Sano 3rd Base

[Ncgo4]

Watched the game last night because of Berrios. What I remember was Sano making two great plays from 3 base. The first one he made a great dive to his left, snagged a rocket heading into the gap. He then had the presence to look to the lead runner near second and throw out the runner to first. Later in the game he made a bare handed grab of a ball just topped toward third and in one motion threw a rocket to first to just nab the runner.

 

I'm aware that two plays do not measure his skill. He certainly, though, at a minimum has looked totally comfortable and "in place" at third base. If he can keep this up and if Plouffe is out for any length of time he could make it very difficult for the Twins when Plouffe returns. Especially given the congestion at DH, 1B & RF with Arcia, Sano, Park & Mauer each either playing well or showing some signs of starting to stroke.

 

Nice problem to have. Kind of what we were hoping for.

[mudcat14]

To me there never was any doubt that Sano should be at 3rd, regardless of Plouffe's status.  Trevor is at his best, a league average 3rd Baseman.  Miguel however, could be slightly sub-par defensively at 3rd and still be Elite at that position.  

 

I have a hard time with what seems to be blind loyalty to guys like Plouffe & Dozier, who's only real production has mainly occurred during one of the worst stretches in team history.  

[Mike Sixel]

Yup, Sano should be the 3B. 

 

If you are going to move people to positions they have never played, move the veteran that probably won't be here when the team is great again.......that's how I would have done it.

 

If Sano makes a mistake at 3B, it is probably just a single.....in the OF? Ugh.

[jimmer]

IMO the first one was pretty routine for a ML 3B.the second one was a great play. He is capable of being a decent 3B and should be there when Plouffe is out if he's not going to DH.

[cjj td]

Agreed with all of the above. What I don't understand is all the chatter about how "Sano could never be a viable option at third" that popped up this offseason/spring.  My eye test says he could be more than adequate (or at least decent) for some period of time. 

[clone52]

The Twins are kind of in a tough position.  The easiest way out is for Plouffe to get healthy, stay hot with the bat and get traded.  It looks like Park is legit, Mauer has bounced back and Sano obviously can hit, so they aren't really hampering their lineup if they do trade Plouffe.  They can't just give him away, though.  They need to get something for him.

 

In the mean time, they have to deal with having Plouffe and Sano.  Everyone keeps saying play Sano at 3rd and move Plouffe.  Do any of us know how Plouffe would do in the outfield?  Maybe he would be even worse than Sano is out there.  I wouldn't have a problem with them trying Plouffe in the outfield, but its no slam dunk.  If Plouffe is bad in the outfield, or the shift to the OF messes up his hitting, you could really hurt his trade value.

 

Even with his size, Sano does look like he can stay at 3rd base though.

 

I wonder if the Twins could get a decent RP and a lower level C prospect for Plouffe.

[Riverbrian]

Sano will do OK at RF and at 3B... And at DH.

 

The Twins are stronger as a team if Molly can put the best 9 in the lineup every game.

 

And if moving Sano around helps him do that... Then do that.

 

It won't turn Sano into a puddle to play both positions to help the team out and if anyone thinks he will turn into a puddle because he is being moved around... Just go walk it off and realize that the game has past you by.

 

The next issue is going to be Park and Mauer. One of them is going to have start playing some RF to get ready for the next trip to a national league city because it was rediculious to have Park on the bench for 4 games in Milwaukee and DC.

 

Manage your good problem to have... Show some creativity.

[Blake]

 

Sano will do OK at RF and at 3B... And at DH.

The Twins are stronger as a team if Molly can put the best 9 in the lineup every game.

And if moving Sano around helps him do that... Then do that.

It won't turn Sano into a puddle to play both positions to help the team out and if anyone thinks he will turn into a puddle because he is being moved around... Just go walk it off and realize that the game has past you by.

The next issue is going to be Park and Mauer. One of them is going to have start playing some RF to get ready for the next trip to a national league city because it was rediculious to have Park on the bench for 4 games in Milwaukee and DC.

Manage your good problem to have... Show some creativity.

Aha!! Now we know...Alex Meyer is being held in reserve so he can play RF during the upcoming NL trip.*

 

*If anyone has a better idea as to why Meyer hasn't pitched, I'm all ears. And if you met me, you'd know that's certainly true.

[ThejacKmp]

 

Yup, Sano should be the 3B. 

 

If you are going to move people to positions they have never played, move the veteran that probably won't be here when the team is great again.......that's how I would have done it.

 

If Sano makes a mistake at 3B, it is probably just a single.....in the OF? Ugh.

 

And Plouffe has played 30 games in the OF before, which is more than Sano. I guess the counterargument is that if you're going to deal Plouffe, he has max value playing 3B well rather than OF poorly. But I think teams would know he can play 3B.

[ThejacKmp]

 

The next issue is going to be Park and Mauer. One of them is going to have start playing some RF to get ready for the next trip to a national league city because it was rediculious to have Park on the bench for 4 games in Milwaukee and DC.

 

 

It's not until like July. The whole thing may work itself out by then anyway.

[Pardon My Dinger]

 

Sano will do OK at RF and at 3B... And at DH.

The Twins are stronger as a team if Molly can put the best 9 in the lineup every game.

And if moving Sano around helps him do that... Then do that.

It won't turn Sano into a puddle to play both positions to help the team out and if anyone thinks he will turn into a puddle because he is being moved around... Just go walk it off and realize that the game has past you by.

The next issue is going to be Park and Mauer. One of them is going to have start playing some RF to get ready for the next trip to a national league city because it was rediculious to have Park on the bench for 4 games in Milwaukee and DC.

Manage your good problem to have... Show some creativity.

Extra! Extra! Prez sez flexibility is key!

[nokomismod]

If Sano shows he can handle 3B this is a great revelation. Based on his minor league stats, I didn't think it was likely but color me impressed.

[Shane Wahl]

Not sure if anyone mentioned it yet, but after Nunez's error, Sano hustled like a MF to get the ball and try to get the guy out at second.

[Riverbrian]

 

It's not until like July. The whole thing may work itself out by then anyway.

 

Cool... July means it doesn't have to be a rush job... I'd get started on it right away then. 

 

The issue may work itself out but that means/...  injury or failure or trade.

 

Trade... means Park because Mauer isn't going anywhere and Park may have 25 dingers by July and I don't want to move that. We don't need anymore prospects. We need a guy who can hit 25 dingers by July. 

 

Injury or Failure... I don't wan't to even think about that... but in those cases... simply stop and return to 1B. Easy enough. 

 

So...  What if Park has around 25 Dingers and Mauer is hitting around .333 and both are healthy in July.

 

I'd like a landing spot for Park. 

 

Manage your good problem to have. 

[Twinsbar107]

I agree, i think the first play was routine, and think Plouffe would have made the same bare handed play. I do think the team is better with both in the lineup. Seems the only way to do that is for Sano to continue to get better in RF. 

[Winston Smith]

IMO they should turn Plouffe into a utility guy. 1b, RF, DH, 3B and 2B, he could be a poor mans Zobrist. Sano is the future and has to be good for this team to be really good. By the time all these young guys are ready to take that step Plouffe will be gone. Defer to what is best for Sano, imo.

[Tibs]

 

Cool... July means it doesn't have to be a rush job... I'd get started on it right away then. 

 

The issue may work itself out but that means/...  injury or failure or trade.

 

Trade... means Park because Mauer isn't going anywhere and Park may have 25 dingers by July and I don't want to move that. We don't need anymore prospects. We need a guy who can hit 25 dingers by July. 

 

Injury or Failure... I don't wan't to even think about that... but in those cases... simply stop and return to 1B. Easy enough. 

 

So...  What if Park has around 25 Dingers and Mauer is hitting around .333 and both are healthy in July.

 

I'd like a landing spot for Park. 

 

Manage your good problem to have. 

Is trading Park really an option though? I would think organizations would want to refrain from signing an international player like Park then trading him a few months into his first season.

[nicksaviking]

 

IMO they should turn Plouffe into a utility guy. 1b, RF, DH, 3B and 2B, he could be a poor mans Zobrist. Sano is the future and has to be good for this team to be really good. By the time all these young guys are ready to take that step Plouffe will be gone. Defer to what is best for Sano, imo.

 

I agree, this would be his most useful. He might find himself on the bench more than he'd like as a super-utility guy, but the Twins could use a RH bench bat with some pop anyway.

[Mike Sixel]

 

IMO they should turn Plouffe into a utility guy. 1b, RF, DH, 3B and 2B, he could be a poor mans Zobrist. Sano is the future and has to be good for this team to be really good. By the time all these young guys are ready to take that step Plouffe will be gone. Defer to what is best for Sano, imo.

 

yup, 100% on board with this idea. 

[Riverbrian]

 

Is trading Park really an option though? I would think organizations would want to refrain from signing an international player like Park then trading him a few months into his first season.

 

 

Trading also doesn't seem to fit the GM's way of doing business. 

[Mike Sixel]

Trading Park seems like a really bad idea right now.....for many, many reasons.

[Pardon My Dinger]

I say Sa-YES to 3rd Base!

[TheLeviathan]

The only viable argument for moving him to RF was a total inability to play third.  It's a small sample, but he sure as hell doesn't look lost there.

 

He looks lost in RF - let's correct that silly mistake that never should have happened and keep the kid at third.

[alarp33]

 

IMO they should turn Plouffe into a utility guy. 1b, RF, DH, 3B and 2B, he could be a poor mans Zobrist. Sano is the future and has to be good for this team to be really good. By the time all these young guys are ready to take that step Plouffe will be gone. Defer to what is best for Sano, imo.

 

I like this idea. Plouffe is in the lineup every day vs lefties at DH, 1B or RF, and still gets spot starts all over vs righties.  

 

I don't have a lot of faith the Twins will actually think to use this plan, but I think it's the best option for now, and I was previously on board with giving Plouffe away to the highest bidder, whoever that may be.  

[Tibs]

I'd like to see if Park could play RF. He looks like a pretty athletic guy. I've always believed Sano could play 3B and I'd rather see him there than in RF.

[twinssporto]

Just a few minor observations after watching the game last night:

 

1.)  Sano looks like he actually belongs at 3rd base.  Does anyone really think he looks graceful and smooth in RF?  

 

2.) Park is going to be a hitting stud.  Its impressive that he's hit as many home runs as he has being so new to the league.  If he keeps up this pace TR is going to look like a genius (can't believe I'm actually writing that).  

 

3.) Although he can't hit at the moment I think Buxton would have had that ball hit in the left center gap last night.  I thought Santana would have stretched out and gone for it but he didn't dive.

[jimbo92107]

The next issue is going to be Park and Mauer. One of them is going to have start playing some RF to get ready for the next trip to a national league city because it was rediculious to have Park on the bench for 4 games in Milwaukee and DC.

 

Exactly. Park has already shown himself to be much more than just a DH slugger. He's an excellent 1B with a fine glove. As a hitter he clearly goes up there with a plan of attack, and he can aim for gaps as well as bang balls over the fence. Park much better fits the role of a 1B power hitter than does Mauer, who doubtless could play RF about the same way Cuddyer did. If we're looking to keep both men in the field, it would be a lot easier to move Mauer to RF than to try Park at RF. Mauer is such a great athlete, he can learn any position in about a week. He's not very fast, but he's so smart that he would position himself perfectly and get quick jumps on every ball. Runners trying to stretch a single into a double would quickly discover that Mauer has a strong arm and pinpoint accuracy. Meanwhile, Park at 1B already looks at least MLB average. 

[Pardon My Dinger]

 

 Mauer is such a great athlete, he can learn any position in about a week. He's not very fast, but he's so smart that he would position himself perfectly and get quick jumps on every ball. 

That's exactly right. He isn't the fastest option, but he can play 'faster' than any other option. 

[Riverbrian]

Kris Bryant making his 9th 2016 start in the OF today  (ESPN Fantasy Players Note: One more start and he's OF eligible ). 

 

Bryant is moving to LF so Tommy La Stella can play 3B. 

 

Soler is on the bench. 

 

In the last 6 games... Bryant has played LF, 3B, 3B, LF, LF 3B. 

 

Maddon isn't crazy. 

 

Dave Roberts isn't crazy either.

 

Kendrick and Utley are both career long 2B and on the same roster... No Problem... Kendrick has been playing LF and 3B along with 2B and it seems to work out OK.  

 

Both teams are in first place... Granted they got some decent pitching but these moves are not killing the club or the player.  

 

You don't have to move Plouffe. Plouffe is a good player who can help us win.

 

You don't avoid signing a talent like Park because you have Mauer, Plouffe and Sano. You fill up the roster with players who can play and then you figure out how to play all of them and sometimes you think outside the box. 

 

 

 

 

[Mike Sixel]

 

Kris Bryant making his 9th 2016 start in the OF today  (ESPN Fantasy Players Note: One more start and he's OF eligible ). 

 

Bryant is moving to LF so Tommy La Stella can play 3B. 

 

Soler is on the bench. 

 

In the last 6 games... Bryant has played LF, 3B, 3B, LF, LF 3B. 

 

Maddon isn't crazy. 

 

Dave Roberts isn't crazy either.

 

Kendrick and Utley are both career long 2B and on the same roster... No Problem... Kendrick has been playing LF and 3B along with 2B and it seems to work out OK.  

 

Both teams are in first place... Granted they got some decent pitching but these moves are not killing the club or the player.  

 

You don't have to move Plouffe. Plouffe is a good player who can help us win.

 

You don't avoid signing a talent like Park because you have Mauer, Plouffe and Sano. You fill up the roster with players who can play and then you figure out how to play all of them and sometimes you think outside the box. 

 

You also don't have to move Sano........and, Sano isn't Bryant.......

 

So, they should have no CF, and only DH types? You have to take context into account when building your team, you can't field 9 David Ortiz's just to get his bat in the lineup.

 

So far, Sano has looked brutal in the OF. Maybe they should see if Plouffe looks less brutal.