Article: Gushing Over the Glovework of Polanco and Sano

[yarnivek1972]

I think the biggest concern over Polanco was and is the arm.  Joe Mauer is a very agile defensive first baseman with quick reflexes and soft hands, traits from his days behind the dish.  Some of those bounced throws will get past a guy like Kennys Vargas or Byung Ho Park if they are over there 120 times a year.

[TheLeviathan]

I'm really not surprised that steady playing time and work at one position has made these guys better fielders.

 

It really shouldn't surprise anyone.  What's surprising is how long it took to get here.....

[Nick Nelson]

 

And he closed the season with the Twins organization playing 400 innings at shortstop....

 

I'm sure it occurred to you at some point that the Twins were trying him at 2B because they were planning to shop Dozier, and not because Polanco suddenly could not handle SS. Sometimes the narrative isn't "he sucks" -- there are numerous reasons a team can do things.

His metrics in those 400 innings were beyond horrendous and they matched the eye test.

It's one thing to start giving a guy some experience at another position if you think he might end up there. It's another thing to start playing him there exclusively, giving him zero reps at SS, especially when there's nothing resembling a top prospect occupying the position.

To say the concerns over Polanco at SS are "literally based on nothing" is outrageous. Twins officials have acknowledged and validated those concerns on plenty of occasions. 

[Squirrel]

 

Let's not forget Mauer's contribution. Polanco bounced throws even in the highlights, throws that some of the top defensive shortstops don't have to bounce. Polanco has done great this year both in the bat and on the field, but Mauer has contributed to his fielding prowess. 

 

Yup. When those plays happened during the game and everyone was 'Wow, Polanco!' or 'Wow, Sano!', and not that they didn't deserve those wows, but those plays were absolutely 'more wowful' because the other half of those plays were also good. Picking and stretching by our first baseman should not go unnoticed in those plays, imo.

 

That said, I am also very happy with what I've seen so far. Maybe not the best to some of our dreams or ideals, but I think well above expectation, and above average, which are good things.

[Han Joelo]

I enjoy seeing improvement, from players, coaches, and management.  This is an excellent example of a team effort to continue to grow, using mistakes and self-awareness as guideposts for improvement.  That is how you build a winner, imo.  You don't just push all the right buttons and then watch things magically unfold exactly as you have foreseen from the get-go (or, as in the case of some posters, hindsight.)  Adapt, improvise, and overcome.

 

 

[yarnivek1972]

 

Let's not forget Mauer's contribution. Polanco bounced throws even in the highlights, throws that some of the top defensive shortstops don't have to bounce. Polanco has done great this year both in the bat and on the field, but Mauer has contributed to his fielding prowess. 

 

Here's a question - what happens when Adrianza joins the team? I don't know how to read the fielding stats well but remember reading he was Andrellton Simmons like as a SS (or something like that). The issue was always his bat but he hit .254/.299/.381 for SF last year (in only 63 ABs), was on of our best hitters in ST and has hit in his rehab stint. We plucked him off waivers at a time when we had the number one waiver priority and it seems clear we will lose him if he's DFA'd. He's coming and soon - his rehab stint must be almost over and he's out of options. I see he played LF for Rochester last night after one game at 2B and one at SS, lead off all 3 games and was 6-12 with an OPS of 1.071. Clearly a replacement for Santana. Does anyone think they're going to try to find at least 3-4 days a week for him to play?  I do. At who's expense? All 3 IF positions with the starters getting days at DH/days off and Vargas or Grossman seeing more bench time? I think they are going to give him a chance to play to see if he can hit well enough to use his glove. He will play more than DanSan does now IMHO.  It will be interesting to see how they do it.   

 

With Adrianza getting a trial in the outfield, I think Danny Boy's days are clearly numbered.  It's entirely possible that he clears waivers and decides to report to Rochester.  He could try the open market, but if he clears waivers that should be a pretty clear indicator of what the market is.  I don't think it is all likely that the Twins try to work Adrianza into some kind of regular rotation.  He's simply not that good.  He's a back up.  Every team needs them.  

 

If it were up to me, I would try to put Adrianza on waivers and if he is claimed, pull him off.  If he clears, keep him in Rochester, but still let Danny go and call up someone like Palka or Hague or Shuck - you know, someone that might actually be able to NOT have a negative WAR.  Frankly, I'm more than fine with Escobar as the only back up middle infielder on the roster.  Worst case scenario, you still have Adrianza in AAA and Vielma who is on the 40 man.  But that's just me.

[Doomtints]

 

All I'm trying to say is there were plenty of legit reasons to be concerned about Polanco's ability to play the position. 

 

Polanco was rated the best defensive SS in the Florida League in 2014. So out of every prospect in that league, he was recognized by as the best SS they had.

 

Who wrote what in 2015-2016 that convinced so many that Polanco couldn't play SS, and convince them all so quickly, when there were no metrics to back it up? I want that kind of power.

 

(But I have to say, if this came from KLaw I will be very disappointed in everyone for falling for him once again.)

Edited April 28, 2017 by Doomtints

[DaveW]

 

Polanco was rated the best defensive SS in the Florida League in 2014. So out of every prospect in that league, he was recognized by as the best SS they had.

 

Who wrote what in 2015-2016 that convinced so many that Polanco couldn't play SS, and convince them all so quickly, when there were no metrics to back it up? I want that kind of power.

 

(But I have to say, if this came from KLaw I will be very disappointed in everyone for falling for him once again.)

Yeah all of these "he can't stick at SS" things coming from the org didn't have a lot of legit reason to begin with, and now look even worse IMO.

[Aaron Cross]

They've been an amazing surprise. Sano in RF made his entire season a loss. Not deeming Polanco a SS set him back a year. Horrible miscalculations by the previous regime. The definition of incompetence.

[DaveW]

They've been an amazing surprise. Sano in RF made his entire season a loss. Not deeming Polanco a SS set him back a year. Horrible miscalculations by the previous regime. The definition of incompetence.

Yup, they literally couldn't have been any worse (for a professional sports team)

[Beemo]

 

If it were up to me, I would try to put Adrianza on waivers and if he is claimed, pull him off. 

 

I could be wrong but I don't think you can pull a player off waivers in this situation. It would be considered irrevocable waivers and if someone claimed him, he'd be gone.

[HitInAPinch]

 

Do we know which coach(es) worked with Polanco and Sano on their defense? Teams identify pitching coaches and batting coaches, but seemingly leave defense to whoever has a spare moment during workouts. I know that's not really the case. Molitor was a middle infielder, so has it been him?

Sano worked with former MLB'er Fernando Tatis during the off-season. Hitting, fielding and if I recall correctly, diet and conditioning as well. The biggest thing:  Sano initiated this.

 

The dreadlocks, I have no answer for that.    

 

Polanco: Molitor credited third-base coach Gene Glynn with working with Polanco on his defense in Spring Training.  Comment from Molitor from a week ago:  

 

"There haven't been many mistakes. Polanco has done a really nice job at improving his athleticism to make athletic plays, like improving on the run on plays to the five-hole. He's not overthinking those plays and making nice spin plays over the middle."

[Linus]

I'm a big Polanco fan and happy that he is playing well. Still believe his best position is 2nd but love his overall game.

 

Polanco, Vielma, Gordon and Polacios; the Twins suddenly are deep at a position that was a wasteland for years.

[jorgenswest]

Mientkiewicz and his staff saw a lot of Polanco at SS. Their input should have had significant weight in the decision to play him at 2B exclusively in AAA last year. Let's hope the assessment of that staff was wrong. Any implication that someone outside the organization might influence that decision is inconceivable.

 

Let's also hope that they still are heavily invested in Gordon at SS. The future of the middle infield is Gordon and Polanco.

[DocBauer]

Couple points that I believe are important and in some cases worth repeating.

 

1) Both these guys are young, learning and developing. Just as they were in the minors. Nobody ever said they were promoted and plugged in gold glove ready and deserving. They are playing solid, occasionally outstanding, with some mistakes mixed in. We shouldn't expect a few growing pains while they still develop?

 

2) When Polanco was first signed, he was considered a defensive first player with a questionable bat. Until last season when he was inexplicably taken off AS, he did continue to play the spot on a regular basis through the minors, splitting time at other positions, like most young players. (Just like Gordon seeing time at 2B now). As to still needing work and not being 100% polished, refer again to point #1.

 

3) This the first time Sano has been allowed to focus on 3B at the ML level. Yes he's put in a lot of work, and that's a good thing! But he's also being allowed to play his natural position. All reports I ever read when in the minors was he was solid, with potential to be better, and that he worked hard on his defense. Talk of him moving off 3B, possibly outgrowing the position, we're generally listed as "eventually" and not immediate.

 

And once again, a reminder, remember how good Gaetti and Koskie were at 3B? If so, then also remember how they struggled initially. Gaetti had stone hands and Koskie was stiff. A couple years later they were amongst the best overall players at their position, offensively and defensively.

[twinssporto]

It's all about the DEFENSE!  Kind of reminds me of the old Tom Kelly days.  Not totally but kinda reminds me...

 

I feel like singing some Barbara Streisand:  The way we were...