Ryan Jensen Outrighted

[stringer bell]

It doesn't happen very often, but the Twins got away with designating Ryan Jensen for assignment. He was not claimed and his contract remains property of the Twins.

The team has not had much success with DFAs, most of the players being claimed. They were able to designate both Henriquez and Moran after the season last year and now have succeeded in outrighting Jensen as well.

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/02/twins-outright-ryan-jensen.html

[Danchat]

They've pretty consistently been able to do this the past couple years. That's why they bother to make these claims. Mission accomplished, we have more depth at AAA now.

[Hawkeye Bean Counter]

Well Twins found a Nickel and were able to hide it.   The next 2 have a higher shot of helping the ball team in Duarte and Thompson.  We will see if those 2 will make it through as well.   Right now it feels like rosters are pretty full and the Twins are towards the bottom of the picks, so most likely we will be able to get through them as well.   As stated before most likely nothing but every once in while one of these types of players flash.  Duarte and Thompson seem close, similar to a Willi Castro last year.  

[DJL44]

1 hour ago, Hawkeye Bean Counter said:

Right now it feels like rosters are pretty full

Right now they are but the 60 day IL opens up very soon which should free up a number of roster spots.

[old nurse]

Are the Twins collecting these pitchers for batting practice? This way maybe their hitters will learn what a pitch out of the strike zone looks like and will learn what to do

[Dman]

34 minutes ago, DJL44 said:

Right now they are but the 60 day IL opens up very soon which should free up a number of roster spots.

Yeah I expect a lot of activity tomorrow for signings when teams can put guys on the 60 day IL.  Should be a good hot stove day.

[Hawkeye Bean Counter]

2 hours ago, Dman said:

Yeah I expect a lot of activity tomorrow for signings when teams can put guys on the 60 day IL.  Should be a good hot stove day.

So likely an issue with trying to squeeze the other 2 into AAA good to know.  

[Dman]

49 minutes ago, Hawkeye Bean Counter said:

So likely an issue with trying to squeeze the other 2 into AAA good to know.  

Yeah I don't know Staumont's injury status, but it seems like the Twins could start him on 60 day and slowly work him in as the season goes on.  I thought Desclafani was good to go and not sure who else on the roster could go the 60 day so it will be interesting to see how this shakes out.

After tomorrow getting someone through waivers will not be easy because so many spots will open up.

[ashbury]

5 hours ago, Hawkeye Bean Counter said:

As stated before most likely nothing but every once in while one of these types of players flash.  Duarte and Thompson seem close, similar to a Willi Castro last year.  

Not exactly sure what parallel you are drawing, but Willi wasn't a waiver-wire claim, he was signed as a free agent.  Unless I'm forgetting, we never had to expose him to waivers after acquiring him.

[ashbury]

4 hours ago, old nurse said:

Are the Twins collecting these pitchers for batting practice? This way maybe their hitters will learn what a pitch out of the strike zone looks like and will learn what to do

That's the Secret Sauce we've all been waiting to hear about!

[nicksaviking]

5 minutes ago, ashbury said:

Not exactly sure what parallel you are drawing, but Willi wasn't a waiver-wire claim, he was signed as a free agent.  Unless I'm forgetting, we never had to expose him to waivers after acquiring him.

Castro was non-tendered by the Tigers and the Twins signed him to a MiLB deal. So no waivers.

I'm guessing the parallel being drawn wasn't to having to expose anyone to waivers, but to cast-off players popping later. But still, I wouldn't use an infielder for that example.

Happens with relievers all the time though. The Twins have had plenty of luck with this in years past and TB seems to build most of their pen this way. But I'm sure a lot of this is small sample size shenanigans in one way or another. Either good luck with the new team, or bad luck with the old.

 

[ashbury]

6 minutes ago, nicksaviking said:

Happens with relievers all the time though. The Twins have had plenty of luck with this in years past and TB seems to build most of their pen this way. But I'm sure a lot of this is small sample size shenanigans in one way or another.

Yeah, I was about to say that "luck" is the operative word there.  A guy puts up good stats based on a lower BABIP than his career norm, and next year he mysteriously reverts to form.  Almost as if the magic pixie dust causing the ball to fly straight to fielders' gloves has a short shelf life and can't easily be replenished.  Or, as you say, luck.

[nicksaviking]

13 minutes ago, ashbury said:

Yeah, I was about to say that "luck" is the operative word there.  A guy puts up good stats based on a lower BABIP than his career norm, and next year he mysteriously reverts to form.  Almost as if the magic pixie dust causing the ball to fly straight to fielders' gloves has a short shelf life and can't easily be replenished.  Or, as you say, luck.

But it should be able to work the other way too. Instead of pixie dust, maybe gypsy curse?

I've been pretty firm this offseason that I want players who are reliable producers; someone who doesn't have wildly different outcomes each year. But relievers are still a different animal. I'm still Ok if the evaluation is on what the pitcher SHOULD have done as opposed to what they have done. 

Saying that, none of the relievers the Twins picked up looked terribly promising in either regard.

[Dman]

So if I read the transactions page correctly looks like Balazovic, Duarte and Thompson are all DFA'd today.

 

[Hawkeye Bean Counter]

46 minutes ago, ashbury said:

Not exactly sure what parallel you are drawing, but Willi wasn't a waiver-wire claim, he was signed as a free agent.  Unless I'm forgetting, we never had to expose him to waivers after acquiring him.

I am saying minor league players can have affect on the big leagues.     Willi was signed to a minor league deal last year.  We are trying to pass these players through waivers likely to play in AAA.  

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2022/12/twins-sign-willi-castro-to-minor-league-deal.html

[stringer bell]

35 minutes ago, Hawkeye Bean Counter said:

I am saying minor league players can have affect on the big leagues.     Willi was signed to a minor league deal last year.  We are trying to pass these players through waivers likely to play in AAA.  

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2022/12/twins-sign-willi-castro-to-minor-league-deal.html

Since he had an option remaining, once Castro signed with the Twins, they had no risk of losing him unless they wanted to expose him. As it turned out, the Twins never used Castro's option and moved him to the major league roster on Opening Day. 

[2wins87]

5 hours ago, Dman said:

Yeah I expect a lot of activity tomorrow for signings when teams can put guys on the 60 day IL.  Should be a good hot stove day.

Are you sure the 60 day IL starts tomorrow?  I've been googling a bit and I think there's still time.

For most teams, pitchers and catchers report on the 14th or 15th (with the 14th being 43 days before opening day* - March 28).  The Dodgers and Padres will open on March 20 in Seoul, so the Dodgers' pitchers and catchers report on the 9th and the Padres on the 11th.

From my reading of the rules, it seams that teams can use the 60 day IL on the date that their pitchers and catchers report, which cannot be more than 43 days before their opening day.  So there is not a single date for every team.

If the Twins outright all of the 3 guys who were just DFA'd, then there is a 48 hour waiver period for other teams to put in a claim.  The Twins have 7 days to decide whether to do this, so they could wait to see if there is interest in a low level trade on any of them (unlikely), but it seems if they act quickly to outright them, the Dodgers might be the only team that could use the 60-day IL to clear spot.  It also sounds like the Dodgers will use two spots opened by the 60-day IL to finalize their deals with Kershaw and Ryan Brasier.

So today might actually be the ideal time to sneak a few more players through waivers when most teams have full 40-man rosters, but before they are able to use the 60-day IL.  I'm guessing at least one person in the front office is well aware of the timing and has a more firm grasp of all the rules than me. 

But anyway, I guess it's an advantage to acting late in the offseason, that the Twins were able to pick a few interesting guys up early in the offseason and seemingly will be able to stash one or all of them off the 40-man in AAA. 

[Dman]

27 minutes ago, 2wins87 said:

Are you sure the 60 day IL starts tomorrow?  I've been googling a bit and I think there's still time.

For most teams, pitchers and catchers report on the 14th or 15th (with the 14th being 43 days before opening day* - March 28).  The Dodgers and Padres will open on March 20 in Seoul, so the Dodgers' pitchers and catchers report on the 9th and the Padres on the 11th.

From my reading of the rules, it seams that teams can use the 60 day IL on the date that their pitchers and catchers report, which cannot be more than 43 days before their opening day.  So there is not a single date for every team.

If the Twins outright all of the 3 guys who were just DFA'd, then there is a 48 hour waiver period for other teams to put in a claim.  The Twins have 7 days to decide whether to do this, so they could wait to see if there is interest in a low level trade on any of them (unlikely), but it seems if they act quickly to outright them, the Dodgers might be the only team that could use the 60-day IL to clear spot.  It also sounds like the Dodgers will use two spots opened by the 60-day IL to finalize their deals with Kershaw and Ryan Brasier.

So today might actually be the ideal time to sneak a few more players through waivers when most teams have full 40-man rosters, but before they are able to use the 60-day IL.  I'm guessing at least one person in the front office is well aware of the timing and has a more firm grasp of all the rules than me. 

But anyway, I guess it's an advantage to acting late in the offseason, that the Twins were able to pick a few interesting guys up early in the offseason and seemingly will be able to stash one or all of them off the 40-man in AAA. 

I am not sure of anything.  I am basing it off this rough reading in MLB trade rumors.  I agree I always thought it was when pitchers catchers reported and perhaps I made an assumption No specific date is mentioned in the article but to me it read like 2/8 https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/los-angeles-dodgers WOuld be happy to be wrong given the recent DFA's

[Hawkeye Bean Counter]

17 hours ago, stringer bell said:

Since he had an option remaining, once Castro signed with the Twins, they had no risk of losing him unless they wanted to expose him. As it turned out, the Twins never used Castro's option and moved him to the major league roster on Opening Day. 

Yes I guess there is a slight difference that we are initially putting them out to be claimed (after we had claimed them).  Duarte, Weiss, Thompson, and Jensen and Bubba all have options left.  Balazovic does not.   As Chpettit posted in another post,  a lot of these players are rated similarly.  The Twins are trying to collect as many as possible to outright to AAA.  If they get picked by another team, its part of the business and we have already passed Jensen through.  Bubba is an interesting player and I continue to say is very similar to Willi Castro.  I do hope he is able to pass through.  He has had good numbers in AAA and has immense speed that could be a problem on the base paths similar to Castro.   Castro was surprise last year.  Most people hated or dismissed his signing.  Every once in a while one of these AAA signings or players placed through waivers flashes, or figures something out.   To put them all in similar bucket like Chpettit has said as well,  is not a crazy strategy that the Twins are utilizing.  

[Hawkeye Bean Counter]

15 hours ago, Dman said:

I am not sure of anything.  I am basing it off this rough reading in MLB trade rumors.  I agree I always thought it was when pitchers catchers reported and perhaps I made an assumption No specific date is mentioned in the article but to me it read like 2/8 https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/los-angeles-dodgers WOuld be happy to be wrong given the recent DFA's

Dodgers are the first team to hit their 60 days as their spring training starts tomorrow.  Then the following day the Padres do as they prepare to play their first game overseas.  Otherwise the rest of the teams 60 days can be done in about a week.  Looks like a rolling time frame,  not a set in stone.  Dodgers I don't think will mess around with the options, Padres could not sure.  But would likely only have room for 1.