Pick up Baker's option?

[CDog]

The Twins front office and coaches shouldn't have **** all over Baker in the media then. Like you said in the last year of his deal why would Baker want to be out unless he was legit injuried. Instead the Twins ripped the guy apart all spring.

 

 

But what else is new in this organziation

So Baker repeatedly came out and threw 10 mph (or so) slower than he normally does, repeatedly said he was fine and the velocity would come and he wasn't worried about it, and Gardenhire and Ryan saying that if he was fine he would start throwing with "fine" velocity is your definition of "****"ing on Baker or "ripping him apart?" I smell something (again)...

[Mike Sixel]

I can't imagine why you'd pick it up. He won't be throwing by the time they have to decide. It would make no sense to pick it up.

[jorgenswest]

It will be very difficult for the Twins to convince any significant free agent pitcher to sign with them unless they overpay in years and dollars. A healthy Baker is well worth 9.25 million. I have no medical information to judge. However, any pitcher willing to sign a one year deal at 9.25 million will come with risks. Any #3 starter or better will get more money or years or both.

[CDog]

I am amazed that this discussion exists. He had TJ in mid April. I know that surgeries and rehab processes improve all the time but that puts him at about 1 year on the nose. It seems really early to me. I asked Seth Stohs on his online chat last Friday if he thought Baker could be ready and he seemed to think yes. I just don't understand how it is possible that he could contribute next year. I still wonder if there is some detail I have missed with him regarding recovery. How can he be ready that quickly?

There are some guys who've come back and been pretty much all the way in a year. I think average/median/typical is a little longer, but expectation would be that he'd be pitching by the start of the year and more or less fully ready by mid-season. At least from what I've read. I'm not a doctor.

[Highabove]

There will be a large group of mid price Free Agent Pitchers on the Market next year. Why would you use your money on anyone coming off TJ. Lets remember how Nathen looked coming off his Surgery.

[Boom Boom]

There are some guys who've come back and been pretty much all the way in a year. I think average/median/typical is a little longer, but expectation would be that he'd be pitching by the start of the year and more or less fully ready by mid-season. At least from what I've read. I'm not a doctor.

This is pretty much what I expect as well, but unless Baker blows away that expectation he's worth nowhere near 9.25 million for a half-season of healthy pitching.

[DPJ]

So Baker repeatedly came out and threw 10 mph (or so) slower than he normally does, repeatedly said he was fine and the velocity would come and he wasn't worried about it, and Gardenhire and Ryan saying that if he was fine he would start throwing with "fine" velocity is your definition of "****"ing on Baker or "ripping him apart?" I smell something (again)...

What the hell are you talking about?

 

Baker kept saying something wasn't right and Gardy and the front office kept questioning his toughness and saying "he just needs to get out there and pitch"

[Highabove]

What the hell are you talking about?

 

Baker kept saying something wasn't right and Gardy and the front office kept questioning his toughness and saying "he just needs to get out there and pitch"

DPJ is correct. It is well documented in print and on the sports shows.

[Thrylos]

A few things in play here:

 

a. I think that based on observations from returns from a TJ surgery for SPs, really we are looking at 2014 for Baker to be effective, so if the Twins are going to do anything for 2013 it better include a team-friendly 2014 option.

b. Darn... some of the numbers that are thrown out there like 800K and 1.5M... Remember, this team signed a borderline MLB starter (Marquis) to a $3.5 M contract and gave a number 4 starter (Pavano) $8.5 M to sit most of this year. And I am not even going to mention the Blackburn or the Capps contracts. So I think that fair be fair, we are looking at at $3-4 M base if the Twins (or anyone else) are going to go the Baker way.

c. Baker will be 31 in 2013 and 32 in 2014.

 

I still think that the Twins need to fix their infrastructure, both medical and coaching, before they start investing on older hurt players like that...

[CDog]

What the hell are you talking about?

 

Baker kept saying something wasn't right and Gardy and the front office kept questioning his toughness and saying "he just needs to get out there and pitch"

I got bored after the following...ALL CAPS lines are mine to indicate source.

 

FROM THE PIONEER PRESS FROM A CONVERSATION LATE IN SPRING TRAINING '12 (AFTER HIS LAST OFFICIAL START):

 

Last week in Fort Myers, manager Ron Gardenhire and GM Terry Ryan expressed frustration that Baker wasn’t throwing hard since being held back a few weeks this spring. Baker said it would all come at once; that his velocity would appear when his location did. It’s a process.

 

FROM PIONEER PRESS AFTER START IN LATE MARCH:

 

Radar readings on Baker's pitches were consistently between 83-86 mph. Baker, 30, generally pitches in the low 90s but said he's unconcerned.

 

 

"As long as I'm getting outs, I really don't care," he said. "I'll pitch to the situation and not try to blow guys away. It's going to be there, I know that. I'm not even remotely worried about velocity right now."

 

 

FROM ESPN 1500:

 

In 2 2/3 innings, Baker allowed seven earned runs on seven hits and a walk while striking out one. He threw 51 pitches (33 strikes) and induced only one swing-and-a-miss in 23 hacks, and his fastball velocity sat mostly between 86-87 mph with a couple 88's and 89's sprinkled in.

 

 

"I think, at the end of the day, it's about repetitions," Baker said, reporting no issues with his elbow after the start. "There's only one way to do that. Unfortunately I didn't make pitches when I needed to. Six runs with two outs... Just a couple pitches away from having a game totally different. I was just forcing it, the ball was up. But at the end of the day, as along as I'm healthy and getting enough repetitions in, all of that will come tomorrow."

 

 

When asked if he thought the ball not coming out of his hand well signaled any major injury issues, Baker said no.

 

 

"I know it's going to come, it's just a matter of when. I know we've talked a little bit about the velocity not being there, just like I said, it all relates - the velocity, the location, the not trying to overdo it. You have a tendency when you try to force pitches, the results are not to your liking. But sometimes it's not going to come out as good as it can."

 

ALSO FROM ESPN 1500:

 

Baker said the inflammation had subsided on Friday, adding, "it's just a matter of kind of pushing it a little bit and see how it goes. ...

 

"It's tendonitis," Baker said. "I've been there, done that. It's just a matter of getting it taken care of. But if it's not taken care of, it for sure can be a problem if it progresses into something that you definitely don't want to be dealing with."

 

FROM ESPN 1500 AFTER TJ SURGERY:

 

 

In retrospect, it's clear now why Baker was unable to ramp up into the 90's, but when asked if there were any hard feelings between he and the coaching staff Baker said, "None whatsoever."

 

 

"Nobody knows what's going on," he added. "Nobody knows what's going on until you get in there. I didn't know, doctors don't know. The doctors don't know until they get in there. I mean, they can have an indication from an MRI, but what can you do until you get in there? To be honest with you, you're not always completely forthright with the staff. I mean, that's any pitcher."

[darin617]

I say no. Baker's club option is for $9.25 million. Coming off of surgery, he probably won't be that effective ( see Joe Nathan) and will probably bolt anyways (again see Joe Nathan). Use the money elsewhere and let the kids start or spend money on other starters.

 

While our starting staff is thin, I dont want see to Blackburn or Baker starting again next year.

 

Agree or disagree?

This would be as dumb as giving Joe Mauer or Ron Gardenhire contract extensions right now.