Rumor: Devin Smeltzer signs Minor League Pact with The Fish

[MN_ExPat]

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2023/01/marlins-devin-smeltzer-agree-to-minor-league-contract.html

Per MLBTR, Devins Smeltzer has signed a Minor Leagie deal with a ST Invite with the Marlins.  I for one wish you well Devin and God Speed this next season.

View full rumor

[Dman]

I really liked Devin and thought he pitched well last year.  At the MLB level he worked to a 3.70 ERA and 1.22 WHIP.  Those are nice numbers but his K rate was really, really low.  I am guessing that is why the Twins were able to get him through waivers, as most teams felt they had something better on their 40 than Smeltzer.

While I am happy he found a team in Miami to take him in, it is really going to be tough to break in to that rotation unless they have several injuries.  Still, good for him.  I will always root for him and enjoyed watching him pitch for the Twins.   

[rwilfong86]

Great story with him beating cancer as a kid and doing so well for stretches last season. Best of luck in Miami!

[CRF]

I wish him the best, but I won't miss him. Not enough velo to make it work. When he was hitting his spots, he was average at best...when he wasn't, he got lit up pretty good.

[bird]

16 minutes ago, CRF said:

I wish him the best, but I won't miss him. Not enough velo to make it work. When he was hitting his spots, he was average at best...when he wasn't, he got lit up pretty good.

Yeah, but I'll miss him more than Chris Archer and Dylan Bundy. What I certainly won't miss? That Bundy, Archer, and Smelter started about a dozen more games than Gray, Ryan, and Ober (or Winder) last year. Those three were pretty much unwatchable for me.

 

[TwinsDr2021]

25 minutes ago, CRF said:

I wish him the best, but I won't miss him. Not enough velo to make it work. When he was hitting his spots, he was average at best...when he wasn't, he got lit up pretty good.

I also wish him the best and won't really be missed, but lets not forget he had 6 quality starts in his 12 starts. Gray had 9 in 24, and Ryan 11 in 27, so average at best might not be accurate (he only gave up 3 or more runs in 4 times last year). He is never going to be a star in the league but I am not sure you could ask for a better AAAA starter.

[Parfigliano]

1 hour ago, Dman said:

I really liked Devin and thought he pitched well last year.  At the MLB level he worked to a 3.70 ERA and 1.22 WHIP.  Those are nice numbers but his K rate was really, really low.  I am guessing that is why the Twins were able to get him through waivers, as most teams felt they had something better on their 40 than Smeltzer.

While I am happy he found a team in Miami to take him in, it is really going to be tough to break in to that rotation unless they have several injuries.  Still, good for him.  I will always root for him and enjoyed watching him pitch for the Twins.   

He showed that you dont have to throw 97+ to be effective.  

[h2oface]

On 1/24/2023 at 1:56 PM, TwinsDr2021 said:

I also wish him the best and won't really be missed, but lets not forget he had 6 quality starts in his 12 starts. Gray had 9 in 24, and Ryan 11 in 27, so average at best might not be accurate (he only gave up 3 or more runs in 4 times last year). He is never going to be a star in the league but I am not sure you could ask for a better AAAA starter.

We had that many games Baldy let the pitcher complete, and the pitcher could complete, 6 innings? Not that it is a lot, but it still surprises me.

[LonelyseatinMOA]

They should turn him into Richard Bleier 2.0

[tarheeltwinsfan]

Good luck and best wishes to Devin.

[Nine of twelve]

47 minutes ago, CRF said:

I wish him the best, but I won't miss him. Not enough velo to make it work. When he was hitting his spots, he was average at best...when he wasn't, he got lit up pretty good.

This is the crux of the matter. If he pitches perfectly he does well, but he has essentially no margin of error. If he's the least bit off he is extremely hittable.

[bloggymcbloggerson]

hey good for him. seemed like a nice dude and had stretches where he was decent. 

[Fatbat]

I really like him. I hope he pitches against us someday and we light him up. Lol 

[MMMordabito]

Good luck to Smeltzer.  I hope he can keep living the dream.

[Rosterman]

He's a lefty. Would be a solid long guy. The flip ws that he ws eligible to become a free agent if no one grabbed him for their own 40-man.

[old nurse]

Good luck to him. I hear that Miami is short a pitcher now.

[bighat]

On 1/24/2023 at 4:56 PM, TwinsDr2021 said:

He is never going to be a star in the league but I am not sure you could ask for a better AAAA starter.

My first thought upon seeing the Smeltzer news was that he's a perfect example of an AAAA guy. Nice guy to have on a shuttle, especially in July if you're looking to get your aces a day off here and there. 

Smeltzer was the last surviving piece of the Brian Dozier trade (with Luke Raley and Kevin Forsyth both being long gone).

The guy's carved out a nice career for himself. Well done indeed.  

[Riverbrian]

Devin Smeltzer threw 140 innings for the Minnesota Twins. 

9 Wins - 4 Losses

Career ERA: 3.99 and he made the major league minimum and was never considered for a spot in the rotation of his own. 

Meanwhile, Dylan Bundy threw 140 innings for the Minnesota Twins in 2022. 

8 Wins - 8 Losses: ERA 4.89. We paid him 4 million plus the 1 million buyout and he was never in danger of losing his spot in the rotation. 

If I was Devin... It would be hard not to extend a middle finger as I left for Miami. 

[gil4]

On 1/24/2023 at 4:17 PM, Nine of twelve said:

This is the crux of the matter. If he pitches perfectly he does well, but he has essentially no margin of error. If he's the least bit off he is extremely hittable.

I was there for one of the games he wasn't perfect, and it looked like batting practice.  (at Texas)   I wish him the best and hope he can stay on that tightrope he walks.

 

[Rosterman]

He was a lefty, which is always a nice option to have. Plus he could pitch multiple innings. I'm sue he would like to remain a starter, but anyway you can get (and stay) in the majors, someone should take. He would've been an excellent backup at AAA (shades of Derek Rodriguez and Chi Chi). Still young. You go for the opportunity.

[twinfan]

I thought he did a decent job and could give good innings. Hopefully he will make the majors with Miami but don't expect him to start unless injuries come up.

[Unwinder]

I saw him play - I want to say the Rays - last year and he absolutely cruised through six scoreless innings, but they put him in for a 7th and he got immediately shelled. Pretty good example of how fragile his arsenal is. Hard not to root for a crafty lefty though.

[h2oface]

On 1/27/2023 at 11:47 AM, Unwinder said:

I saw him play - I want to say the Rays - last year and he absolutely cruised through six scoreless innings, but they put him in for a 7th and he got immediately shelled. Pretty good example of how fragile his arsenal is. Hard not to root for a crafty lefty though.

I watched Kershaw pitch a flawless 6 innings, and then get shelled in the 7th. Several times actually. Some in the post-season. Is that the same kind of example of fragility?

[Unwinder]

13 hours ago, h2oface said:

I watched Kershaw pitch a flawless 6 innings, and then get shelled in the 7th.Several times actually. Some in the post-season. Is that the same kind of example of fragility?

Fair enough, guess ot can happen to anyone

[Cris E]

On 1/26/2023 at 7:20 AM, Riverbrian said:

Devin Smeltzer threw 140 innings for the Minnesota Twins. 

9 Wins - 4 Losses

Career ERA: 3.99 and he made the major league minimum and was never considered for a spot in the rotation of his own. 

Meanwhile, Dylan Bundy threw 140 innings for the Minnesota Twins in 2022. 

8 Wins - 8 Losses: ERA 4.89. We paid him 4 million plus the 1 million buyout and he was never in danger of losing his spot in the rotation. 

If I was Devin... It would be hard not to extend a middle finger as I left for Miami. 

Dylan Bundy, for good or ill, is a Proven Veteran with 160 starts, almost 1000 innings in eight big league seasons. He's a known and proven quantity. It's not great quality, but in a season where the Twins were going to be counting on a lot of Smeltzers it was good to have one guy in the #4 hole that they could count on and who might rally and move up to #3.

Devin Smelter had 7 starts and 70 career innings and managed to deliver 70 more with a 5.23 FIP which was a run and a half worse than his ERA, indicating that it was likely unsustainable.

If you want to be stomping around flipping off management about unfair treatment in a situation like that I'll just say that I'm glad you don't work for me. In his shoes it should always be a "Thanks for the opportunities, see you 'round" in case he washes out in Miami and needs a home in six months.

[Riverbrian]

3 hours ago, Cris E said:

Dylan Bundy, for good or ill, is a Proven Veteran with 160 starts, almost 1000 innings in eight big league seasons. He's a known and proven quantity. It's not great quality, but in a season where the Twins were going to be counting on a lot of Smeltzers it was good to have one guy in the #4 hole that they could count on and who might rally and move up to #3.

Devin Smelter had 7 starts and 70 career innings and managed to deliver 70 more with a 5.23 FIP which was a run and a half worse than his ERA, indicating that it was likely unsustainable.

If you want to be stomping around flipping off management about unfair treatment in a situation like that I'll just say that I'm glad you don't work for me. In his shoes it should always be a "Thanks for the opportunities, see you 'round" in case he washes out in Miami and needs a home in six months.

I was half joking about the middle finger but since you took me seriously... I do agree that Dylan Bundy was a known and proven quantity... Career ERA of 4.74 and we got a 4.89 in 2022. WHIP 1.30 and we got a 1.27 in 2022. Fielding Independent Pitching 4.68 which suggests that those numbers were indeed sustainable.

Since Smeltzers 5.23 FIP in 2022 is the stat you have chosen to highlight for sustainability. Dylan Bundy had a FIP of 5.51 in 2021 the year before the Twins signed him. I guess that suggests he was better than the 6.06 ERA he produced in 2021. 

I'm not making a case for Smeltzer remaining in our rotation this year because I've got 10 pitchers on the current staff that I like better. I'm not even making a case that Smeltzer should have been a guy that we staffed up when putting together the roster in the spring of 2022.  

But I am saying this... These guys want a major league job and they'd like to keep that job and make it a career... this is the dream... this is what they work for... they want the ball on that hill, they want an organization that believes in them and gives them a chance and they will report to AAA to keep the dream alive but AAA is not where they want to be when they are so close that they can taste it.

Smeltzer would have loved the opportunity that Bundy got. Smeltzer I assume would like a multi-year deal that provides income that can set up a family for generations. There is a lot riding on the line for players that we all flippantly call AAAA. 

Who knows but it would take incredible character to sit and watch Bundy and Archer get the ball time and time again knowing that your performance was better without frustration. It's quite likely that Smeltzer did the smart thing as he departed for Miami but put yourself in his shoes and then consider that I was half joking. 

[jimbo92107]

If I could give one pitcher a 95mph heater, Smeltzer earned it. Good luck to him.

[davidborton]

16 hours ago, Riverbrian said:

There is a lot riding on the line for players that we all flippantly call AAAA. 

When I use the term AAAA, I intend to convey a sense that while they are stellar at the AAA level, just not enough there to sustain an MLB career. No flippancy implied.

 

[Riverbrian]

6 hours ago, davidborton said:

When I use the term AAAA, I intend to convey a sense that while they are stellar at the AAA level, just not enough there to sustain an MLB career. No flippancy implied.

 

I was being flippant with my implication of flippancy. 

[Fezig]

On 1/24/2023 at 3:00 PM, Dman said:

I really liked Devin and thought he pitched well last year.  At the MLB level he worked to a 3.70 ERA and 1.22 WHIP.  Those are nice numbers but his K rate was really, really low.  I am guessing that is why the Twins were able to get him through waivers, as most teams felt they had something better on their 40 than Smeltzer.

While I am happy he found a team in Miami to take him in, it is really going to be tough to break in to that rotation unless they have several injuries.  Still, good for him.  I will always root for him and enjoyed watching him pitch for the Twins.   

The Twins front office realizes the only "proper" way to record an out is with a K. Any other form of out would be undignified. If you need evidence, just look at the lineup.