Article: Twins Acquire LHP Kevin Chapman For Danny Santana

[Seth Stohs]

According to the Twitter feed of the Atlanta Braves, the Minnesota Twins acquired right-handed pitcher Kevin Chapman in exchange for utility man Danny Santana.The Twins acknowledged the trade with a press release.

 

The Twins designated Santana for assignment late last week, giving them ten days to work out a trade or place him on waivers.

 

The 29-year-old Chapman has struggled early this season, posting a 7.71 ERA in 11.2 innings for Gwinnett, Atlanta's AAA team. He had spent parts of the previous four seasons with the Houston Astros. He had a 3-1 record with a 4.09 ERA in 55 big league innings over that time. In those 55 innings, he walked 31 and struck out 48.

 

While Chapman is far from a prospect, the fact that Thad Levine was able to find a taker for the athletic Santana is great. The fact that Chapman is not on the 40-man roster is even better.

Santana was one of the longest-tenured Twins players, having signed back in 2007 out of the Dominican Republic. He debuted for the Twins in 2014 and put up a terrific rookie season. He has not been able to replicate that success, however, in the two-plus seasons since.

 

Santana was DFAd to make room for Ehire Adrianza.

 

Also over the weekend, the Twins DFAd RH RP Michael Tonkin, giving them ten days to work out a trade for him or put him on waivers at some point.

 

Click here to view the article

[Dave The Dastardly]

Okay, I give up. The headline says LHP, the blurb says RHP, the photo shows LHP. What is this guy? Ambidextrous?

 

More importantly, how bad is he? I mean what's the market value on a slightly used D Santana? Just north of a box of new baseballs?

[Pardon My Dinger]

Lesser known Chapman for lesser known Santana. Gotta say, this deal works on paper.

[mlhouse]

 

Okay, I give up. The headline says LHP, the blurb says RHP, the photo shows LHP. What is this guy? Ambidextrous?

 

More importantly, how bad is he? I mean what's the market value on a slightly used D Santana? Just north of a box of new baseballs?

 

He is so bad that I am sure the Twins will find a way to get him right up on the major league pitching staff.

[Brock Beauchamp]

Nice move. I didn't expect the Twins to get anything for Santana and a questionable lefty bullpen arm seems like a fair deal.

[PseudoSABR]

I like acquiring a non-40-man pitcher with experience.  It gives the Twins flexibility and a low-end arm to potentially fill out the bullpen should it come to that without the use of a roster space.

[notoriousgod71]

My initial reaction is meh. My second reaction is both players will be lucky to survive the season with their new organizations.

 

Maybe the Twins absolute travesty of a bullpen will force them to keep Chapman around.

[wsnydes]

Can't complain about this. Chapman is exactly a haul, but getting anything for Santana is a bonus. A player AND cash is incredible. I really like that they cleared the 40 man spot on top of everything.

[KirbyHawk75]

Now will Santana become the next Aaron Hicks?  Probably not...

[PseudoSABR]

 

Now will Santana become the next Aaron Hicks?  Probably not...

Let's give Hicks some more at bats before he becomes the standard of bad trades.  He was really awful last year.  

[bighat]

 

Now will Santana become the next Aaron Hicks?  

 

I don't think he'll become Hicks, but I do think he has a future in MLB.  I see him being a somewhat valuable role player for an NL team down the road.  I don't think he's a good fit with the Twins but again I don't think he's total garbage. 

 

Chapman, on the other hand...well I'm guessing we'll see him sooner or later!

[Blake]

That Falvey and company got anything for Santana surprises me.

 

Best of luck to Santana and I hope he succeeds. 

[TheLeviathan]

Better than nothing I guess.

[Winston Smith]

 

Let's give Hicks some more at bats before he becomes the standard of bad trades.  He was really awful last year.  

And how is Murphy doing?

[Shaitan]

Santana hasn't made a single out or error for ATL yet. Hosed again.

[Kwak]

Anybody remember Drew Butera--and how some proclaimed "we won that deal"?

[DaveW]

And how is Murphy doing?

Better 2017 WAR than Santana

[DaveW]

I don't think he'll become Hicks, but I do think he has a future in MLB. I see him being a somewhat valuable role player for an NL team down the road. I don't think he's a good fit with the Twins but again I don't think he's total garbage.

 

Chapman, on the other hand...well I'm guessing we'll see him sooner or later!

He's gonna have to improve all aspects of his game to be a contributor for an NL or any team. He had one of the 3 lowest WARs in baseball over the last 2 years.

[Otto von Ballpark]

Chapman was available to us twice on waivers back in March. The second time he cleared completely, which is why Atlanta was able to outright him off their 40-man.

[Richie the Rally Goat]

Chapman was available to us twice on waivers back in March. The second time he cleared completely, which is why Atlanta was able to outright him off their 40-man.

The DFA'd DanSan who clearly was claimed. Getting anything not on the 40 man is better than nothing

[gunnarthor]

 

Anybody remember Drew Butera--and how some proclaimed "we won that deal"?

Didn't we? Am I mistaking my trades but didn't we turn him into Nunez and eventually Mejia?

[jimbo92107]

 

Nice move. I didn't expect the Twins to get anything for Santana and a questionable lefty bullpen arm seems like a fair deal.

Unfortunately, a "questionable" player begs the question... ;-)

 

You're right, though. Santana is a questionable player, too. Maybe both guys can benefit from a change of scenery. 

[Otto von Ballpark]

The DFA'd DanSan who clearly was claimed. Getting anything not on the 40 man is better than nothing

Actually Santana wasn't claimed -- he was never waived. Likely he would have been claimed by a couple clubs, though, and the Braves offered Chapman to essentially jump the line.

[Otto von Ballpark]

And while Chapman not being on the 40-man is nice, the Twins actually have an open 40-man spot with Tonkin removed. And if we add Chapman at any point, he is out of options which might limit our flexibility.

[tobi0040]

The biggest win here is Santana is not around to get 200 AB and accumulate a negative win or two

[Oldgoat_MN]

 

Didn't we? Am I mistaking my trades but didn't we turn him into Nunez and eventually Mejia?

We sent Butera to the Dodgers and received Miguel Subaran in return.

Sulbaran pitched for the NYY AA and AAA teams last year.

He wasn't very good at it, though I don't know why we gave up on a 20 year old in A ball. Did we trade him?

Edited May 9, 2017 by Oldgoat_MN

[Rosterman]

Yes...better than nothing.

 

No need to keep a roster space for him, yet.

 

Him and Boshers can be the setup guys at Rochester (sic).

[Richie the Rally Goat]

And while Chapman not being on the 40-man is nice, the Twins actually have an open 40-man spot with Tonkin removed. And if we add Chapman at any point, he is out of options which might limit our flexibility.

he passed waivers twice. Why is this a concern?

[drjim]

We sent Butera to the Dodgers and received Miguel Subaran in return.

Sulbaran pitched for the NYY AA and AAA teams last year.

He wasn't very good at it, though I don't know why we gave up on a 20 year old in A ball. Did we trade him?

Yes, traded him for Nunez. Then traded for Mejia.

[Tweety]

So is the free 40-man spot gonna go to Park?