Article: Why I am excited to see Miguel Sano as a Twin... and why you should be too

[AJPettersen]

Hopefully this story can bring you a little cheer for the holiday season, baseball season is right around the corner, hang in there!

 

While we all expected Miguel Sano to debut last season, we are still waiting to see him at Target Field. Having played with him for about 250 games, I have seen him do some incredible things. Here is why I am excited to see him in a Twins uniform and also why I think you will love watching him play in Minneapolis for many years.This is a two-part story and it is probably my favorite memory from my time playing with Sano.

It started in Fort Myers playing the St. Louis Cardinals' High-A affiliate, Palm Beach. We were down a couple of runs late in the game when Sano came up with the bases loaded. With a penchant for dramatic situations, he promptly launched a grand slam deep into the Florida night off of this lanky, slinging righty. He probably stood at home plate a little too long and neither the pitcher, nor the opposing pitching coach, liked that very much. They exchanged words as he crossed home and later as he trotted out to the field the next inning. Things settled and the event ended without anything further. We all had thought it was over.

 

Fast forward two weeks and we were in Palm Beach playing the Cardinals at their place. We had a big lead early in the game and the lanky, slinging righty came out of the pen for some mop-up innings. Sano was the first batter he faced. All of us had forgotten what had happened a couple of weeks prior, except the pitcher, pitching coach… and of course, Sano.

 

The pitcher proceeded to throw the first pitch right at his head, missing only slightly. Throwing at one of our top prospects wasn’t OK, so some choice words were exchanged between dugouts and the field. Sano stepped out calmly, stared down the pitching coach and the pitcher and stepped back in. When the count got to 3-1, the lanky righty threw a meatball and Sano angrily launched a towering blast to left center, spiked his bat, stood at home, and screamed a mix of expletives in English and in Spanish before walking towards first base. He was immediately ejected, which made Doug Mientkiewicz explode from his third base coach’s box.

 

The picture that is seared into my memory is Sano coming around third, a look of anger mixed with a smirk, as Doug is being ejected just inside the foul line.

 

I have never seen someone hit home runs on command like Miguel does.

 

That memory is one of many reasons I am excited to see Sano in Minneapolis. Not only is he a bubbly personality and a genuinely nice guy, he cares and he will bring a ton of excitement to the Twins, I know you will agree when you get the chance to see him play next summer. I promise you won’t be disappointed -- he is worth the wait.

 

I wrote an article for the Prospect Handbook with a few lasting memories and lessons learned through my time in pro ball, it is being released soon, so check it out when it is! More information will be available later this week here at Twins Daily.

 

Read AJ's new blog at Re/Max.

 

Click here to view the article

[JB_Iowa]

Thanks for sharing the great stories.  Look forward to more!

[Oldgoat_MN]

Hey AJ!

Thank you for sharing this.

 

Hope your new life is rich and fulfilling.

[Steven Buhr]

Great stuff. This team could use some personality.

[birddog]

Great to read a teammate's perspective. Nice to hear he not only has the qualities it takes to become a star, but also a well liked and respected teammate. Let's hope that TR and Molitor will be "commanding" him to hit home runs at the big league level real soon. Having him and Vargas hitting back to back should be lots of fun.

[Circus Boy]

Sano sounds good. Very, very good. And I've always wanted to learn expletives in Spanish.

[Madre Dos]

the stories I could tell from the 2011 summer. Hi AJ!

[DocBauer]

Sounds strange...never seen the kid play in person yet unfortunately...but just from reports like this, numbers posted, TD reports, scouting reports, yada, yada, yada....it's just always struck me that there is something special, indescribable, and just special in an absolute kind of way with this kid. As if there is simply no way to deny him.

 

Don't know how much sense that makes.

[Halsey Hall]

Great story, AJ.  Sano's a good kid, and he always cracks me up. 

 

I've had a lot of great experiences since I started hitting spring training in '91, but this one's for sure top 5.  Miguel's first day there at the ripe age of 16.  I'm waiting for Punto to come out of the training room to sign a broken bat of his, and Sano and his agent walk up from the fields.  Miguel gives some old guy an interview, all in Spanish, as he couldn't speak English.  When done, Miguel gets up from the table I'd left and the other two stay and talk.  So it's him and me, and I point at the broken bat in my hand and motion if he should break his, could I have it.  He just handed it to me.  It's about 5 feet from me now. 

 

He always greets me when he sees me and we talk a lot.  He's come a long ways.  He's really a hard worker and a joy to watch play ball.  I'm sure everyone else will enjoy it too.   I'm in his corner for life.

[jokin]

Sounds strange...never seen the kid play in person yet unfortunately...but just from reports like this, numbers posted, TD reports, scouting reports, yada, yada, yada....it's just always struck me that there is something special, indescribable, and just special in an absolute kind of way with this kid. As if there is simply no way to deny him.

 

Don't know how much sense that makes.

 

It''a certainly interesting... AJ's take, along with yours Doc, and Halsey's, is diametrically opposed to many on TD at the time of the incident in 2013, ie, those who either roundly condemned Sano for his behavior we all witnessed on Youtube... or expected more such "maturity problem issues" to delay his quick ascension through the Twins system. 

Edited December 9, 2014 by jokin

[B Richard]

Sano is an amazing talent with a bright future, but he is also a genuinely good guy. Last summer I sat next to the home dugout with a buddy in New Britain and got a chance to exchange some friendly words with Miguel in the on deck circle. Throughout the game he was very involved with the other players, always talking and smiling. Make no mistake about it though, he takes the game very seriously. He was kind enough to stay after and sign some autographs. I can't think of anyone I want to see succeed more than Bocaton

[Thegrin]

That was Sano issuing a "License to Headhunt"  

[diehardtwinsfan]

Looking forward to what is hopefully many years of Sano playing in MN.

[nicksaviking]

Thanks AJ.  As fans, all we can do is speculate on the type of person the athletes we cheer for really are (and often over-speculate). Thanks for some actual insight and the story.

[Seth Stohs]

I love stories like this. I remember listening to Miracle broadcaster Brice Zimmerman calling this game. It was intense, and it was awesome!

 

Hearing these types of stories from a guy like AJ, who played (as he wrote) over 250 games with Sano, is so much fun! I hope he continues this series with many other stories of Monster Miguel!

[Aaron Lapensky]

Thanks for sharing AJ, great story. Very excited to watch him mash 'taters at Target Field.

[laloesch]

Great to read a teammate's perspective. Nice to hear he not only has the qualities it takes to become a star, but also a well liked and respected teammate. Let's hope that TR and Molitor will be "commanding" him to hit home runs at the big league level real soon. Having him and Vargas hitting back to back should be lots of fun.

 

 

Yeah!  The idea of batting Arcia, Sano and Vargas 3-5 is intriguing to say the least. 

[ashbury]

the stories I could tell from the 2011 summer. Hi AJ!

Please.  Go on....

 

[Badsmerf]

I like the edge he, Rosario, and arcia all have. Should be fun.

[Tibs]

This made me laugh. Thanks AJ

[Seth Stohs]

I'd say AJ called this one pretty good. I sure have enjoyed watching him playing in a Twins uniform!!