February 18, 201610 yr After seven seasons with the Twins (after the drafted him in the 3rd round of the 2005 draft), Brian Duensing is (kind of) heading home. The Royals announced today that they have signed the left-hander to a minor league deal. Darren Wolfson is reporting that he can make up to $2.6 million if he's with the Royals all season, and he also has two opt-outs.
February 18, 201610 yr They also signed Lester Oliveros, who I would hope might finally get a Big Shot at the major leagues, but perhaps this wasn't the organization to do so in now.
February 19, 201610 yr Brian Duensing is (kind of) heading home. Are you saying he's going to be spending a lot of time in the state of Nebraska in 2016?
February 19, 201610 yr Author They also signed Lester Oliveros, who I would hope might finally get a Big Shot at the major leagues, but perhaps this wasn't the organization to do so in now. Yeah, Oliveros had shoulder surgery last July or August. Good guy, but he just couldn't stay healthy
February 19, 201610 yr Author Are you saying he's going to be spending a lot of time in the state of Nebraska in 2016? Well, he was born in Kansas, a couple of hours away from Kansas City. It was his "home" team growing up. Of course, their AAA team is in Omaha and that is where Duensing and his wife and kids live.
February 19, 201610 yr Duensing is a good guy. He's also personal friends with Alex Gordon. This could really work out for him at least for this season. http://m.mlb.com/news/article/155676342/brian-duensing-supports-alex-gordon-in-series
February 19, 201610 yr Donuts to dollars, he will be better than Abad... I doubt Abad will make the roster if he isn't better than Duensing was last year, don't you?
February 19, 201610 yr I doubt Abad will make the roster if he isn't better than Duensing was last year, don't you?If Abad is healthy in spring training, he's pretty sure to make the roster. As for how long he'd stick, I don't know, but they kept Duensing on the roster all year over Rogers, I don't see why they couldn't do similarly for Abad in 2016, at least for a good portion of the season. Melotakis isn't quite close enough to be a major factor yet either.
February 19, 201610 yr I remember seeing lots of posts in the past about how Punto and Butera would never make the roster with any team that was serious about contending. Both now have a ring. Same has been said about Duensing so it will be interesting if he is able to stick with the team most regard as having the best bullpen.
February 19, 201610 yr If Abad is healthy in spring training, he's pretty sure to make the roster. As for how long he'd stick, I don't know, but they kept Duensing on the roster all year over Rogers, I don't see why they couldn't do similarly for Abad in 2016, at least for a good portion of the season. Melotakis isn't quite close enough to be a major factor yet either. Regardless of all this, if Abad makes the roster, he will be better than Duensing was in 2015 IMO.
February 19, 201610 yr Regardless of all this, if Abad makes the roster, he will be better than Duensing was in 2015 IMO.That's a pretty low bar, and even that isn't clear at this point. Duensing, 2015: .741 OPS againstAbad, career: 736 (in lower leverage, with a lot of innings in Oakland and in the National League) Abad's strikeout rate has been better, but it's still only roughly league average for relievers, so a roughly league average relief performance (classic Duensing) is a fairly likely outcome. I should add, I don't prefer either, I just don't want either on this roster. Edited February 19, 201610 yr by spycake
February 19, 201610 yr That's a pretty low bar, and even that isn't clear at this point. Duensing, 2015: .741 OPS againstAbad, career: 736 (in lower leverage, with a lot of innings in Oakland and in the National League) Abad's strikeout rate has been better, but it's still only roughly league average for relievers, so a roughly league average relief performance (classic Duensing) is a fairly likely outcome. I should add, I don't prefer either, I just don't want either on this roster. Agreed, Duensing is a low bar, Abad is minimally better most likely, the better of two evils if in fact they have to resort to Abad and he provides less than his career .736 OPS and we want to consider Duensing as the only "alternative".. I just disagree with the premise that health is all Abad needs to make the roster. If they don't "fix" him, or if Rogers or someone else is judged by Allen and Molitor to be the better BP option, then Abad gets cut. I'm not as optimistic about Rogers, and don't necessarily see another candidate having a clear talent edge (Darnell, O'Rourke?) among lefty candidates. My original pushback is to this goofy notion that, even if it appears (to the Twins, not to thrylos or any of the rest of us) that Abad is going to be worse than Duensing dollars to donuts, he still makes the roster. You know, because of how stupid they are, right?
February 19, 201610 yr I just disagree with the premise that health is all Abad needs to make the roster. If they don't "fix" him, or if Rogers or someone else is judged by Allen and Molitor to be the better BP option, then Abad gets cut.Could be. Abad's got a $1.25 mil salary due if he makes the MLB roster, and the Twins haven't cut any minor league deals at that salary level recently. It's also clear we place a premium on veteran bullpen arms/experience, particularly for opening day, and we just let two other veteran LHRP depart, and the best LH bet to take Abad's spot is Rogers who has yet to pitch in MLB and has yet to throw a pitch out of the bullpen anywhere... I am just reading between the lines that Abad's spot on opening day is pretty much guaranteed.
February 19, 201610 yr I just saw this on a KC website. Someone wanted to see if they could trade Duensing for Keuchel? .
February 19, 201610 yr I just saw this on a KC website. Someone wanted to see if they could trade Duensing for Keuchel? . Kuechel and Correa maybe. On a serious note, I love how relievers that see 50+ innings a year with us leave and can't get a major league deal somewhere else.
February 19, 201610 yr Kuechel and Correa maybe. On a serious note, I love how relievers that see 50+ innings a year with us leave and can't get a major league deal somewhere else.Like the old saying goes: Ride 'em hard and put 'em away one year after they've died.
February 19, 201610 yr On a serious note, I love how relievers that see 50+ innings a year with us leave and can't get a major league deal somewhere else.Interesting idea. I know a few relief spots are pretty fungible, I wonder if we produce more of these types than other clubs, though. In the last 5 seasons: DumatraitGrayRoenickeBurtonSwarzakGuerrier 2.0DuensingBoyer Thompson doesn't meet the 50 inning threshold, but I might add him. Burnett and Thielbar got claimed off waivers but didn't last much longer. We're close to producing 2 of these a year. Who next?
February 19, 201610 yr Burnett and Thielbar got claimed off waivers but didn't last much longer. We're close to producing 2 of these a year. Who next?Ricky Nolasco?
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