La Velle: Sano Lost 5 Pounds This Offseason

[Nick Nelson]

Over at Star Tribune, La Velle has a new article up on Miguel Sano, noting that the young slugger entered this offseason with a plan and regimen designed to shed 20 pounds but he ended up losing only five, dropping from 268 to 263. 

 

http://www.startribune.com/sano-not-exactly-downsized-but-ready-for-switch/367162191/

 

Per Sano, this was intentional, because he didn't want to lose so much that it would affect his power at the plate. He's headed to Ft. Myers this week to start making early preparations for his spring training transition.

 

We're only 3 weeks away from this little adventure getting underway. What is your confidence level in Sano's ability to adapt and succeed in right field?

 

 

 

 

[tobi0040]

Low

[Dman]

Yeah I would have to go with Low as well primarily because there isn't much precedent for a guy his size out there.  He is athletic but it doesn't seem likely to work out IMO.

[nytwinsfan]

I think we can deal with the reduction in range (although probably not that much compared to Tori Hunter last year), especially if the other two outfielders are Rosario and Buxton, but my real concern is injuries, whether to himself (even if just pulling a hammy again, let alone slamming into the wall) or to Byron Buxton. That's the real risk here.

[iTwins]

A lot has been said of Sano's athleticism and management's confidence in his ability to use that athleticism to adapt to the OF role. I'd like to believe that's true, given that Sano appears to be a rare talent. BUT, I'm reminded of Jason Bartlett, Eduardo Nunez, Eduardo Escobar - etc. They're certainly athletic, but outfielders...they were not.

[Old Twins Cap]

"Gotta keep that pop" is the quote from Sano.

 

Does he mean soda?

[bird]

Pretty high.

 

Let's remember that Gardy was throwing infielders into the outfield because he had a whole boatload of crappy options at his disposal. Hicks and Rosario weren't ready, Hunter wasn't even here (not that he was a good option either defensively), and those guys were subbing for the likes of Willingham and Arcia.

 

Sano might really surprise us out there.

 

 

[Platoon]

The old party game, The Limbo, comes to mind. "How low can you go"? The other thing that comes to mind is that Sano seems to march to his own drummer. While it's unclear from this story if the weight loss goal was his own, the clubs, or a combination thereof, somewhere along the line he deviated from that plan. Nor did his and the clubs story on how he came to leave winter ball blend seamlessly. The RF experiment will be interesting, maybe in more ways than one.

[Vanimal46]

Doesn't sound like the offseason workout program and regimen was that successful. My confidence level for this transition is 0 right now. Once we actually get the chance to see him in game situations, it can only go up from 0!

[Loosey]

I hope the only losing 5 lbs was actually an approved plan.  I'm not usually a skeptic but something has seemed off with him this off-season.  I have never heard this about him, but is there a work ethic issue with him?  It seems that losing 20 lbs of unneeded weight, ie fat would not affect his power.  And for a 270 pound man, 5 lbs should come off in a week of intense workouts and even slightly better eating habits. 

 

[jay]

Not a gold glover, but he'll be just good enough.  They only need him to be good enough out there for 2-3 years until a corner IF position opens up.  Plenty of superstars have moved around the field, including Miguel Cabrera.

[Platoon]

Pretty high.

 

Let's remember that Gardy was throwing infielders into the outfield because he had a whole boatload of crappy options at his disposal. Hicks and Rosario weren't ready, Hunter wasn't even here (not that he was a good option either defensively), and those guys were subbing for the likes of Willingham and Arcia.

 

Sano might really surprise us out there.

I am not sure if this is meant to convey that Sano is his best option in RF? If it doesn't, then it means that the rationale for Sanos move is not talent related. And as bad as Arcia can be defensively, no one has ever looked more out of place than EE did in the OF.

[tobi0040]

 

A lot has been said of Sano's athleticism and management's confidence in his ability to use that athleticism to adapt to the OF role. I'd like to believe that's true, given that Sano appears to be a rare talent. BUT, I'm reminded of Jason Bartlett, Eduardo Nunez, Eduardo Escobar - etc. They're certainly athletic, but outfielders...they were not.

 

In fairness, management for three years spoke about his ability to stick at 3B.  Moving him to the OF in order to keep Plouffe at 3B speaks to a clear and wide gap defensively between the two and potentially a feeling that the gap would not close much.

 

 

 

 

 

[patterj]

The Twins had a big power hitter in the past who was moved from 1st base to left field, then 3rd base, and finally back to first. He was not known for his defense but did fine at all three positions. In fact, he started the all star game at all 3 positions. His name was Harmon Killebrew

[old nurse]

Heyward is 6-5 and 245. Nobody would say he is too big to be in the outfield. Matt Holiday is huge and in the field. Carlos Lee and Dimitri Young played the field as big bruisers. It can be done

[Winston Smith]

How big of a splat will it make when Sano runs into Dozier or Joe going for a pop up?

[Winston Smith]

 

The Twins had a big power hitter in the past who was moved from 1st base to left field, then 3rd base, and finally back to first. He was not known for his defense but did fine at all three positions. In fact, he started the all star game at all 3 positions. His name was Harmon Killebrew

Harmon was 6 feet tall and weighed about 200 lbs.

[laloesch]

 

Over at Star Tribune, La Velle has a new article up on Miguel Sano, noting that the young slugger entered this offseason with a plan and regimen designed to shed 20 pounds but he ended up losing only five, dropping from 268 to 263. 

 

http://www.startribune.com/sano-not-exactly-downsized-but-ready-for-switch/367162191/

 

Per Sano, this was intentional, because he didn't want to lose so much that it would affect his power at the plate. He's headed to Ft. Myers this week to start making early preparations for his spring training transition.

 

We're only 3 weeks away from this little adventure getting underway. What is your confidence level in Sano's ability to adapt and succeed in right field?

 

Not optimistic.  At 6'-4", 263 pounds, he's going to have a lot of trouble traversing the outfield quickly enough to make plays.  Simply put, Miguel is fat.  He might be strong but he is SIGNIFICANTLY overweight for a guy his age and it will only get worse the older he gets.   The fact that his "plan" only resulted in five pounds lost shows a lack of commitment, self control, poor judgment and excuses.  Not good.

[Platoon]

I loved Harmon, likely my all time favorite Twin. But the game has changed just a bit. Maybe not the dimensions, but the criteria that determines "fine". Plus, I doubt Harmon got to the ASG as a defensive specialist. I can live with Sano being "fine". But I wonder if he will reach that lofty defensive plateau?

[Willihammer]

I'm bracing for some high school level miscues out there, but I think his bat still makes up for it.

[Kwak]

It shows Sano's mindset.  He doesn't give a rip about defense--that's not what pays the big money as far as he's concerned--it's all about power-hitting.  His future is as DH--and most likely his present.

[laloesch]

 

It shows Sano's mindset.  He doesn't give a rip about defense--that's not what pays the big money as far as he's concerned--it's all about power-hitting.  His future is as DH--and most likely his present.

 

 

Yeah I think his future is DH. 

[Vanimal46]

 

Not a gold glover, but he'll be just good enough.  They only need him to be good enough out there for 2-3 years until a corner IF position opens up.  Plenty of superstars have moved around the field, including Miguel Cabrera.

I think one of the big misconceptions about Cabrera vs. Sano moving around the field, is that for a period of time Cabrera was actually built and slim when he was called up and asked to play several positions. Example: Here's a picture of him from his rookie season...

http://media.cmgdigital.com/shared/lt/lt_cache/thumbnail/960/img/photos/2012/10/13/c7/4e/miggie2003.JPG


When was the last time Sano looked like that size? When the Twins signed him at 16 years old?

Then by the time Miguel Cabrera started putting on some weight, he was already a fixture at 3B. Here's him in 2007, clearly bigger in size...



Sano is beginning this transition to the OF already looking like 2016 Cabrera body size. Just because Cabrera did it in a past life, doesn't mean Sano could do the same. 

[nicksaviking]

Sano looked faster than Torii Hunter last year, and for all the teeth gnashing over Hunter's defense in Detroit, he was just fine last year at Target Field. The ability to play the position is going to vary pending on the size of the ballpark, in the case of the tiny RF at Target Field, a team can get away with a lot in terms of athletic ability. I'm not saying the other aspects of playing OF shouldn't be fair game, but Sano's range shouldn't be an issue, particularly if you have a strong defensive LF and CF who can help cheat over the RF way.

 

As for not losing more than 5 pounds because he wanted to keep his power: unless the Twins asked him to lose some muscle mass, I'm missing the correlation.

[D. Hocking]

I am the only one who keeps reading the title to this as La Velle loses 5 pounds?

 

I am ready for spring training to start, so we can do more than speculate.

[TNLooky2015]

People - Athletes go into their respective training camps with weight on because they know they are going to lose quite a bit throughout camp.  The fact that he has only lost 5 pounds is not a bad thing.  He will easily lose 15 more pounds with the running he is going to do in his OF drills.  Thus mission accomplished.  

 

The problem I have with Sano is that he doesn't run with a knee drive when running all out.  For an outfielder, this could lead to pulled quads and hamstrings.  He needs to work on his flexibility within the next 3-4 weeks or that will be the issue.  Outfielders have a gate when they run (Long Striders).  Sano is a power step runner with speed, but doesn't show the knee lift to open when needed.  I worry more about his hip flexors and thigh muscles being too tight.  IMO

[Boom Boom]

If Miguel dropped the additional 15 pounds, I still wouldn't feel very optimistic about his outfield defense.

[Vanimal46]

 

People - Athletes go into their respective training camps with weight on because they know they are going to lose quite a bit throughout camp.  The fact that he has only lost 5 pounds is not a bad thing.  He will easily lose 15 more pounds with the running he is going to do in his OF drills.  Thus mission accomplished.  

That must be the same memo that Delmon Young received every spring training, except for 2010 when the Twins put him on a regimen to lose weight too.  He really took that to heart in 2012.... 

[luckylager]

I'm going into Spring training with the optimist attitude that "he'll be fine".  Might be wrong, but at this point who can say. Positive waves.

[tobi0040]

 

Heyward is 6-5 and 245. Nobody would say he is too big to be in the outfield. Matt Holiday is huge and in the field. Carlos Lee and Dimitri Young played the field as big bruisers. It can be done

 

Dmitri Young did not play 500 games in the OF and both he and Lee had a career dWAR over 10. 

 

It is not can he do it, it is can he do it and be a league average defender there.  And how does his bat's value play at 3B relative to OF/DH, etc.