Today, Santana went 4 /5, he just keeps on hitting.  If playing Center was tough for him, he sure would be showing it at the plate.  This kid has so much athletic ability, it's unreal.  Maybe you just leave him out there until Bux is ready, which I think will be next year mid season.  Being the optimist I am.  I think the biggest hole will be in left.  Go get a darn good hitter, decent fielder, either in trade or free agent.  I just don't see any one coming down the pike that soon, Hicks included.

Also add, Escobar is doing well at Short, so Twins can afford to leave Santana at Center.  Heck, Santana can learn more nuances on playing center during Spring Training.

I am a Buxton believer ("Bux-liever"?), from what I've read, seen in person and heard from people who make their living watching baseball. I remain confident that he will make his debut sometime next year and not look back. Unfortunately, he is the surest thing amongst Twins outfielders. I would class Parmelee as not good enough to be a regular on a good team, I have said repeatedly that I don't believe Hicks will ever hit well enough to play regularly as a corner OF, Eddie Rosario is hitting .240 with a <.700 OPS at AA, AB Walker can't hit .250 in Single A and Arcia has not yet "found it" as a major league hitter. Maybe keeping Santana in center isn't a bad idea. Teach him to play left this spring.

so you want to "Bux-lieve"?

In 2011, Jose Altuve got 35 games in AA before being called up by the Astros in late July or Early August.  Starlin Castro only had 56 games before the Cubs called him up.  Christian Yelich only got 49 games in AA before he was called up.  Justin Upton only had 71 games in AA before he was called up.

 

The Giants were good, but Buster Posey got 7 games with the Giants in 2009 after only 35 games above A ball (he went to AAA with no AA in between).  He hit .118, so he wasn't there to help the team, just to get a cup of coffee in the majors.  Thats probably the closest thing to Buxton as we can get.

 

I don't think he'll get a September callup.  It would be very unusual if he did, but not unprecedented.

 

I think a more likely career path is like Andrew McCutcheon.  A month in AA this year and next year, then the rest of next year in AAA, then start 2016 with the Twins.

Altuve batted .361 with an OPS near 1.000.  Castro was batting .376 with an OPS near 1.000 too.  Both of those guys started their pro careers at age 17 as well.

 

Yelich was rushed, but as you note he got 50 games at AA and hit quite well there and was a full year older than Buxton is now too.

 

Upton signed a MLB contract upon being drafted, I think, so he was already on the 40-man roster.

 

Posey was about 2 years older than Buxton is now.  Actually only Upton and Castro were younger than Buxton at the time of their promotions.

Parmelee has a career OPS of .711.  Against LHP its .711 (not .649 as you say).  This year his OPS against LHP is .852.

 

Against LH Starting Pitchers, his career OPS is .798.

 

What that tells me is that he has struggled against lefty specialists in his career.  Also, he has started to figure things out.

Sorry, I was looking at his 3 year splits, and it wasn't counting 2014.  He has a .852 OPS vs lefties this year, in a whopping 57 at bats.  If you think that is a sufficient sample size, and think Chris Parmelee has a future with the Twins, well, I don't know what to tell ya... But I hope you like losing

My optimism about Parmalee is not stats based.  He reminds me of other hitters when they are on the verge of breaking out.  He has the potential to be a hitter with a high OPS and would give us another power hitter to go with Vargas, Arcia, Dozier & Plouffe,  I am hoping that Gardy will give him the AB to prove it.

 

We've seen enough of Schafer, haven't we ? 

 

and no more Nunez in the outfield please

 

He is a below average outfielder, with an OPS+ of 94 this season.  OBP last 3 season; .290, .309, . 306.  You know what the say, if it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck... it just might be a duck