Where are they now? Ex-Twins in 2019

[Roaddog]

Our old friend, Aaron Hicks just received a 7 year 77 million contract extension.

[crapforks]

 

Aaron Hicks signs a 7/$70 million extension with the Yanks. That means he's signed through his (GASP!) age 36 season.

Something's fishy about this. I can't imagine the Yankees wanting him for more than 3-4 seasons. If I were the league/players association, I would be looking at this as a round about way of manipulating luxury tax penalties in the future. The team probably wants him for 4/70, but offered the extra years to keep the AAV down and will bench/platoon/release/dump him when they bring in an upgrade to his spot.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

Aaron Hicks signs a 7/$70 million extension with the Yanks. That means he's signed through his (GASP!) age 36 season.

Actually just through his age 35 season -- is starts with this year, his age 29 season.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

Something's fishy about this. I can't imagine the Yankees wanting him for more than 3-4 seasons. If I were the league/players association, I would be looking at this as a round about way of manipulating luxury tax penalties in the future. The team probably wants him for 4/70, but offered the extra years to keep the AAV down and will bench/platoon/release/dump him when they bring in an upgrade to his spot.

Why would Hicks agree to such a deal, though? Wouldn't he rather get the same $70 mil and be a FA again at age 33 rather than age 36? He's got some leverage, he was already getting $6 mil this year and was going to be a free agent very soon.

 

Frankly, with a $6 mil final arbitration salary, it's not unreasonable from his perspective to lock in 6/64 for his age 30-35 seasons in this market. As much as that arb salary is held down by his poor career start, that same poor career start would probably hold him back in FA next winter too (shorter track record, consistency questions).

[wabene]

Cha ching. Remember when he was going to stop being a switch hitter? Kinda makes you want to be patient with Buxton etc

[yarnivek1972]

Cha ching. Remember when he was going to stop being a switch hitter? Kinda makes you want to be patient with Buxton etc

Hicks in his first season at the MLB level had a 27% K rate and a 16% in his final season as a Twin.

 

Buxton (even throwing out last year) went from a K rate of 32 to 29%.

 

Failing to see improvement (and help it along) is part of the reason why this team has a different GM and field manager than when Hicks played.

[Doctor Wu]

Pedro Florimon now in camp with the Atlanta Braves. He went 1-2 yesterday, playing third base, but had an error. Also with Atlanta is outfielder Ryan LaMarre. Was it only last year that he made the Twins opening day roster after a torrid spring training?

[Doctor Wu]

 

Old friend Trevor Plouffe signs a minor league deal with Philly. A SOLID plan B after failing to sign Manny Machado.

Ha! That was my first thought exactly!

[Doctor Wu]

The Cubs used 3 ex-Twins in their bullpen yesterday: Duensing, Rosario, and Kintzler.

[ashbury]

The Cubs used 3 ex-Twins in their bullpen yesterday: Duensing, Rosario, and Kintzler.

[sweetmusicviola16]

Logan Foresythe signs an milb with the Rangers.

[Doctor Wu]

 

Logan Foresythe signs an milb with the Rangers.

I had to think about that one. Oh yeah, he came over in that Dozier trade late last year. His tenure with the Twins was so brief that I'd already forgotten about him! Speaking of forgotten acquisitions, has any team picked up Logan Morrison yet?

[Halsey Hall]

Rob Bowen is a canine cop in Atlanta.

[cardsfan]

Probably the most notable is Dozier signing with the Washington Nationals for $9M.

 

Why did Dozier decline last year after going on a 29 HR tear the second half of 2016? He scored over a 100 runs 4 years in a row despite one year having a .307 OBP. A rebound candidate?

[cardsfan]

Update! The Diamondbacks just signed Nolasco to a minor league deal:https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2019/02/diamondbacks-sign-ricky-nolasco-marc-rzepczynski.html

Aren't you glad you didn't sign Garza that same offseason?

[Otto von Ballpark]

Aren't you glad you didn't sign Garza that same offseason?

The Garza deal started a little better, but it seemed to end in a similar place.

 

FWIW, Fangraphs has Garza as worth 5.4 fWAR in Milwaukee, or 1.7 fWAR per 30 starts, based on his peripherals; meanwhile, B-Ref has him at -0.9 bWAR for the same period. He really started getting knocked around on balls in play with the Brewers.

[Doctor Wu]

In yet another ex-Twins bullpen trifecta, pitching for the Pirates yesterday were Liriano, Slegers, and Burdi. Wonder if any of them will make that team's opening day roster?

[Han Joelo]

 

Thanks for laugh; and the meme is going in my collection.

[Otto von Ballpark]

Luke Bard, in Angels camp on a minor league deal, was just added to their 40-man roster. A bit strange, at this point in the spring.

 

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2019/03/angels-select-luke-bard.html

[jorgenswest]

Luke Bard, in Angels camp on a minor league deal, was just added to their 40-man roster. A bit strange, at this point in the spring.

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2019/03/angels-select-luke-bard.html

Angels have Curtiss and Bard. The Twins have their money on Parker. I hope they win that bet.

[ewen21]

TAMPA, Fla. – Brett Gardner came back to the Yankees early in the offseason for a $2-million pay cut. At age 35 and coming off a down season, he could have been looking at a cut in playing time, too.
But the growing concern that Aaron Hicks might have to start the season on the injured list because of a lower-back injury has Gardner back in two familiar places in a sizzling spring training: centerfield and the leadoff spot.

 

I am saying it first right here.  Hicks will not make it through the life of that contract.  No way, no how

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

I am saying it first right here.  Hicks will not make it through the life of that contract.  No way, no how

Won't make it through alive?

 

I think we've been through this before, but I don't think anyone expects Hicks to "make it through" in the sense of being particularly valuable in his age 35 season. I'm guessing the Yankees hope for some plus performance in the first few years, and they can easily eat the last few years if necessary.

 

Although even that hope is being tested this spring. The Yankees signed two big extensions this spring -- Hicks and Severino -- and both are on the shelf right now. (Not that I'm complaining about bad luck hitting the Yankees!)

[yarnivek1972]

TAMPA, Fla. – Brett Gardner came back to the Yankees early in the offseason for a $2-million pay cut. At age 35 and coming off a down season, he could have been looking at a cut in playing time, too.

But the growing concern that Aaron Hicks might have to start the season on the injured list because of a lower-back injury has Gardner back in two familiar places in a sizzling spring training: centerfield and the leadoff spot.

 

I am saying it first right here. Hicks will not make it through the life of that contract. No way, no how

Because the Yankees would care about that why?

[ewen21]

 

Because the Yankees would care about that why?

Care about what why?  You're being snarky with me about them caring about my opinion being expressed on Twins Daily or are you saying they can absorb the contract?

 

 

 

[The Voice Of Reason]

TAMPA, Fla. – Brett Gardner came back to the Yankees early in the offseason for a $2-million pay cut. At age 35 and coming off a down season, he could have been looking at a cut in playing time, too.

But the growing concern that Aaron Hicks might have to start the season on the injured list because of a lower-back injury has Gardner back in two familiar places in a sizzling spring training: centerfield and the leadoff spot.

 

I am saying it first right here. Hicks will not make it through the life of that contract. No way, no how

WTH - Aaron Hicks with a $70 million deal. That is wild stuff.

[ewen21]

 

Won't make it through alive?

 

I think we've been through this before, but I don't think anyone expects Hicks to "make it through" in the sense of being particularly valuable in his age 35 season. I'm guessing the Yankees hope for some plus performance in the first few years, and they can easily eat the last few years if necessary.

 

Although even that hope is being tested this spring. The Yankees signed two big extensions this spring -- Hicks and Severino -- and both are on the shelf right now. (Not that I'm complaining about bad luck hitting the Yankees!)

Your take in the bolded part is basically what the Yankees believe, but I don't think they are going to get as much as they now hope for.  I am in complete agreement with you in the underlined.

 

[ewen21]

 

WTH - Aaron Hicks with a $70 million deal. That is wild stuff.

It reminds me of the Gary Matthews Jr. deal in some ways. Not exactly sure how one good year of production earns a guy that much.  Hicks really is not an everyday player

[Doctor Wu]

 

Your take in the bolded part is basically what the Yankees believe, but I don't think they are going to get as much as they now hope for.  I am in complete agreement with you in the underlined.

I think all of us Twins fan would agree with that underlined part! Bad luck striking the Yankees is good news!

[Doctor Wu]

 

 

It reminds me of the Gary Matthews Jr. deal in some ways. Not exactly sure how one good year of production earns a guy that much.  Hicks really is not an everyday player

Yeah, that Gary Matthews Jr. deal was a stinker, and totally perplexing at the time, and even  more so in retrospect. But I would rate Hicks as a much better all around player than Matthews.

[Otto von Ballpark]

It reminds me of the Gary Matthews Jr. deal in some ways. Not exactly sure how one good year of production earns a guy that much. Hicks really is not an everyday player

Like Hicks, Matthews Jr. wasn't any good until age 27.

 

But unlike Hicks, Matthews Jr. got his big contract at age 32. Hicks is only 29.

 

If Hicks performs like Matthews Jr did from age 29-31 (10.2 WAR), that would largely justify the whole contract, regardless of what he does from age 32-35. Pretty sure that's the Yankee thought process here.