Article: Twins Trade Lewin Diaz for RHP Sergio Romo, 2 Minor Leaguers

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Honest question.

 

Do they make Romo fly up to Chicago tonight, then fly right back to Miami with the team tomorrow night?

 

Probably, but teams often let starting pitchers fly ahead of the team by a night, and our bullpen is fairly rested. Maybe they let Romo meet the team in Miami.

[ashbury]

Moderator's Note: Apparently some posters forgot that this is a moderated site. We've issued warning points to four members already and removed those posts (along with responses they garnered) - most weeks pass without even one. Please don't become the fifth today. If you like or dislike the trade, state why - nobody has been given a warning point for that. But don't tear into fellow posters, or post disrespectfully about players, or... well, you know what's expected here.

 

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[Dman]

Nick Anderson has 0.2 career bWAR.

We're calling that a "fleecing"?

I guess I was looking more at his K rate and this fangraphs article earlier in the year https://blogs.fangraphs.com/nick-anderson-is-improbably-excellent/

 

It looks like he has regressed some since then but still would be nice to have.

[Mr. Brooks]

I guess I was looking more at his K rate and this fangraphs article earlier in the year https://blogs.fangraphs.com/nick-anderson-is-improbably-excellent/

 

It looks like he has regressed some since then but still would be nice to have.

Oh, don't get me wrong. I'd like to have him too.

He's been a bit unlucky, in addition to some regression.

But it still has a long way to go to get into "fleecing" territory.

 

Johan Santana for Jered Camp, now that's a fleecing.

[Twins33]

Honest question.

Do they make Romo fly up to Chicago tonight, then fly right back to Miami with the team tomorrow night?

Probably, but teams often let starting pitchers fly ahead of the team by a night, and our bullpen is fairly rested. Maybe they let Romo meet the team in Miami.

TV guys talked to Dustin Morse, he’s coming to Chicago. Was mentioned on air. LaTroy didn’t think he would and neither did I.

[twinkiesfan11]

Love the trade. Yet another savvy move by the Twins FO.

 

Romo’s reputation as a crafty veteran and great teammate with high leverage experience seems like an excellent fit for the playoff run. Don’t care about low velo, he has a track record of getting outs! Hopefully this is just the first of multiple moves.

 

Diaz is a fun prospect but would have either been lost for nothing this winter or consumed a valuable 40 man spot at the expense of someone else likely from a position of greater need.

 

I could have been talked into Diaz for Romo straight up due to the 40 man issue or Diaz for Vallimont for sure. Both plus the PTBNL is wizardry

[nicksaviking]

Eh, not a Romo fan but like the starting pitcher in A ball. Diaz had next to zero chance with this team with all the corner bats in AA and AAA.

[PseudoSABR]

 

Vallimont is my favorite piece in the deal.  Romo does little for me

He was drafted in 2018, so no need to be added to the 40 for another year.

[Squirrel]

 

As mentioned in the rumors thread, if this is the only bp move, I’m pissed.

If this was the third best reliever acquired, I’m happy

I think this is the most succinct summation and mirrors my feelings exactly. There is nothing more for me to say on it.

[gocgo]

I feel like Diaz was probably 6th or so in line for 1B. We get a hard throwing prospect that may one day help us whereas Diaz probably would not. Call it even. Oh and we got this Romo guy who should fill a bullpen spot...and a ptbnl. We win.

[prouster]

Solid trade. Shores up the middle of the bullpen. They’re attached to several other names, so it seems pretty certain that this won’t be their only move. Fear not, Falvey critics.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

TV guys talked to Dustin Morse, he’s coming to Chicago. Was mentioned on air. LaTroy didn’t think he would and neither did I.

Thanks!

[Reider]

If the Twins were going to lose Diaz to the rule 5 draft or something along those lines anyways, then there's nothing wrong with a trade like this. I would like to see the Twins make some bigger trades for some impart arms, but it's still early. The Twins will hopefully acquire higher end pitchers over the next few days. Like many others, I will be disappointed if this is the only relief pitcher that they acquire. I"m confident / optimistic that more help is on the way.

Edited July 28, 2019 by Reider

[Tom Froemming]

 

Throwing together a (very low quality) video on Vallimont now.

Alright, the article has been updated to include a very brief video of Vallimont. Basically just there to give you an idea of how he looks out there on the mound.

[Ctwink]

I’d make this trade for days. Fair mention, Diaz is playing well this year (for once) and has been at AA for a month. However, I can think of several guys who are 40 man eligible at the end of the year who are farther along or more talented than Diaz. This is a phenomenal trade for the Twins. You add a serviceable reliever, get a good AA starter AND you get a ptbnl all the while clearing a name off the long list of players you have to make a decision on in October. What’s not to love? Diaz was probably the most expendable “blue chip” prospect the twins had.

 

Not sure who is runnin the show in Miami - they must have REALLY liked Diaz to trade three players for him. 1B/DH types are not hard to find...

[AZTwin]

Reloading pitching depth is a very underrated piece too if that is indeed what the Mets are after...

[Brock Beauchamp]

Like others are saying, this seems like a pretty logical move to shuffle around some pieces while picking up a middle relief arm.

 

But they need something better so I'll reserve judgment until we get past the deadline.

[SteelDodo]

I LOVE this deal. Obviously I'm hoping for more trades, but I'm pretty sure I would have pulled the trigger if it had been just a one for one swap for Vallimont.

 

The twins helped the bullpen, lessened the 40 man crowding, added another decent pitching prospect AND a ptbnl, all for someone who was likely never going to play for the twins anyways because he is so far down the 1B pecking order and quality MLB first basemen are so cheap to come by (see Cron).

 

This is a relatively small trade, but in a vacuum, it's a definite win in my book.

[Thrylos]

The Twins still a closer (I assume that Romo will replace Parker as the RH setup man) and a starter better than Berrios to be relevant.

 

Now as far as this trade goes:

 

Diaz has been underrated by the national media.  Easily he would have been about #15 or so in my mid-season list (if I had one )  He was close in the top 10 some seasons ago.  Chris Vallimont sounds a lot to me like Edwar Colina  (constant mid 90s, flashes top 90s FB, plus slider, third pitch work in progress) but with about 6 inches of height and better control and more missed bats.  Colina would have been very close to Diaz in my list, and, by extension so would Vallimont (even though I have never see him pitch other than in video today).  Both look like closers rather than starters to me...

 

So the Twins swapped a first baseman for an equally rated pitcher.  Both about a couple seasons away from making the Twins (Diaz might make the Marlins earlier.)   And then they added an old dude who might get somebody out this post-season and another guy.

 

I'll take it.

But they need more to be relevant.  For sure.

[Squirrel]

 

I LOVE this deal. Obviously I'm hoping for more trades, but I'm pretty sure I would have pulled the trigger if it had been just a one for one swap for Vallimont.

The twins helped the bullpen, lessened the 40 man crowding, added another decent pitching prospect AND a ptbnl, all for someone who was likely never going to play for the twins anyways because he is so far down the 1B pecking order and quality MLB first basemen are so cheap to come by (see Cron).

This is a relatively small trade, but in a vacuum, it's a definite win in my book.

Nice first post ... welcome to TD!

[Blackjack]

 

I LOVE this deal. Obviously I'm hoping for more trades, but I'm pretty sure I would have pulled the trigger if it had been just a one for one swap for Vallimont.

The twins helped the bullpen, lessened the 40 man crowding, added another decent pitching prospect AND a ptbnl, all for someone who was likely never going to play for the twins anyways because he is so far down the 1B pecking order and quality MLB first basemen are so cheap to come by (see Cron).

This is a relatively small trade, but in a vacuum, it's a definite win in my book.

I don't love the deal but I like it a lot, trade someone who is rule 5 eligible this winter, trade a  guy while he is playing good and is valuable, get back a veteran usable reliever and two prospects, whats not to like about the deal?? 

 

One of my pet peeves on the Twins has been when they bring some guy up for a cup of coffee, he does poorly, and they trade him for nothing or release him -- think Oswaldo Arcia. At least with Diaz they trade him before they lose him or he proves that he isn't capable.

[FlauerPauer]

I think this is a good move if it's not the only move they make. Some how, they get a interchangeable prospect, and lotto ticket, AND a bullpen addition for a guy who may or may not be a MLB player ever.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

I think there’s a distinction between two minor leaguers, and a minor leaguer plus a PTBNL. The PTBNL doesn’t always result in a player? It’s a minor point.

[stringer bell]

Right now, Romo is the second best option in the 'pen. If Taylor Rogers gets a six-out save on Tuesday and the Twins have a one-run lead in the bottom of the ninth on Wednesday, he should be the guy to get the ball, especially if there are two or three RH hitters due up for the opposition. 

 

I truly hope that the Twins add a better relief pitcher than Romo and that they add a lefty who can get out hitters from both sides of the plate. By itself, this is a decent move with little cost in prospects. I hope there is at least another bigger move in the next four days. 

[pierre75275]

I am much more excited about the minor league pitcher than I am about Sergio

[IndianaTwin]

 

Right now, Romo is the second best option in the 'pen. If Taylor Rogers gets a six-out save on Tuesday and the Twins have a one-run lead in the bottom of the ninth on Wednesday, he should be the guy to get the ball, especially if there are two or three RH hitters due up for the opposition. 

 

I truly hope that the Twins add a better relief pitcher than Romo and that they add a lefty who can get out hitters from both sides of the plate. By itself, this is a decent move with little cost in prospects. I hope there is at least another bigger move in the next four days. 

 

(Stringer Bell, this isn't a response directly to you. I was just starting to type something like the following when yours popped up and yours is similar to what a number of others have expressed.)

 

 

Yet, Romo is 17 of 18 in save opportunities this year and Rogers is 15 of 20. Romo also has more experience as a closer over his career. Rocco has also shown a willingness to use his best reliever in high leverage situations. Romo is also a righty, which many teams seem to prefer as the closer. 

 

All that to say, I won't be surprised if Romo slides in to something closer to the traditional closer role, with Rogers slipping back to the guy who gets used in the high-leverage situation. Not saying I agree or disagree with that approach, just saying it could well happen.

 

(And frankly, that's a debate for only three more games, because there will be someone else on board by Thursday to change the conversation. Over the last two years, Falvey and Levine have made more than an average number of July trades. There's no reason to think that won't happen again.)

 

(Frankly, part 2: To some extent, this is a typical Falvey/Levine trade. They haven't made "big splash moves," but rather "nudge the needle" moves. Last year it was "get rid of impending free agents." This one is a "get rid of 40-man question marks" move.)

[howeda7]

Lol. Some of y'all are hilarious. "I'd rather have Belisle." Really?

 

He has 17 saves. No he's not great. But he's better than what we have, and we gave up a guy we would have possibly lost as Rule V and got a decent pitching prospect on top of it. This can't be their only move though. 

[twinsnorth49]

I find it funny that people who support getting Bumgarner have an issue with this move. Obviously different roles but very similar in that past performance is how both of them are valued.

 

Not sure how anyone has a problem with this. Wait and see if this is the only thing they do, then you can cry about it. Until that comes to pass, this is a solid move.

[yarnivek1972]

I think we’ll be seeing Romo get the 9th inning most days with a lead (esp with RHB due) and Rogers pitching in the 7th or 8th as the “fireman”. It’s kinda weird that he has a 14% swinging strike rate but a k per 9 under 9. The league as a whole has a k per 9 of 8.8.

[jorgenswest]

I think we’ll be seeing Romo get the 9th inning most days with a lead (esp with RHB due) and Rogers pitching in the 7th or 8th as the “fireman”. It’s kinda weird that he has a 14% swinging strike rate but a k per 9 under 9. The league as a whole has a k per 9 of 8.8.

I guess I agree because the alternative is to put him in a role where he needs to put out a fire. He was fourth last year in inherited runners scored. He won’t see many inherited runners coming in at the start of the ninth inning.