Max Kepler Promoted, Danny Santana to DL

[USAFChief]

 

I wouldn't expect Sano to get spot starts at 3B.  He wasn't a great defender there and he has been playing it very little if at all with his move to the OF.

Too lazy to look it up but I believe Twins management made pretty clear statements this spring that Sano wouldn't be moving back and forth.  

[OrangeKicks]

 

Too lazy to look it up but I believe Twins management made pretty clear statements this spring that Sano wouldn't be moving back and forth.  

I guess they're going to make the experiment work, or die trying.

[stringer bell]

 

 

Surprised no one in 3 pages of comments has mentioned that if he stays up, he becomes a free agent a year sooner. Then again, I don't think he'll stay up the rest of the year, but it is another example that the Twins aren't worried about that stuff...

Gee, didn't I say that? Anyway, I'm seeing this as short-term unless Max is on fire for the Twins.

[Oldgoat_MN]

 

Like Chief and Vanimal, I don't really follow this. I just now found out about this move so I haven't read any details about Santana's prognosis. If he's going to be out for only the bare 15-day minimum they can probably get by with Nunez as their only backup infielder for now, especially if you figure Sano can play third if a second backup is needed. (At least I think I remember that he has played there, hasn't he?) But if it's longer than that I don't think an outfielder should have been called up, especially since we have Arcia on the roster. That said, of course I hope Kepler does well, but I don't expect anything noteworthy. IMHO almost everyone on this site has highly inflated expectations about him.

 

I agree that we, as fans, tend to think rather highly of our prospects.

 

However, the guy truly was a serious force in AA last year. It will be interesting to see what happens.

[stringer bell]

 

 

Kepler called up and promptly benched...

Do we know when he got in? I don't think it's fair to say "benched" when he might not have even arrived at the park. I wouldn't even be upset if he sat for the home opener, but if he's not in the lineup by
Wednesday, I'll be surprised.

[Mr. Brooks]

Not at the park? What is he traveling by horse and buggy? It's been 12 hours since the move was announced.

Anyway, what are the Twins doing? This kid needs to be playing, somewhere, anywhere. They should have called up someone else if he's not going to play.

[Oldgoat_MN]

 

Do we know when he got in? I don't think it's fair to say "benched" when he might not have even arrived at the park. I wouldn't even be upset if he sat for the home opener, but if he's not in the lineup by
Wednesday, I'll be surprised.

 

Have his folks ever seen him play in an MLB game? Maybe they're flying in from Germany, in which case we could see Max in the lineup on Monday or Tuesday. Pretty common for US players to have it go that way.

[HitInAPinch]

Murphy is starting.  About time.

If Kepler shows he can play in the MLB, say goodbye to Arcia. 

Very sad to see D. Santana out.  I thought he was making a difference.

[kab21]

 

I guess they're going to make the experiment work, or die trying.

I think you are expecting a lot out of Sano to be working at 2 very different positions all season.  It would be one thing if he was a natural defender at any position but he isn't.

[spinowner]

 

 

If Kepler shows he can play in the MLB, say goodbye to Arcia. 

 

Arcia will never clear waivers. If he leaves the organization it had better be via a trade for someone promising in return.

[spinowner]

 

That said, of course I hope Kepler does well, but I don't expect anything noteworthy. IMHO almost everyone on this site has highly inflated expectations about him.

 

 

I agree that we, as fans, tend to think rather highly of our prospects.

 

However, the guy truly was a serious force in AA last year. It will be interesting to see what happens.

I wish to amend my statement to say that IMHO almost everyone on this site has highly inflated expectations about what he'll be able to do this season. I'd be (pleasantly) very surprised to see much out of him during this call-up. I think a more realistic projection for him would be that he'll be playing well at the MLB level in 2 or 3 years.

[jimmer]

 

Arcia will never clear waivers. If he leaves the organization it had better be via a trade for someone promising in return.

speaking of highly inflating expectations.  Arcia carries a sub .250 BA, an OBP barely above .300, swings for the fences all the time, and can't field a lick.  I think there's some inflating of value going on with him.  I wouldn't be surprised at all if he cleared waivers and if he didn't, it would likely not matter anyway.

[Mr. Brooks]

If it takes 3 to 4 years to go from Southern League hitter of the year to any mlb success I'd say something went wrong.

AAA is mainly for fringe players, IMO. Tearing up AA like he did last year should put him very close to a starting mlb spot.

[Mike Sixel]

Ryan says he won't play much? Mind. Boggling. Why call up an actual prospect to sit and do nothing? I do not understand.

[howeda7]

Buxton is on pace to strike out 412 times in 600 AB's. What's the MLB record?

[USAFChief]

 

Buxton is on pace to strike out 412 times in 600 AB's. What's the MLB record?

Dunno, but certainly someone has had more than 600 AB's in a season, no?

 

ba-dum-tsh.

[Thrylos]

 

Glad to see the Twins do the logical thing for once instead of the 'safe' thing.

 

This is the safe thing.   Only OFs in 40-man were Kepler and Walker.  Only one who can play CF is Kepler.  

[Thrylos]

 

Ryan says he won't play much? Mind. Boggling. Why call up an actual prospect to sit and do nothing? I do not understand.

 

Twins' MO.  Did the same to Polanco 2 seasons in a row.

[Brock Beauchamp]

Do we know when he got in? I don't think it's fair to say "benched" when he might not have even arrived at the park. I wouldn't even be upset if he sat for the home opener, but if he's not in the lineup by

Wednesday, I'll be surprised.

Yeah, this is very common. Teams often like to give a kid a day for travel and acclimation.

[HitInAPinch]

 

speaking of highly inflating expectations.  Arcia carries a sub .250 BA, an OBP barely above .300, swings for the fences all the time, and can't field a lick.  I think there's some inflating of value going on with him.  I wouldn't be surprised at all if he cleared waivers and if he didn't, it would likely not matter anyway.

Just got back and could believe the previous response.  Are we missing something?

[jimmer]

 

Just got back and could believe the previous response.  Are we missing something?

Doubtful :-)

[Danchat]

On a somewhat unrelated note, Eduardo Nunez injured his wrist due to a HBP today. If he has to go to the DL, then I think we'll be seeing James Beresford coming up, as a few have suggested on this thread. 

 

If Beresford does come up, I wonder who will have to come off the 40 man roster for him...

[bluechipper]

 

Ryan says he won't play much? Mind. Boggling. Why call up an actual prospect to sit and do nothing? I do not understand.

They probably don't want a young player to come in and break up the rhythm that the offense currently has...

[Vanimal46]

On a somewhat unrelated note, Eduardo Nunez injured his wrist due to a HBP today. If he has to go to the DL, then I think we'll be seeing James Beresford coming up, as a few have suggested on this thread.

 

If Beresford does come up, I wonder who will have to come off the 40 man roster for him...

Why would they do that when Polanco's already sitting on the 40 man?

[stringer bell]

 

Do we know when he got in? I don't think it's fair to say "benched" when he might not have even arrived at the park. I wouldn't even be upset if he sat for the home opener, but if he's not in the lineup by
Wednesday, I'll be surprised.

Bremer said he got up at 4 AM to take a flight to KC (3 CT). I suppose he arrived in KC at 7 or 8 AM, so I guess it makes sense to hold him out today. I don't like Kepler sitting, but starting him over half the time and resting Rosario and corner right handed hitters would give Kepler an opportunity.

[jokin]

 

Bremer said he got up at 4 AM to take a flight to KC (3 CT). I suppose he arrived in KC at 7 or 8 AM, so I guess it makes sense to hold him out today. I don't like Kepler sitting, but starting him over half the time and resting Rosario and corner right handed hitters would give Kepler an opportunity.

 

Molitor in the pregame didn't exactly sound like he was singing Kepler's praises as a prospect here to seize a starting job, rather, little more than as a "capable defensive replacement in late-inning situations."

[Danchat]

 

Molitor in the pregame didn't exactly sound like he was singing Kepler's praises as a prospect here to seize a starting job, rather, little more than as a "capable defensive replacement in late-inning situations."

Mike Berardino tweeted something along the lines of "Kepler's here to be on the bench". 

 

Well, so was Danny Santana in 2014. And he hit himself off the bench, so I think Kepler could do it too.

[jimmer]

 

Mike Berardino tweeted something along the lines of "Kepler's here to be on the bench". 

 

Well, so was Danny Santana in 2014. And he hit himself off the bench, so I think Kepler could do it too.

Rosario's job is here for the taking if he goes for it.

[jokin]

 

Rosario's job is here for the taking if he goes for it.

 

Two ill-advised and futile dives for line drives will do that for ya.

 

And Rosario is in the midst of the Santana sophomore curse at the plate. Even then, still hard to see how Kepler gets much of a chance to seize Rosario's job. And especially since Danny Santana is likely to take Buxton's job if Buxton's plate woes continue.

[jimmer]

 

Two ill-advised and futile dives for line drives will do that for ya.

 

And Rosario is in the midst of the Santana sophomore curse at the plate. Even then, still hard to see how Kepler gets much of a chance to seize Rosario's job. And especially since Danny Santana is likely to take Buxton's job if Buxton's plate woes continue.

When a guy who had an OBP under .290 in his rookie year has a sophomore slump from what he did as a rookie, what does that look like? :-)