Taking another look at Danny Santana

[DocBauer]

Amidst the gloom of the Twins having another poor and disappointing season in 2014, Danny was a bright spot to be sure. He was a shiny new toy that you weren't expecting Christmas morning. He hit...kept hitting...never stopped hitting, and provided some pop and speed and OK defense in the OF, (SS?) and a spark plug for the team. We heard, and were shown, over and over again, the quick hands that allowed him to perform the way he did. (Though that BBIP Avg was unsustainable to be sure) Everytime someone doubted him, he just kept performing. He was a winner in a losing season.

 

I was very impressed with the STILL ONLY 23 year old.

 

Unfortunately, for Santana, not the rest of the franchise, 2014 eventually had to come to an end. Over the previous years, Santana had never been included in any list of Twins top prospects, but he was always mentioned as an intriguing athlete with tons of talent and potential who could surprise. So while it was a surprise at how well he played in 2014, it wasn't a complete shock. He had shown/proven so much to me, that coming in to 2015, he was one of the Twins I worried least about. Oh, I expected the Avg to drop for sure. And with it, the OB might drop a little as well. But the BB would surely rise a bit. XB hits and SB would also rise a bit, no doubt, due to his immense talent and a year's experience. PLUS, he was moving back to his original, more natural position of SS.

 

And then we actually played the 2015 season. And while it was a mostly resounding success for the Twins and for us the fans, it was a huge disappointment for Santana. He didn't field particularly well. He didn't hit or get on base at all. About the only thing he did was provide a nice breeze on hot days while at the plate. Was 2014 simply an illusion? Was there too much pressure to repeat while playing SS? Was it the poor stance and weird hitch in his swing that was pointed out in a wonderful article here on TD a couple months ago?

 

Regardless, it will soon be (can't wait) a new season again. Santana figures to get a long look as a utility player, infield and OF, and perhaps even a guaranteed spot. At least initially. But what...or perhaps who...can we expect?

 

A quick rewind. Santana debuted in the states with the GCL Twins in 2009 as an 18 year old. He split his second season as a 19 yo between Elizabethton and then Beloit in low A. And while he certainly performed better at the rookie level, he wasn't completely embarrassed at Beloit, and it was impressive and daunting to see someone so young there I'm sure. 2011 was spent in Beloit and his numbers were very so-so. There was some pop and speed, and an OB 50 points above his BA, but the BA and OPS were nothing to write home about.

 

But something began to click for Santana in 2012 and 2013, which he spent at Ft. Meyers and New Britain respectively. He had over 500 AB in each season, .286 and .297 BA's, a .329 and .333 OB, and a nice pair of OPS of .739 and .719. He began 2014 in Rochester for his first taste of AAA ball. In 24 games, he didn't stink, was so-so, and then got the unexpected call to the Twin Cities and his big year. Despite the huge disappointment of the 2015 season at the ML level, in 35 games and 152 AB in his second, go around in AAA he pretty much raked. (Though his OB vs BA wasn't very impressive)

 

So what should we expect of the just recently turned 25 yo, super talented but enigmatic Santana in 2016? He's not the hitter he was in 2014, but most guys aren't. But I don't believe he's the player we saw last season either. His milb progression was solid and steady. He never spent more than a year and a half at any one level, and was generally a level at a time progression. His career milb quad slash line is .276/ .319/ .399/ .717 with 124 SB vs 56 CS. There is the belief he is capable of more, and clearly showed flashes with the Twins in '14. You just don't do what he did with nothing but smoke and mirrors. And while he needs to somehow, someway, show more patience, he has, thus far, maintained approximately a 45 point plus differential OB% above BA.

 

So with all of this rewind...going forward now...what do we expect? He isn't a finished product, to be sure. Does he bloom this year? When? Does he remain a backup, role player? Could he end up being a top of the order Tony Phillips utility player? What say all of you? Who and what is Danny Santana?

[Danchat]

Nice article. I find it hard to project what Santana is going to do in 2016. But he's got potential, so the Twins should definitely keep him on the bench and hope he figures things out.

[stringer bell]

It's a near certainty that Santana makes the club out of Spring Training. He will get chances to play in the first month. A year halfway between '14 and '15 would make him a valuable performer. If Buxton is deemed not to be ready, I wouldn't be opposed to seeing Santana trying to recapture his success of 2014 as the Twins' center fielder.

[bluechipper]

I love the talent and never thought he would fall so far last year. I think he could be a good backup infielder who can give the team energy when he gets in the game. Hopefully the pressure is off now and he can go back and simply play to the level that his talent allows.

[HitInAPinch]

"PLUS, he was moving back to his original, more natural position of SS."

 

I don't know about that.  I'd say the evidence from his time with the Twins would be to the contrary.  After being a SS most of his career, I was more than a little stunned by how poorly he played in the field.

But I still have high hopes for Danny Santana.

[DaveW]

Non tender Nunez

Let Santana take over his role (Super Util)

 

[gunnarthor]

I like him as a bench player - he can back up in the IF and CF and his legs give the Twins a good pinch runner late in the game.  That's not a horrible bench guy to have.  

[Willihammer]

Not at all. He's pretty much ideal as a bench guy IMO.

[ashbury]

Utility is a good way to look at him for 2016, and it will let him establish whether he should be more, or less, going forward.

[Winston Smith]

Non tender Nunez

Let Santana take over his role (Super Util)

Nunez was one of our better hitters and Santana one of the worst, nice trade off.

 

More wishing and hoping.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Santana led the team in PH appearances last year, so maybe in 2016 he emerges as the primary hitting threat off the bench.

[Dantes929]

Except maybe center field IS his natural position.   Speed and a rocket arm.    Escobar was considered a utility player who would fail if playing every day instead so far has shown us he is a very mediocre utility player while being quite good as an every day player.  Likewise Santana might be best suited to be an outfielder.   SSS says he hits well when roaming the outfield and not so much as a short stop.    I still like the guy but think outfield or utility is his forte.

[dbminn]

My guess is Santana will be on the Twins bench or in CF to begin 2016. Others on the bench will include Suzuki (ha!), Nunez, and either Arcia or OF to be determined. (Both Arcia and OF TBD will be on bench if Buxton isn't ready).

[Hrbowski]

 

Non tender Nunez

Let Santana take over his role (Super Util)

I agree that the Twins should definitely have Santana higher on the depth chart than Nunez.

[DocBauer]

Utility is a good way to look at him for 2016, and it will let him establish whether he should be more, or less, going forward.

As Stringer said, he is a near certainty to make the roster to begin 2016. I think it would take a tragic hunting accident with TC Bear to not make the club, IMO. But I really like the way Ashburyjohn stated his role.

 

Was 2014 a signal of his potential overall, and was he freed up to perform as such playing OF primarily? Was the 2015 collapse a result of pressure and a screwed up stance? (As previously suggested)

 

I suspect some renewed confidence, a return/change in stance could do a lot. I think he's a great fit as a multi purpose utility player. I keep thinking he's an unfinished, unpolished product that you stick with, and in a couple years, regardless of utility or fixed spot, he clicks as a dynamic performer.

[DocBauer]

Non tender Nunez

Let Santana take over his role (Super Util)

Going to have to disagree. A lot of teams, including the Twins over time, employ a pair of utility/role players. Under most roster constructs I come up with, there should be room for both Santana and Nunez. And that's not a bad thing. He's got a solid bat with a little pop and speed off the bench and can fill in at a few spots.