Instant Reaction Poll: Rate the Hu for Jepsen Traded

[DocBauer]

 

"I am not bothered by the prospects that were traded, I am bothered about the reliever that was traded for. More of the same. No splash here. Not even a set of rings around were the pebble hit the water. This trade doesn't improve the team, it just allows Ryan to say he made a trade. This is so token it is trying to get a fare on the A train, but the train stopped taking tokens years ago."

 

This. More or less....THIS.

 

I honestly don't know that much about our latest addition. SO numbers are lower than I like, true, but what I care about is keeping guys off base and not letting inherited runners score. However that is accomplished!

 

Overall, his numbers are solid. I like that we have him for another year and not just a 2 month plus rental. Hu was/is fun as a story. Hu is having a fine year. He might be a really nice ML SP, he might be a mediocre SP, and he might not ever amount to anything. Honestly, and we all know it's true, there is NO WAY to know what his future will be. Just like as don't honestly know what Stewart's eventual place might be. I'm frustrated we didn't get what I would perceive to be a harder throwing, bigger SO, more proven 8th inning setup guy who can close once in a while when Perkins needs a night off. But I am just not freaking out that a "A" ball SP that previously was not ranked among our top 10-15 prospects was traded for someone with a "decent" track record who should help the bullpen this year and next.

 

I'm more..."meh."

 

[jimmer]

'21 All Star, combining for 51 ASG selection, were traded since 6/1.  Both figures are the most in at least 17 years'-MLB Communications.

[blairpaul715]

 

In my previous post about RP trades, the Pirates landed Soria from the Tigers for a MI prospect that is probably going to end up in the OF and isn't a great hitting prospect at this point. Would rather have had Soria than Jepsen too. Perhaps the Tigers didn't want to trade in their own division though?

I would take Jones over Hu and Tapia, he has a big time upside, Tapia is an unknown and Hu is a fringy , not particularly athletic  prospect. Have you read anything on Jones????? I am as big a Twins fan and prospect follower as the next guy, but you are WAY overselling Hu compared to Jones.

[blairpaul715]

 

Here is another thought I had - if Terry Ryan is clearly willing to get taken to the cleaners - why didn't more teams take advantage of him?

I agree with you, and I think he overvalues his prospects too, that is part of why no trades or none of great value.

[ashbury]

Twins will likely send down Santana to AAA

They did indeed.

 

And so the net result for me is that the acquisition of Kevin Jepsen solidifies our bullpen so much that... that... he replaces nobody. No pitcher is seen as instantly expendable as a result of him joining. We gave up Hu and Tapia for that. Groovy.

[USAFChief]

They did indeed.

 

And so the net result for me is that the acquisition of Kevin Jepsen solidifies our bullpen so much that... that... he replaces nobody. No pitcher is seen as instantly expendable as a result of him joining. We gave up Hu and Tapia for that. Groovy.

We've all been clamoring for a return to a 13 man pitching staff, no?

[stringer bell]

The trade was about what I expected. Especially when it was revealed that they wanted someone they could control beyond this year, I assumed that they wouldn't spend big on a reliever and in the long view Jepsen is an upgrade over what is available right now. I expected much more help from the minors than they have. Many of the top bullpen arms have not performed well, especially at Chattanooga. Getting a guy who can help the remainder of this year and next year might make sense.

 

Jepsen has been good recently (last year) and perhaps a change of scenery will help. The change to Tampa didn't go well. Jepsen isn't ancient, still throws harder than anyone in the 'pen and will strike out more guys than anybody but Perkins. Relievers are volatile, going from effective to crap and back again. Can Jepsen be what he was in LA? Sure, but there's no guarantee.

 

The Twins, at this stage, shouldn't have sold the farm in order to maybe contend this year. The most glaring hole was in the bullpen and they took a small step to improve there. Not enough, IMHO, but a step nonetheless, and they did nothing to hurt their prospects for 2016.

 

 

[LaBombo]

 

We've all been clamoring for a return to a 13 man pitching staff, no?

 

Yes, but it really needs to be complemented by a three-catcher bench in order to maximize the futility.

 

With any luck Gardenhire is already on the phone to Molitor to explain the hidden benefits of a bench with a single non-catcher.

[whydidnt]

I would take Jones over Hu and Tapia, he has a big time upside, Tapia is an unknown and Hu is a fringy , not particularly athletic  prospect. Have you read anything on Jones????? I am as big a Twins fan and prospect follower as the next guy, but you are WAY overselling Hu compared to Jones.

Jones is 23 years old, still at high A, with an OPS of .714 and 110 Ks in 370 ABs. Some scouts think he will need to move to the OF, and others worry that his contact issues will prevent him from ever developing into a good hitter. Yes, he has higher upside than Hu, but I'm not sure how much, and if you include Tapia, and then look at Soria vs. Jepson, I think the Pirates made a better deal than the Twins.

[stocker08]

I for one love this trade.  It's a Hu's Hu's of deadline trade if you ask me.  I dare you to show me Hu doesn't agree.

[Platoon]

On the plus side, no more stupid Hu jokes in a week or so.......which is something I demanded a few weeks ago on a Hu thread.

Hu said that?

[Platoon]

We've all been clamoring for a return to a 13 man pitching staff, no?

NO!

[Platoon]

The fact that Ryan did not go all in makes me think he knows this team is not going to the playoffs. Before the barbs start flying, I don't think you could "fix" our problems at the waiver wire. You would have to have destroyed the minor leagues, and would not have gotten the needed pieces. The trade is basically minsicule in and of itself. But it's the failure to make wholesale internal changes in the bull pen that is frustrating. And the failure to take advantage of the move of May to the BP. This winter something has to be done to straighten out the roster imbalances. Our glut of OF, and CIF has to be turned into a catcher, a power arm on the BP, likely a SS, and a first string pitcher. Without trying to denigrate anyone, a couple months ago there was discussion on here on whether Hughes was an "ace"? This should tell us something about how engrained mediocrity is, in this market.

[Mike Sixel]

So they still are keeping the entire bullpen around? Explain?

[drjim]

 

So they still are keeping the entire bullpen around? Explain?

 

Let's see if The Who can help.

 

 

Nope, no help.

[SwainZag]

 

Jones is 23 years old, still at high A, with an OPS of .714 and 110 Ks in 370 ABs. Some scouts think he will need to move to the OF, and others worry that his contact issues will prevent him from ever developing into a good hitter. Yes, he has higher upside than Hu, but I'm not sure how much, and if you include Tapia, and then look at Soria vs. Jepson, I think the Pirates made a better deal than the Twins.

 

You have to take into consideration that Soria was a 1/2 year rental while the Twins have Jepson under control for 2016 as well.    

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Let's see if The Who can help.

 

 

Nope, no help.

Why we talking about that Generation?

[whydidnt]

 

You have to take into consideration that Soria was a 1/2 year rental while the Twins have Jepson under control for 2016 as well.    

You also have to factor in that you can probably sign a guy comparable to Jepsen in the offseason for similar $ as he's likely to earn in arbitration. If he was a high value player that extra year of control has value, but he's just another average, to slightly above average reliever. The more I think about it, the more I don't understand this deal. If the Twins think they could seriously contend this year they should have done more, and if they don't, why give up 2 minor league guys for a middle reliever? Just don't understand the thought process. 

[jokin]

 

'21 All Star, combining for 51 ASG selection, were traded since 6/1.  Both figures are the most in at least 17 years'-MLB Communications.

 

But then again, Capps was an All Star, too.

[drock2190]

I'm thinking Ryan panicked. He was telling everyone there would be new faces in the dugout and he was dangling Hu around for better relief pitchers and the best he came up was Jensen. Deadline was approaching fast and he pulled the trigger.

[stringer bell]

 

Why we talking about that Generation?

It's my generation! Roger, Pete and me!

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

It's my generation! Roger, Pete and me!

I'm not trying to cause a big sensation!

[Craig Arko]

I'm not trying to cause a big sensation!

How about...

 

http://youtu.be/d8rd53WuojE

[DJSim22]

I don't like the trade, but it isn't 1/100th as bad as people on here seem to think.  That's my .02

 

What it continues to show to me is Ryan is much better at selling than buying. 

[whydidnt]

I don't like the trade, but it isn't 1/100th as bad as people on here seem to think.  That's my .02

 

What it continues to show to me is Ryan is much better at selling than buying.

 

Really? What has he sold recently for a good return? I think the game has passed him by. Teams spend more and make quicker, more informed decisions than they did his first time around. He is still trying to run the team like early 80s version. I am seriously disappointed in his performance since returning. Tired of hearing how he built the farm system...he had super high picks every year people, he almost couldn't help but rebuild the farm system.

[jokin]

 

It's my generation! Roger, Pete and me!

 

I'm not trying to cause a big sensation!

 

Why don't you all just f-f-f-fade away?

 

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/staticarchive/d1d3994fb8b9c1ab021854bdf27d69d279ab2a63.jpg

[SwainZag]

 

Really? What has he sold recently for a good return? I think the game has passed him by. Teams spend more and make quicker, more informed decisions than they did his first time around. He is still trying to run the team like early 80s version. I am seriously disappointed in his performance since returning. Tired of hearing how he built the farm system...he had super high picks every year people, he almost couldn't help but rebuild the farm system.

 

Which teams are spending quicker and more?  The Royals mad the playoffs for the first time last year in 30 years.  The Astros haven't seen the postseason in 10 years.  The Blue Jays in 22 years.  Before Pittsburgh's 2 straight appearances it had been 21 years, before Washington's 2 appearances in 3 years it had been 30 years since they made the postseason.  That's half your projected playoff teams (I'm slotting in TOR.)  Outside of Toronto which of those teams didn't build up a system and then compete?  You know what happens AFTER you build a farm system?  You let them develop. High picks Stewart, Gordon and Jay aren't even out of A ball yet.  It's like planting 100 acres full of crops and trying to harvest in June, it just doesn't work.  

 

Yes, there well run franchises like San Fran and St. Louis, who are the anomalies.   I didn't count LA and NY because of their unlimited budget.

[USAFChief]

Which teams are spending quicker and more?  The Royals mad the playoffs for the first time last year in 30 years.  The Astros haven't seen the postseason in 10 years.  The Blue Jays in 22 years.  Before Pittsburgh's 2 straight appearances it had been 21 years, before Washington's 2 appearances in 3 years it had been 30 years since they made the postseason.  That's half your projected playoff teams (I'm slotting in TOR.)  Outside of Toronto which of those teams didn't build up a system and then compete?  You know what happens AFTER you build a farm system?  You let them develop. High picks Stewart, Gordon and Jay aren't even out of A ball yet.  It's like planting 100 acres full of crops and trying to harvest in June, it just doesn't work.  

 

Yes, there well run franchises like San Fran and St. Louis, who are the anomalies.   I didn't count LA and NY because of their unlimited budget.

If KC and Pittsburgh are the farming models to follow, I look forward to harvesting a playoff team in 2030-something.

[SwainZag]

 

If KC and Pittsburgh are the farming models to follow, I look forward to harvesting a playoff team in 2030-something.

I'm not saying they are the models to follow.  I am saying people who are tired of not competing for 4 seasons act like it's completely out of the norm to go through stretches of non-competitive baseball.  None of the teams i mentioned spent fast and furious to get where they are.

[nicksaviking]

I'm not saying they are the models to follow.  I am saying people who are tired of not competing for 4 seasons act like it's completely out of the norm to go through stretches of non-competitive baseball.  None of the teams i mentioned spent fast and furious to get where they are.

I agree, but if the fans are being impatient, so was Ryan. He was the one who gave unmovable long-term contracts to a bunch of mid-rotation starters during the decline stages of their careers. He was acting as desperate as any fan.