The Twins announced this morning that they’ve signed veteran utilityman Andrew Romine to a minor league contract. The Moye Sports client will join the club’s Major League group in Spring Training as a non-roster invitee.
Romine, 35, has appeared in parts of 10 big league seasons — most of which came with the division-rival Tigers from 2014-17. He spent the 2020 season with the Rangers organization but appeared in only two big league games last summer, collecting a double in four trips to the plate. Through 1327 plate appearances in the Majors, the switch-hitting Romine is a .235/.291/.301 hitter.
Production at the plate has never been Romine’s calling card. He’s far more known for his defensive versatility, having spent at least 238 innings at each of the four infield positions and another 559 frames in the outfield (including 313 in center). The Twins got a first-hand look at that versatility late in the 2017 season, when then-Detroit skipper Brad Ausmus allowed Romine to play all nine positions on the same diamond in a game the Tigers topped the Twins by a 3-2 margin.
At 35, Romine might not be the defender he once was, but he’s turned in average career defensive marks at shortstop, above-average showings at second and third base, and above-average marks in left field as well.
The Twins already have several utility options in camp. With the signing of Andrelton Simmons, they’ll slide Jorge Polanco over as the everyday second baseman and move Luis Arraez into the super-utility role vacated by Marwin Gonzalez. Catcher/infielder Willians Astudillo could be in line to take another bench spot, and Minnesota also has second/third base prospect Travis Blankenhorn on the 40-man roster. Former Red Sox infielder Tzu-Wei Lin is in camp on a non-roster deal as well. All of that could make it tough for Romine to win a job to begin the year, but he’d be a reasonable depth option to stash in Triple-A St. Paul if a big league opportunity doesn’t present itself this spring.
i thought it was Polanco doing utility, not Arraez?
I’m sure who ever is hitting better will play everyday. My guess is Polanco will get first shot as he has a bit more power in his bat.
Nope. Polanco will be at 2B and Arraez will move around. Arraez has bad knees so better to get him days off. Interesting to see what happens with 4th bench spot – do they carry a guy who is backup SS or is Polanco backup SS?
Arreaz has bad knees at 23?
Polanco has had ankle surgeries the past 2 years!
I have no heard the Twins publicly announce either way who is the actual starter
Zeus is right. It will be Polanco as the everyday man and Arraez as super utility. Heard that on a MN sports podcast I’m pretty sure.
They’ve said it in every possible way. You’d have to be criminally not paying attention to not get this.
Why need him? they have Arraez, but can’t have enough depth
Because Royce Lewis tore is ACL and is out 9-12 months so just a little extra insurance.
Can somebody sign JBJ, Odorizi and Porcello so o can finalized by MLB Show rosters for 2021 Spring Training?
Lol. You do know it comes out on April 16th so they have a whole month to sign
Probably by mid March when teams have injuries we’ll see the remainder sign.
No kidding. What the hell are they thinking?
He actually got to pitch in a close game? That’s insane, but it said all 9 positions. I’ve heard of positionless basketball, but positionless baseball is new to me. If he actually can pitch, he can be an asset to a team if he qualified as a two-way player. If he developed a knuckleball as R.A. Dickey did late in his career, he could extend his own career.
Same but the TIgers were bad that year so why not!
It looks like he actually would’ve gotten credit for a hold. He pitched to Miguel Sano in the eighth when the Tigers were up one and got him to ground out to third. That wouldn’t work now with the three batter minimum rule. Also, I think there are rules against using someone who is not designated as a pitcher to pitch in regulation when the difference is less than ten runs or something to that effect.
A few other good athletes have done the 9 positions gimmick in meaningless late season games. I think Bert Campaneris with the As was the first.
Something I didn’t know until now is that Andrelton Simmons finished in the top 15 for MVP in 2013 despite the fact that he had an OPS of .692 that year. It’s really a testament of how great his defense is!
Or was? We’ll see.
I heard Polanco will play 2nd.
All the reporting on the Simmons deal said that Polanco will be the regular 2nd baseman and Arráez becomes a super-utility guy.
With that said, a super-utility player on the Twins will get plenty of playing time. Marwin González played a lot in the last two years, and Baldelli likes giving starters days off. Arráez has less multi-positional experience in the majors but a better bat than González, so you have to think they’ll get him in the lineup.
Tigers legend.
I still forsee Arraez get 150-250 Ab’s at second base another 140 or 50 at 3b and another 120 to 140 in left field
Twins latest move?
LETTUCE see…..
Got ROMINE !!
Uncalled for. Who called for that?
Blankenhorn the best hitter of all the guys listed