Alex Meyer

[Otto von Ballpark]

Meyer logged another poor start for the Angels last night. He had a poor one in AAA prior, but the Angels apparently needed an arm to fill in for Tyler Skaggs so back to MLB he came.

 

Basically the same issues that plagued him in Minnesota:

 

http://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/angels-alex-meyer-struggles-again-thursday/

 

He lacked control and command Thursday, falling behind early in counts, leading to either walks or hard contact off the bats of Seattle hitters. Meyer possesses a high-90s fastball and a big curveball, but he has abandoned his changeup completely, leaving the tall righty with a repertoire probably better suited for the bullpen.

With Skaggs and Richards out, it will be interesting to see if Meyer gets a long-term opportunity here, and what comes of it. The Angels are not brimming with options, but they are still in the contention mix.

[theBOMisthebomb]

Maybe he's really just a bullpen guy and the Twins were correct.

[TheLeviathan]

With his command issues he may not be a major league pitcher at all.

 

It's a shame, that trade didn't work out but I supported the reasoning behind it. Some guys just never put all that talent together.

[Oldgoat_MN]

Every time Hector Santiago pitches well that trade looks better and better.

[gunnarthor]

I hope he does well.  I really think the shoulder injury that tweaked his mechanics are the problem. A shame.

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

With his command issues he may not be a major league pitcher at all.

It's a shame, that trade didn't work out but I supported the reasoning behind it. Some guys just never put all that talent together.

Yep. Sometimes good thinking leads to bad results.

 

The real heist *should* have been the Revere trade but between Worley collapsing with the Twins and May getting bounced around and injured, that trade is much closer in overall value than it should have been.

[Deduno Abides]

In this context, it's hard to fault Falvey for not trading Dozier for De Leon.

[Mike Sixel]

 

In this context, it's hard to fault Falvey for not trading Dozier for De Leon.

 

How are those related at all? 

[Otto von Ballpark]

Similar story last night, although a slightly better end result.  5 BB in 5.1 IP, but only one of them came around to score.  2 HR to Yonder Alonso -- maybe Meyer would have been better off with 2 more walks?

 

But Meyer did manage 7 K's (5 swinging), pitched into the 6th inning and got the win thanks to the Angels offense.

[Otto von Ballpark]

I missed Meyer's start yesterday (Sunday May 14), but it was his best yet in MLB, possibly his best anywhere since Rochester in April 2016.  A ground rule double and RBI single to start the game, then he didn't give up another hit until 1 out in the 6th inning.  Only scattered 2 walks in that time too, out-dueling Verlander for the win.  His final line:

 

6.1 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 7 K, 96 pitches (61 strikes)

[Han Joelo]

Good for Meyer.  And on a day when Hector stunk, no less.  

[blindeke]

 

I missed Meyer's start yesterday (Sunday May 14), but it was his best yet in MLB, possibly his best anywhere since Rochester in April 2016.  A ground rule double and RBI single to start the game, then he didn't give up another hit until 1 out in the 6th inning.  Only scattered 2 walks in that time too, out-dueling Verlander for the win.  His final line:

 

6.1 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 7 K, 96 pitches (61 strikes)

 

That is good. Those K's would look mighty tasty in the Twins rotation.

[gunnarthor]

I'm glad for him.

[DaveW]

Yeah, the Meyer and Hicks trades really could blow up in this franchises face when it's all said and done.

 

I don't think Meyer is a sure thing, but I would be much more excited about him getting starts then Tespech etc this year.

 

Sigh

[howieramone2]

 

Yeah, the Meyer and Hicks trades really could blow up in this franchises face when it's all said and done.

I don't think Meyer is a sure thing, but I would be much more excited about him getting starts then Tespech etc this year.

Sigh

Antony made a great trade. Look for Santiago to get 3 years for approximately 35-40M this offseason.

[DaveW]

The part that bugs me, is that I am 99.9% sure they could have gotten that deal done without sending along Meyer.

 

Just pick up an extra few bucks of Nolascos contract and it's a done deal.

[TheLeviathan]

 

The part that bugs me, is that I am 99.9% sure they could have gotten that deal done without sending along Meyer.

Just pick up an extra few bucks of Nolascos contract and it's a done deal.

 

Maybe, but a few decent starts doesn't make me feel any better about his shoulder.

 

The longer he stays a starter, IMO, the more risk there is he blows his arm out.

[DaveW]

Maybe, but a few decent starts doesn't make me feel any better about his shoulder.

 

The longer he stays a starter, IMO, the more risk there is he blows his arm out.

True.

 

But even then I still think he would make a potential solid closer or 8th inning guy (something the Twins don't exactly have in spades these days...)

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

The part that bugs me, is that I am 99.9% sure they could have gotten that deal done without sending along Meyer.

Just pick up an extra few bucks of Nolascos contract and it's a done deal.

I don't think that was the case. The Angels don't really give a damn about money but their farm system is laughably bad. I suspect they had to (unwillingly) take on Nolasco as part of the deal. Even getting Nolasco for free is a downgrade when you give up Santiago in return.

 

It's possible the Twins could have moved another prospect instead of Meyer but if I was the Angels, I would have absolutely demanded a prospect in the deal or there was no reason for them to make the move at all.

[DaveW]

I don't think that was the case. The Angels don't really give a damn about money but their farm system is laughably bad. I suspect they had to (unwillingly) take on Nolasco as part of the deal. Even getting Nolasco for free is a downgrade when you give up Santiago in return.

 

It's possible the Twins could have moved another prospect instead of Meyer but if I was the Angels, I would have absolutely demanded a prospect in the deal or there was no reason for them to make the move at all.

No matter the reason, trading Meyer was a stupid decision by an inept organization that hadn't won didly squat since 1991.

 

It was dumb. Period.

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

No matter the reason, trading Meyer was a stupid decision by an inept organization that hadn't won didly squat since 1991.

It was dumb. Period.

I was one of the few people lukewarm on the trade but given how Santiago has pitched and the fact the Twins are in contention in part because of his performance, it's too early to make a call on that deal.

 

We've seen flashes of competence from Meyer in the past. One game isn't going to drastically alter how I view him.

[DaveW]

A rebuilding team shouldn't trade away young arms with upside. It was dumb.

[gunnarthor]

 

A rebuilding team shouldn't trade away young arms with upside. It was dumb.

Meyer is 27 years old. He's made 10 starts in the majors. He's worth negative value so far this season. I mean, if you think the Twins shouldn't move on from guys before they're 28, that's ok. But otherwise, it was over. Move on.

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

Meyer is 27 years old. He's made 10 starts in the majors. He's worth negative value so far this season. I mean, if you think the Twins shouldn't move on from guys before they're 28, that's ok. But otherwise, it was over. Move on.

The Twins knew Meyer better than anybody so I'm viewing this trade purely results-based.

 

If Meyer succeeds, the Twins evaluated him incorrectly and got burned because of it.

 

If Meyer flounders and Santiago keeps the Twins in the race through September, the Twins made the right call. It's that simple.

 

I don't believe this is a process decision in the vein of the Meyer/Span trade, which I supported. Meyer was a high risk, high reward guy and it didn't pan out. Sometimes that happens but I liked the thinking behind the move.

 

Whereas now Meyer is 27 years old and the Twins watched him closely for 4+ seasons. What he becomes in MLB, good or bad, will tell us whether the trade was smart or dumb.

[Thrylos]

 

If Meyer flounders and Santiago keeps the Twins in the race through September, the Twins made the right call. It's that simple.

 

I think that you are forgetting something

 

It was not a Meyer for Santiago trade.   Here are the numbers of the people who were involved since the trade:

 

With Angels:
Nolasco: 3.64 ERA, 3.87 FIP, 1.154 WHIP, 7 K/9, 2 BB/9
Meyer: 5.59 ERA, 4.53 FIP, 1.466 WHIP, 9.9 K/9, 5.9 BB/9

$

 

With Twins:
Santiago: 4.82 ERA, 5.36 FIP, 1.364 WHIP, 5.8 K/9, 3.4 BB/9
Busenitz: AAA

 

Based on Nolasco's performance alone, this trade is a loss for the Twins.  Based on the fact that they paid to get a lesser pitcher, it is a disaster.

 

So far.  If Meyer develops to be better than Busentiz (what are the chances of that? ), it could very well end up being one of the worst trades in Franchise history

[drjim]

 

I think that you are forgetting something

 

It was not a Meyer for Santiago trade.   Here are the numbers of the people who were involved since the trade:

 

With Angels:
Nolasco: 3.64 ERA, 3.87 FIP, 1.154 WHIP, 7 K/9, 2 BB/9
Meyer: 5.59 ERA, 4.53 FIP, 1.466 WHIP, 9.9 K/9, 5.9 BB/9

$

 

With Twins:
Santiago: 4.82 ERA, 5.36 FIP, 1.364 WHIP, 5.8 K/9, 3.4 BB/9
Busenitz: AAA

 

Based on Nolasco's performance alone, this trade is a loss for the Twins.  Based on the fact that they paid to get a lesser pitcher, it is a disaster.

 

So far.  If Meyer develops to be better than Busentiz (what are the chances of that? ), it could very well end up being one of the worst trades in Franchise history

 

I appreciated Santiago's contributions to getting the #1 pick last year. But on a more direct point, the performance of either last year didn't matter. It was time for Nolasco to go.

 

I do agree that if Meyer turns into a consistent mid-rotation starter, this trade is a disaster.

[gunnarthor]

 

I think that you are forgetting something

 

It was not a Meyer for Santiago trade.   Here are the numbers of the people who were involved since the trade:

 

With Angels:
Nolasco: 3.64 ERA, 3.87 FIP, 1.154 WHIP, 7 K/9, 2 BB/9
Meyer: 5.59 ERA, 4.53 FIP, 1.466 WHIP, 9.9 K/9, 5.9 BB/9

$

 

With Twins:
Santiago: 4.82 ERA, 5.36 FIP, 1.364 WHIP, 5.8 K/9, 3.4 BB/9
Busenitz: AAA

 

Based on Nolasco's performance alone, this trade is a loss for the Twins.  Based on the fact that they paid to get a lesser pitcher, it is a disaster.

 

So far.  If Meyer develops to be better than Busentiz (what are the chances of that? ), it could very well end up being one of the worst trades in Franchise history

And just a few more stats

Nolasco, ERA+ 91, -0.2 fWAR, 0.4 bWAR

Santiago, ERA+ 108, 0.6 fWAR, 0.6 bWAR

[Mike Sixel]

 

The Twins knew Meyer better than anybody so I'm viewing this trade purely results-based.

 

If Meyer succeeds, the Twins evaluated him incorrectly and got burned because of it.

 

If Meyer flounders and Santiago keeps the Twins in the race through September, the Twins made the right call. It's that simple.

 

I don't believe this is a process decision in the vein of the Meyer/Span trade, which I supported. Meyer was a high risk, high reward guy and it didn't pan out. Sometimes that happens but I liked the thinking behind the move.

 

Whereas now Meyer is 27 years old and the Twins watched him closely for 4+ seasons. What he becomes in MLB, good or bad, will tell us whether the trade was smart or dumb.

 

Agreed.

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

I think that you are forgetting something

 

It was not a Meyer for Santiago trade.   Here are the numbers of the people who were involved since the trade:

 

With Angels:
Nolasco: 3.64 ERA, 3.87 FIP, 1.154 WHIP, 7 K/9, 2 BB/9
Meyer: 5.59 ERA, 4.53 FIP, 1.466 WHIP, 9.9 K/9, 5.9 BB/9

$

 

With Twins:
Santiago: 4.82 ERA, 5.36 FIP, 1.364 WHIP, 5.8 K/9, 3.4 BB/9
Busenitz: AAA

 

Based on Nolasco's performance alone, this trade is a loss for the Twins.  Based on the fact that they paid to get a lesser pitcher, it is a disaster.

 

So far.  If Meyer develops to be better than Busentiz (what are the chances of that? ), it could very well end up being one of the worst trades in Franchise history

I'm intentionally writing off Nolasco because it became apparent he simply wasn't going to pitch well in Minnesota. I have no idea why he imploded - maybe it was the old front office's fault - but he was a terrible pitcher nearly every time he took the mound for the Twins. Given that he started 56 games with the team, I have absolutely no reason to think he'd be any different in 2017 than he was in 2014-2016 if he was still wearing a Twins jersey.

[Thrylos]

 

And just a few more stats

Nolasco, ERA+ 91, -0.2 fWAR, 0.4 bWAR

Santiago, ERA+ 108, 0.6 fWAR, 0.6 bWAR

 

Not sure where you found those stats, but since the trade:

 

Nolasco: ERA+ 110, 1.8 bWAR

Santiago: ERA+ 87,  0.9 bWAR