Welp.  So much for "selling high" on Abad.

Yeah, we didn't get much for Abad, but he went on to pitch terribly for the Red Sox (6.39 ERA w/ 5.44 FIP). So they sold high at the right time but the 'prospect' we got hasn't been very good.

If he can just coast to a .272/.352/.422 line like he had a the second half of last season, I'm totally cool with him being the top bench bat on a team that should have no trouble scoring runs.

 

The Twins "should have no trouble scoring runs?" I hope you're right, but that seems pretty optimistic.

 

As for Grossman, I'm going to have to see it again to believe last year wasn't a mirage.

Is he a legit defensive SS though?

I would assume Falvey/Levine think so.

Speaking of DicknBert, I'd love to hear them trying to pronounce "Ehire" (correct pronunciation is close to HAY-ray)

Edited February 7, 20179 yr by Thrylos

Speaking of DicknBert, I'd love to hear them trying to pronounce "Ehire"

Is it "EYE-ray?"

 

My Spanglish is even worse than my English.

Is it "EYE-ray?"

 

My Spanglish is even worse than my English.

b-r.com gives AY-ray AY-dree-an-zuh

Is it "EYE-ray?"

 

My Spanglish is even worse than my English.

 

BB-Ref lists it as "AY-ray AY-dree-an-zuh" for some reason. Names are not as phonetically regular as most of the Spanish language is, but I'd put money on that not being how his Venezuelan mama has ever pronounced his name.

Cutting Jim Hoey Light should have been the first order of business.

 

Now when someone inevitably name drops Jim Hoey when complaining about Twins mistakes, we now have someone worse to point them to. The quicker we forget about Hoey the quicker his face can be erased from my mind. Thanks, Pat, for lowering the bar so the Twins community can move on.

 

Good move all around.

 

Is it "EYE-ray?"

My Spanglish is even worse than my English.

 

h is silent in Spanish.  So more like an Hey! sound and not much

 

I would assume Falvey/Levine think so.

 

With his bat I sure hope so....

It will be funny to hear Joe Buck try to pronounce his name at the All Star game next July.

There's not a lot of meat on the 40-man.  The execs have their work cut out for them. I am surprised that anyone is worried about another team claiming our cast-offs.  Maybe the 15-man that didn't play much last year have merit, but the 25-man resulted in 100+ losses, and there's not a lot of upside in that group, IMHO.  We need some serious help.

If we're looking for defense, why not bring back the great Florimon.

As far as defense is concerned, he looks about average.

1. Of the 88 players to amass 300 innings at SS since 2013, Adrianza ranks 3rd in UZR/150. He trails only Andrelton Simmons and Francisco Lindor. Sure, that's over a small sample, but still encouraging.

Doom, there seems to be a giant expanse between your evaluation on his defense and Tom's. Do you have something to back up your claim?

 

Is it "EYE-ray?"

My Spanglish is even worse than my English.

 

So, phonetically, should be:  A -- ee -- ray   when the "A" is the true letter A.  {"H"  is silent of course in Spanish.} 

 

Adrianza is pedestrian, though the A is the "ah" as it always is in Spanish.

Light or Belisle? I would take a Belisle. His veteran presence should be valuable. Light has limited upside.

 

Park or Adrianza? Park has the upside, but if they can pass Adrianza through waivers he adds an excellent glove at SS in AAA.

 

Adrianza is not a good fit in a utility role. His value is all in his glove at SS. He either hits enough to start at SS or bounces around. My guess is They DFA him when they sign a veteran hoping he passes through to AAA. They might already have that deal with a veteran and needed to time his signing first.

 

It could be a veteran bat to go with Belisle with the additional depth of Adrianza in AAA at the possible cost of Park and Light.

Never hurts to have plus defense on the left side of infield for the late innings.

 

They are serious about Sano playing 3B, at least until the 8th.

 

Is he actually good at it though?  Sure, it's his primary position, but from what I've read he's hardly shown wizardry there.  

 

If you've got a .600 OPS, you better be a wizard.

H/T to Brandon Warne over at Cold Omaha on this one ... here's what current Assistant Director of Baseball Ops for the Braves, Kiley McDaniel, had to say about his defense:

 

"he’s a plus defender at shortstop with a plus arm and above average speed, but the bat is light and there isn’t much power; his upside is a Cesar Izturis-type utility guy"

 

Izturis was one of the best defensive shortstops in baseball for a decade. I haven't seen Adrianza play, but all the data and reports I can find are very complimentary of his defense.

Izturis had 7 seasons as the primary SS with more than 100 starts in seasons between ages 22 and 30. The two years he fell short of 100 he bounced between two teams. He never really was a utilityman. His glove was good enough to be a starting SS for most seasons through his prime. If Adrianza's glove is the level of Izturis, he might be the Twins best option at SS. If not, he is AAA depth.

It's like changing the paper rolls in the men's room.

 

Not the correct analogy when you replace someone who can't hit the target with someone with good hands. Sorry.

If it did, I wouldn't mind. But given Robbie's defensive shortcomings (understatement of the century), I think they'll continue to view DanSan as a viable 4th OF. 

 

Zach Granite would be a clear improvement over Danny Santana.

Twins official site is mentioning his "versatility" every other sentence in their write-up. Mentioning that he plays SS, 2B, and 3B, which seems to contradict most of what I've read so far. In which case, it seems like they're trying to convince us that he's a valuable bench piece, while also ignoring the fact that we already have three guys on the bench who also play SS, 2B, and 3B.

I get this move. One of the things I mentioned months ago is that after the Twins signed a RP or two, and quality 4th OF...still waiting on that one...I'd like to seexpand them pick up a couple quality milb infielders to fill out the Rochester team. The infield there seems pretty bare. And it's not about the Twins handing Rochester a competitive team, it's about having a couple guys there that you can bring up to play adequately if injuries hit without embarrassing themselves at the ML for a week or two.

 

Light throws hard, and I'm not going to claim he doesn't have some potential, and maybe he gets it together for the Twins or someone else, but does he really seem like a guy who is going to challenge at this point? As looked at in another thread, the bullpen is starting to look a little crowded for competition, and that's a GOOD thing! Plus, coming to a ML Park near you soon...and we all know the names...Reed, Hildenberger, Burdi, still possibly Jones, and even Baxendale and Wimmers as possibilities.

 

My biggest problem with this, and yes, he will probably be taken back off the roster with hopes of passing through waivers to play at AAA, is that I wish they'd do more. I was really, really hoping for a solid milb 3B for Rochester. I love Sano and believe in him, and I'm super intrigued by Goodrum maybe finally reaching his potential as a solid, versatile utility guy, but I'd sure like a quality milb veteran 3B who could be called up if an injury happens.

 

Now...about that true 4th OF we still need......

 

Zach Granite would be a clear improvement over Danny Santana.

This!  More specifically, I hope that Grossman lasts only as long as it takes for Granite to take the final steps toward becoming a valuable 4th OF/(actual)pinch runner etc. I'm really rooting for that guy! 

Twins official site is mentioning his "versatility" every other sentence in their write-up. Mentioning that he plays SS, 2B, and 3B, which seems to contradict most of what I've read so far. In which case, it seems like they're trying to convince us that he's a valuable bench piece, while also ignoring the fact that we already have three guys on the bench who also play SS, 2B, and 3B.

Adrianza plays mostly shortstop, and apparently plays it very well. I might read those comments as smoke signals about the imminent release of one of the other players who plays those positions. Time shall tell.

I see the FO trying to shore up the SS defensively. In order for the pitching to be better the defense needs to be better. I watched him play a few games with the giants and he had some great plays.... Can he do it every day that is another story but his minor league hitting numbers were good. He plays a great short. Low risk - possible high reward.

 

We have a bunch of guys like Light.... throws hard but doesn't have control.. not  a huge loss. Other part is I think he and Park are likely to pass through wavers allowing them to go to the minors. Win/Win if that happens.

I didn't see every game down the stretch last year, but I saw Pat Light pitch. He is supposed to have a big time fastball. I remember watching and waiting to see triple digits. Light seemed to want to throw all off speed stuff. Was he hurt or did I miss his fastball?

 

Speaking of DicknBert, I'd love to hear them trying to pronounce "Ehire" (correct pronunciation is close to HAY-ray)

Couldn't resist....

 

https://youtu.be/qoYsfbq3vMc

 

You can call me Ray or you can call me Jay....      

If it did, I wouldn't mind. But given Robbie's defensive shortcomings (understatement of the century), I think they'll continue to view DanSan as a viable 4th OF. 

 

Light I'm not concerned about too much either way.

 

But if the endgame is taking the Santana tool from Molly's belt, they need to just go ahead and do it. Unless the plan is to have Escobar spend more time in the OF, too.

If EE was put back into LF, even for an inning, there would be "Miss Me Yet" billboards on 35W with DanSans pic on them. Or, in other words, if anyone can make Robby G. look like a MLB outfielder, EE is the guy.

 

There's not a lot of meat on the 40-man.  The execs have their work cut out for them. I am surprised that anyone is worried about another team claiming our cast-offs.  Maybe the 15-man that didn't play much last year have merit, but the 25-man resulted in 100+ losses, and there's not a lot of upside in that group, IMHO.  We need some serious help.

No. Light will be claimed. Park will be claimed. Chargois would be claimed. Any Twin on the 40 man not named Danny Santana will be claimed when designated for assignment.  Arcia and Walker were claimed After Ryan ORourke made a triumphant return to the majors, how could you not look at any Twin castoff and not see success?  Well, except for Danny Santana