Felix Jorge released

[Squirrel]

I didn’t see this mentioned anywhere. He was removed from the 40-man a week ago and yesterday was released.

[FlauerPauer]

This is a very strange move. If no one claimed him, why release him? Do we really have that much starting pitching depth throughout the minors? 

[Tom Froemming]

This makes so little sense that I keep waiting to see a correction, like whoever runs the transactions page just screwed up. Removing him from the 40-man roster was weird, but understandable to some degree. Releasing him? Huh?

 

The Lookouts' active pitching staff has not only a couple of 27-year-olds (Paco Rodriguez & Dietrich Enns) but also two 29-year-olds (Omar Bencomo & Ryne Harper). TWENTY-NINE!

 

Jorge is only 24 and should have an option remaining even after this season, if I'm remembering correctly. There has to be some off the field issue that's caused this. Only explanation that makes any sense. 

[John Kelsey]

I wasn't a big believer in him as a prospect, but this seems very strange. 

[Vanimal46]

This makes so little sense that I keep waiting to see a correction, like whoever runs the transactions page just screwed up. Removing him from the 40-man roster was weird, but understandable to some degree. Releasing him? Huh?

 

The Lookouts' active pitching staff has not only a couple of 27-year-olds (Paco Rodriguez & Dietrich Enns) but also two 29-year-olds (Omar Bencomo & Ryne Harper). TWENTY-NINE!

 

Jorge is only 24 and should have an option remaining even after this season, if I'm remembering correctly. There has to be some off the field issue that's caused this. Only explanation that makes any sense.

I remember reading he's been injured this season. Maybe he's more injured than we thought? This one is a head scratcher...

 

I'm not saying he had an MLB future, but like you wrote, there are OLD players in Chattanooga they could have released instead.

[gunnarthor]

I didn't think he could be a starter but a Liam Hendriks like longman career didn't seem crazy.

[KirbyDome89]

 

This makes so little sense that I keep waiting to see a correction, like whoever runs the transactions page just screwed up. Removing him from the 40-man roster was weird, but understandable to some degree. Releasing him? Huh?

 

The Lookouts' active pitching staff has not only a couple of 27-year-olds (Paco Rodriguez & Dietrich Enns) but also two 29-year-olds (Omar Bencomo & Ryne Harper). TWENTY-NINE!

 

Jorge is only 24 and should have an option remaining even after this season, if I'm remembering correctly. There has to be some off the field issue that's caused this. Only explanation that makes any sense. 

Any idea why this FO seems to play it so loose with young arms like Rosario, Jorge, Chargois, ect. while holding onto expired MLB arms and prospects?

 

Can they really think that little of the arms they've released/lost and the current group at AA/AAA that can't seem to get a chance to stick at the major league level? 

[jimbo92107]

I thought Felix Jorge might develop into something like another Erv Santana, but minus a few mph. I heard he had a knee injury. Nothing about off-field issues. I'll miss his smooth delivery. 

[Halsey Hall]

Unreal, he was my pick to click this year. 

[Otto von Ballpark]

Must be some kind of health thing. He made brief rookie league rehab appearances on June 19 and June 22, then was DFA'd on June 29.

 

He would have been a minor league free agent this winter if we didn't add him back to the 40-man anyway. So if we thought that was unlikely/impossible given his health, it might make sense just to let him go now.

[mikelink45]

We called him up when he was really young and not ready, then we entered this season with him as our #20 prospect - that is not the player you throw away.  Here is where his Minor league stats are - http://www.milb.com/player/index.jsp?player_id=602928#/career/R/pitching/2018/ALL  - what am I missing.  Old players in his league are nothing but fillers, no upside, but he had upside.  Why did we call him up in 2017?  

 

Help me figure this out because it is adding to my dislike of the FO - something I have probably been too vocal about.  Shoot, I am sure we could have traded him for some 38 year old washed up reliever.  No, wait, we already have him.

[Otto von Ballpark]

Just realized a player on a MLB or minor league DL can't be sent outright to the minors (taken off the 40-man) unless he is healthy and ready to be activated. So if Jorge wasn't healthy and ready to be activated (I presumed he was close but maybe he had an unreported setback?), we had no choice but to trade or release him, once we did the DFA.

 

https://www.thecubreporter.com/book/export/html/3530

 

Still implies no team claimed him on release waivers, although if he is still hurt, maybe they were just willing to wait it out and save the 40-man spot by signing him to a minor league deal after his release.

[Danchat]

We said the same things about Melotakis when he was released early in the season, and that didn't appear to be off-the-field related. I guess the Twins are just giving up on him... the FO has done a great job losing my trust over the past couple months. 

[Mr. Brooks]

I've never thought that Jorge had any kind of MLB ceiling, aside from AAAA type spot appearances now and then.

I've always been baffled that he was considered a prospect.

 

I think the fact that not a single team claimed him speaks volumes about his actual prospect value. He's milb filler, this is a meaningless move.

[nicksaviking]

Just realized a player on a MLB or minor league DL can't be sent outright to the minors (taken off the 40-man) unless he is healthy and ready to be activated. So if Jorge wasn't healthy and ready to be activated (I presumed he was close but maybe he had an unreported setback?), we had no choice but to trade or release him, once we did the DFA.

https://www.thecubreporter.com/book/export/html/3530

Still implies no team claimed him on release waivers, although if he is still hurt, maybe they were just willing to wait it out and save the 40-man spot by signing him to a minor league deal after his release.

That would make some sense if that interpretation is accurate.

[gman]

I would scratch my head over the move, except I have already scraped all the hair and skin off. Moves like this seem to indicate that this is definetly going to be a longer rebuild that I hoped for.

[diehardtwinsfan]

I wasn't really a fan, always was hoping someone else valued him... apparently not as they could have had him for free and didn't take him. 

 

Not too surprised he was released. He was probably at the bottom of the depth chart for 40 man starting pitchers. 

[Seth Stohs]

 

We said the same things about Melotakis when he was released early in the season, and that didn't appear to be off-the-field related. I guess the Twins are just giving up on him... the FO has done a great job losing my trust over the past couple months. 

 

I learned recently that Melotakis asked for his release. The Twins Front Office granted it to him. Some close to him didn't understand why he did it, but in reality, he was behind probably 5-6 other relievers on the depth chart.

 

It's possible that Jorge asked for his release and the Twins were fine with it. He's well down the Twins SP depth chart, so he may get an opportunity elsewhere. It's also possible that there was an off field issue. Others have mentioned that he could be more hurt than we know, but if that's the case, the Twins couldn't DFA him and let him go (I don't think). 

 

I don't know what happened here. It certainly seems a little strange on the surface. But I can't get too upset about it because I assume there's something more to it. 

[Han Joelo]

Jorge was re-signed:  https://www.mlb.com/twins/news/twins-helping-eddie-rosario-to-win-final-vote/c-285030950

 

As is typical with MLB.com, the tidbit is buried in a completely unrelated article down at the bottom.  Doesn't say much, just that they announced the move today.

[Otto von Ballpark]

Thanks for the update.

 

In any case, Jorge will be eligible for minor league free agency this winter unless we add him back to the 40-man roster. But it sounds like there isn't much of a market for him anyway. I suppose he could find a club with fewer AAA SP prospects -- hard to see any path back to MLB for him in this organization right now.

[nicksaviking]

 

Just realized a player on a MLB or minor league DL can't be sent outright to the minors (taken off the 40-man) unless he is healthy and ready to be activated. So if Jorge wasn't healthy and ready to be activated (I presumed he was close but maybe he had an unreported setback?), we had no choice but to trade or release him, once we did the DFA.

https://www.thecubreporter.com/book/export/html/3530

Still implies no team claimed him on release waivers, although if he is still hurt, maybe they were just willing to wait it out and save the 40-man spot by signing him to a minor league deal after his release.

 

Good call spycake.