On Monday morning, the Twins announced that they had traded Tyler Austin to the San Francisco Giants for a minor league outfielder, of whom more later. On Monday evening, Austin was in the Giants lineup as the first baseman, with Brandon Belt in left. He singled in a run, scored himself, and was pulled for defensive purposes, with Belt moving back to first and Geraldo Parra taking over left.
It's not easy for me to see the fit for Austin with the Giants. Their active roster shows just three outfielders -- Parra, Kevin Pillar and Steven Duggar. None of them figure to hit well enough to justify a prominent lineup role. It may be noteworthy that the Giants described Austin as a "first baseman-outfielder." He saw no outfield time with the Twins, either last season or this spring, but it's certainly plausible that the Giants may try to fit both him and Belt in the lineup by playing one on left on a regular basis.
But there's a further complication to that, and his name is Buster Posey. The Giants supposedly wish to pare back the future Hall of Famer's time behind the dish, as there are signs that his body is breaking down. He's 32 and confronting the same conundrum as Joe Mauer did -- catching destroys careers. I don't think the Giants can have Posey, Belt and Austin in the lineup together without Posey catching.
According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the Giants specifically wanted Austin because he hits lefties well, and I can see that purpose. They're in a division with a few teams that lean heavily on lefty starters, although the Dodgers' list of southpaws has been pretty sharply diminished by injury.
As for the Twins' return: Malique Ziegler is a 22-year-old Iowan who has spent four seasons in the Giants system without notable production and hasn't risen out of A ball. He now joins a farm system with a bunch of well-regarded outfield prospects. While he can't be counted out until he's released or retired, there doesn't appear to be much of a path to the majors for him in Minnesota.
Showing posts with label Tyler Austin. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tyler Austin. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 9, 2019
Monday, April 8, 2019
Thoughts from the weekend
The Twins hit a few homers in Philly over the weekend. Eddie Rosario's three-run ninth inning homer off the foul pole on Saturday opened up the game and might be the most memorable.
But it was Sunday's leadoff homer from Max Kepler that stands out to me. A solo shot, of course -- all leadoff homers are -- but it was also the the only run the Twins got all game. And that's why it stands out. My previous post said that my concern that the lineup was geared around the solo homer hadn't be borne out. On Sunday it was.
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Friday's sloppy play resulted in something rare. On Saturday the Twins skipped batting practice and took infield instead.
I've noted in the past that daily infield practice has faded away. It was once a pre-game staple between batting practice and the drawing of the foul lines/batters boxes. Supposedly the Atlanta Braves in the mid 90's did away with it as a means of conserving energy in the summer heat there, and the other teams soon followed suit -- and eventually the commissioner's office put the traditional time for infield off limits. It was too lucrative as a time for promotional activities.
So if a manager, such as Rocco Baldelli, decides that the response to sloppy play is a review of the fundamentals, it has to come either before BP or in its place.
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The Twins brought up a 12th pitcher Saturday after Jake Odorizzi couldn't get through the first inning on Friday. Tyler Austin was designated for assignment in order to bring up Chase De Jong.
De Jong himself was DFA'd in January. He cleared waivers and outrighted to Triple A. I wouldn't bet on this stay lasting very long.
As for Austin, I doubt there's much of a market for him. He hits for power and he plays a bit of first base, and that's not enough to hold a bench job. I don't know that he's a worse player than C.J. Cron, but his fate with the Twins was sealed when the Twins claimed Cron on waivers last November. He may or may not get claimed. I'm not sure if he's been outrighted before; if not, the Twins might still be able to retain him at Triple A.
But it was Sunday's leadoff homer from Max Kepler that stands out to me. A solo shot, of course -- all leadoff homers are -- but it was also the the only run the Twins got all game. And that's why it stands out. My previous post said that my concern that the lineup was geared around the solo homer hadn't be borne out. On Sunday it was.
---
Friday's sloppy play resulted in something rare. On Saturday the Twins skipped batting practice and took infield instead.
I've noted in the past that daily infield practice has faded away. It was once a pre-game staple between batting practice and the drawing of the foul lines/batters boxes. Supposedly the Atlanta Braves in the mid 90's did away with it as a means of conserving energy in the summer heat there, and the other teams soon followed suit -- and eventually the commissioner's office put the traditional time for infield off limits. It was too lucrative as a time for promotional activities.
So if a manager, such as Rocco Baldelli, decides that the response to sloppy play is a review of the fundamentals, it has to come either before BP or in its place.
---
The Twins brought up a 12th pitcher Saturday after Jake Odorizzi couldn't get through the first inning on Friday. Tyler Austin was designated for assignment in order to bring up Chase De Jong.
De Jong himself was DFA'd in January. He cleared waivers and outrighted to Triple A. I wouldn't bet on this stay lasting very long.
As for Austin, I doubt there's much of a market for him. He hits for power and he plays a bit of first base, and that's not enough to hold a bench job. I don't know that he's a worse player than C.J. Cron, but his fate with the Twins was sealed when the Twins claimed Cron on waivers last November. He may or may not get claimed. I'm not sure if he's been outrighted before; if not, the Twins might still be able to retain him at Triple A.
Monday, March 18, 2019
Cron vs. Austin
A debate of sorts broke out Sunday night on LaVelle Neal's Twitter feed, with respondents demanding that the beat writer justify the Twins' intent to have C.J. Cron at first base over Tyler Austin.
Part of this is small sample size theater. Austin, in 41 exhibition plate appearances, has hit three homes and hit. 390. (He also has zero walks). Cron hasn't been bad -- two homers and .367 in 34 PA -- but the Twitter yellers say Austin is outperforming Cron. There's no room on the bench for a 1B-only bat, and Austin is out of options.
It feels weird to say this, as my immediate reaction to Cron's addition was What does he give the Twins that Austin doesn't? But the reality is, spring training has not given the Twins a legitimate reason to change plans at first base.
Point one: Seventy-five plate appearances don't mean a while lot at any time. Seventy-five plate appearances are particularly shy of meaningful in March.
Point two: Even if they are indicative of current level of ability, Cron has the higher OPS -- on-base plus slugging -- against a slightly higher level of competition as Baseball Reference measures it.
Point three: For whatever reason, the Twins decided during the offseason that they are better off with Cron. Maybe it's because new manager Rocco Baldelli knows Cron from last year with the Rays. Maybe it's because Austin has a history of nagging injuries. Maybe it's because they see Cron as having a higher floor. Whatever the rationale, they made a measured, non-impulsive decision during the winter to add Cron. They aren't going to change course on a March whim.
The Twins have, for now, an embarrassment of riches in right-handed first base-only sluggers. That suggests a trade, but the market on such players has not been generous. Unless there's a team that really wants C.J. Cron, he's going to be the first baseman in Minnesota, at least when Marwin Gonzalez is playing some other position.
Part of this is small sample size theater. Austin, in 41 exhibition plate appearances, has hit three homes and hit. 390. (He also has zero walks). Cron hasn't been bad -- two homers and .367 in 34 PA -- but the Twitter yellers say Austin is outperforming Cron. There's no room on the bench for a 1B-only bat, and Austin is out of options.
It feels weird to say this, as my immediate reaction to Cron's addition was What does he give the Twins that Austin doesn't? But the reality is, spring training has not given the Twins a legitimate reason to change plans at first base.
Point one: Seventy-five plate appearances don't mean a while lot at any time. Seventy-five plate appearances are particularly shy of meaningful in March.
Point two: Even if they are indicative of current level of ability, Cron has the higher OPS -- on-base plus slugging -- against a slightly higher level of competition as Baseball Reference measures it.
Point three: For whatever reason, the Twins decided during the offseason that they are better off with Cron. Maybe it's because new manager Rocco Baldelli knows Cron from last year with the Rays. Maybe it's because Austin has a history of nagging injuries. Maybe it's because they see Cron as having a higher floor. Whatever the rationale, they made a measured, non-impulsive decision during the winter to add Cron. They aren't going to change course on a March whim.
The Twins have, for now, an embarrassment of riches in right-handed first base-only sluggers. That suggests a trade, but the market on such players has not been generous. Unless there's a team that really wants C.J. Cron, he's going to be the first baseman in Minnesota, at least when Marwin Gonzalez is playing some other position.
Saturday, August 18, 2018
Notes, quotes and comment
Paul Molitor finally walked his talk about a bullpen committee Friday night.
After giving the first three save opportunites since the trade of Fernando Rodney to Trevor Hildenberger, he turned a two-run lead over to Matt Magill. Thirty-some pitches later, Molitor turned a one-run lead over to Taylor Rogers, who got the final out and his first major league save.
We'll see where Molitor goes from here.
---
Tyler Austin's mammoth homer Friday night prompted a collegue to ask me about him, and I gave him the "Sano light" comp: Right-handed, big power, strikes out a lot, not as athletic as Miguel Sano.
Nobody would play Austin at third base. And Molitor seems reluctant to try him at first base. Having decided to sit Joe Mauer, Molitor played Ehrie Adrianza at first base on Friday (with Sano at third).
Austin, in his limited playing time this year, has an OPS (On-base Plus Slugging) more than 200 points higher against lefties than righties. That sounds like a platoon player, and it's really tough to carry a platoon DH on a 13-pitcher roster.
A better comp for Austin than Sano might be Byung Ho Park, who showed prodigious power in his brief Twins tenure but failed to hit consistently. Part of Park's problem, however, was that he couldn't stay healthy enough to stay in the lineup.
---
Joe Mauer didn't start Friday night, but he certainly played, pulling a three-run homer while pinch-hitting for Adrianaza. And then he flashed about as much emotion as we've seen from the even-keeled Mauer.
When he stepped out for a curtain call, the thought flashed through my mind: He's going to retire.
As with the stucture of the bullpen, we'll see.
After giving the first three save opportunites since the trade of Fernando Rodney to Trevor Hildenberger, he turned a two-run lead over to Matt Magill. Thirty-some pitches later, Molitor turned a one-run lead over to Taylor Rogers, who got the final out and his first major league save.
We'll see where Molitor goes from here.
---
Tyler Austin's mammoth homer Friday night prompted a collegue to ask me about him, and I gave him the "Sano light" comp: Right-handed, big power, strikes out a lot, not as athletic as Miguel Sano.
Nobody would play Austin at third base. And Molitor seems reluctant to try him at first base. Having decided to sit Joe Mauer, Molitor played Ehrie Adrianza at first base on Friday (with Sano at third).
Austin, in his limited playing time this year, has an OPS (On-base Plus Slugging) more than 200 points higher against lefties than righties. That sounds like a platoon player, and it's really tough to carry a platoon DH on a 13-pitcher roster.
A better comp for Austin than Sano might be Byung Ho Park, who showed prodigious power in his brief Twins tenure but failed to hit consistently. Part of Park's problem, however, was that he couldn't stay healthy enough to stay in the lineup.
---
Joe Mauer didn't start Friday night, but he certainly played, pulling a three-run homer while pinch-hitting for Adrianaza. And then he flashed about as much emotion as we've seen from the even-keeled Mauer.
When he stepped out for a curtain call, the thought flashed through my mind: He's going to retire.
As with the stucture of the bullpen, we'll see.
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