One of the reasons I’m not in favor of trading Arráez is that the quality of his plate appearances are unlike those of most of the other regulars. Arráez (like Cruz, when he was on the team) takes lengthy plate appearances and see a lot of pitches. You can find a low-OBP slugger with a similar OPS+ to Arráez’, but it’s going to inject a lot more swing-and-miss into a lineup that already has too many guys in recent years for whom breaking a .300 OBP is a target, rather than a sub-basement.
The Twins’ offensive approach has been too homogenous in recent seasons, and both the production and the entertainment value it provided has suffered as a result. Too many rallies have been stuffed out by strikeouts & balls hit into the shift, and the Twins have not been particularly good at forcing starters to work harder to get their hitters out.
None of that shows up in Arráez’ fantasy stat line, of course. I hope the front office thinks more about what he does to make their lineup tougher, generate scoring opportunities, and lengthen innings with his approach at the plate.
I agree with most of what you're saying. I just don't see any other batters the Twins could trade for pitching. Everybody brings up Kepler but I just don't see him having any trade value.
Kepler has value, but it isn't much. He's due $8.5 million next year with a $1 million buyout on a $10 million option. He was worth 2.1 rWAR each of the previous two seasons (2.0 and 2.3 fWAR respectively). He might be able to bring back a mid-rotation starter that's a free agent after 2023 but that's best case.
Agreed. I would say it would be selling low on Kepler, but I am not confident that he's gonna improve much at the plate.
I mean, maybe the "shift ban" will help him a bit. But he's entering his age-30 season and pretty much is who he is at this stage: a defensively solid corner OFer with a near replacement-level bat.
Looking at the sidebar schedule, the next 5 games the Wolves and Wild play on the same day and the next two games are at the same time. They need to get their act together.
I've been complaining about this for awhile. They were same day same time earlier this week too.
They need to get their act together.
But isn't that the problem?
Two absolutely delightful soccer games today, and yet it sounds like Qatar may have treated the most prominent US soccer journalist like Jamal Khashoggi. Eff FIFA.
Luis Arraez Needs To Swing and Miss More Often
One of the reasons I’m not in favor of trading Arráez is that the quality of his plate appearances are unlike those of most of the other regulars. Arráez (like Cruz, when he was on the team) takes lengthy plate appearances and see a lot of pitches. You can find a low-OBP slugger with a similar OPS+ to Arráez’, but it’s going to inject a lot more swing-and-miss into a lineup that already has too many guys in recent years for whom breaking a .300 OBP is a target, rather than a sub-basement.
The Twins’ offensive approach has been too homogenous in recent seasons, and both the production and the entertainment value it provided has suffered as a result. Too many rallies have been stuffed out by strikeouts & balls hit into the shift, and the Twins have not been particularly good at forcing starters to work harder to get their hitters out.
None of that shows up in Arráez’ fantasy stat line, of course. I hope the front office thinks more about what he does to make their lineup tougher, generate scoring opportunities, and lengthen innings with his approach at the plate.
I agree with most of what you're saying. I just don't see any other batters the Twins could trade for pitching. Everybody brings up Kepler but I just don't see him having any trade value.
Kepler has value, but it isn't much. He's due $8.5 million next year with a $1 million buyout on a $10 million option. He was worth 2.1 rWAR each of the previous two seasons (2.0 and 2.3 fWAR respectively). He might be able to bring back a mid-rotation starter that's a free agent after 2023 but that's best case.
Agreed. I would say it would be selling low on Kepler, but I am not confident that he's gonna improve much at the plate.
I mean, maybe the "shift ban" will help him a bit. But he's entering his age-30 season and pretty much is who he is at this stage: a defensively solid corner OFer with a near replacement-level bat.
Looking at the sidebar schedule, the next 5 games the Wolves and Wild play on the same day and the next two games are at the same time. They need to get their act together.
I've been complaining about this for awhile. They were same day same time earlier this week too.
They need to get their act together.
But isn't that the problem?
Two absolutely delightful soccer games today, and yet it sounds like Qatar may have treated the most prominent US soccer journalist like Jamal Khashoggi. Eff FIFA.
DLo with an insane 4th quarter.