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Byron Buxton is expected to come off the disabled list today, raising the question of who will leave the active roster to make room for him?
My guess is Ryan LaMarre. Two reasons:
- The Twins are thinner in the infield than in the outfield;
- Part of LaMarre's perceived value is as a right-handed hitter. But with Max Kepler and Eddie Rosario hitting much better this year against lefties than in the past, there isn't as much need for that right-handed bat.
That last point deserves some specific attention. The plate appearances are quite limited, of course, but Rosario has popped four extra-base hits against lefties so far and his slugging percentage against southpaws is .481. (Just 28 plate appearance, and he has no walks against lefties so far.) Kepler, who has 30 plate appearances with the platoon disadvantage, is actually hitting better against lefties so far (OPS vs. lefties .993, vs. righties .792).
Kepler isn't likely to sustain that, but the point is: right now, Paul Molitor doesn't need to platoon either.
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Somebody told me when the Mets DFA'd Matt Harvey that the Twins had been listed as a potential "take a flier on him" possibility. That didn't make much sense, because the Twins aren't really in need of a rotation project.
They already have Phil Hughes trying to remake himself as a major league pitcher after thoratic outlet surgery. They don't need two such guys.
And unlike Harvey, Hughes
- is willing to work out of the bullpen and
- hasn't an established reputation as a jackwagon.
It's all irrelevant now, because Harvey was traded to the Cincinnati Reds. A 7.00 ERA fits pretty well with the rest of their rotation.
I was surprised the Mets got catcher Devin Mesoroco for Harvey. Not that Mesoroco is anything great, but he has more chance to be useful than Harvey does. The Mets certainly needed another catcher.
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