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Otto von Ballpark

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Everything posted by Otto von Ballpark

  1. Otto von Ballpark
    If Vargas clears waivers, he is still controlled by the team that waived him. He can't yet opt for free agency to sign with anyone else. So if the Twins want him in AAA, they have to claim him and try to waive him again.
  2. Otto von Ballpark
    I was going to say, Chargois has an option remaining so he is unlikely to go on waivers again so soon. But in fact, he is also making the Dodgers opening day roster: https://www.ocregister.com/2018/03/23/dodgers-season-opening-roster-starting-to-come-into-focus/
  3. Otto von Ballpark
    What is interesting from this process is that now the Twins know no one but the Reds likely claimed Vargas ahead of them in the waiver list.
  4. Otto von Ballpark
    That seems like a high price to pay just to get another reliever at AAA, especially at Kinley's age. I think the threshold for Kinley has to be a bit higher -- he needs to establish himself as a MLB bullpen asset pretty soon.
  5. Otto von Ballpark
    Again, the MLB site transactions glossary is really just a summary / overview. Think of it like Wikipedia. Nothing wrong with it, but it omits a lot of the technical nitty gritty. The Cub Reporter site I linked is an incredible resource in that regard.
  6. Otto von Ballpark
    That's an incomplete summary, unfortunately. Here's a more thorough presentation of the actual rules: https://www.thecubreporter.com/book/export/html/3517 The relevant sections:
  7. Otto von Ballpark
    The former. Basically, he's got Rule 5 restrictions attached. And we can't send him to the minor leagues until those are gone. And the only way to remove them is clearing waivers (with Rule 5 restrictions attached), at which point we could either return him to Miami or work out a deal with Miami to acquire him just like any other non-Rule 5 minor league player. So if Miami would be expected to give him up cheaply, some other club could claim him on waivers and later try to make a deal with Miami themselves. (Or just keep him a Rule 5 guy, of course.) Such deals are pretty rare with Rule 5 picks -- I don't think one has been dealt in this fashion in 5-6 years. Generally, if the guy isn't good enough to stick, he's not good enough to deal for either.
  8. Otto von Ballpark
    I thought it was more 2 for everybody. But I could be mistaken. Looks the 2015 Twins did 3 (although the middle one was on a Friday and didn't have an off day following).
  9. Otto von Ballpark
    Of course, if the Twins were actually putting forth a competent 5th starter instead of Phil Hughes, our opening day starter would also be lined up to start the first game in Puerto Rico...
  10. Otto von Ballpark
    Home opener tickets are special (and expensive). Teams can't reschedule those games for later in the season, they pretty much have to be the next day (and not as a doubleheader). It does seem unusual that the Twins are participating in 3 home openers this season...
  11. Otto von Ballpark
    I know much was made of Aybar coming off a 74 wRC+ last year (and basically the last 3 years). It should be noted that Featherston has a career 30 wRC+ in MLB, and Petit is coming off a 74 wRC+ last year at AAA (and he's nearly the same age as Aybar). Adam Rosales just got released, after I referenced his 2013 waiver wire escapades in another thread. Although I might be open to a more creative solution than any of these, especially if the Sano absence wasn't too long.
  12. Otto von Ballpark
    Those are both home openers too (for Pittsburgh and Minnesota, respectively).
  13. Otto von Ballpark
    Mark DeRosa?
  14. Otto von Ballpark
    I think the concern is more, who is available? Aybar was no great shakes but I have no idea who they'd call up in the infield right now.
  15. Otto von Ballpark
    So you think they need a contingency plan, on the roster, in case 2 out of a specific subset of 4 players get hurt/ejected in the same game? Seems about as likely as needing the emergency catcher.
  16. Otto von Ballpark
    I'm virtually certain that salary forfeited by suspension doesn't go anywhere. If you think about it, it is very different from a fine -- that is money that has to go somewhere (and no one wants it to go to the team, because that would create an incentive for teams to fine players). Forefeited salary, on the other hand, is just the team's money that doesn't go anywhere. The player doesn't have to return a check or send the check along to somewhere else -- he just doesn't receive a check, it is never written.
  17. Otto von Ballpark
    You are correct. I was mistaken in the other thread. No service time is a new aspect of the rule that just took effect in December 2016. Although a full year service time is actually 172 days. I don't think it will affect his arbitration, because he will still be in the same "group" when he hits arbitration for the first time (after 2019, with 3 years service).
  18. Otto von Ballpark
    Tommy Johnson of Edina can just call up the club pro and ask if that kind of cake is on the approved list.
  19. Otto von Ballpark
    I won't disagree that Polanco deserves the largest share of the blame here, but it's not an all-or-nothing situation. If the Twins don't provide common offseason training supplements to their players, they are exposing themselves to additional unnecessary risk. (It will never be 100% risk-free, of course, but I think the Twins could get a heck of a lot closer to minimizing risk than saying "have fun training in the Dominican! Call us if you have any questions!")
  20. Otto von Ballpark
    Depends on what the teams offer, in that regard. Honestly, it's such a minimal expense, they should be provided during the season, and the players should be given/shipped an offseason supply at the end of the season. If teams aren't doing that for million-dollar investments, they do bear some of the blame here. (Even with just a 1-2 WAR projection, the Twins are missing out on millions worth of production from Polanco's suspension.)
  21. Otto von Ballpark
    Not that I advocate it for Gordon, but for those curious, it appears the magic date this season would be April 12. From that date through the end of the season (Sep. 30) is only 171 days, 1 short of the 172 days required to constitute a full season of service time. That's 11 games missed, barring rainouts. (FWIW, those thinking of applying this to the pitching side, I think we first need a 5th starter on April 11.)
  22. Otto von Ballpark
    Do the Twins and MLB offer free supplements to their players, even in the offseason? Honest question, I don't know.
  23. Otto von Ballpark
    Not in this case -- Polanco's salary is negligible. Any replacement would make at least the same, and if Aybar makes the team in his place, it will actually cost the team an extra $700k plus any incentives that Aybar might meet. The team is definitely getting some punishment here, although perhaps it should take on a little more -- maybe losing the 40-man roster spot during the suspension would be appropriate. Maybe any forfeited salary above the minimum could go to a central fund rather than back to the team. I agree that in theory, there are suspensions that would be more favorable to the team, although probably only a small subset of players who aren't worth their salaries and for whom the team can find viable replacements in the short term.
  24. Otto von Ballpark
    The Twins front office is mining for that player, as we speak!
  25. Otto von Ballpark
    Yup. Bard's overall numbers look poor this spring, but most of that was one disastrous outing early: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2018/03/spring-training-rule-5-update.html Didn't realize the Orioles have three Rule 5 pitchers in camp, and the Marlins and Royals each have two (as do the Pirates, admittedly with one on the DL already). And the Padres oddly have zero, after keeping 3 guys all last season. Some of the teams with struggling Rule 5 players might DFA their own to claim Kinley, if we try to send him through waivers to remove Rule 5 restrictions.
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