Miguel Sano How Soon Is Now?

[tobi0040]

 

The Hicks injury obviously affected the day they called up Buxton, but I doubt it affected the month or possibly even the week.  He wouldn't be here now if the team wasn't planning on him coming up very soon regardless of Hicks.

 

At this point, 15 games aren't likely to make or break a season, no matter who your DH is.  But your DH over the next 3.5 months could/should have an impact.  We've got time to try addressing the latter (3.5 month DH plan), without quibbling around the margins of the former (15 game DH plan).

 

The good news is we would get Sano's adjustment period out of the way sooner.  And frankly, during the adjustment period he will be on par with what we have now if he struggles.

 

 

[laloesch]

 

I think one big misconception here is that if the Twins continue to be in contention, that call ups of top prospects are more likely.  The reality is the opposite - if they are still winning the Twins will go with veterans that have been in the big leagues before.

 

Nearly all prospects struggle when they first come up (even of Sano and Buxton quality) and a team fighting for a playoff spot is not going risk that.  So, if the thing you want to see most is Sano / Buxtion in the big leagues, better pray for a big losing streak or injuries (neither of which I am doing).

 

Well this post is dead wrong.

[Vanimal46]

 

Suggestions that Sano be called up and play RF are 99.9% insanity. The missing .1% considers the extreme outside chance that he is secretly really really good at playing RF. To suggest that someone who has never even sniffed RF in pro ball try it for the first time in MLB shows absolutely no appreciation for or understanding of the challenges of RF.

 

 

Trevor Plouffe played exactly 1 game in LF in his minor league career prior to the Twins shifting him to RF when he was initially struggling at 3rd. I see no issue with having Sano play in either corner OF spot or 1B as he learns on the job in his rookie year.

 

EDIT: Should he be training now at AA with tracking fly balls? Absolutely. Maybe he already is. But he's actively learning one of the toughest positions on the diamond right now, and I value gaining all of that experience at 3B in the minors. They desperately want him to stick at 3B. In a pinch, it shouldn't be considered "insanity" to think he's not able to survive in the OF when that's the most natural transition for most failed or over the hill corner IF's.

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

Trevor Plouffe played exactly 1 game in LF in his minor league career prior to the Twins shifting him to RF when he was initially struggling at 3rd. I see no issue with having Sano play in either corner OF spot or 1B as he learns on the job in his rookie year.

The Twins had no better options when they did that to Plouffe. That is not the case in 2015.

 

Asking a rookie, no matter how good, to figure out MLB pitching and learn a new position at the same time is a bit much.

 

How bad do you think Sano will be in right? Look at an athletic guy like Escobar and think about his struggles. Then factor in the enormous loss in defensive ability from benching Rosario and estimate whether you think it'll be an improvement or not... Chances are, it wouldn't.

[TheLeviathan]

I'd love to see Sano up and rotated in at 3rd for 2-4 games a week.  Then deal Plouffe in July for some help at catcher.

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

I'd love to see Sano up and rotated in at 3rd for 2-4 games a week.  Then deal Plouffe in July for some help at catcher.

I'd probably do something similar, though I might not deal Plouffe. It all depends on Sano and his play, both offensively and defensively.

 

Put Sano at DH and let him play third once or twice a week. Rotate Plouffe over to DH at least once a week and maybe both days.

[Craig Arko]

Based on Molitor's remarks in that Strib article above, this coming homestand could be a real possibility.

 

They'll figure out where to put him.

[jokin]

The Twins had no better options when they did that to Plouffe. That is not the case in 2015.

 

Asking a rookie, no matter how good, to figure out MLB pitching and learn a new position at the same time is a bit much.

 

How bad do you think Sano will be in right? Look at an athletic guy like Escobar and think about his struggles. Then factor in the enormous loss in defensive ability from benching Rosario and estimate whether you think it'll be an improvement or not... Chances are, it wouldn't.

 

Sano is also an athletic guy, probably moreso than Escobar. His arm was made for RF. And yes, it would be an adjustment, but another athletic guy did not a good, but at least an acceptable job in CF for the Twins in 2014.

 

Molitor concurs:

 

"The question about Sano, as always, is where would he play?"

 

“'We’ve talked about that some,' Molitor said, particularly about the outfield. After missing all of 2014 following elbow surgery, the Twins wanted Sano to get comfortable at third base again, but 'as he plays better, maybe we can look at those options. I haven’t been a part of those conversations over the past few days.'

 

Still, Molitor said of the 6-foot-4, 260-pound slugger, 'He moves better than people think he does, once he gets going. It’s a big body to get moving, we all know that. … I think he’s athletic enough to where [the outfield] wouldn’t be out of the realm of possibility.'"

[Vanimal46]

The Twins had no better options when they did that to Plouffe. That is not the case in 2015.

 

Asking a rookie, no matter how good, to figure out MLB pitching and learn a new position at the same time is a bit much.

 

How bad do you think Sano will be in right? Look at an athletic guy like Escobar and think about his struggles. Then factor in the enormous loss in defensive ability from benching Rosario and estimate whether you think it'll be an improvement or not... Chances are, it wouldn't.

Do I think a 260 pound man is gonna move like a gazelle in the OF? Absolutely not. I do believe he has enough athletic ability to make a majority of the plays out there.

 

Also why does Rosario have to be benched in this scenario? I view Hicks as the eventual 4th OF anyway and an OF of Rosario Buxton Sano a couple of times a week is not a bad consolation prize.

[jokin]

Definitely didn't read every post in this thread, so I'll probably be redundant.

 

 

Suggestions that Sano be called up and play RF are 99.9% insanity. The missing .1% considers the extreme outside chance that he is secretly really really good at playing RF. To suggest that someone who has never even sniffed RF in pro ball try it for the first time in MLB shows absolutely no appreciation for or understanding of the challenges of RF.

Based on your comment, I'm assuming then that you feel that the HOF manager is 99.9% insane? And has absolutely no appreciation for or understanding of the challenges in RF? Really?

[Brock Beauchamp]

Do I think a 260 pound man is gonna move like a gazelle in the OF? Absolutely not. I do believe he has enough athletic ability to make a majority of the plays out there.

 

Also why does Rosario have to be benched in this scenario? I view Hicks as the eventual 4th OF anyway and an OF of Rosario Buxton Sano a couple of times a week is not a bad consolation prize.

What happens to Hunter in this scenario?

[jokin]

Do I think a 260 pound man is gonna move like a gazelle in the OF? Absolutely not. I do believe he has enough athletic ability to make a majority of the plays out there.

 

Also why does Rosario have to be benched in this scenario? I view Hicks as the eventual 4th OF anyway and an OF of Rosario Buxton Sano a couple of times a week is not a bad consolation prize.

After seeing him play around 3rd and running the bases, there is a huge misperception that the Twins would be sending out some sort of combination of Willingham and Vargas out to RF, should the Twins choose to try out this option. There's bound to be some adjustment struggles, but with his enormous athletic ability, there's an excellent chance that he could hack it given some time, just as Santana did in CF.

[drjim]

I absolutely think he'll be up within a week. Rotate between 3B, RF and DH. I don't think Vargas is long for this roster, Twins didn't want to recall him when they did.

 

Barring a big trade, which I don't see and would probably be a mistake, or a complete reversal by Arcia, Sano is the last bullet to improve the offense. Everything else is just tweaking at the margins (which isn't to say they shouldn't do moves when the opportunity presents itself, just that the difference won't be as significant as what Sano could possibly bring to the table).

[jokin]

I absolutely think he'll be up within a week. Rotate between 3B, RF and DH. I don't think Vargas is long for this roster, Twins didn't want to recall him when they did.

 

Barring a big trade, which I don't see and would probably be a mistake, or a complete reversal by Arcia, Sano is the last bullet to improve the offense. Everything else is just tweaking at the margins (which isn't to say they shouldn't do moves when the opportunity presents itself, just that the difference won't be as significant as what Sano could possibly bring to the table).

+1 Yep, Sano is the last big move from the existing personnel. Although it does seem like Molitor is having an open tryout at SS this week between Escobar and Nunez. Perhaps Polanco hasn't completely ruined his chances from his one appearance to get in on that tryout if he finishes the end of the month off in a big way in AA?

[Vanimal46]

What happens to Hunter in this scenario?

Split time at DH/RF. The more positions that Sano can play, the more flexible the lineup becomes. Nunez/Escobar transitions to utility IF and spot starters instead of every day players.

[KGB]

Mauer to the DL, there has to be something wrong with him and we need to get him out of the lineup.  Plouffe has played some first this year and can play first & third. Sano can be used at third and DH, since I would think they want to keep playing him at third.  Vargas can get some AB's still at DH and first.

 

Time off has got to help Mauer and if it doesn't and the Twins want to contend, Mauer is going have to be looked at as a part-time player based on his play.

[AlwaysinModeration]

The scenario I would look to mitigate would be trading Plouffe, then having to move Sano off 3B in the next few years. That would be worst case. We have to be very confident that won't happen.

 

Kind of like trading Ramos because the Twins have Mauer to man catcher?

[drjim]

 

+1 Yep, Sano is the last big move from the existing personnel. Although it does seem like Molitor is having an open tryout at SS this week between Escobar and Nunez. Perhaps Polanco hasn't completely ruined his chances from his one appearance to get in on that tryout if he finishes the end of the month off in a big way in AA?

 

I agree Polanco could be back sooner rather than later, but I don't see him being much of a difference maker this year compared to Escobar or Santana. Long term absolutely.

[Brock Beauchamp]

Split time at DH/RF. The more positions that Sano can play, the more flexible the lineup becomes. Nunez/Escobar transitions to utility IF and spot starters instead of every day players.

Why shuffle everything so much and confuse the situation?

 

Just put Sano at DH and spot start him at third. That way you're not compromising defense and moving guys out of position for no real reason.

[drjim]

 

Why shuffle everything so much and confuse the situation?

Just put Sano at DH and spot start him at third. That way you're not compromising defense and moving guys out of position for no real reason.

 

Hunter isn't going to play RF every day, and I imagine they would rather have Sano out there than Robinson.

[TheLeviathan]

I hate the idea of just sticking him in RF because he's got a big arm and isn't a clutz.

 

Haven't we had enough bad play in the OF to nix that thought before it even happens?  The DH spot is plenty open right now, play him there and get him reps at third.

 

Plouffe isn't so great (or so young, or so long under team control) that we should be shoving Sano elsewhere.  The only reason to move Sano is if the team doesn't think he can learn to play third.  Anything else is a poor rationale.

[Brock Beauchamp]

Hunter isn't going to play RF every day, and I imagine they would rather have Sano out there than Robinson.

Considering that Miguel has never played an inning in the outfield, I'm almost certain the Twins would prefer to put almost anybody else out there.

 

I listened to this board relentlessly attack the Twins for putting infielders in the outfield - guys who had at least PLAYED there before - and now we're saying they should do it again? People are losing their damned minds right now. This is ridiculous.

[Brock Beauchamp]

I hate the idea of just sticking him in RF because he's got a big arm and isn't a clutz.

 

Haven't we had enough bad play in the OF to nix that thought before it even happens?  The DH spot is plenty open right now, play him there and get him reps at third.

 

Plouffe isn't so great (or so young, or so long under team control) that we should be shoving Sano elsewhere.  The only reason to move Sano is if the team doesn't think he can learn to play third.  Anything else is a poor rationale.

Yes. For the love of God, yes.

[jokin]

Considering that Miguel has never played an inning in the outfield, I'm almost certain the Twins would prefer to put almost anybody else out there.

 

I listened to this board relentlessly attack the Twins for putting infielders in the outfield - guys who had at least PLAYED there before - and now we're saying they should do it again? People are losing their damned minds right now. This is ridiculous.

So I guess Molitor's losing his "damned mind" for his public musing on just this distinct possibility of just such a move to RF for Sano, is the HOF manager "ridiculous", too? The Twins probably prefer to put someone else there, but today's article indicates they haven't ruled it out by any means.

[jokin]

If Sano in RF is just part-time and just for the next 1-3 months (depending on trading Plouffe or moving him to another position), AND he has Buxton giving him a lot of cover by flanking him in CF, is it really the End of The World? He can still go to Winter League, get his reps in at 3rd, and come back in 2016 and claim the position.

[TheLeviathan]

 

If Sano in RF is just part-time and just for the next 1-3 months (depending on trading Plouffe or moving him to another position), AND he has Buxton giving him a lot of cover by flanking him in CF, is it really the End of The World? He can still go to Winter League, get his reps in at 3rd, and come back in 2016 and claim the position.

 

Why does something have to be the end of the world to be a dumb thing to do?  Why mess with the progression of one of your best prospects when you don't have to?

[Brock Beauchamp]

I will be shocked if Sano gets time in the OF. In case some of you haven't noticed, the Twins have a DH who's hitting like Ben Revere, except without the contact.

[Vanimal46]

Why shuffle everything so much and confuse the situation?

Just put Sano at DH and spot start him at third. That way you're not compromising defense and moving guys out of position for no real reason.

There is no shuffling around in this scenario. C- Suzuki 1B- Mauer. If he needs a day off in the field, Sano could be an option. 2B- Dozier SS- TBD 3B- Plouffe. If he needs a day off in the field, Sano could be an option. LF- Rosario CF- Buxton RF- Hunter. If Hunter needs a day off in the field and we need a better bat than Hicks, Sano is an option. DH- Sano primary option. Mauer, Plouffe, Hunter whenever they need a day off in the field.

[Brock Beauchamp]

Why does something have to be the end of the world to be a dumb thing to do?  Why mess with the progression of one of your best prospects when you don't have to?

Yeah, this. Why are we even considering this? What is the gain here? Getting Miguel three more ABs a week?

 

Hell, if that's your objective, put Plouffe in right once a week and Sano at third. That way you're not screwing with an elite prospect for no bloody reason.

[TheLeviathan]

"Here Miguel - welcome to the big leagues and the tough adjustment that brings with big league pitchers.

 

Oh...and now you're a utility player.  Go get em"

 

Said no one sane ever.