Soon after the Twins signed and introduced Korean slugger Byung Ho Park, the questions started. Chief among them: If Park plays DH, where do you put Miguel Sano?
Sano, the 22-year-old slugger-in-the-making, who hit 18 home runs over 80 games for the Twins last season, stands six-foot-four and weighs around 260 pounds. That’s probably perfect for the Minnesota Vikings, but if the sport happens to be baseball, then DH would seem to make the most sense for Sano.
He also plays third base, but that job has been filled by Trevor Plouffe. Joe Mauer is at first base — and likely isn’t going anywhere — so that means Park, who hit 53 homers last season in South Korea, gets slotted in at DH.
So, again, where do you put Sano? Well, the early indication is that Twins fans are going to find out just how fast a 260-pound man can chase down a fly ball because it appears that Sano is headed to right field.
Huh? That’s right, according to the Pioneer Press, which also noted that Sano will be asked to “convert to a position he has never played before at any level.”
Twins GM Terry Ryan sounds confident that Sano can make the switch:
“No, I’m not concerned,” Ryan told the Pioneer Press. “He’s a very athletic, big man that can run and throw. We’re in good shape.”
Sano, through Twins Assistant GM Rob Antony, said he’s ready to make the change to the outfield:
“He said, ‘I love third base, but you tell me where to play and that’s where I’ll prepare to play.'”
Can Sano play right field? I think he can, but not at 260 pounds. In the meantime, let’s enjoy what Sano’s size, strength and bat speed can do to a baseball.