No Polanco? Now What?

"Polanco had a compression sleeve on his left knee and a noticeable limp as he walked back to Hammond Stadium."

A very bad picture

When Polanco was hurt last season with his knee, we heard nothing. They kept on playing him, although to many of us he was playing hurt.

All this could have been avoided if they used common sense and rested him (a must for tendonitis) while treating it. Now Polanco has to pay for their negligence.

We have a lot of options but none that can really replace him right now. He's very valuable to us, if he delays coming back & shows some long term problems; the team will be out a lot money because of another management's folly.

14 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

Gordon against righties. Why do we think Farmer?

I tend to agree that Gordon will get at least 50% of the starts at 2B while Polanco is out. 

A platoon of Gordon/Farmer seems to be the best option. If Larnach is taking Polanco's spot he covers the OF/DH vs RHP that Gordon would have been covering. 

Polanco out could mean 3-7 less wins for the Twins. Hopefully he only misses a few games. The Twins depend on Jorge as their spark.

He’s behind schedule, not on his deathbed. 

Gordon plays 2B against RHP and Farmer starts against LHP. Farmer could also be a late inning defensive replacement for Gordon if they feel that's the right move.

Gallo starts at 1B against RHP, and Solano starts against LHP, but can also play 2B in place of Farmer as needed. Larnach plays LF against RHP, and Gallo slides back to LF against RHP since he's generally been neutral against both sides. Taylor figures in here and there as well.

This is why the Twins built the roster with the depth they currently have. For the short term, it robs the Twins of their depth until Polanco, and even Kirilloff, are ready. But, potentially, Polanco could be ready a couple weeks in to the season. AK, maybe even a little longer just so he can get 100% confident and ready.

Julien is a phone call away. But no matter how good he looks, he still hasn't played a game above AA. Nothing wrong with him begining the year for St Paul. But if Polanco is on the IL to begin the season, along with Kirilloff, there's room for 1 more add. The question is who might be the extra player for the short term? Is it Garlick as a LHP masher? Is is Castro after having a great ST...even with unsustainable numbers...but experience and position versatility, but experience and talent at only 26yo still? Whoever they choose might have to pass through waivers in order to keep when Polanco is healthy and ready to go. And that stinks. But it's also why the roster was built with this much depth.

4 hours ago, Doctor Gast said:

"Polanco had a compression sleeve on his left knee and a noticeable limp as he walked back to Hammond Stadium."

A very bad picture

When Polanco was hurt last season with his knee, we heard nothing. They kept on playing him, although to many of us he was playing hurt.

All this could have been avoided if they used common sense and rested him (a must for tendonitis) while treating it. Now Polanco has to pay for their negligence.

We have a lot of options but none that can really replace him right now. He's very valuable to us, if he delays coming back & shows some long term problems; the team will be out a lot money because of another management's folly.

Actually, we have a lot of options, MOST of whom can replace him right now.  Farmer, Solano, Gordon for sure.  Julien and / or Lee if we have the balls to take a shot.  Pretty much just Lewis & Martin that can't step in now.  Not to mention that this is the type of situation you brought Willi Castro here for.

1 hour ago, stringer bell said:

SSS on Julien’s numbers in spring training and the WBC. A stint at St. Paul will probably provide evidence of when he will make his debut. He’ll get his chance probably sooner than later. 

100%

Once a top prospect reaches AA and performs that well, and throw in the AFL results which are AA PLUS similar...not to mention ST and the WBC...he is, indeed, only a phone call away. A lot of AA players do jump, or jump soon after.  I'm not comparing him as a player, but I recall Knoblauch jumping straight to MLB from AA.

I agree, sooner rather than later. He just might "Arraez" to the Twins, which is becoming is fast becoming an adverb in Twins dialect, lol.

I do think we are overly excited about Willi Castro's SSS spring training stats against plenty of minor league pitchers and some major leaguers who are working on stuff. The past two seasons, he has hit .230 and even the Detroit Tigers chose not to keep him.

I think this is why Farmer is on the roster.  I mean he would have been the starting SS if they didn't re sign Correa.  I see no reason to not give him the starting 2B gig with Gordon occasionally spelling him?  Gordon will get at bats in the OF, DH and a little 2B too.  But I think Farmer should start 85% of the time.  JMO. I mean the Twins got him for this reason right here.  

At this point Solano hasn't earned anything.  We have a TON of options at 2B.  I agree with the idea of releasing Solano at the conclusion of ST and signing him to a minor league contract at that point.  Julien's bat will play.  He could be a very effective leadoff hitter.  I'm hoping Polanco can contribute heavily this season but his condition is concerning.  

17 hours ago, Doctor Gast said:

"Polanco had a compression sleeve on his left knee and a noticeable limp as he walked back to Hammond Stadium."

A very bad picture

When Polanco was hurt last season with his knee, we heard nothing. They kept on playing him, although to many of us he was playing hurt.

All this could have been avoided if they used common sense and rested him (a must for tendonitis) while treating it. Now Polanco has to pay for their negligence.

We have a lot of options but none that can really replace him right now. He's very valuable to us, if he delays coming back & shows some long term problems; the team will be out a lot money because of another management's folly.

No one can make a player play.  If Polanco said he could not go, like what eventually happened, he would have sat.  Sure, could the team have overruled Polanco, yes. However, they do not know how bad the pain is.  As someone who gets recuring different tendonitis each bout is its own thing.  Sometimes the pain is not bad, sometimes it is terrible.  I never really can see it coming on.  Yes, the only way to get it better is rest, but sometimes it would go away in a day or two, sometimes it lingers for weeks. 

Sometimes the players need to be honest with themselves and the team.  Polanco has played through many different injuries in his career. I am no medical doctor, but in my experience in tendonitis there is little you can do to prevent it in the future, other than just stop doing what you are doing.  Which means, for Polanco retirement.  It is fully possible the Twins shut him down earlier last year, and he is still here with same issue. I would not say we know it would have been avoided, I mean he has sat for nearly 8 months now.  I would also not say this is negligence.  If Polanco is not being honest on how bad things are, hard for any medical people to really give a good opinion. 

14 hours ago, tony&rodney said:

Polanco out could mean 3-7 less wins for the Twins. Hopefully he only misses a few games. The Twins depend on Jorge as their spark.

You think the combination of Gordon/Solano/Farmer and eventually Lewis is up to 7 less wins? 

43 minutes ago, Trov said:

No one can make a player play.  If Polanco said he could not go, like what eventually happened, he would have sat.  Sure, could the team have overruled Polanco, yes. However, they do not know how bad the pain is.  As someone who gets recuring different tendonitis each bout is its own thing.  Sometimes the pain is not bad, sometimes it is terrible.  I never really can see it coming on.  Yes, the only way to get it better is rest, but sometimes it would go away in a day or two, sometimes it lingers for weeks. 

Sometimes the players need to be honest with themselves and the team.  Polanco has played through many different injuries in his career. I am no medical doctor, but in my experience in tendonitis there is little you can do to prevent it in the future, other than just stop doing what you are doing.  Which means, for Polanco retirement.  It is fully possible the Twins shut him down earlier last year, and he is still here with same issue. I would not say we know it would have been avoided, I mean he has sat for nearly 8 months now.  I would also not say this is negligence.  If Polanco is not being honest on how bad things are, hard for any medical people to really give a good opinion. 

A good ball player who loves the game will want to play no matter what. Polanco is that type of player. If he's hobbling, he'll still go out there if he's sent. From a spectator's view, I could tell he was hurt & it affected his performance. Those who's responsible should have seen it right away & shut him down. 

Polanco has not had recurring tendonitis in his knee. This tendonitis is due to the injury he suffered last season. I'm not a professional but an injury like this needs rest along with treatment to limit the inflammation to the injured tendon & reoccurrence. If not rested or treated properly right away and constantly aggravated the damage will be greater which delays recovery and more risk of reoccurrence.

I am shocked that Polanco's knee hasn't recovered 100% yet. Which makes me wonder if there's something worse might have occurred thru the added abuse. 

1 hour ago, Doctor Gast said:

A good ball player who loves the game will want to play no matter what. Polanco is that type of player. If he's hobbling, he'll still go out there if he's sent. From a spectator's view, I could tell he was hurt & it affected his performance. Those who's responsible should have seen it right away & shut him down. 

Polanco has not had recurring tendonitis in his knee. This tendonitis is due to the injury he suffered last season. I'm not a professional but an injury like this needs rest along with treatment to limit the inflammation to the injured tendon & reoccurrence. If not rested or treated properly right away and constantly aggravated the damage will be greater which delays recovery and more risk of reoccurrence.

I am shocked that Polanco's knee hasn't recovered 100% yet. Which makes me wonder if there's something worse might have occurred thru the added abuse. 

Agreed....if it's really just tendonitis, 8 months of rest in the offseason should have been plenty of time to recover.  This one worries me if he is still walking with a limp.....

5 hours ago, stringer bell said:

I think Gordon is the better option at second versus right handed pitching. Farmer should always be in the lineup against lefties, but his splits against right handers are pedestrian at best. 

So, since he doesn't hit well, I'm guessing the Twins traded for Farmer because of his glove then??  I'm trying to figure out why we have him?

All of the comments here about Polanco's health is 100% conjecture.  All we know about Polanco's injury is that it is his knee.  That's it.  Most players sign off on letting the public know what is going on, but HIPPA is still a real thing.

How quickly the tides turn.  Here is one of the most important Twins players of the last 5-7 years, everybody sees an injury and is ready to drop him without any knowledge of what is going on.  Why am I not surprised...