Article: Twins Chasing Top Catcher Jarrod Saltalmacchia?

[twinsfan34]

I am starting to change my mind about Salty, because his spits are incredibly different:

 

Career as a LHB: .263/.327/.469, 115 OPS+

Career as a RHB: .206/.267/.332, 64 OPS+

 

Play him against Righties and Pinto against lefties and you got something. These splits are real and repeat season after season.

 

Those are Morneau numbers....but imagine 100 more strikeouts and playing only 120 games.

 

Interesting note. Pinto seems to be better (AVG/PWR) against RHP than LHP. Not by much, but 2012 had similar results.

 

2013

http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=pinto-001jos&type=bgl&year=2013

 

2012

http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=pinto-001jos&type=bgl&year=2012

[twinsfan34]

I must be missing something. The comments I've seen on Pinto range from "ready for MLB starting job right now" to "needs a season of AAA, his defense is still not where it should be". Can't recall anything worse than that, let alone "hopeless".

 

Signing Salty to a 3 year deal would spell the end of Pinto's development and being a MLB starting catcher. Pinto will be 25 starting next season.

 

He'd be 29 before he'd be playing more than 40 games a year if we signed Salty.

 

That doesn't say belief in a guy as a possible MLB starting catcher.

 

Salty would hurt, maybe stop, his development as to get him playing experience/development he'd have to go back and forth to AAA to get the necessary experience.

 

There's posts saying he's a horrible pitch framer (cited one where he was the 2nd worst in MiLB).

 

Not sure what they expect him to hit. If it's expected he'd hit anything better than .265, he's going to put up better AVG/OBP/SLG than Salty.

 

So that isn't a glaring endorsement for him as a hitter either.

 

Perhaps, the "hopeless" is slight exaggeration on my part.

 

But, I just don't see delaying/killing/whatever Pinto might be until he's 29...which is preceded by sitting on the bench for 3 years.

[JB_Iowa]

• Mike Berardino ‏@MikeBerardino 5m
  Person w/direct knowledge: #mntwins are "moving on from the catching search" and "going with Pinto" as the starter in 2014.
   
   
  

[Westgaard66]

• Mike Berardino ‏@MikeBerardino 5m
  Person w/direct knowledge: #mntwins are "moving on from the catching search" and "going with Pinto" as the starter in 2014.
  

 

 

honestly i am cool with that…..USe the money you were going to spend on Salty or AJ and go get another SP.

[Mike Sixel]

Great, maybe now they'll go get a legit OF or DH or both instead......

[twinsfan34]

• Mike Berardino ‏@MikeBerardino 5m
  Person w/direct knowledge: #mntwins are "moving on from the catching search" and "going with Pinto" as the starter in 2014.
  

 

Great find!

 

(note to self: follow this guy)

 

And excited the Twins are giving Pinto a legitimate shot. Turner would be ready in 2 years as well if Pinto ain't worth beans.

 

Is there any other FA starting arms out there worth spending the money on?

[Brandon]

Looks like the Twins were not expecting to pay Salty....looks like Miami is about to sign him to a 3 year 21-22 million contract. if the Twins bid 24-25 and lost ok but why would anyone want to sign with a team that Loria owns? I know he's from 70 miles away from the ballpark but still.

 

[h=1]Marlins Close To Deal With Saltalamacchia[/h]By Steve Adams [December 3 at 4:27pm CST]

4:27pm: Juan C. Rodriguez of the Miami Sun-Sentinel reports that the Marlins have offered three years and $21MM (Twitter link). Passan hears that the Marlins are "closing in" on a deal with Saltalamacchia that is in the three-year, $22MM range.