tobi0040

When Steamer says 22 run improvement, at least double it. Heck, they have Hughes at a 3.89 ERA? Gibson's FIP last year was 3.80 and they have his ERA over 4.50 next year.

I mentioned it on another thread....just that is actually his name. I wish I would have put it your way though.

I am also a bit relieved that the Twins did not trade key prospects like Sano, Buxton, Stewart, Meyer, etc. in order to trade for one of the pitchers out there with a year left, then extend them. Our two assets our payroll flexibility and prospects. Moving key prospects for veterans really blows both of those assets on one move. Signing Ervin eats at some of the payroll flexibility, but we still have all our prospects and now we have a better staff.

Hopefully this takes pressure off Nolasco...........

Just curious how you get to $95M for 2015? I have us likely losing $20M in Hunter, Pelfrey, and Plouffe (if traded). I think you have other minor tweaks that could free up salary, notably in the bullpen as you cut guys like Duensing in favor of Burdi, Reed, etc. I have us going to at least $85M as a starting point (before increases) and I would think a high point could be $115-$120M. If they went to $115M in 2010 I would think another five million would be attainable five years later with increased MLB revenues and a better cable deal.

I would rather have Ervin than Liriano or McCarthy. No doubt. $13.5M a year is not bad for a guy that could easily be a #2 starter for at least the first two years.

Here is a fantasy profile on Graham: Position: RHP DOB: 01/14/1990 Height/Weight: 6’0” 195 lbs Bats/Throws: R/R Drafted/Acquired: 4th round, 2011 draft, Santa Clara University (Santa Clara, CA) Previous Ranking: #4 (Org) 2014 Stats: 5.55 ERA (71.1 IP, 79 H, 50 K, 26 BB) at Double-A Mississippi The Tools: 7 FB; 6 SL; 5 potential CH What Happened in 2014: Graham’s return from shoulder injury was marred by inconsistency and loud questions about the overall profile. Strengths: Good strength despite average size; balanced delivery; fluid arm action; heavy fastball at 92-94; sinking action with arm-side life; tough to barrel cleanly in lower tier; able to reach for more and selectively elevate past hitters; feels slider well; cutter action to the pitch; sharp, late break across zone; can miss bats; flashes feel for changeup; shows quality action despite harder velocity (85-87); command of all three pitches; comes right after hitters . Weaknesses: Not the best of downhill throwers; fastball loses movement in upper tier; can struggle to finish delivery; will leave heater up in the zone where it is more hittable; must work down to get most out of movement; slider lacks off-the-table break; needs more depth to be true chase pitch; change blurs with fastball in upper band (87-89); loses action and floats; questions on return from shoulder injury still linger; seemed to lack trust in 2014. Overall Future Potential: High 5; no. 3/4 starter Realistic Role: 5; late-innings reliever (setup) Risk Factor/Injury History: Moderate risk; 152 1/3 Double-A innings; shoulder injury in 2013 Bret Sayre’s Fantasy Take: With an imminent ETA, Graham is still a top-5 fantasy prospect in this system, even with the belief that he’s likely a reliever at the major-league level. If he can make the rotation work, there would be strikeout potential, and he could be a high-end reliever, if healthy. The Year Ahead: The right-hander seemed to still be feeling the fallout of his 2013 shoulder injury. When on, Graham comes right after hitters with two plus-to-better pitches, in the form of a heavy fastball and darting slider. The heater is an outstanding offering in the lower tier of the zone, with strong downward action and good velocity that makes it a tough pitch to fully square up. Graham can then change the angle and eye level on batters by frequently working the slider into sequences. The late break also makes it tougher to fully barrel. Things can go awry for the 24-year-old when the fastball is creeping too far above the middle of the thighs, where the good movement diminishes and it’s on the flat side. This was more of a trend this past season for the righty. Most sources spoken to for this list thought that Graham most likely slots in a relief role at the ultimate level. I’m not ready to fully rule out a chance he’ll stick in a starting role, but a big rebound is needed to prove it. Major league ETA: Late 2015 The nit I have to pick here is that he has a 7 fastball and a 6 slider, potentially a 5 change yet projects as a #5 starter? Seems like he would project better than that.

Complete minor numbers. Not a ton of k's, great control. Go figure http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=graham001jon

Alfredo Simon to DET

The lite was the reference to the $140M vs. their $180M or whatever it is. I knew it was more of a thought...

The issue is payroll would likely jump to $140M and we would have no farm system. We would be Tigers-lite.

Cespedes for Porcello. Also it sounds like the Tigers are getting a pitcher from cincy, but no word on which one.

But giving a guy that has not averaged 100 IP a year over 10 years, a four year deal is wreckless. His ERA+ the last two years have been 94 and 85.

Our offer was 4-50 I heard. I think he gets more and certainly can use the McCarthy contract as a data point (4-48). He came into the league 10 years ago and has less than 1,000 IP. 4.50 and 4.05 the last two years.

The Dodgers just gave McCarthy 4-48. Yikes. Could not wait to piss away the Kemp money.

We only process worst case scenarios here. Could you imagine if his arm fell off as he signed the last A in Santana on the contract?

I look out 3-4 years and don't really see a payroll issue, where the Twins have to let anyone leave. Ervin would push the Twins to a payroll of $105M or so. Next offseason we lose Hunter and Pelfrey. We probably trade Plouffe as well. That a total of $20M. That is more than enough to extend Dozier and Hughes on top of their current salaries and the Twins could probably go up to $115-$120M on payroll anyway. Ervin would be our second best pitcher on a team that desperately needs better pitching. I am all for it

Jim Bowden Alan Nero -one of Ervin Santana's agents along with Jay Alou denies they are close to deal w/Santana but Nero acknowledges offer from Twins

Weird that a New York guy broke it.....we may not be any closer than top four like La Velle reported. Twitter initially had 4-60, then "number not confirmed", then it switched from signed to "pushing to sign"

On the cards front. They also had a 10 year deal at 210 or 220 million on the table for a 32 year old pujols. When it is all said and done that may be one of the worst in all of sports.

And both were part of the team that had basically the same amount of wins as ours last year. That is why I started with "they won almost the same amount of games last year"

We basically had the same record last year. They add Jeff S. for either 1 year or a large contract. They add Robertson and Duke and LaRoche. Add in their system. Versus our system. In my opinion if I was to rate the system: 1. Buxton 2. Sano 3. Rodon 4. Berrios 5. Meyer 6. Stewart I think the depth of our system is better as well.

The Samardzija deal is actually a 6 player deal. Sox get Ynoa, who has flopped. http://fantasynews.cbssports.com/fantasybaseball/update/24876421/white-sox-acquire-samardzija-ynoa-in-six-player-deal-with-as The A's think Semien will be there SS next year. Manual has Ravelo as #10 for them. Bassitt has a 3.94 ERA in 30 IP in the big's. Phegley is a 26 year old catcher that hit well in the minors the last few. .966 and .861 the last two years.

I think the only time to panic is if their future (2 years to 6-7 years) looks brighter than ours. I don't think it does. I think some are feeling left out because action is going on around the league and as usual, we are having no part of it. But I don't think these are the types of moves we should be worrying about. They seem to be buying high on guys, adding 30+ year olds, overpaying for average at best bats, spending where they should not be spending (closers, DH), etc. These are not the types of decisions over time that pay off at a reasonable rate.

I think the White Sox extend Jeff S at about $20M a year, starting as early as next year. That puts them about $115M assuming they fill out their roster with young players. At this point that may not be an accurate assumption. If they are over $120M they are near their highest point. I know I would not trade spots with them right now. Would anyone else?