Twins A Distant Third For Sano

Just want to throw this in from BA:

"Sano is technically the No. 1 shortstop prospect this year, but Vinicio is the top prospect who projects to stay at shortstop in pro ball. Scouts say Sano and Vinicio are two of the best athletes in Latin America, and while Vinicio lacks Sano's power stroke, he has very good bat speed and has shown the ability to drive the ball with some authority. Vinicio has a skinny, projectable frame, and scouts say the switch-hitter is better from the right side of the plate. In the field, Vinicio separates himself from his peers with good speed, range, arm strength and instincts. Vinicio is expected to sign with the Red Sox for $2 million when he turns 16 on July 10."

Could the probability that Sano will be in between the size of SS and maybe 3B, or moved to the OF even be hurting his bids some even? Maybe his projectability is becoming a distraction some?

Further proof of Bill Smith's complete and utter incompetence...

Maybe we'd have some money if he hadn't given Nick Punto $9MM.

What a complete failure of a GM. He has absolutely no clue... get this clown out of the front office. What a joke.

Lol, I will say if we lose em, I'd rather lose em to you guys than someone like the Yanks Sox or Mets, so let's dance.

"Maybe we'd have some money if he hadn't given Nick Punto $9MM."

Nothing has ever been more true. I wonder how much they regret that deal right now. As much as they regret the prospect package they got for Santana? As much as the Garza deal?

I don't want to be an apologist for Bill Smith but several points need to be underscored:

1) Regarding Sano, this is Jim Pohlad talking, not Bill Smith. There is no way that Jim Pohlad okays a deal like this. He is hoarding every dime to re-sign Mauer. Jim Pohlad is better at public relations than Smilin' Carl, but is just as miserly as his old man. Feigning interest in Sano was a public relations move, but Pohlad would never let Bill Smith spend several million to sign him.

2) Signing Punto was all Gardenhire. Ron Gardenhire is infatuated with Punto (and Tolbert) perhaps because they remind him of himself as a big leaguer: "scrappy",weak hitting, good glove, utility infielder. Gardenhire wanted Punto back no matter what the cost.

3) Santana forced Smith's hand. The Red Sox and Yankees were never serious about trading for Santana which left the Mets alone. At the time of the deal, all four players (Gomez, Humber, Mulvey, Guerro)were in the Mets Top Ten prospects.

4) At the time, the Garza/Young deal seemed pretty good. Who knew that Delmon Young would regress this badly?

johns: I also read somewhere that some are projecting Sano to move to the OF?

He's a big kid, and if he takes on additional weight he could be a RF-type, with his + arm.

"Could the probability that Sano will be in between the size of SS and maybe 3B, or moved to the OF even be hurting his bids some even? Maybe his projectability is becoming a distraction some?"

I know as an Orioles' fan, 3B is just as much a long-term problem as SS. Unless Brandon Snyder shows he can field the position, our best 3B prospects are the likes of Brandon Waring and Scott Moore, guys who aren't that young and haven't shown immense potential. Even if Sano has to move to 3B, I would love to acquire him - I can live with guys like Andino playing short.