Miguel Sano's demotion to Class A Fort Myers may be a pivotal event in his career and in the development of what was supposed to be a championship-caliber group of young Twins players.
Here's what you should know about Sano:
1. He's not alone.
In 2006, Justin Morneau was failing in the big leagues. On a trip to Seattle, Morneau went out with some of his Vancouver-area friends.
The Twins were 25-33. Morneau was hitting .235. Twins manager Ron Gardenhire called Morneau into his office and asked whether he wanted to have a good time or become a star.
The Twins would win 96 games. Morneau would hit .364 with a 1.031 OPS the rest of the way and won the MVP award. The Twins also once demoted A.J. Pierzynski from the majors to Class AA to shock him, and he became a championship-caliber big-league catcher. For talented athletes, one conversation can alter the course of a career.
2. He's not lazy.
My criticisms of Sano's weight should not be confused with criticisms of his work ethic. I've seen Sano take hundreds of extra grounders in the high heat of a Fort Myers summer. He's a lot like Kirby Puckett in that he believes in conditioning himself at the ballpark.
Puckett never worked out in an offseason until the winter of 1995-96, when he began to realize that he would need better conditioning to extend his career. As a young infielder hovering around 300 pounds, Sano will have to come to that realization earlier than the similarly shaped Puck.