Kevin Jepsen traded to the Twins

[ashbury]

As long as none of the pitchers included are named Berrios, Gonsalves, Meyer, Hu, Thorpe, Stewart, or Burdi, I really couldn't care less what they gave up in trade.

LOL. Good call.

[drjim]

 

Explain why you aren't high on Hu? Explain how his great numbers this far are just a mirage. I will hang up and listen.

 

Because he is a deception guy with acceptable command, not a stuff guy.

 

Those guys do well in lower levels, might even surprise the first time they are seen in the upper levels, but just don't develop into the type of guys that stick in rotations.

[drjim]

 

Watching MLB Network and they were talking about the trade deadline and that there still may be major deals coming with 40 something minutes left.  One of the hosts asked, 'Bigger than Jepsen to the Twins?' and they started chuckling.  Last night they were talking about how it just didn't seem possible that with being in a playoff race, they was like no chatter about the Twins for anyone.  Especially when you consider the team that are going big like Houston, KC and Toronto.  Not exactly big spenders and two not exactly big movers.

 

This is the rep we have. It's well earned.  

 

Earlier they were talking about teams over-valuing their prospects and how there is no W Series for best farm system.

 

Then, while continuing to marvel at the Twins doing practically nothing, they said there are these teams chasing the Twins who are apparently a juggernaut so they don't need to get anyone.

 

Was he talking about teams or people on message boards?

[jimmer]

 

Was he talking about teams or people on message boards?

teams

[jimmer]

43% inherited runners score this year.  35% last year.  Twins 2015 bullpen: 34%(as of last night when I checked).

[jimmer]

 

My god, some people are so dramatic. This is a very minor trade. 

Maybe the fact that all we did was 'a very minor trade' might be the problem most of us have as opposed to the Blue Jays, the team chasing us, going all out and the team above us in the division, also going nuts.

[zchrz]

 

Because he is a deception guy with acceptable command, not a stuff guy.

 

Those guys do well in lower levels, might even surprise the first time they are seen in the upper levels, but just don't develop into the type of guys that stick in rotations.

 

Asian Yohan Pino.

[Mike Sixel]

I remember ripping the Twins for their international signings, and someone offering Hu as an example of how awesome they are at signing international players......this just happened this year on this board.....

[ashbury]

I don't have much faith in guys who rely on a trick pitch to succeed in the minors, especially the lower minors. What deceives hitters in MiLB is often grossly exposed at the MLB level.

Which of his do you believe to be a trick pitch? When I saw him in spring, I liked his breaking pitch in the dirt. I just went back to the TD Prospect Handbook, and this is the scouting report: "he will typically sit with a fastball between 92 and 93 mph. He has a very good, sharp curveball that drops over the plate. He has a good changeup and also throws a palm ball."

[drjim]

 

I remember ripping the Twins for their international signings, and someone offering Hu as an example of how awesome they are at signing international players......this just happened this year on this board.....

 

Hey, provided an asset to pull off a trade. So successful.

[lukeduke1980]

 

Which one said that?  I'd like to buy him a beer.  And here I thought that the Twins had finally moved past that stage of being the butt of all the MLB-franchise-ineptitude-champion jokes by the national media.  It's like Terry actually enjoys wearing a "Kick Me" sign on his back.

I do imagine Terry Ryan's 'war room' as him sitting in a rocker, wearing readers and an afghan, reading the sports section from a 2002 pioneer press, and dialing other GMs on a rotary phone.  I think that's what other GMs imagine too...

[d-mac]

 

I'm not outraged but it is getting harder to follow this FO's thinking.

 

The problem with the bullpen is the cheap declining vets in it are allowing too many runners to score. Therefore, acquire another cheap declining vet who allows too many runners to score?

 

Correction- Jepsen is an expensive declining vet. He makes more than anyone in the bullpen not named Perkins. 

[LaBombo]

 

Which of his do you believe to be a trick pitch? When I saw him in spring, I liked his breaking pitch in the dirt. I just went back to the TD Prospect Handbook, and this is the scouting report: "he will typically sit with a fastball between 92 and 93 mph. He has a very good, sharp curveball that drops over the plate. He has a good changeup and also throws a palm ball."

 

And Gleeman went out of his way to specifically refute the idea that Hu's success was due primarily to a deceptive delivery.

[d-mac]

 

And Gleeman went out of his way to specifically refute the idea that Hu's success was due primarily to a deceptive delivery.

 

Well you have to think there is a reason why the Rays would want Hu and Tapia back for Jepsen. They clearly value them. And I'd bet good money on the Rays scouts before I'd a penny down on the Twins scouting department. 

[notoriousgod71]

What's great about this trade is all week long we heard how Ryan lusted over Shawn Kelley.

 

When you go baseball ref's player comps who is Jepsen similar to..... Shawn Kelley!

[howeda7]

 

Maybe the fact that all we did was 'a very minor trade' might be the problem most of us have as opposed to the Blue Jays, the team chasing us, going all out and the team above us in the division, also going nuts.

So you're saying the people flipping out over giving up Hu for Jespen would have been praising TR if he'd traded Buxton and Berrios for Lucroy and Chapman?

[USAFChief]

 

So you're saying the people flipping out over giving up Hu for Jespen would have been praising TR if he'd traded Buxton and Berrios for Lucroy and Chapman?

//MOD NOTE//  Let's be careful about exaggerating someone's point.

 

That's not even close to what the OP said, and unneccesarily antagonistic.

 

 

[howeda7]

 

//MOD NOTE//  Let's be careful about exaggerating someone's point.

 

That's not even close to what the OP said, and unneccesarily antagonistic.

I took it as 'we should match what the Blue Jays did.' I think Lucroy and Chapman would be similar given our needs? 

 

It seems like the general consensus here was, don't go crazy, but don't do nothing. That's pretty much what the Twins did and people are still upset. I would have like one more move, but I didn't want them to do anything foolish. Trying to match Toronto or KC's moves would have been, IMO.

[USAFChief]

 

I took it as 'we should match what the Blue Jays did.' I think Lucroy and Chapman would be similar given our needs? 

 

It seems like the general consensus here was, don't go crazy, but don't do nothing. That's pretty much what the Twins did and people are still upset. I would have like one more move, but I didn't want them to do anything foolish. Trying to match Toronto or KC's moves would have been, IMO.

Cool.  Thanks for the explanation.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Shocked that people would overrate our prospects.

If things had shaken out differently, Hu might have been a top 10 or 12 prospect heading into 2016.

[jimmer]

Some seriously awesome players were acquired this last week or two. Some as rentals, some that give the new team years of play from their new guy.

 

Did anyone trade a MLB top 20 prospect this last week or two?  How about a top 5?  

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Well, Jepsen is probably an improvement to our bullpen in the strictest dictionary definition of the word.

 

It looks like Jepsen is also making better use of a change up the last few years as his velocity has declined. If the Twins can figure out when Jepsen should throw that thing and not throw it, he should be ok. Also apparently you can't have this guy come in the middle of an inning based on his Inherited Runs against. We have a lot of guys like that it seems.

 

Any word on who gets the pink slip from the 25?

[jimmer]

 

Well, Jepsen is probably an improvement to our bullpen in the strictest dictionary definition of the word.

It looks like Jepsen is also making better use of a change up the last few years as his velocity has declined. If the Twins can figure out when Jepsen should throw that thing and not throw it, he should be ok. Also apparently you can't have this guy come in the middle of an inning based on his Inherited Runs against. We have a lot of guys like that it seems.

Any word on who gets the pink slip from the 25?

might as well send May down :-)

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

might as well send May down :-)

Well, he IS the youngest from the bullpen aside from Graham, so there is some Twins logic to it.......

[Danchat]

 

Some seriously awesome players were acquired this last week or two. Some as rentals, some that give the new team years of play from their new guy.

 

Did anyone trade a MLB top 20 prospect this last week or two?  How about a top 5?  

There's been plenty of highly-rated prospects being traded. For example, the Blue Jays traded their top prospect Daniel Norris to the Tigers.

[jimmer]

 

There's been plenty of highly-rated prospects being traded. For example, the Blue Jays traded their top prospect Daniel Norris to the Tigers.

So, one?  Who else was top 20 MLB prospect? Any top 5?

 

How has Norris done the last 3 years?  How about this year? I know little about him.

[jimmer]

So during a chat today at Fangraphs hosted by an analyst whose opinion I really respect (Dave Cameron), a person asked this question:

 

Q: Do you think Minnesota is sitting right or will they make another move to try to stick in the WC hunt?

 

His response: 'I think they realize this isn’t going to last, no point throwing good money after bad.'

 

 

[twinsnorth49]

Not losing sleep over the guys we gave up, might lose some over Jepson being our big get.

 

Meh, very disappointing.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Q: Do you think Minnesota is sitting right or will they make another move to try to stick in the WC hunt?

 

His response: 'I think they realize this isn’t going to last, no point throwing good money after bad.'

Several posters here have been saying the same thing, and using that "ain't gonna last" thinking to justify the Twins not making any deals at the deadline.

 

It would be nice to hear just one of those posters tell us at what point, what position in the standings, they think the Twins should go make a deal.

[RealTwinsFan357]

So, one? Who else was top 20 MLB prospect? Any top 5?

 

How has Norris done the last 3 years? How about this year? I know little about him.

I think the Astros gave up several top 20 prospects, maybe even a top 5, I don't have names fresh right now though