More than half of the Twins positional starters are basically set in stone, but we’ll take a look at the contenders where there is competition; many of the more interesting battles in camp will play out for backup spots as the spring progresses. And while even a strong camp will still mean relegation to the minors for a lot of these guys, they’ll be just an injury away from seeing time with the Twins at some point over the course of the season.

Last week, we ran down the catchers and first basemen in camp, and we took a look at second base on Monday. Today, we’ll look at the competition at third base as we move our way around the diamond over the course of Spring Training.

PROJECTED STARTER: Trevor Plouffe

September 25, 2012; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Twins third baseman Trevor Plouffe (24) during the game against the New York Yankees at Target Field. The Twins deafeated the Yankees 5-4. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

Plouffe went on a slugging spree after taking over the third base job from Danny Valencia in mid May of last season, hitting 13 home runs in his first month on the job. He never really hit much for average in the minors, but had a consistently high slugging percentage and the doubles have started turning into homer runs in the past few years. So while Plouffe’s epic month-long power surge may never be repeated, there’s every reason to believe that last season’s late-summer struggles were due to injury and that he will continue to develop into a legitimate right-handed slugger in 2013.

Until Plouffe played 95 games at third base last season, he hadn’t played at the hot corner with any sort of regularity since he logged 43 games there between two minor league levels in 2008. In fact, since being called up to the Majors for the first time in 2010, Plouffe had started at five other positions and DH before getting his first Major League experience at third base in a May 2^nd start of last year. Considering the circumstances, it’s not surprising that Plouffe was erratic defensively last season.

Still, he was drafted as a shortstop and came up to the Twins as one, so Plouffe is naturally athletic enough to make the plays at third. His arm is strong enough to make the throws across the diamond, too, but being consistently accurate with those throws has been an issue for Plouffe. After being thrust into the starting third base role last season, Plouffe’s defensive footwork could and should be much improved after an offseason of preparation.

PROJECTED BACKUPS: Jamey Carroll, Eduardo Escobar

Carroll started 30 games at the hot corner in 2013, and Escobar played the first 42 games of his career at third base last season. Both players are solid defensively at the position, and are discussed in more detail in my second base preview.

LONG SHOTS

Although Terry Ryan stated early on in the offseason that acquiring competition at third base was a priority going into 2013, the strongest contender brought in from outside of the organization is AAA Rule 5 draftee Mark Sobolewski. Sobolewski is reportedly a sure-handed defender with power, hitting 20 home runs and 21 doubles between AA and AAA last season, although he is only a .263 career hitter in the minors. Deibinson Romero was a middling prospect early on in his career, but fell off the radar for the most part until belting 19 homer runs at AA New Britain last year at age 25. Ray Olmedo, who signed this offseason as a minor league free agent from the White Sox, is also discussed in my second base preview.

CONCLUSION

Although Terry Ryan stated a desire to bring in competition at third base this offseason, the job is Plouffe’s to lose. The Twins would like some consistency moving forward at a position that has been in flux going back to Corey Koskie, and Plouffe would surely like to stop changing positions from year to year, or even month to month. If his defense improves and his power continues to develop, Plouffe could wrap up the starting job for the next few years.

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Aug 11, 2012; Minneapolis, MN, USA: Minnesota Twins shortstop Brian Dozier (20) fields a ground ball hit by Tampa Bay Rays left fielder Desmond Jennings (not pictured) in the fifth inning at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

More than half of the Twins positional starters are basically set in stone, but we’ll take a look at the contenders where there is competition; many of the more interesting battles in camp will play out for backup spots as the spring progresses. And while even a strong camp will still mean relegation to the minors for a lot of these guys, they’ll be just an injury away from seeing time with the Twins at some point over the course of the season.

Last week, we ran down the catchers and first basemen in camp. Today, we’ll look at the competition at second base as we move our way around the diamond over the course of Spring Training.

PROJECTED STARTER: Brian Dozier

After being named the Twins Minor League Player of the Year the previous season, there was a lot of hype coming into spring training 2012 for Dozier but, unfortunately, he didn’t live up to it in his first stint in the big leagues. Dozier started the season in AAA, came up as the Twins starting shortstop in early May, struggled at the plate and in the field, and found himself demoted by mid August. Once back down in Rochester, his struggles at the plate continued, as he somehow hit slightly worse in AAA, with a .232 average compared to a .234 average in the Majors. Although Twins brass decided his play didn’t warrant a September call up, they’re preaching confidence that he can take over the starting second base job out of the gate this season.

The Twins appear confident that Dozier can play solid defense at the keystone, and that his bat will project well there. But he was erratic defensively at shortstop in the Majors, and he’s only played 47 of 356 minor league games at second base. Considering his bat did not play well enough to keep him at short for the Twins last season, I think it’s fair to assume that his offensive output will be substandard for a MLB second baseman.

Aug 14, 2012; Minneapolis, MN, USA: Minnesota Twins shortstop Jamey Carroll (8) throws the ball to first base to get out Detroit Tigers center fielder Austin Jackson (not pictured) in the sixth inning at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

Still, Dozier began 2011 in high-A and ended up in the Majors last season, so there’s definitely still hope that he will develop with time and patience…and perhaps a second stint in Rochester. As much as the Twins want Dozier to take ownership of the starting second base job in spring training and run with it, allowing them to utilize Jamey Carroll and his ability to play three positions off the bench, they might have to go with the cagey veteran to start the season.

PROJECTED BACKUPS: Jamey Carroll, Eduardo Escobar

Carroll, who will be 39 this season, quickly took over the starting shortstop gig last year and, while his batting average won’t blow you away, he gets on base at a solid clip and plays fundamental defense. A lot of how the competition plays out at second base could depend not just on Dozier’s spring, but how the Aaron Hicks situation plays out, as well. If the Twins decide to take the young center fielder north with the team April 1^st and place him at the top of the batting order, they may feel more comfortable with the veteran Carroll hitting behind or in front of Hicks to solidify the lineup, rather than having two young players learning how to hit in the Majors at the top of the batting order. This scenario could be relevant right out of the gate, or a month or so into the season once the Twins have guaranteed themselves an extra year of team control with Hicks.

Sept 15, 2012; Minneapolis, MN, USA: Minnesota Twins second baseman Eduardo Escobar (5) forces out Chicago White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski (not pictured) at second base and throws to first base to complete a double play in the second inning at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

Escobar came over to the Twins this past summer in the Francisco Liriano trade, and has the potential to be a somewhat better hitter than most local pundits suggest or, rather, not as bad of a hitter. He’s a switch hitter who has batted about fifty points higher from the left side in the minors, but close to two-hundred points higher from the right side in limited action in the Majors. I have no clue what that means, but Escober is less than a year older than Hicks, who finally started to become a well-rounded switch hitter last year in AA. I understand the concerns about Escobar’s bat, and he’ll never hit for power, but he still has the potential to develop into an above-average defensive sub who can play all over the diamond, and hit from either side of the plate without embarrassing himself.

LONG SHOTS

Ray Olmedo, 31, signed on as a minor league free agent from the White Sox this past offseason, and has played for 13 major and minor league teams over the past 13 years. He’s primarily played second, short and third in the majors, but has played all over the diamond in the minors, save for at catcher and center field, and even pitched in a game a few years back. He’s a AAAA player whose solid minor league numbers just haven’t translated to the Majors and, until his 20 games with the Sox last year, hadn’t played in the bigs since 2007. Minor league vet Brian Dinkelman will be in camp, too; he can play second base and in the outfield, and has a slim chance of seeing time again with the Twins this year in a utility role if injuries strike.

CONCLUSION

There is definitely competition here, and a lot could depend on how the competition at center field plays out. This is undoubtedly a spring training battle to watch as we inch our way towards Opening Day.

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Winner, winner, chicken parmesan dinner. Image: Bob DeChiara-US PRESSWIRE

To be fair, Morneau also had 4 hits, including a couple off of left-handed starter Felix Doubront as he continues to improve in that facet of his game. There might not be much hope for this season, but the more this team mashes between now and the end of 2012, the more it will look like they have something substantive to work with in 2013.

Carl Crawford showed flashes of his glory days, knocking 3 hits with 3 RBI to keep the Red Sox in the game. In the end it was the Twins bullpen, carried late by Jeff Gray and Jared Burton, that outlasted the Red Sox bullpen. Which brings me to this point…

…there’s just something about Vincente Padilla, isn’t there? I cannot totally peg it and I am not saying that I align myself with Mark Teixiera’s hatred of him, but there is just something where I would not want my team’s hopes lying in his hands. Ever. Sure enough, it burned the Red Sox last night.

The game’s hero, Carroll, has not overwhelmed anybody with his statistical output this year. But the good thing about Carroll has always been and continues to be the fact that he passes the “eye test.” Your gut instinct with him is always that he is a solid player you can count on. This is true in the field, and it is true at the plate because he seems to make solid contact more often than he doesn’t. Even in a terrible down season at the plate, I am perfectly happy to see him come up in an important spot. I felt that way last night and he came through.

And there was continued discontent in Boston.