Reusse column on Sano

[Platoon]

I found the comments towards the end of the column on how to deal with Sano and motivate him interesting. I more or less agree with the general comments and tenor of the piece. Other than that comment, I am just going to post this and duck.

 

http://www.startribune.com/swinging-for-the-mountains-is-miguel-sano-s-weighty-issue/481643771/

[Riverbrian]

 

I found the comments towards the end of the column on how to deal with Sano and motivate him interesting. I more or less agree with the general comments and tenor of the piece. Other than that comment, I am just going to post this and duck.

http://www.startribune.com/swinging-for-the-mountains-is-miguel-sano-s-weighty-issue/481643771/

 

If the need for positive reinforcement is accurate. 

 

The best suggestion you could make is to hire a personal assistant to travel with him. A soft touch shadow. A positive reinforcement guy who can help him manage his diet, workout with him. It's probably an expense ($60K/Yr?) the Twins would rather not pay but when you consider Sano's potential value, it would be a drop in the bucket. 

 

 

[ewen21]

He looks like Delmon in the first picture.  

[ewen21]

We have heard all the hype for years.  The "Miggy" comparison was just not fair.  He is NEVER going to be that kind of hitter.  I am thinking if he hits around .280 and around 40 home runs he is more than living up to what he needs to do.

 

Baseball is actually a year round job.  You have to spend a couple of hours each day during the off season in order to be able to what you need to do during the season.  I am disgusted with guys who just don't appear to be in shape or aren't strong.  Miguel is strong, but he is not in the kind of condition he needs to be in order to hold up for 162 games.  He has spent the last ten years of his life being fawned over because he is a special talent.  Somehow, some way, he needs to gain understanding of what it takes to be what he wants to be.

 

Then again, what does he want to be?  Is he satisfied coasting through 8-10 years of baseball only to eat himself out of the league?  He has money.  Maybe he is content just to earn 30 million dollars and live a modest life in the DR?  I don't understand it.  He has months and months of free time and all the resources he needs to be in top physical condition.  Heck, GOOD physical condition.  The fact that he needs to be gently coaxed into it kind of bothers me.  Where the heck are we going with this guy if that is what he is?

 

I am not giving up on him yet, but the events of these last several months don't inspire confidence in me.  It is kind of the same with Buxton, too.  He has his own bundle of issues he needs to improve upon, but that is another conversation.

[Tom Froemming]

Or, maybe after his insane first two months in the majors the best pitchers in the world figured out how to attack him and he's struggled to make the counter adjustment. That process couldn't have been aided by the fact that he's bounced around defensively and hasn't been able to stay healthy.

 

Maybe.

[ewen21]

 

Or, maybe after his insane first two months in the majors the best pitchers in the world figured out how to attack him and he's struggled to make the counter adjustment. That process couldn't have been aided by the fact that he's bounced around defensively and hasn't been able to stay healthy.

 

Maybe.

The best pitchers didn't serve him food over the winter.  This article is as much about his conditioning and that shouldn't be ignored.

 

Perhaps a committed, better conditioned Sano takes the next step in his approach.  Perhaps he should incur a little more personal responsibility in this area.

 

Is this not a good sentiment to have?

[Tom Froemming]

 

The best pitchers didn't serve him food over the winter.  This article is as much about his conditioning and that shouldn't be ignored.

 

Perhaps a committed, better conditioned Sano takes the next step in his approach.  Perhaps he should incur a little more personal responsibility in this area.

 

Is this not a good sentiment to have?

I don't get the connection between his weight and approach at the plate. Seems to me he's always been overcome with a desire to hit more and longer home runs. He's always tried to hit the ball over 'dem mountains.

 

His K% in those first two outstanding months was 35.9%. Since? 36.1%.

[ewen21]

 

I don't get the connection between his weight and approach at the plate. Seems to me he's always been overcome with a desire to hit more and longer home runs. He's always tried to hit the ball over 'dem mountains.

 

His K% in those first two outstanding months was 35.9%. Since? 36.1%.

I respect what you are saying, but as person who has fallen in an out of shape I can tell you being out of shape and in that mindset can give you a "whatever" attitude.  Clearly, that is the concern with Miguel.

 

Around 2002, a few years after my dad passed, I was in the worst shape of my life by the end of that school year (teacher).  That summer I decided I was going to get in the best shape of my life and I did at age 36 by doing hill workouts, weight training and just eating better.  When school started my approach was certainly different.  In just over two months I looked TOTALLY different.

 

The benefits of getting the right mindset through proper eating and conditioning can be enormous.  Personally, I have experienced that transformation.....a few times...and regrettably I am going to need to do it again real soon  

[mikelink45]

We have seen more than one athlete eat himself out of the league.  To do it so young is really a shame.  I do not know him so I cannot recommend anything, but right now his career is spirally our as quickly as it spiraled up. 

[Thrylos]

Gee.  Reusse writes yet another column about Sano's weight.

 

Unless the usual subjects are going to treat each overweight Twins' player the same way and start pointing them out, they would have zero credibility.

 

Nobody is daring to say that Lance Lynn might suck because he is fat.

However, Sano does not suck, despite what some people with access might want you to believe.

 

And Sano is hardly the Twins' biggest problem.  Columnists who might want to have some credibility should be searching for the biggest fish and start frying them...

[Jerr]

I got scolded on here before, when I mentioned Sano and others, that get too much money, too soon.

Was told not to do a "cultural reference".              

 

Well, Ruesse stated exactly my concerns...he has money I'm set. Sad, but I'm tired that each Spring, he comes back heavier............... and gets injured. 

[Thrylos]

 

 

 

 

 Sad, but I'm tired that each Spring, he comes back heavier............... and gets injured. 

 

If this is about injury proneness, how tired are you about the Twins' centerfielder losing time to injury every season as well?  And why the pundits are saying nothing about it?

[ewen21]

 

If this is about injury proneness, how tired are you about the Twins' centerfielder losing time to injury every season as well?  And why the pundits are saying nothing about it?

That's worthy of another thread, imo.

 

YOu have to stay healthy and that is a big part of it

[Vanimal46]

Is Sano's weight a valid concern? Yes.

 

Am I very tired of Reusse writing about it? Also yes.

 

It's really up to Miguel. He can be like every overweight person in America seeking assistance in losing weight. It's all about personal drive and determination. If he doesn't have the drive to be in good shape, it doesn't matter who he hires and how much he pays that person. It's not going to matter.

[Vanimal46]

If the need for positive reinforcement is accurate.

 

The best suggestion you could make is to hire a personal assistant to travel with him. A soft touch shadow. A positive reinforcement guy who can help him manage his diet, workout with him. It's probably an expense ($60K/Yr?) the Twins would rather not pay but when you consider Sano's potential value, it would be a drop in the bucket.

I get what you're saying, but isn't it sad that a professional athlete with SOOO much potential needs to hire a "Biggest Loser" type trainer to keep him from gaining more body weight?

[Riverbrian]

 

I get what you're saying, but isn't it sad that a professional athlete with SOOO much potential needs to hire a "Biggest Loser" type trainer to keep him from gaining more body weight?

 

It wouldn't just be weight related. 

 

Hiring one specifically for one individual is a little out of the ordinary but the company is already investing in training and development so you might as well keep investing. 

 

Smart organizations don't draw lines. Saying that you will invest this much but not this much is a good way to guarantee sunk cost. 

 

 

[gil4]

 

If this is about injury proneness, how tired are you about the Twins' centerfielder losing time to injury every season as well?  And why the pundits are saying nothing about it?

The pundits here certainly haven't been silent about Buxton's injuries.  Migraines are frustrating, but most of us know someone who gets them and we know that treatment options are very hit and miss (although I've never seen someone have to miss 10 days because of them.)  

 

I don't know what to tell Buxton to do about migraines. I also don't know what to tell him to do about fouling a ball off his foot (except maybe hit line drives.)  I would like to see him display a bit more discretion and less valor near the fences in the outfield, and I'm not the only one who has mentioned that. 

 

For Sano, eat less and exercise more is the short version of something that might help.  

[USAFChief]

 

Gee.  Reusse writes yet another column about Sano's weight.

 

Unless the usual subjects are going to treat each overweight Twins' player the same way and start pointing them out, they would have zero credibility.

 

Nobody is daring to say that Lance Lynn might suck because he is fat.

However, Sano does not suck, despite what some people with access might want you to believe.

 

And Sano is hardly the Twins' biggest problem.  Columnists who might want to have some credibility should be searching for the biggest fish and start frying them...

Lynn is a pitcher, for whom weight is clearly less important.

 

And do columnists only get to write about what you consider to be the biggest problem? Or can they also write about other problems?

 

The Twins have a lot invested in Sano...they have tied their future to him and several other young players. 

 

Maybe you're ok with Sano's approach, conditioning, and inability to stay on the field. I'm not. Lots of people aren't. It's worth discussing.

 

 

[KirbyDome89]

What a crazy coincidence that Sano went on the DL just before Reusse's latest gem....

 

If Reusse was half as interested in holding the Twins accountable, as he is with tracking Sano's weight we might actually get some articles that answer questions about the bullpen being a dumpster fire, Phil Hughes getting early starts, why Tyler Kinley ever made the active roster, what the rationale was for letting Chargois go, why no 4th OFer was brought in, or what's going on with the bullpen usage. 

 

But then again, his "sources who know Sano much better than the media," might not be as willing to use him as a mouthpiece if those articles came out..... 

[Otto von Ballpark]

The best suggestion you could make is to hire a personal assistant to travel with him. A soft touch shadow. A positive reinforcement guy who can help him manage his diet, workout with him. It's probably an expense ($60K/Yr?) the Twins would rather not pay but when you consider Sano's potential value, it would be a drop in the bucket.

If Sano was willing to buy in to such a plan... well, we probably wouldn't be having this discussion today in the first place.

[diehardtwinsfan]

Wow.... Reuse managed to get a shot in at bloggers as well as his continued dislike for Sano... I love how he's the premier psychologist of us all and is able to diagnose his motives and attitudes without a single quote from Sano... impressive... so let's get the timeline right.

 

• Parker writes an article on what Sano is doing right.
• Sano (presumably) reads it, gets star struck, lets himself go, and starts swinging for the fences.

So I guess this is all Parker's fault. By proxy that means TD is at fault too since it fills a demand that Reuse certainly couldn't do. 

[Riverbrian]

 

If Sano was willing to buy in to such a plan... well, we probably wouldn't be having this discussion today in the first place.

 

I was unaware that the Twins already authorize these services beyond a liaison type position for all.  

 

 

[Squirrel]

I’m not going to make any assumptions about what Sano is or isn’t doing because I don’t know. None of us knows because A, B must be the reason. So I’m not going to speculate on his conditioning, weight, or anything else because none of us really knows ... we are assuming and guessing because of what we see, we think we know what’s going on behind the scenes, and so is Reuse. But what I do know ... Sano is not contributing to expectations like we thought he could or should. I don’t know if that’s on him or if that’s on the Twins or if that’s on us and misplaced expectations. He’s not contributing and I can’t help but wonder if he ever will, no matter what the reason. And with Buxton out, too ... what do we have? Pieces of a team built around two players who look more and more like they will be unable to contribute at the levels needed in order to compete. And without them contributing at the levels necessary, our weaknesses are exposed in a major way. I really like some of what we have, but without those two performing at expected levels, it doesn’t matter because what we have in place of them can’t get the job done. And even with them I believing more and more, the job can’t get done. I think Reuse is making Sano the scapegoat and that’s just lazy writing. Sano isn’t the problem. Sano isn’t the solution, either. I think he’s a symptom of larger issues. The evaluation of players, construction of this roster and how it’s utilized is all just, well, piss poor, IMO. So Reuse can keep writing these articles and we can continue to react to them ... it’s all a deflection from where our frustration should be directed. Again, IMO.

[Otto von Ballpark]

I was unaware that the Twins already authorize these services beyond a liaison type position for all.

Perhaps you misunderstood me. You can't pay a guy follow Sano outside the ballpark unless Sano is okay with it, and the guy can't actually accomplish anything unless Sano buys into his advice and guidance.

 

If Sano was willing to do that, we probably wouldn't be in the position of hiring such a guy.

[Squirrel]

Perhaps you misunderstood me. You can't pay a guy follow Sano outside the ballpark unless Sano is okay with it, and the guy can't actually accomplish anything unless Sano buys into his advice and guidance.

If Sano was willing to do that, we probably wouldn't be in the position of hiring such a guy.

And if he’s not willing to do that, I put more of that on the Twins. Why do the Twins have players on their roster who can’t do their jobs to expected levels? Whether Sano is unwilling or just can’t because he’s just not that kind of player, the Twins need to either find a way to turn it around or cut it off. Maybe he’s not that talented. Maybe he’s genetically predisposed to be large and no amount of diet or conditioning changes that. Maybe he doesn’t have the right mental makeup to recognize what to do differently or is unwilling to change. Who knows what the real problem is? Obviously the Twins can’t figure it out, either, so what’s the solution? But whatever the cause or the reason, this team will go nowhere if that’s what we’re built around.

[USAFChief]

And if he’s not willing to do that, I put more of that on the Twins. Why do the Twins have players on their roster who can’t do their jobs to expected levels? Whether Sano is unwilling or just can’t because he’s just not that kind of player, the Twins need to either find a way to turn it around or cut it off. Maybe he’s not that talented. Maybe he’s genetically predisposed to be large and no amount of diet or conditioning changes that. Maybe he doesn’t have the right mental makeup to recognize what to do differently or is unwilling to change. Who knows what the real problem is? Obviously the Twins can’t figure it out, either, so what’s the solution? But whatever the cause or the reason, this team will go nowhere if that’s what we’re built around.

If Sano is unwilling, you put that on the Twins??

[Squirrel]

If Sano is unwilling, you put that on the Twins??

If they keep him on the roster, and build their team around him knowing that, yes. If he’s unwilling to do what it takes, then cut him, trade him, demote him and don’t put a large chunk of your eggs in his basket. If they are unable to solve the problem that is Sano and keep him around, whatever the problem may be, then yes, it's on them. But I’m leaning more towards that it’s not that he’s unwilling, it’s that he’s unable to meet expectations. How much longer must be be patient with this?

[ashbury]

I just tend to ignore Pat Reusse's comments concerning weight. He dieted down by about 100 pounds a decade or so ago, and therefore IMO it's just a thing with him. Like how ex-smokers and ex-drinkers are often the most vociferous in their unsolicited advice to others. It doesn't make Reusse a bad person, but it's not productive either. I write it off and move on.

[nicksaviking]

I want Sano to get in shape.

 

I also want Reusse an Souhan to stop recycling their material monthly.

[jkcarew]

All I want Sano to do is to make the adjustments at the plate that are screamingly obvious...and have been so for some time.  Away, away, away..especially off-spead/breaking balls away.  He has been either unwilling or unable to do so.  I don't know which, and I don't care.  I just want to see him do it.

 

IMO, there is no correlation between his weight and his inability to make the adjustments.  Could there be a correlation between his conditioning and failure to make the adjustments if the issue is 'willingness'?  I suppose there could be.  Either way, he's a young person with a ton of potential that I want to see succeed for his sake, not mine.  He has always looked to me, and demonstrated on-field behavior, of someone who genuinely enjoys the game and his teammates.