Article: Twins Trade Zach Duke to Seattle

[Seth Stohs]

 

I am amazed we got this much.  It is amazing how pitching sells - for me none of these players is as valuable as Escobar, but his return was not as much as I would have liked to see.  

 

 

I was impressed that they got this much for Zach Duke. Nice work again by Twins pro scouts and the front office. 

 

No, neither prospect is terribly exciting,, but they got two guys. 

 

In the first game I went to see Cedar Rapids, Ryan Costello hit two home runs for Clinton. He had two more hits and three walks over the next four games i was at. I thought he looked solid. And De Jong is a AA pitcher.

 

Not exciting, but two guys for two months of Duke! Call me impressed. 

[clone52]

Nice article on Costello.  Seems like a baseball guy and looking at his college stats, quite possibly a late bloomer.

 

http://www.sentinelsource.com/sports/local_sports/costello-s-road-to-pro-baseball-led-straight-through-keene/article_40c94fa5-3716-57c5-a01a-2eb75c463f5a.html

[Mike Sixel]

Move DeJong to relief! He'll never be a starter here, given the minors here

[Thrylos]

 

Neither guy coming back makes the Twins top 30 prospect list and I suspect De Jong gets DFAd at the end of the season (if not before) to make room for players that need rule 5 protection.

 

He is better than Slegers...

[Otto von Ballpark]

Ah ha. I guess I should delete what I just posted.

Nah, leave it for future generations to figure out!

[nicksaviking]

Yawn. Let's do another one!

 

Yeah De Jong looks like an easy DFA. I see he does have a slider though. Maybe he gets moved to the pen, drops everything but the FB and slider, gains a couple MPH and figures it out. In today's game there's no room for a guy who can't miss bats even in AA.

[Vanimal46]

Zach Duke was a fun experiment. What did we learn? Don't give Paul Molitor left-handed specialists.

 

Zach Duke percentage of PAs vs. LHB:

2018: 34.8%

2017: 58.1%

2016: 43.0%

2015: 39.6%

2014: 44.1%

 

If I was the Twins, I'd stick De Jong right into the Rochester bullpen. Maybe have him junk his weakest pitch and see if everything can play up a bit in shorter bursts. Worth a shot.

 

Being a recent 31st-round pick doesn't inspire confidence, but you gotta respect Costello's numbers and it's not like he's only feasting on kids. He's faced older pitchers 61.3 percent of the time. He's tied for the MWL lead in homers and is fourth in slugging.

Yeah, Molitor doesn't believe in LOOGYs I guess. Now there are multiple examples with the same trend.

 

De Jong moving to the bullpen should be an automatic. I doubt he fits on a top 12 org list of SP.

[Twinsbar107]

 

Interested in seeing what the Yankme's got back from Seattle for Adam Warren

 

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2018/07/mariners-to-acquire-adam-warren.html

Apparently, international signing bonus pool money.

[Han Joelo]

New York's bullpen of All-Star Closers seems like it is destined to implode.  Or excel.  I guess I have to kind of admire what they are doing.

 

As for this move--will it amount to anything down the line?  Reading that article about Costello, you got to root for the guy, although he seems more like a future coach then a future regular.

[big dog]

This trade feels a lot more like a salary dump than a building block for the future, but what do I know.

[clone52]

 

This trade feels a lot more like a salary dump than a building block for the future, but what do I know.

 

Keeping Duke is building for the future?

[Rosterman]

Any issue with De Jong is he 40-man roster space he commands. He does have options, but if you remove him, you could lose him. He's 24, still has options, and at some point you have to ask is he a better keeper than Tyler Duffey or, say, Aaron Slegers, who could be used in long relief, too.

 

You also got a corner infield prospect with some power for postotns that are weak (unproven) in the minors, third and first base. If nothing else, if power develops, he could be a nice bench-bat in the far future who can also play the field. Yes, he is pushing Robby Rinn for a spot in the organization come 2019.

 

The $75,000 seems a laugh, especially when the inherited salary for Duke is next to nothing, and I'm pretty sure any team would've taken Duke for just giving the Twins salary relief come August.

 

Worthwhile pickup. The Twins will have a lot of bullpen openings if the purge continues with Rodney, perhaps Addison Reed, the loss of Belisle (please) and a decision to be made on names like Taylor Rogers (and even possible replacement Tyler Duffey).

 

 

[The Billy Goat]

When news broke of a trade that would send Duke to the Mariners, I quickly took a check of the Mariners top 30 prospects at mlb.com. Wow do they have a weak system. A kid in the DSL, who seems comparable to Severino, is their #4 prospect. I just gained in appreciation for the kids that we have down on the farm.

[Danchat]

Eh, that's about what I expected from Duke, who hasn't been that great anyways (check out his WHIP), but as Tom mentions, if a manager uses him better, he could be a solid weapon.

 

De Jong looks like a guy you try out as a reliever and if it doesn't work, DFA him. It's certainly worth a try to fix the guy. Costello looks like a fun story and maybe he could beat the odds and become an MLB player. I like his odds better than the Twins making the postseason in 2018, that's for sure.

 

What I can't figure out for the life of me is why the Yankees would trade Adam Warren to the Mariners. He's got a 2.70 ERA with great peripherals (11 K/9!!). Someone's gonna have to explain this one to me.

Edited July 30, 2018 by Danchat

[Doomtints]

It's almost like Terry Ryan came back to give us one more completely useless trade for old time's sake.

 

Someone tell the front office there's a difference between being busy and being productive.

Edited July 30, 2018 by Doomtints

[Mike Sixel]

 

It's almost like Terry Ryan came back to give us one more completely useless trade for old time's sake.

 

Someone tell the front office there's a difference between being busy and being productive.

 

Not sure what this means. I'm sure they are discussing other things.....but if someone wanted Duke, and you could get anything? I'd probably do that. 

[BJames]

DeJong is taking a spot on the 40 man roster.  Why Seattle ever called him up, I don't know.  Not smart of them. Seems like some of these deals or dumps from both teams. 

[rujellis]

I guess I look at it as I would have cut Zach Duke or severely limited his role post trade deadline to open a spot for Busenitz, Curtiss, Bard, Slegers, Duffey, May, etc so getting a lottery ticket and a reclamation project is just a bonus.  

 

Its not a deal where you get excited about return but rather what the deal allows you to do.  Now if they go and promote DJ Baxendale, hide the women and children cause I will raze this place to the ground...;-)

[Richie the Rally Goat]

Good luck Mr. Duke.

 

What's Buddy Boshers up to now that there's a LH opening in the bullpen?

they already have Moya up, they need two loogy?

[Mr. Brooks]

When news broke of a trade that would send Duke to the Mariners, I quickly took a check of the Mariners top 30 prospects at mlb.com. Wow do they have a weak system. A kid in the DSL, who seems comparable to Severino, is their #4 prospect. I just gained in appreciation for the kids that we have down on the farm.

I'd say he's more comparable to Wander Javier. At least by their (mlb.com) scouting grades.

[Mill1634]

About what I thought we'd get for the Dukie. I liked him more than most on here. Hope he does well in Seattle. Seemed like a good guy. De Jong doesn't seem like much of anything other than Aaron Slegers, but the slugger is a fine guy to take on for a LOOGY. 

[whosafraidofluigirussolo]

That is weird. Right now Seattle and New York would play each other in the wild card game. Very strange that NY would send SEA a competent reliever...

 

The Lynn trade between NYY and MIN was completed not long after this. I wonder whether and how much that imminent trade might have been a factor. MLB Trade Rumors suggests the Yankees might be viewing Lynn as a long reliever upgrade over Warren.

 

With these 3 trades happening in close succession you can squint and almost see it as a 3-team trade.

[Dave The Dastardly]

 

they already have Moya up, they need two loogy?

I had two loogies once, but one good sneeze took care of both of 'em.

[the_brute_squad]

It'll be interesting to see some of the remaining veterans complain about giving up when their noses aren't even above water. Getting rid of these salaries, gaining prospects, and planning for the future is the right idea. If one of these players we've received over the past week makes an impression it will be worth it.

[Brandon]

 

Interested in seeing what the Yankme's got back from Seattle for Adam Warren

 

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2018/07/mariners-to-acquire-adam-warren.html

 

Its good to see that Brian cashman is on the same page as i am in terms of what to aquire.... 

jk.... but it does confirm that the idea had lots of merit.

 

but i also wanted to point out that in addition to all of these players we got from the trades today we also cleared 2.6 million in payroll. This will help make up for lack of fans in the stands as we start tanking....

 

What did we save on Friday something like 2 million?  

 

 

[TheLeviathan]

To me the value is in clearing a roster spot for someone we can look at going forward.

 

The return is irrelevant to me.

[tvagle]

 

Any issue with De Jong is he 40-man roster space he commands. He does have options, but if you remove him, you could lose him. He's 24, still has options, and at some point you have to ask is he a better keeper than Tyler Duffey or, say, Aaron Slegers, who could be used in long relief, too.

I'm not concerned with 40-man spot as long as the Twins continue to keep the WonderKid (as in everyone wonders why he's still on the 25-man) in the bullpen the younger arms you mention should be safe from DFA-land

[Cap'n Piranha]

Zack Duke would have been a hindrance to this team had he remained in the roster for the final two months. He blocks Moya/Busenitz/Reed/Curtiss/Bard, so I would gladly have given him up for nothing. In that sense, it doesn’t matter whether De Jong or Castello ever do anything in the majors. And while international money is fine, that’s no guarantee either—Amaurys Minier, anyone?

[big dog]

Keeping Duke is building for the future?

Not at all, but I don’t see either of these players as having much chance. I hope we get to see a young reliever, that’s the only upside for me.

[clone52]

 

Not at all, but I don’t see either of these players as having much chance. I hope we get to see a young reliever, that’s the only upside for me.

 

No downside either then.