Alex Presley claimed off waivers by Astros

[tmerrickkeller]

Early in the season, I think the Jasons have a better chance to contribute than the waived players. None of them (Bartlett, Kubel, Presley, Parmelee) is a long-term answer. I also think, given the young/old mix of this team, that these moves make sense to balance the number of minimum-experience guys playing regularly. It might all backfire, who knows? But if it does and you end up releasing Kubel or Bartlett as part of a youth movement, that becomes more palatable than removing "unproven but young" players like Presley or Parmelee for the completely untested young'uns.

 

I think this is completely a decision to have some experience in the lineup versus the thick stack of AAAA players that everyone thinks is just about to break out if we'd only give them a full season of at-bats. There is, essentially, no one blocking anyone on this team.

 

And I also think we'll find our 4th OF on the waiver wire in the coming days, moving Bartlett off the team or AAA when Florimon is back to playing every day. Is anyone really convinced that Alex Presley is the best we could do in that role? I'd rather have the open slots on the 40-man...

[Mike Sixel]

What is this "young old mix" you speak of? I'd bet this is one of the older teams in baseball now. They have three 2nd year players and a bunch of veterans. There isn't some young old mix that needs mentoring. And, as I pointed out, if they add more young players, Bartlett is one of the first guys probably gone, so who is he mentoring?

[ossieO]

I have a hunch the decision to keep Bartlett is related to the illness and reduced role of Terry Ryan. Can't prove it, just my gut feeling......if TR was completely in charge and engaged he would not allow Gardy to keep Bartlett. On the other hand, TR probably wouldn't cut bait on Presley and Parmalee either.

 

I've thought Gardy had more say on roster construction during the Bill Smith era, and with Antony almost the interim GM we once again have a Manager with more tenure and clout than the GM. I don't think roster construction is one of Gardy's strengths.

[Squirrel]

I hope that Parker is able to change himself into a fly, or put on his invisibility cape, in order to listen into some of whatever is being discussed down in 'the Fort' right now.

[Willihammer]

There could be a waiver claim in the works. I *think* it's necessary to have an open spot when you make the waiver claim, not just wait and open up the spot if the claim goes through; that would explain the timing. The wait is due to there being the potential of another team ranking "higher" (in reverse order of standings last October) putting in a claim before the time is up.

 

Yes that's correct. The Strohs had to DFA Valdez before claiming Presley. But according to Wikipedia

 

If a team claims a player off waivers and has a viable claim as described above, his current team (the "waiving team") may choose one of the following options:

 

 

arrange a trade with the claiming team for that player within two business days of the claim...

 

so its possible to get a deal done before the end of the 3rd day, if a team really likes a guy and makes a good trade offer.

 

Maybe with two open 40 man spots now the Twins will interject if anyone really interesting hits the waiver wire and someone in the division (except the White Sox) tries to do that, the Twins will butt in just for blocking purposes.

[S.]

I never really understood "experience in the lineup", when said experienced players are not good. Exactly what skill-set and knowledge is Bartlett bringing to the team that our coaches shouldn't already be able to teach the young players? I can see the arguments merit if we were talking someone like Thome or even a situation like Suzuki to help Pinto with game calling, but Jason Bartlett? C'mon.

[blindeke]

I meant Presley, but you make a good point.

[jokin]

If nothing else this should serve as a reminder that whatever he may say to the contrary, Gardy gets quite a bit of say about the roster. He might not always get some young guys called up as soon as he might like, but they give him most of what he wants.

 

It might be interesting to attempt to add a "say-so" Spring Training curve for the Twins Manager. In actuality, Gardy expressed public discontent that he had had no say-so in the first round of cuts when Meyer and Buxton were sent down, meanwhile implying that his opinion would have more weight heading into this week. Since guys like Meyer and Buxton carry severe implicatiions regarding the starting their service clocks, it's logical that Gardy would have more sway when choosing "good clubhouse" veterans over marginal guys later in the process. I stated back before ST that I expected the Twins would try to sneak Diamond and Parmelee through waivers and that Kubel and Bartlett were going to make the club- Gardy was firmly supportive of the latter 2 throughout the process, and Gibson's performance just forced his hand. But he's also been Florimon's biggest backer, as well, meaning there still isn't a real rationale for having Bartlett around, despite cutting Presley. (Did Arcia preserve his spot with his better play this week?) Conclusion: there's a ML move coming AND/OR Florimon is going on the DL.

[gocgo]

I don't think I'm giving away any secrets that this team will be offensively challenged this year. After all, we've scored somewhere in the bottom 2 or 3 teams in all of spring training this year. Given that. Wouldn't you want your bench to have as much pop as possible? Granted, there aren't many great options, but surely, Parm offers more offensively than Bartlett. Well, I'll still watch, but I sure won't pay to go watch.

[Willihammer]

I don't think I'm giving away any secrets that this team will be offensively challenged this year. After all, we've scored somewhere in the bottom 2 or 3 teams in all of spring training this year.

2nd to last, as of yesterday. Behind... the Red Sox.

[Shane Wahl]

What kind of a message does this send to the guys struggling to make it to the big leagues?

 

When a guy that didn't play ball last year comes into ST, starts off 0-23 and and finishes with some pathetic batting average and still makes the team, it sends the following message: what you do in ST doesn't matter. it's a good ol' boys club and if you aren't in the club, your going back down to the minors.

 

Especially given the inappropriate comments from Antony last week! Not only inappropriate, but BS, given Kubel and Bartlett have been bad and terrible, respectively.

[jokin]

If nothing else this should serve as a reminder that whatever he may say to the contrary, Gardy gets quite a bit of say about the roster. He might not always get some young guys called up as soon as he might like, but they give him most of what he wants.

 

It might be interesting to attempt to add a "say-so" Spring Training curve for the Twins Manager. In actuality, Gardy expressed public discontent that he had had no say-so in the first round of cuts when Meyer and Buxton were sent down, meanwhile implying that his opinion would have more weight heading into this week. Since guys like Meyer and Buxton carry severe implicatiions regarding the starting their service clocks, it's logical that Gardy would have more sway when choosing "good clubhouse" veterans over marginal guys later in the process. I stated back before ST that I expected the Twins would try to sneak Diamond and Parmelee through waivers and that Kubel and Bartlett were going to make the club- Gardy was firmly supportive of the latter 2 throughout the process, and Gibson's performance just forced his hand. But he's also been Florimon's biggest backer, as well, meaning there still isn't a real rationale for having Bartlett around, despite cutting Presley (didn't see that one coming). (Did Arcia preserve his spot with his better play this week?) Conclusion: there's a ML move coming AND/OR Florimon is going on the DL.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

I never really understood "experience in the lineup", when said experienced players are not good. Exactly what skill-set and knowledge is Bartlett bringing to the team that our coaches shouldn't already be able to teach the young players? I can see the arguments merit if we were talking someone like Thome or even a situation like Suzuki to help Pinto with game calling, but Jason Bartlett? C'mon.

 

Bumping this-- it's the coaches who might provide the veteran presence or been-there-before leadership. A player hanging around primarily because he's a veteran is redundant and a waste of a spot. Not sure any of this is even debatable.

 

Interestingly, the 1999-2001 teams never really had that veteran presence, yet still overachieved in 2001 and then went to the ALCS in 2002.

[JB_Iowa]

geez, jokin, you're doing the Twins thing of back to the future.

 

It's a good post, though, worth reading twice.

 

And PLEASE let there be a move or two still coming.

[LaBombo]

So the organizational depth chart for center field has been narrowed down to Buck NinetyTwo, a scrappy tailbattler made of stained glass and soap bubbles, and a guy whose "development takes precedence over organizational need" commandment is written on the stone tablets of the franchise roadmap.

 

The Rob Ant'ny era is shaping up to be a real barn burner. And the really exciting part is that after the bar-lowering Bill Smith reign of terror, it could go on for years...

[LaBombo]

Since guys like Meyer and Buxton carry severe implicatiions regarding the starting their service clocks, it's logical that Gardy would have more sway when choosing "good clubhouse" veterans over marginal guys later in the process.

I'm pretty sure that I learned from the Aaron Hicks debate last March that the service clock is either a figment of our imaginations, or at the very least completely irrelevant, a notion also confirmed by Ryan.

 

Never mind the fact that the expiration of team control is obviously the elephant in whatever conference room extensions are negotiated in, and that at least one prominent agent has stated off the record that under no circumstances will he even allow his clients to sign extensions, thus making the service clock the sole determination of their entry into free agency.

 

Sooooo... nothing to see here.

http://starsmedia.ign.com/stars/image/article/843/843378/duped-stormtrper-star-wars3_1199343879.jpg

 

Move along. Move along.

[TheLeviathan]

Well Twins....let's see what you're doing, because so far this doesn't make much sense.

[Beezer]

When it comes to developing talent for the future that talent needs to play. Having youth on your bench makes very little sense if you actually want it to get better and contribute in the future. I am disappointed that Bartlett is currently viewed as our best option and I am disappointed about keeping Kubel over Parmelee but when it comes to a youth movement it either starts at the MLB level or it starts at AAA. It does not sit on your bench. I am concerned about Pinto sitting on the bench but if they actually play him 2 or 3 times a week as they say then it will work out. I actually don't expect Bartlett to come in except as a defensive replacement after someone else pinch hits or perhaps as a pinch runner. Makes no sense to have some young gun on the bench to do that. Hope Parmelee and Diamond both accept AAA and light it up and make the trip up by May and contribute. I think Parmelee would be a massive upgrade defensively in LF over Willingham who clearly can no longer play in the outfield.

[ashbury]

Can't get it out of my head.

 

That's Electric Light Orchestra, not the Boss.

[Dman]

I've never been a huge Presley fan and how he looked in spring training was unimpressive. He isn't excellent in the field and his bat is marginal. I think Maestro or any other center fielder we have in AAA could do just about as well. I don't know why the Astro's want him but they can have him. He is a good 4th outfielder but nothing to get exited about as that is his greatest potential 4th outfielder. Personally I think the Twins are better off without him as there should be an opportunity for someone with more potential to step into that spot.

[JB_Iowa]

That's Electric Light Orchestra, not the Boss.

 

Huh?

 

http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/brucespringsteen/glorydays.html

[LaBombo]

While I don't believe that the presence of Kubel and Bartlett wlll actually sell any tickets, I can set an entire ad campaign to Springsteen's "Glory Days". Can't get it out of my head.

Humming a bit of Culture Club's 'Karma Chameleon' can get almost any song out of my head. The downside is that then Karma Chameleon gets stuck in my head, which is quite a bit like being repeatedly shot in the forehead by a BB gun.

 

Yeah, Glory Days seems about right, and the sad thing is, the glory days weren't all that glorious.

[Craig Arko]

That's Electric Light Orchestra, not the Boss.

 

I got it.

[LaBombo]

I've never been a huge Presley fan and how he looked in spring training was unimpressive. He isn't excellent in the field and his bat is marginal. I think Maestro or any other center fielder we have in AAA could do just about as well. I don't know why the Astro's want him but they can have him. He is a good 4th outfielder but nothing to get exited about as that is his greatest potential 4th outfielder. Personally I think the Twins are better off without him as there should be an opportunity for someone with more potential to step into that spot.

Presley's nothing special, but the Twins ended up with him because they got absolutely nothing from the same two guys they're counting on this year.

 

So there's that.

[rickyriolo]

yes place the younger players on waivers and keep the older players.....what is wrong with this picture? just wow...i can not say in words on how stupid this is

[Mike Sixel]

So that Morneau trade yielded what?

[ashbury]

Huh?

 

http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/brucespringsteen/glorydays.html

 

http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/electriclightorchestraelo/cantgetitoutofmyhead.html

 

I was being a poop.

[ashbury]

So that Morneau trade yielded what?

 

We're not sure if the pitching part has ever been finalized.

[drock2190]

Hey that passed through so they aren't all that great.

 

If Kubel or Bartlett get injured or do poorly, they will get cut and the youngsters will come up.

[JB_Iowa]

http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/electriclightorchestraelo/cantgetitoutofmyhead.html

 

I was being a poop.

 

I'm often oblivious.