Berardino Tweet: Escobar Avoids Arbitration

[East Coast Twin]

Eduardo signs for $4.85M.

[ashbury]

$150K below TD's forecast in the Offseason Handbook. Where shall we invest the windfall?

[Seth Stohs]

That's a fair deal. Would still like to see them work out a 2 year deal, maybe with an option... but that's nice to have done. 

[kab21]

 

That's a fair deal. Would still like to see them work out a 2 year deal, maybe with an option... but that's nice to have done. 

Absolutely. I would even go as far as a 3 year deal right off the bat. It is difficult to predict where the Twins will need IF help in the next 2-3 seasons but Sano might not be a 3B, Dozier might be gone in a year, Gordon could be traded or struggle and Escobar provides a reasonably decent plan B everywhere. Or he could just be a 100-120 game/year supersub.

[Squirrel]

 

Absolutely. I would even go as far as a 3 year deal right off the bat. It is difficult to predict where the Twins will need IF help in the next 2-3 seasons but Sano might not be a 3B, Dozier might be gone in a year, Gordon could be traded or struggle and Escobar provides a reasonably decent plan B everywhere. Or he could just be a 100-120 game/year supersub.

Agreed. And on top of that, he's just one of my favorites ... he's funny and keeps it light, but works hard.

[theBOMisthebomb]

Agreed. And on top of that, he's just one of my favorites ... he's funny and keeps it light, but works hard.

I liked his face and reaction when that ball girl made a great play on a foul ball last season. He seems like a fun guy to be around and to have in the clubhouse.

[Riverbrian]

 

Absolutely. I would even go as far as a 3 year deal right off the bat. It is difficult to predict where the Twins will need IF help in the next 2-3 seasons but Sano might not be a 3B, Dozier might be gone in a year, Gordon could be traded or struggle and Escobar provides a reasonably decent plan B everywhere. Or he could just be a 100-120 game/year supersub.

 

Agree completely. 

 

 

We need more than 9 starters. Escobar could be one of the 9 but he has also been huge as #10 over the years. 

 

He deserves to be paid. 

 

 

[Squirrel]

 

I liked his face and reaction when that ball girl made a great play on a foul ball last season. He seems like a fun guy to be around and to have in the clubhouse.

Watching him at ST when they are doing infield practices ... he does his work, as everyone does, but he also has some of the guys in stitches. He's just a fun player. A team needs a guy like that. Not that they should get someone who only does that, Esco has earned a spot with his play, imo.

[gunnarthor]

Good for everyone. He gets a nice pile of money, Twins get a nice UI-type player.

[Doomtints]

Good deal.

[Thrylos]

Good!  Well deserved.  Must be the only guy out there with 1.3 times as many HRs and doubles with both in double digits.

[ashbury]

Watching him at ST when they are doing infield practices ...

Watching him in BP is also fun. He devotes some time to the long ball, and has an obvious good time about it. I don't forecast him breaking the 20-HR mark every year, but he's a dangerous little hitter who will try to punish certain pitches in certain situations.

[Mr. Brooks]

I'm glad he got paid, and hope he's he for a while. He's a nice utility player to have.

 

That said, I don't agree with anything more than year to year.

He's surpassed 1.3 WAR just once in his career.

At his best, he's a league average hitter with well below average defense. For his career, he's a significantly below average hitter (89 OPS+), and will be 30 years old when he hits free agency.

 

Not trying to disparage him. I like him, and hope he's around for as long as he's a solid utility player. Just feels unnecessary to go more than year to year. Is anyone really going to give him a big offer at age 30?

[kab21]

 

I'm glad he got paid, and hope he's he for a while. He's a nice utility player to have.

That said, I don't agree with anything more than year to year.
He's surpassed 1.3 WAR just once in his career.
At his best, he's a league average hitter with well below average defense. For his career, he's a significantly below average hitter (89 OPS+), and will be 30 years old when he hits free agency.

Not trying to disparage him. I like him, and hope he's around for as long as he's a solid utility player. Just feels unnecessary to go more than year to year. Is anyone really going to give him a big offer at age 30?

It is likely that someone gives him an offer bigger than what an extension could be signed for.

And the issue is that then he isn't in the organization any longer. Infield depth looks good right now but Dozier is probably gone as a FA after the season and Sano sticking at 3B is a huge ? due to injury. Not to mention that one of the Twins best trade chips someone who could fill in at those positions. The Twins could very quickly find themselves lacking infield depth w/o Escobar.