Trade Sam Deduno?

[Danchat]

I just had the craziest idea. Should the Twins trade Sam Deduno?

 

Let's review the stats/facts. Before he beat the Yanks today, he had a 3.90 ERA with 1.319 WHIP with 4.6 K/9. and 2.8 BB/9. He's 29 years old and has a cheap contract. (somebody can fill in if/when he's a FA or has arbitration)

 

So is he part of the "future" of the team? Will he be apart of the rotation in 2015 when he's 31? Can he keep his pitchs together, or should we trade him before he falls apart?

 

Deduno is doing very well and might fetch a decent price on the trade market. His cheap contract makes him extra lucrative, plus, a team with a pitching staff that knows what it's actually doing could raise his K/9 rate up dramatically. (of course the BB/9 would go up too naturally)

 

So what do you guys think?

[ashbury]

plus, a team with a pitching staff that knows what it's actually doing

 

Let's not make this another Rick Anderson thread.

[Craig Arko]

I think the idea (minus the cheap shot) has considerable merit. Starting pitching always has value. We may get a surprisingly high offer for his services.

[whatever54]

I'd sure hate to see him traded, I find him a lot more enjoyable to watch than most anyone else on the staff. But no one is sacred, if the right price is offered ya have to at least give it some serious thought. I just hate the thought of having to replace him with yet another "pitch to contact" guy.

[Brad Swanson]

I'd sure hate to see him traded, I find him a lot more enjoyable to watch than most anyone else on the staff. But no one is sacred, if the right price is offered ya have to at least give it some serious thought. I just hate the thought of having to replace him with yet another "pitch to contact" guy.

 

I'd trade him by the end of this sentence. His value will never be this high again. He is a pitch to contact guy. His strikeout rate is below five and he gets a ton of grounders. Also, I think he's 30 now.

[Smcginnity]

I actually thought this same thing earlier tonight after his great start. He should have tons of value to any team including a piss poor one like the Royals or Astros

[Kwak]

It's a silly idea--trade for the fun of trading. The Twins don't have a rotation now or for next year--so to quote Ryan "lots of arms" are needed, and Deduno is probably is about as good as they have, right now.

[Danchat]

It's a silly idea--trade for the fun of trading. The Twins don't have a rotation now or for next year--so to quote Ryan "lots of arms" are needed, and Deduno is probably is about as good as they have, right now.

 

But the question is will Deduno be able to keep up his success. Should we trade him while his value is high? It's very possible he crashes and burns next season.

[old nurse]

If you are offered a prospect you think would help your team in some day by all means. Deduno is replaceable in terms of production. For someone the fans can cheer for, that might be harder to replace.

[Brandon]

keep him. We need other pitchers who are available to pitch before we can trade our starters. the only starter we should be hoping to trade is Kevin Corriea. and that is because of his contract for next season. We are almost out of pitchers to try this season. We have albers then...... Blackburn is rehabbing I wonder if he'll be available in a month. we also have Hendriks, Worely, and Hernandez and Walters we can recycle through again if we have to but do we really want to?

[old nurse]

But the question is will Deduno be able to keep up his success. Should we trade him while his value is high? It's very possible he crashes and burns next season.

A C- prospect is value. It is possible he crashes and burns this year,

[jokin]

I'd trade him by the end of this sentence. His value will never be this high again. He is a pitch to contact guy. His strikeout rate is below five and he gets a ton of grounders. Also, I think he's 30 now.

 

I think it's fairer to say that he's a pitch to incredibly "weak" contact guy.

 

In looking up his numbers, I see that he leads the league among starters in GB% @ 61.1%. That's a good thing, and the type of GBs he typically gets is even a better thing.

 

He's historically been a strikeout pitcher before this year, I'd say the tradeoff this year is that with far more reliance on his cutter as the better out pitch than the crazy FB, he's cut way down on the walks, with the same weak contact results.

 

His trade value has to be very intriguing to a lot of teams this month - but I'm not so sure that his trade value will never be this high again- he really is a different pitcher this year than at any time in his career.

[jokin]

keep him. We need other pitchers who are available to pitch before we can trade our starters. the only starter we should be hoping to trade is Kevin Corriea. and that is because of his contract for next season. We are almost out of pitchers to try this season. We have albers then...... Blackburn is rehabbing I wonder if he'll be available in a month. we also have Hendriks, Worely, and Hernandez and Walters we can recycle through again if we have to but do we really want to?

 

Blackburn had a not-so-good outing tonight in AA. I'm guessing he'll be in the Twins rotation at some point before the season in done. Worley will also be back.

[Brad Swanson]

I think it's fairer to say that he's a pitch to incredibly "weak" contact guy.

 

In looking up his numbers, I see that he leads the league among starters in GB% @ 61.1%. That's a good thing, and the type of GBs he typically gets is even a better thing.

 

He's historically been a strikeout pitcher before this year, I'd say the tradeoff this year is that with far more reliance on his cutter as the better out pitch than the crazy FB, he's cut way down on the walks, with the same weak contact results.

 

His trade value has to be very intriguing to a lot of teams this month - but I'm not so sure that his trade value will never be this high again- he really is a different pitcher this year than at any time in his career.

 

This is all fair, however I am not sure he was ever much of a true strikeout pitcher. His K/9 at AAA was over 9, but his K% was right around what an average AAA pitcher would produce because he allowed so many base runners. If he is purposely trading Ks for fewer walks and more ground balls this year, then I hope he keeps doing it because it has made him a more effective pitcher. He's been a lot better than I was expecting.

 

I should point out, I'd trade anyone who brings back something of value. I'm not sure Deduno would bring much back though. He's a tightrope walker and I think he's going to fall hard in the very near future. I hate his fastball, and I think teams will adjust because he basically can't command it to save his life. I've been mostly wrong so far, but I don't see I guy who is primed for long-term success. If another team offered a player considered a "prospect," I'd take it.

[stringer bell]

I like that he is different from the "command and control" types that the Twins have had for years. I also think that the Twins need to keep pitching unless they get an overwhelming offer. Deduno's upside is in question to me. He seems to have conquered the worst of his control problems and the contact that he generates is pretty weak.

[kab21]

I actually thought this same thing earlier tonight after his great start. He should have tons of value to any team including a piss poor one like the Twins

fixed that for you

 

Why on earth would a team that has an awful rotation trade someone for a C level prospect? The Twins have a lot of rk ball prospects. They need some stability in the rest of the rotation.

[jokin]

This is all fair, however I am not sure he was ever much of a true strikeout pitcher. His K/9 at AAA was over 9, but his K% was right around what an average AAA pitcher would produce because he allowed so many base runners. If he is purposely trading Ks for fewer walks and more ground balls this year, then I hope he keeps doing it because it has made him a more effective pitcher. He's been a lot better than I was expecting.

 

I should point out, I'd trade anyone who brings back something of value. I'm not sure Deduno would bring much back though. He's a tightrope walker and I think he's going to fall hard in the very near future. I hate his fastball, and I think teams will adjust because he basically can't command it to save his life. I've been mostly wrong so far, but I don't see I guy who is primed for long-term success. If another team offered a player considered a "prospect," I'd take it.

 

Deduno has reduced his FB% usage from 42% last year to 27% this year. His much more reliable cutter usage has gone from 17% last year to 33% this year. I'd say it has been Deduno that has made more of an adjustment than his opponents. Keeping that crazy FB around as the joker in his deck of cards, but on a more limited basis, has helped to keep him out of more trouble, kept him in games longer (6.1 IP/gm this year vs. 5.1 IP/gm last year), and still serves to keep his opponent uncomfortably guessing at the plate.

 

I agree that he's always been and always will be a tightrope walker, it just appears that- as evidenced by this year's success, which evidentially can not be attributed to extraneous "luck" anomalies- his improved approach has built him a little better safety net than in years past.

[darin617]

Trade him to Pittsburgh. They can help him regain his K/9 and be an effective pitcher. If they can fix Liriano they can do almost anything.

[Riverbrian]

Obviously... If an offer comes that blows you away. Do it!!!

 

However... I don't think that offer is coming and I am more than happy to keep him.

 

His stuff is legit. He has made tremendous strides with his control issues. I don't fear regression at all. I see a solid pitcher for the 2014 rotation and I'm not sure why others don't see it.

 

Sometimes players stop doing the things that made them struggle. When a guy with stuff does it. You get a gift!!! I'm gonna enjoy it.

[diehardtwinsfan]

Obviously... If an offer comes that blows you away. Do it!!!

 

However... I don't think that offer is coming and I am more than happy to keep him.

 

His stuff is legit. He has made tremendous strides with his control issues. I don't fear regression at all. I see a solid pitcher for the 2014 rotation and I'm not sure why others don't see it.

 

Sometimes players stop doing the things that made them struggle. When a guy with stuff does it. You get a gift!!! I'm gonna enjoy it.

 

Pretty much this. I'd keep that fast ball around as on out pitch on 2 strikes.

 

That said, he's succeeding in a somewhat unorthodox manner. I doubt they get much in terms of offers for him, but he can be a decent back of the rotation arm for the near future... better than some guys.

[Oldgoat_MN]

Our number one need is pitching.

 

So we trade away a pitcher who has shown significant improvement in the past year?

To what end?

 

I vote no. Keep him.

[Craig Arko]

Just like all the other trades being discussed, it depends on the return. To get value, it will cost value.

[TheLeviathan]

Deduno hasn't built up enough equity to have trade value IMO.

[Brock Beauchamp]

But the question is will Deduno be able to keep up his success. Should we trade him while his value is high? It's very possible he crashes and burns next season.

 

His value isn't high.

 

GMs aren't dumb. If you're worried that a guy is succeeding through smoke and mirrors, they're going to have the same concerns.

[kab21]

Just like all the other trades being discussed, it depends on the return. To get value, it will cost value.

 

Deduno is worth very little. if you want to get value then it starts and almost ends with Perkins and possibly Plouffe. Everyone else is worth minor league scraps.

[IdahoPilgrim]

I agree that at this point trade value for Deduno is probably slight, given the relatively recent advent of his effectiveness.

 

That said, and I think this is what the original question gets at, if somebody does offer something of value (and I do mean value, not spare parts) you'd have to consider it. Because it might be smoke and mirrors, and in any case the odds are greater that he is not a part of our future plans than that he is. Sometimes GMs do make mistakes and overpay, because they are chasing success this year or just because they sometimes make mistakes.

 

At this point we should be listening about anybody.