Article: How Are AA Pitchers Approaching Miguel Sano?

[Twins Fan From Afar]

You can view the page at http://twinsdaily.com/content.php?r=1912-How-Are-AA-Pitchers-Approaching-Miguel-Sano

[Gernzy]

Really not worried about it yet. We'll see how he does after a few months.

[jimbo92107]

Kinda what I figured, given Sano's reputation for crushing baseballs. Pitchers clearly were told, "Don't you dare give him anything below the waist." Thus, the first several at-bats everything was up, basically no strikes at all. Sano probably understood this going in, wondering how long it would last and who would be the first to venture under the belt line. Next, some intrepid souls decided to try down and in, which is okay so long as you don't put it there too often.

 

Keep it high, high and away (out of zone), or low and in. Is Kennys Vargas coming up soon? Sano could use somebody a little more dangerous batting behind him. Meanwhile, he's seen this before, where pitchers are simply too terrified to challenge him, and in AA more of them have the precision to spot it in difficult locations.

 

It's kind of sad, but the days of down-the-middle fastballs and hanging curves is over for Miguel Sano. This is when we find out if all that Sano hits is a pitcher's mistakes. Can he work the count like Joe Mauer? Can he hit junk like Vlad Guerrerro? It will be interesting to see.

[Steve Lein]

Basically looks like what is expected, though I am surprised to see so many misses up high - to me that says they're absolutely avoiding going after him and trying to make him do too much, and somewhat succeeding at that. But he'll be fine.

[Twins Fan From Afar]

I really don't trust the pitch height of the Gameday data as much as I do the inside/outside depictions. There's just no way pitchers could be throwing almost above belt to him.

That's why I call it a tool.

But who knows, I could be wrong, too.

[glunn]

Great article!

[Riverbrian]

I watched the Video you provided... Thanks for that BTW... Anyway... I watched the Video and the thought that invades my skull is this... Holy Crap does he look LARGE from a long ways away.

 

Pitchers pitching him carefully is boring for us because we want video game numbers from our potential video game player. However... Pitchers pitching him carefully is great for his development.

 

A Power hitter of Sano's ability with added patience at the plate will produce an amazing MLB baseball player. Every pitchers pitch that he lays off is a lesson in discipline.

 

If he is as good as they say... The MLB Pitchers won't be giving him much either eventually.

 

In my opinion... Your theory of protecting him at the plate is a great idea but it's premature. We can worry about protecting him at the plate in Minnesota. For Now... Let him work on a little plate discipline.

 

Did I mention that he looks large... lol... I got dreams of 40 plus homers in the Bigs.

[Twins Fan From Afar]

I watched the Video you provided... Thanks for that BTW... Anyway... I watched the Video and the thought that invades my skull is this... Holy Crap does he look LARGE from a long ways away.

 

Pitchers pitching him carefully is boring for us because we want video game numbers from our potential video game player. However... Pitchers pitching him carefully is great for his development.

 

A Power hitter of Sano's ability with added patience at the plate will produce an amazing MLB baseball player. Every pitchers pitch that he lays off is a lesson in discipline.

 

If he is as good as they say... The MLB Pitchers won't be giving him much either eventually.

 

In my opinion... Your theory of protecting him at the plate is a great idea but it's premature. We can worry about protecting him at the plate in Minnesota. For Now... Let him work on a little plate discipline.

 

Did I mention that he looks large... lol... I got dreams of 40 plus homers in the Bigs.

 

No problem -- I'll try to get better with the video, too.

I think you're right about the plate discipline. It's just a little frustrating from the fan perspective because you want to see him get pitches to swing at, but it of course is much more important for his long-term development to really learn the strike zone, pitch recognition, etc.