Article: Twins Sign RHP Anibal Sanchez... No, Really

[Kwak]

It's difficult for me to say "I smell the playoffs" in the middle of February.

[mikelink45]

Wow and I thought the new front office had no plan.  Did I read this wrong - is he another old wily vet to pair with Hunter, Cuddyer, Morneau... Great to have a retirement home team.  -0.8 WAR last year!  And that follows a -1.2 WAR so he is improving.   My broken record keeps playing - use your young arms and quit picking up the homeless.

[Otto von Ballpark]

Serious question. There is NO WAY ANYONE, ANYWHERE who could see this as a major signing in any way, shape or form. It is the definition of a flier.

Not sure about that. A "flier" usually doesn't come with a 40-man roster spot and guaranteed salary (albeit only $500k).

 

A lot of people seem to be assuming he will be cut this spring if he doesn't make the team, but how often do teams give a guy a 40-man spot on Feb. 16 and release him by April 1?

 

There seems to be 2 possible outcomes here:

 

1. Sanchez makes the rotation, gets $2.5 mil

 

2. Sanchez goes to the AAA rotation, makes $500k

 

Neither one looks good from my vantage point. You've got all offseason to come up with an improved rotation plan, and Anibal Sanchez is part of it? Or he's taking away opportunities from about 5-6 younger guys who need to be starting in AAA?

Edited February 17, 2018 by spycake

[Guest]

Slegers.  Replacement level pitch to contact guy.  All day and all of the night.

 

Check out Sanchez's peripherals...

SSS, but Sanchez’ HR/9 in AAA last year were the same as Slegers’ in the majors.

[Otto von Ballpark]

My broken record keeps playing - use your young arms and quit picking up the homeless.

As we have discussed, I don't agree with you about using the young arms in MLB quite yet -- but the split nature of this Sanchez deal seems to imply that he's ticketed for AAA starts even if he can't crack the MLB rotation. I suspect we could all unify in our dislike for that plan!

[DocBauer]

I sort of think last year was "check out the position players" and this year is "let's look at the arms."

 

I'm pretty sure the Twins have an idea of where their weaknesses are at the position player level, but, they've got some intriguing arms that need a look at the MLB level. 

 

I'm hoping for a fun year, which means a year in which the Twins are competitive.

 

What really stinks is we just don't know what the thoughts and the plans are by the new FO. I hate that, but get it. Even as intelligent and fanatic of supporters as we are, they don't "owe" us an explanation as to what they see or are doing. I don't like it any more than the rest us, but there is a part of me that agrees with your statement and wonders if they aren't looking at a "big picture" for 2018 and beyond where they are looking at continued development from the existing roster, and really like some of the pitching talent on hand, and are just waiting for time/opportunity for some "show me" performances to feel the roster has arrived.

 

Not painting rainbows and sunshine for a "meh" move that means little at this point, (And nobody has said this is the ONLY move they are going to make, it's only a singular move). I just wonder about their ideas of an end game here.

[PseudoSABR]

 

Why not just give him an invite to camp then?  

 

Everything about this smells like they plan to actually have him in the rotation.  There is nothing about that anyone should be happy about.

Clearly, he wouldn't have accepted.  I'm sure they tried to offer Tillman something similar, and I'm sure other teams offered Sanchez something a bit more than a minor league invite.  

 

The contract is structured in such a way that they have every reason to end this experiment early. 

 

Edited February 17, 2018 by PseudoSABR

[gil4]

 

on Heyman reported the agreement - which, of course is pending a physical

So there's hope - maybe they will notice that the right arm hasn't been attached to the body for the past 3 years

[kengrosz]

Its a good thing, this signing promises more hightlight plays from Buxton....

[KirbyDome89]

If he wouldn't sign a minor league deal then wish him good luck finding a major league contract elsewhere. NOBODY was going to question why the Twins wouldn't budge from that position to bring in Anibal Sanchez. 

[h2oface]

 

Signing Sanchez has zero risk, thus is not bad. 

 

This being their only SP move (i.e not singing a top of the rotation pitcher, yet) is can be bad, if it is still the case by opening day.

 

The two things are unrelated.

 

Taking a 40 man roster spot is NOT zero risk.

[h2oface]

 

What really stinks is we just don't know what the thoughts and the plans are by the new FO. I hate that, but get it. Even as intelligent and fanatic of supporters as we are, they don't "owe" us an explanation as to what they see or are doing. I don't like it any more than the rest us, but there is a part of me that agrees with your statement and wonders if they aren't looking at a "big picture" for 2018 and beyond where they are looking at continued development from the existing roster, and really like some of the pitching talent on hand, and are just waiting for time/opportunity for some "show me" performances to feel the roster has arrived. Not painting rainbows and sunshine for a "meh" move that means little at this point, (And nobody has said this is the ONLY move they are going to make, it's only a singular move). I just wonder about their ideas of an end game here.

 

I don't agree with the they don't "owe" us an explanation as to what they see or are doing. Why not? That kind of attitude by the FO in regards to the fans that make it all work, is disgusting.

[kab21]

 

Taking a 40 man roster spot is NOT zero risk.

If a 40 man roster spot is your only concern with this move then you shouldn't be concerned. It isn't worth zero but it also isn't anything to get bent out of shape for.

[terrydactyls]

I don't agree with the they don't "owe" us an explanation as to what they see or are doing. Why not? That kind of attitude by the FO in regards to the fans that make it all work, is disgusting.

Unless you have a financial stake in the team, they don't owe you any explanation. They made a business decision based on information we are not privy to whether you like it or not. I don't like it but that's immaterial to the front office.

[Pitz]

Then you and Mr Sanchez have something in common.

Nothing

[Richie the Rally Goat]

Possibly. But if so, how has he maintained his k rate?

Just a guess...

the Kyle Gibson effect. nibble at the edges with very hittable stuff and when you get in trouble with walks, throw it down the middle?

 

Over his career his hard hit rate has gone from 25(ish) percent to 37. His hr/fb has gone from 10(ish) percent to 20 percent. Homers are up across the league so it’s hard to give the homer trend too much weight, but it doesn’t look like there’s much upside here. He’s cooked

[Han Joelo]

This may be one or both (but probably neither) of the following:

 

1.  The Twins got a "hot tip" on a 30-1.  His father was a mudder.  Mother was a mudder. Sanchez will be like a poor teams Rich Hill.  I bet we somehow trade him for Jose De Leon at some point this year, when the rookies all hit their stride.  

 

2.  This is posturing to Cobb and Lynn's agents.  One of them just lost a landing spot.  This explains the 40 Man contract move.  They probably have identical crappy offers out to both of them and want to see who blinks first.

[Platoon]

To me it's simply the roster spot. The money isn't worth mentioning in the context of not allowing a valid signing. I just don't see the allure in baseball to such veteran deference. It's almost not possible for one of the teams more talented younger arms not to outpitch him. This is a move that is utterly baffling.

[beckmt]

I don't get all the hate.  If he shows absolutly nothing he get cut (most likely). If they want to continue to see him they send him to AAA (not like we don't have other replacement level pitchers there). If he looks good, he makes the club rather than rushing one of the prospects.  Then they reevaluate when Ervin comes back. Just another flier. 

[rv78]

Why are we signing Detroit Has-beens? First Rodney now Sanchez. 

[Otto von Ballpark]

I don't get all the hate. If he shows absolutly nothing he get cut (most likely). If they want to continue to see him they send him to AAA (not like we don't have other replacement level pitchers there).

Sounds like the "split contract" reporting was inaccurate -- we likely will be unable to send him to AAA.

 

This will create the usual "opt out" drama at the end of spring training, just with ~$2 mil extra on the line.

[Riverbrian]

 

Sounds like the "split contract" reporting was inaccurate -- we likely will be unable to send him to AAA.

This will create the usual "opt out" drama at the end of spring training, just with ~$2 mil extra on the line.

 

The Twins are not going to sign 3 or 4 contracts like this. 

 

Slegers moved up to the 4th spot after the Santana injury.

 

I'm calling it right now.

 

Sanchez will be on the roster come opening day. 

[TheLeviathan]

If Sanchez won't take a ST invite or minor league deal....move on.  There is simply no reason to attach anything else to any offer for him.

[kab21]

 

The Twins are not going to sign 3 or 4 contracts like this. 

 

Slegers moved up to the 4th spot after the Santana injury.

 

I'm calling it right now.

 

Sanchez will be on the roster come opening day. 

I still think only one of Hughes or Sanchez is in the opening day rotation. I also have some level of optimism that the Twins add one more (legit good) starter.

 

Berrios

Gibson

Mejia

Sanchez/Hughes

Slegers but hopefully a legit good FA/trade instead

[Doctor Wu]

 

In a word, depressing. These are the kinds of moves we made back in the '90s, when we were just looking for bodies and arms because the game requires nine men on the field. I'm handicapping this year's squad at about 69-93.

Actually, this is the sort of move the Twins made just 3-5 years ago. Anyone remember the names among that motley crew of pitchers we used not so long ago? Deduno was probably the best of the lot!

[FormerMinnasotan]

To me the Sanchez signing looks like a move to sign someone because they are “unable” to sign the likes of Jake Arrieta, Lance Lynn, or Alex Cobb. So all this talk about getting a quality starter and the most likely scenario is we wind up with Sanchez only.

[Doctor Wu]

 

Why are we signing Detroit Has-beens? First Rodney now Sanchez. 

It's revenge for the Tigers "stealing" Pelfrey from us a few years ago!

[Riverbrian]

 

I still think only one of Hughes or Sanchez is in the opening day rotation. I also have some level of optimism that the Twins add one more (legit good) starter.

 

Berrios

Gibson

Mejia

Sanchez/Hughes

Slegers but hopefully a legit good FA/trade instead

 

I'm glad you have optimism because I used to have it and I'm glad its in good hands. .

 

I'm in the "Had" category right now but I realize there is time for the front office to recover. 

 

If they couldn't go a 6th year on Darvish... I don't think they go a 4th year on Lynn or Cobb.

 

 

Someone else will 

 

 

 

 

[Riverbrian]

 

It's revenge for the Tigers "stealing" Pelfrey from us a few years ago!

 

Player to be named later?    

[theBOMisthebomb]

He's a 2 month fill in, no big deal.  By the way why is ENNS on the roster???

He is the means to an Enns.