Article: Twins Sign Left-Handed Pitcher Martin Perez

[Danchat]

This feels very similar to the Anibal Sanchez deal last year, but at least Sanchez was a good pitcher at one point. Even if you move him to the bullpen, I doubt he becomes a serviceable pitcher. Seems like a total waste of $3.5M to me. Hopefully he won't see much time in the majors, and if he does this isn't going to be pretty.

 

I've done my best to stay positive this offseason, but I simply don't see any upside to this deal. I guess we can hope he'll magically pitch better now that he's a Twin. Yuck.

 

Here's hoping Mejia can nail down the 5th starter job and hold it and not lose out to Perez.

[mikelink45]

 

A quote from his Wikipedia page:

 

"He is compared to be a cross between Johan Santana and Greg Maddux by Jason Parks of Baseball Time in Arlington."

 

The post was made by his mother'

 

[bird]

Hey, no sweat, they have a plan. LaVelle and Sid will be all over it. 

 

Feels dang plucky.

[mikelink45]

 

Who else is excited for this season!

Sarcasm is welcome at this point

 

[nicksaviking]

I’ll be the lone wolf on this one. I don’t like Martin Perez as we know him, but he is dang near a Kyle Gibson clone. A once top prospect with a boatload of pitches, good velocity but a deluded reliance on his sinker which likely caused his uneven career results.

 

If someone can talk sense into him and point at Gibson as the reason to be smarter about his pitches, maybe he can finally realize his potential.

 

Zero leash though, if he still stubbornly uses his sinker in spring training like he always has I don’t want him in the rotation to start the year.

[jud6312]

 

I’ll be the lone wolf on this one. I don’t like Martin Perez as we know him, but he is dang near a Kyle Gibson clone. A once top prospect with a boatload of pitches, good velocity but a deluded reliance on his sinker which likely caused his uneven career results.

If someone can talk sense into him and point at Gibson as the reason to be smarter about his pitches, maybe he can finally realize his potential.

Zero leash though, if he still stubbornly uses his sinker in spring training like he always has I don’t want him in the rotation to start the year.

Yeah, I think you're on your own here

 

[The Mask of Zoilo]

Granted, his 2018 season was a disaster, but his 2016 and 2017 were league average, 2 WAR, innings eater, much like Odorizzi this year. His 2016-2017 is basically Kohl Stewart's ceiling. Sinker heavy ground ball machine. Not sure how he fits on this years Twins.

[beckmt]

Twins have a lot of marginal players at the bottom of the 40 man, probably not an issue.  Hoping the Twins brass saw something.  Seems a little expensive if he will be released at the end of spring training.  We shall see.  Maybe a different pitch mix, that has been discussed where I have looked.

[HrbekRules]

Sarcasm is welcome at this point

I have nothing left but sarcasm at this point.

[nicksaviking]

Yeah, I think you're on your own here

 

I know it. My detest of sinkerball pitchers may be unmatched here. I absolutely loathe the pitch but it seems to have a cult-like grip on pitchers who swear by it.

 

But, then I have to acknowledge that they have a greater chance of improvement if they finally stop drinking the Kool-aid and realize that it’s not a good idea to intentionally put the ball in play.

[beckmt]

Maybe we are looking at some trade options.  That could  be why we are stocking up on mediocre pitchers.

[jkcarew]

I would have thought we could throw blind-folded darts at a list of free agents and come up with guys that would improve the 40-man...if not the 25-man. Apparently, I was wrong.

[TheLeviathan]

I would like to read what Tom wrote but all I see is a giant video of a Twin striking out over the top of it.  I think it's hilariously apt...but still I'd like to read what Tom wrote.

 

Anyone else having this issue?

[ashbury]

I would like to read what Tom wrote but all I see is a giant video of a Twin striking out over the top of it.  I think it's hilariously apt...but still I'd like to read what Tom wrote.

 

Anyone else having this issue?

I PMed Brock when I saw it before the copy of the article was placed in the Forums area. It's a Saturday, so that's probably why I haven't heard back.

 

You should be able to view the article in the actual Article area of the site. Click on "Articles" near the top of any page, and then click on the article you want. Comments are linked between each article and its Forum counterpart. Kind of a computer kludge, to my way of thinking, but it works.

 

To save you the arduous effort of finding the article, here is a direct link.

[oregontwin]

Who does he cost us?

[darin617]

 

Is "meh" a "meh" enough response? Or should I slap my forehead, kick the dirt and say !@#$?

 

I would include stick your head in a snowbank until you almost completely numb and then hope it's a bad dream.

[darin617]

 

Who does he cost us?

 

This is easy. 2 choices and the correct answer may be both. Derek Falvey & Thad Levine seem like 2 that may need to go to improve this organization.

[specialiststeve]

Left handed pitcher who in the bullpen last year did fine. Still only 27 on a 1 year deal. Not sure what folks are upset about. Low risk deal. 

[nicksaviking]

Left handed pitcher who in the bullpen last year did fine. Still only 27 on a 1 year deal. Not sure what folks are upset about. Low risk deal.

 

For one, a guy who throws a sinker 50% of the time with this infield defense is probably going to give up hits unlike anyone else in the league.

 

But that should be clear as day to everyone, so hopefully he stops with that nonsense.

[twinsfansd]

I think I heard that the front office has hired a whole swarm of analytical people. It seems to me that maybe one of them might know more than we do about what Perez is capable of. I for one am excited to see what they can do with him.

[tvagle]

Can anyone check to see if there is a Martin Perez married to Levine's sister or cousin or 1st grade teacher? 

 

That's the best I can do to explain the MAJOR LEAGUE contract (apologies for the CAPs if this isn't the case)

[Dman]

I wasn't a fan of the Anibel Sanchez signing last year and he did well with the Braves. I ranted and raved about how horrible that move was. Hopefully they identified something here as well. Can't say I excited but hope this works out for my favorite team.

[Otwins]

I am ok with this also.  Twins need more pitching depth. Other than last year when he was shut down twice with injuries he has been league average or close. He has pitched in Texas which was by Espn park factors the worst for pitchers last year.  This should mean that we have a left handed starter either Perez or Mejia and the other is headed to the bullpen where league average pitchers are sorely need. I would like it better if it was a minor league deal but probably nit picking. There are a few more players we can lose off the 40 man. Now sign or trade for a closer

[sweetmusicviola16]

 

I wasn't a fan of the Anibel Sanchez signing last year and he did well with the Braves. I ranted and raved about how horrible that move was. Hopefully they identified something here as well. Can't say I excited but hope this works out for my favorite team.

I didn't like the Sanchez signing either. We have no way of knowing if Sanchez would have done well as a Twin either. The difference between the two signings is that Perez is an ML signing and Sanchez wasn't. Perez is owed 3.5 mil plus any buyout of 2020, he will get every oppurtunity to be on the team now regardless of how bad he may end up being. Had Perez been an milb signing I would still not be excited over it but I'd also take no issue with it.

[Winston Smith]

 

Maybe we are looking at some trade options.  That could  be why we are stocking up on mediocre pitchers.

Mediocre is cheap, good cost real money.

[SomeGuy]

They did pull Magill out of thin air and seemed to fix Drake last year.  Maybe Perez will work out too.

 

3.5M is not a big deal if he doesn't work out.  Don't see why people are getting worked up over such a low risk move.

 

 

[SomeGuy]

 

I didn't like the Sanchez signing either. We have no way of knowing if Sanchez would have done well as a Twin either. The difference between the two signings is that Perez is an ML signing and Sanchez wasn't. Perez is owed 3.5 mil plus any buyout of 2020, he will get every oppurtunity to be on the team now regardless of how bad he may end up being. Had Perez been an milb signing I would still not be excited over it but I'd also take no issue with it.

 

I kind of think the 3.5M includes the option year.  At the very least it should include the buyout

 

Jon Heyman says "Perez’s deal is worth approximately $3.5MM"  I took that as the whole deal, maybe I'm wrong.

[Mike Sixel]

Left handed pitcher who in the bullpen last year did fine. Still only 27 on a 1 year deal. Not sure what folks are upset about. Low risk deal.

Maybe some of us want deals that are difference makers, not bargains or low risk. Difference makers.

[Otto von Ballpark]

Maybe they see him as a second left handed arm in the bullpen.

$3.5 mil guaranteed seems steep for a guy who *might* become a second lefty out of the pen...

[Otto von Ballpark]

The difference between the two signings is that Perez is an ML signing and Sanchez wasn't.

Technically, Sanchez was an MLB signing -- he required a 40-man spot when the Twins signed him. But it was a split contract that paid him less if he didn't make our 25 man roster.