Article: Twins To Call Up Miguel Sano

[Craig Arko]

Sigh.....why can't we talk about the news, and not posters. I don't know how this can be considered "fast"....he's one of the last elite prospects to get a promotion this year.

 

As for expectations, why can't we expect Bryant, Pederson, Correa type results? Whey should an ELITE prospect come up, and we should expect them to be bad?

http://youtu.be/5DmYLrxR0Y8

[Mike Sixel]

Sure, post stuff blocked on my work computer, make me use my phone.....

[tobi0040]

 

Sigh.....why can't we talk about the news, and not posters. I don't know how this can be considered "fast"....he's one of the last elite prospects to get a promotion this year.

 

As for expectations, why can't we expect Bryant, Pederson, Correa type results? Whey should an ELITE prospect come up, and we should expect them to be bad?

 

If Sano put up the identical numbers as Bryant, the posters here would be talking about the 30%+ k rate and .381 BABIP and concluding he was pretty lucky and due to come back to earth.

 

ZIPS and Steamer projected his BABIP to be .350 and .333, so you take off 10-15% from his .274 average and you have a guy that is a rookie finding his way.

 

 

Edited July 2, 2015 by tobi0040

[Loosey]

 

Sigh.....why can't we talk about the news, and not posters. I don't know how this can be considered "fast"....he's one of the last elite prospects to get a promotion this year.

 

As for expectations, why can't we expect Bryant, Pederson, Correa type results? Whey should an ELITE prospect come up, and we should expect them to be bad?

I completely agree.  The Twins should have had him in AAA a month + ago to prepare to face a slightly higher caliber of pitchers before jumping directly to the big club.  I think they should have done the same with Buxton.  Pitchers in AA vs Pitchers in MLB is a big difference.  Everyone of those guys you listed had at least a handful of AAA games.  The Twins don't do that because they are concerned about something pointless going on with a fringe prospect in AAA instead of moving their ELITE prospect up for a stint before they come up.  So my thought it they might struggle right off the bat, but will catch on soon after hopefully.  The degree of the struggle could be tempered by managing their "career path" better.

[Craig Arko]

Sure, post stuff blocked on my work computer, make me use my phone.....

Gotta battle your tail off for the payoff.

[Mike Sixel]

I do love that song

[Kirby_waved_at_me]

Well, Kris Bryant hit 43 Homers with .325 average in the minors (AA and AAA) last year at the age of 22.

 

Sano has 15 homers so far in AA, and missed all of last year due to injury. I think a better comp for expectations might be Kyle Schwarber, who has 13 Homers in AA this year and just had his cup of coffee.  

 

I think some guys are once in a generation, once in a lifetime talents - and some guys are just really good. With Buxton vs. Correa, Terry Ryan has said that Buxton's bat is his least refined tool. He was comparing the two guys just before Buxton was called up and said that Correa has a better bat today, but Buxton is faster, has a better arm, plays better defense, and has the athleticism and desire to improve his hitting to a point where it could surpass Correa.

 

The expectations that Buxton would be a great defender and a burner on the bases were met - his hitting may have been oversold by some. Every prospect is going to bring different things to the table, Bryant (and Sano and Joey Gallo) are bringing raw power, Buxton is bringing speed and defense first.

[Ncgo4]

This was not a desperate move. It was a very good move that was due, given Sano's progression after a year off and 30 days of rust removal. The situation with the twins is probably thought of as desperate, given their outrageously good play up until about 2 weeks ago. My take is that it was merely a regression to the norm given their lack of hitting and relief talent.

 

Starting a lineup without a single player batting over .270 is not a situation that will hold a team in contention. The twins need to recognize that Joe Mauer is damaged to the point where he is no longer anything beyond a marginal journeyman ball player. They do not have a catcher and they only have 1 1/2 outfielders till Buxton returns. Plouffe should be at first, Sano at third, Kepler in left and Mauer At DH until they feel either Walker or Arcia can come up.

 

Personally I'd like to see Sano at third, Plouffe at first, Khrpler in left and Walker at DH. But it ain't going to happen.

[Ncgo4]

As a little follow up. I have consistently bitched about the Twins reluctance to advance players. I still think some of their moves defy explanation...but. Sano and Buxton missed virtually all of last year with injury. Rosario missed a whole lot, cuz he was suspended thinking he was living in Colorado. Now all three have been called up to the Twins. Who'da guessed this 6 months ago?

[jokin]

 

Gotta disagree here, Jim. It was a mistake to send down Vargas the first time. An already weak offense was deprived of its best chance at a competent DH. That he hasn't hit since his recall is irrelevant...no matter the result, running futility infielders out there as DHs is not an answer.

I have no problem swapping Vargas for Sano, hope it works, but IMO this should be Vargas' first trip to the minors.

 

Well-stated.  Vargas needed regular ABs to put to use what Bruno was imparting to him in the cage.  It appears they still aren't on the same page.  Molitor is currently riding Nunez's hot hand at the plate and giving him regular playing time at SS- to the detriment of the defense, why didn't he ride a bit longer with Vargas in May- when he couldn't hurt the defense at DH?

[jokin]

 

Well, Kris Bryant hit 43 Homers with .325 average in the minors (AA and AAA) last year at the age of 22.

 

Sano has 15 homers so far in AA, and missed all of last year due to injury. I think a better comp for expectations might be Kyle Schwarber, who has 13 Homers in AA this year and just had his cup of coffee.  

 

 

 

1) And who knows what Sano could have done last year?  He hit 35 HR in 2013 with a .280 average in A+ and AA- and at age 20!

 

2)  Great point on Schwarber vs Sano.  I comped them in the minor league thread.  Sano actually out-performed Schwarber from late April to now (once he shook off that lost 1.5 years).

[HitInAPinch]

A cold slap of reality from Mr. P. Reusse.  Ouch ! 

 

http://www.startribune.com/let-sano-concentrate-on-being-the-twins-dh/311355231/

 

Even Rand is backpedaling a little:

 

http://www.startribune.com/sano-like-other-twins-prospects-needs-time-to-grow/311339931/

 

What I'm most curious about with Sano is how he'll react to being a DH, if that is in fact where the Twins will put him.  Will he be able to maintain the level of concentration needed between AB's to be able to hit.  Not many can do that on a full-time basis.  Off the top of my head, Molitor, Ortiz and Martinez are the only 3 I can think of.

Edited July 2, 2015 by HitInAPinch

[drjim]

 

Sigh.....why can't we talk about the news, and not posters. I don't know how this can be considered "fast"....he's one of the last elite prospects to get a promotion this year.

 

As for expectations, why can't we expect Bryant, Pederson, Correa type results? Whey should an ELITE prospect come up, and we should expect them to be bad?

 

Because he asked a question of why people weren't posting more? So I answered the question.

 

I have great expectations for Sano too, not sure where you are getting the thought people are expecting him to be bad. He is the one guy I expect to come out raking from the system.

[Mike Sixel]

 

Because he asked a question of why people weren't posting more? So I answered the question.

 

I have great expectations for Sano too, not sure where you are getting the thought people are expecting him to be bad. He is the one guy I expect to come out raking from the system.

 

Fair, though I doubt that's why people weren't posting more......

 

I'm surprised there aren't more guesses over how much DH or 3B time he'll get, for one.

 

Plenty of people are saying to temper our expectations, no prospect should be expected to be good, linking to articles saying that, quoting Ryan saying that.......I don't get why other teams can call up ELITE prospects, and expect them to be good, but the Twins and their fans can't.

[tobi0040]

 

Fair, though I doubt that's why people weren't posting more......

 

I'm surprised there aren't more guesses over how much DH or 3B time he'll get, for one.

 

Plenty of people are saying to temper our expectations, no prospect should be expected to be good, linking to articles saying that, quoting Ryan saying that.......I don't get why other teams can call up ELITE prospects, and expect them to be good, but the Twins and their fans can't.

 

 

My point is you can't really expect much of anything within a  5 or 10 game sample.  Five years from now Miguel Sano is going to be the same player regardless. Yet people will be dissecting every pitch his first few games.  I would love to see a HR every game but if he does or doesn't it doesn't mean much of anything in the long run.

 

 

[birddog]

After Kris Bryant's spring training impersonation of Ted Williams, many thought he would put up those same numbers against major league pitching. It just doesn't happen right away when pitchers adjust to hitters' strengths. I have been drooling over Sano's bat since I saw him in Beloit three years ago. He is the real deal, but temper expectations for this still-very-young man. Enjoy every at bat for what it could be--a 450 foot bomb--but don't expect it. 

[drjim]

He'll also k alot, sometimes in big spots. But he'll hit bombs.

 

And the other elite prospects are doing well but they certainly have ups and downs. Don't put on Sano an unrealistic interpretation of what other prospects have done either.

[Mike Sixel]

 

After Kris Bryant's spring training impersonation of Ted Williams, many thought he would put up those same numbers against major league pitching. It just doesn't happen right away when pitchers adjust to hitters' strengths. I have been drooling over Sano's bat since I saw him in Beloit three years ago. He is the real deal, but temper expectations for this still-very-young man. Enjoy every at bat for what it could be--a 450 foot bomb--but don't expect it. 

 

Kris Bryant has put up the 26th most offensive WAR in the majors this year, even after missing some time at the beginning of the year. I have no idea what this post means.....he's been awesome this year.

[TheLeviathan]

We have/had like four threads about Sano. Maybe, just maybe, that explains it.

 

Or we could just be excited about Sano being up.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

What I'm most curious about with Sano is how he'll react to being a DH, if that is in fact where the Twins will put him.  Will he be able to maintain the level of concentration needed between AB's to be able to hit.  Not many can do that on a full-time basis.  Off the top of my head, Molitor, Ortiz and Martinez are the only 3 I can think of.

There's a lot more than those 3.  Victor Martinez, Jim Thome (later career), and Travis Hafner were all successful recent full-time DH's in our division.  Later career Frank Thomas too.  Chili Davis.  Harold Baines is a DH legend.  Rafael Palmeiro even won a Gold Glove one year while DH'ing.  

[jimmer]

 

Kris Bryant has put up the 26th most offensive WAR in the majors this year, even after missing some time at the beginning of the year. I have no idea what this post means.....he's been awesome this year.

69 games, 10 HR, 13 2B, 2 3B, a slash of .274/.378/.460. OPS+ of 133, wRC+ 133.

 

Yeah, I'll take that.  If Sano comes close to this for the remaining of the year, we should line up and do back flips.

 

And Bryant isn't even the most impressive rookie this year.

Edited July 2, 2015 by jimmer

[dxpavelka]

 

I hope that the Twins give Sano a sporadic duty of DH.  They can rotate:

 

Sano/Plouffe: 3B/DH

Plouffe/Hunter: OF/DH

Mauer/Plouffe: 1B/DH

 

if they do that, Sano should be the starting third baseman 8 out of 10 games.

 

You don't give up on kids that young to make them DHs...  As a matter of fact, Sano's glove (and arm) at third (now) is better than Plouffe's was at the beginning of last season.  And methinks that Plouffe is a better OF than Escobar and/or Santana, so that is a win win.  

 

I expect (Danny) Santana for Hicks next.

Been saying for months that when Sano comes up make him the 3B.  Put Plouffe in a Super Utility role that was envisioned years ago for Cuddyer-5 starts a week between the 2 corner infield and outfield spot and DH.  He's never been a bat only guy in the minors and if you want to get him acclimated to the bigs put him where HE is comfortable-whether anybody else is comfortable with him playing there or not.

[bird]

 

Well, Kris Bryant hit 43 Homers with .325 average in the minors (AA and AAA) last year at the age of 22.

 

Sano has 15 homers so far in AA, and missed all of last year due to injury. I think a better comp for expectations might be Kyle Schwarber, who has 13 Homers in AA this year and just had his cup of coffee.  

 

I think some guys are once in a generation, once in a lifetime talents - and some guys are just really good. With Buxton vs. Correa, Terry Ryan has said that Buxton's bat is his least refined tool. He was comparing the two guys just before Buxton was called up and said that Correa has a better bat today, but Buxton is faster, has a better arm, plays better defense, and has the athleticism and desire to improve his hitting to a point where it could surpass Correa.

 

The expectations that Buxton would be a great defender and a burner on the bases were met - his hitting may have been oversold by some. Every prospect is going to bring different things to the table, Bryant (and Sano and Joey Gallo) are bringing raw power, Buxton is bringing speed and defense first.

 

 

This is a wonderful explanation and answer to mike's question. It makes zero sense to make comparisons when the paths of the prospects are so different. It's convenient to the argument to compare say, Buxton's "struggles" to Correia and then draw a conclusion. Let's not mention elite prospects on other teams who struggle, guys like Soler. Let's not mention Eddie Rosario as a Twins success. Let's not mention that Bryant and Corria are elite prospects and Vargas and Danny Santana are not. Let's simply draw a false  blanket conclusion that other teams' elite prospects are good out of the blocks and the Twin's "elite prospects" are not.

Edited July 3, 2015 by birdwatcher

[birddog]

 

 

Kris Bryant has put up the 26th most offensive WAR in the majors this year, even after missing some time at the beginning of the year. I have no idea what this post means.....he's been awesome this year.

I fully agree that Bryant has had a tremendous rookie season so far. My point is how many people think "he only has 10 HRs"? The expectations from too many people were that he'd hit 50+ HRs this year. He probably will hit that many at some point, just not his first year. And that was my point with Sano--let him learn to hit at the MLB level without unrealistic expectations.

[stringer bell]

I thought that both Cubs phenoms--Bryant and Schwarber--looked no better than okay. Bryant is a pretty good all-around player and his numbers say he's already a fine player. Schwarber only DHed. He was dominant in AA and did very well in a short stint in the majors, but the Twins pitched him well.

 

How does this relate to Sano? Well, Bryant was put on the same level as the Twins phenom. Bryant will have ups and downs and so will Miguel Sano. Sano will probably be mostly a DH, so he does need to hit to have value.

[drivlikejehu]

 

I fully agree that Bryant has had a tremendous rookie season so far. My point is how many people think "he only has 10 HRs"? The expectations from too many people were that he'd hit 50+ HRs this year. He probably will hit that many at some point, just not his first year. And that was my point with Sano--let him learn to hit at the MLB level without unrealistic expectations.

 

Could you point to some evidence that many, or any, people were expecting 50+ home runs from Bryant?

[jimmer]

 

I fully agree that Bryant has had a tremendous rookie season so far. My point is how many people think "he only has 10 HRs"? The expectations from too many people were that he'd hit 50+ HRs this year. He probably will hit that many at some point, just not his first year. And that was my point with Sano--let him learn to hit at the MLB level without unrealistic expectations.

I do not know of even one person who expected him to hit 40 HR much less 50. I'd be interested to read who was expecting 50.