Twins DFA'd O'Rourke and Graham, Maestro up

[gunnarthor]

This doesn't have a thread?  

 

They added Maestro to the 40 man.  It's ok if he's on the bench/late inning defense/speed but hopefully Molly isn't going to use him and take at-bats away from Rosario.  

[diehardtwinsfan]

wow... graham and O'rourke.  Not necessarily saying those are bad (though I thought O'Rourke had potential as an elite loogy)...  Ryan is cleaning house.  Next few weeks should be interesting.

[PseudoSABR]

So no DFA of Fien and Milone? Were they just put on waivers and if they get through, then will they be sent down?  Doesn't make sense to DFA Graham and O'Rourke if they intend to get rid of Fien and Milone as well.

[gunnarthor]

 

So no DFA of Fien and Milone?

No, those already happened.  

[J_Dobs]

I am just in shock on these moves, I was never a fan of O'Rourke because he was never used correctly in the first place. But I can't believe Graham, you keep him on the 25 man all of last year to cut him early this year? I don't get why a guy like Graham is being cut when Pat Dean is still on the 40 man roster.

This front office is now going into full panic mode to see if anything sticks on the wall, not a great way to run a team.

[Vanimal46]

This team is going to look completely different by June 6th.. Mastro is just a warm body IMO. And they're finally looking to balance out the 40 man. Should be interesting to see who claims the spots.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Dear Ryan O'Rourke,

 

Thank you for pitching 3 2/3 scoreless innings in the 16 inning loss to the Nationals on April 24. Your mental toughness in that game, combined with your ability to strike out 36% of all left handed batters, made you an appealing candidate to remain in our bullpen.

 

Unfortunately, the Twins regret to inform you there is no longer a need for your services. Your employment with the club has been terminated, effective immediately.

 

Thank you for your contributions and good luck in your future endeavors.

 

Sincerely,

 

The Minnesota Twins

[PseudoSABR]

 

This front office is now going into full panic mode to see if anything sticks on the wall, not a great way to run a team.

I don't see it as panic so much as not letting prior-investment and sentimentality get in the way of the constructing the best roster.  In years past, it took the Twins far too long to make these kind of moves -- giving too much rope for undeserving players (even those with promise, like Graham) to supposedly turn it around.  

[Thrylos]

Mastro at AAA Twins this season:  .208/.330/.247

Mastro career MLB: .212/.274/.289

 

Guess he is part of the solution...

 

Ryan lost it totally...

[gunnarthor]

I like Graham.  I hope he comes back.  But I'm not sure his departure is quite at the level of frustration needed to equal the loss of Zach Jones or Joe Benson.  

[whosafraidofluigirussolo]

So no DFA of Fien and Milone?

 

No, those already happened.  

 

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I *think* Milone and Fien are still on waivers and are thus still on the roster, so the additional DFAs were needed to clear roster spots.

 

I'm not clear on what the difference is between a DFA and the type of waiver Milone and Fien are on, besides that the former clears a roster spot as soon as the player is designated.

 

If that's correct, though, Milone and Fien might be with the team tonight, right? That's gonna be awkward.

[Otto von Ballpark]

Interesting. Outright assignment waivers:

http://www.thecubreporter.com/book/export/html/3530

 

Of note: "A club does not have to outright a player to the minors after Outright Assignment Waivers have been secured."

 

So Milone and Fien might be sticking around on the MLB roster for now, but assuming they clear, the Twins will have the ability to outright them anytime between now and the end of this waiver period (August 31).

[zenser]

Just think we didn't protect Gilmartin and picked up Graham.  I guess that didn't work out.

[J_Dobs]

So is there another move or 2 coming for the bullpen? Right now we have 5 in the bullpen

• Jepsen
• May
• Abad
• Pressly
• Tonkin

In the Rotation we have

• Nolasco
• Santana
• Hughes
• Duffey
• Berrios

What am I missing?

[gunnarthor]

 

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I *think* Milone and Fien are still on waivers and are thus still on the roster, so the additional DFAs were needed to clear roster spots.

 

I'm not clear on what the difference is between a DFA and the type of waiver Milone and Fien are on, besides that the former clears a roster spot as soon as the player is designated.

 

If that's correct, though, Milone and Fien might be with the team tonight, right? That's gonna be awkward.

Oh, yeah, you might be right.  Fun.

[Vanimal46]

 

So is there another move or 2 coming for the bullpen? Right now we have 5 in the bullpen

• Jepsen
• May
• Abad
• Pressly
• Tonkin

In the Rotation we have

• Nolasco
• Santana
• Hughes
• Duffey
• Berrios

What am I missing?

Fien and Milone aren't off the team yet. 

[J_Dobs]

 

Fien and Milone aren't off the team yet. 

 

Thank you for the clarification.

[nytwinsfan]

 

[Loosey]

Here is what I hope is actually happening behind the scenes:

 

Pohlad to Ryan: Hey Terry, check the paper this morning.  Publicly I have given you the benefit of the doubt and am not putting blame on you hoping you can fix what I called a Total System Failure.  BUT, between you and me, you need to fix this thing or we are going to have to find a new place for you in the organization.

 

Ryan to Pohlad:  Will calling up Mastroianni and Centeno help?

 

Pohlad:  Who?

 

Ryan:  I'll just DFA someone

 

Pohlad: D. F. A.?

 

Ryan: Ummmmmmmm.

 

Pohlad: Fix it.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

 

Just think we didn't protect Gilmartin and picked up Graham.  I guess that didn't work out.

dislike

[TheLeviathan]

 

I like Graham.  I hope he comes back.  But I'm not sure his departure is quite at the level of frustration needed to equal the loss of Zach Jones or Joe Benson.  

 

 

I could care less that he's gone, but it does make bending over backwards to get him and keep him on the roster last year a bit of an issue.

[Seth Stohs]

Sending Murphy down was necessary at this point. He's obviously part of the future, so they need to get him going in AAA. Hence Centeno added.

 

Mastroianni gives the Twins a real CF, a pinch runner type, and a guy who can sit on the bench and be depth. I'd like to see Rosario sent down because he may be part of the future and they need to get him going. Has nothing to do with him being "the answer"

 

Graham - I'm a little surprised, just because he's got options this year plus two more years. Same with O'Rourke, I believe

[TheLeviathan]

Except Mastro is the "answer" to CF for the time being.  I don't care how ducky and bunny your spin usually is, to be a "real CF" you have to actually be able to hit a baseball from time to time.

[alarp33]

 

Sending Murphy down was necessary at this point. He's obviously part of the future, so they need to get him going in AAA. Hence Centeno added.

 

Mastroianni gives the Twins a real CF, a pinch runner type, and a guy who can sit on the bench and be depth. I'd like to see Rosario sent down because he may be part of the future and they need to get him going. Has nothing to do with him being "the answer"

 

Graham - I'm a little surprised, just because he's got options this year plus two more years. Same with O'Rourke, I believe

 

Pretty sad we are at this point on May 6th where people are defending call-ups with "he's a guy who can sit on the bench"... just what every 8-20 team needs!! 

[ShouldaCouldaWoulda]

 

 

 

Mastroianni gives the Twins a real CF, a pinch runner type, and a guy who can sit on the bench and be depth. I'd like to see Rosario sent down because he may be part of the future and they need to get him going. Has nothing to do with him being "the answer"

 

 

Sure, I agree that in that sense its fine....but, with the way rosters and lineups have been handled I wouldn't be surprised Mastroianni being plugged into the everyday lineup (batting leadoff or something like that.) It also would not surprise me if he lucked into some early results that give him unnecessary long leash at future below average results. He also is not that great of a defender, he just is not really bad. 

 

Regardless, hopefully Buxton keeps up his AAA success and comes up to start in CF anyway. By the way...how many days would Buxton have to remain in the minors for the Twins to gain any service date time?

[S.]

I wouldn't say Murphy is an obvious part of the future either, to be honest. At best he's a mediocre back up catcher...so, I guess you're right, I'm sure he's going to be a Twin's staple behind the plate for a while.

[TheLeviathan]

 

I don't see it as panic so much as not letting prior-investment and sentimentality get in the way of the constructing the best roster.  In years past, it took the Twins far too long to make these kind of moves -- giving too much rope for undeserving players (even those with promise, like Graham) to supposedly turn it around.  

 

Son: I burned the house down again

 

Dad: Again!  C'mon man!

 

Son: Yeah...but this time I went at it with a fire extinguisher for, like, at least 5 or 10 minutes

 

Dad: But the house still burned down?

 

Son: Yeah...but aren't you proud of me for the extinguisher this time!?!

 

Dad: .........

[HitInAPinch]

 

Here is what I hope is actually happening behind the scenes:

 

Pohlad to Ryan: Hey Terry, check the paper this morning.  Publicly I have given you the benefit of the doubt and am not putting blame on you hoping you can fix what I called a Total System Failure.  BUT, between you and me, you need to fix this thing or we are going to have to find a new place for you in the organization.

 

Ryan to Pohlad:  Will calling up Mastroianni and Centeno help?

 

Pohlad:  Who?

 

Ryan:  I'll just DFA someone

 

Pohlad: D. F. A.?

 

Ryan: Ummmmmmmm.

 

Pohlad: Fix it.

[Riverbrian]

I have no idea what Ryan or Molitor thinks but actions speak louder than words.

 

We had 3 men on the bench and 8 in the bullpen.

 

We had Buxton, Kepler, Polanco, Vargas and Walker on the 40 man. 

 

Molitor has already shown Ryan and all of us that he wasn't going to play Kepler or Polanco. 

 

Therefore we had to clear roster spot for Mastroianni and Centeno so we didn't call up prospects to sit on the bench. 

 

Mastro is on the roster because the Twins didn't sign a Vet CF in the off season. 

 

Mastro is our Vet CF

 

I hate being right 85% of the time. 

 

 

[wsnydes]

 

 

Mastroianni gives the Twins a real CF, a pinch runner type, and a guy who can sit on the bench and be depth. I'd like to see Rosario sent down because he may be part of the future and they need to get him going. Has nothing to do with him being "the answer"

 

 

If this team were say, 20-8, then depth would be a decent idea.  This team needs more than depth.  This team needs a front line player to be in CF.  This move does nothing for the club.  It's just another retread that is eating up a roster spot and playing time of a young player that they could be getting a good and extended look at instead.