Weird Twins' Transaction du jour

[Thrylos]

The Twins signed the St. Paul Saints' closer, 28 year old RHP Dan Sattler, to a minor league contract and sent him to extended spring training with the idea to promote him to New Britain. That's a week before the draft.

 

If anyone thinks that this makes any sense, please enlighten me.

[Rosterman]

Are they running out of arms? He walks a lot of batters, strikes out more than one an inning. Is 27-years old. His name isn't Anthony Slama. He closed a handful of games for the Saints. The guy has to be really happy right now!

[Fire Dan Gladden]

You're complaining about this type of signing? Really?

 

-We didn't have to trade for him (only cost us money).

-Our our organizational pitching depth is in shambles.

-It looks like he has some capacity to strike people out.

 

You take flyers on these guys and sooner or later one will pan out (Jared Burton hasn't been pitching too poorly).

[Shane Wahl]

Haha, I know all about him. He's a good enough pitcher, but yeah, one would think there has to be under-25 guys available right?

[Seth Stohs]

Yeah, there is no negative in a signing like this. Caleb Thielbar was a nice signing last year, actually later than this. Chris Colabello is 28 and an indy league guy. Why not take a chance if they're seeing something.

[Thrylos]

Yeah, there is no negative in a signing like this.

I think that Ricky Bowen, Jhon Garcia, Edgar Ibarra or Bruce Pugh might disagree You just cannot have 23 and 24 year olds stuck in high A because you sign a bunch of 28 year old never had beens and assign them to AA. And the same thing goes with the 22-23 year olds who will get stuck in Beloit. Add the College players among the top 6 Twins' picks who might go to Ft. Myers or Beloit, and you really got a mess... This time of the year, the Twins should be getting rid of older players not adding them...

[Mike Sixel]

agree with thrylos,,,,,,these old guys with little/no chance, at higher levels, keep the young guys at low levels, meaning you take longer to see what they really have. There are only so many roster spots...

[Seth Stohs]

Do we know that this guy has no chance? (I mean, most players have no - or low - chance), but there are always examples of guys who surprise.

 

And, Jhon Garcia has an elbow injury, so he's likely out a bit.

[IdahoPilgrim]

I've been to a couple of Saints games this year, and he has pitched well. 7 innings, 0 runs, 1 hit, 2 walks, 5 K's. Sometimes you find a diamond in the rough, and the bullpen in Fort Myers isn't exactly filled with top prospects. My understanding is that the American Association is about the same level as high-A, so his numbers should provide a fair comparison. Why not give is a shot?

[IdahoPilgrim]

And from a selfish point of view, I like seeing guys from the indy leagues get a shot - it encourages more players to try out for those leagues and increases the quality of play. I am a Twins fan through and through, but I also enjoy going to see the Saints - minor league and independent league baseball is just a whole different atmosphere and a good fan experience.

[cr9617]

You're complaining about this type of signing? Really?

 

-We didn't have to trade for him (only cost us money).

-Our our organizational pitching depth is in shambles.

-It looks like he has some capacity to strike people out.

 

You take flyers on these guys and sooner or later one will pan out (Jared Burton hasn't been pitching too poorly).

That's a terrible comparison. Jared Burton had some decent success in the Majors going back to 2007.

[Shane Wahl]

Least I have some news to share for the sports staff at the Lafayette Journal & Courier tonight . . .

 

That's pretty much all that will likely come of this. If the guy wasn't from where I have lived for the past near ten years, I would not like it given the Matt Hausers the Ricky Bowens, etc. yes. I don't mind finding guys like this, but again, aren't there players under 25 around to sign?

[Highabove]

per Saint Paul Pioneer Press

(Sattler interested the Twins because of his fastball, which has reached 98 mph on the Saints' radar gun. Don't be surprised if it measures a few mph slower on major league guns.
"Good fastball with a breaking ball," Rantz said. "He just has to work on his command somewhat and his mechanics a little bit."
The Twins are sending Sattler to Fort Myers, hoping he will join Thielbar soon in New Britain. At age 28, he needs to progress rapidly through
the organization. Sattler received no signing bonus from the Twins.)

Most of us want power arm prospects, here's one for $3000 bucks.

[Shane Wahl]

98???? What?! I didn't know that. I thought he was a low-90s guy.

[Thrylos]

per Saint Paul Pioneer Press

 

(Sattler interested the Twins because of his fastball, which has reached 98 mph on the Saints' radar gun. Don't be surprised if it measures a few mph slower on major league guns.

"Good fastball with a breaking ball," Rantz said. "He just has to work on his command somewhat and his mechanics a little bit."

The Twins are sending Sattler to Fort Myers, hoping he will join Thielbar soon in New Britain. At age 28, he needs to progress rapidly through

the organization. Sattler received no signing bonus from the Twins.)

 

Most of us want power arm prospects, here's one for $3000 bucks.

 

So we are talking about a 93-94 mph guy max in a real gun who according the minor league director has command issues and awful mechanics. The Twins had a guy like that a few years ago, only he could reach triple digits (Juan Morillo, remember him?) and a guy like that last season, only who could reach 98 in a real gun (Jimmy Hoey, remember him?)

 

[Fire Dan Gladden]

That's a terrible comparison. Jared Burton had some decent success in the Majors going back to 2007.

The point is that you take flyers on guys that you believe have upside. Burton obcviously has some upside and it has worked out for him so far. Whose to say this isn't a diamond in the rough.

 

Are we really going to argue about guys the Twins take flyers on? They obviously feel that their lower level guys aren't ready to advance.

[jtrinaldi]

I think that Ricky Bowen, Jhon Garcia, Edgar Ibarra or Bruce Pugh might disagree You just cannot have 23 and 24 year olds stuck in high A because you sign a bunch of 28 year old never had beens and assign them to AA. And the same thing goes with the 22-23 year olds who will get stuck in Beloit. Add the College players among the top 6 Twins' picks who might go to Ft. Myers or Beloit, and you really got a mess... This time of the year, the Twins should be getting rid of older players not adding them...

LOL the Twins do not promote players because of their Age

[Riverbrian]

Personally I like two complain about after they suck. It's hard to keep the energy for complaining before they suck.

[Shane Wahl]

Haha, yeah I talked to people and they said there is no way that he throws that hard. He was a 92-93 mph guy a few years ago.

[60ft6in]

I heard he threw in EST today....smooth 93-95mph with an ok slider.