Santander

[WalkWithElias]

Quote

“I was just talking to (hitting coach) Don Long about him. They did some nice adjustments with him on his left-handed swing. Just seems like his barrel’s in the zone a long time. He drove the ball out the other way, he’s had a couple of opposite-field doubles. But his barrel stays in the zone forever and he’s allowing himself to really stay on the ball, stay through the ball. When he’s getting the opportunity, he’s swinging the bat well." - Hyde

Quote from Roch's game blog yesterday from Hyde. Presumably, neither had seen nor worked with Santander until a few weeks ago, so they don't have much to compare him to. Nonetheless, if he's taking well to adjustments from the new staff, that seems like a good sign. 

[Frobby]

43 minutes ago, sportsfan8703 said:

Of course but Santander has been especially plagued by injuries. He looks good in the box. I don’t remember him being terrible in RF. I like his chances at being a mlb OF just as much as DJ Stewart. 

He probably has more upside than Stewart, though more risk.   

[theocean]

5 hours ago, OsFanSinceThe80s said:

I was joking.  I’m pulling for Santander, but I’ve learned by now never read too much into spring training stats. 

I agree with you. Hopefully he can put it together, but it's Spring Training. It means as much as DJ Stewart's hot streak last September. Not much.

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

3 minutes ago, theocean said:

I agree with you. Hopefully he can put it together, but it's Spring Training. It means as much as DJ Stewart's hot streak last September. Not much.

I think Santander has huge upside if he can hang at the MLB level. 

[wildbillhiccup]

Honestly I wasn't impressed at all with Santander last year. He also looked like a defensive liability. 

[Frobby]

Another double today, plus an HBP in two PA.    

[El Gordo]

I never saw him as a defensive liability. Seemed average to me with a decent arm. If he keeps hitting he could make a decent RF platoon with Rickard.

[ChuckS]

3 hours ago, El Gordo said:

I never saw him as a defensive liability. Seemed average to me with a decent arm. If he keeps hitting he could make a decent RF platoon with Rickard.

What I have noticed on this board, if you aren't "plus" defensively you are "terrible" according to many posters.  There is no in between. 

I don't see him as a huge liability in the corner either.  Probably similar to DJ Stewart overall. Little less range, little more arm. 

[Luke-OH]

21 minutes ago, ChuckS said:

What I have noticed on this board, if you aren't "plus" defensively you are "terrible" according to many posters.  There is no in between. 

I don't see him as a huge liability in the corner either.  Probably similar to DJ Stewart overall. Little less range, little more arm. 

I'd agree with this assessment, maybe a 45 glove in a corner, playable for sure. Stewart is more polished in general.

Santander looked like a monster at the plate in Bowie when I saw him in 2017, but he's not shown the same swing in regular season MLB play, whether it's injuries or trying to do too much, the swing has looked stiff and grooved. 

He needs to hit a lot to have much MLB value and I'm a little snakebitten by how different his swing and approach have looked in MLB appearances, vs minor league looks, but there is 50 hit 55 power potential there. I'd say average regular is probably a top 10-20% outcome at this point.

[bobmc]

11 hours ago, Luke-OH said:

I'd agree with this assessment, maybe a 45 glove in a corner, playable for sure. Stewart is more polished in general.

Santander looked like a monster at the plate in Bowie when I saw him in 2017, but he's not shown the same swing in regular season MLB play, whether it's injuries or trying to do too much, the swing has looked stiff and grooved. 

He needs to hit a lot to have much MLB value and I'm a little snakebitten by how different his swing and approach have looked in MLB appearances, vs minor league looks, but there is 50 hit 55 power potential there. I'd say average regular is probably a top 10-20% outcome at this point.

Hyde on "Tony" Santander and how he has looked to him.  (Victor Martinez light?:

“He’s swinging the bat really well,” Hyde said. “I was just talking to (hitting coach) Don Long about him. They did some nice adjustments with him on his left-handed swing. Just seems like his barrel’s in the zone a long time. He drove the ball out the other way, he’s had a couple of opposite-field doubles. But his barrel stays in the zone forever and he’s allowing himself to really stay on the ball, stay through the ball. When he’s getting the opportunity, he’s swinging the bat well.

“I’m impressed with Tony. I like his competitiveness, his ABs. I like the way he uses the whole field. I’m impressed.”

With the aid of interpreter Ramón Alarcón, Santander said, “We’ve been working on a couple of things on my swing and so far we’ve been working really hard for the past few days and this game is about adjustments, so every adjustment you can make is just going to put you in a better position to succeed.”

http://www.masnsports.com/school-of-roch/2019/03/wrapping-up-a-7-5-win-1.html

Edited March 5, 2019 by bobmc
VM light?

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

Now ask Hyde about how Davis is doing. 

[interloper]

Dude is a perfect DH+ if we can get rid of Trumbo/Davis (so that Davis isn't slotted into DH automatically with Trey going to 1B, which is the likely scenario). 

[Can_of_corn]

10 minutes ago, interloper said:

Dude is a perfect DH+ if we can get rid of Trumbo/Davis (so that Davis isn't slotted into DH automatically with Trey going to 1B, which is the likely scenario). 

Mountcastle.

[interloper]

9 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

Mountcastle.

I always figure he'd be the 1B and Trey gets traded, but true. It's a shame Trumbo isn't off the team already because Santander slides in nice right now pre-Mountcastle. 

Then again, I've always just been a Santader guy. 

[Frobby]

Just now, interloper said:

I always figure he'd be the 1B and Trey gets traded, but true. It's a shame Trumbo isn't off the team already because Santander slides in nice right now pre-Mountcastle. 

The same Santander who had a .695 OPS at Bowie last year, and has about 100 fewer PA at AA and above than Mountcastle does?