Article: Keep Playing? Oswaldo Arcia Continues To Battle Injuries In Venezuela

[Parker Hageman]

With the round robin postseason set to begin for the Liga Venezuela Beisbol Profesional, Minnesota Twins outfielder Oswaldo Arcia remains sidelined with a back injury. Should one of the organization's best power threats continue to play out the winter season?UPDATE [1/12]: Oswaldo Arcia, who was expected to return to action this past Saturday, has not reported back to his team and will sit out the remainder of the postseason. Last week Arcia had informed his team that he was ready to play but requested Thursday and Friday off due to "family commitments". Arcia however did not connect with the team on Saturday nor Sunday. Arcia's manager in Venezuela speculated that his unexpected absence was likely related to his lingering back injury.

 

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Yesterday, ElEmergente.com speculated that Arcia could be out for the team's 14-game postseason. Today, Pedro Mena, the general manager of Arica's team, Caribes de Anzoategui, told ElEmergente.com that the team is waiting to see how Arcia's back responds before considering him out for the postseason. "The idea is to rest but I think in a couple of days at least [he] could be with the team," said Mena.

 

This is the second injury that has plagued Arcia this winter. In December, he encountered a tendon issue in his right hand which kept him out of the lineup for several days. In January, it was reported that a back injury had kept him out of the lineup and would be out for "five or six days". The Twins have a history of injuries in the winter leagues, most notably Miguel Sano in 2013 who strained his UCL while playing in the Dominican. This season, the Twins denied pitcher Jose Berrios the opportunity to pitch in Puerto Rico. Obviously, pitchers are handled differently than position players.

 

Overall, if Arcia sits out the rest of the season, he will miss 14 to 20 games. In 33 games this winter, he has hit .270/.377/.539 with 7 home runs and gained some experience in left field -- the position the Twins have slated him for 2015.

 

 

What do you think? Should Arcia attempt to play in the offseason or remain on the bench to ensure he is healthy for spring training?

 

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[Kirby_waved_at_me]

JB's point about Arcia's nagging injuries is a good one - I lean towards saying let him play, but I guess if sitting him will help him heal fully, that will be better for Arcia and for the Twins in the long run.

 

If letting him rest will improve his defense at all . . . then yes, rest!

[Seth Stohs]

Rest... the way he swings, a back injury is a little scary. The Twins should step in, in my opinion. His bat is what gives us all hope for him and his power can be elite. Take care of your back!!

[Parker Hageman]

JB's point about Arcia's nagging injuries is a good one - I lean towards saying let him play, but I guess if sitting him will help him heal fully, that will be better for Arcia and for the Twins in the long run.

 

 

Truthfully I think it is difficult to gauge when not following the team on a regular basis. I don't know if the Twins have contacts following the team and providing updates [that's a good question for JACK GOIN] but if I am the front office, I might be more inclined to encourage Arcia sit out the rest of the year. 

 

Again, if it is mild and he's 90-to-100% when he returns to play, great. But I do wonder if the urge to play in the postseason in front of his family/friends/countrymen would make him try to play again at less than that. 

[JB_Iowa]

Back problems also plagued Arcia during the 2014 season, so it's concerning that they have lingered into the winter.  http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/9342/

 

I had forgotten this.

 

But also, since Dec. 10, he has only played in a handful of games and hasn't taken BP that much.

 

While playing in the post season might be good for his mind, I don't think it would be good for his body,

[Sam Morley]

Even if he was totally healthy, I still would think it is crazy for him to play baseball in the offseason. The MLB season is so long and grueling and taxing on a body. Take all the rest you can get. Train, stay in shape, hit BP, but don't compete.

[Parker Hageman]

Back problems also plagued Arcia during the 2014 season, so it's concerning that they have lingered into the winter.

 

 

I'm surprised the Twins haven't stepped in. 

 

Even if he was totally healthy, I still would think it is crazy for him to play baseball in the offseason.

 

 

That's my feelings on this. I get that he needs to improve in areas and that's probably the benefit of additional time but, man, he's someone you want at 100% for next season. 

[Sam Morley]

How often do other established major leaguers do this?

[Mike Sixel]

Rest. If healthy, go shag balls in LF someplace. But rest.

[Parker Hageman]

How often do other established major leaguers do this?

 

 

Certainly not a lot of players who have multi-year contracts. I don't know what constitutes "established" but players like the Cubs' Junior Lake (580 MLB PA over last two seasons) go to play -- those that may need to work on a couple of things.

[Kirby_waved_at_me]

How often do other established major leaguers do this?

Carlos Beltran played a few years back when he was still in his prime. It's more common for a great player to go home to play winter ball than for a star to go to another country to play what amounts to an exhibition. 

 

Bobby Abreu played winter ball the year before he retired to show MLB teams he could still play.

 

I think Arcia is just on the cusp of "established" even though he's been with the Twins for awhile now. He's still very young.

[John Bonnes]

I'll go Bad News Bears on the bit....

 

"Let him play! Let him play!"

 

(Provided he feels up to it.)

[Parker Hageman]

Rest. If healthy, go shag balls in LF someplace. But rest.

 

 

Yes. The outfield defense definitely needs work. I like what Molitor said about his defense during the winter meeting:

 

I watched how Scottie worked with him last year in the outfield, and they’ll go out there in right field and Scottie will hit balls in corner and say this ball is a double. Your objective is not to play it into a triple. During the game someone will hit it down the line and he’ll try to slide and stop the ball before it gets into the corner and it turns a double into a triple.

Some of it is just controlling. We talk about having control of your emotions in the batter’s box, on the bases, on the mound, in the outfield and making the play. I think he’s an emotional guy that sometimes situations and things get away from him. Part of that is your judgment on when to try to make a play and when not to try to make a play. We all know there is a time to dive for a ball and a time when okay we’ll give up the single, but I can’t let this guy get a triple. But he’s learning that. He works at it. I think like you said earlier, he wants to be more than just a slugger.

 

[Linus]

OK - am I the only one who is starting to get a little worried that there is an injury history developing here?  I realize he is still young and I don't know what his minor league health history was but since he has been in the big leagues he has frequently been injured.  And this is at an age where you would think he would be resilient.....

[TwinsMasochist]

With a violent, powerful swing like his I would definitely rest him. Lay low until ST and get right.  

[Dantes929]

Arcia has a great swing that is powerful but does not need to be violent.  Trying to pull 500 foot home runs is counterproductive.   Step toward the pitcher and take a good controlled swing.   Much like when Koufax dialed back the effort on his fastball in order to control it Arcia needs to dial back his swing.    It is just too sweet not to hit for average as well as power and quite possibly it doesn't need the effort that causes back problems.   Objective should be better and more frequent contact and he will hit more homers with less effort even if they are not the tape measure variety.  Maybe Ernie Els is the guy he should emulate.   I honestly think he can bat .300 and hit 30 homers. 

[Parker Hageman]

Arcia has a great swing that is powerful but does not need to be violent.

 

 

I don't know if it is a "great" swing but it has power. This past September when everyone stopped caring about Twins baseball, I looked at his swing and the changes he's been trying to make:

 

http://twinsdaily.com/_/minnesota-twins-news/minnesota-twins/twins-trying-to-make-oswaldo-arcia-a-complete-hitter-r3045

 

But there's more:

 

http://twinsdaily.com/_/minnesota-twins-news/minnesota-twins/oswaldo-arcia-and-crushing-in-august-r3001

 

I'm hoping he develops to his potential but there are flaws in his mechanics that have hindered him. 

[Old Twins Cap]

Watch him run sometime.  It's like a guy who is running in glue and fighting to advance.  He is extremely muscle-bound.  Not lumbering exactly but way over produced.   My prediction is that he will have a hard time staying on the field and in the lineup.  Might make a great trade candidate if he looks like a true slugger with bad luck injuries.  At 23, life should be about fluidity.  He seems like a dancer ossifying into a statue.

[Dantes929]

.917 career OPS in the minors on the back of a .314 average.   His power has developed as a result of his physique.  I am guessing his average has regressed as a result of his psyche.   A beautiful swing and having flaws in mechanics or weak zones are not necessarily mutually exclusive.    I believe the productive swing of the minors is still in there and the flaws have been a result of falling too much in love with distance.     " but Arcia’s previous swing seems to give him more balance, which could translate to handling being pitched away better, and greater opportunity for pitch recognition." quote  from your article tells me the skill needs honing but just the eye test tells me the talent is there..   I stand by "great swing".

[Parker Hageman]

.917 career OPS in the minors on the back of a .314 average.   His power has developed as a result of his physique.  I am guessing his average has regressed as a result of his psyche.

 

 

Those might be factored in somewhat but, ultimately, his swing from the minors to the major is different:

 

http://i.imgur.com/AoaBdR0.gif

 

http://i.imgur.com/4IOzAsG.gif

 

As such, the results are going to be different. 

 

Maybe I'm taking exception to the label of "great" considering Arcia is in the lineup with Joe Mauer and if Arcia has a "great" swing, where are we classifying Mauer's? 

 

Bottom line is I agree that Arcia has the ability to put a charge into the ball. The swing/mechanics need polishing. The Twins were hip to that last year and he made strides. Once those adjustments are made Arcia will find plenty of success. 

[snarkerbarnyard]

One thing I noticed right off the bat watching his different swings is how much more pronounced his hands dropping is. That's just extra movement that's making him slower, and likely a contributor to his inability to hit balls up in the zone.

 

He shouldn't necessarily drop the uppercut that makes him hit balls the way he does, just tone down the glaring hole that any pitcher from high school up would know how to exploit.

[Parker Hageman]

One thing I noticed right off the bat watching his different swings is how much more pronounced his hands dropping is.

 

 

Right, the hand drop is just one of the things the Twins were trying to correct during the season. He was unable to get to anything up in the zone because of this. 

 

I would also direct your attention to the head movement between the two swings. With the Twins, his head changes planes in a significant way. Hard to stay on the ball like that.

[Dantes929]

I am generally a fan and defender of Mauer and think he does have a great swing but don't think I am doing him any disservice by saying Arcia has a great swing also.        Mauer has a fantastic eye and great discipline.  Put those same qualities on Arcia and maybe Arcia outhits Mauer.     You are talking skill and I am talking talent.   Arcia is not a great hitter.  If he  keeps his head still, strides toward the pitcher, stops trying to pull everything and only swings at pitches he can handle and he will be a great hitter rather than just having a great swing.

[Dantes929]

Parker, sometimes when on the golf course swinging harder and harder for worse and worse results someone will mention my head is swaying which of course means other parts of my body are swaying also.   I do just that one fix of keeping my head still and now I am hitting effortless bombs.   That's with a ball just sitting there.   How much tougher to have your head moving while the ball is moving 90mph and changing both vertical and horizontal planes.  It doesn't seem like the fixes for Arcia should be that hard to make.   I still think with his bulking up he just fell in love with power at the expense of average and think that needs to be reversed since I don't think the power will leave him if he does.

[Jstevens15]

I'd like to believe that he could come back for last 7-10 games and be fine for ST but I wouldn't wanna risk it for the 23 year old. He already has a 20 home run season and he's still 23. So I'd let him progress with the season, no need for 7 winter league games

[Parker Hageman]

Per Twitter, Arcia will return to the lineup on Saturday. He's been ready but has requested Thursday/Friday off because of a death in the family:

 

https://twitter.com/Vigoto/status/553271486010908674

[Kirby_waved_at_me]

Fingers crossed and knock on wood etc etc

[JB_Iowa]

Rafael Rojas C ‏@rafaelrojasc  · 11m11 minutes ago 
Oswaldo Arcia Back with #Caribes for VZ winter league semis. Mgr had practically scratched him but team just announced return @MikeBerardino

[Parker Hageman]

Interesting note from an article on Arcia's return: Arcia was asked if the Minnesota Twins had contacted him when he was out of action. "They (Twins) have not called me, they always tell me to play far as it goes," Arcia said. "You're always waiting for a call, but so far has not happened."

 

I find it interesting that the Twins did not reach out after Arcia became hurt. He's a starter. You would think you would want to know the situation.