Pierzynski signs with Red Sox

[John Bonnes]

Per Jon Heyman, AJ Pierzysnki is will sign a deal with the Red Sox, though he doesn't know the length of the deal. The Twins were reportedly courting Pierzynski, and the Red Sox had been trying to get catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia to return to them. Heyman notes that the Twins are still a possibility for Saltalamacchia:

 

The Twins, Marlins and White Sox are among teams still looking for a ctaher, do Saltalamacchia has a few options.

[DocBauer]

Ok TR, time to step up and take another big swing

[whosafraidofluigirussolo]

Damn. I preferred AJ to Salty, mostly because I don't think either of them is really worth 3+ years' commitment and I thought AJ would be more likely to agree to a one-year or two-year deal.

[Gernzy]

AJ never would have worked here. Who else can the fans boo for no reason?

I do hope we go after Salty.

[NoCryingInBaseball]

It seems to be between Miami and the Twins for Salty.

[Steve Penz]

No thank you. The Twins have a young catcher in Pinto. I get that to split time with a vet who would then take a back seat as Pinto got better makes sense. I am thinking a Mike Redmond-type player. Salty is not that guy and would demand 3/30 million. This makes no sense to me. One year and 10 million? Whatever, fine. The Twins don't need a 3 year deal like that for a veteran catcher who will not want to play a secondary role.

[Jim Crikket]

I feel the same way with Saltalamacchia that I did AJ. If the Twins feel he makes the team better than it is with Pinto, then do the deal. I don't put Pinto at the level of a can't-miss prospect who warrants concern about being blocked. If you have two guys and Pinto ends up beating out the veteran, terrific. Vet will probably have some residual trade value.

 

I do think Pinto's presence makes it less likely a guy like Saltalamacchia would sign with Minnesota, however. I have no idea whether Miami has a similar prospect on the rise. The bloom seems to be off of Flowers in Chicago, so unless they have another rising catching prospect in the high minors, the WhiteSox might be preferable to the Twins as a landing spot.

[cmathewson]

I hope they sign Salty to two years with an option. I would not want to give such a deal to Pierzinski because of his age. Yes, he's durable, but mostly because he's a tough SOB who plays hurt a lot. Salty is still only 28 and should have two or three good years left in him. He was the best of the class coming in and now he's clearly the best available. With his options lessened, the Twins actually have a shot to get him.

 

As for blocking Pinto: Meh. You can't have too many catchers. Pinto can take a year at AAA, and serve as Salty's apprentice next year. In 2016, he can take the starting job and Salty can be the veteran back-up. No rush on Pinto.

[TKGuy]

Arencibia could work as a cheaper alternative to Salty so we can go after Garza.

[BigTrane]

Guess I'll shut my mouth on AJ, then! Agnostic on Salty tho.

 

Salty @ 2 years would be fine if you believe in Pinto (I do) but I don't think Salty's looking for anything less than 4, and in (what I see as) a thin market, he'll probably get it... likely overpaid, too. Well, we do have cash now.

 

Sure, we could go for him- why not? Who else is there? PLease don't go too long or pay too much if there's any belief in Pinto's future. Maybe we need a thread on Pinto's future upside. Otherwise, our depth is Hermann, Doumit, and Freyer (shudder).

[Thrylos]

Twins, Marlins and White Sox.

 

Slim pickings for Salty (not sure that I like him in more than an one year deal) so the Twins can either drive the price up for the WSux or they can have him in an one year bargain deal in February.

 

I am perfectly fine with Doumit/Herrmann/Pinto at this point. I'd rather see them add another arm, maybe a corner OF (Franceur) and maybe a LH Platoon 3B/PH/DH (Chavez)

[D. Hocking]

Is it my imagination or is there more catcher movement this year than normal. It seems like a lot of decent catchers (McCann, Salty, AJ etc, possibly Weiters) are changing teams (or in Mauer's case position).

 

AJ would have been interesting, and possibly a welcome spark plug, but I am not sure it would have been a good fit in reality. I guess we will never know.

[YourHouseIsMyHouse]

Saltalamacchia has only had one good season and I'm rooting against the Twins in this one. Go with Pinto/Doumit/Fryer and see how it works out. Having an average catcher blocking Pinto, doesn't make sense to me. Pinto is a MUCH cheaper alternative and can be average. If he flops on his face, Minnesota can pick up Geovany Soto next offseason and have them share time.

Spend the money on right handed DH/OF/1B Corey Hart and keep Arcia honest. They could start them both at RF/DH too. We don't have any corner guys in the high minors. Hicks/Buxton will push Pressley out of CF, and unless both Buxton and Hicks are up, we only have two viable starting corner outfielders (who both struggled last season). We're very weak at DH, so worst case scenario there is that. Another 30HR righty would be a huge asset.

[Winston Smith]

IMO, if he makes the team better sign him. Pinto is not a sure thing and if turns out to be, two good catchers is a good thing not a problem. They have the money, at this point they haven't reached last years payroll. They can easily spend another 20-30m and stay under the 52%.

[Brock Beauchamp]

Pinto is not a sure thing and if turns out to be, two good catchers is a good thing not a problem. They have the money, at this point they haven't reached last years payroll. They can easily spend another 20-30m and stay under the 52%.

 

The problem isn't Pinto, it's Saltalamacchia. Sure, money isn't a problem for the Twins right now but that doesn't mean they should go out and overpay in both dollars and years for a guy who looks like a prime candidate for serious regression. Salty's inability to take a walk and his .372 BABIP in 2013 is pretty terrifying.

 

Still, if he can be had for two years, that's not a terrible gamble. He's good defensively. But I don't think I'd go three years on him.

[cmathewson]

The problem isn't Pinto, it's Saltalamacchia. Sure, money isn't a problem for the Twins right now but that doesn't mean they should go out and overpay in both dollars and years for a guy who looks like a prime candidate for serious regression. Salty's inability to take a walk and his .372 BABIP in 2013 is pretty terrifying.

 

Still, if he can be had for two years, that's not a terrible gamble. He's good defensively. But I don't think I'd go three years on him.

 

I agree that the third year is a bitter pill. But it might be a situation where they need to add the third year to get him. The alternatives are pretty bad, and I don't think Pinto will be ready to start regularly next year. Even with regression, he'd be a much more valuable player than Pierzinski.

[Brock Beauchamp]

I agree that the third year is a bitter pill. But it might be a situation where they need to add the third year to get him. The alternatives are pretty bad, and I don't think Pinto will be ready to start regularly next year. Even with regression, he'd be a much more valuable player than Pierzinski.

 

If they can't get him without a third year, punt.

 

This is not going to be a playoff team in 2014 and every roster problem doesn't need to be solved before March. If no good catcher options are left, let Pinto/Doumit/retread play in 2014 and go after a better catcher next offseason if it fails spectacularly. IMO, that's a better option than committing tens of millions to a guy you don't really like, a guy due for regression, and one whose player profile doesn't align with Target Field's dimensions.

[Riverbrian]

What does this mean for Lavarnway?

[howieramone1406390264]

Brock, I agree we don't have to settle all the issues this winter, but let's anyway. Should we open up the farm to trade for Hanigan, then go for the jugular and get Brett Anderson?

[Brock Beauchamp]

Brock, I agree we don't have to settle all the issues this winter, but let's anyway. Should we open up the farm to trade for Hanigan, then go for the jugular and get Brett Anderson?

 

Nope, because this offense will still be bad and the Twins will still probably miss the playoffs.

 

This team isn't going to be truly good until Buxton and Sano are in the lineup and performing (unless the Twins strike lightning with rebounds from Doumit, Plouffe, and Willingham, which is technically possible though unlikely). Looting the farm for guys who will be gone by the time Buxton and Sano are raking seems like shooting yourself in the foot for ineffective short-term gains.

[Winston Smith]

The problem isn't Pinto, it's Saltalamacchia. Sure, money isn't a problem for the Twins right now but that doesn't mean they should go out and overpay in both dollars and years for a guy who looks like a prime candidate for serious regression. Salty's inability to take a walk and his .372 BABIP in 2013 is pretty terrifying.

 

I'm sure I didn't say overpay him. But the market is the market and if he makes us better I'm for it. Salty is a much better hitter LH so a platoon with Pinto would make some sense. Now if Pinto turns into the next great catcher you still have a decent trade chip that only cost money not prospects like some other options might. If Pinto bombs we don't have to watch Doumit and some AAAA guys catch.

[nicksaviking]

I assume the Twins are done with the bigger contract pitchers this year, though I still hope they grab a low risk higher upside guy like Halladay, Santana, Floyd or Neimann. I wouldn't want a Saltalamacchia signing to hinder the team from getting another impact arm next year though. It might never happen again but I don't want too many roadblocks just in case this new front office is here to stay. Next year the team loses Correia, Willingham and Burton, but that only clears out about $15 million.

[ashbury]

Brock, I agree we don't have to settle all the issues this winter, but let's anyway. Should we open up the farm to trade for Hanigan, then go for the jugular and get Brett Anderson?

 

Appears that Hanigan is headed to Tampa, anyway.

[old nurse]

1 year 8.25 good for AJ