Thread: Danny Valencia Traded to the Red Sox

Anyone think Danny will become productive again? I don't think so, but curious what others think.

Originally Posted by USAFChief

I have a hard time considering a 21 yr old playing in the GCL as "a solid return."

I think this was more about getting rid of Danny Valencia than getting anything useful in return.

Geez they must have really, really hated Valencia. Can't really say I blame them for that sentiment. He's appears pretty easy to dislike.

Especially one that hit .188 last season in rookie ball.

Let's continue to discard any player with a personality so our Twins Way Machine can roll on.

Originally Posted by nicksaviking

Seems like a strange acquisition for both sides.

I don't think so. Certainly not for the Twins. And I can see the Red Sox viewing Valencia and the Green Monster favorably.

Originally Posted by notoriousgod71

Especially one that hit .188 last season in rookie ball.

Let's continue to discard any player with a personality so our Twins Way Machine can roll on.

With personality? No, Valencia has no place on the Twins roster. The move is good for both Valencia and the Twins.

Originally Posted by nokomismod

Anyone think Danny will become productive again? I don't think so, but curious what others think.

At any rate I'm sure he'll be more productive than the guy we got back.

Originally Posted by notoriousgod71

At any rate I'm sure he'll be more productive than the guy we got back.

Do you think he would have been productive for the Twins? That is the appropriate question.

The past hatred for Valencia and the current hatred around here of trading Valencia for an OF prospect is pretty funny.

Valencia only sees the majors again as a September call-up, he has less then 100 non september at bats left in his career.

Originally Posted by shanewahl

There are going to be a number of empty 40-man spots available after this season. Florimon might be the direct beneficiary of this move (the Twins adding both Nishi and Florimon for September makes more sense now).

I'm referring to this year. I'm curious why you think the Twins would add Florimon to the 40-man before Sept. 1st. With the summer Hicks is having, I would think they'd want to give him a taste of the Show before he competes for a spot next spring. But I'm not going off anything I've read.

Twins already are at 39guys on 40 man roster w/3 on the 60 day DL. Walters pitched yesterday & is gonna have to come off as will Pavano (pitching 2 innings TUE in GCL).....meaning 2 guys will have to be DFAd for them in a couple wks.
Florimon is a 6yr FA after yr, so he needs to be protected or lost. Dont know what the Escobar trade means for him tho.
Hicks/Hermann/Hermsen/Gibson are all up for Rule V while DRomero/JPinto are also 6 yr FA's (dont know if they'd be protected, but...)

Ok. Pineda is 21 (and will be 22 the coming November) but he just signed a pro contract March of 2011. The reason he has been in the GCL was probably mostly for getting him used to the US, among other things, because that is where the Red Sox (and the Twins) are getting their foreign players.

I did a mini scouting report of Pineda here, if you care.

I don't see how it's possible to dislike this trade. Considering Valencia has little-to-no trade value, and the fact that Valencia wasn't going to be a starter here, getting a guy that's hitting .421/.534/.981 in the rookie leagues right now is a pretty good return.

Originally Posted by shanewahl

Do you think he would have been productive for the Twins? That is the appropriate question.

Not up to his 2010 standards, but he's certainly better than he's shown this year.

Yeah, he probably wouldn't have been productive here. Tough to be when you're in Gardy's doghouse.

I don't have a problem with the move -- Valencia's days in Minnesota were numbered anyway. Hopefully Pineda has enough potential upside to justify trading away someone who, at best, might be a ML journeyman but it sounds like that is "iffy" (not to mention the whole question of whether Pineda is really 21 playing in an 18 and 19 years old dominated league or whether he may be more like 22 or 23 playing there -- I'm so skeptical about everyone from the Dominican).

I DO have a problem with Dick-Bert talking like the prospect is the 2nd coming and failing to mention (at least as far as heard) just how many steps away from the bigs the GCL is.

but does this organization need any more slappy, singles hitting outfield prospects? (as someone described him earlier) or can he actually hit for some power?

Originally Posted by shanewahl

Do you think he would have been productive for the Twins? That is the appropriate question.

I don't. I think we saw enough to know his defense and hitting were both below average. Maybe it's in him somewhere to be a better player, but the Twins gave him plenty of chances.

Originally Posted by kydoty

Must have enough confidence that Plouffe will continue his progression as a hitter.

Or enough confidence that Valencia will continue being A-Rod with No talent. Worst swing in baseball!

PER Mlbtrade rumors.

The Red Sox have acquired third baseman Danny Valencia from the Twins for minor league outfielder Jeremias Pineda, both teams have announced. Valencia will report to Triple-A Pawtucket while Pineda will report to the Gulf Coast League Twins.

Valencia has strugged this season hitting .198/.212/.310 in two tours with the Twins. He has also played 69 games for Triple-A Rochester batting .250/.289/.399. Valencia, originally selected by the Twins in the 19th round of the 2006 First-Year Player Draft, had an impressive Major League rookie season in 2010 with a slash line of .311/.351/.448, but has seen his numbers drop steadily since.
Pineda is a 21-year-old outfielder from the Dominican Republic who has never played above Rookie ball. Pineda, a switch-hitter, is leading the Gulf Coast League in batting (.421). Over his two professional seasons in the Red Sox organization, Pineda has a slash line of .321/.380/.423 in 70 games between the Dominican Summer League Red Sox and the GCL.

I can't help but think this move is a little risky. It is not like Danny was horrible when he was sent back down to AAA, and the Twins seems to have a plethora of outfielders like this Pineda fellow. At the very least, in the short term it certainly hurts the Twins depth. But, y'ah know, maybe it will be worth it in the long term, we shall see.

Thanks for the mini-scouting report Thrylos.