Hot Corner Consideration: Potential Third Base Alternatives to Miguel Sano

Need to BREAK the bank on an ace and if possible 2.  If that means trading a top minor leaguer so be it. Our everyday lineup is great the way it is. We need top end pitching to go anywhere beyond Division winners... Which was great but.... Beating the Astro's or Yankees will take Studs at the top of our rotation. Which we now lack. 

I'm okay with Sano at third in 2020, in hopes he improves. However, it seems to me that his limited range stretches Polanco too, so something needs to give. Is it just me, or did Polanco do much better defensively when Gonzales was filling in at third every day?

Sano can improve in 3 ways.

- His positioning. (His coaches should be more active with that.)

- His quickness (he could lose 20 lbs and add muscle)

- His decision making. (That comes with experience.)

 

His arm is fantastic.

 

I remember Sal Bando. I swear he played 3B with his chest. He should have worn a chest protector. But he'd pick those balls up and throw us out.  Sano can do that too.

When they called them the Minnesota Lumber Company back when Bando was playing,  it wasn't for anything they were doing with their bats. Some gave a new meaning to lead foot. Nick Punto on a bad day could throw them out.

The Twins ranked 23rd in offense at 1B in 2019. They ranked 25th in defense at 3B. If the FO can bring in a good defensive 3B who provides at least as much offense as a healthy Cron, they should switch Sano to 1B.

Starting pitchers are the priority. I wouldn't pass on a front-line starter to get a third baseman. But infield defense matters. So does offensive production at 1B. They should make the change if the FO wants to put a better team on the field in 2020.

I can't envision a way that the Twins would spend the kind of money it would take to get Donaldson or Bryant. I am wondering what the blowback would be if they did spend that money then said they can'y afford a near top line pitcher. UGH! Moose would be my choice. The Twins don't have any great player currently playing 3rd in the minors so this is a timely question. They also must look at the long term future of Lewis and Polanco. Lots of questions to ponder.

But Lewis at 3B and keep Polanco at SS, IMO. I think he has the stronger arm.

In the short term (2020-21) I think this would be the best route for the team to take. However, I do envision a Lewis/Polanco duo up the middle at some point.

I'm with Doc on this. Sano is young still and improved a lot this year.  His defense should improve with greater mobility. But for me its a case of who replaces Cron in the batting order. Both Donaldson and Moose would upgrade the order, but at what cost? And really, if that cuts into the dough available to sign a stud starter, i'm against it. Plus it is my guess that the defense you gain in putting Moose or Donaldson at 3b you lose in replacing Cron with Sano at 1b where Sano would be learning a new position. 

But if we are going to talk about switching positions, we might consider resigning Schoop and putting him at 3rd.  So that requires a comparison about who would be the more valuable hitter, Schoop or Cron.  Schoop has the arm for 3b, and his defense would likely be better than Sano.  The questions is , once again, what do you gain at 3b versus a loss overall at 1b.  But everyone says let Schoop go. I'd not so sure.  He is well liked in the clubhouse, still has game and its not like guys at his ability lever grow on trees. Just a thought. 

But my vote would be: Use the money on stud pitchers please. 

Love that you mentioned this, thank you! I probably should have put him in for fun but it seems very improbable the Twins would land him. Maybe my other options are also unlikely but Rendon is the cream of the crop in my opinion. 

They have plenty of money to sign Rendon and a couple starting pitchers if Pohlad will spend it.

There is something else that may account for part of the reason his defense appeared, at least to me, to go down from last year.  No one has mentioned that not only did Sano miss all of spring training, he missed the first quarter of the year.  Could this have been a factor in his decline?  I don't know, but sure seems reasonable to me.  

With that said, I think he stays at third for the immediate future.  As long as Sano and Buxton are both on the team and healthy, I am hopeful that Lewis becomes the new third baseman by 2021 with Sano moving to part-time first base/DH.

There is a lot more traffic at 1b than 3b. 

Why is anyone comparing Sano to Plouffe or Koskie? Plouffe was a converted SS in which his best year he was considered an average 3b. Yes, Plouffe got better after 26, but he also was much more athletic build. Koskie was already a good defender at 26... and again, more athletic build.

Sano is not going to get much better, and more likely will get worse. If 1b is too tough for him to play, put him at DH.

The most likely option is Lewis at 3b. I'd be very surprised if he doesn't get time there next year.