Jorge Polanco

[Suicide Skweez]

Polanco has spent parts of 3 or so seasons in the majors now and we have only seen his performance regress as he gets further into his career. He's on a similar trajectory to that of Danny Santana, who had proven to be expendable.

 

He leads the team in errors (although SS is a more error prone position) and has the worst fielding pct on the team outside of Robbie Grossman, which is not saying much. Although he got off to a solid start this season in the field, he has started trending back to what we all expected him to be in the field; a liability. His preparation and set-up for ground balls is downright lackadaisical and its visible to anyone who's coached or played short at a competitive level. His arm is just fine, but his footwork stinks and hands are even worse.

 

Plus fielding shortstops are vital to a good team, but even Polanco's performance would be slightly easier to muster if he was producing at a high level at the plate. Well he's doing just the opposite! Lowest OBP on the team, average that's soon to dip below .220, and he's providing zero power. No plan of attack, looks slightly lost up there (that's being generous), and he's either making quiet outs or striking out.

 

Now, numbers would indicate Buxton has shown similar struggles at the plate, but his situation is different in so many ways...

1) He's a hands-down a gold glover.

2) Has trending upwards in just about every offensive aspect

3) Still extremely young and has a lot more development left in him (he will figure it out).

4) Is emerging into a leader. More lead by example now but is growing into a more vocal role.

 

Polanco is struggling big time, is pretty much who he is by this point in his career, and displays zero leadership abilities that makes him with keeping around as a regular in the lineup. They could simply wait it out until Gordon is ready and stick with Polanco, but I don't think they can afford to because of how much Polanco hurts the team.

 

So alternatives...

A- Put Escobar at SS until Nick Gordon is ready to stick (figure anytime in between September and mid-summer next year)

B- Call Nick Gordon up if you think he's close to ready and take a chance knowing that he could have success and stick right away, and even if he likely has some growing pains, knowing he's ready to take on the challenge and work through them as he finds his way in the bigs.

C- Leverage a minor trade without mortgaging big-time prospects and find a servicable interim shortstop. 

D- Not a huge fan of this, but maybe use a platoon system if need be.

 

Sorry for the lengthy write-up, but I think it's certainly a relevant topic to be discussing. What do yall think? 

[twinsbaby]

I already said Twins need to DFA him last year, his defense would kill this team in his entire career and his offense couldn't sustain his defense.

[jimmer]

Going into today, Polanco has been the epitome of league average defense shortstop.

 

779 RZR (15th)

 

+1 DRS (tied for 12th)

 

And for those who prefer UZR, which I don't at this point of the season,  -0.2 (17th)

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

According to the tweets, Polanco booted a double play grounder which ignited the Houston rally. Polanco had a nice start but he has been poor for a while now. I'm done with him. Escobar can start at short and Polanco can be the reserve.

[jimmer]

 

According to the tweets, Polanco booted a double play grounder which ignited the Houston rally. Polanco had a nice start but he has been poor for a while now. I'm done with him. Escobar can start at short and Polanco can be the reserve.

Yup, he made an error like all players do, but the pitchers buckled afterwards and that's on them.

[Bill Brown69]

Polanco is going through a slump/adjustment period much the same as Kepler did last summer/fall. I am not worried about his long term production. Defensively he has work to do, but he was pretty good early so I think with maturity he could stick at short, although 2nd might be a better fit for him.

 

I for one am glad that we didn't give up on Kepler last year and I hope they don't give up on Polanco yet.

[Suicide Skweez]

 

Yup, he made an error like all players do, but the pitchers buckled afterwards and that's on them.

Despite a miraculous run of 50 games, if you think Polanco is going to be a league average shortstop going forward your crazy. I could see him averaging out to be a a .250/.320/.710 hitter with no power, but that's not enough to make him a worthy regular in the lineup for any major league ball club considering his fielding. His ceiling is a utility player but most utility players bring the glove, so not a particularly valuable one.

[Mr. Brooks]

Despite a miraculous run of 50 games, if you think Polanco is going to be a league average shortstop going forward your crazy. I could see him averaging out to be a a .250/.320/.710 hitter with no power, but that's not enough to make him a worthy regular in the lineup for any major league ball club considering his fielding. His ceiling is a utility player but most utility players bring the glove, so not a particularly valuable one.

No, that is not his ceiling.

 

I do not work with the Pohlads or the FO. The above is my opinion only and not meant to be taken as factual.

[Shaitan]

Young players have ups and downs. Even most established veterans are streaky. It'll play out with time.

[Riverbrian]

When a lot of folks were talking with great concern about his defense before the season started.

 

It was my opinion that it was his bat that would make or break him. I still feel that way. 

 

The error against Houston was a bad one but tomorrow is another day. He's not Elite at the position but he is capable of doing a decent job. 

 

However... it remains his bat that will keep him in the majors or out of the majors. And to that... I say he is still young... let's see what happens. 

 

 

 

 

[DocBauer]

Except...he is young and learning and going through growing pains. This is to be unexpected for a young player getting his first real playing time?

 

He got a couple cups of coffee before a semi regular shot last half of last season at SS, which he hadn't played the entire season before then.

 

I'm sorry, but by this logic, any player 25ish who isn't playing at an elite level should just be cut loose.

[yarnivek1972]

It seems likely to me that his poor hitting is affecting his fielding. Veteran players can usually seperate the two. Greg Gagne, for instance.

 

As for Polanco's future: some of you need to remember that he turned 24 last week and has basically one season worth of at bats.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

It seems likely to me that his poor hitting is affecting his fielding. Veteran players can usually seperate the two. Greg Gagne, for instance.

As for Polanco's future: some of you need to remember that he turned 24 last week and has basically one season worth of at bats.

This thread is more about his fielding than his hitting, which he doesn't do enough of.

[USAFChief]

I'll be disappointed if he's the starting SS next year.

 

Iffy defense at best. Little power, so offense tied to a lot of singles, which is always a difficult path to navigate.

 

What is it we hope for here, besides a placeholder?

[drew_7726]

Anyone think the jays would trade Stroman for Polanco, Rosario, Stewart, and Palka

[Tibs]

 

Anyone think the jays would trade Stroman for Polanco, Rosario, Stewart, and Palka

Probably not

[howeda7]

He's 0 for his last 18, 1 for his last 31 and single-handedly torpedoed any chance we had tonight with a brutal error. I certainly don't want to lose him for nothing, but he's totally lost at the plate right now, and his defense has been regressing badly the last several weeks. They need to invent an injury and get him a DL stint followed by a long rehab at AAA. In the meantime, you just have to bench him for Escobar/Adrianza. 

[RaoulDuke]

I think Polanco is an early version of Escobar.  Ok MLB bat with some occasional pop, passable defense multiple places in short spurts.  Great utility mediocre starter.

 

If he could fetch pitching in a trade return they would be wise to do it.  Escobar netted the White Sox Liriano in a bad state, Polanco is a better return so should command at least a decent pitcher if not one with real wildcard upside plus some flags. 

[beckmt]

If Polanco could net me a Liriano type starter I would be estactic. 

[Dozier's Glorious Hair]

Man, it's tough being a young player on this team. First Buxton gets the "get rid of him" treatment, now Polanco. It's a good thing Aaron Judge (who's over a year OLDER than Polanco) wasn't a Twin when he was struggling.

 

Patience, people. Please.

[yarnivek1972]

This thread is more about his fielding than his hitting, which he doesn't do enough of.

Hence me saying that he is taking his struggles at the plate onto the field.

 

Without looking it up, it was right around game 40 that his season took an ugly turn. Out of the gate he was fine. Making strong contact, collecting hits. Making all the plays. But at some point, the hitting went south and the defense followed a week or so later.

[Dozier's Glorious Hair]

 

Hence me saying that he is taking his struggles at the plate onto the field.

Without looking it up, it was right around game 40 that his season took an ugly turn. Out of the gate he was fine. Making strong contact, collecting hits. Making all the plays. But at some point, the hitting went south and the defense followed a week or so later.

 

I wonder if it might be personal issues. He did go on the bereavement list earlier this season.

[gman]

If you look back you will see that his season fell apart at the point in time his grand father passed away. The person who raised him. It is very apparent that this badly affected his focus and subsequent results. Family deaths obviously affect people dfferently. It would probably be better if the team could have let him have a long term grieving period but MLB only allows a few days. Could they put him on the 60 day DL for mental anguish? Don't forget that Sano's daughter passed away last spring and probably impacted his 2016 season more than people are aware of.

Palanco may not be the player he is capable of for the rest of the season but long term he is going to be a very good player and a long time starter at second base for some major league team. Also obviously the Twins think enough of him to let him play through it.

[Teddy]

I'm not ready to give up on Polanco. He's shown too much upside in the past, but he may be hitting a sophomore slump. Frankly, I'd like to see the team deal away Adrianza, who doesn't seem to provide much, and give Engelb Vielma a shot at playing short for the rest of the season. His offense can't be much worse than what we're seeing from Polanco right now, but his defense is elite-level.

[Mike Sixel]

Play the young guys. Thru the good and bad. Play the young guys. This is a team in transition, play the young guys.

[puckstopper1]

I'm also not ready to give up on Polanco yet, but he is just a stop gap at SS.  If you want better D with no stick, then Engelb Vielma is your guy.

[Rosterman]

It was the hope that he would develop, in the least, to be another Eduardo Escobar, a solid replacement/backup once you get the infield set, assuming that the Twins stick with Dozier and Gordon does make it here next season.

 

But not seeing it right now. I would continue to invest in Escobar as long as it is financially viable.

 

I wouldn't totally give up on Polanco. But you are out of options, I believe, on him...so you go figure if he stays...or you elt him walk...which is a problem the Twins may be facing more than not.

[Platoon]

Polanco is way too young to give up on! He has always hit. He will most likely hit again. As for his defense. When you put a player in a position that his tools do not align with, you get what you deserve. He certainly seems more suited to second base. But I won't rehash that. Just because Molitor thinks he is a SS doesn't make him a good one. He could squeeze by in the position if one was willing to settle for a mediocre team. Btw, I don't consider his bat when I say this. SS is a position where you live and die by the glove. Hitting should be optional. If you rationalize a poor fielding SS, because of a good bat, it's akin to saying a lousy pitcher who can hit sure looks good in the lineup!

[nicksaviking]

Speaking nothing of his defense, it seems to me the fringy top 100 prospects that initially bust but figure it out after their first team gives up on them are the guys that based their minor league success on plate discipline. Aaron Hicks, Robbie Grosman, JD Martinez.

[Joe A. Preusser]

I love it. In one frustrating thread we have fans crushing the Twins for giving up on players too early. In this frustrating thread we have fans actively calling for us to give up on a talented young player.

 

We TD Twins fans certainly run the gamut of emotions and expectations!

 

Polanco isn't going anywhere and will be just fine. He will look even better at 2nd when we move on from Dozier. This kid can play.