Nunez Traded To Giants For LHP Prospect

Otto von Ballpark · July 29, 2016

Just from looking at their stats and profiles, Mejia reminds me a bit of Gilmartin.

diehardtwinsfan · July 29, 2016

Opens up a 25-man roster spot, yes. But, since Mejia is on the 40-man roster, this cuts both ways. We won't be able to use Nunez's 40-man spot to protect one of our own prospects from the Rule 5 draft this winter. Might not know quite how to grade this aspect until we see what other trades they make, and what kind of 40-man decisions they make through November.

But I'm cool with it. We had to move Nunez, and we got something interesting.

Might mean a guy like Nolasco gets the DFA... one can hope right?

diehardtwinsfan · July 29, 2016

Speaking of Sickles. Here's his write up on the trade.

Otto von Ballpark · July 29, 2016

Might mean a guy like Nolasco gets the DFA... one can hope right?

Yeah, the 40-man thing will be a non-issue if they make some bold moves otherwise, either aggressive trading or cuts.

jorgenswest · July 29, 2016

Just from looking at their stats and profiles, Mejia reminds me a bit of Gilmartin.

Maybe. I thought Gilmartin's velocity was 86-89.

Otto von Ballpark · July 29, 2016

Speaking of Sickles. Here's his write up on the trade.

Thanks. That is encouraging -- still "projecting as a number four starter" but he also notes "with some chance to be a number three."

diehardtwinsfan · July 29, 2016

Thanks. That is encouraging -- still "projecting as a number four starter" but he also notes "with some chance to be a number three."

I think his age relative to the leagues he has played in says a lot. He's almost always been more than a year younger, and in the PCL right now, he is more than 3 years younger. Those are the types of guys that can continue to improve and potentially out perform their MILB numbers. This was a pretty good pickup. We can debate if he's top 100 or not, but I think borderline top 100 is very reasonable here. It was a good pickup. I'd much rather run him out there every 5th day in 2017 over Milone. Much more upside.

Otto von Ballpark · July 29, 2016

Maybe. I thought Gilmartin's velocity was 86-89.

Could be, I'm no expert on that. I was thinking more statistically, and fairly generic in terms of "profile" (left handed, similar height, finesse/control oriented rather than power).

Otto von Ballpark · July 29, 2016

I think his age relative to the leagues he has played in says a lot. He's almost always been more than a year younger, and in the PCL right now, he is more than 3 years younger. Those are the types of guys that can continue to improve and potentially out perform their MILB numbers. This was a pretty good pickup. We can debate if he's top 100 or not, but I think borderline top 100 is very reasonable here. It was a good pickup.

He's not a borderline top 100, unless he suddenly turns it up a notch. Nobody has him in their top 100, except BA's midseason list which excluded 2016 drafts/signings. Judging by his relative ranks from BA, MLB, and his grade from Sickels, he's probably part of a large (100+) group in consideration for 140-175 ranks overall, if more lists went down to that level.

Mejia is doing just fine in terms of age, but probably not enough to warrant any bonus points. He had a better case when he reached AA 2 years ago, but he wasn't that good then. In the AFL last year and AA this year, he was probably close enough to average age (within 1.5 years) that it doesn't mean a whole lot anymore. And the AAA average pitcher age is 26.8, which you can imagine is skewed by a lot of non-prospects. But there is no shame in reaching AAA at age 23 as Mejia has done.

jorgenswest · July 29, 2016

I have seen Mejia pitch twice for San Jose when he was 20. I haven't seen Gilmartin in person so I really can't compare. At 20, Mejia was impressive. He seemed like a veteran though he was young for the league. I did wonder if his pitch mix would continue to fool AA and AAA hitters. He wasn't blowing guys away like Kyle Crick did on that San Jose club.

Otto von Ballpark · July 29, 2016

I'd much rather run him out there every 5th day in 2017 over Milone. Much more upside.

That's an interesting question. It certainly doesn't help that Milone is scuffling this year and earning $4.5 mil, but his career MLB performance to date looks not unlike Mejia's #4 type projection. And that salary may not climb much in arb, or perhaps could decline after a non-tender.

Of course, it's not necessarily an either-or proposition.

Otto von Ballpark · July 29, 2016

I have seen Mejia pitch twice for San Jose when he was 20. I haven't seen Gilmartin in person so I really can't compare. At 20, Mejia was impressive. He seemed like a veteran though he was young for the league. I did wonder if his pitch mix would continue to fool AA and AAA hitters. He wasn't blowing guys away like Kyle Crick did on that San Jose club.

Thanks for the report!

I didn't mean the Gilmartin thing to be a serious close comparison. According to Sickels, Gilmartin pretty much lost his #4 projection once he struggled in AAA in 2013 anyway, so I'd agree that Mejia definitely has the advantage right now. Just thought some of their numbers were similar, and their ages weren't too far off despite their different backgrounds.

bluechipper · July 29, 2016

Here's an interesting article about Nunez

One of my favorite lines from it:

'I can tell you that Eduardo Nunez has been worth 1.0 WAR in his career, and 1.6 WAR this year. He was technically just an All-Star, but he was an All-Star in the way that the guys who finished after Lance Armstrong during his doping years are Tour de France champions'.

Yeah he's only leading the AL in stolen bases and hitting around .300. The Nunez bashing in regards to the All Star game is a little over the top in my opinion.

Lee-The-Twins-Fan · July 29, 2016

So we trade a left-hander, Miguel Sulbaran – who never spent time in the majors, for Nunez, play him for two and a half years, roughly, and then trade him for another left-handed starter? I like it!!!

jimmer · July 29, 2016

Yeah he's only leading the AL in stolen bases and hitting around .300. The Nunez bashing in regards to the All Star game is a little over the top in my opinion.

probably has to do with three things

1: SBs don't really add much value and teams have gotten away from them mostly now that they realize that. Which is why such a low SB total leads the league.

2. Defense matters

3. If the every team has to have a rep rule wasn't in effect, he wouldn't have made the team. There were way, way better options available for his spot on the all star team.

When people say he shouldn't have been an all star, some people take it as a slight, like people are saying he was horrible at that point. No one is saying that. Doesn't mean he hadn't been good, just that there were more deserving players.

Edited July 29, 2016 by jimmer

Otto von Ballpark · July 29, 2016

So we trade a left-hander, Miguel Sulbaran – who never spent time in the majors, for Nunez, play him for two and a half years, roughly, and then trade him for another left-handed starter? I like it!!!

The transaction tree is more just a trivia thing. I think absent Sulbaran, we probably would have acquired the DFA'd Nunez just the same with another fringe type prospect.

That said, I hope there are even bigger things in store for this transaction tree, on the new Mejia branch!

shs_59 · July 29, 2016

just a reminder for the last several twins potential lead-off hitters

Denard Span = Nothing (meyer)

Ben Revere = Trevor May and NOTHING (worley)

Aaron Hicks = Nothing (murphy)

and Now Nunez = Nothing or something? (mejia)

Jham · July 29, 2016

Adalberto Mejia’s Mahalanobis Comps

Fangraph's Chris Mitchell's top 10 comps and projections...

Rank Name Mah Dist Projected KATOH+ WAR Actual WAR
1 Victor Santos 0.28 2.3 3.8
2 John Thomson 0.36 2.4 13.7
3 Zack Greinke 0.49 2.3 32.0
4 Jeff Karstens 0.66 2.0 3.4
5 John Johnstone 0.76 2.1 1.3
6 Ricky Nolasco 0.82 3.4 16.6
7 Jeff Housman 0.90 2.0 0.0
8 Peter Munro 0.97 3.5 3.3
9 Pat Misch 0.99 2.1 1.0
10 Wil Ledezma 1.02 2.9

Let's hope for Zack Greinke! But of course, the 2nd MOST successful comp based on his MiLB results is Ricky Nolasco... Expletive.

AlwaysinModeration · July 29, 2016

Feels like years since I have liked a trade deadline move by a Twins GM.

Otto von Ballpark · July 29, 2016

Thought experiment: if we hadn't already acquired him for Nunez, would you have accepted Mejia in return for Suzuki? Abad? Kintzler? Ervin Santana?

shs_59 · July 29, 2016

Adalberto Mejia’s Mahalanobis Comps
Fangraph's Chris Mitchell's top 10 comps and projections...

Rank Name Mah Dist Projected KATOH+ WAR Actual WAR
1 Victor Santos 0.28 2.3 3.8
2 John Thomson 0.36 2.4 13.7
3 Zack Greinke 0.49 2.3 32.0
4 Jeff Karstens 0.66 2.0 3.4
5 John Johnstone 0.76 2.1 1.3
6 Ricky Nolasco 0.82 3.4 16.6
7 Jeff Housman 0.90 2.0 0.0
8 Peter Munro 0.97 3.5 3.3
9 Pat Misch 0.99 2.1 1.0
10 Wil Ledezma 1.02 2.9

Let's hope for Zack Greinke! But of course, the 2nd MOST successful comp based on his MiLB results is Ricky Nolasco... Expletive.

a LH'd Nolasco in his prime would be an exceptional outcome for Alderberto Mejia

don't fool yourself. GO back and look at Nolasco's career seasons with Florida Marlins (before they were Miami)

diehardtwinsfan · July 29, 2016

Thought experiment: if we hadn't already acquired him for Nunez, would you have accepted Mejia in return for Suzuki? Abad? Kintzler? Ervin Santana?

Suzuki - no

Abad - yes

Kintzler - yes

Santana - no

KirbyDome89 · July 29, 2016

just a reminder for the last several twins potential lead-off hitters

Denard Span = Nothing (meyer)

Ben Revere = Trevor May and NOTHING (worley)

Aaron Hicks = Nothing (murphy)

and Now Nunez = Nothing or something? (mejia)

Sounds like a lot of something to me. We have yet to see Meyer get a real shot to start for the Twins but at worst they have a hard throwing relief pitcher. May is in the same boat. I'm not sure why receiving a potential 4th starter for a utility guy who is a defensive liability and is had a career 2 months at the plate is a bad trade. Yeah Murphy has been terrible but last I checked Hicks wasn't exactly killing it for NY, and he certainly didn't tear it up in his time with the Twins either.

jimmer · July 29, 2016

Carlos Pena said Nunez can defensively play every position at a very high caliber level, gold glove caliber level. Those old school former players on MLB Network crack me up.

Edited July 29, 2016 by jimmer

jorgenswest · July 30, 2016

Adalberto Mejia’s Mahalanobis Comps
Fangraph's Chris Mitchell's top 10 comps and projections...

Rank Name Mah Dist Projected KATOH+ WAR Actual WAR
1 Victor Santos 0.28 2.3 3.8
2 John Thomson 0.36 2.4 13.73 Zack Greinke 0.49 2.3 32.0
4 Jeff Karstens 0.66 2.0 3.4
5 John Johnstone 0.76 2.1 1.36 Ricky Nolasco 0.82 3.4 16.6
7 Jeff Housman 0.90 2.0 0.0
8 Peter Munro 0.97 3.5 3.3
9 Pat Misch 0.99 2.1 1.0
10 Wil Ledezma 1.02 2.9

Let's hope for Zack Greinke! But of course, the 2nd MOST successful comp based on his MiLB results is Ricky Nolasco... Expletive.

Nolasco through his years of team control was a number 4 pitcher or better. That would be an incredible return for Nunez. Hopefully they will have learned that guys who are number 4s in their primes aren't very useful 32-35.

jimbo92107 · July 30, 2016

Congratulations to Eduardo Nunez. He's gone from a terrible situation in NY to frustration in Minneapolis, fought through it to emerge finally as an All-Star infielder with a hot bat. I hope he has a great time in San Francisco.

jimmer · July 30, 2016

Congratulations to Eduardo Nunez. He's gone from a terrible situation in NY to frustration in Minneapolis, fought through it to emerge finally as an All-Star infielder with a hot bat. I hope he has a great time in San Francisco.

I like him. He's fun to watch for many reasons. Hope he does well too. And the city of San Fran is great.

AlwaysinModeration · July 30, 2016

Goodbye old friend.

This is the post of the year.

shs_59 · July 30, 2016

Eduardo Nunez might be having a career year in 2016...

But i guarantee you he'll hit at least .285 for the Giants next season as well.

Wouldn't surprise me if he was in the same .315 range for the majority of the yr.

still a Low OB % guy but he's an underrated assett on winning teams

Adnan Virk ,of ESPN, who knows baseball very well, COULD not BELIEVE the Twins got only Aldaberto Mejia for Eduardo Nunez he's like you got to get more if you're the Twins in that deal.

(i'm not quite in his boat, but i thought we could of got another C+ prospect back as well)

Minniman · July 30, 2016

Your analysis is based on "All Star, Batting Avg., and RBI"?

FYI, his OBP since June 1 is .295

Yeah, he played poorly after the break, but so has the whole team.

Again, it may work out for the Twins, but it is just funny how low this team has gone.

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Nunez Traded To Giants For LHP Prospect

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