Two Mariner DFAs

[stringer bell]

I'll admit I haven't heard of either player, but Seattle DFAed two young players, one a speedy OF and the other a middle infielder with pretty good hitting numbers at AAA.

 

Carlos Triunfel is a 24 year old middle infielder. He's played 27 games in the majors, and was a Top 100 prospect. He's been a pretty good hitter in Triple A the last two years.

 

Xavier Avery, also 24, played 32 games for the Orioles two years ago. He a lefty all the way who has played mostly CF in the minors. It looks like he has stolen base speed, but not much power.

 

Should the Twins have any interest in either of these guys? From what I can see on BBRef, I would think they are exactly the kind of guys the Twins should be looking to claim with their two vacant roster spots.

[jorgenswest]

Triunfel for Bartlett. Absolutely.

[blairpaul715]

I would take both players, their past is definitely better than what our present is........and 24, they should still have some upside potential. But this is the Twins, they seldom step outside there comfort zone, unless absolutely needed, and in their minds, it is not needed.

[cmathewson]

I like both. Either one is an upgrade over Bartlett, IMHO.

[TopGunn#22]

I like both. Either one is an upgrade over Bartlett, IMHO.

 

I can't believe Bartlett is on this team. This has to be a "Gardy" thing and is a prime example of why I can't wait to kick Gardy to the curb and install Molitor as the next Twins manager. Really, exactly what did Bartlett do in spring training to earn a spot on this team??? If he smiled a lot, I can go to Florida in Feb & March and sweat a little with a smile on my face. My bat speed is about the equal of Bartlett's at this point.

[stringer bell]

Another DFA is Matt Tuiososopo who had a nice year for the Tigers last year. He'll be 28 in May, and has played left field, third, and first. He's even played in the middle infield a bit. He is certainly more "proven" than Colabello and more versatile. I hope this isn't thread jacking, but it is about the same general topic--players the Twins can or should claim with their two 40-man vacancies.

[raindog]

Anyone else irritated by this?

 

@TwinsPrez: Respect and understand angst and concern about our offense this spring. Need to be better. But amazed at focus on 25th man on the roster.

[Otto von Ballpark]

Another DFA is Matt Tuiososopo who had a nice year for the Tigers last year. He'll be 28 in May, and has played left field, third, and first. He's even played in the middle infield a bit. He is certainly more "proven" than Colabello and more versatile. I hope this isn't thread jacking, but it is about the same general topic--players the Twins can or should claim with their two 40-man vacancies.

 

Problem is, most of these guys are out of options, I am guessing? So to put them on the 40-man, but not the 25-man (send them to AAA), we'd have to pass them through waivers again. I guess if no one else wants to give them a 25 man spot, it should be possible, but it's tricky. Would be easier with open 25 man spots.

[blindeke]

The Twins have 3 or 4 25th men on their roster.

[cmathewson]

The Twins have 3 or 4 25th men on their roster.

 

Most teams do. It's called a bench.

[stringer bell]

Problem is, most of these guys are out of options, I am guessing? So to put them on the 40-man, but not the 25-man (send them to AAA), we'd have to pass them through waivers again. I guess if no one else wants to give them a 25 man spot, it should be possible, but it's tricky. Would be easier with open 25 man spots.

Specifically, for Tuososopo, the question would be if he was an improvement over Colabello. CC has options remaining, so he could be sent down. If the Twins were interested in either of the two Seattle DFAs, optioning Colabello would be the way they could stay in the majors. At 24, one would think they do have options remaining anyway.

[DuluthFan]

While I would always encourage upgrading weak positions on the major league team when possible, unless the replacement player is a significant upgrade, the Twins should not be looking for players with no options. There are enough of those types of players on the roster already. They only limit the kinds of moves you can make. If the players are of similar skill sets the player who came up through the system should have the advantage. Keep in mind the dfa'd players weren't good enough to make the other team. The Twins should be looking for the types of players that are able to 'make' the team.

[blairpaul715]

While I would always encourage upgrading weak positions on the major league team when possible, unless the replacement player is a significant upgrade, the Twins should not be looking for players with no options. There are enough of those types of players on the roster already. They only limit the kinds of moves you can make. If the players are of similar skill sets the player who came up through the system should have the advantage. Keep in mind the dfa'd players weren't good enough to make the other team. The Twins should be looking for the types of players that are able to 'make' the team.

 

But remember almost all the other teams are better, so that being said, they must have better players to release or DFA that players that made our BAD team........I love the Twins, but I also am worried about another poor yr, and not just poor, but offensively unable to watch, and I normally catch about 100 games on tv and another 4 or 5 in person. Please tell me I will be wrong

[stringer bell]

Well, the team is bringing Hicks, Colabello, Bartlett + Kubel north. Based on their performances last year, I would say most anything would be an upgrade. Three of the four I listed are over 30, so I don't see much upside in them. There is a lack of speed and no backup center fielder. That is a lot of holes to plug.

[Guest USAFChief]

The Twins have 3 or 4 25th men in the top half of their opening day batting order.

ftfy.

[Craig Arko]

Well, the team is bringing Hicks, Colabello, Bartlett + Kubel north. Based on their performances last year, I would say most anything would be an upgrade. Three of the four I listed are over 30, so I don't see much upside in them. There is a lack of speed and no backup center fielder. That is a lot of holes to plug.

 

Being honest with ourselves, we also have to acknowledge that this year will be used to figure out how many holes will be left to plug by this time next year. Of those mentioned above, I'd expect that Hicks is the only one still here, with a slim chance of Kubel if he does well.

 

And of course the holes in the stands. Gotta acknowledge that as well.

[jokin]

Anyone else irritated by this?

 

@TwinsPrez: Respect and understand angst and concern about our offense this spring. Need to be better. But amazed at focus on 25th man on the roster.

 

Yes. But I'm also amazed that they're amazed. Is it the "TwinsPrez's" place to be questioning his paying customers, or addressing their concerns?

 

"Team Chemistry Whisperer" as 25th man has to come out of the same PR noggin' as "Bi-lateral Leg Weakness".

[jorgenswest]

Anyone else irritated by this?

 

@TwinsPrez: Respect and understand angst and concern about our offense this spring. Need to be better. But amazed at focus on 25th man on the roster.

 

His perception of the focus is off.

 

It is about roster construction on a team with three consecutive 90 loss teams. Filling the holes with free agents helps long term only if their level of play is above league average.

 

While Pelfrey, Kubel, Bartlett, Colabello, Suzuki and possibly Guerrier have a chance to be better than a 24 or 25 year old in 2014, they will not be an asset to the next winning team. Rostering them only extends the cycle of mediocrity. Though I am not sure if the above players are good enough for the Twins to improve to mediocre.

 

The Mariners are crunched in the middle infield. Triunfel is out of options. They can't roster him. Someone should pick him up and see if they can capture the upside.

[Oldgoat_MN]

Surprised that people are suggesting that Colabello be sent down.

 

He has nothing left to prove in AAA.

 

Kubel or Bartlett before CC.

[raindog]

Surprised that people are suggesting that Colabello be sent down.

 

He has nothing left to prove in AAA.

 

Kubel or Bartlett before CC.

Agree.

[Otto von Ballpark]

Another DFA is Matt Tuiososopo who had a nice year for the Tigers last year. He'll be 28 in May, and has played left field, third, and first. He's even played in the middle infield a bit. He is certainly more "proven" than Colabello and more versatile. I hope this isn't thread jacking, but it is about the same general topic--players the Twins can or should claim with their two 40-man vacancies.

 

Update: Tuiasosopo just cleared and was outrighted to AAA:

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2014/03/blue-jays-cut-matt-tuiasosopo-transaction-pending.html

 

Interesting that Toronto just picked him up on waivers a week ago. That's kind of their thing lately (pick guys up and then waiver them again).

[stringer bell]

Surprised that people are suggesting that Colabello be sent down.

Mid u

He has nothing left to prove in AAA.

 

Kubel or Bartlett before CC.

30, one position, coming off a season with 181 PAs, .194 BA, 75 OPS+

[jorgenswest]

Carlos Triunfel was claimed by the Dodgers and optioned to AAA. The Dodgers see the upside in the shortstop prospect having just turned 24.

 

The Twins passed though they have space on the 40.

 

Instead they are betting on the upside of Eric Farris, Doug Bernier and Jason Bartlett.

[Otto von Ballpark]

Depth sounds good in theory, but Triunfel doesn't look like great shakes. No BB, minimal power or steals, not a great AVG despite hitting in the PCL... it would come down to an evaluation of his defense. And to be fair, we do have Santana at AAA already.

 

Triunfel has played a few games at 2B, though, and we're pretty soft there while Rosario is out. It probably wouldn't hurt to slide Beresford to utility and take a look -- as you said, the 40 man roster spot is open and Bernier is about as close to freely available talent as you are going to find.

 

Although if you don't care for Triunfel's defense now, I can't blame them for passing. If the Dodgers won the claim, that means most teams passed on him. The Dodgers may just be looking for a bridge to their Cuban infielder anyway?

[Mike Sixel]

A terrible team should totally be bringing in guys closer to my age than actual young players. Maybe the twinsprez should be worried about his awful product, and not about our frustration with it.

[nicksaviking]

30, one position, coming off a season with 181 PAs, .194 BA, 75 OPS+

 

Are those last year's numbers for Kubel or the Handsome Soda? They both looked pretty similar.