Wolfson: Kris Johnson sold to Hiroshima

Seth Stohs · October 22, 2014

Darren Wolfson over at 1500espn reports that the Minnesota Twins have sold the contract of LHP Kris Johnson to the Hiroshima Carp of the Nippon Professional Baseball League.

The Twins acquired him from the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for Duke Welker, who the Twins got as the Player to be Named Later in the Justin Morneau trade.

He has been a terrific AAA pitcher the last few seasons, but he has not been able to translate that success to the big leagues (in admittedly very minimal opportunity).

Earlier in the day, the Twins declined the $3.6 million option on Jared Burton's contract (and paid him the $200,000 buyout). That takes two players off of the Twins 40 man roster.

jokin · October 22, 2014

Given the timing, looks like they financed Burton's $200,000 buyout with this Johnson transaction.

Thrylos · October 22, 2014

About time for the Twins to move on as far as all the Carp pitchers and players go.

maxisagod · October 22, 2014

This is a 40 man purge, and they got something for him instead of just letting him go. There were so many AAAA-5th stater LHP at the start of last year, he was repetitive given the other guys needing to be or already on the 40 man roster.

Kwak · October 22, 2014

Did anyone refer to Johnson as a "Carp" pitcher? It appears that Ryan hasn't lost his "touch" when it comes to money at the lower end of the scale for players.

Brandon · October 22, 2014

Well that's 2 roster spots and at least 4 million in freed up money. 3.4 million after the 200 buyout on Burton and whatever the Carp pay for Johnson which I assume is over 500k. I think Johnson does make a nice 6/7 starter and reliever ready to be called upon but if h can make more over in Japan then that's where he should be at this stage of his career.

Dman · October 22, 2014

I had Johnson on my list to move off the 40 man via trade or drop. Although he could be used in a pinch he is getting old for AAA and what really is his future in MLB? Rather keep Salcedo or some other younger pitcher and see what they can bring to the team. I wish him well but am happy to see the Twins clear 40 man space.

Brock Beauchamp · October 23, 2014

Nice to see Ryan moving players off the 40 man. Dump another 2-3 guys and a lot of room opens up for FA and prospects.

Rosterman · October 23, 2014

Yeah, we needed to keep Johnson around to show that we had something for Morneau. Maybe we can claim Deke Weller, now. Some starts from Presley and a few starts from Johnson, minus having to pay some of Morneau's salary that Pittsburgh picked up, plus we get a half-million or so to boot...the Pirates lose out bigtime, and Morneau gets a batting title in Colorado.

Let's keep selling players (money for Correia, or did we actuallt get someone, anyone, in return that we may have to pay a minor league pittance to in 2015).

Of course, we scored with Escobar for a great season for Liriano, and see Pedro Hernandez is not w a free agent, as is Liriano. Maybe we can grab both and bring them back to the Twins.

With the Johnson money, the Twins can afford to give their staff a Holiday bonus!

He, they can resign Albers now, too, right?

Danchat · October 23, 2014

I would have liked to keep him in AAA as a spot starter, but at least we have an open roster spot now. Let's keep opening these spots up.

Seth Stohs · October 23, 2014

Yeah, we needed to keep Johnson around to show that we had something for Morneau. Maybe we can claim Deke Weller, now. Some starts from Presley and a few starts from Johnson, minus having to pay some of Morneau's salary that Pittsburgh picked up, plus we get a half-million or so to boot...the Pirates lose out bigtime, and Morneau gets a batting title in Colorado.

Let's keep selling players (money for Correia, or did we actuallt get someone, anyone, in return that we may have to pay a minor league pittance to in 2015).

Of course, we scored with Escobar for a great season for Liriano, and see Pedro Hernandez is not w a free agent, as is Liriano. Maybe we can grab both and bring them back to the Twins.

With the Johnson money, the Twins can afford to give their staff a Holiday bonus!

He, they can resign Albers now, too, right?

I can't really tell what to make of this... I'd say the Twins did pretty well for Morneau.

I'd also say that they did great in the Liriano trade as well.

It's a 40 man roster spot opening up. That's all. The rest is just details, but this is a good move for the Twins and for Johnson.

TheLeviathan · October 23, 2014

I'm not sure how anyone can say we did "well" for Morneau. That seems like a very low threshold for "well".

stringer bell · October 23, 2014

I hate to see any left handers given up on, and Johnson intrigued me because of his success in AAA, plus he had a pretty good K rate in the minors and throws hard enough. It seems that he just doesn't have enough of what it takes to succeed as a major leaguer. I think he turns 30 pretty soon, if he hasn't already, so if he hasn't made it yet, he probably never will. It is time to cull some of the guys like this off the roster. Best wishes to him in the Orient.

h2oface · October 23, 2014

I can't say the twins did pretty well for Morneau at all. You get AAA Kris Johnson and a throw-away-place-holder-centerfielder named Presley that you throw away on waivers for the 2014 National League batting champion. Somehow that just doesn't compute well for me. I wonder why.

jokin · October 23, 2014

Nice to see Ryan moving players off the 40 man. Dump another 2-3 guys and a lot of room opens up for FA and prospects.

The Twins are at 35 now on the 40-man, plus Pelfrey on the 60-day, including 3 pitchers that need to be replaced (Pino, Burton and Johnson). It's actually pretty easy to see- at the very least- 3 more guys who can easily be removed. From the position players, I'm thinking Colabello might now be more in a position to reconsider his reluctance to playing in the Far East- Ryan probably already has the deal set up for when he concurs. Nunez and Fryer could be gone. The Twins have to think long and hard on Duensing, Swarzak and Milone. perhaps looking to re-sign and then trade Milone in ST. Achter, Darnell, Thielbar and Pryor are also likely on the hot seat.

Regardless, this should open up 6-8 spots, at the very least, which is great news.

Seth Stohs · October 23, 2014

I'm not sure how anyone can say we did "well" for Morneau. That seems like a very low threshold for "well".

Maybe "well" isn't the perfect word, but Morneau had zero value and they got two players for him.

Seth Stohs · October 23, 2014

I can't say the twins did pretty well for Morneau at all. You get AAA Kris Johnson and a throw-away-place-holder-centerfielder named Presley that you throw away on waivers for the 2014 National League batting champion. Somehow that just doesn't compute well for me. I wonder why.

They traded him to Pittsburgh, and he posted a .681 OPS in 25 games for them and then lost him. Like I said, "well" was probably not the right word, but he was a free agent at the end of 2014 and he wasn't coming back to the Twins. He went to a perfect location for him in Colorado, and hit for average. The Twins got two 28ish year olds who were bit players for a guy with zero value in August last year.

maxisagod · October 23, 2014

They traded him to Pittsburgh, and he posted a .681 OPS in 25 games for them and then lost him. Like I said, "well" was probably not the right word, but he was a free agent at the end of 2014 and he wasn't coming back to the Twins. He went to a perfect location for him in Colorado, and hit for average. The Twins got two 28ish year olds who were bit players for a guy with zero value in August last year.

This. The Lirano trade should be measured by what he did in Chicago and the Morneau trade by what he did in Pittsburgh. Both players moved on to different teams, both players could have been signed by any of the 29 other teams. If the Twins would have held on to them and let them leave VIA free agency and got nothing, that would have been a loss. You get guys, you gamble, some work out, some don't. Both Johnson and Presley have value, Presley not working out was due to roster mismanagement, Johnson is good, just not MLB regular good, at least not right now.

Hosken Bombo Disco · October 23, 2014

In baseball terms, my memory is that Morneau had close to zero value. Sad as it is for me to say. So getting something for him and opening the position was by itself a win (or not a loss).

h2oface · October 23, 2014

I just can't agree in any way, shape or form that Justin Morneau ever had zero value. Ever. His 2014 says otherwise as well. If you can only consider (which I don't agree with) what Morneau did with the Pirates, then you can't consider anything that Johnson did in 2014 either. I can say that Presley and Johnson both had very little to zero value though, and were nothing but a band-aid to try to cover mismanagement for a couple meaningless months and starts. I don't feel that Colorado's field for half the games is what allowed Morneau to perform as he did last year either. It was well worth the 5 million he was signed for in 2014 (especially when you consider Pelfrey was paid 5.5 million) and the 6.75 he will get in 2015, and he was open for all offers. I congratulate the Rockies for making the great choice.

TheLeviathan · October 23, 2014

Maybe "well" isn't the perfect word, but Morneau had zero value and they got two players for him.

I don't think he had zero value and even if he did both those players were more effective as 40 man clogs than players that helped the Twins. It wasn't a bad move because the potential value was low, but it's hardly a situation worthy of compliment.

Boom Boom · October 23, 2014

The benefit to the Twins in the Morneau trade was essentially the money they saved on him in 2013. The players were filler.

So I guess if you care that the Twins saved a few million, it was a good trade.

I'm still confused by the Welker double deal, but whatever.

USAFChief · October 23, 2014

This. The Lirano trade should be measured by what he did in Chicago and the Morneau trade by what he did in Pittsburgh. Both players moved on to different teams, both players could have been signed by any of the 29 other teams. If the Twins would have held on to them and let them leave VIA free agency and got nothing, that would have been a loss. You get guys, you gamble, some work out, some don't. Both Johnson and Presley have value, Presley not working out was due to roster mismanagement, Johnson is good, just not MLB regular good, at least not right now.

Presley didnt work out because of "roster mismanagement?"

If by that you mean TR added another low ceiling bit player to a roster brimming with similar players, I agree.

Mike Sixel · October 23, 2014

Good luck to him. I thought maybe he would replace duensing. .....guess not.

Kirby_waved_at_me · October 23, 2014

It's always nice to have depth in AAA - I think this move is good for both parties, though.

The notion of prospects being blocked by MLB talent, I agree that it exists to some extent based on the specific player involved, but I think it's actually these rotation depth guys that are blocking Meyer and May (last year). I don't think having Pino and Johnson and Darnell is a bad thing, but they certainly were getting MLB innings that could have gone to Meyer and/or May last year.

To me it is a sign that the Twins are comfortable with Meyer as the first starter called up in 2015 (assuming he doesn't win a spot in Spring Training).

jokin · October 24, 2014

Next Roster News?

The Twins are at 35 now on the 40-man, plus Pelfrey on the 60-day, including 3 pitchers that need to be replaced (Pino, Burton and Johnson). It's actually pretty easy to see- at the very least- 3 more guys who can easily be removed.

From the position players, I'm thinking Colabello might now be more in a position to reconsider his reluctance to playing in the Far East- Ryan probably already has the deal set up for when he concurs.

Mike Berardino @MikeBerardino · 30m 30 minutes ago
Per @jmand1, Chris Colabello called Albers Thursday night, asked about Korean league.

Terry Ryan continuing to work his $ix-figure $igning and Trading Magic.

JB_Iowa · October 24, 2014

From the position players, I'm thinking Colabello might now be more in a position to reconsider his reluctance to playing in the Far East- Ryan probably already has the deal set up for when he concurs.

http://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/extra-bases/2014/10/24/chris-colabello-twins-today-south-korea-tomorrow/17839387/