Blake Parker DFA'd

[Vanimal46]

Are there any relievers left?

[Seth Stohs]

Among moves just announced by the Twins, RH RP Blake Parker was DFAd.

 

Devin Smeltzer was recalled with Kohl Stewart optioned.

 

Carlos Torres - a 10-year MLB veteran - was added to the 40-man roster and takes Parker's spot on the roster. The 36-year-old signed with the Twins in early June and pitched in 8 games for the Red Wings.

 

But the big news is obviously the Parker DFA.

 

I'm surprised. I really am. Not that it wasn't the right decision. I think it was. But just surprised.

[Vanimal46]

They also added a 36 year old, breathing reliever from AAA.

 

http://twinsdaily.com/topic/33700-twins-add-36-year-old-breathing-reliever/?do=findComment&comment=885077

[Vanimal46]

I just threw up in my mouth with the latest 40 man add. Don't they have like 8 pitchers that they need to make 40 man decisions on this off-season? And we add a 36 year old has been. Wow.

[USAFChief]

I’m surprised too. Surprised it took them so long to recognize throwing beach balls is bad for morale.

[Platoon]

Is this what's called addition by subtraction? But seriously while it may be possible to land a "big fish", it ain't gonna be cheap. There aren't even a lot of tantalizing arms being bandied about either. I think there could be quite a bit of weeping and nashing of teeth.

[Brock Beauchamp]

Two takeaways:

 

1. No surprise whatsoever

 

2. His replacement is Torres, to which I say "What's even the point?"

 

I get the front office is in a bit of a pickle here but good lord, it's of their own making. The moves they pulled in the past week should have started four weeks ago as they tried to wrangle some minor trades to backfill the bullpen and tested guys like Thorpe, Smeltzer, Stashak, et al in the stead of the dreaded M&M&M boys and Parker (and maybe even Harper, though he's interesting enough that I don't mind him sticking around as the last man standing at the back of a mediocre pen).

[DuluthFan]

 

I just threw up in my mouth with the latest 40 man add. Don't they have like 8 pitchers that they need to make 40 man decisions on this off-season? And we add a 36 year old has been. Wow.

 

These decisions don't have to be made until the offseason. You do NOT want to add these players before the trade deadline because you may need those roster spots for traded players. That's not a decision that needs to be made right now.

[Mill1634]

Not sure I understand this a lot. Torres is probably no better than Parker, and will probably be DFA'd after the trade deadline. I think Romero would've made a lot more sense; or Poppen or Eades.

 

 

This puts us in a situation to HAVE to add three arms

 

The ideal situation would be two of Smith, Lugo, Giles, Yates or Holland, and then a fifth starter, whether it be Grienke, Syndergaard (both probably dreams), or someone like Stroman.

 

However, I am expecting something like one of Lugo, Giles, Yates, Holland, or Smith, and then two of a next tier reliever. Think Diekman, Tony Watson, Shawn Kelley, Shane Greene, Hudson, Colome, or Givens. 

 

For the purpose of this, let's go two relievers, and a starter. Smith, Shawn Kelley, and Marcus Stroman.

 

That sends Perez to the bullpen, and Stroman into a playoff rotation.

1. JO

2. Stroman

3. Odorizzi

4. Gibson or Pineda (Think this is a lot closer than most would like to admit)

 

That sets the playoff bullpen as:

 

Smith

Rogers

Kelley

Perez

Duffey

Harper

May

Littell

That isn't a bad bullpen, and isn't a bad playoff rotation either. We HAVE to get three pitchers now with this move, though.

[Richie the Rally Goat]

Stewart was sent down because they only have May and Thorpe available tonight?

[howeda7]

Praise the Lord. That said, something is very wrong with your bullpen construction when you go from "here, we trust you with an 8th inning lead against the Yankees" to "You're off the team" in 17 hours.

[Dantes929]

Thorpe, Smeltzer, Stashak have passed the test so far.   They all seem to have good presence and stuff.   All relievers give up runs.   All of them.   So don't expect these three to be perfect but I certainly like what I have seen from them.    Add in Rogers, May, Harper and Littell.      I am not so down on Stewart either but like him in long relief.   I would like at least one guy in the pen that can eat up innings for short starts.    

[howeda7]

 

 

I just threw up in my mouth with the latest 40 man add. Don't they have like 8 pitchers that they need to make 40 man decisions on this off-season? And we add a 36 year old has been. Wow.

How does that effect adding guys in the off-season?

[Mill1634]

 

Thorpe, Smeltzer, Stashak have passed the test so far.   They all seem to have good presence and stuff.   All relievers give up runs.   All of them.   So don't expect these three to be perfect but I certainly like what I have seen from them.    Add in Rogers, May, Harper and Littell.      I am not so down on Stewart either but like him in long relief.   I would like at least one guy in the pen that can eat up innings for short starts.    

I'm not as sold on Stashak as others are. Yes, he showed the ability to put big league hitters away, but he is going to run into the same problem Harper has. His fastball is straight, and doesn't have enough velo to put hitters away. That slider is nice, but he has to have another pitch to threaten hitters. If Wes can work his magic and add two or three MPH and starts sitting 94-96, Stashak is dangerous. 

[jorgenswest]

If Torres is on the roster in one week the Twins did not do enough at the deadline.

[Nine of twelve]

 

If Torres is on the roster in one week the Twins did not do enough at the deadline.

Maybe keep him on the 40-man depending on how he does the next couple days, but I agree that we need better names on the 25-man.

[Han Joelo]

 

I'm not as sold on Stashak as others are. Yes, he showed the ability to put big league hitters away, but he is going to run into the same problem Harper has. His fastball is straight, and doesn't have enough velo to put hitters away. That slider is nice, but he has to have another pitch to threaten hitters. If Wes can work his magic and add two or three MPH and starts sitting 94-96, Stashak is dangerous. 

Is his fast ball straight?  I thought he had some nice late break on it.  But I am not an expert, so don't totally go on what I just saiid here.

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

Well, I was right on the Parker DFA but wrong on Torres. I was going to say "at least it's better than calling up Cody Allen", but I'm not sure I'm right about that. Not sure they had a lot of other choices other than Smeltzer with Eades on the IL and Jake Reed stinking it up in AAA. 

It's better than Allen because at least with Allen, the upside there is interesting enough that you want to give him more time in the minors to see if he figures it out.

 

Torres has no upside. When it's time to cut bait, there's not a second thought involved.

[nicksaviking]

Less than 24 hours ago I heard Dick Bremer call Blake Parker the Twins most reliable reliever. Will be interesting to hear his take on the DFA tonight!

 

I’ll bet he doesn’t go unclaimed, but this is a great sign. I don’t think much separates Parker from Harper, Duffey and May so none of them should feel safe. I was worried that they all might have been in a bit of a limbo where they weren’t good enough to trust, but their numbers weren’t bad enough to dump.

[Otto von Ballpark]

Maybe keep him on the 40-man depending on how he does the next couple days, but I agree that we need better names on the 25-man.

Torres doesn't have any options left, so if you want to remove him from the 25-man, you have to remove him from the 40-man too. Similar to Morin, Magill, etc.

[nicksaviking]

I don't get cutting Parker for Torres, I know they are trying to reward a guy and maybe motivate the kids in Romero and Gonsalves to try and earn a promotion by doing better, I hope Torres can get people out and help but not going to lie, I am very doubtful this move will end up successful.

 

Or they’re sending a message to Harper, Duffey and May.

 

Man, what if they sat all four of them together in a room and made them draw straws?

[jorgenswest]

I don't get cutting Parker for Torres, I know they are trying to reward a guy and maybe motivate the kids in Romero and Gonsalves to try and earn a promotion by doing better, I hope Torres can get people out and help but not going to lie, I am very doubtful this move will end up successful.

 

I am hopeful this is the line of thinking...

 

1) in one week they will have added a few relievers.

2) Blake Parker was going to be DFA’d with the additions

3) Carlos Torres is a better option than Parker in the very very short term.

[howeda7]

So the person I have the most confidence in order for tonight is...

 

Rogers

Harper

Duffy

Smeltzer

May

Stashak (assume unavailable)

Thorpe (assume unavailable)

Torres

 

Send help

[USAFChief]

Less than 24 hours ago I heard Dick Bremer call Blake Parker the Twins most reliable reliever.

I’m not sure if that reflects more poorly on Bremer or Falvine.

 

If forced to chose, I’d go Falvine. Bremers not making roster decisions.

[ashbury]

From the MLBTR article: "The Minnesota org scooped him up for a $1.8MM guarantee. There were a series of roster bonuses that kicked off beginning 130 days into the season, a point less than two weeks away. While the Twins won’t owe any of the extra contemplated cash, they’ll be on the hook for the remainder of the salary..."

 

Fair to assume the writer's primary source was somebody on the beancounting side of the Twins front office. Because being on the hook for what I'm estimating to be $688,888.89 is not a phrase the fan on the street would probably have come up with in regards to a major league budget. Nor should it have anything to do with anything. It's a cost of doing business. It's noise in the system, lint in the filter.

[howeda7]

 

 

I am hopeful this is the line of thinking...

1) in one week they will have added a few relievers.
2) Blake Parker was going to be DFA’d with the additions
3) Carlos Torres is a better option than Parker in the very very short term.

4) We can convince fans that Thorpe/Stashak/Torres are good based on 1-2 outings and no trades were needed.

[jz7233]

 

Stewart was sent down because they only have May and Thorpe available tonight?

Stewart is not going to survive in the major league.

[Richie the Rally Goat]

We needed someone able to go 2 innings (or more) with Odorizzi starting. He is the opposite of an "innings eater" and will be lucky to go 5.

Since the beginning of the 2018 season (51 starts) Odorizzi has averaged 5.75 innings, more than a half inning higher than league average. In 2019 he’s over 5.5 innings per start still a third inning over average.

[tvagle]

 

Fair to assume the writer's primary source was somebody inside the Twins front office. Because being on the hook for what I'm estimating to be $688,888.89 is not a phrase the fan on the street would probably have come up with in regards to a major league budget.

That savings will pay 3 minimum wage relievers for the rest of the season!

[ChrisKnutson]

This bullpen is dying and Romero is nowhere to be found, thanks Falvey!!!