Mariners Need a Shortstop

[jorgenswest]

From MLBTR

 

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2016/07/playoff-contender-needs-al.html

 

Nunez for Zunino?

[King]

They can have him. Decent player to have but not a core piece.

[diehardtwinsfan]

 

From MLBTR

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2016/07/playoff-contender-needs-al.html

Nunez for Zunino?

 

I haven't followed Zunio's career, but I have to ask how it is his stock could have fallen that much.  He was drafted only a couple years ago. 

 

I'd note I'd do it in a heartbeat assuming that my scouts thought he had the tools... This team can certainly be patient to develop him. 

[King]

 

I haven't followed Zunio's career, but I have to ask how it is his stock could have fallen that much.  He was drafted only a couple years ago. 

 

I'd note I'd do it in a heartbeat assuming that my scouts thought he had the tools... This team can certainly be patient to develop him. 

 

He has 1000 MLB plate appearances of being a really, really bad hitter. That would do a lot to kill your stock.

 

He's been a great hitter this year in AAA though, so if you acquire him, let him play everyday and hope he figures it out. His defense is very good by my understanding, excellent pitch framer.

[ashbury]

Absent primary scouting, I am willing to give a mulligan to a player for a bad year, and Zunino's 2015 looks like the kind of season to forget. The rest of his resume looks like typical progress at the plate. Seattle looks like they are just letting him get his bearings in AAA this year. I doubt Nunez or Escobar snags him for us.

[diehardtwinsfan]

College draftee taken 1 pick after Buxton.  Destroyed A ball and AA in same year and spent 2013 in AAA/MLB... Yeah, I don't think his stock has fallen that much.  If Seattle offered him up for Nunez, I'd sign the paperwork before anyone had a chance to change their mind. 

 

I doubt Seattle does that. 

[Vanimal46]

Zunino looks like a perfect buy low player for the Twins. Plenty of time here to let him develop and figure things out.

 

Nunez for him - sign me up. I'd even consider throwing in a prospect if Nunez isn't enough to get them to pull the trigger.

[FattCrapps]

Oh you guys...

[nicksaviking]

I'd note I'd do it in a heartbeat assuming that my scouts thought he had the tools...

 

Question, do you have scouts on a retainer or are they actual employees?

 

[h2oface]

Dozier can play short..... and Plouffe!

[ashbury]

Dozier can play short..... and Plouffe!

Good observation. Now to sell it to the M's.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

I couldn't remember if Fangraphs had Zunino really high or really low for defense, so I checked, and...

 

28 out of 35 for catchers with 800 innings since start of last year, and

23 out of 26 for catchers with 2000 innings since 2013.

 

We do have a bunch of adequate short stops however.

[jorgenswest]

I couldn't remember if Fangraphs had Zunino really high or really low for defense, so I checked, and...

 

28 out of 35 for catchers with 800 innings since start of last year, and

23 out of 26 for catchers with 2000 innings since 2013.

 

We do have a bunch of adequate short stops however.

To add...

 

Among the best pitch framers in 2014 and 2015. Not part of fangraphs calculation.

 

He has been below average throwing out runners but 42/64 sb against rate far better than Suzuki's.

[twinsnorth49]

[Bark's Lounge]

This thread is an example of why I swore off taking shrooms while posting on TD.

[DaveW]

The Mariners would have to be offered quite a bit to give up on Zunino, Nunez is not "quite a bit", the Twins would probably have to toss in a guy like Kepler at the very least or another top 5 prospect in the system as well.

 

Zunino is young, already has 25+ HR power and it appears he has put it togther so far in 2016 (.891 OPS in AAA) 2 HR in 2 games in MLB.

 

I would glady give up Kepler+Nunez for Zunino, but it may not be enough for him anyways. The Twins aren't getting Zunino.

[DaveW]

Also, Marte is a heck of a little short stop and is still young, I have a feeling the Mariners will give him some more rope at SS this year. Plus, he is their short stop of the future as well, which sort of negates the "value" that Nunez has in having team control.

That doesn't mean the Mariners wouldn't take Nunez, it just means they won't give up a whole lot for him.

[jimmer]

 

The Mariners would have to be offered quite a bit to give up on Zunino, Nunez is not "quite a bit", the Twins would probably have to toss in a guy like Kepler at the very least or another top 5 prospect in the system as well.

 

Zunino is young, already has 25+ HR power and it appears he has put it togther so far in 2016 (.891 OPS in AAA) 2 HR in 2 games in MLB.

 

I would glady give up Kepler+Nunez for Zunino, but it may not be enough for him anyways. The Twins aren't getting Zunino.

I wouldn't give up Kepler for Zunino, no way.  It's irrelevant though, TR isn't going to trade for Zunino.  Would like to watch him next weekend though as Tacoma plays Salt Lake.

[Badsmerf]

If Matt Capps can get Wilson Ramos.... anything can happen boys! Sign me up!

[Everyday Eddy]

If Seattle did this I'd bump their GM to 29th, slightly above TR, in the GM power rankings

[jimmer]

 

If Seattle did this I'd bump their GM to 29th, slightly above TR, in the GM power rankings

In a world that has Dave Stewart as MLB GM, everyone else battles for 29th while he firmly holds on to 30th.

[Otto von Ballpark]

The Mariners also don't exactly have a non-Zuzino solution at catcher either.

 

And their current SS Marte is 22 years old and has a better OPS+ than Eduardo Escobar (and had a better one than Escobar in 2015 too).

[DaveW]

 

I wouldn't give up Kepler for Zunino, no way.  It's irrelevant though, TR isn't going to trade for Zunino.  Would like to watch him next weekend though as Tacoma plays Salt Lake.

Zunino won't be with Tacoma next week, he will be with the Mariners.

[jimmer]

 

Zunino won't be with Tacoma next week, he will be with the Mariners.

that's unfortunate

[DaveW]

 

that's unfortunate

Actually looks like they optioned him back to AAA on the 6th, so he might still be down there by next week.

[jimmer]

 

Actually looks like they optioned him back to AAA on the 6th, so he might still be down there by next week.

I knew he had been sent down to Triple A, that's why I said I hope he's with the team next week. :-)

[ashbury]

If Matt Capps can get Wilson Ramos.... anything can happen boys! Sign me up!

If you offer Wilson Ramos you can always get a Matt Capps.

 

If you offer a Matt Capps, it'll be rare that you can get a Wilson Ramos. All it takes is one GM, of course.

[gunnarthor]

Keep in mind that Zunino is hitting in the PCL.  His .891 OPS is solid but it's 9th among catchers in the PCL (and behind our old friend Josmil Pinto).  It isn't even in the top 40 if you count all hitters.  He's 25 and his strike out problem hasn't gone away. He also enters his arbitration years next year and only has three years of control left at the end of the year. The M's would trade him for Kepler in a heart beat.  We'd be foolish to do so.  

[Thrylos]

What is lost in this is that in addition to SS, the Mariners need a catcher badly.  Their starting C is 33 year old Chris Iannetta who is just above the Butera line with .218/.309/.354.   So I suspect that they might want to see what Zunino (who is getting better with the bat and he was rushed; but his fielding, arm, and pitch blocking is suspect) can still do with them. 

 

On the other hand Nunez + Suzuki to Mariners might be an intriguing possibility, but not for Zunino.  As far as Catchers go, the Mariners' 2010 2nd round pick, 24 year old switch hitter and good fielder (he is a converted to C SS, not a rare conversion, with a strong arm) Marcus Littlewood is finally getting it together in AA (Southern League, so the Twins have seen him play against them) and might be an intriguing possibility.  Was rushed to full season A ball when he was drafted from HS, so his adjustment to the wooden bat took a while.  Plus getting the intricacies of the C position took a while too.  I think that he might be excellent for the Twins as a flying under the radar guy. 

 

Now  if they can add someone like Edwin Diaz (22, highly unlikely) or Tony Zyck (25, possible) either of whom would be better than anything the Twins have in their  bullpen right now, it would be great.   25 year old Emilio Pagan, who was their AA team closer in the first half of the season is another potentially good target.

 

Noted that other than Diaz who was the Mariners' number 2 prospects, everyone mentioned has not been in their top 10 list this off-season, so these players could potentially be had.

I think that Nunez + Suzuki for Littlewood + Zyck/Pagan is a pretty balanced trade

[DaveW]

One guy I would really like to target would be James Paxton. Suzuki+Nunez won't get it done, but I wonder if there is some prospect or other player we can give up? Maybe a target for the off-season though.

 

Additionally, I am curious if the Mariners would be interested in Santana, Miley and Karns both suck. Iwakuma has taken a step back as well.

Santana could be an appealing #3 for the M's the rest of this year and moving forward behind the King and Walker.