June 7, 201511 yr The Minnesota Twins announced after Sunday's game that SS Danny Santana has been optioned to AAA Rochester. DH Kennys Vargas has been recalled to the Twins. Needed to happen.
June 7, 201511 yr Arcia must really be struggling. Wouldnt mind seeing him brought back and perhaps dropping down to a 12 man bullpen
June 7, 201511 yr Author Arcia must really be struggling. Wouldnt mind seeing him brought back and perhaps dropping down to a 12 man bullpen He's done nothing since joining Rochester.
June 7, 201511 yr I thought Escobar was fine as the shortstop last year. He is neither ancient nor weak-armed. He won't cover quite as much ground as Santana, but should be more reliable turning outs into outs. I think he'll show more pop than 2015 Danny Santana and hit for a slightly better average. Also, if he is at short, he won't play left field or DH!
June 7, 201511 yr He's done nothing since joining Rochester. The Twins have quite a few potential job openings for hitters, and nobody who's hitting like they're particularly excited about applying for one.
June 7, 201511 yr Good timing, I think they waited until the right moment. What exactly made this the right moment? Vargas back - good. He never should've been sent down in the first place. Glad to see they didn't drag their feet anymore and righted this glaringly obvious wrong.
June 7, 201511 yr What exactly made this the right moment? Vargas back - good. He never should've been sent down in the first place. Glad to see they didn't drag their feet anymore and righted this glaringly obvious wrong.Vargas was only hitting fastballs and grooved breaking balls, it was obvious he needed some time in the minors.
June 7, 201511 yr He's done nothing since joining Rochester. Not true. He DID strike out and then flip his bat like a 4th grader.
June 7, 201511 yr Not true. He DID strike out and then flip his bat like a 4th grader.First a point of order, the thread was about Vargas and Santana, but the "he" referred to here is Arcia. Arcia kinda provided a walkoff winner today, hitting a sacrifice fly that tied the score and when a play was made on a runner on the bases, there was an error which allowed the winning run to score.
June 7, 201511 yr Vargas was only hitting fastballs and grooved breaking balls, it was obvious he needed some time in the minors. To do what? What's changed? I hope he continues to pound fastballs and grooved breaking balls. It's what a lot of good hitters do. Edited June 7, 201511 yr by TheLeviathan
June 7, 201511 yr As far as Vargas goes, I hope he provides a decent threat to protect Plouffe. I know it is an old-fashioned viewpoint, but he needs to produce--home runs and RBIs--and I actually think he will. The lineup should be: Dozier, Hunter, Mauer, Plouffe, Vargas, Rosario, Suzuki, Escobar, Hicks.
June 7, 201511 yr I commend the job Rosario did hitting in the 5 spot the last few days or more, but it is definitely not ideal and Suzuki batting in that spot is less than inspiring x infinitely. Vargas brings the element of fear to the opposing pitcher and I hope he scares the **** out of them this time around. We need the power threat in the middle of the line-up. It has always been obvious, but it has become a glaringly obvious desperate need the past week. Kill Em' All Kennys!
June 7, 201511 yr As far as Vargas goes, I hope he provides a decent threat to protect Plouffe. I know it is an old-fashioned viewpoint, but he needs to produce--home runs and RBIs--and I actually think he will. The lineup should be: Dozier, Hunter, Mauer, Plouffe, Vargas, Rosario, Suzuki, Escobar, Hicks. For what we have, that is the perfect line-up at this time.
June 7, 201511 yr My untrained eye sees Rosario laying off more pitches out of the zone recently. He's still aggressive, and he'll strike out a lot for a guy who isn't a slugger, but I think he'll hit.
June 7, 201511 yr This needed to happen. I'm going to go out on a limb and say that you'll probably see some changes to the pen this week too. Needs to happen.
June 7, 201511 yr This is well-received news. I think it was time for Santana to head back to the minors to work on things without the pressure of trying to live up to last year's BABIP-driven success. Frankly, I wasn't quite sure why Vargas got sent down in the first place, but I'm not a stat expert nor privy to the discussions that team brass are having on their players. In any case, from where I'm sitting, this is good news, and a smart move to make.
June 7, 201511 yr To do what? What's changed? I hope he continues to pound fastballs and grooved breaking balls. It's what a lot of good hitters do.Look, pitchers are going to exploit his weak spots, and he needs to stay ahead of them if he wants to be a good hitter. I hope that he actually was working on pitch recognition and zone coverage at Rochester.
June 7, 201511 yr First things first, that is Santana for Vargas. Reducing the bullpen to seven could come after the KC series. Pelfrey's eight innings reduces the pressure on the bullpen and the coming off-day should have the 'pen well-rested going on a road trip.
June 7, 201511 yr First things first, that is Santana for Vargas. Reducing the bullpen to seven could come after the KC series. Pelfrey's eight innings reduces the pressure on the bullpen and the coming off-day should have the 'pen well-rested going on a road trip. I think it goes down after Graham and to a lesser extent Pressly are fully rested. I have no problem with the move, surprised they left themselves a little short in the IF, but don't think Polanco was ready. Santana is the best defensive SS option right now but hard to argue he needed to regroup at the plate. We'll see on Vargas, I thought he need more time, but hope he mashes. Lineup certainly gets better, if a little less flexible.
June 7, 201511 yr This needed to happen. I'm going to go out on a limb and say that you'll probably see some changes to the pen this week too. Needs to happen.Yes, Duensing and Stauffer and their 2+ WHIP need to be DFA'd asap. Just eat their combined $4+ million contracts.
June 7, 201511 yr Great to have Vargas back.... and Santana needs to get it back. This is a great move, since Vargas needed to be here all season, especially after the hot beginning of May and the hitting we missed from him while in AAA. Escobar doesn't seem to be the answer at short either, but tons better than being in the outfield and having a .230 hitter being DH. We really need a MLB shortstop. I see Tulo is hitting over .300 again......... lots of pieces to trade without sacrificing the future...... Now if we can just get the pen sorted out and down to 12, and get a backup catcher that is hitting and another bench bat....
June 7, 201511 yr Look, pitchers are going to exploit his weak spots, and he needs to stay ahead of them if he wants to be a good hitter. I hope that he actually was working on pitch recognition and zone coverage at Rochester. He could've worked on those things against the level of competition he has to adjust to while simultaneously helping Molitor avoid half a lineup like today's. I commend Ryan for recognizing this had to happen. I'm baffled it had to in the first place, but I'll take what I can get.
June 7, 201511 yr Great to have Vargas back.... and Santana needs to get it back. This is a great move, since Vargas needed to be here all season, especially after the hot beginning of May and the hitting we missed from him while in AAA. Escobar doesn't seem to be the answer at short either, but tons better than being in the outfield and having a .230 hitter being DH. We really need a MLB shortstop. I see Tulo is hitting over .300 again......... lots of pieces to trade without sacrificing the future...... Now if we can just get the pen sorted out and down to 12, and get a backup catcher that is hitting and another bench bat....I have a feeling that Escobar is just a placeholder until Polanco is ready. Hate to say this because I like him, but I think Santana is REALLY gonna have to work his ass off to get back. Polanco has always been the better prospect, and I think he's close to being ready. Perhaps another month. Edited June 7, 201511 yr by clank2000
June 7, 201511 yr I have a feeling that Escobar is just a placeholder until Polanco is ready. Hate to say this because I like him, but I think Santana is REALLY gonna have to work his ass off to get back. Polanco has always been the better prospect, and I think he's close to being ready. Perhaps another month. Could be true that it is to buy time for Polanco. My biggest concern with this move is that watching Escobar every day at SS is going to make us long for the days of Santana. Mixed things on the readiness of Polanco's defense too.
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