Article: The Cases Against Signing Antonio Bastardo Long-Term

[magiklair]

 

LOL, good luck with that offer.. The twins just need to spend money. They have plenty, why not sign a multiyear reliever deal?

[Seth Stohs]

 

LOL, good luck with that offer.. The twins just need to spend money. They have plenty, why not sign a multiyear reliever deal?

 

I think the answers to that were fairly clear in the article.

[Jack Goin]

 

"You don’t project that he is getting better – although we believe there is more in there. Instead of being an 11-11 guy, we believe he could easily be a 15-9 guy."

 

*Shutters*

We have added some new metrics to our pitching dashboard since this interview was conducted 6 years ago. It's our version of WHIP. (Wins + Hits)/Innings Pitched.

 

***this is getting to be a little like David Ortiz.

[nicksaviking]

 

***this is getting to be a little like David Ortiz.

Yes, and completely off topic. Thanks for your patience.

[tobi0040]

We have added some new metrics to our pitching dashboard since this interview was conducted 6 years ago. It's our version of WHIP. (Wins + Hits)/Innings Pitched.

 

***this is getting to be a little like David Ortiz.

Love the humor.

 

Never heard of David Ortiz though.

[old nurse]

 

We have added some new metrics to our pitching dashboard since this interview was conducted 6 years ago. It's our version of WHIP. (Wins + Hits)/Innings Pitched.

 

***this is getting to be a little like David Ortiz.

Your description looks like the metric is a measure of gullibility. Sort of like opsbi

Edited January 23, 2016 by old nurse

[Jack Goin]

 

Your description looks like the metric is a measure of gullibility. Sort of like opsbi

We like OPSBI as a measurement of overall offensive effectiveness. 

[twinsnorth49]

 

We have added some new metrics to our pitching dashboard since this interview was conducted 6 years ago. It's our version of WHIP. (Wins + Hits)/Innings Pitched.

 

***this is getting to be a little like David Ortiz.

Waaait a sec.......ISWYDT. 

 

 

[Otto von Ballpark]

***this is getting to be a little like David Ortiz.

Sure enough, Nick Blackburn's OPS against in 2010 was an exact match (.839) for David Ortiz's OPS in 2002!

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Waaait a sec.......ISWYDT. 

ERA = errors per run average

[old nurse]

 

We like OPSBI as a measurement of overall offensive effectiveness. 

For those who are expected to be rbi producers yes it would be an ok measurement. Other players are effective without driving in runs, examples would be like Dee Gordon or Blackmon. Your typical top of the lineup batters

 

Relief pitcher effectiveness would not be effected by wins. Rather than wins in win+whip perhaps an inverse of blown saves and losses would be more appropriate way to measure.

Edited January 25, 2016 by old nurse

[Otto von Ballpark]

Mr. Goin, you may need to make more liberal use of emoticons in your posts here.

[Jack Goin]

 

Mr. Goin, you may need to make more liberal use of emoticons in your posts here.

That would take the fun out of it. Then you would know when I was being sarcastic and when I was not being sarcastic. And sometimes, on this site, it is WAY more entertaining for people to question that and stir the pot even more. 

[diehardtwinsfan]

 

That would take the fun out of it. Then you would know when I was being sarcastic and when I was not being sarcastic. And sometimes, on this site, it is WAY more entertaining for people to question that and stir the pot even more. 

 

Let's not stir the pot please.  You don't have to clean up the mess. 

 

Now on a more serious question.  I asked earlier and I'll ask again.  Could you go through the internal process of targeting and eventually signing a FA?  I'd be really curious about how that works.  I'm sure it's more than, "hey, let's go out and sign player X".

 

Thanks,

[TRex]

 

Let's not stir the pot please.  You don't have to clean up the mess. 

 

Now on a more serious question.  I asked earlier and I'll ask again.  Could you go through the internal process of targeting and eventually signing a FA?  I'd be really curious about how that works.  I'm sure it's more than, "hey, let's go out and sign player X".

 

Thanks,

... or, in a more general sense, have you been able to develop reliable metrics for Asian or European Baseball leagues? Or are those decisions directed solely by scouting teams?

[Jack Goin]

 

Let's not stir the pot please.  You don't have to clean up the mess. 

 

Now on a more serious question.  I asked earlier and I'll ask again.  Could you go through the internal process of targeting and eventually signing a FA?  I'd be really curious about how that works.  I'm sure it's more than, "hey, let's go out and sign player X".

 

Thanks,

That's quite an involved process, one that might be extremely difficult to explain here. Depending on the risk of acquisition you usually have analytics, scouting, medical, and makeup/background all play a role. If Brad Steil needs a minor league free agent utility infielder at 2A we don't do as much "work" on him as when signing a Major League agent or extending a player to a long-term contract. Terry has to take in all that info and make a decision. Then we make an offer we feel ok making based on our scouting reports, internal projections, and how our medical staff feels a player will hold up over the course of contract. Then the player has to agree.  There are times we make an offer and another team blows us out of the water either with dollars, years, or both. It's not as black and white and some may make it. Some years a player you didn't expect to be available right before Spring Training is available and you get him. 

[TRex]

Because Bastardo seemed like such a good fit for the Twins (and because I haven't seen it discussed in this thread), I thought it might be good to remind everyone that he was suspended for 50 games in 2013 as a result of the Biogenesis scandal.

 

I know the Twins don't sign many free agents anyway, but they also don't seem to target those who have been suspected or already suspended for PED use.

 

I don't know if Jack can comment on whether prior PED use is another factor that is discussed when evaluating a free agent, but the possibility of a 162 game suspension would weigh heavily in my decision if I were GM.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

Because Bastardo seemed like such a good fit for the Twins (and because I haven't seen it discussed in this thread), I thought it might be good to remind everyone that he was suspended for 50 games in 2013 as a result of the Biogenesis scandal.

 

I know the Twins don't sign many free agents anyway, but they also don't seem to target those who have been suspected or already suspended for PED use.

 

I don't know if Jack can comment on whether prior PED use is another factor that is discussed when evaluating a free agent, but the possibility of a 162 game suspension would weigh heavily in my decision if I were GM.

Those suspensions are unpaid, so I doubt it was a factor.

 

If Bastardo gets suspended, the Mets would effectively have him on a 1/6 contract for one of the next two seasons, roughly the same as our current commitment to Jepsen (and without having to give up prospects to acquire him too).

[TRex]

Those suspensions are unpaid, so I doubt it was a factor.

 

If Bastardo gets suspended, the Mets would effectively have him on a 1/6 contract for one of the next two seasons, roughly the same as our current commitment to Jepsen (and without having to give up prospects to acquire him too).

So you think the Twins do not care about the Santana suspension because they didn't have to pay him?

 

... and the Mets would think it was a steal to get Bastardo on a 1/6 instead of a 2/12? I suppose they also would not mind losing Bastardo for BOTH post-seasons (if he is suspended mid-season)?

 

I am not saying it should preclude the Twins from signing a player, I was just it would be a factor in my decision-making process. If it would not be a consideration for you, it is so noted.

Edited January 27, 2016 by TRex

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

So you think the Twins do not care about the Santana suspension because they didn't have to pay him?

 

... and the Mets would think it was a steal to get Bastardo on a 1/6 instead of a 2/12? I suppose they also would not mind losing Bastardo for BOTH post-seasons (if he is suspended mid-season)?

 

I am not saying it should preclude the Twins from signing a player, I was just it would be a factor in my decision-making process. If it would not be a consideration for you, it is so noted.

Santana was playing a much more valuable position at the time, as evidenced by his much higher salary and guarantee.

 

Of course past PED use and future suspension likelihood is a factor, just like a lot of other factors.  It's just not that big of a factor when signing a guy to a 2/12 contract.  The whole argument in favor of that deal around here has been its low risk -- it doesn't become notably riskier if there is a very slim chance a player could miss half of the deal unpaid.

 

Also, FYI, such a suspension can only affect one postseason.  Jennry Mejia of the Mets will be eligible for the 2016 postseason, despite being suspended for 162 games beginning midseason 2015.

[diehardtwinsfan]

 

That's quite an involved process, one that might be extremely difficult to explain here. Depending on the risk of acquisition you usually have analytics, scouting, medical, and makeup/background all play a role. If Brad Steil needs a minor league free agent utility infielder at 2A we don't do as much "work" on him as when signing a Major League agent or extending a player to a long-term contract. Terry has to take in all that info and make a decision. Then we make an offer we feel ok making based on our scouting reports, internal projections, and how our medical staff feels a player will hold up over the course of contract. Then the player has to agree.  There are times we make an offer and another team blows us out of the water either with dollars, years, or both. It's not as black and white and some may make it. Some years a player you didn't expect to be available right before Spring Training is available and you get him. 

 

Thank you, I assumed it wasn't black and white.  It's certainly not fantasy baseball.  It's just interesting to know what goes on in the front office.