Article: Nishioka Gets Another Shot

[Nick Nelson]

You can view the page at http://twinsdaily.com/content.php?884-Nishioka-Gets-Another-Shot

[jlovren]

With the amount of money we are paying Nishi, he should get this audition for the remainder of the season. It's not deserved but who knows? It's like the old saying sometimes the sun shines on a dog's ass once in awhile.

[Brock Beauchamp]

May as well see what you have for 2013. Best case scenario, Nishi plays himself into a starting position at second (unlikely). Most likely scenario, Nishi shows that he's not going to kill the team in the futility role and that Casilla is expendable. Worst case scenario, the Twins know that Nishi is a AAA player and keeps him there for the entire 2013 season.

 

It's worth exploring, if only because the most likely scenario is that Nishi sticks as a futility guy and the Twins get to save ~$2m in 2013 by letting Casilla go in the offseason.

[DPJ]

Should have let him rot in the minors and maybe want him to return to Japan with his tail between his legs.

[PopRiveter]

Casilla is expendable either way. Jeff Gray has proven he deserves starts in the MIF as much as Nishi has. Sadly, they know what they have in Nishioka, a sunk cost. I'm bothered by this mostly because it happens in conjuction with the Valencia trade. At his worst, Valencia has been 2x as productive as Nishioka for 1/8th the cost. This audition can only be good news if it convinces Nishi to go back to Japan and reestablish himself as a successful player there.

[JB_Iowa]

I assume that you are basically saying that Casilla is the odd man out which isn't really a problem since he is undoubtedly gone after the season anyway and probably has little (if any) value on waivers. I assume that Carroll would then fill in at 3B until Plouffe comes back and would then after that would be a fill-in where the Twins need him since Plouffe should also be getting as much PT as possible.

 

And, if Nishioka is still a disaster, it is a daily reminder to the front office of a massive failure in scouting and signing him -- one we can only hope they've learned from.

[Brock Beauchamp]

I'm bothered by this mostly because it happens in conjuction with the Valencia trade. At his worst, Valencia has been 2x as productive as Nishioka for 1/8th the cost. This audition can only be good news if it convinces Nishi to go back to Japan and reestablish himself as a successful player there.

Valencia is also extremely limited as a player. He's a right-handed bench bat that can play third base and that's about it. With Plouffe on the roster and playing well, the Twins didn't have much interest in keeping Valencia around and I don't blame them for it. By most accounts, he's kind of a douche. On top of that, he stopped trying in the field and stopped hitting. I'm surprised that the Twins got anything for him and given the fact that they're going to need to start clearing space on the 40 man for some of the incoming players, his destiny was pretty much set in stone. Cut and run on the guy.

[Mauerzy4Prez]

I see this move more about the young middle infield players we have in the minors, and less about what Nishi has done to earn his call up. The Twins want Escobar to play everyday short stop in AAA, and with Nishi around that was not going to happen. He is also being paid a lot more, and the Twins didn't want to call up another young guy, have to increase their salary, and still end up paying for Nishi in AAA. I was always excited about what Nishi could do based on his play in Japan, however at this point in time I would be happy enough with a guy who can handle second base the rest of the season and try to get on base every once in a while.

[bird]

Don't you think Nishi goes right back to AAA when Plouffe is healthy? I question whether there's anything more to the story than that Nishi is the best option for this short period of time. It would surprise me if he didn't perform better than Valencia, both offensively and defensively. There are only two dozen players in the International League sporting an OPS of .750 or higher, so Nishi wasn't dreadful, just bad.

[DaveW]

Should have let him rot in the minors and maybe want him to return to Japan with his tail between his legs.

He has 5 million or so reasons not to. Hell, I'd live in Rochester for a year for that.

[Harrison Greeley III]

Since we all know his slugging pct. is going to closely mirror his batting average, we should probably stop using OPS as a detractor. I'm only really interested in how well he's making contact and getting on base at this point. And I would agree that if he's not embarrassing himself right now, you might as well give him another shot while not contending and flushing that money down the toilet anyways.

[DPJ]

He has 5 million or so reasons not to. Hell, I'd live in Rochester for a year for that.

Playing in obscurity in Rochester or back in Japan still a somewhat national hero?

 

Hell didn't Jojihma leave like 10+ million on the table with the M's?

[nokomismod]

I am wondering if they are bringing Nishi back so he can save face and retire after this season knowing that he "earned" his way back to the big leagues and not come away as a completely negative experience. He certainly didn't play his way back into the big league club. I wish the guy the best though...sounds like a stand up guy.

[savvyspy]

Just another meaningless deal by a team that has shown zero interest in getting better. There is no point in even discussing who is better between Valencia and Nishi. They both have VERY limited value and aren't going to make one bit a difference in whether or not this team is going to be in the bottom 5 worst teams in the majors. Nishi is a sunk cost so why not? Valencia is addition by subtraction. That's about it. Bigger question is how does Alexi Casilla still have a roster spot??

[DPJ]

Bigger question is how does Alexi Casilla still have a roster spot??

Casilla was learned in the Nick Punto school of under the desk job security.

[PopRiveter]

Valencia is also extremely limited as a player. He's a right-handed bench bat that can play third base and that's about it.

I absolutely agree. He can play C level defense and sometimes hit the ball hard (mostly at people.) He's a useful platoon player or fill-in. That isn't very hard to replace.

I'm just disappointed that his loss means we have to watch Nishioka play. No amount of money left on a contract will make Nishioka a competent MLB player. This is the "Scholarship Program" that was supposed to be removed. You don't have to find out what you have with Nishi. The results have been consistently bad for 2 years.

Valencia=moderate value, little cost. Nishioka=negative value, core player cost.

[DAM DC Twins Fans]

Don't you think Nishi goes right back to AAA when Plouffe is healthy?

Yes, I think that is exactly what happens. The trade itself was basically getting an overage rookie league player for Valencia (better than a bus or a bucket of balls) who was done here. Nishi gets a chance to show Twins (and 29 other teams) what his MLB value is--but a short chance.

[Rosterman]

The Twins will probably send a pitcher back for the two weeks before rosters expand in September. Look for all 40-man prospects to get the call up at that time: Hendriks, Guerra, Waldrop, Hernandez, plus Escobar, Tosoni, Parmelee. I'm thinking Benson will stay with New Britain. Assuming the Twins clear further roster space by letting some guys go in August (maybe Capps, Pavano) we might see an early add...yet Hicks is at New Britain and with them in the playoffs, probably not. I would like to see them advance Arcia to the bench, just give him some exposure to what the future might bring. The Twins do have one open roster spot and if Slama can start pitching again, would like to see him get some more major league innings. Right now, I would hate to be a disabled list pitcher who missed out on a season of opportunities: i.e. Slama and Oliveros and Gutierrez. All three are on the bubble stay on the 40-man or in the organization. 7 call-ups in September (maybe 8, depending who goes down with Plouffe comes back). Of course, make that 9 as someone has to go down when Pavano or Capps come back. I don't look for Walters return until September, if then.

[Rosterman]

Anyone of the 40-man roster before season's end can be jettisoned to add guys in the off-season. And a couple of these guys need to be kept around to jettison IF the Twins sign a free agent.

[Top Gun]

Good for him, gives Dozier a little rest. Maybe we can give Alexi away next.

[cr9617]

Let's just hurry up and close the Nishi chapter. Obviously, this guy has no future in the Majors or with the Twins.

 

On another note, hindsight being 20/20, the Valencia trade is just one more example of the Twins selling a guy when his value is at it's lowest point.

These guys haven't been on the forward thinking end of trade in who knows how long.

[Brock Beauchamp]

I absolutely agree. He can play C level defense and sometimes hit the ball hard (mostly at people.) He's a useful platoon player or fill-in. That isn't very hard to replace.

I'm just disappointed that his loss means we have to watch Nishioka play. No amount of money left on a contract will make Nishioka a competent MLB player. This is the "Scholarship Program" that was supposed to be removed. You don't have to find out what you have with Nishi. The results have been consistently bad for 2 years.

Valencia=moderate value, little cost. Nishioka=negative value, core player cost.

I don't think this is a scholarship thing at all. Nishioka is a sunk cost. Alexi Casilla is going to arbitration. Valencia has little value or use to the organization, which will be looking to add a lot of players to the 40 man in the coming year.

 

Get rid of Valencia for a marginal prospect, call up Nishioka and see if he can replace Casilla in 2013. If it works out, the Twins can decline arb on Alexi, possibly trade Carroll in the offseason, and use Nishi/Escobar in the futility/2B role. That's several million saved for 2013 and a few slots cleared off the 40 man. All in all, it could make the team both cheaper and better going forward.

[Brock Beauchamp]

Let's just hurry up and close the Nishi chapter. Obviously, this guy has no future in the Majors or with the Twins.

 

On another note, hindsight being 20/20, the Valencia trade is just one more example of the Twins selling a guy when his value is at it's lowest point.

These guys haven't been on the forward thinking end of trade in who knows how long.

Valencia did that to himself. If he wasn't so awful that the Twins were forced to send him down, his value would be higher. The Twins needed a third baseman so it's not as if they were holding him back... The only thing doing that was his level of play. He even had a shot at redemption in Rochester and continued to play like crap, putting up a .680 OPS as a 27 year old. It's not as if the Twins had much of a choice. He wasn't going to get playing time, he's not getting any younger, and the Twins need to clear some junk off the 40 man roster.

[jokin]

............ the Twins need to clear some junk off the 40 man roster.

The "heavy-lifting" phase of this junk-clearing can't begin soon enough, so that, on a more positive note, it will then be worth culling the roster in September in an attempt to unearth the next Diamond/Plouffe/Deduno/Parmelee in-the-rough.

[Brock Beauchamp]

The "heavy-lifting" phase of this junk-clearing can't begin soon enough, so that, on a more positive note, it will then be worth culling the roster in September in an attempt to unearth the next Diamond/Plouffe/Deduno/Parmelee in-the-rough.

Yep, there's more than one reliever on that 40 man roster who could use the boot.

[J-Dog Dungan]

Let's just hurry up and close the Nishi chapter. Obviously, this guy has no future in the Majors or with the Twins.

 

On another note, hindsight being 20/20, the Valencia trade is just one more example of the Twins selling a guy when his value is at it's lowest point.

These guys haven't been on the forward thinking end of trade in who knows how long.

Yes, they sold, but they got a kid who appears to have some promise down in the GCL.

[DPJ]

Yes, they sold, but they got a kid who appears to have some promise down in the GCL.

I'll take my chances with Valenica over a kid who can legally buy beer still in the GCL and thinks walks are the devil.

[BrentMpls]

I don't know if its another shot... Plouffe is supposed to be back Friday. They just need a hole plugged for a couple of games.

[DaveW]

I'll take my chances with Valenica over a kid who can legally buy beer still in the GCL and thinks walks are the devil.

Of course you would!

[DPJ]

Of course you would!

Yeah I don't like the fact that the Twins just up and gave up a guy that I still think has a roll on this team. Not an everyday roll but a roll non-the less.