Trumbo traded

[gunnarthor]

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2015/12/mark-trumbo-steve-clevenger-trade-mariners-orioles.html#comments

 

Trumbo and apparently someone else from Seattle's 40 man roster have been traded to Baltimore for the Orioles back-up catcher, Steve Clevenger.  Clevenger is 30 and has 416 ML at-bats, is out of options and has a bad defensive rep but is worth two players - admittedly, two very flawed players.  Catchers are a lot more valuable than I think.  

[Mike Sixel]

Wasn't Seattle trying to clear money and roster space? 

[Seth Stohs]

Yeah, Seattle just didn't want to offer Trumbo arbitration and pay him $8-10 million, or whatever he would get in 2016. This way they get something instead of nothing. Clevenger can be a backup catcher and backup 1B.

[gunnarthor]

 

Wasn't Seattle trying to clear money and roster space? 

Yeah, but I thought a 30 home run guy (potentially) would be worth more than that.

[kab21]

 

Yeah, but I thought a 30 home run guy (potentially) would be worth more than that.

The problem is that he hits 30 HR's in almost the least valuable way possible.  A lot of K's and only a few BB's = a low BA and OBP with terrible defense.

 

But would he have been a better one year option than Park?  Could Trumbo be a reasonable upside for Park?  Obviously it would be nice to have Park signed for 4 years (plus option) if he performs well but I like the idea of a real 30 HR hitter behind Sano.  Park might hit that many but it is far from given.

 

FWIW - I like the Park signing even if it is a little odd (position wise).

[Otto von Ballpark]

Trumbo has been worth more than that -- remember when he fetched Tyler Skaggs and Hector Santiago for the Angels?  Of course, that was coming off healthy full seasons of 29, 32, and 34 HR, with 3 years of control remaining, and was generally regarded as a poor trade by Arizona nonetheless.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

 

Clevenger is 30 and has 416 ML at-bats, is out of options and has a bad defensive rep but is worth two players - admittedly, two very flawed players.  Catchers are a lot more valuable than I think.  

Two very flawed 40-man players aren't that valuable.  In Twins terms, those are the kind of deals that usually net you a month of a late-career Justin Morneau, or two months of a long-scuffling Francisco Liriano.  And in this case, while one of the very flawed players is a MLB vet with 30 HR potential, he is also owed $9 million and only controlled for 1 more season.

 

This deal wasn't about the value of Clevenger the catcher, it was about salary relief and possibly 40-man roster spots.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

But would he have been a better one year option than Park?  Could Trumbo be a reasonable upside for Park?

I much prefer Park at 4/25 than Trumbo at 1/9.

 

My pessimistic side, though, notes that they are the same age.  It might be difficult to not only ask Park to make the transition to MLB, but to also put up Trumbo's age 25-27 numbers at ages 30-33...

[kab21]

 

I much prefer Park at 4/25 than Trumbo at 1/9.

 

My pessimistic side, though, notes that they are the same age.  It might be difficult to not only ask Park to make the transition to MLB, but to also put up Trumbo's age 25-27 numbers at ages 30-33...

I am cautiously optimistic about Park but I like the certainty (injury risk aside) of Trumbo in Target Field.  And a one year deal allows the team to move on depending on what happens with the OF prospects (Arcia, Kepler, Rosario, Buxton and Walker) this season. 

 

I have been a Trumbo fan for awhile though.

[Otto von Ballpark]

Fair enough.  I am actually not a Trumbo fan, although that's probably influenced largely by not being a fan of the trades he has been involved in.

 

I didn't really see the need to add him or Park for the 2016 Twins, but it is fun to see a new guy with potential.