Article: Twins Sign Closer Rodney To One-Year Deal

[Elliot]

i am fine with a low $ signing that will bridge to the next internally developed closer.  I am not in favor of strapping the payroll for years to come (think Joe Mauer) to try to get a big name starter.  You are almost guaranteed that even if he performs for a couple of years you will be looking at $25M/yr dead money towards the end. I am even less in favor of dealing any of the young starter prospects.  Essentially the most valuable asset in baseball is good controllable young starting pitching.  The biggest risk is veteran FA starters.  If the twins are serious contenders 3 years from now it will be because 2 or 3 of the current crop of prospects in the minors or already in the bigs have blossomed, not because they overpaid for past performance of Darvish or Arrieta.

[amjgt]

I'm fine with Rodney as part of a successful offseason. Since it's only Dec 15, there's still a good chance that will happen.

[USAFChief]

 

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.

I just wanted to say this post is in the running for POTY.

 

Well played, sir.

[Linus]

I heard the hat is a tribute to his deceased father who wore it that way. I'm a lot more worried about our FO than Rodneys hat

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

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.

What?!?!?! You mean the offseason didn't end the moment the Twins signed Rodney?

 

This is a solid, though slightly underwhelming, move. And I'm okay with that halfway into December.

[DocBauer]

IMO, the Rodney signing is a step up from the Belisle signing last off season. Despite some flaws, he moves the needle a bit for me, along with continued development from the guys already on roster. A reasonable expectation, but also hard to predict.

 

Personally, I think there will still be another solid addition, though I doubt it's Davis.

 

Still only mid December, I'm OK with the couple moves thus far.

[drjim]

IMO, the Rodney signing is a step up from the Belisle signing last off season. Despite some flaws, he moves the needle a bit for me, along with continued development from the guys already on roster. A reasonable expectation, but also hard to predict.

 

Personally, I think there will still be another solid addition, though I doubt it's Davis.

 

Still only mid December, I'm OK with the couple moves thus far.

This was my thought too. If nothing else, they are ahead of ladt year's offseason reliever signings. I do think there is another reliever coming, just not as big as we might have hoped.

[prouster]

 

Body language on this guy is terrible. 

 

Always detested his lack of respect for the game, cocked hat, the arrow, looking off into the sky.

 

I doubt that a guy who has played Major League Baseball for 15 years disrespects the game. I'd wager he's actually quite fond of it. He might even revere it.

What body language are you talking about? His delivery? That's the only "body language" I can think of that has anything whatsoever to do with his performance.

 

Good signing. Exciting? Not really, but it's a step in the right direction. The Twins could use more colorful players.

[jmlease1]

I'm a little surprised at the hostility towards this move, honestly. I mean, I get that it's not a big splashy signing but it's hard to see how this objectively a bad signing either. Rodney is a quality, experienced reliever with loads of experience in the closer role. Singing him doesn't mess up our salary structure in the future, nor will it jeopardize our chances at a big-time signing later in free agency. He should be a useful piece for the bullpen next year.

 

This doesn't look like a "Ryan 2.0" move to me; that would have been giving a shot to a former closer who had sucked for 3 years and was looking for one more shot. Rodney was very good last year once he got past that first month or so. (yes, those count but my point is: this doesn't look like a guy who is cooked)

 

It's a small move, but a fine one in my opinion. I'm not a fan of handing out multi-year deals to FA relievers generally; we've seen so much variance in performance over the years to make that a questionable use of funds. And there's no question teams have overpaid for "closers", especially with the 9th inning only useage, so i'd rather do it more like this.

[twinfan]

I thought someone like Cichek or even getting Kinsler back would be better but Rodney is a good one. However, he will make several 9th innings very interesting. I hope everyone grows their nails over the winter because you will be biting them next summer. Rodney should notch 38 saves with 6 blown saves if he is healthy all year. I guess Perkins is finally through.

[Mike Sixel]

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

He wears is that easy in honor of his dead father....

[Twins33]

He wears is that easy in honor of his dead father....

Even if he didn't wear it for that reason, the comments about how he wears it are on the level of

 

http://i0.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/original/000/019/304/old.jpg

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

He wears is that easy in honor of his dead father....

I was not aware of that.

 

..... which probably means he's shooting the arrow to heaven....

 

so i guess never mind any personal criticisms of him I posted

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

I'm a little surprised at the hostility towards this move, honestly. I mean, I get that it's not a big splashy signing but it's hard to see how this objectively a bad signing either. Rodney is a quality, experienced reliever with loads of experience in the closer role. Singing him doesn't mess up our salary structure in the future, nor will it jeopardize our chances at a big-time signing later in free agency. He should be a useful piece for the bullpen next year.

 

This doesn't look like a "Ryan 2.0" move to me; that would have been giving a shot to a former closer who had sucked for 3 years and was looking for one more shot. Rodney was very good last year once he got past that first month or so. (yes, those count but my point is: this doesn't look like a guy who is cooked)

 

It's a small move, but a fine one in my opinion. I'm not a fan of handing out multi-year deals to FA relievers generally; we've seen so much variance in performance over the years to make that a questionable use of funds. And there's no question teams have overpaid for "closers", especially with the 9th inning only useage, so i'd rather do it more like this.

All fair points, I think it's just so predictable. Instead of signing the best FA out there, or making an intriguing trade, or developing your own relievers, go out and sign an old journeyman for close to minimum. Predictable and typical. That said, I am beginning to like this signing a little more. There is nothing preventing a trade and we actually have a few young guys now who have shown MLB success and might develop into something (different from how we projected Burdi and Chargois). Rodney's work is a high wire act though. It might work, but it will be adventurous.

[Obsvr]

Who says Rodney is even going to close games.  He very well may not be the closer. 

 

Given the configuration of the bullpen, i'll take Rodney as he adds some depth.

Edited December 15, 2017 by Obsvr

[Jham]

I was not aware of that.

 

..... which probably means he's shooting the arrow to heaven....

 

so i guess never mind any personal criticisms of him I posted

Actually the arrow is an homage to his home town in the Dominican,a fishing village nicknamed "la fletcha", the arrow.

 

His father, who passed 6 days before his MLB debut was a fisherman who wore his hat that way to keep the sun out of his eyes.

 

https://www.foxsports.com/arizona/story/introducing-fernando-rodney-cap-arrow-numbers-120716

Edited December 15, 2017 by Jham

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Actually the arrow is an homage to his home town in the Dominican,a fishing village nicknamed "la fletcha", the arrow.

His father, who passed 6 days before his MLB debut was a fisherman who wore his hat that way to keep the sun out of his eyes.https://www.foxsports.com/arizona/story/introducing-fernando-rodney-cap-arrow-numbers-120716

awesome. Thank you!

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Still a great post:

 

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.

[jud6312]

 

I just wanted to say this post is in the running for POTY.

 

Well played, sir.

You humble me, good sir.

[jud6312]

 

Who says Rodney is even going to close games.  He very well may not be the closer. 

 

Given the configuration of the bullpen, i'll take Rodney as he adds some depth.

Given what Rodney said on a conference call, he's been told he'll be stepping into that role. 

 

As a depth move, I'd have no problem with this. As a closer, he's a recipe for disaster if he's given a long leash.

[Jham]

awesome. Thank you!

I thought that was a cool story.

[BrianTrottier]

 

Yup.Crushing it. NOT!

I absolutely hate this.

First, I have to watch Colon.

Now I have to watch Rodney.

Absolutely hate it.

And bye bye Burdi.

Damn.

 

So don't watch?

[TheLeviathan]

 

Actually the arrow is an homage to his home town in the Dominican,a fishing village nicknamed "la fletcha", the arrow.

His father, who passed 6 days before his MLB debut was a fisherman who wore his hat that way to keep the sun out of his eyes.

https://www.foxsports.com/arizona/story/introducing-fernando-rodney-cap-arrow-numbers-120716

 

I hope those that deliberately and unnecessarily complain about this have many opportunities to do so.

 

That'd be a good thing for the Twins.

[Kwak]

 

I'm a little surprised at the hostility towards this move, honestly. I mean, I get that it's not a big splashy signing but it's hard to see how this objectively a bad signing either. Rodney is a quality, experienced reliever with loads of experience in the closer role. Singing him doesn't mess up our salary structure in the future, nor will it jeopardize our chances at a big-time signing later in free agency. He should be a useful piece for the bullpen next year.

 

This doesn't look like a "Ryan 2.0" move to me; that would have been giving a shot to a former ....

 

Twin, like Swarzcak -- 2yrs for $14MM.

[h2oface]

 

So don't watch?

 

So why would I not watch a team I have followed for 56 years, since I was 6? Just because of one misguided rental for a year? I don't have to like every player that passes through. Or manager. Or Front Office hire. This is just as much my team as it is theirs. Maybe more. I support the team, not take money from them. Same with all the employees who pass through and get paid instead of paying into the team. So yes, sometimes I have to watch players that disgust me when this kind of thing happens, because that is just the way it is. My bet, he, like so many other hires like him, is released, or traded for little value, after causing way too much harm and getting way too many innings, before the season is over, and maybe even before the all-star break.

[BrianTrottier]

 

So why would I not watch a team I have followed for 56 years, since I was 6? Just because of one misguided rental for a year? I don't have to like every player that passes through. Or manager. Or Front Office hire. This is just as much my team as it is theirs. Maybe more. I support the team, not take money from them. Same with all the employees who pass through and get paid instead of paying into the team. So yes, sometimes I have to watch players that disgust me when this kind of thing happens, because that is just the way it is. My bet, he, like so many other hires like him, is released, or traded for little value, after causing way too much harm and getting way too many innings, before the season is over, and maybe even before the all-star break.

 

Well, you complained about having to watch certain players, so I responded. No disrespect intended.

[Richie the Rally Goat]

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

pitchers and catchers report Feb 13.

 

Considering the grousing is 90% pitching related and the short supply in the FA class, I see it warranted.

 

Rodney has already been anointed closer. If that doesn’t scream “done with relievers”, I don’t know what does. I guess they could acquire a setup man, but I was hoping for a bigger step up.

[PopRiveter]

Yuck. Yuck. 1000x Yuck.

Rodney was the least reliable closer in the division when he was in his physical prime. He is one of the best at putting guys on base. His career WHIP is 1.35

Never trusted him and can’t believe he got more than a minor league deal at this age.

 

After pushing all their chips in on Ohtani, then having to settle for cutting their losses, giving up Melotakis+Bard+Burdi for a combined nothing, and starting the free agent period by spending $14.5-16 million on one pitcher that won’t play in 2018 and a 40 year old closer who posted a 4.89 ERA over the past two seasons...

I’m quickly losing trust in this Front Office.

Last year’s moves (Castro, Gimenez, Belisle, Breslow, Adrianza) didn’t overwhelm, but I liked them a whole lot more than what’s happening this offseason.

Yuck.

[Richie the Rally Goat]

I'm a little surprised at the hostility towards this move, honestly. I mean, I get that it's not a big splashy signing but it's hard to see how this objectively a bad signing either. Rodney is a quality, experienced reliever with loads of experience in the closer role. Singing him doesn't mess up our salary structure in the future, nor will it jeopardize our chances at a big-time signing later in free agency. He should be a useful piece for the bullpen next year.

 

This doesn't look like a "Ryan 2.0" move to me; that would have been giving a shot to a former closer who had sucked for 3 years and was looking for one more shot. Rodney was very good last year once he got past that first month or so. (yes, those count but my point is: this doesn't look like a guy who is cooked)

 

It's a small move, but a fine one in my opinion. I'm not a fan of handing out multi-year deals to FA relievers generally; we've seen so much variance in performance over the years to make that a questionable use of funds. And there's no question teams have overpaid for "closers", especially with the 9th inning only useage, so i'd rather do it more like this.

its not a “bad” signing, i just don’t believe Falvine will raise the bar. No evidence to suggest either way, but Falvine expected more from the prospect relievers than he got last year. What’s changed?

[Penthang]

So based on the comment by Falvey that he was he was open minded about the future closer being in the system now I see this as a stopgap. I was rather happy with the bullpen by the end of last season…while there is obviously room for improvement a lot of that coming from the system would be very helpful with dollars used to retain the premium players long term.