Article: Escobar Needs To Be Everyday Shortstop

[Mike Sixel]

Better or worse than Santana? The math is pretty clear on this.....

[Kwak]

Escobar was Ryan's preference to be the SS--he's got that!

[rghrbek]

To me the issue is pretty clear.  Escobar is an upgrade over Santana.  Tough to dispute that.  If some of you want to make a trade, that is fine as Escobar is probably not a legit everyday SS.  However, he is plenty ok enough to carry us through the trade deadline and a number of games beyond.

 

Jed Lowrie is on a reahab stint for the stros...now that he has lost his job at SS, where do they play him???  Do they trade him?

[Oxtung]

Is anybody questioning that currently Escobsr is a better all around SS than Santana? I think the case being made is that Escobar isn't good enough to be an everyday SS and that while admittedly Santana hasn't been good so far this year he has the tools to be one going forward. His range and arm are clearly superior and his speed makes him more dangerous offensively.

 

Perhaps what this really comes down to is where one sits on the "win now/win future" spectrum?

[Mike Sixel]

Except I don't think Santana is good next year, or the year after or ever.....he's meh at best.

[Oxtung]

Except I don't think Santana is good next year, or the year after or ever.....he's meh at best.

How do you know if you don't give him a chance to learn? He has played all of 90 games at SS in the majors. Do you doubt he has the tools? If so which?

[Nick Nelson]

 

He has poor range, a mediocre arm, and a lack of athleticism. I don't see him as "very solid."

In my opinion, of course. I've been wrong before. On the other hand, it's clear the Twins have been reluctant to give him an extended run at SS.

Escobar played 98 games at SS last year. Committed 5 errors. Rated well by UZR. Looked pretty good to my eyes. (shrug)

 

Chief's point was about what the Twins thought of him.  It's hard to make the case the Twins want him at SS when they repeatedly chose to play Nunez there instead.

The Twins also did not view JJ Hardy as a strong defensive SS. I don't view their opinion on these matters as gospel. 

[Mike Sixel]

How do you know if you don't give him a chance to learn? He has played all of 90 games at SS in the majors. Do you doubt he has the tools? If so which?

Was never all that impressed with him in the minors.....

[USAFChief]

Escobar played 98 games at SS last year. Committed 5 errors. Rated well by UZR. Looked pretty good to my eyes. (shrug)

 

 

The Twins also did not view JJ Hardy as a strong defensive SS. I don't view their opinion on these matters as gospel.

 

Both valid points.

 

Like I said, I've been wrong before.

 

And I certainly agree Santana's play to date has been...suboptimal, to put it kindly.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

The Twins also did not view JJ Hardy as a strong defensive SS. I don't view their opinion on these matters as gospel. 

In regards to Hardy -- maybe Escobar isn't as fast as they'd like their middle infielders to be?

[Brock Beauchamp]

In regards to Hardy -- maybe Escobar isn't as fast as they'd like their middle infielders to be?

Groan. That statement is a joke but feels disturbingly accurate.

[Mike Sixel]

given that take, no way they go for Tulo. He's not a "move the runner over, steal bases, look good not making any plays" SS that they seem to like so much here.....didn't think of that until these last few posts about Hardy....

[TheLeviathan]

 

The Twins also did not view JJ Hardy as a strong defensive SS. I don't view their opinion on these matters as gospel. 

 

It's not that it's gospel, just pointing out that it's unlikely they will turn the job over to him full-time given their choices this season.  They just seem, for whatever reason, dead set against it.

 

I personally think it's a bit bizarre.

[ScrapTheNickname]

The Pirates just called up Pedro Florimon from AAA

At least we're not the Pirates

In this respect

[DocBauer]

Escobar needs to be the guy for now. He may not be great, but he's solid and consistent in the field and at the plate. I get Santana has more upside. I get he got first shot this season based on the greater overall athletic ability and potential and what he did last season. Maybe we'll see that player again. I really hope so because the tools are there. By all accounts the attitude is there. We've seen how exciting he can be. But right now, Santana just looks lost.

 

I don't have an exact answer what to do with everyone as Polanco needs to play every day at Rochester, and then get some work up at the ML level. He's had a couple, all too brief, teasing cups of coffee at the ML level. He needs some real September time with the club to help prepare him for ST next year.

 

There are people on this board who know an awful lot more about Polanco and his defense than I do. People who have actually watched him play. But no cannon arm and a few errors, or bunches/batches of errors at times doesn't concern me at this time. He's young. Hes a milb prospect. He's playing at different milb levels with other milb players on milb fields. Even the best ML infielders, if you reflect on their early ML career and their milb start, you will see a lot of errors. It takes time to learn. If being a great SS was just range and strong arm, Santana would already look like a star.