Article: Deadline Primer: Catcher On The Rise

[mazeville]

Trade him.

 

The Twins are not contending this year. They are not contending next year. Suzuki is not in this team's long-term picture. They need to trade him and sink or swim with their young catchers the rest of the year while working to put themselves in the picture to answer the catching question.

 

He has value. You trade him. The Twins have not made much in the way of major veteran-for-prospect trades over the last six years that might have put them in a better position today. They need to do that now.

[Nick Nelson]

 

Murphy, BTW, has come on strong of late.  Not sure what was going on earlier this season, but he seems to have figured things out (at least in a SSS capacity). 

Murphy in the month of May following his demotion (74 PA): .154/.230/.169
Murphy since June 1st (113 PA): .228/.283/.356

:/

[Otto von Ballpark]

http://m.mlb.com/glossary/transactions/vesting-option

 

"In most cases, a vesting option that fails to vest can still be exercised as a club option."

 

I believe this to be the case.

Thanks. I thought that too, although the example in that link (Santiago Casilla) was also widely reported as a club option. Much like Ervin's.

 

Just seemed odd that Suzuki's was never reported that way, although I suppose no one expected the team would want to exercise it if given the choice.

[Otto von Ballpark]

Since the Twin's system is so flushed with catching talent that we can give away talent at the position, how is Hicks doing for the Tigers??

Hicks has a 153 wRC+ in AAA this year, compared to Murphy's 57. Would have been nice to be able to give him a MLB audition if Murphy wasn't ready. Wonder if he will get a call from the Tigers soon.

[troyhobbs]

 

Hicks has a 153 wRC+ in AAA this year, compared to Murphy's 57. Would have been nice to be able to give him a MLB audition if Murphy wasn't ready. Wonder if he will get a call from the Tigers soon.

My TR bashing probably gets old but chalk up another bad baseball decision for the old codger.  Too bad the Pohlad's don't follow baseball so they were aware of some of these bad calls because until they do it's going to be more of the same I fear.....

[King]

Murphy isn't the answer at catcher either. He'd be an acceptable backup, though. Even if we trade Suzuki, and Murphy comes up and BABIPS his way to a decent 2nd half (unlikely), just like he did in 2015, I wouldn't want to pencil him in as the starter next season. He is what he is at this point, a light hitting backup catcher. And he hasn't shown anything in AAA this season, so even that might be a bit of a stretch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 15, 2016 by King

[Boom Boom]

Disagree. This is the real Suzuki. He has a few hot weeks, a few OK weeks, a few really stinky weeks. In the end he is a catcher who is not good, but not terrible and can play a lot of innings. Some teams value that.

 

But I highly doubt this is a sell high moment on Suzuki. Every GM would know what they are getting with him.

Not exactly what I meant. My point was that a few hot weeks from Suzuki should not change the Twins' mind about keeping him around or not.

[h2oface]

......... No team is foolish enough to take first half stats and use them to project second half stats..........

But hey, fans do it right here on these boards all the time.... even to make the case that a player is suddenly an all-star!

Edited July 15, 2016 by h2oface

[h2oface]

Let's not fall into the same trap that resulted in the second Suzuki contract or the Hughes extension.

 

The guy you're seeing out there is not the real Kurt Suzuki.

Maybe it is that other guy.... Sazuki.

[h2oface]

Murphy is hitless in his last 5 games (gotten on base once) and has 4 hits in his last 35 PA (or, 4 for July, if you will).

mmmmmm... strrroooong

[jimmer]

 

mmmmmm... strrroooong

my thoughts exactly :-)

[Han Joelo]

Seems like a hot-hitting catcher with a track record of having had at least one similar stretch would be an extremely desirable trade commodity.  Even if this isn't the "real" Suzuki, and all stats and projections say he won't keep it up, gambling that he can for a few weeks might be a pretty good move for a playoff hopeful.  Like April games, mid-July games count just as much as game 162.

[bird]

 

My TR bashing probably gets old but chalk up another bad baseball decision for the old codger.  Too bad the Pohlad's don't follow baseball so they were aware of some of these bad calls because until they do it's going to be more of the same I fear.....

 

 

I agree. About the bad baseball decision I mean. The TR bashing is really refreshing.

[Darius]

Unfortunately, Ryan is probably more likely to extend him than trade him.

 

I've watched him operate long enough to have learned to never get my hopes up in these situations. We go through this every year, and nothing significant ever happens the deadline, whether he is running a winner (which is almost never), or a loser.

[Rosterman]

He is a free agent at year's end. You trade him and get something in return. If you truly want him back, you go after him in the offseason. But I would feel better if we got some return on the past investment than just seeing him walk. 

 

Face it, we aren't getting any better this year. We need more player options in the way of prospects. If we just let him walk...we have zip.

[The Wise One]

 

 

Hicks has a 153 wRC+ in AAA this year, compared to Murphy's 57. Would have been nice to be able to give him a MLB audition if Murphy wasn't ready. Wonder if he will get a call from the Tigers soon.

McCann and salty are having such great season that they are blocking such a fine catcher having an outlier season while stuck in the minors. .It is the instant ex Twin as suddenly a great player potential for Hicks that should be placing him in the major league in three years Those 3 years, and 4 organizations will pass so quickly for some. So fast it would be leaving the fanbase  here to bemoan what coulda been if the Twins FO only had a brain ( a heart, for courage, and a nerve, too) or a least a wizard manipulating things

[h2oface]

Hicks has a 153 wRC+ in AAA this year, compared to Murphy's 57. Would have been nice to be able to give him a MLB audition if Murphy wasn't ready. Wonder if he will get a call from the Tigers soon.

Yup. Another case of roster mismanagement. I didn't get the need to DFA him.

[diehardtwinsfan]

 

Murphy in the month of May following his demotion (74 PA): .154/.230/.169
Murphy since June 1st (113 PA): .228/.283/.356

:/

I was looking more at his June numbers (279/.346/.456).  Didn't realize he dropped off the planet again in July.

[Otto von Ballpark]

So, with Yan Gomes out (potentially for the season), it will be interesting to see what Cleveland does at catcher.

 

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2016/07/yan-gomes-dl-indians-trade-catcher.html

 

Roberto Perez is probably more than a backup -- a good eye and decent power, plus strong defensive marks:

 

http://www.beyondtheboxscore.com/2016/2/17/11024080/indians-trade-roberto-perez-yan-gomes-framing-diamondbacks-nationals-hot-stove

[DaveW]

I like Kurt, but this team isn't competing anytime soon. He likely won't be worth keeping around til 2018/2019.

 

He needs to be traded now.

[Vanimal46]

I'd love to make Suzuki to the Indians a reality. Someone in the 6-15 range in their prospect org chart will work for me. Perhaps RHP Triston McKenzie? 

DOB: 08/02/1997

Height/Weight: 6’5” 160 lbs.
Future Tools: 55 fastball, 55 curve, 55 change
Role: 50—No. 4 starter/high-leverage reliever

When we say McKenzie offers projection, we mean projection. He’s wafer-thin (Mr. Creosote would be tempted), and it is an open question whether his frame will fill out with enough good weight that he can hold up as a starter. Despite the durability concerns, sources called McKenzie one of the most impressive pitchers in the AZL.
 

McKenzie touches 93 with his four-seamer, and while it typically sits in the high 80s at present there’s obvious room to add a couple notches to the sitting velocity and push the pitch into plus territory. Both his curveball and change are more advanced—a rarity for a pitcher this young—with the curve occasionally showing plus thanks to its depth and hard spin. The change is an above-average offering, as he generates late fade and sells it with excellent arm speed. Like every other pitcher in the system, the delivery is easy to repeat, and he can throw strikes with all three of his pitches, though he can get wild in the zone.
 

He’s light years away from contributing, but outside of Aiken, McKenzie offers the most upside of any pitcher in the system.

Source of info: http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=28224
 

[howieramone2]

The reason for our problems this season, have nothing to do will catcher. I would sign Suzuki for 1 year, and if push comes to shove 2. Paired with John Ryan Murphy, we will be fine as we move back into contention in 2017 and beyond.

Edited July 18, 2016 by howieramone2

[jorgenswest]

The Indians have stated that catcher is not a priority. I am sure they would listen if the deal had a cheap prospect cost. Gimenez and Perez are both good defensive catchers. Suzuki may not be a significant upgrade worthy of a good prospect.