Waivers, Nolasco and too many pitchers

[Secondary User]

So as I was discussing the potential roster moves to accommodate Milone being called up, the idea of sending Trevor May down came up. My initial reaction was to say that there no wayay would get sent down, but the last time I made a declarative statement like that, the team went ahead and signed Torii anyway (not wrote reading to eat crow, but it's in the oven).

 

Bit what better option is there? Gibson isn't going down. Peripherals aside, you can't knock Pelfrey out. Hughes obviously not, unless there's a potential injury and they want him to miss a couple times through the rotation (his velocity is diem about 1.5mph thus far). A 6 man rotation is plausible, though I wouldn't think ideal.

 

This led to a question. At a certain point, If a player gets waived they can opt for free agency rather than accept a minor league assignment. I'm assuming Nolasco has reached that point. The question is, if Nolasco were to opt for free agency, are the Twins obligated to pay him? I can't find information on it, but it seems to me as if he's opting out of his contact and therefore the Twins wouldn't be required to pay him.

 

If that's the case.... Why not waive Nolasco? If he gets claimed, you try to work out a desk, or perhaps just let him go....I know plenty of fans who wouldn't mind. If he doesn't get claimed (very likely imo considering the contract) and he accepts the minor league assignment, nothing changes financially, but you have the flexibility to send him down. If he opts for free agency (very unlikely, because there's no way he's getting a contract comparable to what he has now), then he's off your books and opens up a spit for someone else.

 

I understand the organization might still think he has some value at the major league level (I've looked at the career peripherals and think he could be), but with the current state of the pitching staff and the log jam coming up, this seems like a pretty easy decision to me (if the opt out function works this way that is)

[drjim]

At this point he can refuse a minor league assignment and still get paid.

 

Highly unlikely a team claims him and picks up the whole contract.

[Mike Sixel]

Right, no one claims he, he becomes a FA I think. Then he is signed for the minimum, and the Twins pay the rest.

 

I am about 80% sure that's how it works out.

 

I predict they send down a pitcher that is clearly better, and keep up the VETERANS THAT MAKE MONEY.

[drjim]

 

Right, no one claims he, he becomes a FA I think. Then he is signed for the minimum, and the Twins pay the rest.

 

I am about 80% sure that's how it works out.

 

I predict they send down a pitcher that is clearly better, and keep up the VETERANS THAT MAKE MONEY.

 

The Twins have kept up May and Gibson (both making minimum) over Milone who was guaranteed over $2mil, so last sentence is far from a sure thing.

[Mike Sixel]

$2MM is not veterans making money money for a starting pitcher........it just isn't. that's not even arbitration level money.

[Steve Lein]

He could accept the assignment to AAA, or opt for Free Agency. Pretty sure the Twins still have to pay his contract no matter what.

[drjim]

 

$2MM is not veterans making money money for a starting pitcher........it just isn't. that's not even arbitration level money.

 

It's what he got paid in first year arbitration, so it actually is exactly arbitration money.

 

But I do agree that having $30 mil more guaranteed does buy a lot of chances - I'm just not as certain as you seem to be that May or Gibson will be shipped out. I actually would predict that an injury to someone will take care of this problem soon enough.

[70charger]

Contracts are guaranteed. 

 

Also, did you type that on a mobile device?

[beckmt]

Best guess is the Twins put Nolasco on the DL or just send out Pressly for 10 days(he has been very good). Then Milone will be sent back down after Nolasco comes back. Maybe the Twins finally bite the bullet and DFA either Stauffer or Duensing. That would make a great number of posters very happy.

[drivlikejehu]

Milone will go back down, but the real issues are whether the Twins stay with 13 pitchers and what happens when Santana's suspension ends.

[Danchat]

Nolasco is going on the DL, according to Darren Wolfson. Milone will take his spot.

 

But the question remains: who will pitch on Saturday?

[Mike Sixel]

Should have put Nolasco on the DL right away, and called up a player earlier. Same old, same old.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Wait, was Nolasco put on the 15-day DL or the 60-day DL?

[nicksaviking]

If Milone and Pelfrey are pitching well while Nolasco is out, I'd bet Nolasco finds himself in the pen.  Hughes is a lock for the rotation no matter what and despite the fact that I give the front office a hard time about cultivating younger players at the MLB level, I think they see that no matter what happens from here, May and Gibson need to be left alone for the sake of the future.

[drjim]

 

Nolasco is going on the DL, according to Darren Wolfson. Milone will take his spot.

 

But the question remains: who will pitch on Saturday?

 

Sounds like a bullpen game Saturday. Stauffer lives.

[sdtwins37]

^{Milone looks to get about three starts.  Will this be enough for him to keep a spot in the rotation? I hope so. An ERA near 4.0 should do the trick. I think he will be better than that though.}

[drjim]

 

Should have put Nolasco on the DL right away, and called up a player earlier. Same old, same old.

 

Many times yes, but not this time in the least.

 

It impacted one day and they waited for the bullpen today to make sure, which is quite prudent. They are going to be short a starter on Saturday.

[Mike Sixel]

 

Many times yes, but not this time in the least.

 

It impacted one day and they waited for the bullpen today to make sure, which is quite prudent. They are going to be short a starter on Saturday.

 

It impacted one day of pitching.....but that roster spot could have been used on a hitter.

[drjim]

 

It impacted one day of pitching.....but that roster spot could have been used on a hitter.

 

I personally would take as much action as possible to avoid a bullpen game than to make sure I have an extra hitter that likely wouldn't be used anyway.

[spinowner]

 

Should have put Nolasco on the DL right away, and called up a player earlier. Same old, same old.

 

 

Many times yes, but not this time in the least.

 

It impacted one day and they waited for the bullpen today to make sure, which is quite prudent. They are going to be short a starter on Saturday.

drjim is right. Whether they DL'd Nolasco on Sunday or today his DL time is retroactive to his last appearance, and either way they needed Milone to start a game because of the rainout. Waiting until today left open the option of starting Nolasco on Saturday. Waiting until today also allowed them more flexibility in choosing whose place on the roster Milone is taking. And Milone couldn't have pitched before today anyway.

[PopRiveter]

I was really hoping they wouldn't make the Nolasco DL start retroactive so we were guaranteed 15 days from now until this was  problem again, but alas, "Retroactive to Monday."

 

It doesn't hurt anything, but I would rather they guarantee Milone a little longer runway. This only promises a couple starts.

[drjim]

 

I was really hoping they wouldn't make the Nolasco DL start retroactive so we were guaranteed 15 days from now until this was  problem again, but alas, "Retroactive to Monday."

 

It doesn't hurt anything, but I would rather they guarantee Milone a little longer runway. This only promises a couple starts.

 

It's automatically retroactive to when they player last played. Obviously he doesn't have to pitch on the first day eligible.

[spinowner]

 

I was really hoping they wouldn't make the Nolasco DL start retroactive so we were guaranteed 15 days from now until this was  problem again, but alas, "Retroactive to Monday."

 

It doesn't hurt anything, but I would rather they guarantee Milone a little longer runway. This only promises a couple starts.

DL's are always retroactive so the player can be activated as soon as possible if needed. You never want to restrict your roster unnecessarily. Nolasco might be needed sooner, for example in case of injury to another starter.

[Craig Arko]

Santana returns about one month from today. Something's gotta give somewhere.

[spinowner]

 

Santana returns about one month from today. Something's gotta give somewhere.

But we still want to wait until the last possible day to decide what will give.

[Craig Arko]

 

But we still want to wait until the last possible day to decide what will give.

Sure,although if making a trade is an option, better start talking soon.

[Mike Sixel]

I understand the flexibility thing.....in the meantime, they passed on having someone on the roster that could possibly help them (because, let's face it, odds were high he was going on the DL, weren't they?).

[Brandon]

Nolasco has been pretty solid the last month so I doubt demoting him is an option. 

[Blackjack]

 

Should have put Nolasco on the DL right away, and called up a player earlier. Same old, same old.

 

I think the Twins have been better this year at making a decision right away about putting a player on the DL and calling up a player.

 

It used to drive me crazy in the Gardy era when they'd wait a few days to see if the player would get better and then Gardy would complain about being shorthanded.

 

I think in this case on Nolassco I don't think they trust him to tell the truth about whether it hurts or not, they'll just make sure by putting him on the sideline for awhile. It also makes the decision easier when you have a guy like Milone tearing it up in AAA.

[Vanimal46]

There is plenty of fat to trim in the bullpen.. (looking at you Timmy and Duensing) And when the time comes, there may have to be a discussion on one of the starters transitioning to the pen as a long-relief guy. In my opinion, May, Gibson, and Pelfrey should be locks in the rotation. Whoever is struggling in the rotation should be the odd man out and transitioned into the long-relief mop up role in the bullpen.