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Otto von Ballpark

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Everything posted by Otto von Ballpark

  1. Otto von Ballpark
    10 with substantial MLB records like Boyer? I think my estimate of 1 of those per role (bullpen, rotation, outfield, infield) is probably closer to accurate.
  2. Otto von Ballpark
    Miguel Montero, Francisco Cervelli, Derek Norris, and Welington Castillo were all available for modest cost in trade last winter. Russell Martin only cost cash and a 2nd or 3rd round draft pick (depending on if we also signed Ervin Santana). AJ was cheap as usual, and Salty was eventually free, neither was a great bet of course but they at least represented an additional bet, which was better than only placing a single bet on Suzuki. All evidence suggests that TR didn't even look at any of these options after he extended Suzuki in July 2014, at least not until July 2015 and perhaps not in earnest until after the 2015 season ended.
  3. Otto von Ballpark
    Wouldn't you then wonder why these guys couldn't have joined the team late last season? How can they be Plan A entering 2016 when they weren't even worthy to claim a few of Boyer or Duensing's low leverage innings after roster expansions in 2015?
  4. Otto von Ballpark
    Depends how you define "pitches well", I suppose. If everyone meets minimum acceptable standards of a "6th/7th inning guy" then your bullpen still may have issues, especially when those players can't easily be demoted or cut to make way for potentially better, higher leverage options.
  5. Otto von Ballpark
    You don't think MLB veterans considering minor league deals look at their potential competition before signing? I would think that is a pretty major factor in their decision. How many such guys do the Twins bring in during a given winter? I would guess usually just one per role with any substantial major league record, and I don't think it's because the team doesn't want more, it's because the player wants a clearer opportunity to make the roster. A guy like Lowe last winter absolutely might be discouraged from signing here by the presence of Boyer, who had a better 2014 and comparable MLB experience.
  6. Otto von Ballpark
    Please explain, as we won the division by 6 games. How did Capps outperform Rauch by 6 wins over 2 months?
  7. Otto von Ballpark
    You don't believe in opportunity cost? How about, did the minor league invite for Boyer make it less likely to lure Madson or Lowe here on the same?
  8. Otto von Ballpark
    I get what you are saying, almost any return on a minor league signing is a good return on investment, but only in isolation. If they make it to MLB, they take up a roster spot. Did Deduno cause us to cast aside Hendriks without a bullpen audition? Or prevent Meyer or Gilmartin from getting a look in 2014? Did Boyer block Meyer or Rogers from MLB pen experience in 2015? And putting it all together, even when Boyer had a decent 2015 season, what did that get us? Still had one of the worst pens in the league, and Boyer provided no hope or answers for the future.
  9. Otto von Ballpark
    Yeah, I think a Lee signing implies that Nolasco would have a very short leash (if he doesn't already), and that we are ready and willing to deal Milone (if not Gibson, for the right price).
  10. Otto von Ballpark
    I think it's among the questions submitted to Parker to ask Dave St Peter, so we shall see! Hopefully it wasn't for a very long term, or had some kind of renegotiate/opt-out provision. For all the Twins quiet, conservative nature, they were sure aggressive about their stadium and media deals, so it would be unexpected if they locked themselves into a bad TV deal here.
  11. Otto von Ballpark
    Yeah, MLBTR mentioned 15 teams had inquired about Lee. He's probably going to have his choice of guaranteed deals from contenders (which should be evidence that he'd be a smart low-risk signing for us too).
  12. Otto von Ballpark
    Also, if he's healthy, I suspect Lee won't really have any problems pitching a lot of innings in 2016. Established veteran pitchers generally don't have the same limitations as younger guys. Wainwright came back just fine from a missed season in 2012, etc. Obviously, the bigger question is will Lee be healthy in the first place (and will he remain healthy through the year). If and when that is established, though, I don't think you have to worry about easing him into the rotation.
  13. Otto von Ballpark
    Got it, I didn't look too closely at the original post, sorry. Right now, I suspect May doesn't have a place in the rotation anyway, because he's needed in the pen. And the pen still needs more talent than that, talent that we have yet to add from the outside and that isn't likely to come from inside on day 1 unless it poaches more starters like Duffey. With a lot of FA relievers off the board, and several more traded, a 1 year deal for Lee, giving the rotation a little upside boost and freeing up our young starters for up to one season of pen deployment, might be the best option on the table right now to improve our pitching staff as a whole.
  14. Otto von Ballpark
    No, I wasn't advocating for Lee in the pen (unless Lee would be open to it). It would be an indirect way to address the pen -- if Lee can claim a starting spot, you can more easily deploy May, Duffey, Rogers, maybe even Berrios in the pen. (Or Hughes, if we're not bound by a starting promise to him.) If and when you are confident in Lee, maybe even Gibson could be moved in trade. Not ideal, as you may not quite know what you have in Lee for a while, but at least it gives your rotation a little extra ace potential too. Better than just relying on the current staff and internal options to sort itself all out quickly, in my opinion.
  15. Otto von Ballpark
    You saw how Hicks responded in 2013. Clearly, the solution was to remove Hicks from the equation and try again.
  16. Otto von Ballpark
    I probably wouldn't have either, if we had actually acquired some real relievers by now.
  17. Otto von Ballpark
    How is there no room for either Duffey or May, with one speculative addition in Lee? Whichever one he keeps from starting can go to the pen, and heck May might already be ticketed for the pen regardless. I'm guessing they promised Hughes he would start if healthy, but that's another guy I'd be willing to deploy in our pen if we prove to have too many good starters and haven't yet swung a trade. Gibson could probably be traded for good value too if that comes to pass. Face it, our pen is weak enough, and we've added nothing to it yet this winter, it can still absorb a lot if we have rotation overflow. If we're not going to aggressively try to fix the pen directly, at least try to aggressively fix it indirectly.
  18. Otto von Ballpark
    Cliff Lee did pitch in 2014, and pretty darn well before finally succumbing to injuries in August.
  19. Otto von Ballpark
    According to the Long Island Ducks, yes! The Toros de Tijuana deployed Ford mostly in RF, although that was out of deference to the incomparable Eduardo Arredondo, of course. I know it's mostly against suspect competition, but Ford has had a pretty impressive and thorough record the past 6 years since returning from Japan. I might give him a job in AAA ahead of Benson and Mastroianni at this point.
  20. Otto von Ballpark
    Kintzler actually kind of worries me, reminds me of Boyer in that he might claim a spot with the help of his veteran status, but not offer much upside or future. I hope Mastro and Benson are getting zero consideration for a MLB roster spot at this point, their time was 3 years ago. If they want to pleasantly surprise us in AAA and earn their way back, that would be fine, but if 4th outfielder is a need for us, we should be aiming higher right now.
  21. Otto von Ballpark
    I'm not arguing with you. Although "Buddy Boshers" is the kind of name I can look past horrible roster management to embrace.
  22. Otto von Ballpark
    I'd definitely want to be in the mix for Cliff Lee, and if a MLB deal for a few guaranteed million is what it takes to separate us from the pack, I'd do that too. We've got a lot of starters, but not a ton of upside (at least not Cliff Lee upside), and there is plenty of potential for trades or deploying in relief. And if Lee comes back successfully, it's not just a one-year deal -- with a qualifying offer, you'd essentially get a ~$15 mil option or draft pick in 2017.
  23. Otto von Ballpark
    It may be a minor league signing, but "Buddy Boshers" is a major league name!
  24. Otto von Ballpark
    Atlantic League is significantly better than Frontier League -- just scrolling through the league registers, only one player in the 2015 Frontier League has ever appeared in MLB. The Atlantic League has a ton of former MLBers, including a few with fairly extensive experience like Lew Ford. And apparently Anderson had never pitched in affiliated ball before? That has to be a factor too, I can't really see any scenario where he sneaks onto the MLB roster next spring.
  25. Otto von Ballpark
    Also, for those impressed by Boshers' indy league stats from last season, note that 38 year old Lew Ford led that league in AVG, OBP, and SLG (while also serving as his team's hitting coach): http://www.baseball-reference.com/register/leader.cgi?type=bat&id=82eaadb8
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