Bowden: Call Up Sano

[jay]

From today's article on top prospects he'd call up in September (insider required for full article):

[h=3]Miguel Sano | 3B | Minnesota Twins[/h]

Sano, 20, is one of the best right-handed power hitting prospects in all of baseball. He’s belted 33 home runs between across high-A and Double-A, and he showed at the lower level that he can hit for average, putting up a slash line of .330/.424/.655. Strikeouts have been a problem for him at Double-A, but he's still slugging .574, and his defense at third (particularly his throwing) has really improved, and he’s certainly capable of making the jump to the major leagues next year.

 

Prospect I would call up in September - ESPN

[jay]

I've advocated moving him to AAA for the playoff race there. Now that we know Sano isn't going to the AFL, I can see an argument for this as well. However, we've basically heard from the Twins and TR that it isn't likely.

 

Timeline:

1 month ML service time in Sept

Start 2014 in AAA

Late-July call up to ML

Buxton just behind him somewhere between late-July to Sept

[jokin]

I've advocated moving him to AAA for the playoff race there. Now that we know Sano isn't going to the AFL, I can see an argument for this as well. However, we've basically heard from the Twins and TR that it isn't likely.

 

Timeline:

1 month ML service time in Sept

Start 2014 in AAA

Late-July call up to ML

Buxton just behind him somewhere between late-July to Sept

 

Sano wasn't eligible for the AFL. Given the Twins' aggressive, all-in, AFL roster, though, I'm optimistic that they will give Sano a September call-up and then call him up from Rochester in June right after passing the Arb 2 threshold, ala Wil Myers.

[gunnarthor]

I could see them pushing him to AAA but I don't think they'll burn an option year for one month and start his clock.

[Winston Smith]

But but what do we do with Plouffie?

[nicksaviking]

I was on the fence. Now I'm off. Bowden is a crazy old blowhard who likes to hear himself ramble. Logic tells me it is best to do the opposite of what he advocates. Demote him back to Ft. Myers.

[cmathewson]

Makes sense considering that he is not going to the AFL. Trade Willy. Move Arcia to left and Plouffe to right.

[diehardtwinsfan]

A few years ago I could make a sarcastic statement along the lines of that's how you get fired by the nationals... but they went got good, which kind of ruins it.

[Jdosen]

Sano will not be promoted as a Sept call up if Terry Ryan values all his 40-man roster spots, and I think he does. Sano won't be added until he has to be.

[jay]

Sano will not be promoted as a Sept call up if Terry Ryan values all his 40-man roster spots, and I think he does. Sano won't be added until he has to be.

 

Any one of DeVries, Hermsen, Bernier, Ramirez, and Clete could be removed from the 40-man if they wanted to give Sano some MLB time. The only concern could be Rule 5 time, but they should have enough spots to protect guys between removing those 5, Morneau's free agency, and the possibility of trades both now and then.

 

I'm not saying they absolutely should call him up, but I do believe they should do whatever they think would be best for the development of Miguel Sano and not worry about the roster spot.

[jimbo92107]

I've advocated moving him to AAA for the playoff race there. Now that we know Sano isn't going to the AFL, I can see an argument for this as well. However, we've basically heard from the Twins and TR that it isn't likely.

 

Timeline:

1 month ML service time in Sept

Start 2014 in AAA

Late-July call up to ML

Buxton just behind him somewhere between late-July to Sept

 

Totally agree. If Sano doesn't come up for a cuppa in September, then send him to Rochester, help stack that team for its playoff run. I'd rather see that, anyway. Let the kid have some fun in a minor league playoff!

[SpitefulRabbit617]

Rule of thumb Number #1 for the Twins - NEVER LISTEN TO ESPN'S ADVICE. (Yes this is also rule #1 for the Royals too)

[DaveW]

I said it before and will say it again.

Nothing good can happen it you promote Sano this sept

[beckmt]

Sano will play winter ball, come to spring training with the Twins (probably as invite) and be sent to Rochester. Call up in mid 2014 (assuming he crushes in Rochester).

[Badsmerf]

So much negativity. Every one of you who are saying he shouldn't be promoted, probably also agree he should be the starting 3b after the arb. deadline passes. Soooo, the difference is a month of AAA? I say call him up and let him get a taste. He can still start in AAA next year while the Twins let Plouffe try to show his worth one last time (is he injured again? WTF is wrong with him right now?).

 

Depending on how much Terry Ryan commits to winning this offseason, leaving Sano in AAA more than a month could be a big mistake. Unless everyone here is willing to punt 2014 and look to another 90 loss season, Sano (and Rosario, maybe Meyer) will be apart of the Twins sooner than later. I'm not sure what they would have to do to give him a September call-up and still get that extra year of control. I don't feel like digging through the numbers right now.

[zenser]

If they add him to the 40 would they lose a year of team control or does it just start the arbitation clock? If they would lose a year of team control, I say promote him to AAA. I would rather have a full year of Sano at age 27 than a month of Sano at 20. If it just starts that arbitration clock, then call him up. If he is a super 2 or not, does it really matter? Hopefully they are smart and buy out his arbitration years before that even comes into play like Tampa did with Longoria.

[Rosterman]

Sano will be playing winter ball somewhere.

 

He doesn't need to be added to the 40-man and doubt that the Twins will do it this off-season, but they will invite him to major league camp.

 

If added to the 40-man, it will be during the season. They'll still want him to work on stuff at AA/AAA next year.

 

Sadly, the Twins will make many 40-man wrong decisions this fall. Just to keep options open and the clock ticking. And instead of a glorious 2015, we will start to think maybe 2016.

[ashbury]

Sadly, the Twins will make many 40-man wrong decisions this fall.

 

Personally I'm saving my FO-analysis on this topic for after they make their choices, not before.

[diehardtwinsfan]

I fail to see how adding him to the 40 this year is the right decision... I really do. He's improved in AA, but he still has some issues to work on. I'd much rather him work some of those out in the minors than in the majors. That's just good business practice. He'll likely be up soon enough next year. Either he will force it or Plouffe will. I'm quite fine with letting that situation work itself out in 2014.

[ashbury]

Makes sense considering that he is not going to the AFL.

 

While he's not eligible for the AFL, it's because the Dominican winter league is an option for him, if he and/or the Twins want him to get more work in. I think it's a high level of competition. The lack of AFL for him ought not to drive any decisions.

 

Trade Willy.

 

 

(... to a good home.)

[orangevening]

But but what do we do with Plouffie?

 

Trade him if you can. Babe Plouffe has turned into baby plouffe (cap intentional)

[orangevening]

I fail to see how adding him to the 40 this year is the right decision... I really do. He's improved in AA, but he still has some issues to work on. I'd much rather him work some of those out in the minors than in the majors. That's just good business practice. He'll likely be up soon enough next year. Either he will force it or Plouffe will. I'm quite fine with letting that situation work itself out in 2014.

 

I would like to see what we have with Romero before bringing Sano up.

[drjim]

Personally I'm saving my FO-analysis on this topic for after they make their choices, not before.

 

Can we at least start complaining about free agent signings?

[terencemann]

I think the moral of the story is Jim Bowden says a lot of things and, if he were any good at building a baseball team, he'd be working in a front office and not writing for a website (no offense, Twins Daily writers. You guys are great).

[Mike Sixel]

Sano to Rochestor, Romero to MN, Plouffe to the bench or DH or RF or St. Paul....

[jay]

If they add him to the 40 would they lose a year of team control or does it just start the arbitation clock? If they would lose a year of team control, I say promote him to AAA. I would rather have a full year of Sano at age 27 than a month of Sano at 20. If it just starts that arbitration clock, then call him up. If he is a super 2 or not, does it really matter?

 

A month in September won't affect team control or any of that.

 

If he sticks in MLB next spring, it's irrelevant. Players called up prior to roughly June can be subject to Super 2 if they have no other MLB service time. So, if he starts in AAA, the Twins would have to tack on a month to that in order to avoid Super 2 status.

 

send him to Rochester, help stack that team for its playoff run. I'd rather see that, anyway. Let the kid have some fun in a minor league playoff!

 

I much prefer this to the call up, as fun as it would be.

 

I would like to see what we have with Romero before bringing Sano up.

 

I would not. The length of time to truly evaluate Romero as a 3B at the MLB level is long beyond the time frame I expect to see Sano with the letters M-I-N-N-E-S-O-T-A across his chest and we're still in the midst of that process with Plouffe.

[ashbury]

The length of time to truly evaluate Romero as a 3B at the MLB level is long

 

Does he profile as any better than below-average on offense and below-average on defense as a third-baseman? I don't understand the love. Give him his cuppa, plus a fair shake in spring training, maybe lightning strikes - but that's all, I wouldn't go giving him much benefit of the doubt after that.

[stringer bell]

Does he profile as any better than below-average on offense and below-average on defense as a third-baseman? I don't understand the love. Give him his cuppa, plus a fair shake in spring training, maybe lightning strikes - but that's all, I wouldn't go giving him much benefit of the doubt after that.

From what I've seen and read, Romero is Danny Valencia without the attitude and the juicing friends. That is probably just as good, but no better, than Plouffe, with no real hope of being anything more than (the dreaded) replacement level.

[stringer bell]

Sano to Rochestor, Romero to MN, Plouffe to the bench or DH or RF or St. Paul....

My patience with Plouffe is about gone. He is a totally different player, but he reminds me of Casilla. He'll frustrate you to the nth degree and then do something good for a couple of days. In Alexi's case, he would hit a little bit and steal bases and play great defense. In Plouffe's case, it is power.

[Mr. Brooks]

I think the moral of the story is Jim Bowden says a lot of things and, if he were any good at building a baseball team, he'd be working in a front office and not writing for a website (no offense, Twins Daily writers. You guys are great).

 

You mean the same Jim Bowden that was named MLB Executive of the Year in 1999 after drafting and trading for an exceptional young nucleus in Cincinnati that won 96 games with one of the leagues lowest payrolls?

 

Or do you mean the Jim Bowden that took over the Expos as they became the Nationals and built the foundation for a respectable team from the ruins of what was the laughable Expos roster when he took over?

 

Jim Bowden knows plenty about building a good baseball team. He's in a broadcast booth right now because he was the fall guy for scouts in Latin America that were skimming bonuses.