As strikeout totals have climbed in MLB in recent years, two competing thoughts have emerged: the notion, often espoused by traditionalists, that strikeouts are bad … and the notion, often espoused by newer thinkers, that strikeouts are a natural by-product of a more efficient, better way of hitting.
If you don't land on either extreme, you're left to wonder where on the scale strikeouts really land. This almost comes down to a "guilty until proven innocent vs. innocent until proven guilty" type of argument. That is to say: Does striking out matter until it doesn't or does it not matter until it does?
And watching these young Twins hitters — specifically Miguel Sano, but others as well — we have a great test case.
You can logically conclude Sano might not be as powerful or get on base as much if he wasn't so willing to strike out. The counter is that strikeouts, on their own, have no chance of being productive outs.
Read Michael Rand's blog at startribune.com/randball. michael.rand@startribune.com.
