Front Page: Report: Twins Nearing Multi-Year Deal with Michael Pineda

[SwainZag]

Amazing value and signing. For everyone calling him a "good 4 or 5" forget how excellent he was in July and August last season.

[puckstopper1]

I like the signing.

 

I will *really* like the signing if it does not prevent them from landing a high in the rotation starter via trade or free agency, and the Twins are successful in doing just that.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

Amazing value and signing. For everyone calling him a "good 4 or 5" forget how excellent he was in July and August last season.

Pineda did have a nice run last season -- although he faced a pretty weak schedule in July and August. And he doesn't have a great track record beyond that either, in terms of upside or durability.

 

But he can still be a useful piece at this price. It does seem to make it more of an imperative to get another top SP, though, especially with Pineda missing the first 39 games.

[ScooterDance]

Does anybody have a handy dandy spreadsheet that shows how much approximately we have left in the budget? I recall it being ... a lot ... and thus far we haven’t spent much. Need 1 SP, 1 corner infielder. Maybe add RP, and then mostly bench filler.

 

Feels like we have the cash to go after someone - even if that’s “just” Donaldson.

[drivlikejehu]

This solidifies my expectation that they will pick up 2 more starters, one of whom will be a buy low type.

[twinssporto]

I've awoken from my winter hibernation to say, "fantastic news!!!" let's get this machine warmed up and ready for a big 2020!!

[Brandon]

I love.the signing as it takes a lot of pressure off. We need a real good starter, but at this point we just need to do better than Gibson and Martin to improve the rotation. Also at this price I wonder if there is enough to sign Donaldson to a three year deal after we sign Bumgarner?

[sweetmusicviola16]

 

Does anybody have a handy dandy spreadsheet that shows how much approximately we have left in the budget? I recall it being ... a lot ... and thus far we haven’t spent much. Need 1 SP, 1 corner infielder. Maybe add RP, and then mostly bench filler.

Feels like we have the cash to go after someone - even if that’s “just” Donaldson.

Rosterresource shows us at 97.3

[sweetmusicviola16]

 

I don’t dislike the signing; I think it’s good. But it’s not impact to me. This is a very similar rotation to last season so far, so I’m hoping for one more of greater value.

Thus far we are not better. With some guys having some natural expected regression we would be worse. Lots of off season left to get better though.

[the_brute_squad]

I like the signing a lot. The 39 game suspension just means five extra weeks to shed some of that extra weight - minus the PED's of course.

[Dantes929]

 

Odorizzi and Pineda are just fine second and third moves.

Now go make a real move for someone at or above Berrios’ level.

I think you are forgetting we already have Graterol and Dobnak.   I already think Odorizzi and Pineda are better so I consider Berrios our 5th starter.    Only problem is the 8 starts Pineda will be missing to start the season.    We need some one for a stop gap for those games.    I'm thinking that Cole kid or Bumgarner would fit the bill.     Ok, I am kidding... mostly.    I am fine with handing spots to Dobnak and Graterol.   They have earned it by excellence at the lower level and have already gotten their feet wet. .   Fans here have been so conditioned by pitching prospects not panning out that they don't trust they ever will.   Berrios and Gibson and maybe Scot Diamond being the only ones with any success the last decade is just absurd.   I think May could have been pretty good if left there but that is still a really small crop for a decade.     Last decade we we had Radke, Lohse, Mays,Silva,  Liriano, Garza, Slowey, Blackburn and Baker.   That is more in line with what one would expect from the system over a decade and those stats have to shift at some point.   I am ok with putting a few chips in the pot that we've got two decent starters from the system that can help us this year.    I would rather not start out the year relying on 3 of them though.     Getting Pineda is a big get in my book but the first 39 games is an issue.  

[sweetmusicviola16]

I don't understand people wanting Donaldson though. That would likely mean Sano at 1B. Not good.

 

If we're going to play with extra dollars go at Strasburg. He would actually improve the team.

[darin617]

Also, Donaldson should be able to command a 3-4 year deal. You may get 1 great year and then maybe average at best.

[bobs]

  Haters are gonna hate, but this is a solid baseball move.  Trade for Boyd, sign a guy like Gausman to man the #5 spot and go sign Anthony Rendon.

[bobs]

  In any other year, if the Twins had signed 2 of the top 8 FA starting pitchers, fans would be celebrating.  But b/c they both pitched for the Twins last year, we get "See, same old Twins".  Minnesota sports fans are a funny lot.

[Danchat]

Solid move. Getting Odorizzi and Pineda back solidify the rotation, but it's still apparent they need a top-end guy. Bumgarner is probably their best shot at that, as I don't see any realistic trade candidates for a guy who's going to slot ahead of Berrios. 

[Physics Guy]

 

Great news! I'm also really glad Odorizzi took the QO - he has to be regretting it at this point.

I doubt it.  He will make 17.8M this year, almost double what he did last year.  Next year he gets to enter FA without a QO dragging his offers down.  He could likely be a top 5 FA starter next year.  

[IndianaTwin]

Thus far we are not better. With some guys having some natural expected regression we would be worse. Lots of off season left to get better though.

In terms of playoffs, I’d say we are already better, though only incrementally.

 

1. We have 26 year old Berrios vs. 25 year old Berrios. One could argue in favor of regression, but he should still be on the upside of his career.

2. We have 30 year old Odo vs. 29 year old Odo. One could argue in favor of regression, but he’s probably on the flat part of the career curve and he’s been remarkably consistent.

3. We have Pineda instead of a bullpen day.

4. We have 25 year old Dobnak with potentially a whole season under his belt vs. a 24 year old Dobnak with five career starts. And he could be outpitched by Smeltzer, Graterol, or others.

 

Given the holes we had five weeks ago, I’m encouraged with what’s happened so far. With the amount of offseason left, I’m quite encouraged with what still could be.

[prouster]

 

Whoopee - we now have three fifth of the rotation that was not good enough to get us a win in the playoffs.

Uh, did you stop watching in August?

[DocBauer]

Does anybody have a handy dandy spreadsheet that shows how much approximately we have left in the budget? I recall it being ... a lot ... and thus far we haven’t spent much. Need 1 SP, 1 corner infielder. Maybe add RP, and then mostly bench filler.

Feels like we have the cash to go after someone - even if that’s “just” Donaldson.

There are 2 answers available. It just depends If you believe the budget target for 2020 is $130M or $140M. So they entered FA with $61-$71M to spend.

 

Personally, I believe they will go up to $140M if the right moves make sense. J mean, they were at $130M coming off the unexpected wild card 2yrs ago. Why wouldn't they be willing to bump to $140 coming off 101 wins and a division championship. Just my opinion.

 

So $43M available after Odorizzi and Pineda.

[DocBauer]

In any other year, if the Twins had signed 2 of the top 8 FA starting pitchers, fans would be celebrating.  But b/c they both pitched for the Twins last year, we get "See, same old Twins".  Minnesota sports fans are a funny lot.

Great post!

 

Someone needs to re-post stats and standings from 2019. Seems a lot of people have forgotten how highly ranked/successful our rotation was last year even with the fade of Perez and Gibson.

[amjgt]

From ESPN’s article:

In 14 starts prior to the suspension, Pineda was 10-4 with a 2.96 ERA and 87 strikeouts in 82 innings.

[amjgt]

Whoopee - we now have three fifth of the rotation that was not good enough to get us a win in the playoffs. The Yankees must be sweating a possible rematch. By the way did I say this was not my favorite signing of the off season?

 

I do not hate Pineda, nor do I forgive all the PED indiscretions. With Agents, coaches, FO, unions, etc to get caught and let your team down like Pineda did last year is not something I just want to forget and forgive.

Well... it IS the good three-fifths

[Mike Sixel]

In any other year, if the Twins had signed 2 of the top 8 FA starting pitchers, fans would be celebrating. But b/c they both pitched for the Twins last year, we get "See, same old Twins". Minnesota sports fans are a funny lot.

In any other year, they don't need four starters.

 

It's a good move, but they need another. Unless people think the minors are three deep in starters....

[drivlikejehu]

 

In any other year, they don't need four starters.

It's a good move, but they need another. Unless people think the minors are three deep in starters....

 

They'll make 2 more; Dobnak and Thorpe will compete for the temporary 5th starter job while Pineda finishes his suspension, and from there either cover for injuries or move into a long relief role.

[Mike Sixel]

They'll make 2 more; Dobnak and Thorpe will compete for the temporary 5th starter job while Pineda finishes his suspension, and from there either cover for injuries or move into a long relief role.

I agree we will see another move, I'm hoping for a really good pitcher still....

[Lasorda_This_Out]

Berrios...Odorizzi...Pineda...Dobnak.. Littel...

Rotation complete

One more bullpen arm and the pitching staff is set for 2020.

Now middle infield....

 

 

[h2oface]

I wonder how the diet is going......?

[h2oface]

So let me get this straight. So far, treading water, and have just dropped Gibson from the rotation. Have I missed anything? 

 

It's like extending Pineda for two years with a 2 million/year raise. I wonder how most would have felt about this extension right after he was suspended ? (Which is essentially what has happened except for the time delay) Odo gets a one year extension with a raise of several million. So, so far, same rotation with the AAAA fillers at the rear except Gibson is gone. But money to spend, and room for starter(s). And $trasburg (and Rendon) and Bumgarner are available for $ and a draft pick (of which, what is it, 80% or something, is it, fail?), and Keuchel for $ only. 

 

Watching the days go by....... same as it ever was, same as it ever was.

 

Nothing to really see here, yet. After changes upon changes we are more or less the same. 

 

Time to improve the team, me thinks, instead of treading water.

[tarheeltwinsfan]

 

Or Polanco..... It drives me nuts when people say a diuretic is a PED. It's not. It doesn't make you faster or stronger. It's not a stimulant.  It makes you pee, a lot.  that's it.

Lots of water makes me pee.