Ty Wigginton, is too expensive..

by MagikLair on Dec 17, 2008 2:19 PM EST Comment 13 comments

According to Joe Christensen of the StarTribune. Ty Wigginton is too expensive and the Twins have not expressed any interest. I'm pissed, we need infield help and have payroll to do so. Instead we are going to stick with the same guys from last year. This is really unfortunate as we want the team to improve. Playoffs, don't talk about Playoffs I just hope we can win a game..

http://www.startribune.com/sports/twins/36274914.html?elr=KArksi8cyaiUo8cyaiUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aULPQL7PQLanchO7DiU

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It all depends on how much he upgrades the team

How much does Wigginton, signed over the next three years, improve the Twins over a Harris-Buscher platoon next year and Valencia etc coming up in a year or two? I’d like to see the team improve, and I suspect he will be worth a $7M cost next year. It’s the other two additional years where I don’t think he’ll be enough of an upgrade over in house options to be worth it.

by Adam Peterson on Dec 17, 2008 8:33 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Too expensive.......

The Twins couldn’t stomach keeping Mike Lamb around for another year, and he was cheap…..

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by rosterman on Dec 17, 2008 9:51 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

wigginton

would’ve been nice…
I just was really hoping to see the twins add someone. We almost made the playoffs with the team we had last year, but not quite. How do they expect to make the playoffs without upgrading their team? The only real reason we were so close with the team we had last year was because cleveland and detroit were mediocre. If our division gets any more competitive (which it will), then we wont be much of a contender. We really ought to pick someone up. Wigginton would be a good option at this point. I’m not sure if the twins have something else planned. But if they don’t then i am very disapointed.

by ianmader on Dec 18, 2008 11:39 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

As much as I'd like to see us add someone

it has to be someone who makes us better to a point that justifies the cost. Again, I’d rather we had addressed SS, as it is a bigger organizational black hole than 3B.

by Adam Peterson on Dec 18, 2008 5:41 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Answers

We almost made the playoffs with the team we had last year, but not quite. How do they expect to make the playoffs without upgrading their team?

Off the top of my head…
1) Improvement from young players (nearly the whole roster is younger than the traditional “prime” age of 27)
2) Full seasons of Casilla and Span
3) Full seasons of upgrades at SS and 3B (Punto over Everett, Buscher/Harris over Lamb)
4) Full season of established starting rotation, including Liriano

There are certainly reasons for pessimism (injuries, unexpected declines, regression to the mean with runners in scoring position), but it’s not at all a stretch to see the Twins improving next year even if they stand pat.

"There are only two things that are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former." - Albert Einstein

by BeefMaster on Dec 18, 2008 2:43 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

These could all make us better

but if we’re assuming full seasons from Casilla, Span, etc., we have to account for injuries to someone.

My guess is that any improvement from the sources you describe may very well be negated by our RISP regressing to the mean as a team.

by Adam Peterson on Dec 18, 2008 5:43 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I'd rather the Twins got a second basemen or shortstop anyway. Our third base situation is a lot better than the Nick Punto situation.

"You can't sit on a lead and run a few plays into the line and just kill the clock. You've got to throw the ball over the damn plate and give the other man his chance. That's why baseball is the greatest game of them all."
~ Earl Weaver
"In God we trust. All others must provide evidence."
~ Billy Beane

by AdamOnFirst on Dec 18, 2008 2:51 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

All depends on which Punto

If I were assured we’d get 2006 or 2008 offensive production from Punto, I’d be happy at SS. It’s the risk of a 2005 or 2007 repeat that scares the hell out of me.

by Adam Peterson on Dec 18, 2008 5:44 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Punto

Can’t remember where I heard this, but I heard that Punto tends to be a better hitter when he’s playing a utility role. When he has isn’t filling in a position for someone he tends to hit way worse. Wasn’t he more or less the starting 3b for the 2007 season, when he had a terrible year? I’m not sure how valid this statement is but it was something I was thinking about…

On a somewhat related note, if we keep Delmon Young and he plays well next season (20+ homeruns), then that would like getting a new player. He did bat .290 last year which is by no means bad. If he someone gets his power stroke, doesn’t swing at bad pitches, and keeps his average up, he could help this team a lot more..

by ianmader on Dec 19, 2008 1:34 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Well yeah

but if carlos gomez could hit double hisHrs next year walk twice as much and stop swinging at bad pitches he’d be pretty valuable too hell you could say that too hell you could say that about just about any player.

1941 .406

by FrozenTed9 on Dec 19, 2008 3:02 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I'd actually have more confidence in Gomez improving than Punto

Punto is more likely to regress to his career average of 70 OPS+ than he is to improve at this stage. Gomez is still only 23 and he was rushed through the Mets system. Assuming that did not permanently stunt his growth, he has considerable upside left.

"You're thinking too much. Just have fun." -- Bennie "The Jet" Rodriguez in Sandlot

by cmathewson on Dec 19, 2008 8:34 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs