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Otto von Ballpark

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Everything posted by Otto von Ballpark

  1. Otto von Ballpark
    Arcia isn't even ready to take live batting practice yet: http://m.twins.mlb.com/news/article/124938218/injured-twins-pitcher-casey-fien-progressing-toward-returns He's not coming off the DL on Friday.
  2. Otto von Ballpark
    You could be right. I just noticed Allan de San Miguel and I have no idea about his status -- he's apparently been on the 7-day concussion DL all season...? But I really think Molitor just likes a regular lineup that doesn't include Vargas, it's as simple as that. Pretty much the same thing that happened to Pinto with Gardy last year too. Not that these guys don't have things to work on, as every player does, but using those kind of justifications as the primary impetus for these moves assumes a level of accuracy and precision in scouting and development that just isn't there. The performances of Pinto and Vargas generally weren't that great in MLB, and they got passed over by other starting options. Simple, really.
  3. Otto von Ballpark
    The original poster's suggestion was that Herrmann would stay with the MLB club in addition to Pinto, rather than Bernier.
  4. Otto von Ballpark
    They did wait until after the Monday night Rochester game last week to officially call up Hicks, but I think that was more due to uncertainty around Robinson & Schafer. There is no such uncertainty around Bernier right now, that I am aware of. So why risk that Pinto gets dinged tonight in Rochester, or a flight gets delayed, etc.? Plus, Rochester has a doubleheader beginning at 11 AM Tuesday, and Pinto and Fryer are the only two catches on their roster, I think. (EDIT: Just noticed Allan de San Miguel is on their roster but on the DL and he hasn't played all year. I guess if he was ready to be activated, this could be a possibility, but I am not sure why they'd wait in this case.)
  5. Otto von Ballpark
    And the argument that Vargas isn't going to get enough PAs up here is circular reasoning -- the only reason he isn't getting enough PAs up here is because Molitor already decided he needed Escobar in the lineup every day, in addition to Mauer becoming an iron man (seriously, Mauer is on pace for 158 games started this year). It's similar to the argument against Pinto -- of course Pinto can't get many reps up here if we insist on starting Suzuki behind the plate 130 times this season, and rotating Hunter, Mauer, Escobar, etc. in the DH spot. Molitor basically started benching Vargas a week ago, after Vargas played 7 consecutive games and was 10-26 with 2 HR, 2 BB, and only 4 K's. Vargas isn't a perfect hitter by any means but evidence strongly suggests that this was based on factors other than Vargas' development as a hitter or an objective analysis of hitting skill -- namely, positional flexibility (Escobar, Nunez) and defense/seniority (Mauer, Hunter, others).
  6. Otto von Ballpark
    Except a week ago, when Molitor decided to stop playing Vargas. He had 3 starts in the last 7 games. Escobar started all 7.
  7. Otto von Ballpark
    You have to be sent to the minors for 20+ days while on the 40-man roster to use an option year. Bernier hasn't done that yet for the Twins -- he was added to the 40-man roster upon his callups in 2013 and 2014, finished the season with the Twins, and was then out righted and re-signed after the season. No options involved. And his only other season with 40-man roster time was 2008, when he spent 3 days in MLB with the Rockies. But don't take my word for it -- Jeremy's organizational chart says the same thing: http://twinsdaily.com/organization-chart.html Actually, I am not sure if he even used an option in 2008 -- according to Rotoworld, the Rockies added him to their 40-man roster when they "purchased his contract" and called him up June 17, optioned him to AAA 3 days later, and then waived and outrighted him off the 40-man roster a week after that, so he did not meet the 20 days threshold to use an optional assignment: http://www.rotoworld.com/recent/mlb/5594/doug-bernier Of course, it's all pretty trivial -- Bernier has spent the last 7+ offseasons being freely available to any MLB club willing to put him on their 40-man roster. He's not going to get claimed now, at almost age 35, with his lowest AAA OPS since 2009.
  8. Otto von Ballpark
    I think Bernier has options and would not be lost on waivers by simply being sent to Rochester. Don't know if that makes your argument better or worse...
  9. Otto von Ballpark
    Then demote Vargas then. Why now? Is there even a timetable for Arcia's return yet? Might as well demote a SP now too, Ervin Santana will be back in a month and a half...
  10. Otto von Ballpark
    Ken Rosenthal @Ken_Rosenthal Marlins still paying Guillen; this is final year of his four-year, $10M contract. Redmond signed two-year extension through ’17 last Sept.
  11. Otto von Ballpark
    And Vargas can't be recalled after the two games in Pittsburgh. He has to stay down for at least 10 days unless someone else gets injured. This isn't about the Pittsburgh series, or at least shouldn't be. ( Or if it was, given how much they have played Vargas recently, they should have demoted him a week ago)
  12. Otto von Ballpark
    It is difficult to see why he wasn't playing more often in MLB, and why he couldn't over the coming weeks. Seriously, Escobar is a nice asset, but he is not a bat you need in the lineup every day. Heck, neither is Mauer right now. At least when Pinto was sent down a year ago, he was somewhat more directly blocked by a guy having a career year. The Twins are opting not to have a regular DH right now, which is odd given their alternatives and the schedule (only two road interleague games until June 15).
  13. Otto von Ballpark
    This is the Twins preferring to play Escobar every day, and rotating him, Hunter, and Mauer through DH. I don't get it, but that is what it is. Bernier? I guess you need a backup infielder when Escobar is in the OF and Nunez is the DH or something. Still don't get it. Oh, and Plouffe will be spelling Mauer at 1B, so they figure they need another infielder...
  14. Otto von Ballpark
    But he does have the 10 best winning percentages in his top 10. Actually, the top 5 winning percentages are in his top 5, and 6-10 in winning percentage are in his 6-10 spots. The few out of order appear to be based on their record in the last 10 games too (Cards, Astros, Mets down a little, Dodgers, Twins, and Nationals up a little)
  15. Otto von Ballpark
    Pressly has made 4 of his 6 appearances in long relief / mop-up situations, plus another when we were trailing in the 9th. Tonkin only has 3 of 7 such appearances, and his other 4 were all pretty standard/important middle relief situations. Given that Stauffer would probably be going back to the long relief / mop-up role, at least initially, I'd guess Pressly. It also wouldn't surprise me to see them carry an extra pitcher at some point -- they arguably should have this past week when Schafer didn't play at all anyway. They probably don't need a 5th outfielder AND a second utility infielder, especially when the names in question are Schafer and Bernier....
  16. Otto von Ballpark
    The past 6 games, Vargas has started 3. Not exactly looking like a true "every day DH" especially when Escobar and Santana get the spot over him. And he's only got 6 starts at 1B all season. I would guess that Vargas would have more at-bats this season if Mauer wasn't a lock for the starting lineup every day (started 36 of 37 so far). Some have speculated that Pinto isn't in MLB right now because he would see too few at-bats as the backup catcher. To me, that suggests the players in that DH mix (which includes Mauer and Hunter) could be seen as contributing to "blocking" him, in addition to Suzuki (who like Mauer is basically a lock for the starting lineup too, almost as much as a catcher can be in modern MLB -- on pace for 131 starts behind the plate this season, his highest since 2009). "Blocking" is not always a simply, obvious, 1-to-1, share-the-exact-same-position-every-day proposition. Some players contribute to the blocking of others in degree, particularly by positional inflexibility and a guaranteed lineup spot, and Mauer is currently guilty on both of those counts.
  17. Otto von Ballpark
    Also, according to B-Ref, he will be just the second high schooler from the 2012 draft to make it to MLB (Addison Russell was the first, just last month).
  18. Otto von Ballpark
    Primarily, Vargas isn't playing everyday in MLB. It is also suggested that Pinto can't get enough DH ABs to be in MLB right now. There might be a case soon for Arcia to see more DH action and thereby opening OF opportunities for others.
  19. Otto von Ballpark
    Not in 2010 he wasn't. He was the one Twins hitter who improved that year.
  20. Otto von Ballpark
    He is a RHP, and it is to start initially. He's had a very good AA debut this season, Berrios-type numbers.
  21. Otto von Ballpark
    That's why the delay in signing such a contract was so baffling. I guess it is possible that Mauer was playing hardball, but given the Twins contract history, I suspect they didn't pursue things much earlier, or seek a longer deal for his first contract (which was signed after Mauer had already won a batting title and Target Field construction had already begun -- THAT should have had the structure of a "lifetime deal", and it probably would have expired about the time his catching load was reduced, and his current deal would seem much more appropriate for his current position and skill level).
  22. Otto von Ballpark
    So Jordan Schafer finally goes on the DL after almost a week of not playing, and almost 2-3 weeks after actually injuring his knee. Does this suggest that the Twins perhaps have not yet turned over a new leaf in regards to prompt DL moves? Not that it really hurt us in this case. I think the prompt DL moves so far this season have mostly been the result of improved depth and/or shortened leashes (i.e. Nolasco).
  23. Otto von Ballpark
    On the Buxton-Correa front, the Astros are promoting one of their 2012 over-slot draft signings Lance McCullers Jr to MLB, direct from AA (after a shaky season at high-A last year): http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2015/05/astros-to-promote-lance-mccullers-jr.html
  24. Otto von Ballpark
    Not necessarily, assuming you are multiplying 1*8. The margin of error is based on sample size, so as the sample gets bigger, the margin gets smaller, I think.
  25. Otto von Ballpark
    Probably, but if he is optioned, he doesn't go thru waivers. That only happens once we need his 40-man roster spot. Plus, he has re-signed here as a minor league free agent, I doubt he will bolt from us midseason. For that matter, it is unlikely anyone claims him or offers him a better opportunity at this point.
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