Danny Santana: Outfielder?

[Nick Nelson]

According to these tweets from Rhett Bollinger and Mike Berardino, the Twins are planning to move Danny Santana back to the outfield:

 

 

 

While this could mean that they are simply adding the outfield back to his positional platter, what I'm inferring from these tweets is that they're committing to Santana as an outfielder. (Granted, 140 characters don't leave a lot of room for nuance.)

 

If that's the case, it's a puzzling decision. I'm no fan of Santana's defense at shortstop but they liked him enough there last year to give him the job and let him stick there for four months last season. You'd certainly think he could handle it in small doses, as well as filling in at second and maybe occasionally third.

 

As a full-fledged utility guy who can fill in at the middle infield spots and the outfield, as well as switch-hitting and running well off the bench, Santana has plenty to offer. As strictly an outfielder, he doesn't do much for me. The grist of this announcement is that the Twins are viewing DS as either the backup plan at CF if Buxton isn't ready, or as their plays-all-three-spots 4th OF.

 

But of course, Santana's 2015 was hardly more impressive than Buxton's offensively, so he's not all that enticing of an alternative in center. And his professional experience playing any outfield spot other than CF amounts to 9 2/3 innings (9 of those coming when he was 19 years old).

 

So essentially, we're talking about two player who have really never played the corner OF (Santana and Sano) both getting significant exposure there, with Arcia also likely getting his fair share.

 

Sounds like potential recipe for defensive havoc. 

[ThePaloAlto]

I gotta believe this is in part just making sure Buxton appreciates that the job isn't a lock for him. I don't mind him as the 4th outfielder, bring him in for late innings when you want someone faster than Sano to keep the balls from dropping. I'm hoping this doesn't cut off any opportunities for Kepler this season.

[Mike Sixel]

I look forward to the entertainment coming our way.

[Vanimal46]

I guess some good news for the Escobar lovers is the Twins are giving him the keys to SS with very little competition behind him.

 

Not sure why the Twins would limit Santana to just the OF. If anything he provided versatility and looked like an ideal utility man. Saying that he's strictly OF limits his trade value going forward.

[USAFChief]

You can never have too many corner OFers with .717 career minor league OPS's.

[alhweiner]

It's SIMPLE!

The Twins are trying to find out if Santana hits better as a full-time outfielder (see 2014) than he does as part-time SS (see 2015).

Once they determine that, his career path will be clarified.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

I gotta believe this is in part just making sure Buxton appreciates that the job isn't a lock for him.

That could be accomplished by saying Rosario can play CF.  Or over-hyping an existing outfielder like Sweeney, Benson, or Mastroianni.

 

Not actually converting an infielder / utility guy to full-time outfielder.

[dxpavelka]

You can never have enough infielders playing outfield.  2014 worked out so well why not repeat it instead of 2015.

[bluechipper]

This doesn't make much sense to me either, and I have a feeling this might affect Buxton starting the season with the Twins, unfortunately. I hope I'm wrong on that though.

[Seth Stohs]

I was there as well. It didn't sound like they were completely taking Santana away from the infield as much as saying Santana is going to go to spring ready to learn the outfield more. 

 

Frankly, he wasn't great in CF two years ago, but he was adequate at least. His defense at shortstop was always going to be a question mark. I don't see any negative in this. His role short and long term with the Twins at this point is as a utility player so having him play more and more positions is a good thing. 

[alarp33]

 

It's SIMPLE!

The Twins are trying to find out if Santana hits better as a full-time outfielder (see 2014) than he does as part-time SS (see 2015).

Once they determine that, his career path will be clarified.

 

I'm not accusing you of doing this (you may be), but its funny to me the people (Terry Ryan?) who honestly believe Santana is going to be able to hit as an OFer, but can't as a SS.,,, Yet from the other side of their mouth tell us Sano's move to OF won't effect his bat at all. 

 

Frankly I don't think it really matters - but you can't have it both ways

[Danchat]

Yay, more infielders in the outfield! I didn't know they were continuing this series for another season!

[drjim]

If I wanted to spin this positively, I think it means they are more likely to keep Arcia on the roster.

[DaveW]

Good lord.

[alhweiner]

 

I'm not accusing you of doing this (you may be), but its funny to me the people (Terry Ryan?) who honestly believe Santana is going to be able to hit as an OFer, but can't as a SS.,,, Yet from the other side of their mouth tell us Sano's move to OF won't effect his bat at all. 

 

Frankly I don't think it really matters - but you can't have it both ways

But you CAn have it both ways with different people.

Some people (Santana) let position changes get into their heads.

Other people (hopefully Sano) let NOTHING get into their heads.

I'll bet Miguel Cabrera could play shortstop, where he would obviously stink defensively, and still hit .350.

I'll bet Aaron Hicks could play shortstop, where he would be slightly better than Cabrera, but would hit below .100, and have Suicide Hot Line on speed dial.

 

[alarp33]

 

But you CAn have it both ways with different people.

Some people (Santana) let position changes get into their heads.

Other people (hopefully Sano) let NOTHING get into their heads.

I'll bet Miguel Cabrera could play shortstop, where he would obviously stink defensively, and still hit .350.

I'll bet Aaron Hicks could play shortstop, where he would be slightly better than Cabrera, but would hit below .100, and have Suicide Hot Line on speed dial.

 

That's a neat theory.  Here's a more likely scenario.  Danny Santana can't hit when he doesn't have off the charts BABIP luck.  The Twins are going to force him into starts all over the outfield where he'll continue to be one of the worst hitters in the league, and a bad outfielder.  

[USAFChief]

 

But you CAn have it both ways with different people.

Some people (Santana) let position changes get into their heads.

Other people (hopefully Sano) let NOTHING get into their heads.

I'll bet Miguel Cabrera could play shortstop, where he would obviously stink defensively, and still hit .350.

I'll bet Aaron Hicks could play shortstop, where he would be slightly better than Cabrera, but would hit below .100, and have Suicide Hot Line on speed dial.

That may be true, but wouldn't Santana be an example of someone who doesn't let anything get into their heads?

 

He hit in 2014, when he was moved to CF (with almost no OF experience) part time.

[howieramone2]

Santana is out of options. He can't beat out Nunez, and Polanco is knocking on the door. This is his last chance with our favorite team.

[diehardtwinsfan]

I think the issue with DanSan is part what Howie said (out of options) and part b/c there is some talent here.  He's a kid that could use more time in the minors, but as contracts are, he's forced to be in the majors.  I'm guessing the team hopes that he can click a bit and will rotate him around to get him competitive.  I'm not as concerned about this one given he plays SS and CF... perhaps below average, but positions where we aren't necessarily deep at the moment.

[Nick Nelson]

 

That may be true, but wouldn't Santana be an example of someone who doesn't let anything get into their heads?

 

He hit in 2014, when he was moved to CF (with almost no OF experience) part time.

Yeah, the part I don't get is him hitting better as a rookie being thrust into a position he's never played, than when playing his natural position with a year of experience under his belt.

 

The far more likely explanation, based on Santana's track record, is that his considerable offensive flaws caught up to him last year. I don't expect him to be quite so bad going forward but there's little reason to think he's going to revert to 2014 form because of a position switch. 

[ScrapTheNickname]

An alternative spelling of DFA is PTBNL and vice verse.

 

[alhweiner]

 

That may be true, but wouldn't Santana be an example of someone who doesn't let anything get into their heads?

 

He hit in 2014, when he was moved to CF (with almost no OF experience) part time.

IMO, OF is a less stressful position because your pre-pitch thought process is limited to preparing to throw TWO base ahead of the lead runner on a single and ONE base ahead of the lead runner on a caught fly ball. Infielders have much more complex decisions to prepare for in the pre-pitch thought process. Extra stress can cause confused thinking.

[TheLeviathan]

 

If I wanted to spin this positively, I think it means they are more likely to keep Arcia on the roster.

 

I'm curious why you think that.  

[drjim]

I'm curious why you think that.

Because they probably view Santana as someone who can play CF and other OF positions at least adequately defensively, allowing them to carry a more bat first guy as another OF.

[Thrylos]

Well... What this means is what some of us have been talking about for a while: Danny Santana's ceiling is that of Utility Player.  So now the Twins make it official. Danny will be the new Denny.  All good with that.

[Willihammer]

 

I was there as well. It didn't sound like they were completely taking Santana away from the infield as much as saying Santana is going to go to spring ready to learn the outfield more. 

 

Frankly, he wasn't great in CF two years ago, but he was adequate at least. His defense at shortstop was always going to be a question mark. I don't see any negative in this. His role short and long term with the Twins at this point is as a utility player so having him play more and more positions is a good thing. 

I hope you're right. Santana looked fine in CF and he's fine in a utility role IMO.

 

Sano's defense OTOH is going to look more like Bartlett-Nunez-Escobar's I'm afraid.

[DocBauer]

Soooo....this is a story why? He's played OF. He's played INF. We've all been stating/assuming for some time now that he would play both. I think this is merely the Twins telling us all something we already knew.

 

As to the offense question, I don't know if he can ever be as good as he showed in his rookie season. However, I absolutely believe he's far better than last season. And while I don't believe he will exclusively be an OF by any means, there absolutely is precedent of guys improving their offensive game after a move to the OF, usually attributed to being able to relax more and feel less "concerned" defensively.

[drjim]

If he can be a competent OF he really could bring some value to the team - switch hitter, lots of speed, multiple positions. Would obviously have preferred he settled in as the starting SS, but that is a nice guy to have on the bench assuming a little bit of a rebound on his last years numbers, which I do.

[nicksaviking]

If I wanted to spin this positively, I think it means they are more likely to keep Arcia on the roster.

I was actually thinking the opposite, as Arcia now has to compete with Santana along with possibly Sweeny, Benson, Mastroianni and Kepler.

 

Nunez now competes with Polanco, and only maybe.

[Danchat]

I had to do this.

http://i.imgur.com/vaOvZLd.png

 

And yes, I'm keeping Nunez there until I can replace him with someone else. And you never know, Molly could still trot out Nunez in the OF because he can.