Neal: Molitor admits team botched Polanco plan

[Nick Nelson]

Minnesota's handling of Jorge Polanco has long been a source of puzzlement for fans. The infielder, a shaky defender at shortstop who needs all the reps there he can get, spent zero time at the position in Triple-A last year before being called up to the Twins.

 

Asked about this perplexing decision-making, Paul Molitor's response was shockingly candid. La Velle wrote about it on the Star Tribune's Twins Insider blog:

 

http://www.startribune.com/molitor-admits-polanco-development-should-have-been-handled-differently/414282553/

 

"I wish I had a better explanation for you," Molitor said. "But I think myself, a lot of other people, realized we didn't handle it the right way."

 

It's respectable for the manager to try and absorb some blame, but as Neal notes in the article, this wasn't his call. Instead, it was just one in a long line of aimless decisions that led to Terry Ryan's justified midseason dismissal. 

 

Now, the new regime inherits a tricky situation. Polanco didn't play any SS in the first half last year, nor in the recent Dominican Winter League where he played second exclusively. He looked bad at short during his 50 games there with the Twins, and that's all Falvey and Levine have to go on. Unfortunately, with Dozier trade talks hitting a wall, their hands are essentially tied. 

[Seth Stohs]

I put this in the Berardino article thread, but the discussion should be here:

 

 

Should Polanco have played some SS last year in Rochester? Probably.

But anyone who watched him at SS the previous years, and certainly anyone that watched him last year in spring training, saw that he is going to be a bad shortstop. Yes, he's just 23 and can improve, and hopefully he will... but the advanced stats have also verified that he is not very good at SS.

I think we can say that the strategy of not playing him more there last year probably wasn't right.

But as of this point, those evaluators that struggled to see him as a shortstop aren't likely wrong either.

[Old Twins Cap]

With injuries, lack of depth and unproven players rife throughout the system, why the Twins didn't give Polanco some reps at SS proves just a single salient point that Twins ownership have already addressed:  Total System Breakdown.

 

There will be additional instances I'm sure.

[TheLeviathan]

I'm betting Molitor had some close door conversations last year with Ryan that started with "What the hell are we doing?"

 

Because I can think of a handful right of the top of my head that he had nothing to do with and had to bear the brunt of the results.

[nytwinsfan]

$%@(*!

[USAFChief]

I put this in the Berardino article thread, but the discussion should be here:

 

 

Should Polanco have played some SS last year in Rochester? Probably.

But anyone who watched him at SS the previous years, and certainly anyone that watched him last year in spring training, saw that he is going to be a bad shortstop. Yes, he's just 23 and can improve, and hopefully he will... but the advanced stats have also verified that he is not very good at SS.

I think we can say that the strategy of not playing him more there last year probably wasn't right.

But as of this point, those evaluators that struggled to see him as a shortstop aren't likely wrong either.

I asked this in the Berardino thread, I'll ask it here: then how does he enter camp as option A at SS for the Twins?

 

He can't handle the position, but they will play him there anyway?

[Vanimal46]

I asked this in the Berardino thread, I'll ask it here: then how does he enter camp as option A at SS for the Twins?

 

He can't handle the position, but they will play him there anyway?

Claiming Adrianza makes more sense every day. Polanco fills the utility role and Adrianza starts at SS.

 

They need some sort of glove on the left side. Starring both Sano and Polanco on the left side sounds like a lot of bobbled ground balls to me.

[Riverbrian]

 

I asked this in the Berardino thread, I'll ask it here: then how does he enter camp as option A at SS for the Twins?

He can't handle the position, but they will play him there anyway?

 

After reading the quote from Molitor... I'm not sure that he will end up as option A

 

He's gonna have to hit his butt off and at least pick the low hanging fruit grounders to stay there. 

 

 

 

 

[beckmt]

Hard to say how this plays out, my guess in not well, as either you have to trade Dozier or have to package Polanco with another asset to get a somewhat decent return.

[Mr. Brooks]

From the title is figured this would explain why they botched his extra option year.

Has anyone ever asked that question?

[Blake]

 

Claiming Adrianza makes more sense every day. Polanco fills the utility role and Adrianza starts at SS.

They need some sort of glove on the left side. Starring both Sano and Polanco on the left side sounds like a lot of bobbled ground balls to me.

Sounds like a kind way to say "watched helplessly as the ball rolled between the defenders."

[Squirrel]

Please continue conversation here:

 

http://twinsdaily.com/topic/24992-article-twins-blunder-polancos-development/