Article: Twins Sign 2B Jonathan Schoop

[Tom Froemming]

The Twins appear to have found their second baseman. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported that the Twins are finalizing a one-year deal with recently non-tendered second baseman Jonathan Schoop. The deal will be worth $7.5 million, plus incentives.Schoop appeared to have a breakout 2017 season with the Orioles. He hit .293/.338/.503 (.841) with 32 home runs, 105 RBIs and 92 runs scored that season. He didn't just take a step back in 2018, he had his worst season since his rookie year.

 

Schoop continued to hit for some power during his 85 games with Baltimore, slugging .447, but had a dreadful .273 on-base percentage. He was traded to Milwaukee at the deadline and really fell apart from there, posting a .577 OPS in 46 games with the Brewers.

 

Schoop was projected to make somewhere around $10 million through the arbitration process, so it was understandable that the Brewers would go in a different direction. Still, this is a 27-year-old who is just a season removed from a 3.8 WAR performance, per FanGraphs.

 

One of the big talking points here at Twins Daily has centered around the team's need to address the loss of on-base percentage with the departures of Joe Mauer and Robbie Grossman. Schoop isn't going to do much to ease those concerns.

 

Over his six-year career, Schoop has a .294 OBP and has walked in just 3.7 percent of his plate appearances. That also comes with a 22.6 K%. In the field, Schoop's range is somewhere around average for a Major League second baseman, but he has a cannon of an arm.

 

The Twins also came to an agreement with fellow infielder Ronald Torreyes.

 

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[GP830]

Interesting that it's a one year deal after all the hoopla made of mercenaries poisoning the well last year. I hope he plays great, but I'd have preferred a 2 year deal, or a more defensively sound Short Stop. 

[Puckett34]

Per MLBTradeRumors:  Ronald Torreyes coming to the Land of 10,000 Lakes as well.

 

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2018/12/twins-ronald-torreyes-agree-to-one-year-deal.html 

[PseudoSABR]

Well it doesn't look like the Twins believe Gordon will be ready to contribute, given the signing of both Torres and Schoop.  This is a fine one-year deal, but it would have been nice to get a second/option year, so if he does bounce back the Twins will benefit. 

[operation mindcrime]

I'm sure we'll trade him at the deadline!

[jmlease1]

meh. not loving Schoop. doesn't get on base, strikes out a lot. fills the hole (and definitely means Polanco is staying at SS), but he wasn't a guy I was hoping for.

 

I think he'll be better than last year, but not nearly as good as 2017 Schoop. I'd project him to be a lot like 2016 Schoop and that does not get me singing the Schoop Schoop song.

[cmoss84]

Very solid player. I like it.

[beckmt]

Hope it works out, not a big fan. if

[Vanimal46]

I'll take it. Wish they invested in him longer than a year.

[lukeduke1980]

I think it's kind of surprising it seems like a move you make in early February after the shortstop upgrades were all gone.  Maybe Polanco gets traded who knows with this Front Office.

[Moosa105]

I absolutely love this deal. Gives Gordon time to build himself up in AAA. Could not be more pleased.

[Mill1634]

He is a good player if we can catch 2017 Schoop again. However, I was hoping we would go for a higher OBP guy. He does have a very good glove, which will help Polanco a lot. Strikes out a lot, and walks very little. I view him as a Brian Dozier lite. Not a bad guy to take a flier on. 

[Rosterman]

Well, again, signing a guy who needs to play his heart out if he wants to strike it big as a free agent. Why not? Means the Twins still have some faith in Gordon. 

 

But signing Schoop and Torreyes means that the Twins NOW have an abundance of middle infielders on the roster, two of whom we frankly can say weren't a bet to break camp with the Twins in 2019 and are questionable, still, about how they might contribute to the major league team next year.

 

Torreyes makes Adrianza expendable as they both fight for a job in spring training. We will wait and see.

 

 

[crapforks]

This might be a very low OBP offense

[tvagle]

Looks to me to be a precursor to the largest deal a Minnesota pro sports franchise has ever made....

 

$85M guaranteed to Le'Veon Bell to the Vikes after Cook tears ACL? NO

Suter and Parise re-up with the Wild for 12 more years and $90M? NOPE

Jimmy Buckets re-signing with the T-Pups this off season for a max deal? NOT EVEN CLOSE

 

Your Minnesota Twins sign Schoop's old buddy Manny for 10 years $320M

 

Falvey and Levine emerge from an A-Team Binge watching session and start the press conference off in unison "We love it when a plan starts coming together"

[Puckett34]

I think this is a very good buy low candidate. Hopefully 2016-early 2018 Schoop is the one that shows up.

[Vanimal46]

 

Competition between him and Adrianza for the bench spot I imagine.

[tvagle]

Could Adam Jones be far behind??

[Vanimal46]

I think this is a very good buy low candidate. Hopefully 2016-early 2018 Schoop is the one that shows up.

Agreed. Though if that player shows up in Minnesota it would have been nice to have the option year on him. Otherwise we're paying premium prices next year.

[Rosterman]

I can't wait to see what Brian Dozier ends up signing a contract for?

[Tuba]

Kinda feels like a Terry Ryan signing... 

[baumannmd]

I think I read that Schoop was looking for a single year deal. So, even if the Twins offered a second year or an option, it's possible he wasn't interested. I don't think this is a case of the Twins being cheap.

[cmoss84]

Many of you are disappointed it wasn't a longer contract-but Schoop maybe only wanted a one year "prove it" contract to set himself up. Any more years might have have been too costly and too much of a risk. 

[Post-Concussive Blues]

Seems like a good buy-low signing.

[Brock Beauchamp]

In a vacuum, a fine deal and the type of deal teams like the Twins need to make (and succeed at) to thrive.

 

But I'm getting sick and tired of "fine" deals. This team has a truckload of money and they need to spend some of it on players who are more "guaranteed" than "upside if things go right".

[Puckett34]

 

Agreed. Though if that player shows up in Minnesota it would have been nice to have the option year on him. Otherwise we're paying premium prices next year.

Could be a flip candidate if the team tanks in 2019 and performs at previous year levels. Guy was a 5.2 WAR player in 2017, still a 1.4 WAR last year in a down season.

[Winston Smith]

If you don't count Torreyes that puts the payroll at $72MM +/- for 19 players by my count.

[Vanimal46]

Many of you are disappointed it wasn't a longer contract-but Schoop maybe only wanted a one year "prove it" contract to set himself up. Any more years might have have been too costly and too much of a risk.

It very well could be the case he only wants 1 year to bounce back and cash in on the lost earnings. In an ideal world I would have liked to find a way to sign him from his age 27-29 seasons. But I realize I'm not in the negotiations.

[Vanimal46]

Could be a flip candidate if the team tanks in 2019 and performs at previous year levels. Guy was a 5.2 WAR player in 2017, still a 1.4 WAR last year in a down season.

True, but I don't look forward to potential flip candidates... Here's to hoping he has a 2016 Dozier-esc season and help the Twins make the playoffs.

[Puckett34]

 

True, but I don't look forward to potential flip candidates... Here's to hoping he has a 2016 Dozier-esc season and help the Twins make the playoffs.

Well, neither do I. Just looking at the situation from any angle. Obviously, you hope first and foremost the Twins and Schoop play well.