Crasnick: Twins keeping tabs on Malholm

[Parker Hageman]

ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick tweeted that in addition to the consortium of Garza, Arroyo and Pelfrey, the Twins are interested in Paul Maholm as well.

 

The left-handed Maholm pitched decently for the Braves last year, finishing 10-11 with 4.41 ERA (3.90 xFIP) in 153 innings. He missed a month of action due to a wrist sprain on his thrown arm and a few more in September because of elbow inflammation.

 

A below-average swing-and-miss man, Maholm keeps the ball on the ground (50.8% ground ball rate dating back to 2011) and, as such, keeps the ball in the park as well (0.86 HR/9 in same time span). He made $6.5 million last year and could figure to make a bit more than that (likely a Pelfrey-esque offer of two-years, ~$13M).

 

Of the four, Maholm's work has been second only to Matt Garza when it comes to ERA and expected fielding independent numbers:

 

http://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=all&stats=pit&lg=all&qual=0&type=8&season=2013&month=0&season1=2011&ind=0&team=0&rost=0&age=0&filter=&players=8678,978,3340,5203&sort=18,d

 

What are you thoughts on Maholm?

[Mike Sixel]

I admit to being bored with starting pitching right now.....none of them excite me a lot. But, there aren't any hitters left that excite me on the FA market either (that they might sign). For the right price, I could see it happening, and not being annoyed.

[Marta Shearing]

Hopefully its just a smoke screen.

[Brock Beauchamp]

I'm fine with Maholm. I'm fine with Pelfrey. I'm fine with Arroyo, though I don't like three years. I'm fine with Garza, though I don't like the timing and price.

 

At this point, I can't get too worked up about anything. If JR makes another move, great. If he doesn't make another move, that's okay, too.

[twinsnorth49]

Take him over Pelfrey just for the fact he might finish 6 innings before my bedtime.

[johnnydakota]

A few moves that would get my blood pumping would of course be signing Tanaka,

Or trading for Burch Smith and Matt Wisler.

And finally signing Cuban shortstop A.Diaz if he is the real deal

[beckmt]

Nor interested in Maholm, probably not much better than Diamond. His numbers are from the National league and do not think he will fare well in the American.

[Shane Wahl]

Arroyo is the only one of these guys that I would bother with.

[Twins Twerp]

I'm fine with Maholm. I'm fine with Pelfrey. I'm fine with Arroyo, though I don't like three years. I'm fine with Garza, though I don't like the timing and price.

 

At this point, I can't get too worked up about anything. If JR makes another move, great. If he doesn't make another move, that's okay, too.

 

New meds?

[Brock Beauchamp]

New meds?

 

Heh, no. Just complacency. The Twins have already surpassed my expectations for this offseason.

[Thrylos]

What are you thoughts on Maholm?

 

Twins kind of guy: 87 mph FB and around 15% K% (in the NL facing Ps; If you subtract the pitchers he faced, it drops down to 13.5%). Diamond and Albers territory in both. I'd take Kris Johnson over all of them at the moment. I'd rather see Capuano at this point. And they do need a lefty in the rotation.

 

Unless they get a number one/two type of a guy it makes no sense getting another veteran, unless they are shopping Correia.

[Major League Ready]

Arroyo is the only one of these guys that I would bother with.

 

The more I think about it, the more I am inclined to agree. Offer an agressive 2 year deal w/3rd year team option. We have Correia/Willingham and Doumit coming off the books next year. So, we could still pursue a front of the rotation next year when there should be a better crop of SPs.

[jokin]

Nor interested in Maholm, probably not much better than Diamond. His numbers are from the National league and do not think he will fare well in the American.

 

He is an NL pitcher, sure, but he's definitely better than Diamond. His NL numbers are mostly significantly better than Correia, and that signing has worked out thus far.

[Guest USAFChief]

Pass.

[biggentleben]

As someone who's seen a lot of Maholm the last couple of seasons, you could do much, much worse than he'll give you as a 4/5 in the rotation. He'll eat up innings typically, and while his numbers won't make you go out and by a Cy Maholm t-shirt, he'll be a steady, league-average type of pitcher. Really someone who's sort of a poor man's Mark Buehrle. The interesting thing is how little buzz he's getting this offseason. I think someone could end up with a deal on him in comparison to what they'd have to spend for the more "name recognition" types.

[jokin]

As someone who's seen a lot of Maholm the last couple of seasons, you could do much, much worse than he'll give you as a 4/5 in the rotation. He'll eat up innings typically, and while his numbers won't make you go out and by a Cy Maholm t-shirt, he'll be a steady, league-average type of pitcher. Really someone who's sort of a poor man's Mark Buehrle. The interesting thing is how little buzz he's getting this offseason. I think someone could end up with a deal on him in comparison to what they'd have to spend for the more "name recognition" types.

 

Excellent take, Ben, "poor man's Buehrle" sums it up nicely. I've been on the Twins getting Maholm as a potential bargain pick-up since the 11-12 offseason. The Braves confirmed my opinion by acquiring him in a midseason trade in 2012 and then exercising his option for 2013. He dominates left-handed batters and he has more than a fighting chance to give you 180 steady innings from the #5 spot in the rotation. If the Twins liked Correia, they should love Maholm from the portside. And with his down year of 2013 associated with an injury, he seems to be a classic buy-low, short term contract candidate.

 

Would a $5M + IP incentives- sufficient for him to potentially reach $7M- be enough to bring him on board? Maybe add a team option 2nd year w/ buyout, as in his previous contract?