This reminds me of the value of a guy like Oswaldo Arcia as DH / platoon RF. You put a guy like that batting after Miguel Sano, and you'll get pitchers that will walk Sano to get to Arcia, right? Some will. But then they have to pitch to Arcia, they can't just throw him junk all the time. You walk two guys in a row, that's really asking for trouble. As a pitcher, that's a perilous stretch of tightrope.

 

So they pitch to Arcia. He gets less junk, more stuff over the plate. More BOOM.

 

Now, I acknowledge that Arcia is no paragon of plate discipline, but he's got some major pop in his bat, and he can also tone it down and stroke a single if need be. Point is, it raises the pressure yet another notch on the opposition. Baseball is a game of exerting more pressure, until something gives way.

Edited July 9, 201511 yr by jimbo92107

 

Where exactly is J.P. Mauer playing in this scenario? And don't tell me catcher, because as much as that seems like a perfect solution, it isn't happening.

Mauer, catcher? No, that particular form of insanity is not my affliction. Joe Mauer will still play mainly 1st base, plus some DH and some pinch hitter. Whether he plays more or gets pushed aside depends on his bat. If he develops more power, then he plays more. Pretty simple, actually.

 

Baseball remains a game based on what you produce for the team now, not what you used to produce a few years ago.

 

This reminds me of the value of a guy like Oswaldo Arcia as DH / platoon RF. You put a guy like that batting after Miguel Sano, and you'll get pitchers that will walk Sano to get to Arcia, right? Some will. But then they have to pitch to Arcia, they can't just throw him junk all the time. You walk two guys in a row, that's really asking for trouble. As a pitcher, that's a perilous stretch of tightrope.

 

So they pitch to Arcia. He gets less junk, more stuff over the plate. More BOOM.

 

Now, I acknowledge that Arcia is no paragon of plate discipline, but he's got some major pop in his bat, and he can also tone it down and stroke a single if need be. Point is, it raises the pressure yet another notch on the opposition. Baseball is a game of exerting more pressure, until something gives way.

I still hope that in a year or two and for many years to come we'll see Buxton batting first, Dozier or Santana 2nd, Sano 3rd, Vargas 4th and Arcia 5th. Or maybe flip Vargas and Arcia. Makes me all giddy.

 

I still hope that in a year or two and for many years to come we'll see Buxton batting first, Dozier or Santana 2nd, Sano 3rd, Vargas 4th and Arcia 5th. Or maybe flip Vargas and Arcia. Makes me all giddy.

Powergasm!

28 PA, 2 R, 10 H, 2 2B, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 6 BB, 6 K, .455 AVG, .571 OBP, .682 SLG, 1.253 OPS

 

A thing of beauty.

Awesome to see him come up with the patience of a power hitter already.  Arcia and Vargas should take note how pitchers eventually have to throw you something to hit if you don't swing at every pitch. 

 

If Sano keeps hitting for another week or two TR should be working the trade phones hard to move Plouffe.  

 

His value is huge if he is even a mediocre defender at 3rd, and he has upside better than that. 

 

Sano clearly started the year with a ton of rust. I wonder if he was a victim of larger/more inconsistent minor league strike zones? Because I also am having trouble understanding how he didn't dominate even more in AA.

 

He was on a particularly hot stretch preceding the call-up, so it could be that he's just been on an upward trajectory all year, and now is basically just a beast.

 

He's pretty much been solid at the plate since the end of April.  He was very impressive, as well as selective, when I saw him in early May- hitting the ball hard to all fields.  He's definitely not your typical swing-for-the-fences masher.  He changed from a heavy FB pull guy in April, to a LD but patient, spray it to all fields power hitter in May and June.

 

Over his first week, he's tied for 2nd in hard-hit balls percentage, with Mike Trout, and behind only JD Martinez.  Not bad company, Kid.

 

http://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=all&stats=bat&lg=all&qual=y&type=2&season=2015&month=7&season1=2015&ind=0&team=0&rost=0&age=0&filter=&players=0&sort=19,d

Edited July 9, 201511 yr by jokin

 

This reminds me of the value of a guy like Oswaldo Arcia as DH / platoon RF. You put a guy like that batting after Miguel Sano, and you'll get pitchers that will walk Sano to get to Arcia, right? Some will. But then they have to pitch to Arcia, they can't just throw him junk all the time. You walk two guys in a row, that's really asking for trouble. As a pitcher, that's a perilous stretch of tightrope.

 

So they pitch to Arcia. He gets less junk, more stuff over the plate. More BOOM.

 

Now, I acknowledge that Arcia is no paragon of plate discipline, but he's got some major pop in his bat, and he can also tone it down and stroke a single if need be. Point is, it raises the pressure yet another notch on the opposition. Baseball is a game of exerting more pressure, until something gives way.

Both ABW and Vargas have major pop in their bat as well. Where are they? I don't believe Arcia has shown any consistency yet. Vargas might be better.

 

Both ABW and Vargas have major pop in their bat as well. Where are they? I don't believe Arcia has shown any consistency yet. Vargas might be better.

You may be right. Point is, Sano will continue to get junk pitches in ball 3 counts until the day comes when the guy after Sano pounds a pitch into the second deck. That's the day pitchers will fear the next guy enough to pitch to Sano.

 

Right now the Twins don't have that guy. Plouffe's got a little pop, but he doesn't put the fear into a pitcher. Hicks might develop into a fearsome home run threat, but at the moment, he's not. Hunter was that guy five years ago, but today he's not. Any one of Arcia, Vargas or Walker might become that guy, or maybe somebody else will emerge. We were all hoping that Joe Mauer would become that guy, but so far it hasn't happened.

 

The good news is, at least Miguel Sano is smart enough to take those walks, instead of flailing at junk. The next guy might get a hit, or advance Sano with a grounder, but that's not really "that guy." For the time being, I suppose Molitor can just put whoever's hot at the plate behind Sano, and hope for the best. Truthfully, the Twins have to find one more legit power hitter, or Sano will continue to see a lot of junk pitches. I can't blame them for pitching around him.

 

Awesome to see him come up with the patience of a power hitter already.  Arcia and Vargas should take note how pitchers eventually have to throw you something to hit if you don't swing at every pitch. 

 

If Sano keeps hitting for another week or two TR should be working the trade phones hard to move Plouffe.  

 

His value is huge if he is even a mediocre defender at 3rd, and he has upside better than that. 

Why on earth would you trade one of your best hitters in Plouffe in the middle of a pennant race? All that does is create another black hole in the lineup. (Sano moves to 3B, and DH becomes some combo of Vargas, Escobar, Nunez again)

 

There isn't a logjam yet, no need to trade Plouffe.

 

 

You may be right. Point is, Sano will continue to get junk pitches in ball 3 counts until the day comes when the guy after Sano pounds a pitch into the second deck. That's the day pitchers will fear the next guy enough to pitch to Sano.

 

Right now the Twins don't have that guy. Plouffe's got a little pop, but he doesn't put the fear into a pitcher. Hicks might develop into a fearsome home run threat, but at the moment, he's not. Hunter was that guy five years ago, but today he's not. Any one of Arcia, Vargas or Walker might become that guy, or maybe somebody else will emerge. We were all hoping that Joe Mauer would become that guy, but so far it hasn't happened.

 

The good news is, at least Miguel Sano is smart enough to take those walks, instead of flailing at junk. The next guy might get a hit, or advance Sano with a grounder, but that's not really "that guy." For the time being, I suppose Molitor can just put whoever's hot at the plate behind Sano, and hope for the best. Truthfully, the Twins have to find one more legit power hitter, or Sano will continue to see a lot of junk pitches. I can't blame them for pitching around him.

Hunter is still a respected hitter, I have confidence that he can "make teams pay" for walking Sano. Maybe Hicks ends up being the 5 hitter if he can keep this up?