Article: Twins To Sign RH RP Matt Belisle

[Seth Stohs]

A report from Fan Rag's Jon Heyman (which has been verified by others now) says that the Minnesota Twins have signed veteran reliever Matt Belisle to a one-year contract.

 

The 36-year-old right-hander spent 2016 with the Washington Nationals where he posted an impressive 1.87 ERA over 40 games. In 46 innings, he struck out 32 and walked just seven.

 

(More information to come as we gather details)Belisle posted a 2.67 ERA in 2015 with the Cardinals. Before that, he had pitched five seasons with the Cincinnati Reds and six seasons with the Colorado Rockies.

 

After making at least 72 appearances each season from 2010 to 2013(including a league-leading 80 appearances in 2012), Belisle pitched 66 games in 2014. The last two seasons, he has combined to pitch in 74 games.

 

He missed two months of the 2016 season with a strained calf muscle.

 

Mike Berardino tweeted that it is a one-year, $2.05 million deal.

 

Belisle easily fits into the Twins bullpen as a 7th and 8th inning guy. Since it's a cheap, one-year deal, he could easily be a trade deadline deal guy if he gets off to a strong start. The deal is also cheap enough such that if any of the prospects are knocking down the door in AAA, they could release him if he isn't pitching well.

 

The Twins are currently at 40 men on their 40-man roster, so they will have to DFA someone to make the move official.

 

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[Pardon My Dinger]

I've got no problem with this.

[jud6312]

So, what was your favorite Michael Tonkin moment? Or who else would they consider dropping?

[jud6312]

The only others that could be debated would Dan San and Rosario. Maybe I'm missing someone.

[Riverbrian]

I have seen Belisle pitch a few times... I remember liking his slider and he seemed to throw it a lot... but I've always thought of him as a good low leverage guy. You feel more comfortable when he came into games with the bases empty. 

[Richie the Rally Goat]

To paraphrase Gleeman; it's impossible to screw up a 1 year deal.

 

If he can stay healthy, he should stabilize the bullpen.

[TheLeviathan]

More of this please.

[drjim]

Can never have enough relievers with k/9 rates in the 6s.

[Homer Hanky]

This is a good signing... nothing to worry about here.

[KirbyDome89]

 

The only others that could be debated would Dan San and Rosario. Maybe I'm missing someone.

Rosario is safe....Dantana too unfortunately....

[Danchat]

He may be turning 37 this season, but he's had his best seasons his past two years with Washington and St. Louis. In the past two seasons, he's accumulated a 2.15 ERA (3.18 FIP) and a nice 0.3 HR/9. He may only have a 6.4 K/9, but for $2.05M, this signing is a bargain.

 

If Belisle can stay healthy, I wouldn't be surprised if he ends up being the closer at some point. (Not that he should, mind you - but at the current moment the closer's either gonna be Perkins or Kintzler, so yeah.)

 

 

Belisle easily fits into the Twins bullpen as a 7th and 8th inning guy. Since it's a cheap, one-year deal, he could easily be a trade deadline deal guy if he gets off to a strong start. The deal is also cheap enough such that if any of the prospects are knocking down the door in AAA, they could release him if he isn't pitching well.

I couldn't have said it better.

Edited February 3, 2017 by Danchat

[jud6312]

 

Rosario is safe....Dantana too unfortunately....

Aw, Dan San and his amusing job security.

 

I guess it was just wishful thinking. But I'll stick with my gut and say Tonkin.

[Thrylos]

4.5 HR/FB  last season and AL hitters have a collective career .294/.346/.453 line in 355 PA.  Interesting to see.

[Seth Stohs]

There are so many similarities between this signing and Brandon Kintzler last year. The difference, of course, is that Belisle got an MLB deal. 

 

Like Kintzler, Belisle missed time the previous year due to leg injuries. Their previous couple of years were very solid. Stuff profiles similarly. Hopefully he's as good in 2017 and Kintzler was in 2016. Hopefully Kintzler is as good in 2017 as he was in 2016. 

 

If so, they could be dealt in June/July, and then Reed, Hildenberger and Reed may be ready to go!

[KirbyDome89]

 

Aw, Dan San and his amusing job security.

 

I guess it was just wishful thinking. But I'll stick with my gut and say Tonkin.

Likely a better bet

[jorgenswest]

Any similarities to Tim Stauffer?

[rcfarmer]

This is the kind of deal I was hoping to see Falvey make, improve the major league roster at minimal risk.

[jorgenswest]

 

To paraphrase Gleeman; it's impossible to screw up a 1 year deal.

If he can stay healthy, he should stabilize the bullpen.

They could lose the guy they drop off the 40. It is possible that the guy they drop has a better career moving forward than one year of Matt Belisle. If they lose a player and Belisle pitches at a mediocre level, did they make a mistake?

 

Edit: If they drop Tonkin, he had essentially the same xFIP in the context of the American League and essentially the same Steamer projection (also in the AL context). 

 

Edited February 3, 2017 by jorgenswest

[wsnydes]

This pleases me.

[Otto von Ballpark]

I have seen Belisle pitch a few times... I remember liking his slider and he seemed to throw it a lot... but I've always thought of him as a good low leverage guy. You feel more comfortable when he came into games with the bases empty.

You might be right. 0.83 leverage index last year, roughly the same as Tonkin, Boshers, and O'Rourke. Not much higher in 2014-2015 either.

[gSutter]

Rosario is safe....Dantana too unfortunately....

 

We are talking Randy Rosario the LHP, right?

 

[drjim]

Any similarities to Tim Stauffer?

Belisle isn't that good.

 

I was trying to remember the guy signed in the late aughts who blew out in spring training and never actually pitched for the Twins.

[Homer Hanky]

now for signing a VET to be the 4th outfielder... then lets roll the dice and get this season going. 

 

[Boom Boom]

Belisle isn't that good.

 

I was trying to remember the guy signed in the late aughts who blew out in spring training and never actually pitched for the Twins.

Joel Zumaya?

[drjim]

 

Joel Zumaya?

 

No, it was someone else, I'm blanking on it. He did the rest and rehab for a while and eventually had TJ and never heard from him again. I actually liked the Zumaya gamble.

 

He struck me as similarly meh. Classic Ryan signing.

[Tom Froemming]

Happy to see this. Upgrades the bullpen without necessarily blocking the youth. 

 

Not long ago I asked Ted at Off The Baggy who he thought would get dropped from the 40 man if something like this happened, his guess was Buddy Boshers. That makes a lot of sense, given the presence of fellow lefty Glen Perkins, Taylor Rogers, Ryan O'Rourke and Mason Melotakis on the 40 man. Randy Rosario would also seem like a candidate, but I think since we're adding a pitcher it would be surprising to see Danny Santana removed from the 40 man.

[drjim]

No, it was someone else, I'm blanking on it. He did the rest and rehab for a while and eventually had TJ and never heard from him again. I actually liked the Zumaya gamble.

 

He struck me as similarly meh. Classic Ryan signing.

Clay Condrey! But in Ryan's defense, it was the Bill Smith era.

 

This signing excites me only slightly more than Clay Condrey.

[Linus]

I think this completely depends on. Who they have to dfa. They have obviously not gone all in so a signing like this is going to need to be flipped at the deadline in order to get value back.

[Vanimal46]

Good deal. I like the stats he's posted the last 2 seasons. I also think this is the end for Michael Tonkin in Minnesota. Let's see another signing!

[Vanimal46]

now for signing a VET to be the 4th outfielder... then lets roll the dice and get this season going.

 

Concur. Anything to end the D Santana era, please.