Berardino: Jorge Polanco on not playing SS this winter

[Seth Stohs]

Mike Berardino chatted with Jorge Polanco and others about why he did not play shortstop this winter in the Dominican Republic. 

 

The Twins can make a request, and the player can ask, but it's up to those teams... especially in a WBC season.

 

 

 

“I said that I want to play shortstop, but he told me I was only going to play second,” Polanco said. “We talked. He made his decision, and I respect his decision. That’s just how it is.”

 

 

[jorgenswest]

Erik Gonzalez from the Indians organization has been playing SS. He is 2 years older than Polanco and projects as a super utility player for the Indians with a good arm and questionable OBP skills. I don't see how he is going to get middle infield time in Cleveland. I wonder if he would be the starting SS for the Twins. He probably another variation on Eduardo Escobar.

[Craig Arko]

Not such good news from the offseason.

[nicksaviking]

 He made his decision, and I respect his decision. That’s just how it is.”.

Who is "he"? The WBC manager?

[mikelink45]

How hard did the Twins try?  I suspect that they might have influence if they are willing to push a little harder, but then the Twins did not play him at short until he got to the bigs.

[Riverbrian]

 

How hard did the Twins try?  I suspect that they might have influence if they are willing to push a little harder, but then the Twins did not play him at short until he got to the bigs.

 

How hard they tried I assume would depend on how they felt the Dozier trade talks were going. 

[Kwak]

 

How hard did the Twins try?  I suspect that they might have influence if they are willing to push a little harder, but then the Twins did not play him at short until he got to the bigs.

 

 

How hard they tried I assume would depend on how they felt the Dozier trade talks were going. 

Or, how much money did the Twins offer the Dominicans if they played Polanco at SS. If nothing offered--well it's easy to guess why he didn't play SS.

[Physics Guy]

How hard did the Twins try?  I suspect that they might have influence if they are willing to push a little harder, but then the Twins did not play him at short until he got to the bigs.

Not true. He played more innings at SS in the minors than any other. The problem was he didn't play any SS last year when he started at Rochester.

 

http://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.cgi?id=polanc001jor

[Squirrel]

How hard they tried I assume would depend on how they felt the Dozier trade talks were going.

 

Who is "he"? The WBC manager?

I didn't read the whole where the OP quote came from, so like nick I'm asking, who is 'he'? Someone from the Twins? The WBC manager? The DR manager? Sounds as if it's one of the latter two and not the Twins. Do the Twins have any say at all?

[Riverbrian]

 

I didn't read the whole where the OP quote came from, so like nick I'm asking, who is 'he'? Someone from the Twins? The WBC manager? The DR manager? Sounds as if it's one of the latter two and not the Twins. Do the Twins have any say at all?

 

Not sure who he is exactly but the Leones del Escogido squad that Polanco played for is managed by Luis Rojas. 

 

Looking over the roster... Polanco is only position player that is assumed to have a MLB starting job come opening day. 

[jorgenswest]

The manager's job is to win. This is not a developmental league. I am sure he played the guy at SS that he felt gave him the best chance to win.

[TheLeviathan]

The manager's job is to win. This is not a developmental league. I am sure he played the guy at SS that he felt gave him the best chance to win.

You're right.

 

And drepressing.

[Seth Stohs]

 

Who is "he"? The WBC manager?

 

His Dominican Winter League team's manager.

[jimmer]

 

Not sure who he is exactly but the Leones del Escogido squad that Polanco played for is managed by Luis Rojas. 

 

Looking over the roster... Polanco is only position player that is assumed to have a MLB starting job come opening day. 

So, likely the only MLB starter on that team, and yet he wasn't considered good enough to play shortstop for that team even though he's going to be our starting shortstop.

[Squirrel]

So, likely the only MLB starter on that team, and yet he wasn't considered good enough to play shortstop for that team even though he's going to be our starting shortstop.

I didn't read the article. Is that what they said the reason was, because Polanco wasn't good enough?

[gunnarthor]

 

I didn't read the article. Is that what they said the reason was, because Polanco wasn't good enough?

No, but that's certainly the tone of the article and don't think TD posters are going to miss that. :-)

 

The article also included some quotes from Molitor saying Polanco has a pretty limited ceiling at short and that most evaluators see Polanco as a natural second baseman. 

[The Wise One]

http://www.twincities.com/2017/01/28/minnesota-twins-still-counting-on-jorge-polanco-at-shortstop/

 

[jimmer]

 

I didn't read the article. Is that what they said the reason was, because Polanco wasn't good enough?

Why would  the DR manager have to actually say that?  The manager is trying to win games and instead of putting a major league shortstop who asked to play shortstop at shortstop, he didn't do that.  He puts him at 2B instead (even after he talked to our FO about it).

 

I'm not sure it was necessary to hear the DR manager come out and say, 'He isn't good enough to play shortstop at our level'.  He said enough by not giving our MLB shortstop any time there.

[Platoon]

The fact that Polanco has a MLB SS position fairly secure in MN does not necessarily mean he is a better SS than everyone else on the Leones team. But it is a reflection on either the level of talent or evaluation on the Twins. I read somewhere that Polanco was the worst SS in MLB during his time there last year? So it's not a stretch that another team, and even one in AA ball has a better player at that postion. IMHO, not cleaning up the middle of the Twins IF, was and will be just as big a failure in the Dozier Debacle as was not attaining a MLB ready arm.

[Squirrel]

Why would  the DR manager have to actually say that?  The manager is trying to win games and instead of putting a major league shortstop who asked to play shortstop at shortstop, he didn't do that.  He puts him at 2B instead (even after he talked to our FO about it).

 

I'm not sure it was necessary to hear the DR manager come out and say, 'He isn't good enough to play shortstop at our level'.  He said enough by not giving our MLB shortstop any time there.

Well, it was what you said so I thought that's what the article said. Now that I've read the article I'm not sure I'd come to quite that same conclusion even though I agree Polanco isn't a good shortstop.

[Mike Sixel]

 

The manager's job is to win. This is not a developmental league. I am sure he played the guy at SS that he felt gave him the best chance to win.

 

Doesn't say much about Polanco at SS......let's hope he can do it.

[mikelink45]

 

Not true. He played more innings at SS in the minors than any other. The problem was he didn't play any SS last year when he started at Rochester.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.cgi?id=polanc001jor

Many players start at SS since amateur teams use their best athletes there, but it then sorts out to finding the best position for their developing talents and body type.  By AAA we should have them in the position they will play in MLB

[Physics Guy]

 

Many players start at SS since amateur teams use their best athletes there, but it then sorts out to finding the best position for their developing talents and body type.  By AAA we should have them in the position they will play in MLB

Yes, clearly that is true.  The starting 2B, SS and 3B on the '91 team all were either drafted or came up to the bigs as SS.  Yes, players should play the position in AAA that the team expects them to in the majors.  

 

I'm not sure what your point is in regards to my post.  I was responding to your post that said he didn't play SS in the minors, which was clearly not the case.  Did you mean to say that he didn't play SS in the minors in 2016?

[mikelink45]

 

Yes, clearly that is true.  The starting 2B, SS and 3B on the '91 team all were either drafted or came up to the bigs as SS.  Yes, players should play the position in AAA that the team expects them to in the majors.  

 

I'm not sure what your point is in regards to my post.  I was responding to your post that said he didn't play SS in the minors, which was clearly not the case.  Did you mean to say that he didn't play SS in the minors in 2016?

Sorry for the confusion.  I think that the Twins not insisting that Polanco play SS in the winter league is consistent with them not playing him at SS in AAA.  It is poor player management.

 

[jimmer]

 

Sorry for the confusion.  I think that the Twins not insisting that Polanco play SS in the winter league is consistent with them not playing him at SS in AAA.  It is poor player management.

Twins couldn't insist.  They talked to the team and the team decided to do things different, as is their right.  DR leagues don't have to follow what MLB teams say.

[Physics Guy]

 

Sorry for the confusion.  I think that the Twins not insisting that Polanco play SS in the winter league is consistent with them not playing him at SS in AAA.  It is poor player management.

Not playing SS in winter league is unfortunate, but likely out of their control.  Not playing him at SS in AAA last season on the other hand...

[Oldgoat_MN]

DR managers may just have their 'favorites', too.

I don't think you can read the stats and believe that 23 year old Jorge Polanco isn't a better hitter than 25 year old Erik Gonzalez.

 

Maybe Gonzalez is a field-first player who just fits the roster better at SS than Polanco. The manager's job is to win ballgames. I suspect MLB teams have little influence in these matters.

[snepp]

 

 

Maybe Gonzalez is a field-first player who just fits the roster better at SS than Polanco. The manager's job is to win ballgames. I suspect MLB teams have little influence in these matters.

 

Pulled this off a Tribe prospect list from spring of last year, where he was ranked their #15 prospect. (bold emphasis mine)

 

With Lindor moving up, Gonzalez was able to slot in at shortstop and his game really took off. He was added to the 40-man roster after the 2013 season, to the surprise of some, thanks in large part to his versatility but also due to his defense value at shortstop.  Despite hardly playing there early in his career, Gonzalez has developed into a top-notch defender shortstop, even leading some to call him better than Lindor at the position.  While I definitely wouldn’t go that far, he has been very impressive there and was recently tabbed as the best defensive infielder and with having the best infield arm by Baseball America.

 

If that's even remotely accurate, which I have no reason to doubt, it sounds like a perfectly reasonable decision to deny playing Polanco at short.

[Oldgoat_MN]

 

Pulled this off a Tribe prospect list from spring of last year, where he was ranked their #15 prospect.

 

Wow. So I was accidentally right?

A good day!

[Riverbrian]

 

Pulled this off a Tribe prospect list from spring of last year, where he was ranked their #15 prospect.

 

In Summary the Leones del Escogido Team SS will end up playing 2B because of Lindor and the Leones del Escogido 2B will end up playing SS for the Twins. 

 

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