Game 3 lineup shuffle

[Boom Boom]

If I started a thread yesterday morning saying that Sano needs a day off the field, and that Park needs a day off, that Mauer and Sano should be shifted down in the lineup, and that Danny Santana should be starting in right field and batting second, I would have been called crazy. Or at least I would have been told I was overreacting.

 

My gut tells me that Sano's bungle in the right field jungle on Tuesday convinced Molitor that Sano shouldn't be out there. His defense should be improving, but it won't happen if he's the DH three games in. I can't argue with taking Sano out of right field, but the timing is very weird.

 

And Danny Santana... he got a couple hits, so there's that, but why is Oswaldo Arcia on this team? If Park is on the bench and you need someone in right field, isn't that exactly the type of situation he should be used in? Maybe Santana in the lineup is the best alignment, but putting him in right while Arcia is on the bench speaks to a poorly constructed roster.

 

Ron Gardenhire would have waited until June to shuffle the lineup.

[Seth Stohs]

Pretty sure (though who knows) that Miguel Sano will be back in Right Field tonight, and BH Park will be DHing, and Mauer will probably be batting second with Sano batting third. 

 

Santana is pretty solid at all three outfield spots. I'd probably give Arcia a start too, and he'll get one... but bench guys are bench guys. They play roles, and Molitor will find roles for them. Santana will start all over the field 2-3 times a week. Arcia may get a RF start once a week or so, but he's more a pinch hitter and DH. Could see him in LF tonight maybe. Early in the season, you try to get people in, mix things around and see what sticks, especially with the way the offense is going... Have to try stuff. So, making anything out of the Game 3 (of the season and the series) lineup isn't a sign of anything, yet. 

[Boom Boom]

Pretty sure (though who knows) that Miguel Sano will be back in Right Field tonight, and BH Park will be DHing, and Mauer will probably be batting second with Sano batting third.

 

Santana is pretty solid at all three outfield spots. I'd probably give Arcia a start too, and he'll get one... but bench guys are bench guys. They play roles, and Molitor will find roles for them. Santana will start all over the field 2-3 times a week. Arcia may get a RF start once a week or so, but he's more a pinch hitter and DH. Could see him in LF tonight maybe. Early in the season, you try to get people in, mix things around and see what sticks, especially with the way the offense is going... Have to try stuff. So, making anything out of the Game 3 (of the season and the series) lineup isn't a sign of anything, yet.

I get your point to not make too much of anything three games in. But that seems to fly in the face of Molitor's switcheroo which was only two games in. Maybe I'm overreacting... or maybe I'm reacting to Molitor overreacting.

 

Also shaking things up "with the way the offense is going"... seems to be making too much out of two or three bad offensive outings.

[Seth Stohs]

Pretty normal to start getting people in in the third game.

 

Consider the O's gave Adam Jones a day off in game 3 too. 

[Rosterman]

Arcia is 0-3 in game appearances. Nunez at least got in for a moment. Milone is waiting to pitch. Nolasco could've worked out of the bullpen instead of May, considering how far back he got pushed. Will be interesting to see how Tonkin deals with inactivity. As well as Perkins. If you wait for the Twins to get a lead in the 9th, Perk may be sitting out April!