Article: Nunez Traded To Giants For LHP Prospect

[AlwaysinModeration]

Approve. Sell high, clear space for blocked MI prospect, add (left handed) pitching prospect. Win, win, and win.

 

Next.

[big dog]

 

 Butera is still in the bigs and hitting .308 /.366 /.538.

 

 

That stat had me coughing in my coffee so I looked it up.  75 plate appearances...but still, nice work by him.  Currently .294/.351/.515

[alarp33]

 

This trade may end up fine for the Twins, but it is sort of funny.

 

I mean, trading the team's one All-Star player in that same season is something Calvin Griffith would do.

 

It's no problem though because the Twins have lots of .296 hitters with 27 steals, 47 RBIs, and 12 dingers.

 

Nunez looks like a player MacPhail would have picked up to balance the young nucleus on the team.

 

Your analysis is based on "All Star, Batting Avg., and RBI"? 

 

FYI, his OBP since June 1 is .295

[jimmer]

 

Your analysis is based on "All Star, Batting Avg., and RBI"? 

 

FYI, his OBP since June 1 is .295

If that All-Star tag helped get him traded, then All-Star Nunez it is. :-)

[lukeduke1980]

Should be fun to watch Nunez in October.  Good for him and good return.

[raindog]

Really good haul for a guy that even the Giants know isn't what he's been this year.

 

It has been nice to see Nunez revitalize his career, hopefully he can be a steady regular.

[Otto von Ballpark]

Love the trade, but before we give Antony too much credit, remember that Nunez pretty much had to be traded. He is a utility infielder that isn't good defensively in the infield. Unless you think his first half offense is repeatable, which would be a fireable offense, you pretty much had to deal him now. There was no discretion involved on that side of the transaction.

 

That said, they got a better prospect than I was expecting, so credit to them for timing this well for that.

[jimmer]

 

If that All-Star tag helped get him traded, then All-Star Nunez it is. :-)

Now if we can only trade Cy Young candidate Ricky Nolasco ;-)

[diehardtwinsfan]

Have to say that Nunez wasn't on my list to trade, but when you get a top 100 guy for him, you do it.  Makes me wonder what Dozier is worth.  I'd imagine that would be a higher ranked top 100 plus one or two low A lottery tickets.

[jimmer]

If Nunez was worth a top 100 prospect, I wonder what Ervin Santana would fetch us.

[ashbury]

If Nunez was worth a top 100 prospect, I wonder what Ervin Santana would fetch us.

If their contracts were remotely similar, probably a lot more.

[jimmer]

 

If their contracts were remotely similar, probably a lot more.

Well, Santana is under-paid right now, and Baltimore and Pitt could really use a jump in pitching.  But I hear ya.

Edited July 29, 2016 by jimmer

[diehardtwinsfan]

Santana plus cash for Glasnow... common Antony get it done... I might rethink my position on your future job if you do

[ashbury]

Santana plus cash for Glasnow... common Antony get it done... I might rethink my position on your future job if you do

If I'm the Pirates he's pretty much untouchable. So yeah, Rob, add to Santana what it takes to get the guy (not including our own untouchables ) and I'll be impressed.

 

BTW, and maybe this has already been mentioned, one thing I like about Mejia is that the numbers he has put up in AAA are in the higher-offense PCL. A 4 ERA in the International League wouldn't have been too much to brag about. OTOH, a quick scan of his game log shows only Reno and maybe Vegas as a park he's pitched in that really elevates offense, to the best of my recollection. He pitched against El Paso but that was at home, which is basically sea level. He got pounded twice in his first three games, but in the next four has been good enough to pin some hopes on.

[gil4]

 

I like it, a young controllable lefty with some promise.

The Twins have gotten a pretty good return for Scott Tyler and Travis Boyer! They got Luis Castillo who got Drew Buetera (and Dustin Martin) who got Miguel Sulbaran who got Nunez who now got Mejia.

Not bad starting with a 20th round draft choice in 1999!

This one could last as long as the Knoblauch trade.

[twinssouth]

Nunez last 15 game stats; 182 BA, 214 OBP, 227SLG vs a southpaw sporting a 2.81 era in the minors this year.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

Makes me wonder what Dozier is worth.  I'd imagine that would be a higher ranked top 100 plus one or two low A lottery tickets.

 

 

If Nunez was worth a top 100 prospect, I wonder what Ervin Santana would fetch us.

 

In addition to the differences that ash pointed out, it should be noted that San Francisco is a fairly aggressive trader, which probably inflated our return.  It's not necessarily a great guide as to what a generic team might have paid for Nunez, much less for a better player.

 

Mostly that applies to Santana -- I think you'd have to find a team that was both an aggressive trader AND was generous with their spending to get something like this return for him.  Unfortunately our often rumored Santana suitor Baltimore seems pretty frugal (and Pittsburgh especially so).

 

Also, while Dozier is worth much more than Nunez, that doesn't mean he'd necessarily fetch a lot more in trade because people might not be willing to pay what he's worth.  I guess the appeal of guys like Nunez, while you might have to "overpay" a bit to get them, even an overpay for Nunez costs nowhere near "fair value" (or even a realistic underpay) for a guy like Dozier.

Edited July 29, 2016 by spycake

[zenser]

This is the type of pitcher I would love to see get innings, either this year or next, instead of Nolasco and Milone.

[spinowner]

 

Sad to see Nunie go, but I think he'll fit in nicely with the Giants.

Yep. Good fit for an NL team. Utility infielder with enough bat to pinch hit and enough wheels to pinch run.

[Mike Sixel]

I endorse this trade. Nice job.

[tobi0040]

If Nunez was worth a top 100 prospect, I wonder what Ervin Santana would fetch us.

 

It seems like the reason the Twins are likely to hold onto Ervin is that we lack SP depth/talent for next year. So this deal and maybe another like it would potentially pave the way for an Ervin trade. We have Gibson and Berrios penciled in, then you add Mejia, Jay, Gonsalves, Stewart, and Jorge. That is my hope at least.

 

Regarding the trade, I was a little less excited about the Giants 7th rated prospect when I realized they have a lower third rated system. But you take this deal every time for Nunez.

[zenser]

I am glad they tendered Nunez a contract this year!

 

[jorgenswest]

Great trade.

 

Mejia has just 7 starts in AAA. He isn't blowing batters away. It is probably best to have the patience that allows him to begin at that level next year. The Twins can expect to see him in the majors within a year. They just shouldn't count on him for 2017.

 

I look forward to seeing him.

[nicksaviking]

 

John made a good point about innings. It's incredibly unlikely the Twins will want him pitching in September.

 

They could limit his innings in the pen if the team also trades fellow lefty Abad.

 

It's not something Ryan would have done, but Ryan's not in charge any more either.

 

Not saying they should do it, or even that I care to see him this year, but they could be creative if they want him to audition for 2017 which might be smart considering he's the closest lefty in the system who may be ready for the opening day rotation.

 

Assuming (hoping) Milone is no longer an option and Rogers remains in the pen.

[jimmer]

 

 but Ryan's not in charge any more either.

For some reason, I never get tired of reading this :-)

[gunnarthor]

 

Regarding the trade, I was a little less excited about the Giants 7th rated prospect when I realized they have a lower third rated system. But you take this deal every time for Nunez.

Keep in mind that prospect ranking is an inexact science at best.  MLB's scouts had him #7 while BA had him #3 and in the top 100.  I tend to think mlb is better than BA but still, it's a solid get.  

[mikelink45]

Great start - now for more trades.  Even if we lose a few more games we cannot me more of a last place team.  It is only the future that counts now.  For some of the players needing to be moved the objective is to clear space.  Nunez is a real asset and I wish him luck as he goes forward. 

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

Regarding the trade, I was a little less excited about the Giants 7th rated prospect when I realized they have a lower third rated system. But you take this deal every time for Nunez.

BA seems like the Giants system all right.  5 in the top 100, with Mejia as #5 (and #91 overall).  A decent jump from being the Giants #10 preseason.

 

MLB.com has them lower (only 2 Giants in the top 100, Mejia at #7 for the Giants).  Preseason Sickels had only 3 Giants in his top 175, with a bunch more in the "others to consider" group (although no Mejia -- he was a C+, #12 for the Giants preseason).

[jorgenswest]

Keep in mind that prospect ranking is an inexact science at best.  MLB's scouts had him #7 while BA had him #3 and in the top 100.  I tend to think mlb is better than BA but still, it's a solid get.

 

I think most of these are mid season ranks which skew up. Many players have exited the ranks when entering the majors and the new draft crop isn't represented.

 

Mejia has one appearance on an off season top 100 list. He has yet to appear on the off season MLB or BA lists. He was ranked 86 prior to 2015 by BP. He is a good return for Nunez but maybe not a top 100.

[gunnarthor]

 

I think most of these are mid season ranks which skew up. Many players have exited the ranks when entering the majors and the new draft crop isn't represented.

Mejia has one appearance on an off season top 100 list. He has yet to appear on the off season MLB or BA lists. He was ranked 86 prior to 2015 by BP. He is a good return for Nunez but maybe not a top 100.

Yeah, that sounds about right.  He's a good get but he's likely a back of the rotation starter, which is nice but not a top 100 type.  But let's hope he excels for us.