Article: Defensive Woes Follow Danny Santana To the Dominican

[Tom Froemming]

Last we saw Danny Santana he was riding the bench, lucky to get a handful of at- bats a week as a September call-up. After a frustrating regular season, he decided to go back to playing winter ball in the Dominican. The results have not been encouraging so far, with many of the 25-year-old's weaknesses still being exposed despite facing inferior talent.The Monte Plata product has had a particularly lousy week with the glove. Tuesday evening, Santana committed his fifth error in as many contests. All five of those errors have come at second base, a position he's only seen limited time at in the minors, but the poor glove work serves as further evidence that Santana is ill- equipped as an infielder.

 

Obviously, you can't read much into any winter league stats, but taking Santana's 2015 regular season showing into account, I think it would be best if the Twins completely gave up on him ever becoming an everyday major league shortstop.

 

I had assumed the club made that determination when Santana was sent down to Rochester in late July, handing the everyday job back to the steady Eduardo Escobar. But when game 162 came around and Paul Molitor was filling out a lineup card of mostly reserves, he penciled Santana in at short, moving Escobar over to second base.

 

That indicated to me that the club is neither sold of\n Escobar as its shortstop nor convinced that Santana is doomed at the position. With how poorly Santana hit in 2015, it almost went unnoticed that he also managed to commit the ninth-most errors of any shortstop despite making only 65 starts at the position.

 

So, what's ahead for Santana in 2016? Aaron Hicks is out of the picture and it couldn't hurt to get Byron Buxton some more playing time at Triple-A, so I believe Danny Santana's last shot as an everyday player with the Twins (barring injury of course) is as the Opening Day center fielder next season.

 

With a crowded outfield and prospects on the verge, his chance may not last long, but I would like to see Santana get one more real shot as an everyday player, assuming he shows us something between now and Opening Day. It's almost difficult to remember now, but Santana was every bit as electrifying a rookie in 2014 as Eddie Rosario was this past season. That same talent is still there.

 

Things haven't been as disastrous at the dish for Santana in the Dominican, but it also does not appear as though he's is improving on his greatest weakness, either. Including Tuesday night's action, the notoriously aggressive Santana had drawn just one walk in 81 at-bats.

 

Plate discipline often gets better as a player ages, and to find an example of a player turning things around quickly in that department you have to look no further than Eduardo Escobar. After drawing just eight walks over 216 plate appearances in the first half, Escobar managed to tally 20 walks over 230 plate appearances after the break. Obviously that's a small sample, but if Santana could take a similar step forward it would make him much more difficult for opposing pitchers to attack.

 

While it's disappointing to see Santana fail to make strides so far this winter, I'm sure Molitor will give him every opportunity to impress during spring training. But if he can't even make strides in the Dominican League or even the Grapefruit League, his fate could be sealed as a bench player for the rest of his career.

 

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[Seth Stohs]

Posted this on Twitter this morning (I've been updating this every couple of days there): 

 

 

Last night, Danny Santana started at 2B for the 8th straight time. He's now started 9 games at 2B, 7 in CF and 1 each at SS, RF and DH.

 

[sane09]

"25-year-old's weaknesses still being exposed despite facing inferior talent"

 

"Facing inferior talent" probably doesn't make fielding any easier.

[clutterheart]

 

Last night, Danny Santana started at 2B for the 8th straight time. He's now started 9 games at 2B, 7 in CF and 1 each at SS, RF and DH.

 

Sigh. 

Another SS prospect changes position because he isn't a shortstop.  

 

But this is different than Nishioka, Plouffe, Dozier, Michael & Polanco (probably).  Santana has all the tools, his arm is good, nice speed, and nice range so...what happened here?  

[sane09]

Are there any opinions on whether his problems are mechanical or mental.

Keep in mind that confidence is EVERYTHING in baseball. If he can reverse the confidence>performance>confidence>performance causation cycle, an amazing transformation is possible. (If he possesses the skills)

[Seth Stohs]

 

Sigh. 

Another SS prospect changes position because he isn't a shortstop.  

 

But this is different than Nishioka, Plouffe, Dozier, Michael & Polanco (probably).  Santana has all the tools, his arm is good, nice speed, and nice range so...what happened here?  

 

Though I agree that Santana probably isn't going to be a regular big league shortstop, I think Eduardo Escobar took the job and ran with it. It's both things. 

 

Santana had all the tools. As I've said many times, I saw him play his first game in Beloit, and then saw him again the following year. He definitely has the tools. He can have amazing range and a powerful arm, but he was never able to consistently make the routine plays. So, what happened? Unfortunately nothing. No improvement over time. Frustrating for all involved, I'm sure. It's not like the Twins didn't have him taking tons of ground balls. 

[Tom Froemming]

"25-year-old's weaknesses still being exposed despite facing inferior talent"

 

"Facing inferior talent" probably doesn't make fielding any easier.

 

Very true, that statement was aimed to be more about him still not taking walks against inferior pitching. I originally had that note higher up in the article, moved it back and didn't tweak the lead in.

[Homer Hanky]

I find his defensive woes as a sign that the Twins are trying to turn him into that supper utility guy... which is a GREAT thing in my opinion! 

 

If he can hit and fill in at 8 positions... then this is good... 

 

Then Maybe we can let Nunez go and keep a little more pop on the bench! 

 

 

[Linus]

The tools he has make it worthwhile to be patient. I don't recall if he has an option left but if yes let him play ss everyday in Rochester

[Tom Froemming]

 

I find his defensive woes as a sign that the Twins are trying to turn him into that supper utility guy... which is a GREAT thing in my opinion! 

 

If he can hit and fill in at 8 positions... then this is good... 

 

Then Maybe we can let Nunez go and keep a little more pop on the bench! 

I think ultimately that's who Santana will be for the '16 Twins, which is valuable since the club likes to carry a short bench. But, I have no confidence of his plate discipline ever improving if he's a part-time player. He's probably going to feel more pressure to do something in his limited at bats and remain overly aggressive.

[Mike Sixel]

He should not be at SS......the defense isn't going to get better. Move him to CF full time, and see what happens.

[blindeke]

All this is assuming he can hit.

[DuluthFan]

 

I find his defensive woes as a sign that the Twins are trying to turn him into that supper utility guy... which is a GREAT thing in my opinion! 

 

If he can hit and fill in at 8 positions... then this is good... 

 

Then Maybe we can let Nunez go and keep a little more pop on the bench! 

 

In all of last year's numbers, Nunez was better offensively. If you want pop off the bench then your choice should be Nunez not Santana. Nunez was better defensively as well.

[by jiminy]

 

He should not be at SS......the defense isn't going to get better. Move him to CF full time, and see what happens.

 

You mean, until Buxton happens? 

 

CF doesn't seem to offer much opportunity for Santana long-term. It's great he can fill in there, but it doesn't counter the argument that his best chance to help is as a utility man, it reinforces it.

 

He may have talent, but right now he can't seem to hit, field, or improve his plate discipline. He's got a long way to go before he deserves a spot on a major league team. His 2014 makes me retain hope, even if it was BABIP driven. But his 2015 means he has to prove he can do it again before he deserves another shot at the show.  I wouldn't cut loose a guy with no options to make room for this guy. Not till he turns it around.

 

His 2014 was already an outlier when it was happening. All that's happened since is he's regressed to his minor league history. At this point he's nothing more than a lottery ticket to be more than emergency AAA help.

 

Not trying to be negative -- people do turn things around. Dozier was mocked. Span was mocked. Neither showed much in the minors, or in their statistical history, but the scouts insisted there was something there, and they were right. Santana's got the tools.  He has a shot to be the next Eddie Rosario. Of course, Rosario also has a chance to be the next Santana. Not as a fielder, but his plate discipline and K rate aren't much better. If pitchers find a weakness there's not much wiggle room to stay above average. Jeez, I am being a little too negative here! I think I need lunch.

[ashbury]

Nunez was better defensively as well.

That observation should make any infielder hang his head in shame.

[Mike Sixel]

I mean as a CF, so that when Buxton is ready he can play the OF if needed, or be traded. He has zero value as a SS.

 

Actually, if he had zero value at SS, that would be a massive improvement. 

[Linus]

He's still relatively young. Jason Bartlett didn't put it all together until he was 27 or 28. Development of players is not a cookie cutter approach.

[nicksaviking]

 

He should not be at SS......the defense isn't going to get better. Move him to CF full time, and see what happens.

 

I don't know if it will get better or not, but he's kind of worked himself off of my radar.  The Twins have future options for utility guys so Santana, even if he picks up his offensive game, doesn't seem like a long-term fit to me. 

 

I'm all for letting him keep his, um, "versatility" and roll the dice that his bat picks back up.  A young guy who can hit and can be squeezed into both SS and CF has got to be attractive to another team or two.  Like catcher, it seems to me that anyone that can put an SS behind their name gets bonus points, even if the SS is written in pencil.

[Homer Hanky]

Would anyone do this trade? 

 

Danny Santana and Ricky N 

 

For

 

Melvin Upton Jr

[Boom Boom]

I don't see what good it does anyone to run Santana out in CF while pushing Buxton back down to the minors... it's a loss defensively and a wash offensively. Santana could use more time in the minors too.

 

If we really need Buck to work things out in the minors, then we need a real CF in the meantime. I'm not interested in crossing our fingers that Danny will be so cozy in the outfield that he can recapture his implausible, fluky 2014 numbers.

[Hrbowski]

 

Would anyone do this trade? 

 

Danny Santana and Ricky N 

 

For

 

Melvin Upton Jr

No.

[mikelink45]

I feel bad for Danny.  So much promise and now the negative expectations have to weigh on his mind. Get him to a new team where he might start fresh.

[USAFChief]

Would anyone do this trade? 

 

Danny Santana and Ricky N 

 

For

 

Melvin Upton Jr

In a heartbeat.

[David HK]

I'm hoping he can pick it up.  Gee, it would be good to have a one-stop update on who's doing what in winter ball.  Seen a video of the big kid hitting a mammoth HR, but wonder how he's doing overall.  Is Arcia playing this winter?

[stringer bell]

I'm no expert with defensive numbers, but it looks to me that BBRef has Santana's defense in center field as comparable to Hicks (SSS). My recollection of the 2014 season was that Santana was raw and uncomfortable out there the first half of his season, but was more than adequate later in the year. If he can hit closer to his 2014 numbers (yes, that's a big if), I don't think Danny Santana's defense in the outfield will hurt the Twins much. He has accumulated basically a full season of plate appearances in two years and he has an OPS of .710. I would accept that for a fourth outfielder, sometimes infielder or stopgap center fielder for less than half a season.

[HitInAPinch]

As part of a Strib column, La Velle E. Neal III wrote:

 

Santana the outfielder

 

The Twins remain in the market for a fourth outfielder, but they might already have one.

Danny Santana, who showed plenty of promise in 2014 but struggled and lost the starting shortstop job in 2015, is going to start playing more outfield. That gives the Twins another option if top prospect Byron Buxton has a poor spring training or if they need a backup outfielder.

Santana hit .319 in 2014. As a center fielder, he batted .316 with a .843 on-base-plus-slugging percentage. As a shortstop, he batted .295 with a .716 OPS. He started last season at short, batted .218 through 49 games and was sent to the minors for the first of two demotions. So the Twins are wondering if not worrying about playing shortstop will help him unleash his offensive potential.

[ShouldaCouldaWoulda]

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/dee-gordons-biggest-improvement/

 

Lets hire this dude to work with our IF's, since Gordon and Santana seem like the same kind of guy.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

I had assumed the club made that determination when Santana was sent down to Rochester in late July, handing the everyday job back to the steady Eduardo Escobar. But when game 162 came around and Paul Molitor was filling out a lineup card of mostly reserves, he penciled Santana in at short, moving Escobar over to second base.

That indicated to me that the club is neither sold of\n Escobar as its shortstop nor convinced that Santana is doomed at the position.

That's a bit of a reach based on a game 162 lineup.  Santana hadn't played an inning at second base in two years, covering the entirety of his MLB and AAA experience to date.  While the game was meaningless in the standings, it was hardly the time or place to begin a position conversion (especially one with a decent risk of collision).

 

The only way to get Santana in the same lineup as Escobar and Buxton was to put him at short, with Escobar at second.  Also, while Escobar was in the game with mostly reserves (although Sano was in there too, and Buxton and Kepler aren't viewed as future reserves), they simply didn't have any other infielders on the roster other than Dozier and Plouffe (Polanco and Bernier were not recalled in September).

 

It might tell us that Escobar ranks behind Dozier and Plouffe in seniority, but I'm not sure we can read too much into it about Escobar's future role.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

Would anyone do this trade? 

 

Danny Santana and Ricky N 

 

For

 

Melvin Upton Jr

Quite possibly.  Upton would effectively be on a 2 year, $6.9 mil total contract when you subtract Nolasco's deal, and you would also free up a 40-man roster spot which has some utility.

 

With SS and utility infield covered, Santana's only immediate usefulness to the Twins is as a stopgap CF or 4th OF, and Upton is likely better in that role anyway.

 

Right now, trading Santana would obviously be selling low, but I don't see him having much of a chance to rebuild his trade value here -- he's not going to do it on the bench, and he's out of options, so he can't do it in AAA anymore either.

[Sir_Eugene11]

 

Right now, trading Santana would obviously be selling low, but I don't see him having much of a chance to rebuild his trade value here -- he's not going to do it on the bench, and he's out of options, so he can't do it in AAA anymore either.

Was his first option year used in 2013 at AAA while on the 40-man roster, despite not playing on the active roster?