Miguel Sano 1st base or DH?

[Brock Beauchamp]

Since September of 2013 (34 months ago), Miguel Sano has played 99 games at third base.

 

There's good reason for him to be rusty and/or still developing.

[Reider]

 

Sano is 'just fine at 3B' 

 

Uh, WHAT?

Yeah, I saw that ground ball that ate him up yesterday. I also saw that throw the day before that was a bit off. I have also seen him make a lot of really nice plays and throws. The guy is young, he spent spring training and the start of the season in RF. Just give the guy some time. Remember Plouffe and Dozier? They've grown and improved as infielders and baseball players, but it took them time and hard work. The same opportunity needs to be given to Sano. Give him some time to put in the hard work.

[Blackjack]

Hopefully Sano is embarrassed enough about his errors (that can cost ball games!!!!) and puts in the practice time to get better.

[magiklair]

It's a lost season. Give the guy some time. He didn't play this position in spring training. So going to be a bit rusty.

[magiklair]

 

Hopefully Sano is embarrassed enough about his errors (that can cost ball games!!!!) and puts in the practice time to get better.

 

It's a lost season. Who cares if we win or lose one game.. But yes hopefully he practices and improves at 3B.

[Major League Ready]

Moving Sano is very short-term thinking.  We MIGHT be better this year as a result but this is the same tired scenario that everyone has complained about and now that TR is gone is somehow becomes a good idea?  Having a guy who hits like Sano play a premium position like 3B is extremely valuable.  It’s easy to come up with a DH or 1B and we have all kinds of depth.  I would keep Sano at 3B until he proves he can’t play the position or Mauer’s contract is up or we are willing to buy out his contract, whichever comes first.

[Thrylos]

 

Hopefully Sano is embarrassed enough about his errors (that can cost ball games!!!!) and puts in the practice time to get better.

 

Let me see:   Whose errors lost more ballgames this season?  Sano's or Molitor's?  And do you feel the same way about the manager?

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

Let me see:   Whose errors lost more ballgames this season?  Sano's or Molitor's?  And do you feel the same way about the manager?

*raises hand excitedly*

 

Ooh-ooh-ooh, I can answer this one!

"Yes."

[TheLeviathan]

It's more than just the bungled RF move, as Brock points out, there is also the TJ surgery people seem to forget.  The guy has played roughly half a season of third base in the last three years.

 

He's also 23.  I'd for sure give him the rest of this season, work hard at it with him, and probably start next year with him there too.  There is every reason to keep exploring whether he can hack the position, so keep working with him at it.

[Kwak]

Please don't insult us that Sano just started playing baseball--or the infield--he's been doing it since he was a boy. His "play" isn't the difference between a "gold glove" candidate and an ordinary player, it's the difference between an ordinary player and a hack. I's not rust--it's a plain lack of skill. To play Sano at 3B the rest of the season--certainly play him there! That will provide enough evidence (though not for some posters!) that Sano is  huge liability at 3B and that someone else must be the regular 3B-an for the Twins next year and in the foreseeable future.

Candidates for the regular 3B position? Nunez for one--his defense is marginal but much better than Sano's defense. Plouffe? of course he is an option--but a rather expensive option for an average player who won't improve. He's kind of a ten-year old California Chardonnay. Somebody from the Twins minor leagues? I don't think they have anybody. Sign a free agent? That's like signing Plouffe, except you're not sure what you'll get. Sano could be used at 3B next year to give a rest to the regular--or for emergency--but no more!

In summary, keep Sano off of the field after 2016.

[Mike Sixel]

He should play 3B every day this year. Seriously, he has barely played there in the last three years. Moving him to RF ..... everyone that endorsed that idea.....should be fired now.

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

Please don't insult us that Sano just started playing baseball--or the infield--he's been doing it since he was a boy.

So what? Are you honestly making the argument that players are incapable of improving defensively with repetition?

 

Look at Aaron Hicks when he came into the league versus today. Trevor Plouffe. Corey Koskie. Brian Dozier. The list goes on.

 

Miguel Sano has started 99 games at third since the end of the 2013 (!) season. He's 23 years old. Expecting a finished product today is unreasonable.

 

In no way am I suggesting Sano is destined to become a decent third baseman. But right now, we simply don't know his capabilities.

[KGB]

 

Hopefully Sano is embarrassed enough about his errors (that can cost ball games!!!!) and puts in the practice time to get better.

Hopefully more practice time and effort than the move to the outfield  . 

 

His minor league fielding doesn't give a lot of support that he is ever going to be a good fielder.  With the consistent talk about wanting to improve the overall team fielding, I think DH/1B should be the plan next year.  With Mauer's continuing hitting decline, I think Mauer/Park is a rotation along with Sano, you have the DH/1B for next year.

[Blackjack]

 

Let me see:   Whose errors lost more ballgames this season?  Sano's or Molitor's?  And do you feel the same way about the manager?

Whose errors lost more ballgames this season? Sano.

 

And do you feel the same way about the manager? No.

[alarp33]

 

Whose errors lost more ballgames this season? Sano.

 

And do you feel the same way about the manager? No.

 

Interesting, I show the Twins record when Sano makes an error at 3rd base as 6-3.  In one of those 3 losses, no one scored the inning the error was made. 

[Blackjack]

 

Interesting, I show the Twins record when Sano makes an error at 3rd base as 6-3.  In one of those 3 losses, no one scored the inning the error was made. 

I was just responding to a reply that Molitor had lost more games than Sano. The Twins have lost 60+ games, how many can you tie directly to a manager error? But you can tie Sano's errors to losses.  

 

[alarp33]

 

The Twins have lost 60+ games, how many can you tie directly to a manager error? 

 

A lot more than 2

[Badsmerf]

I disagree that sano is better than plouffe was when he first moved over. Plouffes big problem was throwing. It was his problem at short stop too. I also disagree that sano is a much better athlete. Maybe slightly, but plouffe looked like Jackie Robinson in the outfield compared to sano. Just couldn't help myself, the hate that guy receives is amazing.

 

The problem isn't plouffe anyway, it's mauer. Start sitting him or put him back at catcher. If he doesn't life it he can retire. Enough coddling.

[Major League Ready]

 

I disagree that sano is better than plouffe was when he first moved over. Plouffes big problem was throwing. It was his problem at short stop too. I also disagree that sano is a much better athlete. Maybe slightly, but plouffe looked like Jackie Robinson in the outfield compared to sano. Just couldn't help myself, the hate that guy receives is amazing.

The problem isn't plouffe anyway, it's mauer. Start sitting him or put him back at catcher. If he doesn't life it he can retire. Enough coddling.

I like the idea but the Twins would be crucified if the media ever found out they gave that mandate.  They would be portrayed as having no regard for the health of the players and there would be some validity to that portrayal.  The question in my mind is will they ever say ... Thanks for your contribution Joe but you are not part of the solution and we need to move on.  We would rally prefer to work with you to orchestrate early retirement and buyout of your contract.  If not, we will be forced to waive you.

 

He is a good defender but we cant have he level of production at 1B.  He has looked really bad in some ABs lately.  How much longer are we going to hope he bounces back? 

[stringer bell]

What troubles me about Sano's defense is the inconsistency. He makes a fine defensive play and then boots an easy grounder, he makes a great throw and then makes a bad off- balance throw a couple steps left or right. Pop ups are an adventure when 99% of 3Bs make the play easily. He has the requisite skills at 3B to be adequate, but so does Danny Santana at short and Oswaldo Arcia in RF.

[DaveW]

 

What troubles me about Sano's defense is the inconsistency. He makes a fine defensive play and then boots an easy grounder, he makes a great throw and then makes a bad off- balance throw a couple steps left or right. Pop ups are an adventure when 99% of 3Bs make the play easily. He has the requisite skills at 3B to be adequate, but so does Danny Santana at short and Oswaldo Arcia in RF.

I think it just comes down to practice/repetitions. As Brock mentioned, he has only had like 80 games at 3rd base in the last 3 years.

 

Consistency will come with time IMO. It's a shame we wasted a half season (in a wasted year) in having him not getting those reps at 3rd....hopefully we see better consistency by the end of the year.

[clone52]

 

IN any universe, on any team, a guy who mashes and stands 6' 5" and weighs 270 is called a first basemen.  That's what they look like and how teams play them in the field.

 

To his credit, Sano is young, athletic and has a hell of an arm.  Right now, he is making errors, by the bushel.  But, c'mon, how many games has he played there in the last two years?

 

Give him a chance at 3B.  But, realize, at the end of the day, on any other team, in any other universe, he is a capable first basement.

 

Don't know how, don't understand why, but on the Twins, he is a RF, a 3B, a DH, and in a couple of years of screwing up the whole defensive set, eventually, a 1B.

 

God.  What a nightmare to live through this idiocy.

 

I agree give him more time.  I believe Corey Koskie was pretty stone handed when he started at 3B and was able turn into a good defensive 3B.

 

The one good thing about Sano is that he has shown he can make the spectacular play, so there is hope.  He just needs to figure out the routine plays.

[Pardon My Dinger]

FOR THE LOVE OF GOD!!! LET THE BOY PLAY THIRD BASE! HE'S A GOOD BOY! JUST LET HIM PLAY THIRD BASE!

[Rosterman]

Sano was on the major league field for a dozen or so games in 2015, coming right up from AA ball where he played less than half-a-season on the field. In spring training, they played him in ht eoutfield and we saw how that went. 

 

He's played as many games at third bse as he has in the major league outfield in two seasons. So let's give him some time. As long as he is out there working, and fixing his mistakes (and he does know when he does them), we should be applauding his work ethic and hope he stays in shape to play the corner for another couple of seasons at least.

[Reider]

This "rust" thing people are talking about is real. I know first hand. I took 8 years off to go to school and start my career. It took me years to get my timing back (mind you I don't play as much as these guys do). People are suggesting "give him the rest of the year." No, that's not fair. Guys like Plouffe, Dozier etc.. were all given multiple spring training years to improve. At the very least give Sano the rest of the year, plus a spring training. After playing RF his timing HAS to be off. Of course there's skill level and developmental and even mental issues, but there are also timing issues. Time, development, and repetitions will all benefit Sano. People expect him to be an all-star without even giving him a real chance. That's unrealistic.

[Jerr]

 

I doubt that the other infielders would want to be throwing to the guy who is least likely to catch the ball.  Same goes for pitchers who try to hold a runner.  Imagine the best pick-off throw, low to the bag and it hops into right field because of a mental lapse by the big guy.  

 

First base is not where you hide a defensive liability.  That position is right field.

Soooo, that's the answer to his move, to hide his fielding liability???? Interesting take.

 

I remember when Torii said how hard Sano worked with him learning Rt. field in Spring training. I just don't see Sano working that hard, as if he has, there should be obvious improvement in the field.

[Bark's Lounge]

Personally, Sano should play 3B the rest of this year and all of 2017 before we make a final conclusion at the soonest.

 

If he has 35 errors next year... oh well. Grind him out at that position and if you see good things in 2017 even with the errors, do it in 2018. Make sure it is impossible before possibility has been exhausted. Us fans seem to want the former, instead of the latter.

 

I am a big fan of Plouffe, but his time has come and gone and he is rightfully being pushed out, I feel pretty good that he will find a new home and have success.

[jorgenswest]

It seems likely the trouble he has at third with pop ups and routine grounders would be similar at first base. His plus of a great arm would be of no use. I think it is 3B or DH. He has to be the 3B going into next year to really evaluate.

[Badsmerf]

By all means, it would be a monumental mistake to pull him off the field this early. Let him pay and learn. Keep him on a real plan over the off-season with real consequences. Many young players have issues with routine plays, that isn't a big deal. He can learn. Issue then become, we'll be waiting for the inevitable. Which isn't a big deal if it's 5 plus years away.

 

Is anyone actually going to attempt to make a case of pulling sano off 3b right now? I was all for plouffe starting out there since Ryan left no other choice. Now, the team is losing 90 games and it's time to cut bait on the dead weight....

[Old Twins Cap]

 

Is anyone actually going to attempt to make a case of pulling sano off 3b right now? I was all for plouffe starting out there since Ryan left no other choice. Now, the team is losing 90 games and it's time to cut bait on the dead weight....

 

Yeah, I am.  I go back to the main issue:  Sano is a monster masher.  In MLB, guys of his size play first base, because that's how you set your team up for success.

 

The point is though, that because Mauer is sacrosanct at 1B, Sano is blocked.  Mauer is the past and Sano is the future.  For some reason, in Minnesota, the past is more important than the future.

 

So, Sano goes to 3B.  I hope he can handle it and get better.

 

But, in any case, allowing a .262 hitter, who grounds out to 2B 60% of the time, to keep the team from fielding its best team, is pure idiocy.

 

Let me say this plain:  Either the Twins can get over the fact of Mauer's decline or they will sacrifice the next iteration of a playoff team trying to accommodate Mauer -- for what reason?