Perrotto: Pirates Adding Carlos Santana Part of Chicken/Egg Question (+)
One of the last aspects of baseball which can’t be measured is clubhouse chemistry.
There are no high-speed cameras, body sensors, or monitors that can gauge the mood of a clubhouse. Chemistry develops – or doesn’t — naturally between teammates
The Pittsburgh Pirates have not seemed to have problems in their clubhouse since Derek Shelton replaced Clint Hurdle as manager before the 2020 season. The room hasn’t been like in 2019 when there were openly warring factions among the players and staff.
However, the construction of the Pirates’ roster and their sickly winning percentage have made it hard for great chemistry to truly develop.
Representative of a team in rebuilding mode, the Pirates have had a lot of young players. Most rookies need time to adapt to the major leagues and the hierarchy of the clubhouse. Rare is the first-year player who emerges as a team leader.
Veterans are the players who usually set the mood in the clubhouse and the tone in the dugout.
It is also difficult to have a rollicking time in the clubhouse when you’re getting beat on a nightly basis. The Pirates have gone 142-242 in the past three seasons.
That brings up the old baseball question of whether winning develops chemistry or chemistry causes a team to win. Neither Statcast nor Rapsodo has that answer. Nor do I.
However, I can guesstimate the impact newly signed designated hitter/first baseman Carlos Santana might have on the Pirates’ clubhouse in 2023.
A few years back, another media outlet assigned me to do a story on Santana and what he meant to the then-Cleveland Indians. Everyone acknowledged the obvious that he was a key part of the lineup with his power and on-base skills.
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Yet every player I talked with was most eager to talk about Santana’s personality. They marveled at how he engaged every player in the clubhouse and helped create a relaxed atmosphere.
“You couldn’t ask for a better teammate,” star shortstop Francisco Lindor said. “He’s just an awesome guy.”
Santana came dancing onto the screen during his introductory video conference with the media Tuesday. Zoom calls usually aren’t the forum to gauge someone’s personality but his charisma certainly came through.
“That’s who I am. Just a really happy person. I really like to have a good time,” Santana said through a translator. “I’m big on dancing in the clubhouse, dancing in the dugout. Getting ready for the games, you’ll see me doing that. Even though people say my face looks a little stiff, I really mean well and I’m happy.
“Sometimes the American players, if they don’t know a song or an artist, I’ll get them out too to get them dancing. I’m all about getting in that vibe and having a good time as we get ready for the game before you get out on the field and give it your all. I think it’s important to have fun.”
Make no mistake, the Pirates didn’t sign Santana solely to entertain his teammates. Even at 36, the switch-hitter was a league-average offensive performer last season. He is a far cry better than what the Pirates had at first base and DH in 2022.
A .202 batting average was offset by 19 home runs and a .316 on-base percentage in 131 games combined with the Kansas City Royals and Seattle Mariners. In things that can indeed be measured, Santana finished in the 97th percentile of major league hitters in walk rate and 87th in chase rate.
Santana also committed just two errors in 76 games at first base, though the advanced fielding metrics rated his defense as average.
General manager Ben Cherington made improving the Pirates’ OBP a priority coming into the offseason. Santana has a .359 lifetime mark in 13 seasons.
“It’s a gift from God, and I think I work a lot to keep that consistency,” Santana said. “It’s something I work on to make sure that I’m always in the same range from year-to-year.”
The Pirates are hoping Santana will show his gifts on and off the field as they try to take a significant step forward in their rebuilding next season.
“I haven’t yet played with this group, so I can only speak to what I’ve seen on TV, which has been really great, tremendous talent,” Santana said. “I can only speak to what I’ve also heard from other players, which is nothing but really good things about this group.
“Again, I’ll stress the tremendous potential and the talent that is here. I will try to help out in two ways. One, with my performance and the work that I put out. Also just hoping to be a role model with the way I carry myself as a good teammate. Not just on the field but being a good person off the field around them as well.”
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