Angels DFA Alex Meyer

[Richie the Rally Goat]

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2018/11/angels-designate-alex-meyer-for-assignment.html

 

That trade didn’t really work for anyone, Nats, Twins, or Angels did it?

[ashbury]

Washington got a couple of productive years out of Span in return for Meyer.

[DocBauer]

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2018/11/angels-designate-alex-meyer-for-assignment.html

That trade didn’t really work for anyone, Nats, Twins, or Angels did it?

Nope. Feel bad for the kid. Just seemed like he had all the potential in the world.

 

Also feel bad for the Twins, of course, because man it just seemed like he was going to be a top of the rotation SP for us.

[DocBauer]

Washington got a couple of productive years out of Span in return for Meyer.

And it seems he has absolutely killed us when we've faced him!

 

Wait...maybe we should alter some of our off season blueprints and get Span back in a Twins uniform. Even if it's not to face him!

[Richie the Rally Goat]

And it seems he has absolutely killed us when we've faced him!

 

Wait...maybe we should alter some of our off season blueprints and get Span back in a Twins uniform. Even if it's not to face him!

 

I dunno, he’s getting up there, check out the gray... but 2018 was pretty solid for Span.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/spande01.shtml

[Thrylos]

Alex Meyer had a torn labrum surgery last season and has had some recent setbacks.  Thus the DFA.

 

Was a pretty darn special pitcher when healthy. 

 

He has his head screwed on correctly and a college degree.  Wishing him the best.

[TheLeviathan]

I respect his love for education, it sucks his shoulder didn't let him live out his baseball dream.  But nothing dooms a pitching career like a persistent shoulder problem.  

[Brandon]

Is his career for sure over?  I thought he was supposed to be good for next spring.  He could make it back as a reliever.  If I were him, that's what I would want to do if I could.

[Richie the Rally Goat]

Is his career for sure over? I thought he was supposed to be good for next spring. He could make it back as a reliever. If I were him, that's what I would want to do if I could.

https://mobile.twitter.com/maria_torres3/status/1059579274510782464

 

He suffered a setback from his 2017 labrum surgery that is supposed to be 4-6 weeks until he can throw again. It’s not impossible, but not looking good.

[terrydactyls]

This could the Twins chance at signing a front of the rotation free agent. And probably at a bargain price.

[sampleSizeOfOne]

I am rooting for Mr. Meyer wherever he ends up. I hope someone gives him a shot to come back if he wants it.

 

Been a while since he was someone's adopted prospect, but didn't he teach in the off season?

[AlwaysinModeration]

I hope the Twins sign him to a minor league contract. It seems like it could make sense to give him a shot to try to get healthy back with the Twins organization. He’s only 29.

[Danchat]

 

I hope the Twins sign him to a minor league contract. It seems like it could make sense to give him a shot to try to get healthy back with the Twins organization. He’s only 29.

A) He had labrum surgery, AKA the one that Glen Perkins has had. I remember reading in an article about that surgery only one MLB pitcher ever has returned to his old self. Meyer is very unlikely to regain his pitching ability back.

Why would he want to come back and pitch for the team that kept him in the minors and refused to call him up when he deserved to be?

[old nurse]

 

 

Why would he want to come back and pitch for the team that kept him in the minors and refused to call him up when he deserved to be?

Because he is the rare person that is able to see there are different people running the organization.

[mlhouse]

Another BS treatment by the Twins organization.  

 

The guy has a power arm and success in the majors.  In 2013 a 3.21 ERA in AA  with 84ks in 70 innings followed by a 3.12 ERA with 28 strikeouts in 26 innings in teh Arizona Fall leage.    The next season as a 24 year old in AAA Rochester he strikes out 153 over 130 innings with a 3.52 ERA.  

 

WIth the Twins and a college first round draft pick that has had success at every level of the minors that doesn't even get you a call up on a team that lost 92 games, and all of that minor league success he had got him 6.1 innings as a 25 and 26 year old over 4 appearances.  

 

At least the Angels gave him a chance and it is too bad for him he was injured because over 13 starts last year he wasn't terrible.  Sure, his control isn't the greatest,  but even with 5.6 BB/9 his WHIP was 1.337 which would have been 3rd on the Twins starting rotation.  

 

I will repeat my statement.  If I were an agent for a top level college player in the draft I would send a tetter to the Twins requesting that they not draft my client and if they did draft him I would strongly advise him  not to sign.  This is especially true for college pitchers.  The Twins will move you slowly through the minor league system and even if you have solid results, you will be lucky to reach your major league debut by the age of 25.  All the while, you are exposed to career ending injuries while the Twins Front Office brings in waiver wire acquisition after waiver wire acquisition ahead of you. The years you should be developing at the major league level, you will be toiling away in the minors.  Then the years you should be hitting your peak performance, arbitration and then free agency, you will be just starting your major league career.

 

Case in point:  Kyle Gibson.  Now,  I am not going to disagree that some of Gibson's development was slowed by his arm injuries, but Gibson is now 31 years old and still under team control with the first possibility of free agency being 2020 when he will be 32 years old.  In a lot of organizations he would have made the major league levels in 2010 or 2011, not 2013 like he did with the Twins.

[Rosterman]

Yep, traded a couple of enduring centerfielders for Meyer, May and Worley! Hey, we still have May for a couple more seasons...maybe!

[old nurse]

 

Another BS treatment by the Twins organization.  

 

The guy has a power arm and success in the majors.  In 2013 a 3.21 ERA in AA  with 84ks in 70 innings followed by a 3.12 ERA with 28 strikeouts in 26 innings in teh Arizona Fall leage.    The next season as a 24 year old in AAA Rochester he strikes out 153 over 130 innings with a 3.52 ERA.  

 

WIth the Twins and a college first round draft pick that has had success at every level of the minors that doesn't even get you a call up on a team that lost 92 games, and all of that minor league success he had got him 6.1 innings as a 25 and 26 year old over 4 appearances.  

 

At least the Angels gave him a chance and it is too bad for him he was injured because over 13 starts last year he wasn't terrible.  Sure, his control isn't the greatest,  but even with 5.6 BB/9 his WHIP was 1.337 which would have been 3rd on the Twins starting rotation.  

 

I will repeat my statement.  If I were an agent for a top level college player in the draft I would send a tetter to the Twins requesting that they not draft my client and if they did draft him I would strongly advise him  not to sign.  This is especially true for college pitchers.  The Twins will move you slowly through the minor league system and even if you have solid results, you will be lucky to reach your major league debut by the age of 25.  All the while, you are exposed to career ending injuries while the Twins Front Office brings in waiver wire acquisition after waiver wire acquisition ahead of you. The years you should be developing at the major league level, you will be toiling away in the minors.  Then the years you should be hitting your peak performance, arbitration and then free agency, you will be just starting your major league career.

 

Case in point:  Kyle Gibson.  Now,  I am not going to disagree that some of Gibson's development was slowed by his arm injuries, but Gibson is now 31 years old and still under team control with the first possibility of free agency being 2020 when he will be 32 years old.  In a lot of organizations he would have made the major league levels in 2010 or 2011, not 2013 like he did with the Twins.

So Falvey is really Ryan in disguise as they have never been seen together?

[Nine of twelve]

 

Yep, traded a couple of enduring centerfielders for Meyer, May and Worley! Hey, we still have May for a couple more seasons...maybe!

This statement significantly over-values Revere.

[Shaitan]

 

Another BS treatment by the Twins organization.  

 

The guy has a power arm and success in the majors.  In 2013 a 3.21 ERA in AA  with 84ks in 70 innings followed by a 3.12 ERA with 28 strikeouts in 26 innings in teh Arizona Fall leage.    The next season as a 24 year old in AAA Rochester he strikes out 153 over 130 innings with a 3.52 ERA.  

 

WIth the Twins and a college first round draft pick that has had success at every level of the minors that doesn't even get you a call up on a team that lost 92 games, and all of that minor league success he had got him 6.1 innings as a 25 and 26 year old over 4 appearances.  

 

At least the Angels gave him a chance and it is too bad for him he was injured because over 13 starts last year he wasn't terrible.  Sure, his control isn't the greatest,  but even with 5.6 BB/9 his WHIP was 1.337 which would have been 3rd on the Twins starting rotation.  

 

I will repeat my statement.  If I were an agent for a top level college player in the draft I would send a tetter to the Twins requesting that they not draft my client and if they did draft him I would strongly advise him  not to sign.  This is especially true for college pitchers.  The Twins will move you slowly through the minor league system and even if you have solid results, you will be lucky to reach your major league debut by the age of 25.  All the while, you are exposed to career ending injuries while the Twins Front Office brings in waiver wire acquisition after waiver wire acquisition ahead of you. The years you should be developing at the major league level, you will be toiling away in the minors.  Then the years you should be hitting your peak performance, arbitration and then free agency, you will be just starting your major league career.

 

Case in point:  Kyle Gibson.  Now,  I am not going to disagree that some of Gibson's development was slowed by his arm injuries, but Gibson is now 31 years old and still under team control with the first possibility of free agency being 2020 when he will be 32 years old.  In a lot of organizations he would have made the major league levels in 2010 or 2011, not 2013 like he did with the Twins.

So because Meyer "wasn't terrible" some 5 years after the trade, no player should ever sign with the Twins? Meyer was terrible with the Twins MLB team during his cup of coffee, he wasn't good in Anaheim either, and he's had repeated health concerns dating back to before his time in the Twins organization.

[h2oface]

Washington was a shrewd pitcher evaluator, and the Twins' were the hopeful suckers, here. Both ends of the trade... in (Span) and out (Santiago and Busenitz) ..... were horrible. Results stats don't care about injuries. I guess apologists can't regurgitate the "can't tell until time passes" nugget anymore - or will they still? C'est la vie.

 

 

[nicksaviking]

 

Another BS treatment by the Twins organization.  

 

The guy has a power arm and success in the majors.  In 2013 a 3.21 ERA in AA  with 84ks in 70 innings followed by a 3.12 ERA with 28 strikeouts in 26 innings in teh Arizona Fall leage.    The next season as a 24 year old in AAA Rochester he strikes out 153 over 130 innings with a 3.52 ERA.  

 

WIth the Twins and a college first round draft pick that has had success at every level of the minors that doesn't even get you a call up on a team that lost 92 games, and all of that minor league success he had got him 6.1 innings as a 25 and 26 year old over 4 appearances.  

 

At least the Angels gave him a chance and it is too bad for him he was injured because over 13 starts last year he wasn't terrible.  Sure, his control isn't the greatest,  but even with 5.6 BB/9 his WHIP was 1.337 which would have been 3rd on the Twins starting rotation.  

 

I will repeat my statement.  If I were an agent for a top level college player in the draft I would send a tetter to the Twins requesting that they not draft my client and if they did draft him I would strongly advise him  not to sign.  This is especially true for college pitchers.  The Twins will move you slowly through the minor league system and even if you have solid results, you will be lucky to reach your major league debut by the age of 25.  All the while, you are exposed to career ending injuries while the Twins Front Office brings in waiver wire acquisition after waiver wire acquisition ahead of you. The years you should be developing at the major league level, you will be toiling away in the minors.  Then the years you should be hitting your peak performance, arbitration and then free agency, you will be just starting your major league career.

 

Case in point:  Kyle Gibson.  Now,  I am not going to disagree that some of Gibson's development was slowed by his arm injuries, but Gibson is now 31 years old and still under team control with the first possibility of free agency being 2020 when he will be 32 years old.  In a lot of organizations he would have made the major league levels in 2010 or 2011, not 2013 like he did with the Twins.

 

The same Kyle Gibson that made it to AAA in his first year of pro-ball, had TJ surgery and got called up to the majors less than a year after he recovered from it? He was awful in 2011, likely due to the arm injury which would later result in surgery.

 

I really liked Meyer and desperately wanted him to be the ace the Twins always needed, but there are no caveats with a 5.6 BB/9 nor should there be with 4.4 or 4.7 BB/9 which is what he did his last two full seasons in Rochester. No team needs to be chastised for not giving a guy who can't find the strikezone unconditional looks.

[mlhouse]

 

So because Meyer "wasn't terrible" some 5 years after the trade, no player should ever sign with the Twins? Meyer was terrible with the Twins MLB team during his cup of coffee, he wasn't good in Anaheim either, and he's had repeated health concerns dating back to before his time in the Twins organization.

 

As far as being "terrible" with the MLB team, which I don't necessarily disagree, his cup of coffee wasn't a cup, it was a half of a sip.  The Angels gave him 5 starts in 2016 after his 3.2 innings with the Twins and he wasn't as terrible.  Then, he had 13 starts for the Angels in 2017 before blowing his arm out in July and he pitched with respectable numbers.  Somehow, another organization figured out how to make him at least a guy that could pitch at the bottom of a MLB rotation and he might have had a salvageable baseball career once he left the Twins organization if he could have avoided injuries.

 

Whether he could become a contibutor or not, he is just an example of the lack of patience the Twins organization has had with players.  The evidence clearly indicates he could have had some potential if you worked out his control issues to a reasonable level (his BB/9 was about half with the Angels vs. the Twins)

 

Again, if I were an agent for a college draft pick I would advise the Twins not to draft my clients and my clients not to sign with the Twins if drafted.  From their idiotic concept of trying to convert relievers to starters, to their glacial progress through the minors, to their questionable treatment of arm injuries, to their lack of patience at the MLB, and abrupt releases they just do not seem to know what they are doing and it would cost your clients.

 

 You can list a long line of college level Twins draft picks that the team could not or would not develop.  John Curtiss, Nick Burdi, Tyler Jay, Mason Melatokis, Jake Reed, Luke Bard.  It took the Rule-5 draft for Luke Bard to be given a chance at the MLB level at 27 years of age.  And while his performance in LA wasnt good enough for them to keep him, a 5.40 ERA over 11.2 innings, his 10.0 K/9 would have been amongst the best on the Twins staff and his 1.286 WHIP would have been the best WHIP in the bullpen with the exception of Taylor Rogers.  Returned to the Twins, he was just left in AAA.

 

Another example, but a high school draft pick, Dereck Rodriguez.  Pudge's son was a 6th round pick in 2011 as a catcher by the Twins.  In 2014 he was converted to a pitcher and moved through the Twins minor leagues, pitching fairly effectively with a 3.54 career minor league ERA.  Granted free agency in 2017 as a 6th year minor league free agent, the Giants signed him and assigned him to AAA, a level he never reached with the Twins as they played games with him.  After 9 fairly effective starts at AAA, teh Giants called him up were he started appeared in 21 games, started 19, and had a 2.81 ERA over 118.1 innings with the Giants.  Small sample size, sure.  But why werent the Twins interested in that sample?   

 

While he might not fit the "college" draft pick scenario I am mentioning, it was only the fact that he was a high school draft pick that gave him even a chance.  As a 6th round pick, he spent his draft year in low rookie ball.  The next season, 2012, he repeated the same level.  Then, despite a reasonable .743 OPS, he spent the 2013 season aat Elizabethton.  So, depite a decent rookie year and being a high level draft pick, at the age of 21 year, three years after his draft season, he still wasn't out of rookie baseball.

 

Back in the days when the Twins actually had a competitive team, it was the Twins who could spot talent like Dereck Rodriguez and get contributions from low cost sources.  Now, they seem almost willfully blind to it.

[Danchat]

Angels re-signed RHP Alex Meyer to a minor league contract.

The once highly-touted prospect missed the entire 2018 season following labrum surgery on his throwing shoulder and was designated for assignment in mid-November. He'll remain in the Angels' organization though where he'll add valuable rotation depth. If he can prove his health, he could challenge for a spot in the club's starting rotation.

 

 

[ChrisKnutson]

Is it weird to say that I miss Alan Busenitz?

[h2oface]

 

As far as being "terrible" with the MLB team, which I don't necessarily disagree, his cup of coffee wasn't a cup, it was a half of a sip.  The Angels gave him 5 starts in 2016 after his 3.2 innings with the Twins and he wasn't as terrible.  Then, he had 13 starts for the Angels in 2017 before blowing his arm out in July and he pitched with respectable numbers.  Somehow, another organization figured out how to make him at least a guy that could pitch at the bottom of a MLB rotation and he might have had a salvageable baseball career once he left the Twins organization if he could have avoided injuries.

 

Whether he could become a contibutor or not, he is just an example of the lack of patience the Twins organization has had with players.  The evidence clearly indicates he could have had some potential if you worked out his control issues to a reasonable level (his BB/9 was about half with the Angels vs. the Twins)

 

Again, if I were an agent for a college draft pick I would advise the Twins not to draft my clients and my clients not to sign with the Twins if drafted.  From their idiotic concept of trying to convert relievers to starters, to their glacial progress through the minors, to their questionable treatment of arm injuries, to their lack of patience at the MLB, and abrupt releases they just do not seem to know what they are doing and it would cost your clients.

 

 You can list a long line of college level Twins draft picks that the team could not or would not develop.  John Curtiss, Nick Burdi, Tyler Jay, Mason Melatokis, Jake Reed, Luke Bard.  It took the Rule-5 draft for Luke Bard to be given a chance at the MLB level at 27 years of age.  And while his performance in LA wasnt good enough for them to keep him, a 5.40 ERA over 11.2 innings, his 10.0 K/9 would have been amongst the best on the Twins staff and his 1.286 WHIP would have been the best WHIP in the bullpen with the exception of Taylor Rogers.  Returned to the Twins, he was just left in AAA.

 

Another example, but a high school draft pick, Dereck Rodriguez.  Pudge's son was a 6th round pick in 2011 as a catcher by the Twins.  In 2014 he was converted to a pitcher and moved through the Twins minor leagues, pitching fairly effectively with a 3.54 career minor league ERA.  Granted free agency in 2017 as a 6th year minor league free agent, the Giants signed him and assigned him to AAA, a level he never reached with the Twins as they played games with him.  After 9 fairly effective starts at AAA, teh Giants called him up were he started appeared in 21 games, started 19, and had a 2.81 ERA over 118.1 innings with the Giants.  Small sample size, sure.  But why werent the Twins interested in that sample?   

 

While he might not fit the "college" draft pick scenario I am mentioning, it was only the fact that he was a high school draft pick that gave him even a chance.  As a 6th round pick, he spent his draft year in low rookie ball.  The next season, 2012, he repeated the same level.  Then, despite a reasonable .743 OPS, he spent the 2013 season aat Elizabethton.  So, depite a decent rookie year and being a high level draft pick, at the age of 21 year, three years after his draft season, he still wasn't out of rookie baseball.

 

Back in the days when the Twins actually had a competitive team, it was the Twins who could spot talent like Dereck Rodriguez and get contributions from low cost sources.  Now, they seem almost willfully blind to it.

 

Get it out!

[Rosterman]

 

As far as being "terrible" with the MLB team, which I don't necessarily disagree, his cup of coffee wasn't a cup, it was a half of a sip.  The Angels gave him 5 starts in 2016 after his 3.2 innings with the Twins and he wasn't as terrible.  Then, he had 13 starts for the Angels in 2017 before blowing his arm out in July and he pitched with respectable numbers.  Somehow, another organization figured out how to make him at least a guy that could pitch at the bottom of a MLB rotation and he might have had a salvageable baseball career once he left the Twins organization if he could have avoided injuries.

 

Whether he could become a contibutor or not, he is just an example of the lack of patience the Twins organization has had with players.  The evidence clearly indicates he could have had some potential if you worked out his control issues to a reasonable level (his BB/9 was about half with the Angels vs. the Twins)

 

Again, if I were an agent for a college draft pick I would advise the Twins not to draft my clients and my clients not to sign with the Twins if drafted.  From their idiotic concept of trying to convert relievers to starters, to their glacial progress through the minors, to their questionable treatment of arm injuries, to their lack of patience at the MLB, and abrupt releases they just do not seem to know what they are doing and it would cost your clients.

 

 You can list a long line of college level Twins draft picks that the team could not or would not develop.  John Curtiss, Nick Burdi, Tyler Jay, Mason Melatokis, Jake Reed, Luke Bard.  It took the Rule-5 draft for Luke Bard to be given a chance at the MLB level at 27 years of age.  And while his performance in LA wasnt good enough for them to keep him, a 5.40 ERA over 11.2 innings, his 10.0 K/9 would have been amongst the best on the Twins staff and his 1.286 WHIP would have been the best WHIP in the bullpen with the exception of Taylor Rogers.  Returned to the Twins, he was just left in AAA.

 

Another example, but a high school draft pick, Dereck Rodriguez.  Pudge's son was a 6th round pick in 2011 as a catcher by the Twins.  In 2014 he was converted to a pitcher and moved through the Twins minor leagues, pitching fairly effectively with a 3.54 career minor league ERA.  Granted free agency in 2017 as a 6th year minor league free agent, the Giants signed him and assigned him to AAA, a level he never reached with the Twins as they played games with him.  After 9 fairly effective starts at AAA, teh Giants called him up were he started appeared in 21 games, started 19, and had a 2.81 ERA over 118.1 innings with the Giants.  Small sample size, sure.  But why werent the Twins interested in that sample?   

 

While he might not fit the "college" draft pick scenario I am mentioning, it was only the fact that he was a high school draft pick that gave him even a chance.  As a 6th round pick, he spent his draft year in low rookie ball.  The next season, 2012, he repeated the same level.  Then, despite a reasonable .743 OPS, he spent the 2013 season aat Elizabethton.  So, depite a decent rookie year and being a high level draft pick, at the age of 21 year, three years after his draft season, he still wasn't out of rookie baseball.

 

Back in the days when the Twins actually had a competitive team, it was the Twins who could spot talent like Dereck Rodriguez and get contributions from low cost sources.  Now, they seem almost willfully blind to it.

Sometimes numbers just catch up. Meyer was running out of options. Rodriguez wasn't considered quite ready enough since his switch to pitching, and he opted for free agency rather than stay with the Twins. Yes, the Twins still passed on Bard (and Zack Jones) for example. Hey, we could still get Burdi back. But all those relief pitchers they drafted high have...struck out.

[howieramone2]

Any draft which comes up with 2 contributors is considered to be a successful draft. Too many on the board still feel the number is much higher. Only 2 per draft.

[jorgenswest]

Trades of an established position player for a top prospect pitcher in A-Ball are going to be own most often by the team acquiring the established player. When the team acquiring the prospect wins, they can win really big.

[Monkeypaws]

Didn't see it on the forums, but it Alex Meyer has retired:

 

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2019/06/alex-meyer-retires.html