Reusse column on Sano

[ewen21]

I'm just hoping he can play more than 116 games one of these years

[KirbyDome89]

 

I'm upset he isn't a 150+ GP guy

 

 

Someone ISN'T disappointed he hasn't been a 150 OPS+ guy?

Someone wasn't hoping for that?

I was hoping for Miguel Cabrera.

I thought most everyone was.

I never said there was anything wrong with being disappointed, at least to this point. It's fair, the expectations were set high for Sano, and for good reason. 

 

What I find unfair is characterization of any performance below peak Miguel Cabrera as "mediocre." If we're setting the measuring stick as a 1st ballot HOFer then we also have to realize there's a wide area between that level of production and "mediocre." It isn't an either/or situation. 

[Mr. Brooks]

I never said there was anything wrong with being disappointed, at least to this point. It's fair, the expectations were set high for Sano, and for good reason.

 

What I find unfair is characterization of any performance below peak Miguel Cabrera as "mediocre." If we're setting the measuring stick as a 1st ballot HOFer then we also have to realize there's a wide area between that level of production and "mediocre." It isn't an either/or situation.

Definitely not anything less than peak Miggy, no. But a .781 OPS from a below average at best third baseman is definitely mediocre.

That's frankly not good enough from Sano, especially when we all know he's capable of more.

[KirbyDome89]

 

Definitely not anything less than peak Miggy, no. But a .781 OPS from a below average at best third baseman is definitely mediocre.
That's frankly not good enough from Sano, especially when we all know he's capable of more.

Meh, I think his oWAR has him in that solid-ish range but we can probably split hairs. 

 

You aren't going to get any arguments about his defense, the guy certainly isn't going to win gold gloves. I'd be happy with passable. This season that hasn't been the case. 

[Mr. Brooks]

Meh, I think his oWAR has him in that solid-ish range but we can probably split hairs.

 

You aren't going to get any arguments about his defense, the guy certainly isn't going to win gold gloves. I'd be happy with passable. This season that hasn't been the case.

You can't just look at oWAR in a vacuum though. Players with less defense and baserunning and positional value need to hit a lot more to make up for those things. A .781 OPS for a catcher is phenomenal. For a bat only corner guy it's not good enough at anything but the league minimum.

Sano's bWAR in '16 was barely above replacement level.

[ewen21]

I would just like to see 140 games out of him one of these years and so would the Twins,

 

Which is why Falvey chimed in about his conditioning.   I don't think that is unfair at all

[KirbyDome89]

 

You can't just look at oWAR in a vacuum though. Players with less defense and baserunning and positional value need to hit a lot more to make up for those things. A .781 OPS for a catcher is phenomenal. For a bat only corner guy it's not good enough at anything but the league minimum.
Sano's bWAR in '16 was barely above replacement level.

I'm using oWAR because he played half his games 16' out of position in RF and was miserable there. That had a significant impact on measuring value.  

[mazeville]

 

It isn't being questioned though, it's being stated as fact. That's the issue. Nobody knows how his weight is fluctuating, the degree to which it affects his performance, or what constitutes a agreeable level of fitness. Even amongst those who are certain his weight is the root cause of all issues there isn't consensus on how much he should weigh and/or what his body should look like. I would hardly consider any evidence to be stacked up. I haven't spoken in any absolute terms, in fact it's precisely what I've pushed back against. I acknowledge that his weight/fitness very well could be part of the problem, but there's a world of difference between accepting that and representing it as absolute truth. IMO his weight has been used rather irresponsibly as a catch all. 

 

He fouled a ball off his shin and fractured it so severely he needed a titanium rod inserted. That's conveniently being lumped in with "injury due to weight." Again, distinction is important.  

 

If you're upset that he isn't consistently a 150+ OPS guy I can't tell you not to be, all I can say is that maybe it's time to readjust expectations. I can understand the angst over him not living up to the hype, especially after the torrid rookie season, but I also think we need to be realistic about criticism. When I look at his 16' season I see offensive numbers that fall in the range of a solid starter. Did we expect more? Yes, but again, what is the measuring stick? IMO people get so caught up in the fact that he isn't 2015 Sano, that they lose perspective of his actual contribution. 

 

So now we're supposed to simply lower our expectations for Miguel Sano? Really? Good grief.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

So now we're supposed to simply lower our expectations for Miguel Sano? Really? Good grief.

Yes, you should lower your expectations for Sano, if you haven't already. We do this for all players at some point.

[LaBombo]

 

I have a name, you know.

 

Sheesh, a guy's name gets dropped in a sports column and suddenly he's Jim Croce. 

[Doomtints]

So according to this article, the Twins have to:

 

1) Be nice to him

2) Be respectful to him

3) Work with him

 

Gosh. Novel ideas. But this will be a big adjustment for a team that:

 

1) Moved him to the outfield

2) Questioned his work ethic

3) Called him fat

 

If this article is true, Sano is easy to fix. Let's see if the Twins can swallow their pride and reach out to him to do it.

[Battle ur tail off]

Here's the way I say it. Miguel is overweight and it doesn't seem as if he is working hard on his craft to improve. I guess I wouldn't care what he weighed, if he were to work on laying off breaking pitches on the outside part of the plate. I mean, it is REALLY obvious how teams are going to pitch him now, and he doesn't seem to adjust at all. 

 

That combined with not being in great shape, being hurt all the time, etc, points to possible a larger problem with how hard the guy works. He has all the talent in the world and more power than most if not all of the guys in the league. However, if he doesn't work hard to improve himself and be at the top of his game, then yes, we will all probably need to lower our expectations of him. 

 

All of that said, if the Twins give up on this guy it will be a huge mistake. They haven't had a hitter with this kind of power in their organization for quite some time. We let him go, he will sign on somewhere else, they will make him work and he will end up a phenomenal power hitter IMO. Twins need to figure out how to get him to work. 

 

Remember Morneau when he came up? He wasn't great either and was following the same type of path Sano is. Gardenhire or someone straightened him out and there you had it, an MVP power hitter who had a knack of driving in runs. DON'T give up on this guy!!

[LaBombo]

Would love to be able to sum this up into a nicer read but I didn't, and sorry if it's mostly redundant after 8 pages of mostly more informed people offering their opinions...

 

1. Reusse is the trademark holder on "Sports Curmudgeon" columns. At the end of the day, this particular column is mostly him yelling "Get off my lawn!" at chubby kids and bloggers.

 

2.That doesn't mean he's wrong. A professional baseball player being obviously overweight is even more confounding than an accountant admitting that he's 'not so good with math'. When any out-of-shape athlete struggles, conditioning is going to be the first thing people look at.

 

3. Expectations can be a killer. Not yet 25, Sano been endlessly talked about for nearly a decade as a cornerstone of a rebuilding Twins franchise that's mostly stunk since Target Field opened. That's a lot to put on a kid who joined the organization as a teenage immigrant, and that crazy good rookie season only made us want even more.

 

4. Even given that context, it's hard not to see Sano's fledgling career as a disappointment as everything stands today. His offense last year was good but not great, his defense is still a major concern, and the weight issue is looming larger than ever as the injuries mount.

 

5. And yet we're barely a month into Sano's age 25 season. The team stumbled for a long stretch, and only four starting position players have put up good numbers. Sano didn't hit, and then he got hurt. And maybe this would all be easier to bear if Buxton had raked, but he struggled and got hurt too.

 

If you thought this was all coming to some sort of point, sorry. The best I can do is to say that Sano's still just a kid, winter's only been over for three weeks, and... we'll see. But it sure seems like we've seen signs that something's not right, either with his approach, the organization's, or both. At this point I guess they probably need to get him healthy, see if he can stay that way and play well, and if not... consider the baseball equivalent of weight loss camp?

 

Any player can struggle with their approach at the plate, but in the end a lack of talent is not Sano's problem. And the pressure the organization feels to not have him turn into the next David Ortiz must be unbearable by now.

[ken]

Yes, you should lower your expectations for Sano, if you haven't already. We do this for all players at some point.

Sounds like you have been a Minnesota sports fan for too long.

[KirbyDome89]

 

So now we're supposed to simply lower our expectations for Miguel Sano? Really? Good grief.

I don't care what you choose to do with your expectations, but feel free to stop categorizing a fractured shin due to a foul ball as a weight induced injury, and a subpar 30 game stretch prior to that injury as a terrible half season. 

[ewen21]

 

I don't care what you choose to do with your expectations, but feel free to stop categorizing a fractured shin due to a foul ball as a weight induced injury, and a subpar 30 game stretch prior to that injury as a terrible half season. 

And don't throw everyone who thinks he needs to be conditioned better into that batch because that just doesn't make any sense.  In fact, unless I'm missing something, I haven't seen anyone state that his weight or conditioning caused that.  The hamstring issue is a very real thing that can be exacerbated by lack of proper conditioning and I believe we might be witnessing that right now.'

 

Would it hurt him any to be more focused on conditioning and diet during the offseason, because that is all anyone is really saying.

[ewen21]

 

Would love to be able to sum this up into a nicer read but I didn't, and sorry if it's mostly redundant after 8 pages of mostly more informed people offering their opinions...

 

1. Reusse is the trademark holder on "Sports Curmudgeon" columns. At the end of the day, this particular column is mostly him yelling "Get off my lawn!" at chubby kids and bloggers.

 

2.That doesn't mean he's wrong. A professional baseball player being obviously overweight is even more confounding than an accountant admitting that he's 'not so good with math'. When any out-of-shape athlete struggles, conditioning is going to be the first thing people look at.

 

3. Expectations can be a killer. Not yet 25, Sano been endlessly talked about for nearly a decade as a cornerstone of a rebuilding Twins franchise that's mostly stunk since Target Field opened. That's a lot to put on a kid who joined the organization as a teenage immigrant, and that crazy good rookie season only made us want even more.

 

4. Even given that context, it's hard not to see Sano's fledgling career as a disappointment as everything stands today. His offense last year was good but not great, his defense is still a major concern, and the weight issue is looming larger than ever as the injuries mount.

 

5. And yet we're barely a month into Sano's age 25 season. The team stumbled for a long stretch, and only four starting position players have put up good numbers. Sano didn't hit, and then he got hurt. And maybe this would all be easier to bear if Buxton had raked, but he struggled and got hurt too.

 

If you thought this was all coming to some sort of point, sorry. The best I can do is to say that Sano's still just a kid, winter's only been over for three weeks, and... we'll see. But it sure seems like we've seen signs that something's not right, either with his approach, the organization's, or both. At this point I guess they probably need to get him healthy, see if he can stay that way and play well, and if not... consider the baseball equivalent of weight loss camp?

 

Any player can struggle with their approach at the plate, but in the end a lack of talent is not Sano's problem. And the pressure the organization feels to not have him turn into the next David Ortiz must be unbearable by now.

Excellent post and it points to a problem the Twins had with Latin players during the past regime.  In fact, it was Reusse who criticized the Twins for not doing a good job in that area about 5 years ago,  I think we are past that now, but the reside might still exist with Sano.

 

Both parties need to clear this up in order for him to truly reach his potential.

 

And no, I don't expect him to be an MVP caliber guy.  I just want to see what he can do in 140+ games

 

[Doubles]

 

I don't care what you choose to do with your expectations, but feel free to stop categorizing a fractured shin due to a foul ball as a weight induced injury, and a subpar 30 game stretch prior to that injury as a terrible half season. 

Question for you:  Does Sano's career stand a better chance for health & longevity with improved fitness?

[laloesch]

 

Could weight not be related to performance? At the least, a factor reducing speed? A possible aggravating factor contributing to hamstring issues two seasons in a row? A bit less fluid swing, which contributes to the need to start the swing earlier, aggravating a susceptibility to breaking balls away? Reduced range at 3b?

 

Unfortunately when he shows up to spring training next year at 320-330 lbs. people will be saying the same thing.  Stop picking on him, etc.

[KirbyDome89]

 

Question for you:  Does Sano's career stand a better chance for health & longevity with improved fitness?

We're moving the goalposts now.

 

Of course being in peak physical shape gives any athlete an advantage long term. Is anybody arguing otherwise? It's one thing to say being in the best possible shape is advantageous, it's completely different to assert that his current weight and/or fitness was/is the culprit for the failure to replicate his 15' season. The pushback is against the latter.

 

If the angst is simply about reaching peak physical condition then why don't we see these kind of threads/articles about Lance Lynn, Morrison, or Hughes? If its a situation where performance determines fitness then why haven't we been treated to similar backlash regarding Dozier or Buxton?

[Battle ur tail off]

 

We're moving the goalposts now.

 

Of course being in peak physical shape gives any athlete an advantage long term. Is anybody arguing otherwise? It's one thing to say being in the best possible shape is advantageous, it's completely different to assert that his current weight and/or fitness was/is the culprit for the failure to replicate his 15' season. The pushback is against the latter.

 

If the angst is simply about reaching peak physical condition then why don't we see these kind of threads/articles about Lance Lynn, Morrison, or Hughes? If its a situation where performance determines fitness then why haven't we been treated to similar backlash regarding Dozier or Buxton?

 Because Dozier and Buxton are in great shape, that's why. That said, I am more than frustrated at how Buxton hits. He as of now, is a poor hitter that plays great defense. We all expect more than that.

 

Also, Lynn, Morrison, and Hughes are slugs and not elite talents. At their best, they are a little more valuable than replacement players. Sano, if he reaches his potential IS an MVP type player IMO. Seriously, that bat is something special.

[Squirrel]

 

Question for you:  Does Sano's career stand a better chance for health & longevity with improved fitness?

I know this wasn't directed at me, but I'll give an answer.

 

Yes and no. His weight/conditioning, to me, is a symptom of a larger problem. This alone is not the issue, imo. I don't think weight/conditioning is his problem at the plate, for instance. Yes, weight/conditioning will prolong his career, provided other issues are also solved, if they can be solved, and is definitely something I'd like to see him focus more on. But it's just not a solution in and of itself. Until I see otherwise, I'm no longer convinced Sano is the player that was hoped for. I want to be wrong on that front, but talent is one thing ... having the ability to harness it is another. And yes, weight/condition is part of that, but ... I wonder about Sano's coachability at this point; I wonder if evaluators made an error about him at some point; I wonder if the F.O. knows what to do about him. I just don't know.

[TheLeviathan]

 

 Because Dozier and Buxton are in great shape, that's why. That said, I am more than frustrated at how Buxton hits. He as of now, is a poor hitter that plays great defense. We all expect more than that.

 

Also, Lynn, Morrison, and Hughes are slugs and not elite talents. At their best, they are a little more valuable than replacement players. Sano, if he reaches his potential IS an MVP type player IMO. Seriously, that bat is something special.

 

Is Buxton in great shape?  Might he be "too skinny" for the wear and tear of 162 games?  

 

I'm playing devil's advocate here a bit, but I think Kirby's point about the lack of consistency with the criticisms is really the key.  LoMo is pudgy, but there aren't 6 threads about that.  Fernando Romero isn't exactly the healthiest looking guy in the world either.  

 

And Glen Perkins?  That dude relished being a fat guy in the offseason who didn't give a damn.  Is it too much to ask for consistency?

[Doubles]

 

I know this wasn't directed at me, but I'll give an answer.

 

Yes and no. His weight/conditioning, to me, is a symptom of a larger problem. This alone is not the issue, imo. I don't think weight/conditioning is his problem at the plate, for instance. Yes, weight/conditioning will prolong his career, provided other issues are also solved, if they can be solved, and is definitely something I'd like to see him focus more on. But it's just not a solution in and of itself. Until I see otherwise, I'm no longer convinced Sano is the player that was hoped for. I want to be wrong on that front, but talent is one thing ... having the ability to harness it is another. And yes, weight/condition is part of that, but ... I wonder about Sano's coachability at this point; I wonder if evaluators made an error about him at some point; I wonder if the F.O. knows what to do about him. I just don't know.

Glad you responded; you bring up some interesting points.  I don't know if coachability is the issue.  I have no inside info here, just pretty much the eye test.  I've watched Sano make some fabulous plays at third base.  Especially on balls he has to charge & play bare-handed.  Guy has an absolute rocket for an arm.  If he'd get his fitness in check, he could play third base for years and be well above-average in my opinion.  As it is now, he's gradually working his way to full-time DH status and greatly reducing his value.

 

Also, I'm not saying getting fit will be the cure for all of Sano's ills.  It won't change his approach at the plate, pitch selection, or anything else like that.  But it would be a great starting point for getting his game back on track.  I don't doubt he works hard- there's really no way to be a major leaguer without having an off-the-charts work ethic.  

 

 

 

 

[Squirrel]

Glad you responded; you bring up some interesting points. I don't know if coachability is the issue. I have no inside info here, just pretty much the eye test. I've watched Sano make some fabulous plays at third base. Especially on balls he has to charge & play bare-handed. Guy has an absolute rocket for an arm. If he'd get his fitness in check, he could play third base for years and be well above-average in my opinion. As it is now, he's gradually working his way to full-time DH status and greatly reducing his value.

 

Also, I'm not saying getting fit will be the cure for all of Sano's ills. It won't change his approach at the plate, pitch selection, or anything else like that. But it would be a great starting point for getting his game back on track. I don't doubt he works hard- there's really no way to be a major leaguer without having an off-the-charts work ethic.

I've said from the beginning that I think Sano could do more to be in better shape. And I don't know why he's not. I mean, maybe it is just that difficult for him to shed weight? Maybe he doesn't do all he can? I don't know his life and what he does with it. And, actually, from seeing him in person at ST, he is solid. It's not like he's a flabby mess. But yes, getting the weight down along with better conditioning ... I don't see how that could hurt. I really don't. But I think there is a larger issue at play here ... one that I think many don't consider or think about because of what we don't know. The eye test only goes so deep for me. I think it's just too easy to say 'Because A, B is the most likely answer.’ Fair and reasonable as that might seem, I still want to know more before I put too many eggs in that basket. As I've said above, it would be nice if it were this easy of a fix, but at this point he's not even heading to DH status if he can't hit, and that to me is the bigger red flag. Yes, we've seen glimpses, but I want sustained ... where is that? Where is the threat? Somewhere along the line something isn't working ... is it the coaching? Is it Sano? Is it the weight/conditioning? Were the evaluators wrong about him? Did the FO not take this seriously enough and if they’ve had high hopes for him and invested this much in him, why not? I don't know any of the answers to these questions, but I hope all parties involved can find an answer. Until they do, I'm skeptical of how much he is going to be the cornerstone we need.

[USAFChief]

 

We're moving the goalposts now.

 

Of course being in peak physical shape gives any athlete an advantage long term. Is anybody arguing otherwise? It's one thing to say being in the best possible shape is advantageous, it's completely different to assert that his current weight and/or fitness was/is the culprit for the failure to replicate his 15' season. The pushback is against the latter.

 

If the angst is simply about reaching peak physical condition then why don't we see these kind of threads/articles about Lance Lynn, Morrison, or Hughes? If its a situation where performance determines fitness then why haven't we been treated to similar backlash regarding Dozier or Buxton?

I think if goalposts are being moved, you're doing some moving yourself.

 

Nobody has said, as far as I can tell, Sano's physical conditioning is "the culprit" for his failure to replicate his 15 season.  

 

People have asked the very reasonable question, IMO, of whether his weight is a factor, particularly in his inability to stay on the field, his defensive issues, and indeed, his propensity for K's--which could be impacted by his inability to stay on the field.

 

People speculate, very reasonably IMO, that weight is something he should have more control of than he's demonstrated.

 

People aren't talking about other players, because this is a thread about Sano.  And because other players haven't performed in a way that leads to speculation about whether weight is a factor. And because Lynn is a pitcher, for whom weight is obviously less critical, and who has only been a Twin for a couple months. I've never heard ANYone say Hughes is overweight. Buxton/Dozier??  C'mon. 

 

The pushback is baffling to me. I think it's OBVIOUS Sano's weight is a factor. I don't know how much, but I KNOW Sano at 250 would be a better defender, and I think it's reasonable to surmise he might stay on the field more. Simply staying on the field more would, IMO, probably help his offense, and at the least would give us more of what he's already given.

 

Maybe you're not disappointed in Sano. I am. I was hoping for so much more. We've had a couple months of very good production. That's it. It's not unreasonable to think he's in some ways at least partly responsible for that.

 

 

[ewen21]

 

Nobody has said, as far as I can tell, Sano's physical conditioning is "the culprit" for his failure to replicate his 15 season.  

 

 

 

I agree.  I am not saying it is THE REASON.  I am saying it is something he should address because only good things could come out of him being conditioned better to play.  He was drafted as a shortstop and that went by the boards.  The Twins are not to blame for that, but they might be to blame for not getting the message across as effectively.  They are now trying to have that discussion about his conditioning and I don't blame them.

[Platoon]

I think another peak into Sanos dedication to his craft and career could be had by taking a look at his "efforts" in learning to play RF. The idea to have Sano become an OF was borderline idiotic. That's almost it withput dispute. But from Sanos standpoint it was an opening on the roster for him. Plouffe was at the time mistakenly entrenched at third. By all accounts, unless provided by team shills, there was little or no attempt made to learn the fine art of catching the common fly ball. That should have been our first warning.

[KirbyDome89]

 

I think if goalposts are being moved, you're doing some moving yourself.

 

Nobody has said, as far as I can tell, Sano's physical conditioning is "the culprit" for his failure to replicate his 15 season.  

 

People have asked the very reasonable question, IMO, of whether his weight is a factor, particularly in his inability to stay on the field, his defensive issues, and indeed, his propensity for K's--which could be impacted by his inability to stay on the field.

 

People speculate, very reasonably IMO, that weight is something he should have more control of than he's demonstrated.

 

People aren't talking about other players, because this is a thread about Sano.  And because other players haven't performed in a way that leads to speculation about whether weight is a factor. And because Lynn is a pitcher, for whom weight is obviously less critical, and who has only been a Twin for a couple months. I've never heard ANYone say Hughes is overweight. Buxton/Dozier??  C'mon. 

 

The pushback is baffling to me. I think it's OBVIOUS Sano's weight is a factor. I don't know how much, but I KNOW Sano at 250 would be a better defender, and I think it's reasonable to surmise he might stay on the field more. Simply staying on the field more would, IMO, probably help his offense, and at the least would give us more of what he's already given.

 

Maybe you're not disappointed in Sano. I am. I was hoping for so much more. We've had a couple months of very good production. That's it. It's not unreasonable to think he's in some ways at least partly responsible for that.

In what way have I moved them? I think my stance has been consistent. 

 

We agree that this is a thread where the overarching theme is Sano's level of conditioning. If his perceived lack of fitness isn't being painted as a reason for a decline in performance since his rookie year, why is that dip constantly brought up?   

 

What I'm pushing back against is the portrayal of obvious speculation as fact. 

 

You're missing the point about the comparison I made. Apart from pure speculation based on how Sano looks, the rationale for a necessary increase in fitness level is his declining performance and his injury history. I realize this thread is about Sano, but we don't see any other threads devoted to the fitness of players like Morrison, Hughes, or Lynn. All of them have body types that could arguably fit the mold of "needs work," as laid out by previous posts in this thread, and they've all had performance issues this year. Dozier has hit quite the rough patch recently, but speculation about his fitness hasn't follow his poor performance. I would argue that Buxton has had more severe injury/performance issues than Sano, but I've never seen his fitness questioned. Does that mean I think Buxton, Dozier, Morrison, ect. have conditioning problems? Absolutely not, but don't you think the inconsistency with which these heuristics are applied is at least slightly problematic, especially when they're considered the strongest "evidence," for Sano needing work? 

 

I am disappointed in his performance since his rookie year. I'm not sure how anybody who following him through the minors wouldn't be. I agree, HE needs to be better, i.e. the issues at the plate and in the field are on him. Our paths diverge at the question of how much weight factors into that.

[mazeville]

 

I don't care what you choose to do with your expectations, but feel free to stop categorizing a fractured shin due to a foul ball as a weight induced injury, and a subpar 30 game stretch prior to that injury as a terrible half season. 

 

I haven't once blamed that injury, or any other injury for that matter, on him being overweight or out of shape. Weight clearly didn't cause a ball to hit his shin.

 

I say, and have said, only this: Conditioning is a legitimate concern for a major league team to have on one of its young players. It is a potential factor in his slow recovery from injuries. But weight caused neither the shin injury last year, or the hamstring injury this year. His conditioning could make it harder to recover from them.

 

Even if not, conditioning is still vital because it gives him a better chance of staying at third and having a longer career. It's also a symptom of the seriousness to which a player takes his career, especially in his 20s. Why is this even a debate?

 

The Twins have every right to be concerned about his level of conditioning and his weight gain, especially given his age. Yet any time someone brings it up, people harp on it and somehow rush to the defense of the player, insisting that it's somehow OK for a player to gain 40 pounds in three years in his mid-20s when he has access to personal trainers and weight rooms and physical therapists. 

 

And you keep pointing to those "30 games" in the second half of last year.

 

It's not just those 30 games. I don't know how many times I have to say this.

 

It's the 20 games he played this year, and it's the full 100+ games in his 2016 season. That's a hell of a lot more than half a season. I would gladly look past 2016, but the performance in the 50 games since the all-star game last year has made that year more the norm than the exception.

 

 

The most likely reason why Sano is struggling is his swing, and his inability to adjust to pitchers who have adjusted to his freeswinging tendencies. The swing was the primary subject of the original column, right or wrong.

 

Maybe I do have to readjust my expectations. But a Miguel Sano with a .740 OPS is just not all that valuable.