Minnesota Twins Sign Reliever Tim Stauffer

  in Perkins, Fien, Duensing, Pelfrey and Stauffer. Perkins is the only one of the 5 that would make any roster.

Reasonably sure you would be one of those that claimed Punto and Butera could not make any other roster much less contending ones.    I can pretty much guarantee Fien, Duensing and Stauffer could make a lot of rosters.    Few if any teams have staffs loaded with sub 3.3 ERA guys.

The kind of move I fully expected and have mentioned repeatedly since last season ended. Just not a guy I had thought about.

I know he's a NL pitcher, but if he can keep his K rate even close it could be a smart move. It's only 1 year. And the investment is small enough a demotion to AAA or outright release would remain an option.

I have a little difficulty in adding an "age 32 SP" to the roster as a bad thing. His contract is not only fair, it's borderline outstanding when you look at the Peavey contract and others like it. It's not only fair, but 4 years, and you can probably figure he's in top form at least 2 if not 3 of those seasons. No he's not an ACE, buts he's good and a known, proven quantity. But spending $25M per for 7 years on another 32 yo would be OK? Because you'd have your ACE for a couple years on a still rebuilding team, (getting closer I admit) only to see him begin to decline while still owed a heft sum for several more years just as the team is rounding in to form? Naw...I'm more than OK with THIS 32 yo signing and making my team better. And I don't dislike Santana, or the move, just because he isn't 26.

what's the scouting report on Stauffer?  I know nothing about his stuff.

what's the scouting report on Stauffer?  I know nothing about his stuff.

Fastball (low 90s), Cutter, Curve, Change.  Average FB with the 2-seamer better than the 4-seamer, plus Change, below average Cutter and Curve.  Ground ball pitcher, misses some bats (25% K rate) on occasion. Above average control.

Twas the draft (2003) that Ryan picked Matt Moses, so...

 

That was a normal average draft:  Markakis, Danks, Billingsly, A. Hill, Adam Jones, Ethier, Bourn, Papelbon, Matt Kemp,  Ian Kinsler, Kris Medlen  all drafted then.   Maybe even one Hall of Famer in the bunch (Kinsler), if he continues playing for 5-6 years at a high level...

Matt Moses. Now there was a hope and a dream. 

Very much what I thought TR would do next. The pitching was terrible last year, and he's clearly not going with the prospects.....so this was obvious. I'd bet there is 1 more to come.

In 2014, 13 teams had bullpens with a team ERA of 3.33 or less. Almost have the teams had a combined ERA out of the pen at 3.33, so yes, there a lot of teams that have staffs loaded with sub 3.3 ERA guys. I agree that Fien and Stauffer would have roles on other teams, not sure about Duensing, but since he's a lefty, he'd probably have a situational one. Where I disagree is that I don't think too many teams would be looking at those 3 as their top high leverage guys behind the closer. Fien perhaps in a setup role, but neither Stauffer or Duensing has the track record to suggest they are a good late inning fit. 

 

My point isn't that the world will end because of Stauffer's signing, rather it doesn't seem to fill any real need the Twins have right now, and could potentially block needed development of younger players for very little marginal gain. 

My only point was in responding to the post about these guys not finding spots on any other roster.  Even the 13 pens that averaged 3.33 ERA or less probably had at least one and probably more guys with ERA's higher than that.   Perhaps I should have said staffs full of guys with sub 3.33 ERA's.    Plus comment was still about these guys finding spots on any other roster, not just the top 13.    All but maybe Pelfrey would find a roster spot somewhere if not with the Twins.  I never said or intimated that their roles should be as top high leverage guys.   I thought the Twins pen was pretty good last year until the last month or so when they really tanked.   IMO, the tanking part kept the Twins from being a 75 win team.