Article: Sano Ain't Harmon

[Jeremy Nygaard]

Not long ago, Baseball America rated Miguel Sano as a Top 3 prospect in all of baseball. Not long ago, Miguel Sano was the star of a documentary about baseball in the Dominican. Not long ago, Miguel Sano was the "Next Big Thing" with power comparable to Harmon Killebrew.

 

But you know what? Miguel Sano ain't Harmon Killebrew.I'm not talking about the light-tower power that Killebrew had. Sano has that. I'm not talking about the ability to be the face of the franchise that Killebrew had. Sano has that too.

 

I'm talking about something that Torii Hunter, Michael Cuddyer and Justin Morneau have talked about. I'm talking about autographs. Legible autographs. Killebrew's was beautiful.

 

Download attachment: killerauto.jpg

 

Sano's on the other hand...

 

I've never been an "autograph hound", but I've always enjoyed collecting them and displaying them in my basement.

 

My first Sano autograph came as a result of sending an 8x10 to Fort Myers in the spring of 2012. It was a picture of a skinny Sano in his Elizabethton jersey. The signature was such a scribbly mess that he had to label it "SANO" in case I couldn't remember who he was. The signature certainly wasn't going to help.

 

Download attachment: 20141229_125017-1.jpg

 

I also purchased an autographed Sano on eBay around that same time. Another very narrow signature that doesn't resemble his actual name.

 

Download attachment: 20141229_125135-1.jpg

 

When Spring Training 2013 rolled around, I decided to send another 8x10 to Fort Myers, this time Sano was featured in his Snappers jersey. He again responded (very quickly) and this signature was much different but hardly improved.

 

Download attachment: 20141229_125032-1.jpg

 

As TwinsFest approached last January, I decided to bring a Baseball America magazine to have Sano sign. Fourth signature, fourth variation.

 

Download attachment: 20141229_125116.jpg

 

I recently purchased another Sano auto and, shockingly, it looks very similar to the last signature. Of course, it was probably signed at a similar time as the one I got at TwinsFest.

 

Download attachment: 20141229_125146-1.jpg

 

The thing that remains in common with all of these examples - and every other signature that Sano has done? Not a single one looks anything like his name. Harmon would not be impressed.

 

On the bright side, though, at least Hunter is back to teach a lesson or two to the kids. He should start with Sano and fixing his signature.

 

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[Steven Buhr]

Good thing you've never been an autograph hound! No telling how many of those you'd have acquired by now!

[Jeremy Nygaard]

I'd stand in line for the Down on the Farm at TwinsFest at the Metrodome, if the wait was reasonable. But there's a big gap between me and the guys that have binders full of stuff to sign.

[Dantes929]

SD Buhr.   Your comment reminded me of Jim Bouton in Ball Four  where Bouton tried to fool the batter by throwing a fastball instead of a knuckler and the batter hit the ball over 500 feet.   Some one said "I'd hate to think how far he would have hit it if you hadn't fooled him so badly."   

[Willihammer]

I'd stand in line for the Down on the Farm at TwinsFest at the Metrodome, if the wait was reasonable. But there's a big gap between me and the guys that have binders full of stuff to sign.

I'll be honest, if I were the one sitting at the table with binders full of crap for me to sign, my autograph would quickly revert into a scribbly signature. I wonder if Killebrew had anywhere near as many fan events and such in his day (or even Hunter, Morneau, Cuddyer, etc).

Edited December 29, 2014 by Willihammer

[ashbury]

Zero interest in collecting those. Zero.  The grownups with their binders killed it.

[Steven Buhr]

Actually, Jeremy, this was helpful.

 

At the Kernels Hot Stove Banquet, they have a silent auction and i bought an autographed ball from 2013 that the Rock Cats had donated. It only has 15 signatures on it and I wondered if any of them were Sano. After looking at all the variations you have, I'm pretty sure there IS a Sano autograph on the ball (there's one with that distinctive "S". 

 

However, if it IS Sano's signature, we have yet a sixth variation, which is no more legible than any of the others.

[gunnarthor]

I was an immigration attorney for a decade or so and one of the really interesting things (at least to me) was that many of my clients signatures looked different if they were signing it in Spanish or English, despite it being the same name and alphabet.  You'd never think it was the same person's signature. 

[Jeremy Nygaard]

You have 15 signatures on one ball? You're the hound.

[Steven Buhr]

You have 15 signatures on one ball? You're the hound.

Hey they were on the ball when I bought it!

 

And besides, I'm not the one who claimed I WASN'T!

[Linus]

Please don't compare Sano and Harmon in any way, shape or form.  Talk to me 573 Sano homers from now.

[nater79a]

If Sano is a Hall-Of-Famer someday and his autographed merchandise is worth some decent coin, do his varying signatures hurt the value? I mean, anybody could scribble something down and say it's Sano's. How would anybody know?

[Jeremy Nygaard]

Please don't compare Sano and Harmon in any way, shape or form.  Talk to me 573 Sano homers from now.

 

Shame on me for comparing the autographs of the greatest home run hitter in Twins history and the autograph of the prospect with the most raw power the Twins have had in Twins history.

 

By the way, two players... one was 22 and had 17 home runs in 86 AA games, the other was 20 and 19 home runs in 67 AA games. Any guesses?

 

Not unfair at all to compare their power.

[Linus]

Shame on me for comparing the autographs of the greatest home run hitter in Twins history and the autograph of the prospect with the most raw power the Twins have had in Twins history.

 

By the way, two players... one was 22 and had 17 home runs in 86 AA games, the other was 20 and 19 home runs in 67 AA games. Any guesses?

 

Not unfair at all to compare their power.

Right.  One of the greatest power hitters in MLB history and a guy who hasn't made AAA.  Have fun with the autograph thing but to compare them in any way as ballplayers at this time is just silly

[Seth Stohs]

Right.  One of the greatest power hitters in MLB history and a guy who hasn't made AAA.  Have fun with the autograph thing but to compare them in any way as ballplayers at this time is just silly

 

Pretty sure he didn't, in any way, compare them as ballplayers at this time. 

[Linus]

Well he didn't compare him to Michael Cuddyer who also had a nice autograph. The underlying premise clearly links them as does the follow up stats. Sorry. Shouldn't have brought it up.

[bird]

Yeah, but Cuddyer was known for his stellar defense at shortstop, not for his power potential.

[Thrylos]

If he hits 30+ HRs a year, I don't care if his mother cannot recognize his signature. 

[tobi0040]

So I can mail down baseballs or pictures and get them autographed during spring training? 

[Jeremy Nygaard]

So I can mail down baseballs or pictures and get them autographed during spring training?

 

Not sure how balls would work. I send an 8×10, SASE and marker. Some send it back, some don't.

[tobi0040]

Not sure how balls would work. I send an 8×10, SASE and marker. Some send it back, some don't.

 

Thanks for the info.

[laloesch]

HA....Sano has a LONG.... LONG........................ LONG way to go before he could even sniff Killebrew territory.  Not bad for a kid who grew up on a farm in Idaho and once hit a 522' long homerun at Metropolitan Stadium.  Arguably the greatest homerun hitter of all time, Harmon Killebrew was a god amongst men in the 1960's.  IMO HE IS the greatest homerun hitter of all time.  

[Dantes929]

I am sure someone at some point in his minor league career  compared Killebrew to Hank Greenberg and fans of Greenberg thought it was sacrilege.    I don't think anyone here was thinking  "Can you believe Jeremy thinks Sano will be a Hall of Famer?" after commenting about their differences in autographs.   Comparing their raw power is hardly an insult to Killebrew either.   In fact even if this article was about their comparative baseball skills I doubt Killebrew would be offended by it so why should anyone else?   

[Halsey Hall]

It's to bad the off subject posts had to be made in what is a good article. 

 

At 68 and counting, I have alot of autographed bats and balls, but all mostly from the last 10-15 years.  Back at the Old Met I did have Early Wynn sign a piece of paper when he had 299 wins, Nellie Fox sign a paper and I had Mickey Mantle sign my pass at at golf tourney in the cities in the cities when I had a beer with him. 

 

Then nothing til I started coming down here, (got here yesterday).  I had Sano sign his bat for me when he first got here.  And I've had him sign 15-20 balls since.  I also bought a bat off ebay he had signed.  I looked at that bat about a month ago and it took awhile to figure out who signed it.  His signatures are all over the place.  The boughten bat the sig is a lot longer than the initial one.  His signature on the balls are shorter too.  I have an outlet for the balls and they do trickle out of the shop.  I keep one of each player and that's it, except for Cuddyer whom I have his initial sig and then one after the talk with Harmon. 

 

When Sano does put up #300, PSA is going to have their hands full trying to determine which signatures are authentic and not. 

 

Collecting these is fun, especially when I'm over there daily, and the players stop and sign.  Some really like the fact people want autographs.  There are a few I need to get this spring, Hunter being at the top of the list, and Santana,  FYI the last I sold a couple weeks ago, someone bought Meyers, Buxton, Roserio and Sano.  Helped pay the gas money down here.  The fun begins soon!

[Madre Dos]

The least of my worries is how Miguel signs his name. If I kept all of the "practice signatures" he left around his room the summer of 2011, I would have a book. I am more worried about his Tommy John surgery recovery and the pressure he is under by fans to be the Minnesota Twins "savior".

[Madre Dos]

It's to bad the off subject posts had to be made in what is a good article. 

 

At 68 and counting, I have alot of autographed bats and balls, but all mostly from the last 10-15 years.  Back at the Old Met I did have Early Wynn sign a piece of paper when he had 299 wins, Nellie Fox sign a paper and I had Mickey Mantle sign my pass at at golf tourney in the cities in the cities when I had a beer with him. 

 

Then nothing til I started coming down here, (got here yesterday).  I had Sano sign his bat for me when he first got here.  And I've had him sign 15-20 balls since.  I also bought a bat off ebay he had signed.  I looked at that bat about a month ago and it took awhile to figure out who signed it.  His signatures are all over the place.  The boughten bat the sig is a lot longer than the initial one.  His signature on the balls are shorter too.  I have an outlet for the balls and they do trickle out of the shop.  I keep one of each player and that's it, except for Cuddyer whom I have his initial sig and then one after the talk with Harmon. 

 

When Sano does put up #300, PSA is going to have their hands full trying to determine which signatures are authentic and not. 

 

Collecting these is fun, especially when I'm over there daily, and the players stop and sign.  Some really like the fact people want autographs.  There are a few I need to get this spring, Hunter being at the top of the list, and Santana,  FYI the last I sold a couple weeks ago, someone bought Meyers, Buxton, Roserio and Sano.  Helped pay the gas money down here.  The fun begins soon!

[Madre Dos]

We have the whole team over for dinner on 1 of their 3 nights off during the season. I have a wall in my basement. If my husband has to cook 50# of chicken wings, they sign the wall to eat.

[SweetOne69]

Harmon was a stickler regarding autographs.  He felt that if you are going to take the time to sign something for a fan, your signature should be legible.  Morneau worked on his signature to make it legible due to Killebrew's influence.

 

This is one thing that is going to be sorely missed due to his passing.

[big dog]

Can't help but reminisce about Harmon.  I remember listening to the radio in 1972 when he hit #535.  Herb Carneal and Halsey Hall made the call.  They were really excited.  One of them, Herb I think, said "And Harmon passes Jimmie Foxx!".  Halsey was unusually quiet, for him, and said "I didn't think anyone would ever pass Jimmie Foxx."  It was really memorable, hearing how impressed those two astonishing announcers were- made a big impact on this little kid.

 

Foxx was the second-leading all-time home run hitter for over 20 years, until being passed by Mays, Mantle (by only two), Aaron, and then Harmon.  Frank Robinson passed him the following year.  Harmon was at one point fourth on the all-time board, behind only Ruth, Mays, and Aaron.

 

I have big hopes for Sano, but passing Jimmie Foxx?  We'll have to see.

[Lazarus]

After Sano catches up to guys like Oliva, Morneau, Hrbek, etc., then we can include him in the same sentence or paragraph as Killebrew.  I'm just anxious to get the Sano marathon started.