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Otto von Ballpark

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Everything posted by Otto von Ballpark

  1. Otto von Ballpark
    Nobody is suggesting immediately inserting them as the 7-8 inning guys. Everybody is suggesting that with a season-long lack of better alternatives to give these some major league exposure to see if they can help. With your plan (just wait for help from outside the org), we could well be shut out of any 2015 bullpen upgrades if we can't swing a reasonable trade next week. Or we'll be FORCED to throw some untested guys into those 7-8 inning roles over the last two months of the season. Me? I would have tried to collect more data on our internal options earlier in the season, AND tried to swing a midseason trade for help. They are not mutually exclusive.
  2. Otto von Ballpark
    Wieters and O'Day could be the best guys actually traded at their positions this month. Baltimore could be a lot more selective about their return than a AAA banished Arcia and questionable relief prospect.
  3. Otto von Ballpark
    That is not a bad offer, but it probably doesn't inspire them to deal Norris immediately. Just looked up his replacement (Hedges) who is still very young and raw, they probably want that apprenticeship to continue a while longer. Norris today is not unlike Span circa 2012, up the middle player, some earlier demonstrated upside with the bat, 3.5 more years of control. Catching market might be even thinner than CF market?
  4. Otto von Ballpark
    Lester was pitching that game too, isn't he easy to run on?
  5. Otto von Ballpark
    Consensus here seemed to be leading with Gibson or Berrios, then adding Kepler, Polanco, etc. for Tulo Norris is a nice catcher, but he is just not THAT good.
  6. Otto von Ballpark
    No. The money doesn't offset the talent or potential difference. The packages could have some similar pieces, but only Tulo would command the high end pieces.
  7. Otto von Ballpark
    Yeah, I have been trying to track him, and all the trade mentions seem to be coming from other Twins fans/writers.
  8. Otto von Ballpark
    Maybe he won't cost that much, but I doubt the Yankees are floating his name at the deadline to exchange him for another prospect, which is all the Twins really have to offer. I would suspect the Yankees want to add a quality MLB player for the stretch drive.
  9. Otto von Ballpark
    Like you say, the cost is higher if the acquiring team can't get that pick. I wouldn't be surprised if some teams have backed off, especially for more marginal targets like Samardzija this year, and opted to settle for cheaper/internal options. Obviously it doesn't end the rental market, but it has an effect. Guys like Samardzija and Price went a year early too, which is another effect. (More guys might go in the off season too, like Samardzija 2.0).
  10. Otto von Ballpark
    Not my intent, sorry. Just clarifying I haven't seen Norris mentioned in any of the Padres trade reporting. Thought it was relevant. Ken Rosenthal listed a bunch of Padres recently, and catchers were indeed not among them -- they are all expensive or pending FA: https://mobile.twitter.com/Ken_Rosenthal/status/624275821256142849
  11. Otto von Ballpark
    Trading Shields, Kimbrel, etc. would be selling big. Trading cheap assets like Norris too might be more like rebuilding if not A's or Marlins style dismantling.
  12. Otto von Ballpark
    Definitely, although the new FA draft pick comp rules have had an effect too.
  13. Otto von Ballpark
    That link suggests SD is most eager to move more expensive assets ( although at least Polanco is a reasonable starting offer).
  14. Otto von Ballpark
    I doubt the Yankees are floating his name at the deadline for a prospect swap. And the Twins MLB pieces are generally either not good enough or off limits. Just not a good match.
  15. Otto von Ballpark
    Pretty sure they'd want to move him for a guy like Price or Cueto. Or in a package for a guy like Tulo. Don't think the Twins are selling anything like that.
  16. Otto von Ballpark
    Says the team and player who rested little down the stretch last year in order to secure a $150k playing time bonus, this after getting a $12 mil guaranteed extension.
  17. Otto von Ballpark
    Barraclough (great name) is a 25 year old reliever with a 10.2 K/9 in AA... but also a 7.3 BB/9. Cishek has been iffy this year, although he is also controlled for 2 more seasons too. And the Cards probably deserve the benefit of the doubt (although they failed to get Justin Masterson turned around last year).
  18. Otto von Ballpark
    I am no scout or talent evaluator, but from what I know of Gonsalves from prospect write-ups and such, I think I would trade him for a good starter on a roll like Kazmir right now if that's what we needed. Kazmir isn't just some warm body to soak up innings, he could potentially be very useful down the stretch. Obviously we don't need a SP, but I wish there was a Kazmir-level rental catcher out there. Like if Weiters was on the market, or if Lucroy or Vogt had an expiring contract... sadly not. Agreed we shouldn't pay any MORE than that for a rental, though. Not a fan of that in general (unless it was Yankee-slayer Cliff Lee circa 2010, of course ).
  19. Otto von Ballpark
    Sure, if you phrase it like that. How about "we're-trying-to-win-here-so-let's-do-what's-best-for-the-team"? Or "we-can't-find-a-trade-partner-right-now-but-we-could-really-use-you-in-our-bullpen"?
  20. Otto von Ballpark
    Showcase, no. But it is possible and perhaps likely that they are waiting until they find Pelfrey a home elsewhere, with a starting role as that is his preference. They did the same with Correia last year, another pitcher who did not want to go to the bullpen. They waited until August to move him, when they almost certainly could have better filled his spot earlier. They've also done similarly with other veterans, keeping them until they find a taker in August or just keeping them through the end of the season, although it's generally easier with bullpen guys and bench players. Starting players are harder to justify, likewise when they are in contention like now.
  21. Otto von Ballpark
    Pelf wasn't bouncing back to a 2-something ERA. His whole career has been bouncing between 3.70 and 5-something. We should be happy we got a half season under 4 and move forward.
  22. Otto von Ballpark
    Pelf's over-performance was more or less done by that point. His ERA then was basically the same as it is now.
  23. Otto von Ballpark
    So it's okay to jerk around May, to the possible detriment of the team and player, as long as they put a deadline on it? I'll be happy to see May back in the rotation, but I might be even more upset about the previous decision if that's how it plays out. You demoted the better pitcher to mop-up duty while you accommodated your low-value expiring contract veteran by trying to find him a starting spot on another team? That's how you operate when you're contending?
  24. Otto von Ballpark
    Yup, lifetime Houston resident, apparently. Born there, drafted out of high school there, and I remember articles about his comeback mentioned workouts at his suburban Houston home.
  25. Otto von Ballpark
    In the other Oakland trade thread, I noted how Beane acts fast. Recall that Samardzija was traded at the beginning of July last year -- I suspect that offering elite prospect Russell, and accepting Samardzija (who was having a good year but was not the best pitcher traded last year) were the incentives to get something done early. Donaldson was traded early in the offseason too, and frankly it appears Beane asked for less than he probably should have, just to make the deal happen when he wanted it done. Beane didn't want to be left holding the bag here, but I suspect the Astros didn't want to be calling about Kazmir after the better pitchers moved elsewhere or proved too expensive either. So they got it done, and it looks like a good deal for both sides.
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