Twins top outfield prospect Alex Kirilloff has a definite chance to make the opening day roster, per the Athletic’s Dan Hayes. Not unrelated, the Twins should face a fair amount of outside pressure to get Kirilloff on the roster from day one. Especially in the aftermath of Mariners’ CEO Kevin Mather openly copping to service time manipulation, it would be poor optics for the Twins to suggest Kirilloff needs more development time. After all, if he was ready to make his Major League debut in the playoffs last season – when service time is not accrued – one would think he is ready to make the lineup for games in April. That said, the 23-year-old former first round pick had not played about Double-A before going 1-for-4 against the Astros during the wild card series. Even so, all signs point to Kirilloff starting the season in the starting lineup. Minnesota let Eddie Rosario walk in free agency in part to make room, and with Royce Lewis being lost for the 2021 season due to injury, the Twins might feel some urgency to “carpe diem,” as it were, and make the most of Kirilloff’s window. Without him, Jorge Polanco probably plays second base while Luis Arraez could slide to the outfield. Elsewhere on the grass…
- The Rays are cautiously easing Kevin Kiermaier into action this spring, writes Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. Kiermaier is experiencing hip soreness, and the Rays don’t want the issue lingering into the season. Kiermaier has dealt with a number of “lingering” health issues over the years that’s limited his playing time. Kiermaier was largely healthy in 2020, appearing in 49 games and slashing .217/.321/.362 before notching some big hits in the postseason, including three home runs. Of course, Kiermaier’s value proposition has never been hit bat. The three-time gold glove centerfielder is the linchpin of the Rays’ defensive scheme. They’ve made sure to acquire rangy outfielders to flank him in recent years (Manuel Margot, Randy Arozarena, Austin Meadows, Brett Phillips), but Kiermaier remains the best defender of the bunch.
- It’s been well-documented now that Victor Robles’ attempt to add muscle for the 2020 season might have played a part in his diminished defensive metrics. He still managed 2 outs above average by Statcast’s measure, while -4 DRS and -3.6 UZR painted a less rosy picture. Robles, of course, was an all-world defender in 2019 by any measure: 23 OAA, 23 DRS, 5.3 UZR. Robles has reversed course after adding 15 pounds last offseason, reporting to camp as the slimmer version of himself once more, per Pete Kerzel of MASNsports.com. The Nationals are assuming Robles will be back to his elite self in centerfield, as they’ll need him to cover lots of ground while sharing the grass with Kyle Schwarber and Juan Soto. Both Schwarber (-3 OAA) and Soto (-2 OAA) have worked hard to improve themselves in the field, but neither one rates particularly well.
John Henry's Hammer
“All signs point to Kirilloff starting the season in right.” Nope, left.
tom brunanskys black sock
Wrong.
LordD99
Clearly center.
mlb1225
You sure they mean to say shortstop?
LordD99
Only if they’ve eliminated catcher.
DarkSide830
he’s not slated to be the opening day starter?
Jaysfan1981
Who’s on first?
Deadguy
Cameras on second
John Henry's Hammer
The article was fixed, but I get no thanks? Thanks a lot.
chiefroto
Jorge already going to be playing 2B with the addition of Simmons at SS.
Luc 2
The keys to a good Nats season:
The top 3 pitchers are healthy and good (Scherzer, Strasburg, Corbin)
Robles and Kieboom develop into better hitters
Phantom X
Strasburg is the one to be most concerned with. Scherzer despite the recent back issues has been great. I feel Kieboom was promoted too early.
oldmansteve
It is hard to argue Kieboom had anything left to prove in AAA. He’s only had 160 ABs in the MLB. No need to think anything serious of some struggles. Remember Aaron Judge’s first 150 ABs?
Samuel
Currently Kieboom is overmatched offensively at the MLB level as is Gleyber Torres at SS defensively.
Painful to watch.
jediknight
You hit the nail on the head.
Phantom X
Speaking of the Twins’ outfield, anyone think this is the year Buxton puts it all together?
Lol Trumpets mad
That’s what they’ve been saying for years
Phantom X
To me Byron is a slightly better JBJ
mlb1225
He’s way better than JBJ in terms of production/ability. Way better fielder, much, much faster/better base runner, may be a similar hitter, but makes up for it in other facets of the game. Though I will give JBJ the credit of being pretty durable.
oldmansteve
Slightly is the understatement of the year.
Lefty_Orioles_Fan
Who cares about optics?
What are Twins fans going to march around the Stadium in protest?
Maybe some fan will write a strongly worded letter and call Thad Levine and Rocco Baldelli Foo Foo Heads
I mean give me a break, every team does it and they all survive to tell about it
Phantom X
In my opinion, he shouldn’t be called up. 96(?) games in AA and 1 hit in the post season doesn’t say MLB ready.
DarkSide830
the idea that this compares to Kelenic is absurd. Kirilloff is not Kelenic. their cases arent the same.
For Love of the Game
TC, I know this is the internet and not a paper for English class. Kirloff “…had not played about Double-A…?” You mean “above Double-A.”
DoritosLocosTaco
There’s also: “…value proposition has never been hit bat.”
southern lion
That sentence is a waste of words. Totally no legible sense to that statement. Which makes the whole piece hard to understand.
Monkey’s Uncle
It’s never asking too much to ask people who write for a living to proofread their own work before publishing it.
DoritosLocosTaco
I am not normally one to nitpick grammar, but this article has several typos making it hard to read.
Sideline Redwine
Welcome to 2021. Even writers do not know how to write. And heaven forbid someone correct their mistakes.
philliesphan77
Yeah it’s pretty sad.
66TheNumberOfTheBest
Never understand why people would want to trade a full year at the peak of a player’s prime for two weeks of his rookie year.
DarkSide830
apparently its mean and we expect people running who have accured enough money to own a sports team to be perfect avatars of benevolence.
Scrap1ron
You mean baseball is a business and not a charity?
LordD99
Kirilloff being added to the postseason roster doesn’t necessarily mean they don’t believe he wouldn’t benefit from facing AA and AAA pitching in 2021. In fact, there is a good argument that developmentally he should. His appearance on the postseason roster at the conclusion of the unusual Covid season simply means they viewed him as the best option for the expanded roster spots at that moment in time against that opponent. It could even be viewed as part of his development that will continue in the higher minors this season.
Now I write this not believing that’s what they’re planning, but in no way should what the Mariners now departed CEO said in any way impact the Twins development decisions. If he looks overmatched in Spring Training, or in need of further development, back to the minors he goes.
There can be two truths here. First, teams are manipulating service time. Second, teams are also rushing young talent before they’re ready because young talent is cheap. Ideally, they should have held Rosario one more year and gauge how ready Kirilloff is while seeing him against higher-level pitching. Failing in the minors can help developmentally before making the majors. The Twins might simply be going with the cheaper option, not necessarily the best option.
Samuel
MLBTR spins everything for players in every instance and against team management and ownership, whether it benefits the teams and their fans or not.
mlb1225
It would probably be best to start him at Triple-A for at least all of April. If he’s mashing the ball, then call him up. He’s played a single game above AA ball and there’s no need to rush him. It’s not the Twins don’t have options with Arraez and Polanco who can act as placeholders in left/right field until May rolls around.
Rsox
This is why the Twins should have re-signed Marwin Gonzalez or added another Outfielder. Arraez has played 21 (18 starts) games in LF and all were in ’19. Polanco has never played the OF, at least at the ML level. If not Kiriloff in LF on opening day the Twins should definitely be watching the waiver wire
WrongM
If they put Arráez in LF, it’s less about needing another outfielder and more about needing a spot for his bat in the lineup and having a position with no clearly established starter. If a true outfielder is a concern, they can run Cave and/or Rooker out there.
And just remembered that they already got a corner OF (Kyle Garlick) from the waiver wire this month.
Rsox
If Kyle Garlick is taking meaningful AB’s for the Twins at the beginning of the season than the brea(d)th of the situation smells far worse than we realize…
Guillo
Honestly, I don’t know why life is so complicated, they have an excellent CF Yadiel Hernandez who is a much better hitter than Robles and who can play all three outfields, I honestly sometimes doubt if Talent or nationality is a priority?Because In any team in the world Tomas is a better hitter than Schwarber and both are bad defensively, why does Schwarber play first? He hits for life 228 for 267 Tomas and both have the same strength
Luc 2
Yadiel Hernandez is 32… They want a young outfielder and Hernandez wasn’t great hitting. The Nats signed Schwarber ignoring his 2020, Tomas can prove himself as a backup and can get a few starts
Guillo
The Nats signed Schwarber ignoring his all career my friend ,228 is a joke !!!and can Robles hit in AAA 323 ave ,33 hr and 90 rbi???,I don’t think so ….
Yadel is an old man?
Do you want a team to win or do you want to develop players?
Honestly I understand baseball ,but this baseball is complicated to understand
Luc 2
First of all your definitely not a Nats fan. Robles was good in 2019. Yadeil batted under .200. And if they were to use someone else it would be Stevenson who is more proven. You obviously don’t know what baseball is. You sound ridiculous with these takes. Robles can go up but Hernandez would decline. Douche bag
Guillo
My friend Yadiel had only 28 AB in MLB and ROBLES in 4 years only 250 average and last year 2020 in 68 AB 220 ave
I am giving you statistical data, I am not disrespecting you, it is evident that you have no arguments, and I insist Robles can never shoot 33 hr in triple A and much less 90 rbi, I am inviting you to think, with data and by the way you learn a little of baseball
Luc 2
That’s the point. They don’t need Robles to be a power hitter. They want him to be a lead off hitter with a great glove and can steal bases.
Natsman1
Guillo — there is a reason Hernandez is 32 y.o. and has barely sniffed the Majors..
The Nats are less interested in winning and more interested in developing prospects — truly one of the worst straw man arguments we’ve seen in awhile on here.
Other than yourself and Hernandez’ agent, who on this planet considers Hernandez to be a better player than Robles?
Take all the time you need.
Guillo
To develop players there are the minor leagues, a Cuban players are at a disadvantage because they don’t develop in this country and they never belonged to the mlb farms, do not say nonsense, you are talking to someone who understands baseball
Natsman1
Hernandez cant even unseat the immensely mediocre Stephenson as a bench OF.
If Hernandez is so great than he would’ve overcome any of these “obstacles” you claim are there, right?. He’s a AAA lifer. Give it up, dude.
Guillo
Remember me ???,Yadel 397 ave ,good luck!!!!
Sideline Redwine
Nationality? Is this satire? Yes, the mlb and Nats in general are focusing on preventing people from other countries from playing in the league.
Look through any mlb roster and tell me how such a claim makes any sense. But “narrative”!
Scrap1ron
Did not the players called up from the minors during the 2020 60 game season get a full year service time credit?
DarkSide830
no
CNichols
Only if they were on the active roster the entire season. If they got called up from the minors mid-season they only got pro-rated partial season service time.
Sideline Redwine
This will upset many on here, but why should a team *not* take advantage of the service time parameters? The union has exacted many benefits for players, and agreed to this one which can benefit an organization. I am sure it will be changes w the next agreement. But people need to quit freaking out and demanding such stupid moves…at least the M’s ceo was honest. Lol “honesty is the best policy” right? Unless it hurts our feelings?
Windowpane
I suspect fans of the CBT, Tigers, WS, and Royals hope Kirilloff opens the season on the Twins roster. The faster he gets to free agency the better.
Samuel
Who is this guy?
Who guarantees that he’ll even be in the major leagues in 6 years?
rowbradfo
I see Optics Man has payed the Twins a visit.
jim stem
When did American businessman and woman (have to be pc) who own/run companies lose the right to run them however they see as being financially beneficial?
Fans don’t run the business and neither do the employees (players), salesman (agents) or mayor (Commissioner).
Everyone screams “unfair” when when they don’t get what they want, but when players underperform, flip atv’s, wrestle boars, get arrested or miss an extended amount of playing time for any other non-baseball related absence, they don’t have to pay back their signing bonuses or contracted dollars.
Samuel
American media protects the kvetcher’s they consider “underdogs”; yet stomp on those in power if they argue for a level playing field. and the ability to make their organization / department more productive and successful.
ZeusMacalester
When they operate a monopoly that has exceptions from anti-trust laws.
When they run an entertainment company (people complain when Bieber does whatever he did with a monkey, if you’re providing entertainment, optics matter).
When you take public money for stadiums.
Nationalize pro sports.
twins33
You could make an argument that both Rooker and Kirilloff deserve to be with the Twins. There’s only one spot for them and I lean Rooker (not because of service time).
ZeusMacalester
How the hell would Royce Lewis’ injury have any bearing on how quickly the Twins move Kirilloff? They don’t play the same position and their status has no bearing on one another.
ZeusMacalester
This writer clearly doesn’t know much about the specific situation the Twins are in and is hammering home some larger point that doesn’t fit. There is no consensus that AK is clearly the best option in LF on Opening Day.
1.) He’s not experienced in the upper minors – he has 411 ABs at AA with a rather pedestrian .756 OPS. Other than his one game cameo, he hasn’t hit in a real game since 2019. There’s a really good argument that he needs a bit more seasoning, depending on how you rate the development made on the taxi squad.
2.) The debut in the playoffs is not the slam dunk case that it is made out to be. The Astros were exceedingly right handed and Buxton’s injury made an extra OF necessary. He essentially beat out Lamont Wade for that spot, a guy who was traded because he took up space on the 40 man. The postseason experience, while great, is not the “MLB ready” endorsement that it’s made out to be.
3.) It’s not like there’s no alternative. Jake Cave and Rooker are a more than worthy platoon in LF for the beginning of the year. Cave has put up an .803 OPS vs RH pitching and while Rooker didn’t have strong splits in the minors, he hits LH pitching well. That doesn’t even include any spot starts to get Arraez in the OF.
I’m not saying AK isn’t good but to pretend this is the same thing as Kris Bryant is ridiculous. Bryant put up 1.000+ OPS in 500 at bats at AA and AAA. Vlad Guerrero Jr. is another off-cited example and he had similar offensive numbers in a similar sample at AA and AAA.
Unless they experience injuries or Kirilloff absolutely destroys Spring Training pitching, the Twins would be idiots to not preserve another year of control. AK is not Bryant or Vlad, they have good in-house options, and AAA might be a decent place for AK to shake off some rust and get a bit more seasoning.
Jjfleury
If he performs in Spring Training we should bring him up now. We are in a window of contention and there are no excuses for keeping him down at AAA. If they kept Rosario then it would be another story.