Article: Twins To Let Santana Stick It Out At Short

[HitInAPinch]

 

The problem with continuing to teach Santana to play CF is that if he's still playing there in 2 years this team will be set back a decade.

 

Not if any of the hot, young MiLB INF prospects in come to fruition...

 

Well, at least not a full decade

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

The problem with continuing to teach Santana to play CF is that if he's still playing there in 2 years this team will be set back a decade.

That's assuming Buxton, Escobar, Polanco, etc. all fail, which would indeed be a setback for the team but really has very little to do with Santana's present position.

[Willihammer]

Alright, a compromise.

 

In the current scheme, there are days Santana is going to be benched just to get Escobar in the lineup and keep him "fresh." OK, why not stick him in the OF on those days isntead? He loses no PT at SS and he can displace one of Schafer/Robinson.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

Alright, a compromise.

In the current scheme, there are days Santana is going to be benched just to get Escobar in the lineup and keep him "fresh." OK, why not stick him in the OF on those days isntead? He loses no PT at SS and he can displace one of Schafer/Robinson.

I'd take it.

 

In fact, if you are really committed to Escobar as a super-utility guy, you probably should get him more OF time too, if your alternative is Schafer/Robinson.  Like 2014, both Santana and Escobar could start most every game, you would just be altering the mix of positions.

[h2oface]

I say commit to Santana until the end of May. It is not like Escobar is hitting better. 

[dxpavelka]

 

I'm with you 100%. I'd be curious to have someone outside of the organization review the farm, and see if it's still this highly rated. Or if we've been fed lies the last 4 years. In my opinion it feels like we're still 2 years behind where the Cubs and Astros are. When they decided to blow it up and start over, we were still signing re-treads and no upside veterans as if we were thought to be a competitive team. I don't get it.

I'd be more concerned if not for the fact that when you read those reports 2 & 3 & 4 years ago, the only one from among Sano, Buxton, Santana & Vargas that was expected to make a contribution prior to 2016 was Sano and obviously the injury has set him back at least half a season.  I'd also be more concerned if all the reports regarding  the strength of our system were coming from 34 Kirby Puckett Place but most of those reports were coming from the same sources as the reports about the Cubs & Astros systems.  I understand the urge to blow it up but also remember that when that happened in 1982 it still took 5 years to  exceed the .500 ball threshhold.  Not sure if in today's McDonald's world where we don't want to wait for anything, the fanbase is going to accept blowing it up and waiting 5 years for the payoff-hence the desire to try to bring the kids along slowly and work them into a group  that you would at least hope you can try to contend with.  Bottom line is there is no right way and no wrong way.  The only way that matters is the one the eventually works.

Edited April 24, 2015 by dxpavelka