Article: Rumor Mill Round-Up: 12/9

[Nick Nelson]

You can view the page at http://www.twinsdaily.com/content.php/2530-Rumor-Mill-Round-Up-12-9

[Jim Crikket]

Bump up the rating on Arroyo? Wolfson tweeting that the Twins will meet with his agent Monday afternoon.

[halfchest]

I hope any pitcher we get at this point is either a trade for a guy with upside like Brett Anderson or Hellickson whose value is low right now or a cheap reclamation project with upside. Even a big splash like a move for a guy like Homer Bailey (assuming extension included) would be pretty great.

 

I'm just not interested in an innings eater and was ecstatic with the Nolasco and Hughes signing mostly due to it meaning we wouldn't be signing Arroyo. Too old and not worth it for this team.

[Nick Nelson]

Bump up the rating on Arroyo? Wolfson tweeting that the Twins will meet with his agent Monday afternoon.

 

Good call, I've updated the column, thanks Jim.

 

Everyone else: Feel free to share any rumors you've come across here in the comments.

[Dman]

Arroyo on two year deal wouldn't Be bad but I think it will take three years to get him. I don't like arroyo mainly because he doesn't throw hard and I think he would be tough to flip for prospects. I would like the Twins to aim higher but it would be an ok move in my opinion.

[Jim Crikket]

I wasn't thrilled with Arroyo when the speculation was that he would be the Twins big (or only?) addition to the rotation. But as one of three additions, along with Nolasco and Hughes, I'd be OK with it. Two years plus a club option for the 3rd, perhaps with a decent enough buyout that it makes it worthwhile for the player to sign, would be ideal for me. I suspect it will take at least 3 and perhaps more guaranteed, though. I honestly don't see that as too much of a problem, given the lack of long term Twins payroll commitments, though.

[TheLeviathan]

Buck would be a solid catching option. That would help me feel slightly better about that position next year.

[bird]

Buck would be a solid catching option. That would help me feel slightly better about that position next year.

 

Ditto

[beckmt]

Buck would be OK, do not view Chris Hermann as a solution. Would like another pitcher, possibly in a trade if price is right. The ones mentioned above would be fine, though not as in on Hellickson as some of the rest.

[Trautmann13]

I would be more than satisfied with Buck on a one year deal and Arroyo on 2/20 with club option. I think Arroyo for guaranteed 3 years is no good given that he is aging quickly. I think if they signed these guys they would be ready for '14, with maybe the exception of a SS but that isn't looking too likely

[nicksaviking]

I like Buck as a backup/platoon guy. In fact let him be the regular catcher for the entire month of April. It seems to me he is the opposite of the traditional Twins hitter, he starts off hot and produces most of his power in the first month or so.

[johnnydakota]

We would be better served trading for Johnny Monell , then signing Buck ...just saying

As for Bronson , 2 years yes, 3 years no. And if they are thinking of extending Correia--- oh hell no...dont do it

[Oldgoat_MN]

I'm not a fan of the Buck idea.

 

We have a couple of ex-catchers in Mauer and Steinbach who can help mentor Pinto. I thought they specifically had Fryer on the 40-man roster to be a backup. We also have Chris Herrmann and, if necessary, Ryan Doumit.

I get Herrmann isn't exactly a monster at the plate, but neither is Buck.

 

See nothing in it for the Twins to pursue this acquisition.

[Hawkeye12]

Glad to see we are still in on Arroyo and possibly Garza. Will make the out of option guys fighting for the last spot in the rotation even bigger. Although I think Deduno gets it if healthy anyway. Arroyo as the number one was kind of scary, but Arroyo as a three or four for a good price would be a huge upgrade.

[jay]

I would guess that if the Twins are going to sign another starter, it will be more of a low-level signing

 

The options for the last two spots in the rotation includes guys who are out of options (Deduno, Worley, Diamond), a top org prospect (Gibson), and several other guys (Albers, Johnson). Are you saying they'd bring in another guy to compete with them? Any examples of who you think that might be?

[Dave T]

I'm not a fan of the Buck idea.

 

We have a couple of ex-catchers in Mauer and Steinbach who can help mentor Pinto. I thought they specifically had Fryer on the 40-man roster to be a backup. We also have Chris Herrmann and, if necessary, Ryan Doumit.

I get Herrmann isn't exactly a monster at the plate, but neither is Buck.

 

See nothing in it for the Twins to pursue this acquisition.

He doesn't need a mentor, he needs AAA

[TheLeviathan]

The options for the last two spots in the rotation includes guys who are out of options (Deduno, Worley, Diamond), a top org prospect (Gibson), and several other guys (Albers, Johnson). Are you saying they'd bring in another guy to compete with them? Any examples of who you think that might be?

 

That worries me as well, I feel like adding another FA starter right now (prior to any 40 man roster moves) means losing someone who might have value for nothing.

[Thrylos]

The options for the last two spots in the rotation includes guys who are out of options (Deduno, Worley, Diamond), a top org prospect (Gibson), and several other guys (Albers, Johnson). Are you saying they'd bring in another guy to compete with them? Any examples of who you think that might be?

 

Today Ryan this morning was talking about Pelfrey and (Johan) Santana. Allegedly they have a 2/$10M offer out to Pelfrey.

 

That said, I will be surprised if they sign another pitcher. If they add another arm will likely be via a trade and one of more of the above names might be included. Other than Gibson and Worley, these guys would be no loss...

[Nick Nelson]

The options for the last two spots in the rotation includes guys who are out of options (Deduno, Worley, Diamond), a top org prospect (Gibson), and several other guys (Albers, Johnson). Are you saying they'd bring in another guy to compete with them? Any examples of who you think that might be?

This is why I'm not convinced they're going to bring another guy in and highly skeptical that it will be a high-profile guy. I think a Rich Harden type flyer (e.g. Johan) who would be cheap and could compete for the last spot is more likely.

[johnnydakota]

Padres interested in Liam Hendriks???? lets put together a package for Burch Smith and his buddy Wisler, they were both taken in the 2011 darft, like #9 and #14....if we get these 2 players , I am friggin stoked from the off season and will think we have a much brighter future

[josecordoba]

I wouldn't give Arroyo- Three Years. Such a contract seems like a disaster waiting to happen. Arroyo has averaged less then 1 WAR a year for the last three years. He'll also be entering into his age 37. I agree with Keith Law's take that I wouldn't go more then a year. Pelfrey for 2 is more interesting (I actually believe Pelfrey has slightly more upside. Pelfrey has better Steamer and Oliver projections heading into 2014.

 

For the record- I'm not in love with Pelfrey resigning (Part of this is his games tend to be unwatchable). I would rather pursue a Brett Anderson who at least has Top of the Rotation upside.

[pierre75275]

I would not sign another pitcher unless its Garza or Tanaka. Really not intrested at all at whats left. If Arroyo is signed who starts at AAA? I want to see Meyer and May starting in AAA next year not AA

[Thrylos]

And all that said, Rosenthal is tweeting that the Twins and Arroyo are heating up. Hope it is a smoke screen by his agent to get someone like the Phillies to make it happen...

[ScrapTheNickname]

Buck seems to be just below average defender (dwar slightly minus and throws out runners in the last three years at league average but over his career is 3% below league average).

 

*Perhaps Twins Daily could run an article on dwar and rf to make these stats more useful. I can read them but I don't necessarily understand their true relevance.

[nicksaviking]

I don't really have anything against Arroyo, but I think I'd prefer a 1-year lotto ticket. With three vet arms locked up, plus Gibson, Meyer and May ready for 2015, the Twins likely won't be looking for free agent pitching help.

 

2015 pitching class is pretty exciting at the moment, here are some of the top names:

 

Brett Anderson (27) - $12MM club option with a $1.5MM buyout

Homer Bailey (29)

Josh Beckett (35)

Chad Billingsley (30) - $14MM club option with a $3MM buyout

Johnny Cueto (29) - $10MM club option with an $800K buyout

Jorge De La Rosa (34)

Ryan Dempster (38)

Yovani Gallardo (29) - $13MM club option with a $600K buyout

Dan Haren (34)

Hisashi Iwakuma (34) - $7MM club option with a $1MM buyout

Josh Johnson (31)

Clayton Kershaw (27)

Jon Lester (31)

Justin Masterson (30)

Brandon Morrow (30) - $10MM club option with a $1MM buyout

Jeff Niemann (32)

Jake Peavy (34)

Max Scherzer (30)

James Shields (33)

 

Even if 2/3 get extended, injured or stink, that's a pretty impressive list and I'd like the Twins to dive into those waters also, but Nolasco, Hughes AND Arroyo would probably make it both cost and roster prohibitive.

[Winston Smith]

After watching this teams starting pitching the last few years I don't understand why we'd be worried about losing any of these guys out of options.

There is nothing that says Hughes is a sure upgrade he's stunk 2 out of the last 3 years. Corriea had an ok year but is he likely to repeat that? The rest of these guys, besides Nolasco, haven't shown, over any length of time, that they belong at the major league level.

Sign a bunch of guys you throw enough against the wall something might stick.

[jokin]

Ditto

 

Tritto to Buck on one-year deal. (If they could flip Butera for Sulbaran, imagine what they might be able to excise for Buck)

[jokin]

After watching this teams starting pitching the last few years I don't understand why we'd be worried about losing any of these guys out of options.

There is nothing that says Hughes is a sure upgrade he's stunk 2 out of the last 3 years. Corriea had an ok year but is he likely to repeat that? The rest of these guys, besides Nolasco, haven't shown, over any length of time, that they belong at the major league level.

Sign a bunch of guys you throw enough against the wall something might stick.

 

Yup. Besides Dozier, Correia has to be the top candidate for some negative regression in 2014.

 

From the opposite aspect, I'm still hoping that Hughes brings significant positive regression to the mean.

[Smcginnity]

I wouldn't mind Bronson Arroyo but then I would hope they trade away Correia or some of the other junk like Hendricks, Albers or Deduno. I would imagine we could get a decent return for Deduno...couldn't we? Like maybe a Low-A pitcher for Deduno?

 

Then you have Nolasco, Arroyo, Hughes, Correia and Gibson/Meyer/Darnell/May

[Brandon]

If the Twins sign Arroyo the heat will be up for all members of the rotation to produce. if Corriea goes backwards we has his replacement ready to go. We can also trade him during the season or just flat out release him (though thats not going to happen he does have some value). Deduno will have to work harder to keep his spot as well. I think it would be great to have all that competetion for the rotation.