Reusse slams the Twins

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

The ritual of "honoring" any long time Yankee or Red Sox is a discussion for another day. But it is beyond stupid

Agree completely. We are seeing the start of ritual to honor the best retiree of every season. Gag me!

[KirbyDome89]

 

Regarding weight, the Twins told Sano and Vargas to lose weight. They had an entire off-season and the resources in order to do it (money for a gym, healthy food, cooks, nutritionist, trainer, Twins likely offered to send someone down and work with them, etc.) and they come back weighing more? They deserve some blame.

Sano wasn't out of shape. They guy played 80 games last year and if he would've had a few more it would've been a tight race for ROY. The Twins (b/c they're the Twins) decided to move their 6'4" 260 lb 3B/DH to a position he had never played in life. You can't set up player up for failure, and when he fails turn around and blame the player. 

 

I completely disagree with the notion he isn't in shape and needed to lose weight. But, lets say for a minute that he did drop those 10 lbs. Would he suddenly be an average defender as opposed to the minus one he currently is? I highly doubt it. He has been terrible in RF and it isn't because he weighs 260 instead of 250. Blaming Sano is a cop out.

[wsnydes]

 

Hall of Famers who get disrespected for years on end at the start of their careers- and then enjoy an eye-opening experience with a franchise that lets him be himself and is actually committed to winning, tend to do that.

I guess that I can't think of anyone else that has done that, not to say that it doesn't happen.

 

Regardless, that doesn't make it any less petty and classless.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Sano is a physical freak. They exist. We have one. I don't understand why people aren't ecstatic about that, unless it's some sort of Minnesota thing that I'm not understanding.

[jimmer]

 

I think he is a bit behind expectations. If you look at the 20 top HS pitchers taken between 2007-2013, there is the following breakdown.

By Year 2 (second full season after drafted):

4 had reached the majors (Bumgarner, Turner, Fernandez, Bundy)

5 had reached AA (Parker, Miller, Taillon, Bradley, Stephenson)

5 dealt with major injuries (Giolito, Fried, Guerrieri, Purke, Hobgood)

Of the remaining 6, one (Wheeler) started Year 3 at AA. The remaining 5 (Matzek, Travieso, Sims, Stewart and Ball) all repeated A+. 

 

There are a couple ways to look at this. On one hand, I think there is a good argument that of the healthy pitchers, Stewart has progressed on the slow side and that his peers in this regard are not terribly inspiring. So that is reason to consider Stewart a disappointing pick so far. On the other hand, a lot will ultimately depend on how Stewart responds to AA and above, and how well his health holds up. He could certainly "catch up" over the next year or two if things go well, as many of the arms "ahead" of Stewart stalled in AA-AAA for performance/health reasons. 

 

My stance is that is it disappointing (though not surprising) that Stewart isn't a phenom, and it is disappointing that he hasn't performed better or moved faster. Relative to his draft status, I think he has under-performed. However, I still consider him a Prospect, I don't think he is a bust, and I certainly don't think his selection at #4 was a poor one.

Might have been a GREAT pick and then the DEVELOPMENT of him has been bad. 

[jimmer]

 

If Stewart spends 3-4 years as a mid-rotation starter, he'll be one of the Twins' best draft picks of the past 20 years. 

Well, I guess that depends on where you draw the line as one of the best.  Certainly on the pitching side, that'd be true. And wouldn't that be a ringing endorsement of our draft picks of pitchers (or maybe our development of pitchers) :-)

[wsnydes]

 

Sano wasn't out of shape. They guy played 80 games last year and if he would've had a few more it would've been a tight race for ROY. The Twins (b/c they're the Twins) decided to move their 6'4" 260 lb 3B/DH to a position he had never played in life. You can't set up player up for failure, and when he fails turn around and blame the player. 

 

I completely disagree with the notion he isn't in shape and needed to lose weight. But, lets say for a minute that he did drop those 10 lbs. Would he suddenly be an average defender as opposed to the minus one he currently is? I highly doubt it. He has been terrible in RF and it isn't because he weighs 260 instead of 250. Blaming Sano is a cop out.

The only thing you can fairly blame Sano for is that the team asked him to come in lighter and he didn't.  That's on him.  He's in a profession where ignoring your bosses is at least somewhat tolerated as well.

[jimbo92107]

I just read Reusse's column, and I gained three pounds. 

[KirbyDome89]

 

The only thing you can fairly blame Sano for is that the team asked him to come in lighter and he didn't.  That's on him.  He's in a profession where ignoring your bosses is at least somewhat tolerated as well.

Meh...like I said I don't think the weight has played any role in how Sano has performed in RF. 

[wsnydes]

Meh...like I said I don't think the weight has played any role in how Sano has performed in RF.

That's not the point. He was asked to do something by the team and he didn't. Losing the 10 pounds wouldn't make him a competent RF, but he ignored what his bosses asked. That's my point. And that's on Sano.

[USAFChief]

That's not the point. He was asked to do something by the team and he didn't. Losing the 10 pounds wouldn't make him a competent RF, but he ignored what his bosses asked. That's my point. And that's on Sano.

So might have putting in a winter learning to play RF.

[wsnydes]

So might have putting in a winter learning to play RF.

Yup, which he also decided not to do.

[DaveW]

 

Yup, which he also decided not to do.

False

[wsnydes]

 

False

He left winter ball early, did he not?

[USAFChief]

False

Please explain.

[DaveW]

Please explain.

They could have had him working all off season in RF, they didn't. He played fall and winter ball. They didn't move him to RF until very late in the offseason.

[DaveW]

He left winter ball early, did he not?

No, he played winter ball and after he went back home for a couple weeks.

[Jham]

http://m.mlb.com/news/article/159622132/twins-miguel-sano-ends-time-in-winter-ball

 

"I appreciate him playing," Ryan said. "I kind of like the fact he's got some loyalty and got some at-bats. We have some things here we've got to accomplish for him making the transition from infield to outfield. However he thinks it's best for his interests, I'm in."

"He can do it wherever he chooses," Ryan said. "Wherever he wants to do it, I'm OK with it. I think the player should have that ability and freedom to make the decision to get his best interest in his mind."
So some of the frustration might not be the weight, or not putting in the work, it might be Sano telling them one thing, then doing the other, wait actually doing the opposite.  

[TheLeviathan]

Why are we still talking about the weight of a player that doesn't look like he is desperate need of losing weight?  Sano is just a big dude.  Weight may come into play as he gets older, but it isn't an issue for anyone but Reusse and anyone putting too much stock into what a scale says.

[USAFChief]

They could have had him working all off season in RF, they didn't. He played fall and winter ball. They didn't move him to RF until very late in the offseason.

None of this is true. Park signed Dec 1st, and it was known for weeks prior the Twins had won the bid.

 

As a rostered player, the Twins cannot dictate his offseason, by contract. That's entirely on him.

 

There is no such thing as "fall" ball for rostered players to my knowledge. And for sure Sano played none.

 

He played 15 games of winter ball--none in RF--before leaving, ostensibly to work on conditioning and RF in Ft Myers.

 

He obviously lost no weight, did litte to work on OF play, and didnt even stay in Ft Myers full time.

 

He could have worked on this transition, he didnt.

[USAFChief]

No, he played winter ball and after he went back home for a couple weeks.

False.

[USAFChief]

Why are we still talking about the weight of a player that doesn't look like he is desperate need of losing weight?  Sano is just a big dude.  Weight may come into play as he gets older, but it isn't an issue for anyone but Reusse and anyone putting too much stock into what a scale says.

We're talking about it because its an issue.

 

If its not an issue for you, fine.

[wsnydes]

The basis of my point on Sano is not his weight or his ability in RF.  It's that the team asked him to do something and he largely ignored it.  He may have tried working on conditioning and RF on his own, however the best way to do both of those things would have been to stay in winter ball.  Work out with the team, get real game reps in RF (the best way to hone the ability), work with coaches outside of games on both.  He didn't do that.  TR's comments mean little.  He can't dictate what a player does, so what is he going to say?  Destroying an emerging star in the media doesn't really get anybody anywhere in this situation, IMO.

[Halsey Hall]

He's out for at least another month, so that's that.

[Mike Sixel]

He's out for at least another month, so that's that.

Crap.

[AlwaysinModeration]

...and another thing. What about Perkins conditioning? He's not hanging out in the Dominican over the winter, but he's not exactly coming into camp in condition.

How's Plouffe's conditioning?

[tobi0040]

I hope Ruesse writes another column about sending Chargois down after one appearance, albeit a really bad one.

 

The theme should be a team with a 19-43 record, with no patience to let prospects break in as big leaguers. Truly unbelievable.

[KirbyDome89]

 

That's not the point. He was asked to do something by the team and he didn't. Losing the 10 pounds wouldn't make him a competent RF, but he ignored what his bosses asked. That's my point. And that's on Sano.

Its exactly the point because the Twins, and writers like Reusse decide to make it a point. If the weight has 0 impact on his defensive or offensive game then what wrong is he being blamed for? IMO you don't get to ask a player to be something that they're not, and then when the experiment fails, turn around and blame the player. 

[KGB]

 

Its exactly the point because the Twins, and writers like Reusse decide to make it a point. If the weight has 0 impact on his defensive or offensive game then what wrong is he being blamed for? IMO you don't get to ask a player to be something that they're not, and then when the experiment fails, turn around and blame the player. 

I can't believe you think conditioning and weight has zero impact on a player.  IMO, everyone has room for improvement and pushing them to try and reach the peak is the job of the management and coaches.  If a player doesn't even try to improve or change, that blame fall on him.

 

Even Big Papi learned that lesson and hopefully this year Sano will learn the lesson.  If not, we are in for more disappointment.

 

http://www.startribune.com/at-40-and-near-retirement-big-papi-ortiz-looks-back-on-career/372810781/

 

PATRICK REUSSE

 

FORT MYERS, FLA. – David Ortiz was having lunch at a table outside the Boston Red Sox spring training clubhouse. It was a paper plate dominated by avocado, with white rice and a few small pieces of chicken.

“One year, when I was 34 or so, I was 20 [pounds] over, and I got on this diet,” Ortiz said. “I take care of myself. I have to do it.

“Look at this plate. Do you think this is what I want to eat?”

He poked some avocado with his fork and said: “Eat good to hit good.”

[wsnydes]

 

Its exactly the point because the Twins, and writers like Reusse decide to make it a point. If the weight has 0 impact on his defensive or offensive game then what wrong is he being blamed for? IMO you don't get to ask a player to be something that they're not, and then when the experiment fails, turn around and blame the player. 

Where in any of my statements have I stated that his weight would make him better or worse at anything?  My point has always been that his bosses asked him to do something and he didn't.  That's my issue, that's my point.  That is on Sano.  I doubt it was his idea to play RF, so obviously that isn't on him.  He's not a competent RF, some of that is on him because it doesn't appear that he worked on it as much as he should have.  That being said, he's clearly out of position there.  Most of the people that didn't like the move to start with, me included, didn't like it because we didn't believe that he could play at an acceptable level in RF.  That's on the team.