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Otto von Ballpark

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Everything posted by Otto von Ballpark

  1. Otto von Ballpark
    I don't want anyone to figure out how to hit Duffey's curve, even his own catcher. Too dangerous if that information leaked.
  2. Otto von Ballpark
    I noticed Murphy has had a notably higher K% in his MLB time so far (as compared to his minor league rates). Is that not connected to this curveball trouble? I'm still worried about whether the Twins are the team to help him bring that K% down...
  3. Otto von Ballpark
    To add to my own question a bit, Seth's article timestamp is 1:24 on the main page, 1:33 in the forums, but didn't actually appear in the forum for me until after 1:50.... no biggie, but easy to see how we wind up with duplicate posts on timely news!
  4. Otto von Ballpark
    Interesting that Achter was chosen by the team with #1 waiver priority (Philadelphia). Pinto was chosen by the team with #8 waiver priority (San Diego).
  5. Otto von Ballpark
    That's not the discussion I was having. We were discussing the reticence of some to include both Berrios and Kepler in the hypothetical trade. I agree it still might not be enough for the Marlins, but I wouldn't shy away from offering it.
  6. Otto von Ballpark
    Did I miss something on Jorge? He finished the season for Cedar Rapids, was unaware of an injury situation.
  7. Otto von Ballpark
    But both Rosario and Landa will also be 22 next and still haven't pitched in high A ball...
  8. Otto von Ballpark
    Huh, I only check the forums so I didn't see that article either (still don't). Is there a delay on articles appearing in the forums?
  9. Otto von Ballpark
    Not sure I get the Dean thing, I know Jeremy and Seth say the Twins like him, but how much of that might be an overreaction to losing Gilmartin? Rogers, O'Rourke, and probably Darnell are all ahead of him for left handed relief duty, probably Rogers and Darnell for starting duty too (not to mention Milone). Rosario seems like a stretch too, 65 inning in A-ball (and not high-A), 6.8 K/9, 3.88 ERA (5.54 if you include unearned runs, admittedly more frequent at lower levels). No real experience pitching out of relief yet either.
  10. Otto von Ballpark
    #MNTwins add (RHP) J.T. Chargois, Yorman Landa, (LHP) Pat Dean, Mason Melotakis, @trogers34, Randy Rosario & (OF) @walkoff28 to MLB roster. https://twitter.com/Twins/status/667786537292042240 (those are the Twitter handles of Taylor Rogers and Adam Walker, for those wondering )
  11. Otto von Ballpark
    Hultzen was one of the last draftees to sign a major league contract in 2011, before they changed that rule the following year. That explains why he's used up 4 options in 4 years since being drafted, despite having never appeared in MLB. Also suggests gambles of this particular type might not be as plentiful in the future (well, there will always be injured pitchers to gamble on, but probably not quite with Hultzen's background). Fellow 2011 draftee Dylan Bundy is in a similar situation, although it doesn't look like the Orioles are letting go of him yet.
  12. Otto von Ballpark
    Kielty was well past prospect status at the time of that trade. 750 MLB PAs.
  13. Otto von Ballpark
    Heck, claim Hultzen now, and come next April, you could 60-day DL him to get the 40-man roster spot back, and you'd have 30 days worth of rehab to evaluate. If he's still hurting next spring, you'd probably be able to outright him and evaluate the full season too, maybe get first crack at a minor league deal for 2017 if he likes your org.
  14. Otto von Ballpark
    Seems like a good time to try to sneak him through waivers, with all of the Rule 5 hubbub going on, nobody probably wants to use a 40-man spot to claim him right now. Seattle probably hopes to outright him and have at least one more season to evaluate. If his missed season was due to TJ, he'd no doubt be claimed, but shoulder surgery is a lot worse, and his early returns from it haven't looked promising. Still might be a name I'd like to claim, worst case you try to sneak him through waivers later yourself. Guys are going to have to come off our 40-man roster pretty early next year anyway if we really like our minor league relievers and Berrios, so we might as well make some tough decisions now and take a gamble on upside in the meantime.
  15. Otto von Ballpark
    You mean the 5 runs allowed in 8 IP last year, before he was shut down for shoulder issues in July?
  16. Otto von Ballpark
    I don't know what our FA budget is exactly, but a single ~$5 mil AAV commitment for the next 2-3 years probably doesn't materially affect it. While they don't pitch many innings, 2015 showed us how important they are and how difficult it can be to add outside upgrades midseason.
  17. Otto von Ballpark
    Is it considered cheating to look at just his career K/9 rate before answering?
  18. Otto von Ballpark
    Also Thornton looks like he's been a pretty strict LOOGY the past few years. Not a bad thing to have, but hard to be a difference-maker in that role. If you are willing to guarantee $4 million for one year of that (particularly at age 39 with the collapse risk that entails), why not just add $6 mil and get 2 years of Lowe, or $11 mil and get 3 years of Madson? Our safest bets for immediate internal bullpen upgrades right now would probably be Rogers or O'Rourke emerging in a strict LOOGY role anyway. Judging by his age and own trade history, Thornton might prove more difficult to move midseason than the above FA names too.
  19. Otto von Ballpark
    I like Kepler, and I know TR says he's got a shot to make the team, but he really hasn't played above AA, his AA success was largely based on doubles/triples power and BABIP and K%, and his track record doesn't scream "seamless transition." Even if he manages to make the leap and hold his own, he's not really helping us "win now, RIGHT NOW" any more than Denard Span could. Kinda like how Rosario made the leap and held his own last year, which was nice, but it absolutely shouldn't have prevented us from including Rosario in a blockbuster trade last winter (assuming we looked more like contenders last winter).
  20. Otto von Ballpark
    Do you remember where Kepler was 8 months ago? His 2015 was very nice, but his upside still doesn't look any better than an Eric Hosmer who can play corner OF too. And given his hitting profile and pro career to date, he might have the same ups and downs over his 6 years of team control as Hosmer has had too. I think it's a little early to put him in the untouchable category when discussing a trade for a talent the level of Fernandez. Keeping Sano and Buxton in this deal would be an absolute heist, protecting Kepler too seems a little prospect greedy.
  21. Otto von Ballpark
    Playing devil's advocate, Fernandez did get shut down in August this year with some fanfare. They concluded it was a biceps strain with no structural damage in the shoulder, but it's certainly worth some concern. Not enough to preclude my interest, though -- I'd definitely talk trade with the Marlins, but I'd just be extra cautious when we get to review medicals and perform a physical.
  22. Otto von Ballpark
    The Twins can't force it, but they have a ton of leverage in the equation, which I could see rising to the level of "control." They can effectively tell Colabello and Vargas (and Albers and Johnson) "we're probably going to keep you in AAA making $82k, or you can make five to ten times that if you agree to go to Asia." (They couldn't tell that to Arcia right now as he's out of options, but if they broached the subject with him before, maybe they told him that last winter -- they did wind up keeping him in AAA much of the year, albeit by a circuitous route, not unlike Arcia's path to flyballs )
  23. Otto von Ballpark
    True, although any price could take assets away from a better upgrade. (Hard to settle for Miller with dreams of Fernandez dancing around the forums )
  24. Otto von Ballpark
    Lots of things have more potential than continuing to use Nolasco in the rotation.
  25. Otto von Ballpark
    That's not bad, but if you are looking to guarantee that money for a reliever in 2017 anyway, I'd rather get an extra arm of that caliber for 2016 in the process while we wait for some of these internal options to actually arrive (none are likely ready to contribute to the MLB pen from day 1 in 2016). Actually, I'd be tempted to lock in Jepsen to 2/10 now and still get another multi-year FA from my list above. Even if some internal options emerge so we don't necessarily need him, having Jepsen on effectively a 1/5 deal for 2017 would be an asset that we could likely trade.
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