him about the same amount of time to say Stan Musial. Good luck Joe, you did us proud!!!

The best swing since George Brett!

Being left handed might hurt him some in those positions. I ABSOLUTELY do not think anything involved with 1st is a good idea. He is a very good fielding outfielder whose bat is starting to be a bit suspect, maybe. Put him at 1st and his bat becomes very suspect instantly and his defense is not nearly as valued. I have thought a ton of Max since the first 20 games I have seen him. I have touted him as a left handed version of Ellis Burks(50+ war career) So far he has not lived up to what I thought I saw but he needs to stay in the outfield. If he gets beat out and becomes a 4th OF, well that isn't the worst problem in the world.

Since 2012 he has played in at least 120 games every year. There is where manager comes in. I posted 120 games at 1B and 0 at DH. 120+ bench bat for 42!

I want Mauer back. Actually I want the old Mauer back but that doesn't seem realistic. I hope he doesn't even mentally flirt with the idea of 12 mil per year. More like a 2 year at 15-18 Mil total. 120 games at first next year, none as DH. The second year if Rooker is ready and Austin improves then maybe we have a quandary. For next year I don't see either ready to take over full time with a glove. Austin could get 100+ games as DH and have Joe help him with his glove work. Joe could go out as the best in Minnesota history, all he has to do now is be a player on a WS team and groom one of those 2 into a gold glove 1B!

I agree with both of the above posts. I can't believe how many of MLB players can't run the bases or slide properly! If you are going to use the opener concept it should be for 2 innings. I get the part about giving the "primary" a clean inning but the opener has to give you 2 for me to think it works.