Official sano HR thread

[shs_59]

#5 thru 10 games is impressive i'm a little concerned about the relatively HIGH K % or K rate.

 

But the More walks drawn (compared to last year) IS DEFINATELY an encouraging sign.

 

#1 prospect on the Twins and top 25 in all of baseball no doubt.

[ScottyB]

Sano - homers on Sunday the 15th and Tuesday the 17th. That's 5 homers, 1 triple and 14 RBI's in 12 games. Average @ .256, but OPB @ .408, OPS 1.100

[Jeff P]

Sano - homers on Sunday the 15th and Tuesday the 17th. That's 5 homers, 1 triple and 14 RBI's in 12 games. Average @ .256, but OPB @ .408, OPS 1.100

I agree, I am more focused on OBP than batting average.

 

I guy like Sano is going to strikout a lot, but 14 strikouts in 49 PA is still higher than what I was hoping for. His slugging percentage and OBP is higher than I was expecting so overall I am really excited about Sano.

[whydidnt]

It appears Pitchers in low A don't really want to throw to Sano. I'm hoping the Twins move him up before too long so he can face some pitchers that are probably not as intimidated. He has the talent to move fast, and I think he'll get better as he faces better competition.

[THE DFC]

I agree, I am more focused on OBP than batting average.

 

I guy like Sano is going to strikout a lot, but 14 strikouts in 49 PA is still higher than what I was hoping for. His slugging percentage and OBP is higher than I was expecting so overall I am really excited about Sano.

Yep, you absolutely have to love Sano's improved eye at the plate. He's already drawn nearly half as many walks as he drew in his 66 game season last year.

 

I've heard that he has a little bit of Pedro Cerrano disease in that he's mashing every fastball he sees but struggles with the curve. However, given the hand-eye coordination it'd have to take to basically hit a homer every other game in a league that he's 3 years young for, I'm not too worried.

 

Anyone with for in-depth and/or insider information have any more information on his approach with breaking balls? I've also heard his defense has been stellar at third? Any additional info here?

 

Hopefully, he can close the season with a strong showing at Fort Myers, spend 2013 at New Britain and force a Fall call-up.

[Mchans24]

He will be in AA after all star break. Start next year in AAA and be ready for big leagues by July!! I know the twins won't allow that to happen but I would love to see it!!

[Steve Lein]

I'd really like to see the Twins do some fastracking with Sano ala the players he gets compared to, like Miguel Cabrera and Hanley Ramirez. He's already showing more power than either of them did in their MiLB career at the same ages (a lot more, actually), and his average has been better than Cabrera's and pretty much the same as Ramirez's. Cabrera debuted and stuck at age 20, Hanley debuted at 21 and stuck the next season. Neither played at AAA. I think he sticks in the Midwest League this whole season as there's much more to his game that he needs to work on, but next year it's not out of the question he spends time at AA, then in 2014 challenges for a MLB callup/debut before he turns 21.

 

THE DFC - He's by no means "stellar" at 3B at this point, Big-time arm, but not very good fielder, yet. People say the skill and drive to improve is absolutely there, but he's still just so young (still 18 for another month). Everyone is saying Luke Hughes got DFA'd because he's a bad defender. Well, he owns a .989 career fielding % in the MLB (.953 at 3B), and Sano right now has a career .892 fielding % in the MiLB (is at .960 at 3B so far this year). For another comparison, Danny Valencia has a career .959 fielding % at 3B in the MLB, so take those for what you will.

[gunnarthor]

I'd really like to see the Twins do some fastracking with Sano ala the players he gets compared to, like Miguel Cabrera and Hanley Ramirez. He's already showing more power than either of them did in their MiLB career at the same ages (a lot more, actually), and his average has been better than Cabrera's and pretty much the same as Ramirez's. Cabrera debuted and stuck at age 20, Hanley debuted at 21 and stuck the next season. Neither played at AAA. I think he sticks in the Midwest League this whole season as there's much more to his game that he needs to work on, but next year it's not out of the question he spends time at AA, then in 2014 challenges for a MLB callup/debut before he turns 21.

 

THE DFC - He's by no means "stellar" at 3B at this point, Big-time arm, but not very good fielder, yet. People say the skill and drive to improve is absolutely there, but he's still just so young (still 18 for another month). Everyone is saying Luke Hughes got DFA'd because he's a bad defender. Well, he owns a .989 career fielding % in the MLB (.953 at 3B), and Sano right now has a career .892 fielding % in the MiLB (is at .960 at 3B so far this year). For another comparison, Danny Valencia has a career .959 fielding % at 3B in the MLB, so take those for what you will.

I could see him on the Mauer-path. Spend this year in A ball, start next year at A+ with midseason promotion to AA. Debut in the majors at 21. The Twins take some shots for being slow with prospects but looking at their elite prospects - Mauer, Morneau, Kubel, Liriano - all were in the bigs by 22. It's the Plouffe's and Valencia's that don't debut until 25.

[asmus_ndsu]

#6 tonight... Just another day in the office

[Shane Wahl]

Huge OPS so far. I would like to see him sustain 900+ for over 250 plate appearances before moving him to Fort Myers.

[asmus_ndsu]

Very interesting fact is that he is the Midwest league leader in HR SO and BB.... I know it's easy to knock the plate disciplin for having a lot of strikeouts but with an OBP of over 400 and OPS of Over 1100... That's an elite prospect if he maintains the SOs can be overlooked

[Seth Stohs]

First two doubles of his season tonight!

[asmus_ndsu]

First two doubles of his season tonight!

Four bases and an rbi... Can we count that as one?

[jtrinaldi]

Kane county has pitched down and away to sano after hitting his 3rd homer against them last Tuesday. I was watching the game from the box and Everything was down or away, other than the hanging curve that they left up in the zone and he hit it to dead left. Sano has also started to draw intentional walks including a few from KC and Clinton. Pitchers in the MWL are affraid to pitch to him, but that does not mean that he will be moving up by the end of the year.

[whydidnt]

Well, I think the Twins are foolish to leave him in low A if the Pitchers aren't going to throw him any strikes. If that continues for another month and he proves he can lay off those pitches, they certainly should promote him and let him face pitchers that will throw him strikes. He's not going to get better watching pitches every at bat.

[gunnarthor]

Well, I think the Twins are foolish to leave him in low A if the Pitchers aren't going to throw him any strikes. If that continues for another month and he proves he can lay off those pitches, they certainly should promote him and let him face pitchers that will throw him strikes. He's not going to get better watching pitches every at bat.

I probably agree but keep in mind they also want him to improve his defense. Let's see where he is in a month. If they still aren't challenging him, then send him up. But he is still striking out a bunch so they are giving him some problems.

[jtrinaldi]

Well, I think the Twins are foolish to leave him in low A if the Pitchers aren't going to throw him any strikes. If that continues for another month and he proves he can lay off those pitches, they certainly should promote him and let him face pitchers that will throw him strikes. He's not going to get better watching pitches every at bat.

he has enough defensive flas to keep him in A ball the whole year.

[righty8383]

I find Miguel Sano's strike out rate very alarming. Even Mark Reynolds, the mlb strike out king, did not strike out this much when he was a prospect.

[TRex]

I find Miguel Sano's strike out rate very alarming. Even Mark Reynolds, the mlb strike out king, did not strike out this much when he was a prospect.

I see your argument, but I think it is really important to remember that Reynolds (and several other strikeout kings) was a college-seasoned 22 year old playing high-A ball, not an 18 year old kid in low-A. The Miguel Cabrera comparison doesn't quite hold up for strikeouts either. While Miggy struck out much less, he also only hit 7 home runs (with a .709 OPS) as an 18 year old in Kane County.

[tcarlic]

It's been a while since he's hit one. 12 games or something like that? I suppose it's hard to keep that rate up... Even Willingham hasn't hit one in a long time; although, he almost got one last night.

[RinaldiPhotos]

It's been a while since he's hit one. 12 games or something like that? I suppose it's hard to keep that rate up... Even Willingham hasn't hit one in a long time; although, he almost got one last night.

Hitting one in a long time isn't a problem. Teams have been pitching around him even throwing intentional walks. They just dont want to pitch to him and when they do it is stuff on the out side corner and half of the "strikes" should be balls....

[whydidnt]

Hitting one in a long time isn't a problem. Teams have been pitching around him even throwing intentional walks. They just dont want to pitch to him and when they do it is stuff on the out side corner and half of the "strikes" should be balls....

This has been my assumption. Do you get to watch the games, or have you seen reports confirming this? If so, does it make sense for Sano just to keep laying off and taking walks, or is the rest of lineup just not going to make the opposition pay?

[RinaldiPhotos]

This has been my assumption. Do you get to watch the games, or have you seen reports confirming this? If so, does it make sense for Sano just to keep laying off and taking walks, or is the rest of lineup just not going to make the opposition pay?

I have been to around 6-7 Beloit games so far maybe more. The umpires this league in the MWL aren't that good but thats not Sanos problem. The only stat that I saw is 6 home runs and for all I know what I have said can be completly wrong but it is what I believe. He has tremendous power to the opposite field, he hit a ball over the deck and into the field kiddy corner to the foul pole the other night.

[asmus_ndsu]

No. 7 tonight... Little bit of a cold spell huh? He must have been sick of all thise EBHs

[nicksaviking]

This has been my assumption. Do you get to watch the games, or have you seen reports confirming this? If so, does it make sense for Sano just to keep laying off and taking walks, or is the rest of lineup just not going to make the opposition pay?

I don't know if this is true, but his walk rate has doubled this year while his strikeout rate has remained the same. This would tell me they are pitching around him, which also tells me keeping him in Beloit is not going to help his development. He's not going to improve much if he's not getting challenged by pitching that more closely matches his skill level.

[asmus_ndsu]

Oops spoke a little soon... No. 8 tonight as well it was a double header

[PurplePete]

Sano was a beast tonight. Was at the games tonight, along with the 2 homers he added a single, a double and cleared the benches "big timing" his 2nd HR; which was the game winner.

[Jim Crikket]

The Kernels probably should have pitched around him, too. Though I guess in a way, they did... he got pretty much nothing but off-speed pitches. When he did get a fastball, it was seldom anywhere near the strike zone. I'm inclined to agree with nicksaviking... he's not going to get challenged by the MWL pitchers at this point. It may not hurt him to stick around Beloit through the fist half of the season, but anything beyond that is probably a waste of time. He's not a good defensive ballplayer, but he can work on that just as easily in Fort Myers as Beloit.

[jtrinaldi]

Today Sano got a 4 pitch walk, didn't even take the bat off his shoulders. Really looking forward to a matchup of him vs. Cardinals top pitching prospect Tyrell Jenkins in a few weeks Tyrell throws damn near 100

[Dark Kinetic-Grip]

Is Miguel good enough now that we can start saying, he's so good it's Insano?