Thrylos

Ok. Let's make that more apples to apples with some perspective: That $20 million is more than double of Rakutan's total player payroll. (100 yen to a dollar in the link, so that 400M yen is $4M) So the apples to apples question should be: Would the Tigers or Dodgers grant Scherzer or Kershaw free agency for $300M? The answer, of course, is hey yeah!

No. He will be one of the oldest...

Interesting to see that everyone's defensive darling, Drew Butera, rates worse than both Mauer and Doumit in that measurement...

Nope. I buy the concept of pitch framing but not these quantification efforts. The main issue I have with those number is that they are not normalized for umpire strike zone. And this is a solvable problem but requires some fuzzy math... In other (simpler words) if a strike per PitchF/X is called a ball, the current system always calls it "bad framing" by the catcher. However, if that particular umpire behind the plate usually calls that strike a ball, it is an umpire thing and not "bad framing". So, yes, I kinda buy it qualitatively but not quantitatively and nobody knows how many wins (if any) Doumit's catching cost. Also: To calculate the latter correctly, because is not an isolated situation, you have to also replace Doumit's offensive contribution with a replacement level player in those games (as a catcher.)

Ryan was retired when that happened. Reading Anthony's job description it seems that he is responsible now for everything a GM is responsible. Interesting to see how much different Ryan's job description is now. BTW, as far as six months ago, there were strong indications that Anthony was prepared to be Ryan's successor and this is just another step towards that.

Might be interesting to know that his dad, Frankie Thon is the GM of the Indios de Mayagüez, the PWL team that among others Eddie Rosario is playing this season. Good stuff.

How do you average OPS+ in 2 years? Adding the 2 and dividing by 2 does not work (they have played in different ball parks in the 2 years and the league averages change annually for starters...) Doumit is inconsequential right now, but Willingham is well in his decline phase. If his knees and back hold, he might be slightly better in 2014 than in 2013 but that's a big if.

BABIP drives WHIP. If you normalized his WHIP for league average BABIP you get 1.28. Normalize Thielbar's for league average BABIP and you get 1.38 FWIW...

Gift certificates and gift cards. I would have a hard time buying particular things (other that shirts and jerseys and I assume that the person you have in mind has enough) for fans, especially the ones who are collectors, because they might be really particular about what they want. Pro shop and/or mlb.com giftcards will go a long way. Also, if they are internet savvy and care about things like the minors, BA subscriptions (even in paper if you have to) make pretty good gifts.

Agreed about Melotakis. But when you are about $50M less that what you should be spending if you spent 52% of your revenue, why get rid of your best option out there (Duensing) instead of the rest (Albers, Thielbar, Diamond, etc.) Duensing was pretty darn good out of the pen the last 2 seasons. Last season with 3.24 he had the third FIP behind Perkins and Fien in the pen of any pitcher who pitched more than 12 innings. K/9 was 8.26, 4th, behind those guys and Burton who had 8.32. Inflation of other numbers because of his .348 BABIP is largely because of the Clydesdales trotting at the OF (and IF) corners. The Twins need to really fix that OF defense and today was a good step towards that.

Duensing's fastball sits around 92-93 and jumps out to 95. Saw him hit 97 at Hammond Stadium last ST, but that is Hammond Stadium. His K% was 21% last season. He has a plus slider and 2 more secondary pitches (curve and change). The Twins do not have any lefty in the system that fits this profile today and maybe have a couple (Thorpe, Gonsalves who are 3 seasons or so away) in the future. So not similar lefties (other than Perkins). Diamond who is out of options traditionally does awfully against LHBs (because his best secondary pitch is a curve that he runs inside to lefties and is very hittable) Thielbar (and his .175 BABIP), Albers, Johnson are replacement level.

Agreed. What mostly bugs me about this measure is that it is not normalized by umpire. Because different umpires have different tendencies. Normalize it for that and then we can talk...

Here here: Mayo (or rather mlb.com, not sure it was Mayo) has already ranked Gilmartin as the Twins 13th best prospect. I would probably had him in the mid to high 20s someplace, because of the average fastball, low K rate and potential shoulder issues.

Bingo. Context: Now the Twins have 5 of the 1st and sup round picks of the 2011 draft, here are their names, highest level and season achieved, in order drafted: Alex Meyer - AA - 2013 Sean Gilmartin - AAA - 2012 Levi Michael - A+ 2012 Travis Harrison - A - 2013 Hudson Boyd - A - 2013 The moved him super fast. And about the question on whether the Twins have scouted him: He played for parts of 2 seasons for the Gwinnett Braves of the International League (same AAA as the Red Wings) so they got first hand experience. His shoulder issues are tendinitis and nothing more serious, which hopefully bodes well... I see him as AAA (and maybe AA which is not a bad idea given the bad season) depth right now. Even if Diamond makes the Twins as a starter, you got Albers, Darnell and Johnson on the 40 man as LHP, and Pat Dean around as well. That can give you an all Lefty Rochester rotation Also this cements the opinion that Kubel was promised a major league job by the Twins (who now have the $ too) when he signed...

Originally published at The Tenth Inning Stretch ----- The Minnesota Twins in an effort to reduce the logjam in the DH/OF position have traded Ryan Doumit to the Atlanta Braves for 23 year old minor league LHP prospect Sean Gilmartin. The 6'2", 200 lbs Gilmartin was the Braves' 1st round (28th overall) pick of the 2011 draft. Before he was drafted, he was named All American from Baseball America and before the 2012 season he was ranked as the Braves' 5th best prospect, and 4th best before the 2013 season. Currently, he is ranked as the Braves' 10th best prospect for 2014 by Baseball America that also ranks his change up as the best in the Braves' system and suggest that he has 4th starter upside. This is good, otherwise Gilmartin sounds a lot likea prototypical Twins' lefty: High 80s-Low 90s average fastball with few strikeouts (6.3 K/9 in AAA in 128.7 IP, and 6.5 K/9 in AA in 119.3 IP), who needs impecable command and control to survive. His change up is a truly plus pitch and sits in the low 80s. He has a low 80s above average to plus slider that he uses almost exclusively against LHBs while he prefers an also above average slow (low 70s) 12-6 curveball against RHBs. His mechanics are good and his delivery pretty smooth. Gilmartin needs to have exceptional command and control with his average fastball in order to keep his team in games. However, last season in AAA Gwinnett, that was not the case (and add some lackluster defense behind him and bad luck) and it showed. He finished the season with a 3-8 record, 5.74 ERA (4.61 FIP), 1.593 WHIP (.332 BABIP), 6.4 K/9 (15.8 K%) and 1.97 K/BB. A lot like a current Twins' LHP, but unlike Scott Diamond, Gilmartin has 3 above average to plus supplementary pitches and a full set of options. In addition he does not need to be on the 40 man roster, which opens a spot for Mike Pelfrey. Some of his control issues were potentially due to minor shoulder injury issues (tendinitis), which if corrected could be a good sign for Gilmartin and the Twins going forward. Gilmartin would have ranked some place in the 20s in my Minnesota Twins top 40 prospect list Effect on other Twins' players? With the addition of Kris Johnson and Sean Gilmartin and the existence of Logan Darnell on the 40 man roster and Pat Dean on the AAA roster, Andrew Albers falls even lower in the Twins' depth chart and might be moved. Scott Diamond is out of options and Johnson and now Gilmartin might offer a better alternative for depth in AAA, so he might moved as well. Caleb Thielbar who has options might lose his bullpen role to the optionless Diamond and start the season in AAA. The recently signed Jason Kubel has one less hurdle to clear to win a spot on the major league roster and be paid (with incentives) as much as Doumit was going to make. http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3772/11440386424_4741f5a577_z.jpg

I am glad that he can play for your team and day, I just don't want him to play for the Twins. Half of the thing up there was metrics. (the objective part). The other half (the subjective part) is what I have seen from him the last 3-4 years I have seen him play (his range needs work, his routes need work) I guess we are watching different people... I have no issue with his arm or the way he plays the wall. I just want him to catch more balls before the hit that wall or the ground. (and the objective metrics agree with this assessment...)

Based on?

Based on what? Total Zone has Parmelee 5 runs below average in RF, his UZR/150 is -6.1 (21/28 RF >500 innings), and his Revized Zone Rating is .920 (16/28 RF >500 innings). In comparison Willingham is 22/26 LF > 500 innings in UZR/150 and 18/26 LF > 500 innings in UZR/150 in Revized Zone Rating. Objectively Parmelee is to RF what Willingham is to LF relative to the league. Subjectively, his range needs work, his routes need work. He has indeed improved from being awful as he will catch balls close to him. Few years ago he use to allow balls reach the wall past him in multiple occasions. But still he is not a good outfielder he went from awful to below average.

(one little thing: This is Powers' column) I got the opportunity to see Rochester play (and even sat next to their bench in one occasion) and this team looked so much more of a team last season than any season before. And Glynn has a lot to do with this. That said, I still do not like the way the town feels towards the Twins. Most towns with minor league teams follow their affiliates from the fans to the press. Rochester forgets that the Red Wings is a Twins affiliate. Plus the city is a pit after Kodak went belly up. Even though the team is better. I still want to see the Twins move their AAA franchise to a place that respects them more...

Willingham/Doumit/Parmelee/Colabello belong at the OF as much as Kubel does. Cannot have any of them out there esp. when you have fly ball pitchers. Arcia is in that category as well, but he is young so he can learn and will be better if the manager plays him in the correct position (RF). So basically as is you got 5 DHs for 1 or 2 bench spots. I'd rather see some of them go. Instead of Reynolds I want to see the Twins get Eric Chavez who will push Plouffe to the OF where he belongs and is (when he played) better that the aforementioned; he can also spell Mauer out at 1B. When Sano is ready, Chavez can start against tough RHPs and be part of the DH/PD rotation. Or even just move Plouffe at the OF when Sano is ready and start with Presley at LF. I can live with a Plouffe-Hicks-Arcia (L-R) OF with Presley as a late inning defensive replacement. The last thing this team needs is another DH.

Pressly will likely be in the AAA rotation. Also, Roenicke was let go so there is a spot there that likely is Tonkin's to lose. I would not think that Thielbar's spot is cemented as well. Those 2 have options, so you can potentially hide 2 of Worley, Deduno, Diamond in the pen if you are so inclined, but the last 2 are not suited for relief work...

LEN3 has a bunch of stuff on him today. Here.

No. Perkins was optioned. He had a grievance about the timing of the option Both Waldrop and Fox left as minor league free agents. Young was not a Twins' first rounder and he was traded not cut Adam Jonhson may count, but that was just 9 games over 2 seasons he played. Nothing like Plouffee, Cuddyer or Parmelee...

You cannot replace someone who is throwing hard with a soft tosser in the pen. Diamond can replace Thielbar, maybe, that's about it. And I just don't think that Diamond can be a pen pitcher because lefties hit him harder than righties. As a matter of fact, lefties have a career .859 OPS against him. This is like making any left hand hitter he faces hit like Prince Fielder.