also available at www.SethSpeaks.net –
It is being stressed by the Twins announcers throughout this game that Mike Redmond hasn’t played in a couple of days due to a sore shoulder.
Anyone else think “Sore Shoulder” is code word for “We need to make a roster move after this game, Morales is playing great, we don’t want to send other people down, so we are going to put Redmond on the Disabled List retroactive to his last game played, so that in a week or so when Jose Morales comes back down to earth, we can send him down to Rochester at that time, rather than now?”
In reality, it is very smart strategy. Here are the options to be involved in a transaction to bring back Joe Mauer:
Jose Morales – I don’t think anyone wants to send Jose Morales to the minor leagues right now. He is one of the Twins top two or three hitters right now. That will not be maintained. He still needs to work on his defense, but is no longer completely inept. Morales could catch some, but at this point, he could serve as the DH with Jason Kubel getting more time in the OF.
Mike Redmond – I have read some people say that the Twins should release Redmond completely. That is the worst idea yet. Again, if he were to be released, he would be picked up nearly immediately. Then what happens when Morales inevitable regresses, or even worse, if Mauer needed to spend more time on the disabled list. Are you comfortable with Morales and Butera as the Twins catchers?
Brian Buscher – He’s barely playing now. He can play 1B and 3B as well as DH and pinch hit. The Twins have other options for each of those positions. Buscher has options remaining.
Carlos Gomez – World of talent, just really can’t hit right now. He needs to play every day, and over the last week to ten days, he has not played much for the Twins (even before he went to Florida to be with his wife during the birth of their first child. Sending Gomez down makes complete sense on so many levels.
What will (probably) happen? I think that after the game the Twins will announce that Joe Mauer is being activated and Mike Redmond is being put on the Disabled List.
What should happen? The Twins should activate Joe Mauer and put Mike Redmond on the Disabled List. AND they should option Carlos Gomez to Rochester and promote Jason Pridie to the Twins.
What do you think? Comment here.
SethSpeaks.net 
I agree, but maybe Hughes over Pridie, but I’m not sure.
I’m in the cut Redmond camp, but DL for now makes sense. As for if Mauer gets hurt, I’m not sure Morales/Butera is significantly worse than Morales/Redmond.
There is no way that Morales DHs when Mauer is in the lineup at Catcher … provided Redmond is placed on the DL.
I think Gardenhire has a mini-stroke when he DHs Mauer and their is only one other catcher on the roster. He certainly isn’t going to do it so Mauer can get some squatting time with Morales as the DH.
Furthermore, I don’t think it will work the other way either. On Monday, Morales was awful at just receiving some of Scott Bakers pitches and at least one run was scored as a result.
I don’t disagree with what you are indicating as to what the roster move will be … but it is likely that it will not result in both catchers being in the lineup together.
Isn’t Gomez gone to be with his wife during the birth of their child? That’s kind of a cold way to congratulate the new daddy…..”Congrats Carlos….here’s a cigar….but go smoke it in Rochester!”
He probably could use the time at Rochester, but it’s bad timing.
Here is the catch with the Gomez thing:
a. he is the best defensive CF in the AL.
b. he had a lot on his mind with the birth of his first child (and at 23, he is practically a child himself) in a foreign country to boot.
c. he has been riding the pine too much
how much of his performance is due to b and c? We’ll find out. And Pridie is actually a worse player than Gomez any day. He has a .286 OBP in Rochester.
If one player might need to go to the minors to clear up his mind, it might be Casilla. His numbers are worse than Gomez’ at this point. And Harris needs to be in there the way he has been hitting. Getting Casilla down and bring Hughes up might be better, if a shake up is needed…
Thrylos – Because of C alone, he should be in AAA. I only say Pridie because, he would be a 5th Outfielder and play even less than Gomez does now. I’d rather have Gomez playing and Pridie sitting on the bench.
Again, Hughes may be the better player than Pridie, but if that player called up is only going to see the field once or twice a week, I’d rather have the better player actually playing.
Seth,
this is all fine for a team that prioritizes developing players over winning now. The Twins are contenders at this point of their existence and should start thinking more like contenders than the way they were thinking in the late 90s. The goal is to have the best 25 players in the majors and the best 9 playing every day. There is no reason that should not be done.
Thrylos – That’s fair IF you believe that the bench player who will now play just once a week will perform in a bench role. Not all players are bench player. A 23 year old with a high ceiling should never be a bench player. A 26 year old who is solid and can perform in a limited role and maybe play a couple of positions and won’t complain about only playing once a week, is a guy who should be a bench player.
I think that Gomez should play mostly every day, Young should play mostly every day and Span should play mostly every day. Cuddyer can play 3-4 days a week when the others rest. It’s not like he is hitting much better than Young or Gomez at this point.
Great post Seth.
I’ve been thinking about the “good” problem of having such a deep bench a lot lately.
Here are some thoughts:
Jason Kubel should play every day (as he pretty much has lately)
Brendan Harris should play most days and possibly every day.
Denard Span should play every day.
Gomez should be send down in a couple weeks if things don’t pick up offensively.
Casilla and Young TBD…
Keep Redmond!!!! He has proven himself.
-stu
I actually think sending Gomez down would not be a good idea at all. I do agree with both thrylos98 and Seth though and both of you make good points. If Gomez is going to sit as much as he has in the past week there is no use for him on the major league club. You can’t have a player his age and with his talent sitting on the bench. He needs to develop somehow. My worry is that his mental state is just not where it needs to be either right now and that is making things worse. We all know he is going to swing crazy at times and his approach is not great but once he settles down a bit and can hit the ball on the ground and getting some bunt hits again he will be a useful everyday player. As for Cuddyer, I would ride him out as an everyday guy through the end of May and then see where he is. I think he will turn it around and be a valuable right handed bat for the Twins. He is starting to take better at bats the past 3-4 games and drawing some walks. To me this is a sign that he is going to turn the corner. I’d like to see him start squaring some balls up now and continue to take good at bats. I think he’ll be fine. Either way, things are starting to turn for the better for the Twins. I feel much better about the bullpen now as well.
Seth, Here is my problem with your analysis. You personally haven’t watched Jason Pridie or most of the other minor leaguers play, or either have 99% of your posters. You review stats and seem to think they tell the whole story. They don’t!
But, for the most part you are on track. Gomez may go to Rochester at some point, but not now.
I’m with thrylos: I’d like the Twins to try to win. Having the best players up here makes that more likely. I don’t think it hurts Hughes to have him up here playing two times a week. Hughes gives you some flexibility (in an emergency) as he can (not well defensively) also play in the infield.
That said, I’m with Seth to a certain degreee, I don’t think it matters more than a win or two over the year (unless we cut Cuddy and replace him with someone who’s OPS is over .600!).
As for the catchers, I’m convinced Butera is about the same as Redmond at this point, so I’d be ok with Red being cut when he returns from the DL.
It is entirely possible that we have four players who won’t hit half a lick this year: Cuddyer, Gomez, Casilla, and Young. Give Gardy credit, which I never do, for making changes far quicker than he ever has in the past. If this were 2008, Casilla would still be batting second, Kubel would be shocked to find himself in left field, and Harris would have played sparsely in a handful of games. Casilla and Gomez should both be sent down to play regularly and get their heads on straight, Redmond placed on the DL, Morales installed as the semi-regular DH, Harris plays 4 games out of 5, at a minimum, and Pridie brought up.
Jason Pridie? Why? The Twins need another OF like a hole in the head. I have no issue with Gomez going down to regain his confidence but why Pridie? Send Gomez down when Crain is activated.
Luke Hughes makes even less sense than anybody right now. Where would you play him? You already have one right handed infielder who isn’t getting enough playing time (Harris). That just makes no sense at all. There isn’t a spot for Hughes. Pridie, whatever I guess. The Twins are fine and Gomez will get playing time if he is up with the Twins. Pridie does nothing for us right now and neither does Hughes. The only call the Twins have to make is regarding Morales. Here are the options. DL Redmond or send Buscher down if they are going to keep 3 catchers which I think makes no sense at all. I like Buscher but he is just not getting any at bats right now so he makes the most sense. Gomez will still help this team.
I know we’re in the thick of things this year but i think the twins also have to be pragmatic. Getting Carlos Gomez playing time so he can develop into the player he could be should be the paramount concern, not winning this year. I find it hard to believe that Carlos Gomez is going to be the difference between winning this year and not – so much more rides on arms in the bullpen, the starters etc. What i’m most interested in is getting Gomez regular PT in a situation where there’s less pressure (and can there be more pressure than outfield for the twins now? if you have three bad games its to the bench with you if your name isn’t span or cuddyer). yeah gomez isn’t going to be happy going to the minors but either was span. he used it as incentive to step up his game.
so if you buy my argument that gomez is not exactly crucial to this year (he would help, i’m not saying that, but he isn’t crucial) i want him down in the minors. if someone gets hurt or he plays himself into a promotion, so much the better. if not, he gets time to put all that potential together. My #1 concern (and dream) is that next year, opening day at Target Field the lineup goes Span, Gomez, Mauer, Morneau, Kubel. Gomez would be a great #2 hitter – he doesn’t have to try to coax a ton of walks since he’s not leading off, he gets a ton of good pitches to hit because he’s in front of the M&M boys and his speed, bunting ability and power potential are in full effect. That lineup would be sick.
also he breaks up all those lefties in a row a bit.