BP Write-Up on Santander

[Pickles]

So Baseball Prospectus has a new article today entitled "The Most Interesting Players in the AL East."  The choice for the Orioles was Santander.

Link for subscribers but it is behind a paywall.

https://www.baseballprospectus.com/news/article/80005/the-most-interesting-players-in-the-al-east/

Here are the most relevant parts of Santander's write up:

Able to put together a healthy season for the first time in his career, Santander made good on the promise he had flashed in parts of prior seasons by smashing 33 home runs—tied for fourth most in the AL.The natural question to ask after such a thunderous coming out party is “can he do it again?”

The answer here is a resounding “yes”. That was no fluke season

And here is their reasoning:

Just look at the only other hitters with sub-20% strikeouts, sub-40% groundballs, and a .200+ isolated slugging:

That’s, uh, some pretty good company. 2023 will be about whether Santander can keep it.

 

Pretty positive and encouraging take on Santander.  But basically he does what hitters are being taught to do: Make contact, hit the ball hard, and elevate it.

 

 

 

[ThisIsBirdland]

8 minutes ago, Pickles said:

So Baseball Prospectus has a new article today entitled "The Most Interesting Players in the AL East."  The choice for the Orioles was Santander.

Link for subscribers but it is behind a paywall.

https://www.baseballprospectus.com/news/article/80005/the-most-interesting-players-in-the-al-east/

Here are the most relevant parts of Santander's write up:

Able to put together a healthy season for the first time in his career, Santander made good on the promise he had flashed in parts of prior seasons by smashing 33 home runs—tied for fourth most in the AL.The natural question to ask after such a thunderous coming out party is “can he do it again?”

The answer here is a resounding “yes”. That was no fluke season

And here is their reasoning:

Just look at the only other hitters with sub-20% strikeouts, sub-40% groundballs, and a .200+ isolated slugging:

That’s, uh, some pretty good company. 2023 will be about whether Santander can keep it.

 

Pretty positive and encouraging take on Santander.  But basically he does what hitters are being taught to do: Make contact, hit the ball hard, and elevate it.

 

 

 

Thanks for sharing! Managing his health is probably the biggest issue. I'm in favor of gradually transitioning him to the primary DH role (+/- 70 starts) and limiting his RF role (+/- 80 starts), letting Stowers see the field in the other 80 or so RF starts.

Edited January 28, 2023 by ThisIsBirdland

[Sports Guy]

None of it matters if he can’t stay healthy.

[Pickles]

1 minute ago, ThisIsBirdland said:

Thanks for sharing! Managing his health is probably the biggest issue. I'm in favor of gradually transitioning him to the primary DH role (+/- 70 starts) and limiting his RF role (+/- 80 starts), letting Stowers see the field in the other 80 or so RF starts.

I mean that seems very reasonable to me.

I know there was a lot of chatter that Santander had gotten himself into the best shape of his life last offseason, and he has spend the time working specifically on flexibility and range of motion, but I'll be honest: He moved noticeably worse last season than in years prior.  It is what it is: He's  big dude.

[Pickles]

Just now, Sports Guy said:

None of it matters if he can’t stay healthy.

That's insightful.  

If Ohtani blows his elbow out this season he'll be useless too.

[CharmCityHokie]

29 minutes ago, Pickles said:

I mean that seems very reasonable to me.

I know there was a lot of chatter that Santander had gotten himself into the best shape of his life last offseason, and he has spend the time working specifically on flexibility and range of motion, but I'll be honest: He moved noticeably worse last season than in years prior.  It is what it is: He's  big dude.

I'm still of the opinion that his '21 ankle injury may have carried over into '22. He just did not move well in the OF or on the bases. Ankles are tricky, and sometimes they never heal fully (from someone who broke their ankle at 18 and still has trouble with it 20 years later). 

[Pickles]

5 hours ago, CharmCityHokie said:

I'm still of the opinion that his '21 ankle injury may have carried over into '22. He just did not move well in the OF or on the bases. Ankles are tricky, and sometimes they never heal fully (from someone who broke their ankle at 18 and still has trouble with it 20 years later). 

I just remember them mentioning on the broadcast the regime Santander had put himself through last offseason several times, and how he had worked very hard to improve his flexibility and speed, and thinking to myself he's still moving the worst I've ever seen him and it's not like he's old.

Whatever it is, age or ankle or just physical growth, he shouldn't be counted on to be an everyday outfielder, but with the way his bat is developing, he doesn't need to be to be a solid contributor.

Edited January 29, 2023 by Pickles

[Moose Milligan]

That’s good information. But I don’t find Santander particularly interesting. Quite the opposite, actually. 

[Sports Guy]

35 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

That’s good information. But I don’t find Santander particularly interesting. Quite the opposite, actually. 

He has decent upside at the plate. His OBP has always been an issue but the biggest issue with him has always been availability. 

[Aristotelian]

7 hours ago, Sports Guy said:

None of it matters if he can’t stay healthy.

Knock on wood, shouldn't be a problem now that we have Stowers to help play OF.