Is Mitch Garver Wasting Away?

[ronniehatesjazz]

I find myself completely bemused by modern analytics but the guy hit 31 homers in 311 ABs in 2019 (he hit .273 but struck out a lot) and this year managed to hit 13 in 207 ABs. Seems like a modern power hitter who could potentially hit 50+ HRs with a ton of strikeouts as a DH but is instead being used behind the plate. I always feel bad for these types but the ivy school dorks who never stepped on a diamond claim they're WAR and ambiguous stats don't measure up. I'm not a Twins fan but does anyone know what the story on this guy is?

[nolemmings]

Originally Posted by ronniehatesjazz

I find myself completely bemused by modern analytics but the guy hit 31 homers in 311 ABs in 2019 (he hit .273 but struck out a lot) and this year managed to hit 13 in 207 ABs. Seems like a modern power hitter who could potentially hit 50+ HRs with a ton of strikeouts as a DH but is instead being used behind the plate. I always feel bad for these types but the ivy school dorks who never stepped on a diamond claim they're WAR and ambiguous stats don't measure up. I'm not a Twins fan but does anyone know what the story on this guy is?

He's been hurt the past two years or he would be catching. He took a foul ball where you would least want to take one, and the "groin injury" was so bad it required surgery. He's not so much being underused as just a victim of bad breaks. Unlike Byron Buxton, who feels it's his mission to run into walls and dive face first for balls in 11-2 games and then spend 40% of each season on the injured list, Mitch simply has had buzzard's luck.

He's a good backstop, very good or better clubhouse and community guy, and really has most things going for him. He's not likely to be used as a DH given that the Twins seldom carry three catchers and La Tortuga is now gone. As much as I would hate to see him leave, especially since nobody has shown much as a replacement, the Twins are desperate for pitching, so he may be going bye-bye before next season, assuming we have a season.