After missing the entire 2014 season, no one should be surprised by Miguel's slow April in Chattanooga. However, since then he has more lived up to the hype. His line since May 1st; 

 

G             47 

AB         172

R             42

H             54

2B           15

3B             1

HR          10

RBI         36

BB          26

IBB           2

K            44

SB            4

CS            1

.AVG    .314

.OBP    .404

.SL       .587

.OPS    .991

 

I don't care if we have to move Plouffe to SS to get Sano in the line-up.  The time is now!

Edited June 28, 201511 yr by mudcat14

I am getting tired of all the call up DEMANDS, the front office has done a super job this yr of promoting , both at the MLB and MiLB level, have some patience..............Lets see how our demands have done for us, Santana, poor performance, Hicks , less than expected, Buxton , less than avg and now hurt, Vargas, less than expected, Meyer poor 1st outing...........I think the front office has been more than fair to our prospects, and trying to win at the same time. I sometimes swear some of the fans want the AA team up and then still blame the GM for not winning.......Thank goodness for professional minds making the decisions. RANT OVER!!!!

I am getting tired of all the call up DEMANDS, the front office has done a super job this yr of promoting , both at the MLB and MiLB level, have some patience..............Lets see how our demands have done for us, Santana, poor performance, Hicks , less than expected, Buxton , less than avg and now hurt, Vargas, less than expected, Meyer poor 1st outing...........I think the front office has been more than fair to our prospects, and trying to win at the same time. I sometimes swear some of the fans want the AA team up and then still blame the GM for not winning.......Thank goodness for professional minds making the decisions. RANT OVER!!!!

I doubt the front office called up any of those guys because of fan demand. I don't even recall many fans demanding Santana or Vargas, who by the way actually played well in 2014.

 

I do think that if any front office did call up prospects because of fan demand they should all be fired. I can't imagine this team did though. If they did and the prospect(s) in question failed, it sure as hell wouldn't make them any less culpable, at best it would simply mean the fans were equally as deluded as the front office.

 

Bottom line, there is zero correlation between any fans being wrong and the front office being right. Unless someone actually thinks the front office is craven and caves into the will of amatures.

Edited June 28, 201511 yr by nicksaviking

 

I doubt the front office called up any of those guys because of fan demand. I don't even recall many fans demanding Santana or Vargas, who by the way actually played well in 2014.

I do think that if any front office did call up prospects because of fan demand they should all be fired. I can't imagine this team did though. If they did and the prospect(s) in question failed, it sure as hell wouldn't make them any less culpable, at best it would simply mean the fans were equally as deluded as the front office.

Bottom line, there is zero correlation between any fans being wrong and the front office being right. Unless someone actually thinks the front office is craven and caves into the will of amature.

Is that what you got out of what i said???? I didnt insinuate any of that........just saying with all the players the fans have demanded, and they have demanded heavily on Vargas to stay up, when he was sent down..................that most of the demands they had came to fruition but didnt bare much fruit............and no where did i say that who was called up when was because of pressure of fans, never will happen. So to those demanding, they will come up when the front office sees fit that they are ready, what do we know............i do have my frustrations too, altho not this yr so far, but me demanding that so and so should be up, does nothing for me or anyone else

Edited June 28, 201511 yr by blairpaul715

Is that what you got out of what i said???? I didnt insinuate any of that........just saying with all the players the fans have demanded, and they have demanded heavily on Vargas to stay up, when he was sent down..................that most of the demands they had came to fruition but didnt bare much fruit............and no where did i say that who was called up when was because of pressure of fans, never will happen. So to those demanding, they will come up when the front office sees fit that they are ready, what do we know............i do have my frustrations too, altho not this yr so far, but me demanding that so and so should be up, does nothing for me or anyone else

Yet you listed a bunch of prospects you believed didn't work out and blamed it on the fans while at the same time saying the front office has done a good job of promoting prospects.

Sano is on fire right now and might not be a bad filler at DH for the KC series or until he regresses.  Give him a taste to build his hunger and commitment to defense.  He will do whatever it takes to stay or get back to the real big boys.  Truly nothing to lose.

 

Yet you listed a bunch of prospects you believed didn't work out and blamed it on the fans while at the same time saying the front office has done a good job of promoting prospects.

Not that they necessarily didnt work out, because some of them will, just when it seems some people demand that so and so come up, they are thinking they will be a savior to the team or season............so far i am happy for the most part(pitching??? maybe not LOL) with how they have moved players up and down.

I would like Sano to get one more month in the minors.  That gives him almost an entire season in the minors and then 2 months in the majors.  It won't hurt if his playing time is a little inconsistent at that point. 

Sano is being blocked at Rochester by Ryan Wheeler.  I'd have to think that at some time in the very near future, Sano will be playing at Rochester.  Not quite sure about MLB.  I wouldn't mind it if Miguel got 100 or so at bats in Rochester.  There really isn't a player he can replace at the ML level short of moving a bunch of guys around.  It was a bit easier to justify with Buxton given what we've had in CF of late, but with Sano, I think he's up when there's an injury, and if he succeeds, you'll see a trade of Plouffe to make room.... hopefully for that coveted catcher

Plouffe will have paternity leave in the next 2-4 weeks, Sano will get his first taste then, might even stay.

Nice. Win-win!

As long as this team has a winning record (and barring injury), the place for Miguel Sano with the Twins is DH. Vargas hasn't done near enough to block a Top Ten prospect. Maybe Plouffe's paternity leave falls over the All-Star break? If not, sure, bring Sano up for a taste.

Edited June 28, 201511 yr by stringer bell

Vargas is a prospect himself.  I think he needs time, and I don't think it's in the team's best interest, both short and long term to simply cast prospects aside the moment they struggle. 

 It just kills me to see a line-up with Suzuki, Escobar or Nunez in the 6-7 holes.  We caught lightening in a bottle twice last year with Vargas & Santana.  Maybe Sano & Polanco could have the same impact.  Not sure if we're more protective of the latter two because they are certain to be part of our future, whereas Kennys & Danny were far from being 'sure things.'

blairpaul715 and nicksaviking, I agree with both of you.

Based on suggestions (or demands, which is probably not an inaccurate description) I have read, many fans seem to think calling up all the prospects will result in the team playing in the postseason. This is, of course, ridiculous, and I'm sure the front office feels the same way or said call-ups would have been made. I think the front office makes their roster decisions based on, first, what they feel is best for the development of the team's prospects, and, second, winning games at the major league level in 2015.

Buxton would not have been called up if Hicks hadn't been injured. Meyer wouldn't have been called up if Nolasco hadn't been injured. And Sano won't be called up unless Plouffe is injured or unless he is totally en fuego. 

Maybe if some of them came up and were good...... Not saviors, just good........

 

blairpaul715 and nicksaviking, I agree with both of you.

Based on suggestions (or demands, which is probably not an inaccurate description) I have read, many fans seem to think calling up all the prospects will result in the team playing in the postseason. This is, of course, ridiculous, and I'm sure the front office feels the same way or said call-ups would have been made. I think the front office makes their roster decisions based on, first, what they feel is best for the development of the team's prospects, and, second, winning games at the major league level in 2015.

Buxton would not have been called up if Hicks hadn't been injured. Meyer wouldn't have been called up if Nolasco hadn't been injured. And Sano won't be called up unless Plouffe is injured or unless he is totally en fuego. 

 

blairpaul715 should have put " demands " in quotes.  Would have save a couple guys a lot of extra typing

When getting excited about promoting minor leaguer's to the bigs:  Beware the slider.  It will kill them every time.  (I've also said "Beware the 5-tool player" several times, too )  D. Santana and Vargas this year, Hicks and Buxton. All have fallen prey to the slider (or other breaking balls) over the outside corner. 

 

The Twins are hanging in there, but mostly by smoke and mirrors.  Like how many times this year has there been an outfield filled with   outfielders??  Or a permanent solution at SS?  Catching?

 

Promote Sano NOW.  To AAA to get a peek at a decent slider cruising over the outside corner.

 

I am getting tired of all the call up DEMANDS, the front office has done a super job this yr of promoting , both at the MLB and MiLB level, have some patience.

 

Not true: 

 

There is no reason that Polanco should not be the starting SS instead of Santana right now

There was no reason that Buxton (who btw is less ready than Sano) should be in the majors until he can hit the breaking ball.

There is no reason that Doug Bernier, Michael Tonkin and Caleb Thielbar should have been promoted.

There is no reason not to have Sano in the majors right now, while they are still competing.  Move Plouffe to DH and demote Vargas.

blairpaul715 and nicksaviking, I agree with both of you.

Based on suggestions (or demands, which is probably not an inaccurate description) I have read, many fans seem to think calling up all the prospects will result in the team playing in the postseason.

 

Quite the contrary. I think most fans are reasonable and believe nearly all rookies will struggle with a MLB transition, it is however a neccisarily evil if a team ever wants to build from within. Letting them get their feet wet when the team isn't contending would be ideal. Now there are just tough choices to make. Personally I'd sacrifice this post season for a legit chance to win it all sometime in the next seven years or so.

 

Maybe if some of them came up and were good...... Not saviors, just good........

 

Exactly. Which is why Buxton comes up and bats 9th and Sano would come up and bat 6th or 7th. Low pressure, low risk, potentially strong reward. Little to lose now.

But I would add, little reason to call up Sano until they return to AL parks, maybe even after KC for lower pressure debut.

It seems very few players are brought up to replace a healthy player. It is almost always injury related. Santana saved the Twins bacon last year in CF. Buxton and Hicks both up for an injury. And I cannot remember Vargas situation last year. As for their performances, anyone who thinks there is a 21 yr old savior in the minors is not paying attention. Look how many years it took KC to get production from their youth. Bottom line, you can lose with the veteran roster the Twons field, or you can lose with the youth. One has a potential for improvement, and one does not.

KC didn't have Hunter, Dozier & Hell, ...even Mauer to mentor and guide their youth movement. Royal pitching was abysmal prior to the past couple of years, except for one or two arms per season. Ours is at least average right now. The simple fact is that Buxton, Sano & Polanco will be in our starting line-up by next April. Let's get their feet wet now in a wild-card bid, so they're ready to go for it all right from the get go in 2016.

Edited June 29, 201511 yr by mudcat14

3-5 with a double and a bomb tonight.

 

If Buxton was ready, Sano is ready. Sano has a lot more games and success in the upper minors under his belt than Buxton did. The obvious issue is need, and the roster is pretty crowded at the corner infielder and DH spots. I honestly don't know what to do with him pressing the issue. They might have to do something with Plouffe- I wish there was a trade for a decent young catcher they could pull off. 

 

I also think they'll have to bring Kepler up, he is showing phenomenal discipline and hit skills at AA. What a pair of prospects they signed in 2009. 

 

 And Sano won't be called up unless Plouffe is injured or unless he is totally en fuego. 

 

 

Exactly how much hotter does Sano have to get to be "totally en fuego"?  (Here's a hint, through today, he's hitting well over .300 and  OPSing  around 1.050 since April 30-  in some 209 PAs).

It's like déjà vu all over again.

I keep hearing the Twins are full of corner guys and DH's yet they trot out Escobar in LF and Nunez at DH.

 

I don't really care about shortstop, if you want to give it to Danny Santana or Escobar I don't care, but as far as I'm concerned, Sano can DH and play a little 3B, and Kepler can go play LF right now, 

 

As for roster moves, go down to 12 pitchers and send Vargas back to AAA, cuz him on the bench does absolutely no good. 

 

Hicks-Santana

Sano-Vargas

Kepler-pitcher

 

Eventually I'd just get rid of Nunez put Polanco at SS and make Escobar the utility guy

 

They might not be ready, but I'd rather have a "not-ready" Kepler in LF and Sano at DH than the options being trotted out there day in and day out.

 

Its why I've become more of a Cubs fan in recent years, they say lets throw our prospects out there, lets find a position for them and see what happens where the Twins are like well you know, if we wait another 3 weeks and see how so and so is doing, well I'm not sure, and then they finally do call them up and they struggle and they send them back down.

 

Vargas is a prospect himself.  I think he needs time, and I don't think it's in the team's best interest, both short and long term to simply cast prospects aside the moment they struggle. 

Not all prospects are created equal.  Would you have advocated the 2006 Twins to keep Baker in the rotation over Liriano?  After all, Baker was a prospect too, whose MLB career was a decent match for Vargas' at that time (roughly 4 months starting, with a decent but likely unsustainable start then struggles).  Upside matters, and when the higher upside player is ready for a look, you don't wait until a lower upside player's struggles reach a certain PA threshold.

 

And the Twins have already cast Vargas aside on a few occasions this season -- he's been both benched and demoted already this season, even outside of interleague play.  They don't trust Vargas at the moment, and his record suggests they are probably right.  If another potentially trustworthy bat is available and ready for a look, they should be willing to try it.

It's pretty simple IMO Call up Sano, send Vargas back down. Sano is your every day DH and sometimes spells Plouffe at 3B.