The State of Miguel Sano: Looking Good!

[Richie the Rally Goat]

I think we're making a bit too much of the weight and not enough of the effort and focus.

 

Really great to see one manifestation of effort show up in his physique. Let's see if his performance at the bag and at the dish follow suit.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

http://www.startribune.com/twins-considering-all-options-including-very-difficult-decisions-with-players/401817835/

Sounds like the new front office also thinks playing Sano in the outfield is a good idea.

I will contradict my earlier position and say that I am ok with Sano playing some right field this season, if circumstances warrant. Just as long as he follows the golden rule: When in doubt, Let it bounce™

 

However, coming off an 83 win season and intending to compete for a wild card, I still think the decision to move him out there last year with no experience was a head-scratcher and ill-advised, at best.

[USAFChief]

Two thoughts:

 

1. That photo is shocking. I don't think the guy can get much smaller than that without losing muscle. It doesn't appear there's much fat on that body right now.

 

2. Albeit a year late, I'm glad Sano and the Twins agreed on a position during the offseason and let the guy get in some reps with a glove on his hand.

He had the opportunity to prepare himself last offseason as well, though.

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

He had the opportunity to prepare himself last offseason as well, though.

Yeah, but the Twins weren't exactly helping him by telling him where he'd be playing with any kind of certainty.

 

Sano gets some of the blame for not getting into shape but the Twins get some of the blame for not clearly defining his role.

[KGB]

I will contradict my earlier position and say that I am ok with Sano playing some right field this season, if circumstances warrant. Just as long as he follows the golden rule: When in doubt, Let it bounce™

However, coming off an 83 win season and intending to compete for a wild card, I still think the decision to move him out there last year with no experience was a head-scratcher and ill-advised, at best.

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/evaluating-the-prospects-minnesota-twins/

 

There is no doubt the move failed, but the scouting reports talked about moving him to the outfield. I don't think it was a bad move to give it a try.

[jimmer]

 

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/evaluating-the-prospects-minnesota-twins/

There is no doubt the move failed, but the scouting reports talked about moving him to the outfield. I don't think it was a bad move to give it a try.

That reports talks about him ending up in the OF, not because his skills play out there, but because they doubted he could stick at 3B, so he'd have to go somewhere (1B or RF). Nowhere did they speculate he'd be good out in the OF. They also never said he should be thrown out there without getting time in the OF before being thrown out there raw at the MLB level.

 

'Sano has a plus arm and good hands, but his lack of first step quickness and arm accuracy holds back his ability to stick at the position.  Like Joey Gallo with the Rangers, the team will leave him at third as long as possible, but scouts speculate that right field or first base is where Sano will end up.'

[nicksaviking]

He had the opportunity to prepare himself last offseason as well, though.

I said last off season before we knew if Sano would lose the weight that it's rare that a 22-year-old who has had success at what he's doing doesn't think he can continue at what he's doing. I predicted last year that Sano would not fix any weight issues until they actually impacted him.

 

At least for me at that age, advice from someone with experience was most likely going to fall on deaf ears until I'd actually made a mistake for myself and suffered the consequences.

[drjim]

I'm an irrational, optimistic homer, but why can't we have nice things?

 

A committed Sano can go 280/390/560 40 bombs, 120 rbis.

 

Would make 80 wins seem a little more realistic.

[jimmer]

Based on the photo provided, Sano looks better.  Good to see.

[Dantes929]

One thing in the article that doesn't get much attention is the part about driving the ball the other way more.   No matter what Ortiz has said, learning to go with the pitch is not a bad thing and being a pull hitter is not the same thing as trying to pull the ball.   Dozier was a pull hitter in 2015 who tried to pull the ball and got enough pitches to pull that made it work for a while.   Once they stopped pitching him up and in, trying to pull the ball no longer worked.   I give him all the credit in the world for changing his approach with great results.   He still pulls the ball a lot and there is nothing wrong with that but he is no longer one dimensional as a hitter.    Stepping toward the pitcher is an underrated skill and Sano making the effort to be more than just an all or nothing swinger is a good thing.     

[TheLeviathan]

Well, at least our strong belief that any schmo can play RF has endured despite a host of evidence to the contrary.

 

We will always have that.

[drjim]

Well, at least our strong belief that any schmo can play RF has endured despite a host of evidence to the contrary.

 

We will always have that.

 

It is true that said schmo needs a level of interest slightly above nonexistent to play RF. Important lesson indeed.

[jimmer]

 

Well, at least our strong belief that any schmo can play RF has endured despite a host of evidence to the contrary.

We will always have that.

Well, last year before the experiment happened, it was said by more than one in here that RF defense isn't important (or was it 'doesn't matter').

 

So, when looking at it that way, any schmo CAN play RF. :-)

[nytwinsfan]

 

You can't call your theory "quite possible" and then say it's presumptuous and naiive to think otherwise...  He hit worse once moved to third...  He also played 3rd at an abysmal level even at the end of the season.  Which I and many others predicted, and so we were right... too...  This isn't a contest, and that's not a good thing. Maybe he'll improve and be league avg. at third and hit top-spinners over fences to all fields, and I will gladly say NYTwinsfan was right and I am happy to be wrong...  Right now his swing plane generates top spin to his power field, which means he'll hit fewer HR and have more lasers caught by left fielders than necessary.  That's his biggest issue, in my opinion.  I don't see him having a defensive position other than first base.  If he's not a better fielder than Mauer, he definitely shouldn't be playing third.  If he is better, then he should be at first, and Mauer should DH and stay fresh.  


 

The "quite possible" phrase was with regard to the fielding carrying over to hitting. The "presumptuous and naive" comment was with regard to fielding. They refer to two different things. That is quite clear to anyone who read my paragraph even remotely carefully.

[nytwinsfan]

 

Dude, I articulated very clearly that my post was NOT a moderator post but just a regular post. As a fan of the Twins we have enough to get frustrated about without rehashing the past. This is a HOPEFUL article about the future of Sano not past mistakes that are in the past. Let's move forward.

 

I saw you say it was not a moderator post, but that doesn't mean I can't get in trouble with a moderator if I tell Linus what I really think of him.

 

 I appreciated your post, and expressed my hopefullness about Sano, but I think it is also very important to learn from our mistakes in the past, since they can be repeated again with other players. So I pointed that out, and a lot of people just piled onto Sano saying what a lazy, weak-charactered player/young man he was. So I got defensive about that, and I stand by that reaction. I can't believe their are still people who think it was a good idea to move Sano to RF and don't think that some of the blame for his performance last year goes to the FO and coach. Also, I don't know, maybe it is everything going on in this country with politics right know, but I'm kind of having trouble being super hopeful these days. My apologies if you felt like I hijacked your post. That wasn't my intent.

[Squirrel]

I saw you say it was not a moderator post, but that doesn't mean I can't get in trouble with a moderator if I tell Linus what I really think of him.

 

 I appreciated your post, and expressed my hopefullness about Sano, but I think it is also very important to learn from our mistakes in the past, since they can be repeated again with other players. So I pointed that out, and everyone just piled onto Sano saying what a lazy, weak-charactered player/young man he was. So I got defensive about that, and I stand by that. I don't know, maybe it is everything going on in this country with politics right know, but I'm kind of having trouble being hopeful these days.

Well, I didn't read posts that claimed Sano was a lazy, weak-charactered man. I read several posts last year and this that he had some maturing to do and he did. And it looks like he has turned a corner in that area and is now realizing he has to work at it, too. I don't think that's questioning his character. ALL of us at that age had the same growing up and figuring it out to do. Yes, that had an affect, in not a positive way, in how things played out last year. And I think it was the bigger part of the problem. Yes, the RF thing was a mistake from the get go, and yes, it might have hampered the year and his development to an extent, but I don't think it was anything he couldn't overcome or is forever lost. His approach last year made it worse, imo, than it should have been and that, for me, was an issue of maturity. But I was also not down on him, either. I just chalked it up to growing pains and I've glad to see he's grown. Er, not physically, but I think you know what I mean. And I do agree that the past is important in order to learn from and go forward, and hopefully not repeat, but I also don't think it needs to be hammered at, either, when some of those involved who caused that are gone.

[USAFChief]

Well, last year before the experiment happened, it was said by more than one in here that RF defense isn't important (or was it 'doesn't matter').

 )

Compared to infield, it's not.

[TheLeviathan]

 

Compared to infield, it's not.

 

Compared to DH it's infinitely more important though.......but why does that matter?  We all agree that some positions are more important relative to each other, but that wasn't really the contention.  You were among those dismissing the importance at all.

 

I would've hoped the evidence you witnessed last year might have changed that.

[Squirrel]

And now we're moving forward to a new year and a new Sano.

[KGB]

 

 

That reports talks about him ending up in the OF, not because his skills play out there, but because they doubted he could stick at 3B, so he'd have to go somewhere (1B or RF). Nowhere did they speculate he'd be good out in the OF. They also never said he should be thrown out there without getting time in the OF before being thrown out there raw at the MLB level.

 

'Sano has a plus arm and good hands, but his lack of first step quickness and arm accuracy holds back his ability to stick at the position.  Like Joey Gallo with the Rangers, the team will leave him at third as long as possible, but scouts speculate that right field or first base is where Sano will end up.'

 

I didn't say the scouting report said he would be a good outfielder.  But it's clear the report didn't believe he had a future at 3B. So trying him in the outfield seem like a reasonable thing to do, since you couldn't move him to first.  Considering the way he hit in 2015, you were not going to send him back to the minor to learn how to play the outfield, so leaning at the MLB level is the only other option (along with the whole off season).

[jimmer]

 

I didn't say the scouting report said he would be a good outfielder.  But it's clear the report didn't believe he had a future at 3B. So trying him in the outfield seem like a reasonable thing to do, since you couldn't move him to first.  Considering the way he hit in 2015, you were not going to send him back to the minor to learn how to play the outfield, so leaning at the MLB level is the only other option (along with the whole off season).

Only if you throw out the most obvious and best option (and the one that this team hopefully eventually realizes, sooner rather than later): DH.

[drjim]

Only if you throw out the most obvious and best option (and the one that this team hopefully eventually realizes, sooner rather than later): DH.

This is probably true, but it makes all kinds of sense to try every avenue before you give in to a 23 year old full time DH. Especially because he has such a cannon arm and some potential athleticism if he can keep the weight off.

[USAFChief]

That reports talks about him ending up in the OF, not because his skills play out there, but because they doubted he could stick at 3B, so he'd have to go somewhere (1B or RF). Nowhere did they speculate he'd be good out in the outfield.'

This would seem to indicate someone else thinks corner OF is much less important than 3b. Why else would it speculate about Sano ending up there, where he could doless damage?

[Jham]

 

The "quite possible" phrase was with regard to the fielding carrying over to hitting. The "presumptuous and naive" comment was with regard to fielding. They refer to two different things. That is quite clear to anyone who read my paragraph even remotely carefully.

I get that, poor wording.  I was actually just saying that it's hypocritical to say that thinking Sano could play right was naiive and presumptuous while in your next stanza making a very presumptuous statement despite contrary evidence.  

"Quite possible" is a qualifier you took advantage of, but not a benefit you have afforded any other poster on the site.  Who said Sano would even be good in right?  A lot of people said he had the tools, or could be ok, or that it would help the team if...  basically, that it's "quite possible" that a young athlete like Sano could adapt to a position with less risk and difficulty at this stage in his career.  Aside from hind-sighting the result, you've hindsighted out all qualifiers made by other posters to win some sort of "I was right" ego contest.  

I appreciate your position and belief in Sano, but some of your rhetoric is a little over-the-top, no offense.  

[Jham]

 

This would seem to indicate someone else thinks corner OF is much less important than 3b. Why else would it speculate about Sano ending up there, where he could doless damage?

I think we've hit the nail on the head here.  Everybody's arguing different points.  1) Can Sano Play 3rd? 2) Can Sano Play Right?  3) If he can't play right, is it because of effort?  4) If he can't play either, where do we put him?  5) What's best for Sano now?  6) What's best for Sano in the long term?  7) What's best for the team?  8) Is 3B more important than right (where does he do less damage)?

It seems if you provide an answer to any of the above, your answer is assumed for the other questions as well.  It's no wonder there's disagreement.

[jimmer]

 

This would seem to indicate someone else thinks corner OF is much less important than 3b. Why else would it speculate about Sano ending up there, where he could doless damage?

Well, I'm not sure it indicates that at all.  Just because he said Sano didn't have the right skills for 3B, and that he may end up at 1B or OF, doesn't mean the person writing this says a corner OF spot is MUCH LESS important nor that moving him there would be about doing less damage.

 

Then again, no one I know of has suggested corner OF defense is AS important as 3B anyway.

[jimmer]

 

This is probably true, but it makes all kinds of sense to try every avenue before you give in to a 23 year old full time DH. Especially because he has such a cannon arm and some potential athleticism if he can keep the weight off.

yeah, that is the common belief...

[brvama]

My .02: I'm more concerned by what I perceived as a lack of dedication and/or maturity than anything that may or may not have resulted fom the move to RF, which shouldn't have been a big deal.

 

I'm hopeful he's learned this is a tough profession, particularly at the highest level, and to reach his goals he needs to work at it. If so, I think he's talented enough to be a star.

 

 

I said last off season before we knew if Sano would lose the weight that it's rare that a 22-year-old who has had success at what he's doing doesn't think he can continue it's what he's doing. I predicted last year that Sano would not fix any weight issues until they actually impacted him.

 

At least for me at that age, advice from someone with experience was most likely going to fall on deaf ears until I'd actually made a mistake for myself and suffered the consequences.

Personally, I think Sano will have a breakout year into a level of stardom. that may be optimistic, but my reasoning stems 99% from one factor, TIME. As Nick explains above, maturity comes from experience amid struggles.

 

And in response to Chief regarding the lack of dedication from last offseason, I wonder if "time" wasn't the mover here also. Now this is speculation because I really don't know.

 

Coming into 2015, Sano was grieving from the lost of his newborn daughter. Grief affects everyone differently. That process takes some people much longer than others. It's possible that weighed heavily on his mind during the season into the offseason coming into 2016. Death is especially difficult for young people, especially when it is someone close.

 

He may have felt he was doing his work, but wasn't where it should have been because his mind was hijacked with grief. Add to the fact of the success he had and then the change of positions. All this may have been the trigger for the change that we hope has happened.

 

The birth of his new son could very well, along with the other factors, give him the purpose to rededicate him to his drive to be a better player and more mature adult. I'm hoping for him that's the case. I am very excited to see the transformation.

[jimmer]

Maybe if he does well this year, he'll crack a list for top 10 3Bs in the game today.

[diehardtwinsfan]

Good Lord.  Can we please stop resuscitating that dead horse so we can beat it dead again?