Twins Extend Kurt Suzuki

[nicksaviking]

https://twitter.com/Ken_Rosenthal/status/494858173170610176

 

Sigh, well of course.  If the players and the coaches who are all under-performing are demanding it, why shouldn't you listen to them by commiting long term to a guy having a career year on the wrong side of 30.

[James]

True, but a long term deal for a catcher is usually in the 2-3 year range.  I could see a 2 year deal happening, possibly with a 3rd year option.  Maybe a vesting option, and the Twins will make sure that he's back to being a backup catcher to make sure it doesn't vest.  

 

All speculation on my part.

[gunnarthor]

My guess is this is a last shot from the FO and if they can't come to an agreement, they'll trade him in a few hours.

[DaveW]

True, but a long term deal for a catcher is usually in the 2-3 year range.  I could see a 2 year deal happening, possibly with a 3rd year option.  Maybe a vesting option, and the Twins will make sure that he's back to being a backup catcher to make sure it doesn't vest.  

 

All speculation on my part.

Yeah, if he takes a step back or so and Pinto steps up, they can always find a team to trade him to down the road anyways.

I definitely want Suzuki back for a year or two. He holds his own IMO behind the dish, he hits pretty well for a catcher, is healthy/dependable and is seemed to be liked by the pitchers and calls a good game (pitch framing is probably another story) With young guys like May/Meyer on the way up I feel a lot better about them having a veteran call the game then a rookie like Pinto.

[jorgenswest]

The Twins inability to get a good return should be a huge sign that Suzuki doesn't carry the value he demands in a contract.

 

Will the Twins continue their cycle of mediocrity by signing Suzuki to a multiyear contract? 

 

You know they are going to endure at least two consecutive bad years with him in the role. They won't seek other options with a commitment to Suzuki.

[JB_Iowa]

It all depends on the evaluation of Pinto (because although the Twins have other catcher assets in the minors, they are still further away.)

 

If you think that Pinto can be a successful starting catcher at the major league level, then you don't extend Suzuki (even if Pinto is a year or two away).  Suzuki clearly expects to be a #1 catcher -- and presumably the money in an extension confirms that.

 

If you extend Suzuki for 2 or more years, to me it indicates that the team thinks that Pinto has a very low likelihood of success at the major league level -- unless they think they can somehow flip him to someone else.

[nicksaviking]

Yeah, if he takes a step back or so and Pinto steps up, they can always find a team to trade him to down the road anyways.

I definitely want Suzuki back for a year or two.

 

Well reports are stating the Twins are having a hard time moving him now, in his career year.  Negotiate with him after the season, he is playing at his peak now, why would anyone in their right mind think it's a good time to get into negotiations?  I'll take him back (preferrably after a trade) but his price isn't going to go up from where it is now.  If anything you can get him at fewer years and/or fewer dollars come the end of the season. 

[Brock Beauchamp]

If the Twins don't sign Suzuki, who catches in 2015?

 

If anyone can answer that question with a legitimate answer, I'd be surprised.

[tobi0040]

If the Twins don't sign Suzuki, who catches in 2015?

 

If anyone can answer that question with a legitimate answer, I'd be surprised.

 

My money is on Fryer, which is why giving Suzuki 2/16 is OK with me.

[Brock Beauchamp]

My money is on Fryer, which is why giving Suzuki 2/16 is OK with me.

 

Yep. I'm not a big Suzuki fan (him having a career year and all) but complaints about extensions ignore reality. The Twins have no good catching options internally and the free agent catcher market looks pretty bad this offseason.

[StormJH1]

I about to hop over on the Tommy Milone thread and blow some serious sunshine up Terry Ryan's backside for how great that move is...but on the flipside of that, can we PLEASE stop trying to re-sign guys at the absolute peak of their value?  The Mauer thing was a special, extreme case, but they did this same thing with Doumit, and they try to do it with every mediocre starting pitcher as soon as they have consecutive OK starts.  We don't need to lock up Kurt Suzuki long-term.  The A.J. thing may have messed up some of the need for him, but it seems like he could and should be moved for decent rental value.  I'm thinking C+/B- value.  I hope the talk of resigning him is to somehow hike up his trade value, though I don't think that makes any sense.

[Mike Sixel]

I don't understand why Pinto can't be up here. If he can't, then deal him if he has any value. Because if the Twins don't want him up here, some other team probably disagrees about his value. Brian Harper started out as a terrible defensive catcher......people learn and grow on the job all the time. Imagine if they had this much patience with Dozier, he'd still be in AAA.

[drjim]

Isn't this being prudent?

 

There are minimal external options, they probably have a price they are willing to pay, and if Suzuki doesn't take it they will probably unload for something in return.

 

I think we all agree that if the deadline passes and there is no extension or no trade, that would be a poor outcome for the Twins.

[Brock Beauchamp]

Isn't this being prudent?

 

There are minimal external options, they probably have a price they are willing to pay, and if Suzuki doesn't take it they will probably unload for something in return.

 

I think we all agree that if the deadline passes and there is no extension or no trade, that would be a poor outcome for the Twins.

 

Agreed. I imagine that a fair amount of people who are howling about an extension will be livid in January when the Twins roll into 2015 with Fryer at catcher.

 

Can't have it both ways, folks. Yeah, it kinda sucks that you have to overpay for Suzuki right now but sometimes, that's how the market shakes out.

 

And if he can't be extended, trade him. The smart move is to try the extension route first and then explore a trade.

[DaveW]

Isn't this being prudent?

 

There are minimal external options, they probably have a price they are willing to pay, and if Suzuki doesn't take it they will probably unload for something in return.

 

I think we all agree that if the deadline passes and there is no extension or no trade, that would be a poor outcome for the Twins.

They could always trade him in August.

[Brock Beauchamp]

They could always trade him in August.

 

It's gonna be really hard to get Suzuki and his contract through waivers.

[TRex]

Posted Today, 11:17 AM

If the Twins don't sign Suzuki, who catches in 2015?

 

If anyone can answer that question with a legitimate answer, I'd be surprised.

 

Would Josmil Pinto be surprised to find out he is 'illegitimate'... how about his parents?

[James]

And if he can't be extended, trade him. The smart move is to try the extension route first and then explore a trade.

I think it's very likely that they are exploring trade options and discussing an extension at the same time.  

[Brock Beauchamp]

I think it's very likely that they are exploring trade options and discussing an extension at the same time.  

 

Well, yeah... I meant "don't sign any trade paperwork until the extension talks have fizzled".

[StormJH1]

This annoys me for reasons on a more "macro" level than just whether or not I want Kurt Suzuki back.  I don't really care who our catcher is next year.  Kurt Suzuki was useful this year, but his surprise all-star appearance still isn't likely to get us above 70 wins.  He's not actually a good defensive catcher (though certainly a passable one), and his "veteran impact on the pitching staff" isn't translating to actual results.

 

Trade him now for whatever halfway-decent prospect you can get, and then audition Pinto or play Eric freakin' Fryer for the rest of the season.  Find the best defensive catcher you can off the waiver heap (that hits around .200) for 2015 and platoon him with Pinto.  The options for catching expand quite a bit when you don't have to commit to one guy for 120 games behind the plate.  

 

This isn't fantasy baseball.  Suzuki's hitting is "good for a catcher", but .304 and 2HR's with a .750-ish OPS wouldn't be that special of an outfielder, and would be a poor corner infielder.  Positional scarcity only really matters if you have most or all of the impact offensive positions filled with average or above-average guys, and the Twins do not.  Get value for him while he has value.

[nicksaviking]

Other reports state they are not close do a deal:

 

https://twitter.com/ChrisCotillo/status/494878040045133824

 

So talks today likely suggest it's a last ditch effort to sign him before they trade him.  Good news to me, those suggesting this is just routine procedural stuff are probably right. 

[Thegrin]

Twins good luck = Twins sign Suzuki and he has a career year.

Twins bad luck = Twins sign Suzuki and he has a career year so u have to resign him at his peak price.

and the Twins need him for 2015.

 

Pinto is taking about 40% of his AAA at bats as a DH.  Maybe he will never catch better than Doumit.

[James]

Well, yeah... I meant "don't sign any trade paperwork until the extension talks have fizzled".

Right.  I was giving you the benefit of the doubt on this one.  I just wanted to give everyone a gentle reminder that extension/trade talks do not have to be mutually exclusive.  

[Brock Beauchamp]

Other reports state they are not close do a deal:

 

https://twitter.com/ChrisCotillo/status/494878040045133824

 

So talks today likely suggest it's a last ditch effort to sign him before they trade him.  Good news to me.

 

I'm neutral on it. I really don't care that much whether they trade or extend but letting the deadline go by with neither happening would be a serious disappointment.

[jorgenswest]

Kurt Suzuki is 16th among catchers in fWAR.

 

That sounds good except...

 

1) Suzuki has a lot more playing time than many other catchers to add to the total. On a per plate appearance level, he would rank lower.

 

2) Suzuki is having an outlier season and should be expected to regress to his norm and decline due to age.

 

3) The fWAR does not factor in his poor framing numbers.

 

Is it surprising teams don't want to offer a good prospect to buy his next two months? The Twins are thinking about buying his next two or three years.

[nicksaviking]

If the Twins don't sign Suzuki, who catches in 2015?

 

If anyone can answer that question with a legitimate answer, I'd be surprised.

 

I think we asked the organization those questions about CF and SS this year.  The answer we got: "Who the hell cares!"

[diehardtwinsfan]

If the Twins don't sign Suzuki, who catches in 2015?

 

If anyone can answer that question with a legitimate answer, I'd be surprised.

 

I think it has to be Pinto and either a FA or one of Fryer/Herrman. 

[Brock Beauchamp]

I think it has to be Pinto and either a FA or one of Fryer/Herrman. 

 

Pinto - I think it's pretty apparent the Twins do not view him as a catcher today, maybe never.

 

FA - Yikes. That's a pretty ugly list.

 

Fryer/Herrmann - Shoot me now.

[Willihammer]

If you expect Suzuki to regress to career norms with the bat and continue being a lousy framer than there is no upside to extending him. I would rather see the Twins make a strong push for Martin, and failing that, fall back to guys like Soto and Ross and failing that, Suzuki (and failing that - Pinto, waiver claim, etc). The catching situation is bad but becomes more hopeless if they lock themselves into a commitment with Suzuki before they have to, IMO.

[Seth Stohs]

Via several sources (Ken Rosenthal first), the Twins and Kurt Suzuki have agreed on terms to an extension.

 

No word yet on specifics, and we can update them as they come in.