Joe Smith

[goulik]

How does everyone feel about Joe Smith?

 

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/minnesota-twins

 

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/smithjo05.shtml

[Otwins]

Smith may be a good start. Bullpen needs a lot of help. Hard to believe that they can say there was interest in Holland when he signs for 7M plus incentives and Twins did not top that offer.  Does not give you confidence they will win the bid for Smith.

[Oldgoat_MN]

I'm kind of with Otwins on this.

 

He made $5.25 million last year. A guy with a 116 ERA+ is not going to want a cut in pay.

[Physics Guy]

Last time a Joe Smith was signed in this town it set the franchise back for a long time.

[HitInAPinch]

Joe Smith?  Well, he had a nice resurgence with the Cubs, albeit a SSS.  So, why not?  A side-armer mixed in with some of the young, power arms?  Seems like a nice mix. 

[ppearson50]

He sounds great as a bullpen piece. Who gets bumped off the 40 man if they sign him? Tonkin?

[nicksaviking]

Eh, OK I guess.

 

His strikeout rate with the Cubs is a mirage, his AL K numbers aren't great for a reliever. I wouldn't have a ton of confidence in a guy who just got his WS ring and then jumps to the more difficult league for pitchers. Also, a bullpen guy who throws 88 MPH will always have me waiting for the other shoe to drop.

 

I guess if it's for one year and our new front office has less patience with under-achieving vets I don't care. As long as it doesn't cost Chargois a job out of spring training.

[Tom Froemming]

 

He sounds great as a bullpen piece. Who gets bumped off the 40 man if they sign him? Tonkin?

I would think Boshers & O'Rourke would be candidates too.

[Mike Sixel]

Please do not block young RPs with guys with limited upside. Please.

[Otto von Ballpark]

Here's the Twins bullpen depth chart over at MLB.com:

 

B. Kintzler (CL)
G. Perkins (CL)
R. Pressly
T. May
M. Tonkin
T. Rogers
P. Hughes
B. Boshers
J. Chargois
R. O'Rourke
P. Light

 

 

There would be little excuse for failing to roster Chargois out of spring training, regardless of whether we sign an additional reliever or not.  We don't even have any non-roster invitees yet on the level of Abad or Kintzler last year.

 

I don't know if Smith is the guy to add, he wouldn't have been my first choice, but this is a fairly uninspiring group and we're running out of options and time to help augment it.

[Mike Sixel]

Let's hope T. May is in the rotation, and not the bullpen....

[Vanimal46]

Concur with spycake. Smith isn't my first choice, and frankly I did not know he existed until this morning. If he's one of the better FA RPs left, then let's go for it. 

If he fails in Minnesota, cut him loose for another young player. The Twins have gone through a baker's dozen of relievers last year anyway. 

[Parker Hageman]

 

Having a release point down here would be a great change of pace from the other arms.

[whosafraidofluigirussolo]

Somewhat more interested in Romo or Blanton, but Smith could be useful.

[drjim]

I'd take him, or Romo or Blanton. They need a vet RH reliever, and all three of them have enough upside that they could be spun at the deadline, especially if they have a small contract.

[TheLeviathan]

Man, i was really hoping we'd spend some cash on the bullpen this year.  Time is ticking.

[Mike Sixel]

Dan Szymborski, just now:

 

But people overrate how many guys actually get flipped.
Last season, teams that finished below .500 had 26 guys signed the previous winter to one-year MLB contracts. only 7 were traded.

[drjim]

 

Dan Szymborski, just now:

 

But people overrate how many guys actually get flipped.
Last season, teams that finished below .500 had 26 guys signed the previous winter to one-year MLB contracts. only 7 were traded.

 

I imagine part of the reason is that 1 year contracts for good players are rare. They are often injury risk or performance reclamation guys, so they have to stay healthy and perform.

 

Twins actually did it last year with Abad. Minor league deal, pumped up his value, flipped for a prospect before he collapsed.

[nicksaviking]

 

Dan Szymborski, just now:

 

But people overrate how many guys actually get flipped.
Last season, teams that finished below .500 had 26 guys signed the previous winter to one-year MLB contracts. only 7 were traded.

 

 

I imagine part of the reason is that 1 year contracts for good players are rare. They are often injury risk or performance reclamation guys, so they have to stay healthy and perform.

 

 

I'd also imagine that bad teams are perhaps more likely to sign bad free agents.

[SF Twins Fan]

 

Here's the Twins bullpen depth chart over at MLB.com:

 

 

There would be little excuse for failing to roster Chargois out of spring training, regardless of whether we sign an additional reliever or not.  We don't even have any non-roster invitees yet on the level of Abad or Kintzler last year.

 

I don't know if Smith is the guy to add, he wouldn't have been my first choice, but this is a fairly uninspiring group and we're running out of options and time to help augment it.

I think you also have to include Duffey in the bullpen conversation.  To me there are plenty of young arms that need to be looked at against MLB hitting and I wouldn't want to block them