Where are they now? Ex-Twins in 2019

[ashbury]

I was watching Lance Lynn pitch tonight against the Angles and he looks pretty sharp tonight.

Maybe the Angles were Acute, making him look sharp by association.

[Twodogs]

Still very early, so I won't close the book on him yet, but this ranks 0.0 on the surprise scale to me.

He looked absolutely cooked last year. I know he later suggested he was hurt, but he was healthy enough to stay in the lineup, which means the numbers count.

It seems to me that the best of the best make adjustments not only during a season but over a career. Some of those greats even changed the type of hitter they were so as to take advantage of what pitchers were giving them and to adjust for changes that happened to themselves. I just don't know how long Dozier can rely on being a pull power hitter when everyone knows that's what he does. He might have to make a change or he will find himself on the outside looking in. He may be able to re-invent himself if he makes the decision to do so.

 

 

I watched one of his at bats the other night and the pitcher was obviously throwing him outside and he looked as though he was trying to pull the ball.

[Doctor Wu]

 

I was watching Lance Lynn pitch tonight against the Angles and he looks pretty sharp tonight.

Also on the Rangers roster is Logan Forsythe. He played third base AND first base in yesterday's game, had a hit and is batting .300 so far. Other ex-Twins with the Rangers in spring training such as Ben Revere and Zach Granite didn't make that club.

[DiscGolfer]

Looks like Erv will debut this week

 

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2019/04/ervin-santana-reportedly-nearing-activation.html

[yarnivek1972]

Did Kennys Vargas land anywhere?

[Otto von Ballpark]

Did Kennys Vargas land anywhere?

Japan! Chiba Lotte Marines.

 

You can follow his stats at B-Ref. .865 OPS and 1 HR through 9 games:

 

https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=vargas001ken

[Doctor Wu]

Dozier and Suzuki both hit their first homers of the year for the Nationals yesterday.

[Doctor Wu]

 

 

Did Kennys Vargas land anywhere?

And dare we ask what became of Oswaldo Arcia? Well, I just checked and this is what it said on Wikipedia:

On February 15, 2019, Arcia signed with the Diablos Rojos del México of the Mexican League.

[bighat]

Old bullpen sightings:

 

JT Chargois is now 28 years old. He failed to make the Dodgers' big league club out of camp and is in the minors.

 

Alex Meyer is pushing 30 and is with the Angels on a minor league contract. He did not make the big league club out of Spring Training.

 

Michael Tonkin is in the Brewers minor league system.

 

Pat Light appears to be out of baseball, released by the Mariners' minor league system last April.

 

Blaine Boyer played for the Royals last year but was released in August. It appears he's retired but will stay with the Royals and "will be doing some work in the organization in some capacity".

 

[gowen21]

D Span is a free agent, which is surprising. Figured someone would pick him up.

[Shaitan]

 

And dare we ask what became of Oswaldo Arcia? Well, I just checked and this is what it said on Wikipedia:

On February 15, 2019, Arcia signed with the Diablos Rojos del México of the Mexican League.

Do Brett Walker II next

[NapoleonComplex]

Luke Bard is looking sharp early on for the Angels ... 3 appearances: 4 IP, 4 K, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 BB. Pending health, looks like he will be a regular out of their bullpen this season. Happy for him.

[Steve Lein]

I didn't read through the whole thread, so apologies if he's been mentioned, but true #OldFriend Nick Anderson is doing pretty awesome in the Miami Marlins bullpen so far:

 

10 K's among his 13 total outs recorded (20.8 K/9IP).

 

4.1 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 10 K's

 

-0.92 FIP (yes, that's a negative FIP)

 

Thought he deserved a shot last year, extremely happy for him. Was arguably the Twins best performing reliever in the system for a few years before being traded this offseason.

[Mike Sixel]

Cool thread this year, mostly about guys you cared about. Thanks everyone

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

Alex Meyer is pushing 30 and is with the Angels on a minor league contract. He did not make the big league club out of Spring Training.

In fairness to Meyer, he didn't actually pitch for the Angels in spring training, as he was still recovering from surgery. I think he's still in extended spring training? He has yet to be assigned to a minor league club in 2019.

 

Of course, there's a decent chance he may be perpetually "recovering from surgery" from now until the end of his playing career...

[Otto von Ballpark]

Another former Twins reliever, John Curtiss, is off to a rough start with the Angels AAA club: through 2 appearances, 1.2 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 5 BB, 2 K.

[gocgo]

 

Director of strategic initiatives for baseball operations? That is yet another fancy job title that leaves me scratching my head. .

Sounds to me like you are very qualified for the job if head scratching is your specialty.

[lukeduke1980]

 

Dozier and Suzuki both hit their first homers of the year for the Nationals yesterday.

I've been watching Dozier's box scores and he's been having his typical ice cold start.  Hopefully the home run gets him going.

[big dog]

Nick Burdi has pitched in 5 games with the Pirates this year.

 

0-1, ERA 7.36

 

3.2 IP, 4H, 3R, 3ER, 1 BB, 8 SO.  Yup, 8 of the 11 outs were K's. He had two one-inning appearances where he struck out the side.  He also had two that he doesn't really want to discuss.

 

FIP is -0.54.  Whatever that means.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

I didn't read through the whole thread, so apologies if he's been mentioned, but true #OldFriend Nick Anderson is doing pretty awesome in the Miami Marlins bullpen so far:

 

10 K's among his 13 total outs recorded (20.8 K/9IP).

 

4.1 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 10 K's

 

-0.92 FIP (yes, that's a negative FIP)

 

Thought he deserved a shot last year, extremely happy for him. Was arguably the Twins best performing reliever in the system for a few years before being traded this offseason.

 

Thanks for the update! I kind of forgot about Nick Anderson. For what it's worth, he had a solid spring training for the Marlins too - 8 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 0 BB, 10 K. (OppQual of 7.6 at B-Ref too, so he wasn't just facing scrubs -- Parker and Rogers had virtually the same OppQual this spring.)

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

FIP is -0.54.  Whatever that means.

Basically, he broke the formula. An incredibly high K rate, low BB rate, and low HR rate will do that.

 

Burdi had a good spring for Pittsburgh too: 9.1 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 3 BB, 13 K. Although he was generally deployed against lower-level competition (6.1 "OppQual" at B-Ref).

[Steve Lein]

 

 

FIP is -0.54.  Whatever that means.

 

Basically means he's struck out enough guys to overshadow the HR's (0) and BB's (1) he's given up so far.

 

 

[SomeGuy]

Big Erv had a rough 1st start.  He was still sitting in that 89-91MPH fastball range that he was stuck in last season after the injury.  In 3.2 innings he gave up 3 homeruns and 7 total runs.  1K 3BB 7H.

 

Hopefully the velocity is just rebuilding strength and not his new norm.

[big dog]

 

Big Erv had a rough 1st start.  He was still sitting in that 89-91MPH fastball range that he was stuck in last season after the injury.  In 3.2 innings he gave up 3 homeruns and 7 total runs.  1K 3BB 7H.

 

Hopefully the velocity is just rebuilding strength and not his new norm.

Hopefully that's his new norm as long as he's pitching for the White Sox.  Nothing personal.  I wish him great success, in the National League.

[TFRazor]

 

Do Brett Walker II next

He spent last year with the Nationals AA squad in Harrisburg. Elected free agency back in November. Doesn't seem to have caught on anywhere since

[SomeGuy]

 

Hopefully that's his new norm as long as he's pitching for the White Sox.  Nothing personal.  I wish him great success, in the National League.

If this is his norm he won't get that NL chance.  The White Sox are more than a good Ervin Santana away from being a threat this year, they are a mess. 

 

He's a great guy though.  I hope he does well.

[yarnivek1972]

D Span is a free agent, which is surprising. Figured someone would pick him up.

When your one tool is speed and you lose that, that’s a problem.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

When your one tool is speed and you lose that, that’s a problem.

I don't think Denard Span was a "one tool" player. He still has a fine hit tool (112 wRC+ last year).

[yarnivek1972]

I don't think Denard Span was a "one tool" player. He still has a fine hit tool (112 wRC+ last year).

He’s been a negative value defensive OFer since 2014. I suspect most teams have a close enough prospect to try that could put up a 112 wRC+ and be a terrible defender for a lot cheaper than they would have to pay Span.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

He’s been a negative value defensive OFer since 2014. I suspect most teams have a close enough prospect to try that could put up a 112 wRC+ and be a terrible defender for a lot cheaper than they would have to pay Span.

Sure. But that doesn't mean he used to be a "one tool" player, as you implied.

 

He might be one now (hit tool), although he did manage 1.9 bWAR / 1.5 fWAR last year while playing in the outfield.