Pinch-hitting Santana for Buxton

[John Bonnes]

I've seen some reference to this in other threads and on Twitter and thought it might be a good topic. In the bottom of 9th inning last night, Buxton was lifted for Danny Santana versus the right-handed Tigers closer, Bruce Rondon. Santana batted left-handed and grounded out weakly.

 

Several people have criticized the move. I'm not one of them. My cohost on Gleeman and the Geek and I will likely differ on that sentiment.

 

Incidentally, Molitor was asked about the move after the game by Brandon Warne, who often contributes to Twins Daily. Molitor's reply: 

"Have you been watching the games? Byron has been battling. It’s been hard for him to get hits."

 

There are at least two things you can look at here.

1) You can look at how Buxton and Santana have both fared, whether it's over XX at-bats or versus right-handed pitchers or whatever.

2) You can look at how Rondon has done in each situations.

 

I think #1 can go either way. You can certainly find stats that support Buxton batting there. You an also find stats that support Santana.

 

But #2, to me, means I want a left-handed batter against Rondon if I can help it. First, he has done worse against left-handed batters. Second, as we saw in the Sano at-bat, that slider he has can be a real weapon against right-handed batter and is virtually useless against lefties.

 

The bottom line: to me, this is mostly a "hunch" call. I think if you want to look at the data, it generally supports bringing in a left-handed batter, even if that batter is Santana. (And frankly, that might be why we didn't see Hunter in the same spot.)

[diehardtwinsfan]

Honestly, it's more a testament to the bench than anything.  It would be nice to have a guy who can be a decent pinch hitter.  We don't really have a Jose Offerman type on this bench.

[SweetOne69]

If it was the desire for a left handed bat, then Santana was the only option left as Mauer, Rosario, Hicks, and Escobar started.  Vargas PH for Suzuki and was replaced by Herrmann in the field.

[Boom Boom]

Honestly, it's more a testament to the bench than anything. It would be nice to have a guy who can be a decent pinch hitter. We don't really have a Jose Offerman type on this bench.

Offerman would have tried to bludgeon someone with the bat.

 

Vargas isn't proven enough, but he was the best PH option and he'd already been used. So had Herrmann, although I think I'd rather PH Santana than him anyway.

 

But really... Danny Santana shouldn't be PHing for anyone. Tell Buxton to bunt.

[Monkeypaws]

Would have preferred Oswaldo to tell the truth.

 

No beef with Molly though, even though Buxton did squeeze an infield hit off Rondon the night before, and was 2for three in the game. BB has a lot to learn.

[DaveW]

I don't have a big issue with it. I wish we had a better option then Santana (yuck)

[Mike Sixel]

If only Arcia was allowed to be on the team right now......or Kepler, both of whom are on the 40 man.....

 

as for the decision, meh. Neither is a good option, but at least Buxton lets you still have an elite CF defender if you do tie things up......that might be the tiniest tie breaker for me. But, ya, not a big deal, imo, either way.

[nicksaviking]

 

Would have preferred Oswaldo to tell the truth.

 

No beef with Molly though, even though Buxton did squeeze an infield hit off Rondon the night before, and was 2for three in the game. BB has a lot to learn.

 

I understand why they thought they needed a pinch hitter, but Santana has actually been a lot worse against RHP this year, meanwhile Buxton actually has a reverse split, so much so that we probably would have much more mild consternation about his development if his overall OPS matched his OPS against RHP (.638).

 

Still I agree, Arcia in that at bat would look better if a pinch hitter was absolutely going to happen.  I wonder if that specific at bat alone will be the tipping point in convincing the front office to add Kepler once the AA season is done.  I would also have taken Polanco and his track record of getting on base ahead of Santana in that situation.

[big dog]

Bert was talking about Rondon being known to walk guys, and that Santana needed to be selective.  Sure, that's going to work.  I don't mind pinch-hitting for Buxton, but that presumes we actually have a major-league caliber hitter replacing him.  You send up someone with a .238 OBP, 5 walks in 267 plate appearances, against a pitcher who throws really hard but has a tendency to walk guys?

 

Molitor's rather sarcastic response aside, saying you need to hit for Buxton is not at all the same thing as saying you need to bring Santana to the plate.  If it is, then you need to rethink the situation.

 

Santana this year against RH pitchers?  .200 avg, .218 OBP.  Buxton's OBP is .284.

 

Nope.  I don't get it.

[kab21]

There should be better solutions but Arcia was not that option.  Either he is significantly injured or he checked out in July.  I don't know why but he has hit worse in AAA than Drew Butera since the middle of July.

[wavedog]

I can see why Molitor used the Lefty-righty thought process to bat for Buxton - but personally I was looking forward to Buxton getting a chance to lead-off.  He may not be on his hitting game but he can use his speed to get on base.  I mean what confidence has Santana inspired this year? Buxton is afterall a top prospect.   Buxton then Hicks - I was looking for them to set the table.  

[Kwak]

Arcia would not be a better option.  He is an all/nothing type of hitter (this Summer, generally nothing  )--but the score was 5-3--an on-base type is far more useful than a pure slugger.  OK, Santana has flaws, but he fits the profile of the OBA type much better than Arcia.  

 

I guess Arcia has become the poster-boy for straw-man arguments for hitters in this Forum--but that has become tedious especially considering his poor results at Rochester.   

[Monkeypaws]

 

Arcia would not be a better option.  He is an all/nothing type of hitter (this Summer, generally nothing  )--but the score was 5-3--an on-base type is far more useful than a pure slugger.  OK, Santana has flaws, but he fits the profile of the OBA type much better than Arcia.  

 

I guess Arcia has become the poster-boy for straw-man arguments for hitters in this Forum--but that has become tedious especially considering his poor results at Rochester.   

 

You could argue that Arcia was rushed to MLB, and as a result he has major flaws in his game. Him being rushed is debatable, but given what the Twins have trotted into the outfield the last 4 seasons, understandable.

 

Dude has a career ,297 BA in the minors, including this years putrid numbers at Rochester, and is ony 6 months older than AB Walker.

 

He's probably their worst handled prospect since David Arias, and we know how that turned out.

[h2oface]

I didn't really care. I hate to pull the hot hitter during the game, Buxton going 2-3......for the lefty-righty thing..... or for any reason. But I can say history has now shown it was not a good decision. 

[Thrylos]

And Kepler and Polanco are still in the minors, instead of been available as PHs.

 

Justify this, while the Twins are contending.

[SwainZag]

I didn't really care. I hate to pull the hot hitter during the game, Buxton going 2-3......for the lefty-righty thing..... or for any reason. But I can say history has now shown it was not a good decision.

I don't know if you can quantify a bunt single and a badly played chopper as being a hot hitter. Not saying I agree with punch hitting for him, but it's not like he was just crushing the ball.

[Linus]

This is the absolute definition of splitting hairs.  I find the calls for Arcia confusing at best.....

[Mike Sixel]

And Kepler and Polanco are still in the minors, instead of been available as PHs.

 

Justify this, while the Twins are contending.

Affiliates and minor league playoff games, man. There is no justification for Polanco, none.

[David HK]

 

If it was the desire for a left handed bat, then Santana was the only option left as Mauer, Rosario, Hicks, and Escobar started.  Vargas PH for Suzuki and was replaced by Herrmann in the field.

Yeh, so I was kinda wondering why Fryer didn't catch, and save another lefty bat-  oh, well.

[Thrylos]

 

Affiliates and minor league playoff games, man. There is no justification for Polanco, none.

 

Pretty sure that Seth had one a couple days ago.  Got to check

[Brandon Warne]

Yeah, I was a little put off by his response.

[DaveW]

Yeah, I was a little put off by his response.

How dare you question a manager who has proven absolutely nothing as a manager!

[Reider]

I have no issue with D. Santana pinch hitting for Buxton. Sometimes managerial moves are no brainers, sometimes they are obviously bad decisions, and sometimes there is no right answer and you just go with your gut feeling, which this situation appeared to be. You can't fault Molitor for chosing the option, which he thought gave the Twins the best chance to win.

 

Sometimes managers are too slow to pull pitchers, sometimes they can over-manage or over-think things. Sometimes managers just need to go with the horse that got them there! It's easy to look back after a tough loss and criticise.

 

This was a tough loss as the Twins could have used this win badly. They came back from behind, but Jepson, who is normaly lights out, had a tough outing. The team contined to battle in extra innings, Molitor made the best decisions that he could at the time and the team just didn't end up with the win. It's not the end of the world. The season is not over. They just need to go back out there tomorrow and keep doing the best they can and hopefully their best is to win enough games to earn a Wild Card spot!