Reusse makes case for Danny Santana at shortstop

[Platoon]

The problem is Molitor can't be trusted to not play him unless absolutely necessary. He's been enamored with him forever ... he's his Punto.

If that's the case, you keep Santana, and get rid of Molitor! Frankly Santana is probably as valuable to the Twins as Molitor. That aside, Jackemp (sp) has some valid points. As does Ruesse. Santana is not a starting SS, and neither is Polanco. Nor do the Twins at this time have anyone who should be called one. In this era especially on this team, of long pitching staffs and short benches, DanSan fills numerous spots. And no they aren't all performed at an extremely high level, if they were we wouldn't be debating this. Options? Grossman fills how many? A decent OB average, the ability to not swing at a ball of the plate, and can kill small patches of grass only in LF. A third catcher? Another DH/1B? EE is a decent utility IF, but absolutely should never go into the OF except to run sprints. So the real question is, is DanSan your best option as the 25th guy to fill numerous spots? That's his position. If they can acquire one, or are hiding one in MiLB, go for it. Otherwise Santana still seems to be that guy, on this roster. Perfect? Nope, but no one else checks as many boxes on the job ap.

[ThejacKmp]

 

Someone mentioned old DanSan as a pinch running option. That confuses me.

 

I admittedly mix booze and pills from time to time, so perhaps I overestimated his ineptitude on the bases last year. I could've swore that he made Punto-like mistakes and was caught stealing almost as often as he was successful.

 

Can anyone confirm?

 

If I didn't hallucinate it, that means he's a terrible baserunner, below average hitter, barely passable defensive outfielder, and atrocious infielder. That about cover it? 

 

That, to me, doesn't equate to a spot on a 40-man roster, much less a 25-man or with an opportunity to start. Unless, of course, the other options are Drew Stubbs, Ben Paulsen and JB Shuck.

 

That was me. Santana is 40/57 in his career. At 70%, he's just a bit under the break-even point.

 

I'm not a huge pinch runner person (hate when they do it for Sano in a tie game in the ninth and then the runner comes up in a big spot in the eleventh) but there are times where a pinch runner is great for scoring on a double or stealing into scoring position down one in the ninth. And without Santana, that person is likely Escobar or Adrianza, both whom are no good at it.

 

It's nice to have that tool in a manager's belt (people can argue Molitor wouldn't use it well i imagine) and like "decent OF and IF defense", Dan San is the only guy who provides that. Alas.

[SheboyganBrats]

Do you really need all of the positional flexibility that Santana provides?  If you keep someone like Stubbs/Granite that can play all three outfield positions, doesn't Santana become superfluous?  I think either Stubbs or Granite could run the bases as well and perhaps hit as well as Santana.  Escobar/Polanco are available to fill the backup infield role.  I'm not saying they should or will do something like this, but I think there are other ways to have positional flexibility on the bench, and if a regular gets injured you bring someone up from the minors.

[LaBombo]

 

tl;dnr

og;nytm,atebig

 

oh great; now you tell me, after the edit button is gone.

[jud6312]

 

Do you really need all of the positional flexibility that Santana provides?  

Precisely!

 

It would be one thing if he wasn't below average at all of them, or if he hit well, or if he was effective on the basepaths. But being a jack of all trades is only a tool if you're serviceable at any of them DanSan isn't.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

og;nytm,atebig

 

mijm,bidttoigtco

 

maybe it's just me, but I don't think that one is going to catch on