January 20, 20206 yr The season hasn't started yet, but I was motivated to start this thread a bit early after getting a message from Van, suggesting that I start one for the new season. He also mentioned that Carlos Gomez had announced his retirement, which I hadn't heard yet. Anyway, this thread can serve as sort of reminder or "heads up" about what has happened to those well-loved and not-so-well-loved ex-Twins players who are still playing in 2020.
January 20, 20206 yr My favorite Twins squad ever (2009) has 2 players left that will probably ever play MLB again: Francisco Liriano and Anthony Swarzak. Edit: Pat Neshek is the only other current MLB player who played for the Twins pre-2010.
January 22, 20206 yr Francisco Liriano signed with the Phillies for 1.5 million. Would’ve loved this deal if the Twins bullpen wasn’t already 10-deep with solid relievers
January 22, 20206 yr Francisco Liriano signed with the Phillies for 1.5 million. Would’ve loved this deal if the Twins bullpen wasn’t already 10-deep with solid relievers I always thought Liriano could've become a closer. Sadly his BB rate isn't that good. But he is a lefty who could throw multiple innings. The Phillies took a flyer on a spring training invite.
January 22, 20206 yr Rene Rivera inked a minor league deal with the Mets and yesterday the White Sox signed Adalberto Mejía to a minor league contract.
January 22, 20206 yr Former Twins legend Hector Santiago signed a minor league deal + ST invite with the Detroit Kitties.
January 22, 20206 yr Brian Dozier. Got a ring last year. So did Kurt Suzuki. The Yankees may sign Dozier. Didn't see anything regarding Suzuki.
January 22, 20206 yr Brian Dozier. Got a ring last year. So did Kurt Suzuki. Didn't see anything regarding Suzuki."Zuke" is listed as one of the catchers on the Nationals 40-man roster. I assume he and Gomes will split time there again this year.
January 22, 20206 yr Cron and Schoop joined Gardy in Detroit. Liam Hendriks turned into a bullpen stud with the A's. Pressley still at the back end of the Astro's pen. Aaron Hicks still in NY pin stripes. Martin Perez in Boston. Wilson Ramos in Tampa. Kyle Gibson in Texas. Eduardo Escobar in Arizona.
January 22, 20206 yr Escobar led all of MLB last year with 10 triples. Not a bad triple slash line either. .269 .320 .51135 hr and 118 rbi.He did strike out 130 times and that obp would've been 8th on the Twins last year. His contract is smaller than Marwin's but he gets to play every day.
January 22, 20206 yr Danny Santana was a productive utility player with Texas last year. Not great defensively but his bat plays. Still under control there through 2022
January 23, 20206 yr Shane Robinson signed with the Braves on a minor league deal. Wilson Ramos is a Met, not TB Ray
January 23, 20206 yr DruBu is still hanging around on a minors deal in Colorado!Amazing, really. Would anyone ever have guessed he would have 8 years service time in the MLB and play professional baseball at 36 years old? The dude has a career -3.2 bWAR!
January 23, 20206 yr Escobar led all of MLB last year with 10 triples. Not a bad triple slash line either. .269 .320 .51135 hr and 118 rbi.He did strike out 130 times and that obp would've been 8th on the Twins last year. His contract is smaller than Marwin's but he gets to play every day.I thought that was a typo when you listed his HR and RBI total last year. Good lord, I don’t want to hear anyone to pump up HR or RBI anymore after reading that. In no unjuiced baseball world would someone like Eduardo Escobar have 35 HR in a season.
January 23, 20206 yr MLB Trade Rumors front page today is a fascinating look at the Twins then-and-now.
January 24, 20206 yr J.T. Chargois signed with the the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB).
January 24, 20206 yr Looks like Alan Busenitz will be Shaggy's teammate in Japan. We played for the Golden Eagles last season and signed a one-year deal with them for 2020.
January 24, 20206 yr I thought that was a typo when you listed his HR and RBI total last year. Good lord, I don’t want to hear anyone to pump up HR or RBI anymore after reading that. In no unjuiced baseball world would someone like Eduardo Escobar have 35 HR in a season.When Escobar tells his grand-kids that he hit 35 home runs in the major leagues in 2019, he probably won't mention that Danny Santana hit 28. Danny Santana's career HR% going into 2019:----- 1.1% (13 in 1165 PA)Danny Santana's HR% in 2019: -----5.5% (28 in 511 PA)
January 24, 20206 yr Jason Castro signed with the Angels. Zach Granite signed a minor deal with the Yankees. Trevor Hildenberger signed a minor league deal with the Red Sox. Tim Melville was removed from the Rockies 40 man roster. Aaron Slegers signed a minor league deal with the Rays.
January 24, 20206 yr Kohl Stewart with the Orioles on a split contracts. Stephen Gonsalves with the Mets. Michael Tonkin at AAA for the Diamondbacks.
January 28, 20206 yr Twins East continues. I could have sworn Gardy did not like him. Best of luck when not facing the Twins https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2020/01/minor-mlb-transactions-12720.html
January 28, 20206 yr The Marlins found their closer of the near future? https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2020/01/marlins-to-sign-brandon-kintzler.html
January 28, 20206 yr The Marlins found their closer of the near future? https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2020/01/marlins-to-sign-brandon-kintzler.html"Despite being in the bottom eighth percentile of hard-hit ball rate, opposing batters couldn’t do much with that hard contact, as Kintzler also posted a low exit velocity (19th percentile) and limited batters to a .265 wOBA that was only slightly lower than his .286 xwOBA." Start cast people, this makes it sound like Kintzler is among the worst in limiting hard contact but very good at limiting exit velocity? Doesn't make sense to me...
January 28, 20206 yr "Despite being in the bottom eighth percentile of hard-hit ball rate, opposing batters couldn’t do much with that hard contact, as Kintzler also posted a low exit velocity (19th percentile) and limited batters to a .265 wOBA that was only slightly lower than his .286 xwOBA." Start cast people, this makes it sound like Kintzler is among the worst in limiting hard contact but very good at limiting exit velocity? Doesn't make sense to me...This would mean that he also induces a lot of soft contact, which brings down his average exit velocity. I would think this is true of a lot of extreme ground ball pitchers, though I haven't looked.
January 28, 20206 yr I was actually open to a Kintzler return to Minnesota. He’ll do well in Miami and most certainly be a trade target in July.
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