Lineup slowly coming into focus

During the first week of the season, the Twins have seemed to be holding their breath, waiting for something to happen. It’s a team with a large core of new players from outside the organization, perhaps more new players than any Twins team in recent memory, and it will perhaps take some time to gel.

One aspect that is developing slowly is the outfield, were it has become apparent that newcomer, Josh Willingham, has a powerful bat, but is simply atrocious in the field. Over the course of his career, he has consistently provided solid power numbers for mediocre teams, and one might wonder why such a good hitter has never player on a real winner. The answer might be that a winning team cannot afford balls consistently reaching the gaps, and weak, off-target throws to wrong bases. He may wind up statistically with a few outfield assists, but simply because his arm is so frequently challenged. Ultimately, the Twins need to find a way to fit him into the DH role over the course of his 3-Year contract, at least if they have any fleeting desire to make it back to the playoffs.

Originally, the Twins had hoped to put Willingham in right field and Ben Revere in left. But not long into spring training, the club realized that Willingham was so poor with the glove that he needed to be hidden in left, considered baseball’s least essential defensive position. Ben Revere is an outstanding center fielder and left fielder, but his arm is a huge liability in right field, a position that usually employs strong-armed right-handers. Additionally, with Justin Morneau as a DH, newcomer, Ryan Doumit had become the most-regular right fielder as way to get his bat in the lineup.

There was a thought that Revere would be a late-inning replacement for Josh Willingham, but it became apparent that Ron Gardenhire wasn’t willing to subtract Willingham’s powerful bat to protect his poor glove or slow feet. Indeed, in an extra-inning ballgame, it would be foolish to take out your team’s best power hitter in a situation where one big hit can win the game. While Ben Revere is one of the Twins’ better players, they simply didn’t have enough opportunities to play him.

Thus, when Detroit’s Clete Thomas came across the waiver wire, the Twins were quick to act. Having the worst record in the league, the Twins got first pick at him and made their claim. Although the Tigers would like to have kept him, he was out-of-options and the Tigers were getting so good that roster spots and playing time was hard to come by. Over a week of games, Thomas had yet to bat, only playing for defensive purposes.

Make no mistake about it, the Twins would never trade Ben Revere for Clete Thomas. That prospect is thought almost laughable. But, Thomas is an older, more experienced player who is above average at all outfield positions, has decent speed, and is experienced as a bench player. Just as it takes a certain talent to play every day, it takes another talent to play only in key spots. Young, talented players like Revere can get rusty and impatient on the bench, often not preforming well in limited roles. That’s why the team chose to send him down, over someone like bench veteran, Sean Burroughs, who had yet to have a hit in only five at-bats.

Additionally, the team can barely afford to play Willingham in left field, and definitely could not afford two liabilities. Out of all the options the team had for right field, it was a natural position for none: Ben Revere (center), Ryan Doumit (catcher/DH), Trevor Plouffe (SS), Sean Burroughs (3B), Chris Parmelee (1B). Clete Thomas is a very average player, but not a liability in the field, at the plate or on the basepaths. The team can feel confident that he’ll cut balls off in the gaps, hit the cutoff man, and not get the bat knocked out of his hands. In a sense, he’s someone like Jamey Carroll, who’s main job is to play fundamentally forgettable baseball. He doesn’t need to be the hero, just decent and consistent.

So far in 2012, Ryan Doumit has become a surprise leader on the field with fiery play and hustle. He has spent years as a lowly Pittsburgh Pirate, and it’s pretty clear that he’s used to playing a gritty style of ball against much better teams. Problem is, much like Josh Willingham, he is a liability in the field and would be much better served as a DH. Again, it may not be a coincidence that he’s never served as a DH, and never played on a winning team.

Chris Parmalee has played well as a rookie 1st baseman, and should be a productive major league player. That said, if the Twins want to be more than a second-rate team, they need to get Justin Morneu back out in the field or make a trade. The defense can’t afford to play both Willingham and Doumit in the field, but neither can the offense afford to take either one out of the lineup.

Hopefully, Morneau will be able to play 1B down the stretch. For now, this lineup looks pretty good and the defense is acceptable with the upgrade of Thomas in right.

1.) Span CF
2.) Carroll SS
3.) Mauer C
4.) Willingham LF
5.) Morneau 1B
6.) Doumit DH
7.) Valencia 3B
8.) Thomas RF
9.) Casilla 2B

Now, ultimately the team will want to fit Trevor Plouffe in the lineup, ideally as a right fielder. He has huge offensive potential, but still too untested to push veteran Ryan Doumit and is more raw than Clete Thomas. More vulnerable may be Alexi Casilla, who could potentially be supplemented by Plouffe or Brian Dozier, who has been hitting the cover off the ball in AAA. Soon, the Twins will need to adjust if they don’t start winning more games, and Casilla may find himself as a utility player.


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d.anderson 2012