Morosi: Twins Showing Interest in Yohsitomo Tsutsugo

[Seth Stohs]

 

 

 

28-year-old infielder who has good OBP in his career and his hit 22 or more HR in Japan each of the last six years. 

 

[gunnarthor]

I mean, I know nothing about this guy. His numbers look good but are we sure he's an infielder? B-R has him as an OFer but doesn't have fielding information for him for the last two years.

 

https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=tsutsu000yos

 

Check that, looks like he might be able to play first base, although not at a gold glove level.

 

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2019/11/mlbtr-poll-predicting-largest-guarantee-among-npb-postings.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+MlbTradeRumors+%28MLB+Trade+Rumors%29

[nicksaviking]

Yeah, I thought I read previously that he's a 1B. Good numbers, but hard to say how those will translate. I can't imagine a corner bat costing too much. I'd be interested presuming he doesn't require a contract that would make it difficult to move on from him should better options emerge or he does not perform.

 

Not a fan of the White Sox being tied to every free agent the Twins are though.

[bustedstuff88]

Yeah, I thought I read previously that he's a 1B. Good numbers, but hard to say how those will translate. I can't imagine a corner bat costing too much. I'd be interested presuming he doesn't require a contract that would make it difficult to move on from him should better options emerge or he does not perform.

 

Not a fan of the White Sox being tied to every free agent the Twins are though.

Yeah this is unnerving....its like they are almost purposely trying to mess with us.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

Yeah this is unnerving....its like they are almost purposely trying to mess with us.

I was thinking more like, the White Sox haven't been very good at talent evaluation lately. (Not that they've been pursuing a lot of FA either.)

[nicksaviking]

 

I was thinking more like, the White Sox haven't been very good at talent evaluation lately. (Not that they've been pursuing a lot of FA either.)

 

Yeah, I've been dubious of their anticipated resurrection. I'll believe it when I see it. So maybe you're right, I should also be skeptical of their free agent targets.

[USAFChief]

 

Approves.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

Yeah, I've been dubious of their anticipated resurrection. I'll believe it when I see it. So maybe you're right, I should also be skeptical of their free agent targets.

To be fair, like I said, the White Sox haven't really been pursuing many FA.

 

Although when you're pursuing the same guy as the White Sox, Tigers, and Blue Jays, as the tweet suggests, that's not a great group either...

[howieramone2]

 

To be fair, like I said, the White Sox haven't really been pursuing many FA.

 

Although when you're pursuing the same guy as the White Sox, Tigers, and Blue Jays, as the tweet suggests, that's not a great group either...

Going forward we should expect that. When the rumors surfaced that the Red Sox were interested in Falvey, it let the cat out of the bag. If our favorite team is interested, I fully expect the herd to follow. You can only hide excellence for so long.

[dex8425]

Please no. Just, no. We need to improve from CJ Cron 2019, not get worse. 

[nicksaviking]

 

Please no. Just, no. We need to improve from CJ Cron 2019, not get worse. 

 

I can't imagine you actually know anything about this player?

[dex8425]

 

I can't imagine you actually know anything about this player?

Well, I know that he hit .272 in the offensive oriented Japan Central League last year and isn't very good in the field. So why would we want him starting at an offensive position for a 101 win team? Byung Ho Park had absolutely eye popping numbers in the KBO. 

[nicksaviking]

 

Well, I know that he hit .272 in the offensive oriented Japan Central League last year and isn't very good in the field. So why would we want him starting at an offensive position for a 101 win team? Byung Ho Park had absolutely eye popping numbers in the KBO. 

 

I think it would be best to evaluate the players individually instead of lumping the Asian players all together.

 

None of us know anything about this guy, but I'm guessing a batting average isn't what makes or breaks the deal.

[Mike Frasier Law]

Fangraphs ranked him the #42 free agent and estimated a 2-4 year contract worth between $8-10m per year.

 

They describe him as a lumbering power hitter with bad hands. Says "there's no margin for error here because of the defensive limitations"

 

I say pass. I'd rather see one of our prospects manning 1B

[Mike Sixel]

 

Fangraphs ranked him the #42 free agent and estimated a 2-4 year contract worth between $8-10m per year.

 

They describe him as a lumbering power hitter with bad hands. Says "there's no margin for error here because of the defensive limitations"

 

I say pass. I'd rather see one of our prospects manning 1B

 

Concur. and you should post more......

[Mike Frasier Law]

 

Concur. and you should post more......

 

I concur as well.

[adjacent]

 

I was thinking more like, the White Sox haven't been very good at talent evaluation lately. (Not that they've been pursuing a lot of FA either.)

Maybe that is why they are trying to copy the Twins

[ewen21]

 

I think it would be best to evaluate the players individually instead of lumping the Asian players all together.

 

None of us know anything about this guy, but I'm guessing a batting average isn't what makes or breaks the deal.

On those grounds alone, why should we be interested?

 

I also did not think the analysis "lumped Asian players together", but rather he gave us what he knew about him.  How can anyone insist we go after this guy based off what you said?

 

We also know that Eric Thames put up Lou Gehrig -like numbers in the KBO.  He already told you about Byung Ho.

 

I see no compelling reason to waste a second on this player.

 

[prouster]

On those grounds alone, why should we be interested?

 

I also did not think the analysis "lumped Asian players together", but rather he gave us what he knew about him. How can anyone insist we go after this guy based off what you said?

 

We also know that Eric Thames put up Lou Gehrig -like numbers in the KBO. He already told you about Byung Ho.

 

I see no compelling reason to waste a second on this player.

Well for one thing he’s not Korean, so you’re lumping different Asian players together by obscuring that pretty huge difference.

[twinkiesfan11]

If he’ll agree to a one year deal what the hell, why not? Not interested in committing to a 1B/corner outfielder that is reportedly below average defensively for more than a year. Kirilloff, Rooker and Raley should be forcing their way into the lineup by 2021.

[PseudoSABR]

 

On those grounds alone, why should we be interested?

 

I also did not think the analysis "lumped Asian players together", but rather he gave us what he knew about him.  How can anyone insist we go after this guy based off what you said?

 

We also know that Eric Thames put up Lou Gehrig -like numbers in the KBO.  He already told you about Byung Ho.

 

I see no compelling reason to waste a second on this player.

The Twins have access to a lot more analysis, data, and scouting than we do.  That was nick's point.  

 

Using the past failures of Asian players to discount this one seems problematic to me; are you assuming that no player of MLB talent can be born in Korea or come up through their league?

[pierre75275]

I would rather get a known quantity like Donaldson for third and shift Sano to first, especially if the plan is not to spend big money on pitching

[ewen21]

The Twins have access to a lot more analysis, data, and scouting than we do.  That was nick's point.  

 

Using the past failures of Asian players to discount this one seems problematic to me; are you assuming that no player of MLB talent can be born in Korea or come up through their league?

I purposely mentioned ERIC THAMES to remove any bias you may have imagined.

[TFRazor]

 

Yeah, I thought I read previously that he's a 1B. Good numbers, but hard to say how those will translate. I can't imagine a corner bat costing too much. I'd be interested presuming he doesn't require a contract that would make it difficult to move on from him should better options emerge or he does not perform.

 

Not a fan of the White Sox being tied to every free agent the Twins are though.

I don't think they're targeting the free agents we are... I think they're targeting every free agent available

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Moderator note:

 

Some posts were hidden here this morning.

 

When you feel it’s time to revive this thread, it will be best to stick to the topic. And the topic is the Twins’ interest in the player, and whether this player would make a good addition to the team, or not.

 

Thanks.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

It appears the player will sign with Tampa Bay.

 

Feel free to continue the conversation in the Non-Twins Offseason Thread here:

 

http://twinsdaily.com/topic/35411-2019-2020-non-twins-off-season/?p=942065