Front Page: Report: Twins to Re-sign Reliever Sergio Romo

[Dantes929]

 

So far this offseason has been the definition of insanity.  The Twins have just been re-signing the same people who went 3 and out (again) in the postseason and apparently are expecting different results...

 

They need to start making some trades

I could probably give you thousands of examples of anecdotal evidence of a team losing a game or series and then putting out the same team the next time and having different results.     Twins scored 7 runs in 3 games  in the playoffs so better get a whole different lineup because if you don't they will only score 7 runs next year?   They had bases loaded and no outs and didn't score so next year they won't get a big hit either?   The Nationals were a two out 3 run single from being eliminated in the wild card game.   If they had I am sure the fans would have said " We haven't advanced  past the first round of the playoffs in 49 years.   This team just wasn't capable of doing any better".   But because they did have that big play we know better.     Its baseball.   With the same team guys will improve or get worse.  The only guy I really wanted in free agency is Ryu.   My biggest fear, and it was a distinct possibility is that we would also lose Pineda and Odorizzi.   91 Twins didn't go  from worst to first by signing an aging pitcher coming off two mediocre years and an untested rookie at 2nd base.   They went from worst to first because those guys had a great year and everyone that played on the last place team simply played better.    I'll hang my hat on a team that won over a 100 games last year.   They might be better, they might be worse but they are unlikely to be the same.   

[mikelink45]

Well the obvious response is - the easiest signings are those that were last with our team.  Welcome back Sergio - you will know everyone on the team when you come back.

[D.C Twins]

 

So far this offseason has been the definition of insanity.  The Twins have just been re-signing the same people who went 3 and out (again) in the postseason and apparently are expecting different results...

 

They need to start making some trades

Just wanted to make sure people read this again

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

Seems high. Doesn't this seem high? Seems high.

$5 mil would represent Romo's highest salary since 2016, which was from a contract he got when he was a closer for the 2014 world champ Giants (2 years, $14 mil for 2015-2016). The last 3 years have been a succession of 1-year deals at 3, 2.5, and 2.5 mil.

 

Obviously, if it's only for one year, being high by 1-2 mil probably doesn't matter all that much. But it does feel a touch high.

[D.C Twins]

 

I could probably give you thousands of examples of anecdotal evidence of a team losing a game or series and then putting out the same team the next time and having different results.     Twins scored 7 runs in 3 games  in the playoffs so better get a whole different lineup because if you don't they will only score 7 runs next year?   They had bases loaded and no outs and didn't score so next year they won't get a big hit either?   The Nationals were a two out 3 run single from being eliminated in the wild card game.   If they had I am sure the fans would have said " We haven't advanced  past the first round of the playoffs in 49 years.   This team just wasn't capable of doing any better".   But because they did have that big play we know better.     Its baseball.   With the same team guys will improve or get worse.  The only guy I really wanted in free agency is Ryu.   My biggest fear, and it was a distinct possibility is that we would also lose Pineda and Odorizzi.   91 Twins didn't go  from worst to first by signing an aging pitcher coming off two mediocre years and an untested rookie at 2nd base.   They went from worst to first because those guys had a great year and everyone that played on the last place team simply played better.    I'll hang my hat on a team that won over a 100 games last year.   They might be better, they might be worse but they are unlikely to be the same.   

Well....the 87 team  had this ACE called Frank Viola and then they TRADED their ACE for a #2/3 in Kevin Tapani as well as a shut down closer in Rick Aguilera (sp?) and then SIGNED a replacement  ACE called Jack Morris.                                           

  

So in summary  they used creative ways to improve their pitching through TRADES and FREE AGENCY (I don't recall Minnesota having a bigger payroll OR being more of a destination location then)

 

So thanks for reminding us all that big things CAN be accomplished with creativity and a little intestinal fortitude even in a small market team!

[D.C Twins]

And again, for everyone keeping track at home, we had a shut down starting pitcher and reliever (or two if you count Senior Smoke in '87) when we won BOTH world series.

 

We have neither (and no Rodgers is not there yet due to his lack of durability in back to backs)

 

Yes these things  matter if we have hope of a WS...

[D.C Twins]

Oh and Dantes929, the '91 Twins literally DID "go from worst to first by signing an aging pitcher coming off two mediocre years"

 

They signed a 36 y/o Jack Morris in fact who had actually come off exactly two mediocre (or just bad) years with ERA+ OF 79 and 89.

 

 

Kevin M took a chance because, you know, he wanted to actually win the WS and not get pantsed in the playoffs

[RaoulDuke]

Very happy to have Romo back, he pitched well for us, is a great vet presence, and is maybe my favorite interview the Twins have ever had. 

 

I am not super excited if they count on him as the main setup guy again, I still want a big RH to pair with Rodgers, but he is certainly a major step above the Blane Boyer/  Blake Parker kinda guy that is the usual off season bullpen addition.

[adorduan]

 

I could probably give you thousands of examples of anecdotal evidence of a team losing a game or series and then putting out the same team the next time and having different results.     Twins scored 7 runs in 3 games  in the playoffs so better get a whole different lineup because if you don't they will only score 7 runs next year?   They had bases loaded and no outs and didn't score so next year they won't get a big hit either?   The Nationals were a two out 3 run single from being eliminated in the wild card game.   If they had I am sure the fans would have said " We haven't advanced  past the first round of the playoffs in 49 years.   This team just wasn't capable of doing any better".   But because they did have that big play we know better.     Its baseball.   With the same team guys will improve or get worse.  The only guy I really wanted in free agency is Ryu.   My biggest fear, and it was a distinct possibility is that we would also lose Pineda and Odorizzi.   91 Twins didn't go  from worst to first by signing an aging pitcher coming off two mediocre years and an untested rookie at 2nd base.   They went from worst to first because those guys had a great year and everyone that played on the last place team simply played better.    I'll hang my hat on a team that won over a 100 games last year.   They might be better, they might be worse but they are unlikely to be the same.   

I don't want to get too off track with this post, but just to show how much the game has changed, the Twins pitching staff in 1991 averaged 5.4 K per 9 innings.. the 5 main starters that year were 5.9,5,4.8,3.4 and 6.6 K/9.

[goulik]

Very happy with the Twins moves so far this off season. I hoped we could get Odorizzi, Pineda, and Romo back. I hoped we would non tender Cron and go a different direction at catcher. I’m still having a hard time waiting for the other Starting Pitcher but that would finish my off season plan.

[DocBauer]

They don't have enough starts around right to fill the rotation much less convert one to the 'pen.

Talking about two entirely different scenarios here. I fully appreciate the need for another high end SP. I'm still high on that agenda! But we are also talking about building the best TEAM you can. And that includes adding to what already looks like a pretty good pen, with guys really, really close to providing help. But one this pen really needs is a quality LH arm for the middle innings that doesn't push Smeltzer or Thorpe there right away so they can continue to challenge for SP slots. There are guys like Matt Moore and Drew Smyly...recently brought up by Nick as possible, inexpensive fliers, that I think the Twins should be making hard sales pitches toward about converting to the bullpen.

 

They both have live arms, and were once considered decent prospects. Each has had some ML success. Each has had injuries that have derailed their careers. Especially considering the way the game has changed, and the fact a quality RP can still command anywhere from $3M-7M-double digit millions per year...potentially...adding an arm like that could take this quality bullpen and send it to the next level.

 

Consider:

 

Rogers

Duffey

May

Romo

Moore/Smyly

Littell

Stashak

 

8th spot and waiting in the wings, Romero, Alcala, Poppen, maybe Eisler, in addition to SP options, Harper and similar flier invite types who could help/surprise.

[IndianaTwin]

Where does this signing put us? The Google doc roster would show us at just over $110MM, but that includes a full season of all the guys on the 40-man.

 

 

[USAFChief]

"Underwhelmed" is the word that comes to mind.

[Dantes929]

 

And again, for everyone keeping track at home, we had a shut down starting pitcher and reliever (or two if you count Senior Smoke in '87) when we won BOTH world series.

 

We have neither (and no Rodgers is not there yet due to his lack of durability in back to backs)

 

Yes these things  matter if we have hope of a WS...

Senior Smoke had a 3.99 ERA and Reardon had a 4.5 ERA.   Hardly shut down relievers   Viola   was coming off a 4.5 ERA year in 86 and 4.09 in 85.   My point was no way before the year began were you saying Viola was an ace.    No way before the season began were you saying 36 year old Morris was going to throw one of the greatest WS games ever.    You would be saying "Boy,, another washed up veteran.   Aren't they ever going to try to  win?"    You were probably even saying "Cheap Twins trading a Cy Young winner because they don't want to pay to keep him from being a free agent".   If the Twins win the WS next year in some future year you will be talking about what great moves the Twins made to sign Cruz, resign Odorizzi and Pineda and rely on young Graterol to have a big year.

[AlwaysinModeration]

Where does this signing put us? The Google doc roster would show us at just over $110MM, but that includes a full season of all the guys on the 40-man.

Roster Resource has the current group (of 19 players) totaling $106.6mm. They will need to fill out the 26 man roster with players, though, so $110 sounds about right as of now.

 

https://www.rosterresource.com/mlb-minnesota-twins-info/

[IndianaTwin]

Roster Resource has the current group (of 19 players) totaling $106.6mm. They will need to fill out the 26 man roster with players, though, so $110 sounds about right as of now.https://www.rosterresource.com/mlb-minnesota-twins-info/

Thanks. It looks like that, according to Note No. 7, they have built in the remainder of the 26-man roster into the $7.889MM figure in the section with Garver and Arraez, so the $106.6MM would be their projection.

[big dog]

 

Well....the 87 team  had this ACE called Frank Viola and then they TRADED their ACE for a #2/3 in Kevin Tapani as well as a shut down closer in Rick Aguilera (sp?) and then SIGNED a replacement  ACE called Jack Morris.                                           

  

So in summary  they used creative ways to improve their pitching through TRADES and FREE AGENCY (I don't recall Minnesota having a bigger payroll OR being more of a destination location then)

 

So thanks for reminding us all that big things CAN be accomplished with creativity and a little intestinal fortitude even in a small market team!

 

More info on that deal- Viola was having a non-ACE year (8-12, ERA of 3.79 after 2.90/2.64 the previous years) but he still had a few good years left. Tapani was in the minors, with only 3 appearances in the majors, but he worked out.  Aguilera was a stud reliever, but was not really a "shut-down" closer with the Mets- he had mainly been a starter for the Mets until that year.  When he was traded he had 19 appearances in relief, with 7 saves and a record of 6-6.  He told the Twins he wanted to start, which he did for the rest of the year.  Then he agreed to close in 1990 and he became Aggie.

 

As someone mentioned earlier, I don't think anyone thought Morris was an ace in the spring of 1991. He hadn't received any votes for the Cy Young Award since 1987, when he finished 9th, which was also the last time he'd been an All-Star.  He had a great year in '91, but I think it was far above what the Twins had hoped for.

 

That was a really good trade, no question.  I'm not sure how this relates to what the team might be able to do today, though.  I do like the idea of trades, but I think it would have to work the other way, with four or five young players going for an established star.

 

 

 

[In My La Z boy]

 

Senior Smoke had a 3.99 ERA and Reardon had a 4.5 ERA.   Hardly shut down relievers   Viola   was coming off a 4.5 ERA year in 86 and 4.09 in 85.   My point was no way before the year began were you saying Viola was an ace.    No way before the season began were you saying 36 year old Morris was going to throw one of the greatest WS games ever.    You would be saying "Boy,, another washed up veteran.   Aren't they ever going to try to  win?"    You were probably even saying "Cheap Twins trading a Cy Young winner because they don't want to pay to keep him from being a free agent".   If the Twins win the WS next year in some future year you will be talking about what great moves the Twins made to sign Cruz, resign Odorizzi and Pineda and rely on young Graterol to have a big year.

This is the frame of reference. I remember being quite underwhelmed over the winter of '90/'91. I think there is a good probability that Berrios/Odo & Pineda stack up very nicely with anyone else's top 3 - and can any of these 3 have a top tier year - No question one or two of them can, maybe all 3? 
I've heard we can expect some offensive regression - I am not so sure about that. Yes, maybe Garver/Cruz & Arraez can't possibly duplicate last year, but holy cow if we finally get a full season from Buxton & Sano, and Kep takes another step, Rosario improves I think - our offense should not be an issue with this lineup.
We could see another rookie breakout by mid-June in Kiriloff or Larnach or another surprise candidate. It is important to remember that getting to the Yankees series, and getting our face smashed in, might have been the necessary "experience" this squad needed to become clutch next time around.The groundwork has been laid, but as in the winter of '90/'91 - it doesn't quite look that way yet. 

[Doctor Wu]

I'm happy to have him back, but I have the feeling that this may be the last "name" free agent we end up signing before the new season starts. Time to make a trade and get that starting pitcher we need. Arizona? Colorado?

[lukeduke1980]

As long as Romo can spin his sliders he'll be useful.  If nothing else after Odo puts in his typical 5 and 2/3, but has 112 pitches and 2 runners on base, Romo can put out that fire.

[strumdatjaguar]

It will be fun having back a guy with a great slider and even better post-game interviews. Yet, part of me wonders how he doubles his salary st age 37.

[rdehring]

Great one year contract with an option should he have another good year.  Was a bit surprised at the amount, but he should be a good veteran in what is still a very young bullpen.

 

His signing brings the 40-man to 38.  That's only two open spots with the likelihood of four additional signings over the next couple months...a lefty reliever, two starting pitchers and a player to address the corner infield need.  Perhaps one will come via trade, but even so there is a good chance they will have to make one more cut to the current 38 players on the roster.  It's also possible they will bring in only one more starting pitcher and give the #5 spot to the winner of the young gun competition.

 

 

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

Roster Resource has the current group (of 19 players) totaling $106.6mm. They will need to fill out the 26 man roster with players, though, so $110 sounds about right as of now.

https://www.rosterresource.com/mlb-minnesota-twins-info/

 

 

Thanks. It looks like that, according to Note No. 7, they have built in the remainder of the 26-man roster into the $7.889MM figure in the section with Garver and Arraez, so the $106.6MM would be their projection.

 

I like Cot's as a resource. They also include a little bit different estimate for the pre-arb group.

 

https://legacy.baseballprospectus.com/compensation/cots/american-league/minnesota-twins/

 

Their Twins 2020-2024 payroll and tax tracker:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1QXhMYkMxJE1VJvZiNMS1X7OHPFNaIVUjd-m1ZBCzHL4/edit#gid=1520401900

 

They had us at about $101 mil before Romo, but also before deducting Pineda's salary while suspended. So...

 

101 plus Romo's 5 minus Pineda's 2.4 = $103.6 mil

 

Maybe they have slightly different arb estimates?

[bird]

 

Find some starting pitching.

 

 

 

No, they should just stop with this move. Do nothing some more.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

Kevin M took a chance because, you know, he wanted to actually win the WS and not get pantsed in the playoffs

Kevin McAllister? He ran the Twins in 1991? Was this some kind of Home Alone / Little Big League mash-up?

[Otto von Ballpark]

Mandatory graphic for Romo posts:

 

[big dog]

Very happy to see Sergio back on the time {insert graphic}.  Valuable piece of the puzzle.

[nicksaviking]

 

I'm happy to have him back, but I have the feeling that this may be the last "name" free agent we end up signing before the new season starts. Time to make a trade and get that starting pitcher we need. Arizona? Colorado?

 

Even when the Twins were losing 90-100 games they signed bigger free agents than Romo. Nolasco, Lynn, Santana, Reed, Pineda, Castro, Cruz/Gonsalaz/Schoop last year. This happens most years, the Twins don't sign guys until right around Christmas and no one's happy (me included).

 

With Wheeler (and the pie-in-the-sky names) gone Ryu and Donaldson are the only two free agents I have more than a passing interest in, but there are a lot of guys aside from those two that are bigger "names" than Romo and I'm sure there will be some signed.

[mikelink45]

Well I would have to look at the off season and list what I learned - no one wants to play here except players who have played here.  We wanted to improve the rotation and it is the same except for two pitchers who have not been replaced, the BP looks the same, but no Sam Dyson - what a great player he was for us, the Bombas are the same except we have no first baseman and we no longer have Schoop.  What am I missing.  Oh wait, we no longer have Castro as backup catcher and everyone is excited because Avila turns out to be better than Juan in some obscure stat and therefore we are better at backup catcher. 

 

I keep thinking of the movie - Ground Hog Day https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQCG2AwzTxA

[SwainZag]

The deal comes out to:

 

2020: $4.75M 

2021: Team Option of $5M with a $250K buyout.

 

http://www.startribune.com/reliever-sergio-romo-will-return-to-twins/566260782/

 

I dig the option for a 2nd year.

 

Also, let's try and keep this thread about Sergio Romo and not what people think about the front office's other moves and non moves they have made this offseason.