Austin DFA’d: De jong up

[yarnivek1972]

I guess I don’t get the timing.

 

The bullpen isn’t particularly taxed yet. Odorizzi’s stnker didn’t help, but it wasn’t fatal.

 

The team ace pitches tomorrow.

 

Monday and Thursday are off days.

 

They could have called up anyone already on the 40 man for Tuesday.

[ashbury]

They could have called up anyone already on the 40 man for Tuesday.

But the guy they wanted to send down is out of minor league options. They decided to bite the bullet.

[Doomtints]

 

It's not an obsession with K's, but with a 3.66 ERA repeating AA/AAA last year, De Jong really needed strong peripherals to differentiate himself from a ton of other minor league pitchers.

 

For the record, De Jong's K% was below league average last year, at every level he pitched.

 

AA: 17.3%, versus a league mark of 20.9%

AAA: 20.2%, versus 22.0% league

MLB: 17.6%, versus 22.6% league

 

Now, he may have talent/potential worth claiming, particularly with one option year left, but it's not necessarily evident in his stat lines to date.

 

A 2% difference at AAA is, what, 6.36 K/9 v. 6.39 K/9?

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

A 2% difference at AAA is, what, 6.36 K/9 v. 6.39 K/9?

Actually, no. It's not a 2% difference in K/9.

 

K% is strikeouts divided by plate appearances. A 2% difference there will produce a larger difference in K/9.

 

If De Jong had a league average K% in AAA last year, he would have had a 8.5 K/9, versus the 7.8 he posted. Not a huge difference, but still below average -- and that was his best K performance last year, the difference was larger at AA and MLB. And nothing else about his performance at any level stood out either.

 

If his ERA was 2.50, or his BB% was microscopic, etc. -- I could see the argument that his K rate isn't a big deal. But he was just sort of blah in all phases. I didn't mean to imply that his K rate was specifically a problem, but he doesn't appear to have any plus asset, statistically.

[Channing1964]

I'd be comfortable calling up Kiriloff next week if Cron or Cruz gets injured, but would the team be? I doubt it.

Time for some reverse voodoo, because I'm not looking forward to Gonzalez as the everyday first baseman if one of those guys gets hurt.

Can't Astudillo play first base as well? I know Kepler and Garver can. Austin did all he could do to break through. Its just not gonna be his opportunity. He'll get one. We needed that roster spot anyways. I just wish we could have gotten something for him.

[Channing1964]

And, this is DeJong's last audition. I would advise him to make the most of it. The depth we have is virtually amazing

[Channing1964]

That is what I am thinking as well. The question is what type of prospect are we looking at? I think if we could one in the 16-20 range we should be pretty happy.

thats pretty optimistic. Maybe they could package Austin and that joke Dakota guy we got for Rodney last year for an AA Starter with Protential.

[nicksaviking]

I was hoping Austin would be a hidden gem but I ended up pretty discouraged with those strikeout issues. I would have been OK with this move a month ago.

 

Though I’m not really a DeJong believer.

[Mike Sixel]

Rooker, Garver, Raley, Weil, Kirilloff, and more all have a shot to do what Austin does, plus provide OF defense. I like Austin, and think he can maybe hit, but this is not likely a loss for the team.

[darin617]

 

I'd be comfortable calling up Kiriloff next week if Cron or Cruz gets injured, but would the team be? I doubt it.
Time for some reverse voodoo, because I'm not looking forward to Gonzalez as the everyday first baseman if one of those guys gets hurt.

 

Maybe the Twins may have found another place to let Astudillo play.  You would think if he can play 3rd he could play 1st. I know his height may limit him but anyway to keep his bat in the lineup works for me.

[Mr. Brooks]

Maybe the Twins may have found another place to let Astudillo play. You would think if he can play 3rd he could play 1st. I know his height may limit him but anyway to keep his bat in the lineup works for me.

I was assuming Astudillo is already starting somewhere.

If that's what it takes to get him into the lineup, then sure.

But I don't know why you'd start a guy capable of playing premium positions like catcher and third base at first base on a regular basis.

[DocBauer]

Agreed... that's why I'm disappointed in the collective group think that came to this conclusion... but not shocked because there is a lot of hubris in those front offices when it comes to these razor thin margin calls.

 

All I can do is sit here on my couch and pray to the baseball gods that my front office will eventually let the players decide things on the field.

 

It's really all I'm asking for. All my posts can be boiled down to this single request.

 

I agree with you completely. There is a difference between guys being allowed to work through a slump and guys being allowed to play day after day and not producing and nobody else getting a shot.

 

Personally, I don't think this move falls in to that category. In fact, while the season is very young, I think Baldelli has used his entire roster rather well thus far. The obvious exception being Austin. What this says to me is they liked Austin enough to keep him around, since roster size allowed it, and see what happens. Unfortunately, what happened is the need for another arm sooner than wanted.

 

Understand I rather like Austin despite the high K and low BB numbers. I still think there is some potential there, and I hope against probable reality he will go unclaimed and report to Rochester. I'm sure the FO is hoping for that as well. I don't really know if Austin had much of a future with the Twins, who like and are committed to Cron for at least this season, and have other options at 1B and some really solid guys in Kirilloff, Rooker and Raley arriving soon...hopefully.

 

I agree sending Garver down, breifely, would make sense. And maybe it is a mistake they didn't do so. Playing devil's advocate, this may be more about their belief in Garver and Astudillo and less of a belief in the future of Castro. Just tossing that out there.

[Riverbrian]

 

I agree with you completely. There is a difference between guys being allowed to work through a slump and guys being allowed to play day after day and not producing and nobody else getting a shot.

Personally, I don't think this move falls in to that category. In fact, while the season is very young, I think Baldelli has used his entire roster rather well thus far. The obvious exception being Austin. What this says to me is they liked Austin enough to keep him around, since roster size allowed it, and see what happens. Unfortunately, what happened is the need for another arm sooner than wanted.

Understand I rather like Austin despite the high K and low BB numbers. I still think there is some potential there, and I hope against probable reality he will go unclaimed and report to Rochester. I'm sure the FO is hoping for that as well. I don't really know if Austin had much of a future with the Twins, who like and are committed to Cron for at least this season, and have other options at 1B and some really solid guys in Kirilloff, Rooker and Raley arriving soon...hopefully.

I agree sending Garver down, breifely, would make sense. And maybe it is a mistake they didn't do so. Playing devil's advocate, this may be more about their belief in Garver and Astudillo and less of a belief in the future of Castro. Just tossing that out there.

 

I think we are on the same page.

 

I realize that Cron is playing decent enough so I'd like to see him keep playing and that doesn't leave a lot of space for Austin. 

 

This is the nature of 25 and 40 Man Rosters and the CBA. It happens all the time. 

 

I wanted him to get a chance to compete... it didn't happen and I wouldn't have known how to make it happen either in current context.  

[old nurse]

 

Because if Cron gets hurt, Austin can take over at 1B. If Cruz gets hurt, Cron can move to DH, or Austin can fill DH.
I certainly wasn't suggesting that Cruz could play 1B, I doubt anyone else was either.

Any player on the Twins that has played 1b at would be capable of producing Austin's career OPS of .559 against right handed pitching.  As DH, even Castro has a better career OPS against right handed pitching. Right handed pitching is about 75% of the starters. For the other 25% that is quite  luxury to have.

 

I certainly did not say you in particular was. saying Cruz could play 1b. When people bring up Cruz's name when discussing DH/1b types it would imply that he could play that position.

[Doctor Wu]

 

I guess I don’t get the timing.

The bullpen isn’t particularly taxed yet. Odorizzi’s stnker didn’t help, but it wasn’t fatal.

The team ace pitches tomorrow.

Monday and Thursday are off days.

They could have called up anyone already on the 40 man for Tuesday.

The timing puzzles me too. Like others on this board, I'm not necessarily shocked by the move, but I figured the team would at least give Austin all of April to show what he could do ... and then they could put him on waivers. But during the first week in April? Are there pressing concerns with the pitching rotation that aren't obvious to idiots like me that made them want to call up De Jong at this point?

[bighat]

 

The timing puzzles me too. Like others on this board, I'm not necessarily shocked by the move, but I figured the team would at least give Austin all of April to show what he could do ... and then they could put him on waivers. But during the first week in April? Are there pressing concerns with the pitching rotation that aren't obvious to idiots like me that made them want to call up De Jong at this point?

 

Maybe they think now is the best chance they'll have to slip him through waivers? Before any major injuries and before any teams realize their current options at 1B are failing?

[Doctor Wu]

 

Maybe they think now is the best chance they'll have to slip him through waivers? Before any major injuries and before any teams realize their current options at 1B are failing?

I hadn't thought of that, but I guess that's one possible scenario. Then again, I think what Riverbrian suggested will probably happen, and Austin gets picked up by a team like the Orioles or Marlins where he might actually get some at bats.

[nicksaviking]

The timing puzzles me too. Like others on this board, I'm not necessarily shocked by the move, but I figured the team would at least give Austin all of April to show what he could do ... and then they could put him on waivers. But during the first week in April? Are there pressing concerns with the pitching rotation that aren't obvious to idiots like me that made them want to call up De Jong at this point?

I’m guessing they’re getting the extra reliever up now in preparation for a five man rotation. Also, perhaps the team is getting the inkling that Perez is best used out of the pen.

 

I like what the Austin DFA implies. In past years it seems like the Twins would have absolutely optioned Garver or Astudillo, despite their production, simply to try to wring the last drips of hope out of Austin’s chances of sticking.

 

It’s early, but they’re leading the division and the other teams look bad. At least in Austin’s case, they’re not sacrificing the MLB roster and risking wins now because they want to cross their fingers on a long shot player with only one defining tool.

[Mr. Brooks]

Any player on the Twins that has played 1b at would be capable of producing Austin's career OPS of .559 against right handed pitching. As DH, even Castro has a better career OPS against right handed pitching. Right handed pitching is about 75% of the starters. For the other 25% that is quite luxury to have.

 

I certainly did not say you in particular was. saying Cruz could play 1b. When people bring up Cruz's name when discussing DH/1b types it would imply that he could play that position.

Austin has a .659 career OPS vs righties. And that is over 263 career plate appearances.

 

If you want to declare that he can't hit righties based on 263 career plate appearances, have at it, I won't.

[darin617]

 

I was assuming Astudillo is already starting somewhere.
If that's what it takes to get him into the lineup, then sure.
But I don't know why you'd start a guy capable of playing premium positions like catcher and third base at first base on a regular basis.

 

Everyone needs to get some playing time. If we need to plug Astudillo in at 1st to keep his bat in the lineup so be it.

[Vanimal46]

No big loss. Austin was bound to be DFA'd soon anyways.

[USAFChief]

 

Austin has a .659 career OPS vs righties. And that is over 263 career plate appearances.

If you want to declare that he can't hit righties based on 263 career plate appearances, have at it, I won't.

He has 146 career PAs vs lefties.

 

If you want to declare he can hit lefties based on 146 PAs, have at it. I won't.

[yarnivek1972]

Everyone needs to get some playing time. If we need to plug Astudillo in at 1st to keep his bat in the lineup so be it.

No. There’s a reason why 5’9” guys don’t play first base. Dougie wasn’t the tallest guy, but he wasn’t THAT short.

[Otto von Ballpark]

Maybe they think now is the best chance they'll have to slip him through waivers? Before any major injuries and before any teams realize their current options at 1B are failing?

Even if he clears waivers, Austin can declare free agency because he has previously been outrighted. And I suspect he wouldn't want to come back to Minnesota, given our 1B/DH options.

[Mr. Brooks]

He has 146 career PAs vs lefties.

 

If you want to declare he can hit lefties based on 146 PAs, have at it. I won't.

Where on earth did I ever do that?

[old nurse]

 

Austin has a .659 career OPS vs righties. And that is over 263 career plate appearances.

If you want to declare that he can't hit righties based on 263 career plate appearances, have at it, I won't.

Misread on the 4 point type.  on the .559. My bad. .659 isn't anything to write home about either.

 

Austin has not hit right handed pitching at the major league level. If the Yankees thought that he was able they would not have traded him and getting Voit.  You don't give up 30 hr potential for a back of your rotation rental starter unless you do not think they can achieve that. Swinging strike rate and K% says he has a long ways to go to be major league. Now he does have value as a logy killer. If Tampa has enough roster flexibility they could add Austin because Choi is even more futile against lefties than Austin is against righties.

[Mr. Brooks]

Misread on the 4 point type. on the .559. My bad. .659 isn't anything to write home about either.

 

Austin has not hit right handed pitching at the major league level. If the Yankees thought that he was able they would not have traded him and getting Voit. You don't give up 30 hr potential for a back of your rotation rental starter unless you do not think they can achieve that. Swinging strike rate and K% says he has a long ways to go to be major league. Now he does have value as a logy killer. If Tampa has enough roster flexibility they could add Austin because Choi is even more futile against lefties than Austin is against righties.

It's always possible that the Yankees were wrong in their evaluation.

[Channing1964]

I agree with you completely. There is a difference between guys being allowed to work through a slump and guys being allowed to play day after day and not producing and nobody else getting a shot.

 

Personally, I don't think this move falls in to that category. In fact, while the season is very young, I think Baldelli has used his entire roster rather well thus far. The obvious exception being Austin. What this says to me is they liked Austin enough to keep him around, since roster size allowed it, and see what happens. Unfortunately, what happened is the need for another arm sooner than wanted.

 

Understand I rather like Austin despite the high K and low BB numbers. I still think there is some potential there, and I hope against probable reality he will go unclaimed and report to Rochester. I'm sure the FO is hoping for that as well. I don't really know if Austin had much of a future with the Twins, who like and are committed to Cron for at least this season, and have other options at 1B and some really solid guys in Kirilloff, Rooker and Raley arriving soon...hopefully.

 

I agree sending Garver down, breifely, would make sense. And maybe it is a mistake they didn't do so. Playing devil's advocate, this may be more about their belief in Garver and Astudillo and less of a belief in the future of Castro. Just tossing that out there.

i get it that Garver has options but so does Cave and Astudillo. From what i get from Rocco already sending Garver down at this point in his career can have nothing but a negative impact to his psyche. He has to feel like he has earned his spot on this team and frankly i would agree. The bigger decision is gonna come when Sano comes back and we have to carry 13 pitchers. I like this better than a AA bench. remember that?

[old nurse]

 

It's always possible that the Yankees were wrong in their evaluation.

Austin  hits well against left handed pitching. The known problem was he  strikes out nearly 40% of the time against RHP and has a swinging strike % of 18.. To get to league average on those numbers is a significant leap.

[killertwinfan]

Unfortunately Austin Doesn't fit with our current state. An option could be to send down Austidillo and hold on to Austin until you can recover some value but there is NO WAY I would want to do that.  Unfortunately, the value of last season's selling spree to our future is diminishing.  I know there is more to see, but so far I am unimpressed with what we got in return for Escobar, Pressly, Dozier, Lynn and Duke.