Understatement

by bartikuSS on Jan 14, 2011 1:48 PM EST

First off, I just wanna lead with saying how happy I am that we finally got the deal done with Thome. I was waiting for a little proof of life from our FO and this is exactly the type of signing I like to see our team make - great clubhouse guy, great ballplayer, and for a financially reasonable contract. Yes, he may not fill our gaping hole for a formidable RH bench bat, but I think its safe to say that all of Twins Territory is rejoicing that we got Jimmy Jam back.

With that being said, I just finished Joe Christensen's article on the Thome signing on the Trib website and his second to last paragraph gave me pause to say the least: "If the season started today, that bench would include Drew Butera, Matt Tolbert, Jason Repko and perhaps Trevor Plouffe or Luke Hughes."....... Yes, Thome bolsters our bench, but to say that our bench looks awfully thin beyond him is an understatement by my standards.

The purpose of this post is to reach out to my fellow Twinkie Towners to see what everyone thinks about the current state of our bench and what our best options would be moving forward to bolster our bench.

Personally, I would love to see Revere brought up early to act as our 4th OF. The guy has done everything possible in terms of proving himself in the minors and I think we can all agree his bat has to be SOME sort of an upgrade over Repko. Also, as I previously mentioned I'd love the addition of some sort of RH bat with pop that we could use to protect our Lefty heavy lineup, but looking around at the remaining FA's, I gotta say I'm not too encouraged.

Anyways, enough from me, what say you Twinkie Town?!?

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I think we'd all love to see a better bench.

But we know how the Twins operate—they reward guys who have come up through the system at the expense of professional depth. It’s worked, in general. But that doesn’t mean it will continue to work or that the Twins shouldn’t try to put together the best talent they can.

Revere, I think, will be up with the Twins at some point this season…September at the latest, obviously, but maybe earlier. For now, though, I think Rochester is the best place for him. He hasn’t spent any time there yet, and it’s probably best for his development at this point to play everyday.

by Jesse on Jan 14, 2011 1:53 PM EST reply actions

I have been the king hater of the Twins offseason this year

With this Thome signing and the eventual Pavano signing we are still no better then we were last year. What I would love to see, might actually change me to the pro Twins offseason side, are two more signings. Fuentes for the bullpen and (drum roll please!)…….Bengie Molina! I know he is looking for a starting job but if he cant find one I would for him to come in and be the back up catch for the Twins.

Having a bench of Thome/Molina/Repko/Tolbert doesn’t look so bad and with lots of soon to be major league ready talent in the minor leagues we would look pretty good.

by cmb0252 on Jan 14, 2011 2:57 PM EST reply actions

I would love a stronger backup catcher

But I think the Sweet Drew ship has sailed. I don’t think we would have traded Jose Morales if the organization wasn’t locked on Butera as a backup.

Fuentes would be nice too – hopefully he’ll be one of the late offseason bargains the Twins seem to be so good at finding.

This was a triumph
I'm making a note here - huge success

by what_would_gil_thorp_do on Jan 14, 2011 4:57 PM EST up reply actions

Yeah, this.

I was pretty disappointed when the org dished Morales, who would have provided a decent right-handed bat.

by Luke in MN on Jan 14, 2011 6:11 PM EST up reply actions

Yes, but can he catch?

With Gardy’s preference for defense at the position, I’d rather he not have too much fear of Mauer’s backup, or he might play Joe too much.

by JonathanR on Jan 15, 2011 1:54 AM EST up reply actions

Yeah, that may be.

Although, I always thought last year that I could just feel the guilt in Joe’s heart whenever Butera was up to bat while he was sitting on the bench.

I guess in the end I can’t get too worked up about the backup catcher…even if he struggles to OPS in the 600s.

by Luke in MN on Jan 15, 2011 9:31 AM EST up reply actions

He's not particularly useful as a "bat"

Guys the Twins would pinch hit Morales for:

Casilla
Nishioka (although I doubt it, at least until being given a pretty big chance to prove himself)
Pitchers

He maybe provides a bit of value as a better defensive backup first baseman (based on a really good inning last year), but if the Twins don’t trust him to catch, I don’t see much purpose in having him on the team.

"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 Jan 15, 2011 11:55 AM EST up reply actions

Yeah, but I'm suspect of this idea that Morales can't be "trusted" to catch.

But I guess Butera actually managed not to have negative WAR last year despite being one of the worst hitters in baseball with over 150 PA. So his defense must be pretty good. To me, the hitting is much more visable, and it kills me to just give away the at bats, but I guess you sort of have to just trust the org to judge the defense.

Aside from backing up catcher, I think Morales would have had a role as a DH or backup 1st baseman for a good portion of games against lefties. But I guess if the org just doesn’t want to see him catch, there’s little point.

by Luke in MN on Jan 15, 2011 6:02 PM EST up reply actions

Rob Johnson from Butte Montana

Me? Just another sheeple on the internets.

by montanatwinsfan on Jan 14, 2011 11:22 PM EST up reply actions

Agreed, but it's not enough

Personally, I would love to see Revere brought up early to act as our 4th OF. The guy has done everything possible in terms of proving himself in the minors and I think we can all agree his bat has to be SOME sort of an upgrade over Repko.

I think you’re right that Revere would probably be an upgrade over Repko. I don’t think it’s worth burning his service time for a marginal upgrade to the fifth outfielder who will probably not start even a game a week.

"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 Jan 14, 2011 4:50 PM EST reply actions

Agreed.

Also, Revere’s left handed and Repko’s not.

by Luke in MN on Jan 14, 2011 6:10 PM EST up reply actions

Revere is more valuable to the Twins playing every day in Rochester.

Sitting top prospects on the bench in the big leagues is the surest way to piss away player value.

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

by cmathewson on Jan 14, 2011 8:09 PM EST up reply actions

The Twins have quietly signed a lot of guys with MLB experience to minor league deals

Some of these guys could help this year.

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

by cmathewson on Jan 14, 2011 5:21 PM EST reply actions

Like the AAA catcher

Can’t recall his name and too lazy to look it up. I would like a better infield option than Tolbert and a better C than Butera. Neither one of those is that difficult to find.

by DJL44 on Jan 14, 2011 11:40 PM EST up reply actions

Rene Rivera and Jeff Bailey also Steve Holm but he stinks

I called it - Joe Mauer's first career Home-Run at Target Field !!!

"Matt Millen ran Barry Sanders out of town he Drove the Lions into the ground
and now he acts as if he is a know it all NFL analyst" -favre

by SteveHoffmanSlowey on Jan 16, 2011 6:53 PM EST up reply actions

I'd still like Doumit

See the post “Depth Depth…”

Bloomquist signed with the Diamondbacks and with Thome signed, I don’t see them signing Cantu anymore. But we could still make a Trade for Ryan Doumit for Catcher/1B and righthanded hitting bench help.

by twinssniwt on Jan 15, 2011 12:07 AM EST reply actions

Good hitting middle infielder

I think the Twins should try and acquire a good hitting m/inf. Danny Espinosa, Jed Lowrie, Mike Aviles, Alberto Callaspo, Jeff Keppinger. Some of these guys aren’t the greatest fielders, but they all have pretty good pop with the bat. Most of these guys’ contract situation the Twins could handle and a player along this calibre would really enhance our bench and depth. Heck, there’s a good chance one of these guys would become a stater if Casilla or Nishioka falter. Maybe to much to trade to get one of these guys, so maybe L Hughes or Plouffe has to come through for us. I don’t like the depth we get from Tolbert. But by adding somebody along these lines gives us some pretty good options on game day.

by rico7961 on Jan 15, 2011 8:25 AM EST reply actions