Sano to the DL with a Hammy, Kepler recalled

[Shane Wahl]

 

Another hamstring problem for Sano. It's easier for the Twins to find OFers in the system to replace him than it would be to find 3B. Sano's persistent injuries is cause for concern--he will likely miss significant time every year if running to 1B is a problem. Hope he has one big year--then trade him!

 

Jorge. Polanco.

[Shane Wahl]

 

I like the idea of each OF getting a day off.  rotate them all.  I'm still not sure we know for certain what we have with Arcia, and I'd be OK with him playing every day to see if he can play.  But if that was the case, they should not have recalled Kepler, but rather called up anyone comfortable watching the game from great seats.

 

Yeah, rotating players makes the most sense here. As soon as Grossman cools off, he is the 4th (or 5th) OF.

[Riverbrian]

 

Generally agreed, although I think the Twins may already be past the decision point for Arcia.  Looks like he's a backup, and soon could be a waiver candidate (they haven't even been using him as a bat off the bench, really, and this could mark the second corner outfield opening he's been passed over for in two weeks).

 

Grossman has started all 11 games in LF since he was recalled, during which time Arcia has started only 3, all in RF (two games were Park sat, and one for Sano).  Grossman is going to continue starting everyday, so the best we can really hope for is that Kepler plays over Arcia.

 

Ryan and Molitor... Both or a varied combination of... need to stop this crap immediately.

 

I love what Grossman has been doing... He's been our best player since he was signed out of desperation and who knows... maybe he kicked off a career here. I'm pulling for him and let him continue. 

 

BUT

 

Right now... there is absolutely no reason for Grossman to start 11 games while Arcia starts 3. 

 

Nobody in this lineup should see extended time on the bench or in the field. Rotate players in and out and everybody will see sufficient time to show what they can do and the information acquired can be used to make important decisions for 2017. 

 

I don't want to see Arcia cast aside because Molitor or someone decided that he wasn't going to make it and benched him in May which will basically kill him with the organization because someone said so and then didn't give him ample opportunity to prove him wrong.

 

The same someone who made the assessments that got us where we are today. 

 

There is enough playing time for everyone... Rotate Grossman, Buxton, Kepler, Arcia, Park and Mauer. 6 players for 5 positions... 3 OF positions along with 1B and DH... nobody has to atrophy and everybody plays significant innings. 

 

When Sano comes back he can play less RF... still play RF but play more 3B and Plouffe can play some DH and sit on occasion to accommodate. RF Defense will be just a little bit better by Sano playing less out there and you can get a nice look at how Sano does at 3B instead of just etching Plouffe at 3B in stone every single damn day. And everybody knows... eventually.. you will trade Plouffe for a right handed bullpen piece with an 88 MPH Fastball and then you will be slamming Sano back into third.

 

This isn't that hard 

 

Nunez, Dozier and Escobar can rotate the middle infield spots and at 3B until Sano comes back. When Nunez takes a baseball off his unhelmeted head while stretching a single into a double and needs to be DL'ed. Call up Polanco and put him right into that rotation. 

 

Seriously... this isn't that hard right now... Give all players on the 25 man a chance to prove themselves... right here... right now. 

 

The Pressure is off... It's June... The Twins have a winning percentage of .294 and they are 7 and a half games behind the 2nd worst record in the American League. The Twins are nearing out of contention for 2nd worst record in the American League. 

 

If we don't have front office personnel and field staff who recognize that this is the sensible way to go at this moment in time.  

 

We have the wrong people. 

 

They created this mess and this is the only way to get anything good out of this mess. It's something that competing clubs can't do. Because of how bad you have been this year... You have an advantage to play players and actually see what they do for an extended period of time.

 

Forget your personal projections or assessments... You don't have to draw hard lines prematurely and make tough decisions based on what may be faulty opinions (and have been faulty opinions so far)... The players can actually help you decide by how they actually do instead of how you think they will do. 

 

This staff made assessments and awarded starting jobs to people who failed in almost complete totality.

 

So this staff needs to stop pretending that they are always right and just stop making those assessments for awhile and just let the players prove themselves or not prove themselves. 

 

For 2017... NOT 2016!!!

 

 

[Linus]

I think Grossman deserves to play and is only a little older than Arcia. My solution? Park goes to Rochester and Arcia gets a run at DH. Park has done nothing for quite a while.

[Ncgo4]

He pulled last year, as a DH, running the bases too! Unfortunately, he's injury prone.

He's injury prone because he's got a 22 year old mind telling his 280 lb. 2 axe handled wide rear ended body to run around like it was a normally shaped 22 year old's body. Wait until he's 27 and has filled out a bit. This is a train wreck that will continue until our Mr. Sano decides (or doesn't) to take care of himself. I'm guessing he'll figure this out quickly. I think he really wants to be a star. Let's see if he can take charge of his life.

[Craig Arko]

As I read through this I just can't help seeing this image of George Herman Ruth going to yoga sessions.

[Richie the Rally Goat]

Kepler-Buxton-Arcia should be the everyday OF.

 

Why invest in Grossman? Let him be the 4th OFer, as is his most likely peak.

 

I don't have a lot of hope for Arcia, but there are only so many more PAs available to give him an extended run to give you some basis from which to start making hard decisions prior to 2017.

to be fair, Grossman is "only" 26. he has zero power, and not particularly fast, but it seems he might be able to get on base. The team needs on base guys. It's true, Arcia is also young, and probably destined to be the big half of the platoon split, so it wouldn't be all bad to see Arcia and Grossman platoon or Arcia rotate between OF,DH, and bench.

[jokin]

 

Could pulled the hammy as a result of playing the OF.....(not the actual pulling itself, but because he's had to stretch it out via different stride than manning 3b)

 

This

[jokin]

 

to be fair, Grossman is "only" 26. he has zero power, and not particularly fast, but it seems he might be able to get on base. The team needs on base guys.

 

His approach at the plate is entirely different from virtually everyone else in the lineup- save Eduardo Nunez- both guys seem to be the only ones not to have that "clueless" look the others so often exhibit- these two just always seem to be in the hunt, both early and late in the count, for that pitch they can handle. The main differences being that Nunez has a much expanded zone to swing at, while Rex is happy to take those same pitches and earn a walk.

 

Grossman has also benefited from being ready to swing at the rich bounty of first-pitch strikes he's receiving- so far, he far surpasses any other Twin- in seeing balls over the plate on the first pitch- at a 71%+ rate- plus he has the team's highest overall in-the-zone rate.  Those rates, no doubt, will soon change significantly if his success continues.

 

And just give Grossman time until he gets "coached up", he'll become just another "one of the guys" in no time.

[Richie the Rally Goat]

His approach at the plate is entirely different from virtually everyone else in the lineup- save Eduardo Nunez- both guys seem to be the only ones not to have that "clueless" look the others so often exhibit- these two just always seem to be in the hunt, both early and late in the count, for that pitch they can handle. The main differences being that Nunez has a much expanded zone to swing at, while Rex is happy to take those same pitches and earn a walk.

 

Grossman has also benefited from being ready to swing at the rich bounty of first-pitch strikes he's receiving- so far, he far surpasses any other Twin- in seeing balls over the plate on the first pitch- at a 71%+ rate- plus he has the team's highest overall in-the-zone rate. Those rates, no doubt, will soon change significantly if his success continues.

 

And just give Grossman time until he gets "coached up", he'll become just another "one of the guys" in no time.

oh yeah his obp is unsustainable. Good Nunez comp, I hadn't thought of it that way, and it makes a lot of sense