Article: Twins Sign Closer Rodney To One-Year Deal

[Doomtints]

Pineda signing: "Love it. What's the big deal? 1 year deals never hurt. Even if he is terrible this is OK." ($10M / 2 yrs / currently injured)

 

Rodney signing: "Hate it. Terrible deal. We need young guys, not vets." ($4.5M / 1 yr; $6M if he pitches well / currently healthy)

Edited December 14, 2017 by Doomtints

[Riverbrian]

I'm all about depth. I'm alright with Rodney... I hope he works out great. However... I want additions added to this team in case he doesn't work out great. 

[diehardtwinsfan]

This would be fine as a second RP. I didn't realize his peripherals were still this good at his age, so I guess I'll give him more of a pass there, but if this is it in the pen, color me disappointed. I wasn't a fan of Kintzler in that role, but to be fair, Rodney has better peripherals, so maybe there's something there... but on the other side, he's older... and well, we need a much younger sure thing.

 

Just not a fan of signing anyone to this team that is older than me.

 

No go get Darvish or Lynn and another solid RP and I'll be happy.

[Tom Froemming]

Mike Berardino has updated his article on the signing with all sorts of good quotes and such. The full piece is worth your time, but I found this quote from Rodney's 2017 manager Torey Lovullo of particular interest:

 

“He works extremely hard during his pregame, as hard as any pitcher we had in our system."

 

I'm guessing the Twins hope he can bring in some of that "veteran magic" that they saw so valuable last offseason and hope maybe his positive work habits can rub off on some of the younger guys. There's still work to do in terms of upgrading the pitching staff, but I like this addition.

[Respy]

Well since I will be civil and try not to say anything negative about Rodney,

 

...

 

...

[jud6312]

 

1 out of 2 ain't bad.

Well, Castro didn't hit, and if I looked at the right websites, his defense - including his famed pitch framing - was pretty average. So, if those numbers were right, I wouldn't chalk that one up to much success.

[spinowner]

 

I'd rather have 6 years of Burdi than 1 of Rodney

I'll let you know 6 years from now whether I agree.

[ashbury]

Is that what that is supposed to be?

[rv78]

I had hoped for better.......

Too old, too wild, too much of the same thing all over again. 

[Nick Nelson]

 

Well, Castro didn't hit, and if I looked at the right websites, his defense - including his famed pitch framing - was pretty average. So, if those numbers were right, I wouldn't chalk that one up to much success.

Didn't hit? His 720 OPS was above average and a healthy improvement over Suzuki's 680 mark as a Twin. Not sure exactly what you were expecting if Castro's production disappointed you. 

[Han Joelo]

 

Mike Berardino has updated his article on the signing with all sorts of good quotes and such. The full piece is worth your time, but I found this quote from Rodney's 2017 manager Torey Lovullo of particular interest:

 

“He works extremely hard during his pregame, as hard as any pitcher we had in our system."

 

I'm guessing the Twins hope he can bring in some of that "veteran magic" that they saw so valuable last offseason and hope maybe his positive work habits can rub off on some of the younger guys. There's still work to do in terms of upgrading the pitching staff, but I like this addition.

Nice link.  Sounds like another high character dude.  Interesting to read how Levine made sure to pay due respect to Kintzler...and Krivsky for scouting him.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Didn't hit? His 720 OPS was above average and a healthy improvement over Suzuki's 680 mark as a Twin. Not sure exactly what you were expecting if Castro's production disappointed you.

i have to back up the opinion of the other poster.

 

Castro's 720 OPS seems ok but it's context neutral and also below average for catchers in 2017 (or at least below median for catchers with a high number of plate appearances)

 

When at bats mattered, Castro was terrible.  Especially as the season wore on. Maybe he will do better in 2018. 

Edited December 14, 2017 by Hosken Bombo Disco

[jimmer]

 

Didn't hit? His 720 OPS was above average and a healthy improvement over Suzuki's 680 mark as a Twin. Not sure exactly what you were expecting if Castro's production disappointed you. 

33 MLB catchers has 300 or more PAs. Castro was 20th in fWAR and 22nd in wRC+

14 MLB catchers with 400 or more PAs. Castro was 10th in fWAR and 9th in wRC+

 

Our pitching staff was 11th out of 15 AL teams. Was our staff being so, um, high (?) in the rankings due to Castro or a full season of Berrios?

Edited December 14, 2017 by jimmer

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

 

33 MLB catchers has 300 or more PAs. Castro was 20th in fWAR and 22nd in wRC+

14 MLB catchers with 400 or more PAs. Castro was 10th in fWAR and 9th in wRC+

 

Our pitching staff was 11th out of 15 AL teams. Was our staff being so, um, high (?) in the rankings due to Castro or a full season of Berrios?

that's the arbitrary number i picked too lol

 

[h2oface]

 

Old guy (Rodney) and reclamation project (Pineda). The inexpensive bottom of barrel types. The low risk,medium reward bin we love to shop in.

 

Marching toward a pennant winning season......

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

 

Marching toward a pennant winning season......

I honestly feel like something big is going to happen....

 

(it almost has to)

[Shaitan]

I'd understand most of these comments much better if today was March 20, and not Dec. 14.

[jimmer]

 

that's the arbitrary number i picked too lol

It was as close as I could get to having 30 catchers :-)

[h2oface]

It is not clear to me, and perhaps I have missed it somewhere in all the articles..... Was Rodney hired to be the closer.... promised to start the season in the closer roll? Did they make that commitment to him to get him signed?

[sftwinsfan]

Just reading they were interested in Rodney made me cringe.  I've always appreciated him being the other teams closer when the Twins were down in the 9th.  Always thought they had a pretty good chance of coming back against him.  I just have a feeling this is going to be a train wreck waiting to happen with him as a closer.  I guess unless they get some starting pitching it probably won't matter.  

[jud6312]

 

Didn't hit? His 720 OPS was above average and a healthy improvement over Suzuki's 680 mark as a Twin. Not sure exactly what you were expecting if Castro's production disappointed you. 

That OPS is good enough is he's elite defensively. The numbers I've seen from last year indicate it wasn't. Good isn't below average offense and average (at best) defense.

[jud6312]

Hopefully the $1.5 million is $1 million to get rid of the invisible bow and arrow, and the other $500k is to turn his hat straight. That'd be worth it.

[jimmer]

 

Hopefully the $1.5 million is $1 million to get rid of the invisible bow and arrow, and the other $500k is to turn his hat straight. That'd be worth it.

That's awesome!

[Mike Sixel]

 

Hopefully the $1.5 million is $1 million to get rid of the invisible bow and arrow, and the other $500k is to turn his hat straight. That'd be worth it.

 

heh, I actually laughed!

[Kwak]

 

I would have thought his forearm given that gif.

[Guest]

There isn't a more un reliable career path than that of a reliever. It is folly to use 2017 stats to project 2018-2020. Go back two years and look at the relievers that received multi-year contracts. 

 

John Axford

Steve Cishek

Jason Motte

Tyler Clippard

Antonio Bastardo

Mark Lowe

Tony Barnette

Chad Qualls

Jonathan Broxton

Oliver Perez

Shawn Kelley

Tony Sipp

Ryan Madson

Joakim Soria

Darren O'Day

 

If Rodney doesn't pitch well, it is easy to cut ties. It is much harder to cut ties when multiple years are committed.

Don’t forget how the Twins’ big bullpen acquisition of 2015, Kevin Jepsen, blew up in 2016.

[Brandon]

At this point in time, the front office duo is Terry Ryan 2.0. I give them till the All Star break to prove they can do the one thing Terry Ryan repeatedly didnt do which is aquire a difference maker. Whether it be Darvish, Lynn, Archer, etc. We need another starting pitcher. Its going to be difficult to beat the Angels next year for the last Wild Card. As far as closer goes, Rodney is just as good as anyone else at a lower cost. I bet the other reliever we sign is Belisle. I am fine with that.

 

What i really hope is we sign Darvish and trade for Archer. We do both we can afford to include several of our top pitching prospects in the Archer deal and Gordon too. Cause our rotation of Darvish, Archer, Santana, Berrios and Gibson or May would be really good.

[prouster]

It's the middle of December, and all the top starting pitchers are still on the board. A lot of the young hitters took steps forward last year, so I don't think it's asanine or naive or Terry Ryan redux or whatever to expect some development among the young pen arms. Should that be the only plan? No. That's why they signed Rodney and Pineda. The former will obviously pitch sooner, but the latter should be available for a late season pennant run.

 

Again, it's the middle of December. They can still sign someone or make some trades with plenty of time to spare before spring training.

[kab21]

The angst over this deal is baffling. Spending bigger money in FA is one of the most foolish places to spend money in an already risky place (FA). Rodney (annoys me greatly) isn't great but the Twins depth that is solid in their bullpen instead of adding one great arm. Save that money (or prospects) for starting pitching additions. Be angry when they bring in the Fernando Rodney of SP to fix the rotation.

 

Complaints about the Pineda deal are equally baffling. For years we have complained about the Twins not making low risk/high reward moves like this. And for ignoring K's. This move wasn't made for this year but rather for the future and it affects this year minimally.

Complaints about Rule V are the most baffling. As are complaints that the the Rule V pick will be mismanaged. Complain about the roster management.

I disagree with the previous headline of 'crushing it' but the FO has added minor league pitching depth, a very good prospect and hasn't hamstrung the future with any players that start out mediocre (like Chatwood). They need their marquee move (SP) to be a great (or at least very good) to be crushing it.

[Elliot]

Fix the hat and I can put up with a bit of control issues