Nationals Claim Twins Middle Infielder

[Parker Hageman]

According to Dan Kolko of MASN, the Washington Nationals have claimed shortstop Pedro Florimon on waivers today. 

 

After an appendectomy delayed the start to his spring training, Florimon struggled mightily to provide any semblance of offensive. In 86 plate appearances, the switch-hitter went 7-for-76 (.092) while striking out 22 times before being demoted to Rochester. In AAA

 

While his contributions with the bat were few and far between, his fielding was much improved in 2013, as advanced fielding statistics rating him above average. According to BIS's Plus/Minus metric, Florimon finished the year +15 -- the third-highest rated shortstop in 2013. 

[Kirby_waved_at_me]

hmm. best of luck to Pedro in Washington, I expected him to be one of the guys on the outside of the 40-Man looking in this off-season.

[gunnarthor]

Good luck to him.  

[Kwak]

hmm. best of luck to Pedro in Washington, I expected him to be one of the guys on the outside of the 40-Man looking in this off-season.

I agree with you--but it will be with the Capitals.

[DJL44]

He fills a niche as a late inning defensive replacement and pinch runner. In the playoffs a team needs more bench players and fewer pitchers though I think they can only use Florimon in the playoffs as an injury replacement.

[jay]

My first thought was 'oh great' (snark).  My second thought was 'oh great' (really).  Good luck, Pedro.  Makes sense for the Nats as a backup option should one of their MI guys go down.  I'm pr etty sure he'll come off their 40-man after the season.

 

Any corresponding move expected or is this just starting to clear space for the post-season and Rule 5 eligibles?

[James]

Good luck Florimonster.

[TheDean]

Any corresponding move expected or is this just starting to clear space for the post-season and Rule 5 eligibles?

 

I wondered the same thing.  Maybe it's just a nice gesture if they were going to drop him later anyway.  Nats were shopping for MI depth, and the Twins decided to waive him to at least give him a chance as a MI replacement in the postseason.

[Kirby_waved_at_me]

The player that Washington DFA'd to make room for Florimon could have some value for the Twins - the speedy outfielder Eury Perez...

 

go ahead Twins, pull a Toronto and claim him!

[SweetOne69]

He fills a niche as a late inning defensive replacement and pinch runner. In the playoffs a team needs more bench players and fewer pitchers though I think they can only use Florimon in the playoffs as an injury replacement.

 

Except in is ineligible for the playoffs.  In order to qualify for the playoff roster you have to be with the organization on 8/31.

[Parker Hageman]

I will always remember this relay throw though...

 

https://vine.co/v/MFOJiXvrFVM

[Physics Guy]

Except in is ineligible for the playoffs.  In order to qualify for the playoff roster you have to be with the organization on 8/31.

I'm not sure that is entirely accurate.  There are exceptions when there are players on DL, I think.  Anybody know for sure?

[Physics Guy]

Found the info I was looking for:

 

"There is a loophole. However, if a player in the organization is on the DL on August 31 and still on the DL at the end of the regular season, that player may be replaced on the playoff roster by any player that was in the organization as of August 31."

 

So yes, you are correct.  The player has to be with the organization by Aug 31.

[Linus]

Didn't everyone want Florimon to be DFA'd?  Shouldn't we be rejoicing?

[LaBombo]

One less pair of grownup scissors for Gardenhire to run with...

[jokin]

One less pair of grownup scissors for Gardenhire to run with...

 

It can never be swept under the rug, despite it being blatantly obvious to the entire world that they were not capable of even the barest minimum level of major league performance, both during and after Spring Training, Gardy was adamant in his insistence that Florimon and Bartlett were 2 of his top 3 guys at SS, and Santana was the one not ready for prime time.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

I'm kind of disappointed Florimon won't be postseason eligible.

 

It deprives us of the chance to see an exciting, late-inning 8-6-2 putout at the plate in the NLCS that helps lift the Nationals to the World Series.

 

Because that 8-6-2 putout would go Span, to Florimon, to Ramos.

[Danchat]

Didn't everyone want Florimon to be DFA'd?  Shouldn't we be rejoicing?

Uh, yeah! I was busy throwing my own party celebrating his departure so I didn't have time to post earlier today.

 

Sorry I didn't invite you.

[stringer bell]

Here's LEN3's explanation of the Twins DFAing Florimon.

 

"The Twins were making room on their 40-man roster for offseason moves when the claim was made. Florimon gets to join the Nationals, who clinched the NL East title this week, for the rest of the regular season but is not eligible for postseason play."

 

Ryan said that Florimon had fallen behind several middle infielders. Good for Pedro, he will have a fresh start with a good team. Good for the Twins, they cleared a spot on their 40-man roster.

[Kirby_waved_at_me]

The timing is still a bit odd - if they made the decision earlier, he'd be playoff eligible (they may have even been able to coax a team to give a player back in return). We will likely never know, but maybe Florimon passed unclaimed through trade waivers in August, no one claimed him then- and Ryan did not make or get an offer.

 

Even with that scenario, there was no need to make the roster move during the regular season, right? Is it doing Florimon a favor to put him on waivers now so a team gets to audition him for a couple weeks? Or did the Twins just do the Nationals a favor by letting them kick the tires on him?

 

Maybe someone that has more insight into this can explain why Florimon was good enough to be on the 40-Man through all of August, but not good enough for a September call-up or good enough to remain in the org until after the regular season. He might have passed through waivers in October/November just fine since a claiming team wouldn't have the chance to see him in person. Keeping him in the org, but off the 40-Man wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing. I guess Doug Bernier is the guy they want to keep around?   

[Brock Beauchamp]

A pretty good pick-up by the Nationals, in my opinion. I really dislike Florimon as a starter but given his speed and defense, he makes a ton of sense in a bench role on a contending team.

[TheLeviathan]

I'd like to thank the Nats for doing the Twins a favor and saving them from the temptation next year to put him in any role other than AAA.

[LaBombo]

Didn't everyone want Florimon to be DFA'd?  Shouldn't we be rejoicing?

Heading out to the storage shed right now to look for the sheaves.  Thinking about bringing them in.

[LaBombo]

A pretty good pick-up by the Nationals, in my opinion. I really dislike Florimon as a starter but given his speed and defense, he makes a ton of sense in a bench role on a contending team.

Yup, good move by the Nats, Wouldn't object to him in that role for the Twins, but only with a manager who could be trusted not to be tempted to rely on him as a starter.  Maybe someday soon the Twins will have one who can.