In Defense of La Tortuga

Astudillo has plenty of fans on the board. It's just that the detractors have been more vocal. The way the team has been going, with too many stars failing to step up, I welcome seeing Willians in the lineup. He's like Star Trek's Scotty, giving her all she's got.

If you have a runner at third and less than two outs, who would you rather have at bat, Astudillo or Sano? It isn't close. Sano is going to strike out and Astudillo is going to put the ball in play. He's a ballplayer. Not a great talent, not a star, but in terms of baseball intelligence and grit, an admirable ballplayer.

He has good value in that he can catch. That allows Rocco to pinch hit for a catcher. He is not an everyday player but he is really valuable in a bench role.

I'm for La Tortuga.

One of the few bright spots on the team.

(Quiz: Name another. No one on the DL counts.)

He is the least of our worries by far.

If you have a runner at third and less than two outs, who would you rather have at bat, Astudillo or Sano? It isn't close. Sano is going to strike out and Astudillo is going to put the ball in play. He's a ballplayer. Not a great talent, not a star, but in terms of baseball intelligence and grit, an admirable ballplayer.

Excellent point in your post.  I would go even further to state that AT ANY POINT in ANY GAME given the choice between Astudillo hitting vs. Sano---------any reasonable Twins fans (not related to Sano) would choose El Tortuga for a multitude of reasons.

Statistically the ONLY area that Sano is "better" than Astudillo is in drawing walks--Sano with 15 vs. zero for the Turtle.  Even giving Sano that...its quite amazing that Astudillo has a better OBP than Sano (.308 to .299).  No comparison in .avg (.313 to .129), hits (20 to 8), extra base hits (5 to 3), RBI-(11 to 5), total bases (31 to 14).  Moreover, as bad as the Turtle can be (swinging at everything) he at least MAKES CONTACT!!  Sano continues to whiff at nearly a fifty percent rate (46.8%) with his 29 K's in his 62 ABs.   He's just an automatic out.  Sick and tired...when I did watch a game, of hearing Bremer and Morneau ad nauseam talk of how Sano is "taking really good ABs--just missing pitches."  Are you kidding me?  I know Dick & Justin have to "toe the company line" (never overtly criticizing any player), but, seriously, give me a break.  

The only reason I honestly believe Sano is back playing getting regular ABs right now is $$ signs!  He's making $11m this season and due to make $9.25m in 2022.  Falvey and mgmt keep running him out there somehow hoping he can recapture some semblance of the hitter that he was post-All Star Break in 2019/ 65 games: .254 avg with 21 jacks, 55 RBI, .362 OBP and a .939 OPS.  

The Pohlad group has got to be hoping and praying for "that player" to somehow be reincarnated this season. That way---they can trade him this season to an AL team contending for a playoff slot that needs a DH.  If not this season, if Sano can rekindle his 2nd half 2019 mojo-------the hope is some desperate NL GM will make a trade offer for him in the offseason, which would take his $m+ salary off the books for next year.

Time to give Astudillo full time duty at 1B until Kirilloff comes off IL to take over.

Nobody in organization should be given quarter from criticism. They’re playing awful baseball. I don’t blame players, personally. I tend to blame it on the people making the decisions. Astudillo isn’t an issue if they’re making competent personnel decisions elsewhere (see 2019 when he hit .260 and OPS’d less than .700 in 200+ PAs).

That said, Astudillo has been pretty good this year (except when it matters most, as noted - it’s just not that hard to bear down and get the guy out). He’s a fine bench player. It’s not his fault that nobody else on the roster can stay healthy and he gets more run in big spots than he should.

Speaking of injuries, at what point do we start question what the training and strength/conditioning staff is doing? NFL teams don’t see this many injuries and they’re openly trying to maim each other on the field.

The Turtle gives you a lot of coverage for being 25-26 on the roster. Is he an elite defensive replacement anywhere? Probably not. But he can go out and make standard and at times above standard defensive plays. I saw  Polanco and Sano in the OF, enough said. Also, contemplate Cave at 1B? He has trouble with ground balls in the OF. Donaldson in RF? Garver in LF? Point is while the Turtle may not outplay a MLB starter in a defensive position, he will outplay most of them if they are off their normal spot on the field. Nice flexibility for a manager to have. 

I like watching La Tortuga play, but it's frustrating to see his bat-to-ball talent and think what a productive hitter he could be with a smidgeon more discrimination at the plate. 

I love him!  You can see the joy of playing major league baseball in everything he does. I also think he is a good player that many teams would love to have because of his flexibility in positions!  Many fans tune in to see certain players.  Mine are Berrios, Sano, Astudillo and Cruz.  Buxton is also exciting but so frustraing at the same time.

I quit reading the article after the opening paragraph. Starting an article with such a false premise should have been edited out. Editing is changing a no no word to false. Is the new world order is to try to inflame the base?

I agree he is not the main reason for the Twins failures so far this year. That falls squarely on Thad and Rocco, as well as the underachieving “core” players. Austudillo is what he is, a slow, poor fielding, average hitter, who you do not want up to bat in the late innings with the game on the line. He is a good story and fun to watch at times, but doesn’t really have a role on any contending team active roster.

Huh? People are hating on Astudillo? I hear/read nothing but praise of the player, minus one podcast host (of the 20 MLB/Twins podcasts I listen to). 

Twins Daily loves him. Twitter loves him. Fangraphs loves him. The Ringer. Twinkie Town. The Athletic. Etc.

This seems like a defense looking for an accusation.

You could have just written an article praising Astudillo for being a solid 26th man instead of making up a non-existent narrative.

(sorry for the harsh criticism, but I detest blogging and journalism that is trying to stir up controversy)

Astudillo's last 14 ABs: .429/.429/.857

Astudillo's previous 50 ABs : .280/.275/.380

Even the 50 AB sample before his recent power surge is buoyed by a couple multi hit games to start the year. He spent the three weeks prior to this little streak slashing .220/.214/.293. I don't even see an average offensive player. The weak bat coupled with his inability to be even an average defender at whichever position the Twins deploy him is the reason for the criticism, and it's valid. 

I'm not one of the "everybody".

The comparison with Donaldson was telling...and sad. Its also sad when a utility player hitting over .300 is still maligned. Most of the Twins BA's are pathetic. When a utility player has to play this much, your team is in deep trouble. His extra inning production is poor...as is the ENTIRE team. Scoring only in one game out of 7. Not being able to bat in a runner from 2nd (except for a Buxton HR)

The Twins are a mess. As a team, they are a mess.. Yesterdays loss was pathetic. 16 left on base. k after k.

First five letters of his name say it all: A stud

the years of the true baseball characters - that could also play - seem to be well behind us. Mark Fidrych, Luis Tiants, Fernado Valenzuela, Bill Lee - ok, character pitchers but, the point is, he's a decent player that is bringing fun back to the game. getting fans engaged. he's having fun! and right now dollar for dollar - not pound for pound - he's the best value they have on the roster. on a bad day he brings me happiness when i see him play.