Article: Rumor Mill Round-Up: 1/6

[Nick Nelson]

You can view the page at http://www.twinsdaily.com/content.php/2585-Rumor-Mill-Round-Up-1-6

[Otwins]

I think you have them rated about right. To me Santana makes the most sense. I think it would be fine that he may not be ready for the start of the season. That would give us time to sort out our roster. He would be the "6th" starter but I just read where last year MLB teams average 32 starts not from their top 5 starters(Fangraphs). As a fan this is the move I would like to see. I realize he will not be CY Johan but he could be better than most of our current starters. I don't care if they sign Arroyo or Garza. I don't want Drew.

[cmathewson]

Buzzkill. You and your reasonable arguments.

[dougkoebernick]

Does anyone think that if they were to sign Garza that they would then trade Correia? It frees up some money and a spot in the rotation. While not the move that most people would see coming we are talking about a GM who traded two center fielders last year to open up a spot there.

[Mike Sixel]

Homer Bailey may be available.....

The Astros might make their catcher, Castro, available......I'd trade for him for the right price.

[pierre75275]

Are the Twins interested in Jeff Baker at all

[Rosterman]

Haren and Zumaya? Let's bring back Pat Neshek!

[nicksaviking]

I think your rankings need to be inversed. This off-season Terry Ryan is clearly opporating opposite of his instincts. Watch him in action

[Willihammer]

Latest rumor is the Mets won't go 2 years for Drew, because they don't really want him either.

 

Yankees, Orioles, Tigers, White Sox, Royals, Indians, Rangers, Phillies, Braves, Nats, Cards, Reds, Brewers, Rockies, Dodgers, D-Backs, Padres - all of them are probably out on Drew. Even the Red Sox have Bogaerts and Middlebrooks.

[ashbury]

I think your rankings need to be inversed. This off-season Terry Ryan is clearly opporating opposite of his instincts. Watch him in action

 

That's right. Terry, go right up to 'em. "I'm Masahiro Tanaka. Hiii."

[jokin]

Latest rumor is the Mets won't go 2 years for Drew, because they don't really want him either.

 

Yankees, Orioles, Tigers, White Sox, Royals, Indians, Rangers, Phillies, Braves, Nats, Cards, Reds, Brewers, Rockies, Dodgers, D-Backs, Padres - all of them are probably out on Drew. Even the Red Sox have Bogaerts and Middlebrooks.

 

So Boras lets him fall into our laps by Spring Training? Drew playing SS in 120 games primarily against RHP. keeps him healthy.... and OPSing near somewhere around .795-.870 with quality defense seems well worth $10M or a little more and the loss of a 2nd rd pick....

[Tibs]

Latest rumor is the Mets won't go 2 years for Drew, because they don't really want him either.

 

Yankees, Orioles, Tigers, White Sox, Royals, Indians, Rangers, Phillies, Braves, Nats, Cards, Reds, Brewers, Rockies, Dodgers, D-Backs, Padres - all of them are probably out on Drew. Even the Red Sox have Bogaerts and Middlebrooks.

 

That doesn't leave a whole lot of teams.

[thetank]

Drew is injury-proned. Sometimes wanting is better than having.

[jokin]

I don't doubt that the Twins are still keeping an eye on Arroyo, but the same caveat applies as with Garza; it just doesn't make a ton of sense to spend big on filling that final rotation spot when you've got a handful of reasonable candidates to compete and prospects in waiting.

 

It's time for TD pundits to do some reporting. What are the odds on a 1-5 scale that the Twins are constantly being mentioned as never before such that they are legitimately still in on all of the mentioned potential starters and others you didn't mention? Isn't there a reasonably good argument that TR must have some back-pocket options on moving Correia should he be able to land an upgrade?

 

The lost draft pick for Drew can be fairly easily recouped through trade for a legit prospect or making a QO when Drew's contract expires- the local scribes should enjoin the Twins from getting away with utilizing this "loss of a draft pick" canard....and simply shouldn't be accepted as a valid excuse for precluding such an obvious upgrade.... this is an unwillingness to spend available dollars while only taking on a little additional risk without blocking a deserving prospect.

 

On a semi-serious note, could the Twins turn the tables on the Red Sox, and incentivize Boras and Steve Drew and make a joint pact with the brothers Drew.....by bringing JD back to the Twins Cities and out of retirement, in a Jim Thome-like role (career OPS+ 125 hitter and only 38)?

[JB_Iowa]

Rumor mill is about as cold as the weather. (Thanks for the round-up though, Nick).

[Thrylos]

Haren and Zumaya? Let's bring back Pat Neshek!

 

wish. Need to buy a "d"

[jokin]

Homer Bailey may be available.....

The Astros might make their catcher, Castro, available......I'd trade for him for the right price.

 

Interesting Jeremy Nygard-like article on Castro and pitch-framing.

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/jason-castro-on-catcher-framing/

A Stanford product who has taken a cerebral and "glutteal" approach to improving his framing numbers in 2013.

 

I'd be on board. Big, lefty-hitting C balances out the position nicely. Projected to make $2.2M in 2014. Which prospect is an even-up trade? One of the thumpers (Walker, Vargas, Harrison)? I wouldn't want to give up much more than that, certainly not any of the top 5 pitching prospects.

[troyhobbs]

I'd love them to sign Garza. Aside from Nolasco the rest of their projected rotation hasn't proven much lately, though still should be a decent improvement. I'd sign Drew too but I care a lot less about spending Pohlad money than most people. Good to see the FO shelling it out this offseason though, hopefully they keep it going.

[chuchadoro]

I'd love them to sign Garza. Aside from Nolasco the rest of their projected rotation hasn't proven much lately, though still should be a decent improvement. I'd sign Drew too but I care a lot less about spending Pohlad money than most people. Good to see the FO shelling it out this offseason though, hopefully they keep it going.

 

I'm also glad the Twins have gone out and spent some money in FA. On the other hand, what choice did they have? The Twins would have a payroll of $60-65m in 2014 if they had done their usual offseason dumpster diving. I'm guessing Dave St. Peter didn't want to run a "This is Houston Astros Territory" marketing campaign after three 90 loss seasons.

 

After years of poor drafting, players aging, leaving and/or being sold at their lowest value, the Twins had no in-house players to extend (besides the Milkman and Pony Boy). The core of the next competitive Twins team will be making league minimum for most of the rest of the decade. Most of those guys aren't on the major league team yet. The Twins could not afford to trot out a AAAA team again without risking long-term damage to their brand.

[Jeremy Nygaard]

Interesting Jeremy Nygard-like article on Castro and pitch-framing. http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/jason-castro-on-catcher-framing/A Stanford product who has taken a cerebral and "glutteal" approach to improving his framing numbers in 2013. I'd be on board. Big, lefty-hitting C balances out the position nicely. Projected to make $2.2M in 2014. Which prospect is an even-up trade? One of the thumpers (Walker, Vargas, Harrison)? I wouldn't want to give up much more than that, certainly not any of the top 5 pitching prospects.

I would call that more Parker Hageman-esque, though our good looks can lead to confusion.

[Craig Arko]

I would call that more Parker Hageman-esque, though our good looks can lead to confusion.

 

Yes, but how are you when mom makes pizza rolls?

[Brandon]

The draft pick loss could just be a negotiating ploy. If Drew has no one looking to sign him the Twins could swoop in with a 2 year 14 -18 million offer with an option come 2nd week of February

[Brandon]

I'm all for signing one more pitcher. Garza or Arroyo will give the Twins more pitching depth and a better starter towards the top of the rotation. The Twins can always move Pelfry to the pen as his contract has 3.5 million tied up in incentives or they could trade Corriea. There is a lot of flexibility the Twins have should they go out and get another starter.

 

The Twins were in on Davis earlier a speedy OF. would they be in on another one such as Pierre to be a 4th OF/ week armed CF?

[ashbury]

Yes, but how are you when mom makes pizza rolls?

[oldguy10]

Brandon says the Twins can always put Pelfrey in the pen but can he pitch well in that sort of situation? Many starters cannot make that transition, look at some of the results.

[Brock Beauchamp]

Brandon says the Twins can always put Pelfrey in the pen but can he pitch well in that sort of situation? Many starters cannot make that transition, look at some of the results.

 

Pelfrey should be able to have moderate success in the pen. He has a pretty hard, flat fastball. His secondary stuff isn't exemplary. He's the type of guy that *should* thrive in a situation where he throws less innings, throws harder, and doesn't get exposed by facing the same batters 3-4 times a game.

[Paul Pleiss]

Sign Johan. Sign Drew. Sign either Tanaka or Garza.

 

That's what I want. What will we get?

 

Maybe Johan on a minor league deal with an invite to ST. Drew? unlikely. Tanaka/Garza? keep dreaming.

 

back to reality.

[Paul Pleiss]

I wish J.J. Hardy and Garza had never been traded. A curse upon you Bill Smith. I wonder if the Garza trade talk had started prior to TR stepping down or if it was all of Bill Smith's creation.

[Brock Beauchamp]

I wonder if the Garza trade talk had started prior to TR stepping down or if it was all of Bill Smith's creation.

 

Given that Ryan almost never trades pitching, I think that one is all on Smith. The only young pitcher I can recall Ryan trading during his tenure was Kyle Lohse, which isn't entirely unexpected considering the dude took a bat to his manager's door.

[twinsajsf]

While I would be mildly surprised, I would not be crazy shocked to see the Twins add Garza or Arroyo to the mix at this point. It sounds like we are willing to meet Garza's asking price per year, but for only 3 years vs. the 5 he wants. Maybe a 4th year option? Likewise, it sounds like we are not interested in more than a two year deal with Arroyo. The reason I don't think this is crazy, despite decent in-house competition for the 5th spot (Deduno, Gibson, Worley, Diamond, Albers) is that it would hedge against injuries and provide us with some decent trade value that we currently do not have. If we do not have any injuries in ST, and one or more of those mentioned above is pitching well, injuries to other rotations around the league could cause a team to panic and send us something pretty good in return for one of them or Correia.