Baltimore Sun's Connelly Thinks Saunders Isn't Winding Up In Minnesota

[Kwak]

I'm not so sure. Considering how some of these guys were acquired by the Twins when someone else waived them, the odds would seem high that they would be snapped up by the same process. Can't take the risk - pass on Saunders.

 

I don't whether to laugh or cry.

[jokin]

I'm confident that there is a pitcher on the 40-man roster who can be removed to sign Saunders and not weaken the franchise.

 

Don't go out on such a limb, Kwak!

[jokin]

I counted 22 pitchers on the 40-man, to cover 12 likely openings on the major league staff. That leaves 18 position players to cover the other 13 roster spots. To add a Saunders, I don't see dropping a hitter, even if (like you) I'm willing to joke about the concept of having the name "Butera" mentioned in the same paragraph with "hitter".

 

I would guess they may end up needing 13 openings, at least to start the season, what with all the early-season health-issue question marks on the pitching staff. Drew still has an invauable option or two left on his services, doesn't he? He can ride to the rescue the first time Doumit or Mauer go down with a ding.

[ashbury]

I would guess they may end up needing 13 openings, at least to start the season, what with all the early-season health-issue question marks on the pitching staff. Drew still has an invauable option or two left on his services, doesn't he? He can ride to the rescue the first time Doumit or Mauer go down with a ding.

 

I may be misunderstanding your point, but optioning a guy does not mean removing him from the 40-man roster, indeed it's the opposite motivation, to put him in the minors for a year without exposing him to the waiver process.

[ashbury]

I don't whether to laugh or cry.

 

You were supposed to laugh, otherwise I did my job wrong.

[mcrow]

There is no chance the Twins are going to use any money to sign an "Ace" pitcher anytime in the near future. Not only is Ryan on record as saying he won't overpay for pitching, he is also very adverse to giving long-term deals, something that is a pre-requisite in getting an "ace". Agree or disagree with the strategy but don't expect any extra revenue for payroll to change that strategy.

I never said they would sign an Ace but either way that's what they need. Given the team's history signing aces I don't have high hopes.

[Top Gun]

What pitcher would you take off the 40 man?

[mcrow]

If you've read the tea leaves that the Twins have been scattering about for two years now, they have a (not-so)-secret protocol in place for 2014, it's code-named "the 25% of payroll rule" ie $240M/4 = $60M

 

Yeah, seems to be the route we're heading in but I'm not sure it will go quite that low.

[mcrow]

Mediocre starter over 30?.... That's right in the Twins wheelhouse!

Sadly he's basically Carl Pavano if we're lucky at around the same point in their careers.

[edavis0308]

Sadly he's basically Carl Pavano if we're lucky at around the same point in their careers.

 

We could only wish for 221 innings of 3.75 ERA for a year.

[mcrow]

We could only wish for 221 innings of 3.75 ERA for a year.

 

Well at the same age Pavano was closer to a 5 ERA but he did pitch about 200 innings.

[Top Gun]

Calvin was tight to but he knew baseball SP wins in baseball and he wasn't afriaid to go out and get one. That's what is all about!

[old nurse]

Yes, you could predict that oly,.....But then again, Thrylos's formula inexplicably predicted that Cole DeVries is the Twins third hidden major impact starting pitcher behind only Gibson and Meyer. If their numbers are supposedly "similar", why not just pay DeVries the minimum?

 

Did you stop and figure out the flaw in his system of rating?

The problem with DeVries is twofold. First and foremost is that he appears to be a 5 inning starter. Had he shown an ability to get into the seventh inning with consistency the angst of Correia might not have been had. The second problem is there were about four putrid start of the 16 he had. If he would have been a 23 year old rookie they could have been blown off as part of the learning curve.

Pluses was the low babip, low walks, k/9 of 6 which made his numbers great for Thyrlos's formula

[East Coast Twin]

Dan Connolly at the Baltimore Sun reported that Saunders now has a two year offer from an unknown team.

 

A couple different industry sources -- and, admittedly, none directly involved with the negotiations -- have told me that Saunders has a two-year offer on the table. The speculation is that it is worth roughly $15 million or so, and isn’t from the Orioles.

 

The continuing curious case of Joe Saunders - baltimoresun.com

[snepp]

Sounds suspiciously like an agent plant.

[LoganJones]

Sounds suspiciously like an agent plant.

And a not even veiled one. Usually, when the 'mystery team' shows up this late in the offseason, there is only one offer left. I'm guessing the only team still offering him a big league contract and sure rotation spot is the Twins.

[ashbury]

What pitcher would you take off the 40 man?

 

I don't understand the signing of Tim Wood, and if his contract permits DFA'ing him I'd consider doing that in favor of Saunders. I don't see what is in Wood's resume that should have him stand in the way of anybody else. Seems like the Twins scouts got fascinated by what they saw on the Indianapolis roster when Rochester played them, as I see Brandon Boggs, Jeff Clement and Eric Fryer also signed (not 40-man) this offseason. Perhaps Shairon Martis, whom they acquired mid-season, brought valuable information with him from his time in Naptown; I can hope it's a sign they next can get Gerrit Cole, who also pitched a game there in 2012.

[Kwak]

Swarzak. Nothing about him says "Major League".

[ashbury]

Swarzak. Nothing about him says "Major League".

 

In addition to just DFAing one of these guys, you can also try to make a low-level trade. Maybe Swarzak plus someone equals a single-A shortstop who isn't already 24.

[old nurse]

In addition to just DFAing one of these guys, you can also try to make a low-level trade. Maybe Swarzak plus someone equals a single-A shortstop who isn't already 24.

Jose Igleseas?

[LoganJones]

Jose Igleseas?

More like a Julio Iglesias CD. Nobody wants Swarzak for anything other than a waiver claim.

[h2oface]

Sign Punto to a three year deal! He's a gamer and a winner and plays the game the right way!!!!!!111!!

 

Is hitting in the low .200s..... and not looking at the third base coach in the playoffs..... is that playing the game right?

[ThePuck]

Is hitting in the low .200s..... and not looking at the third base coach in the playoffs..... is that playing the game right?

 

You forgot going headfirst at 1B and playing ground balls off the hip when he can get in front of the ball. :-)

[ashbury]

More like a Julio Iglesias CD. Nobody wants Swarzak for anything other than a waiver claim.

 

Probably. Then there are other minor trades than just him, that would still be an even swap while being an upgrade to the roster by adding someone of Saunders' ilk, and better than just losing someone via waiver claim if that's the concern about signing anyone. While the waiver claim is still the fall-back position if need be.

[kab21]

Swarzak. Nothing about him says "Major League".

 

I still cannot understand why many consider him a leading candidate to be on the MLB roster much less on the 40 man.

[jokin]

I still cannot understand why many consider him a leading candidate to be on the MLB roster much less on the 40 man.

 

Thankyou.

 

The angst that so many carry about the difficulty in contemplating acquisition upgrades at this point in the preseason because of the dangers involved in potentially exposing the bottom 8-10 players on the 40-man is mind-blowingly misplaced.

 

I can't think of one in-game-scenario this upcoming season, where one might say, "If only we hadn't exposed to waivers......Swarzak.......Butera.....Burnett.....etc.....

[The Wise One]

I still cannot understand why many consider him a leading candidate to be on the MLB roster much less on the 40 man.

 

Well there is that mid 90's fastball. The heatmap shows the problem Anthony Swarzak » PitchFx » HeatMaps » FA | FanGraphs Baseball

Can the team package him and Brunett for a shorstop that has fallen out of favor with his manager?

[Kwak]

Well there is that mid 90's fastball. The heatmap shows the problem Anthony Swarzak » PitchFx » HeatMaps » FA | FanGraphs Baseball

Can the team package him and Brunett for a shorstop that has fallen out of favor with his manager?

 

Huh, every team has their "quota" of RHP with a 5+ ERA.

[The Wise One]

Huh, every team has their "quota" of RHP with a 5+ ERA.

 

Maybe somebody is as bad at trading as Bill Smith. Sorry a pitcher throwing in the mid 90's over the middle of the plate traded for a shortstop reference went past you like a Jim Hoey fastball. Did notice the humour here had to be direct and cheap.

[Nick Nelson]

I am mystified by the Swarzak hate. He might be the most underrated player on the team.

 

The guy fills a valuable, albeit less than glamorous, role and he does it pretty well. Obviously he was miscast as an MLB starter, and the Twins seem to realize that, but teams need to have a durable guy at the end of their bullpen who can come in, throw strikes and toss multiple innings after a short start while keeping the game in hand (especially with this rotation). Swarzak does those things -- 4.05 ERA as a reliever last year, 3.99 the prior year. Also, he costs nothing.

 

Rip on Corriea and Butera all you want, but these misguided attacks on the mop-up long reliever? Not exactly dispelling the notion that things are getting a bit too negative around here.