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  • Minnesota Twins Sign Joey Gallo


    Theodore Tollefson

    Jeff Passan is reporting that the Twins have signed slugger Joey Gallo to a one-year deal for $11M.

    Image courtesy of © Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

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    MINNEAPOLIS – The Twins have signed outfielder Joey Gallo to a one-year, $11 million contract for the 2023 season, as Jeff Passan of ESPN reported.

    Gallo, 29, is a two-time American League all-star and Gold Glove winner. 2022 was Gallo’s worst to date as he posted a .160/.280/.357 triple slash and .638 OPS along with 19 home runs and 47 RBI in 126 games between the Yankees and Dodgers. 

    Gallo played 82 of his 126 games with the Yankees in 2022 before being traded on July 29, 2022, to the Dodgers, along with Joely Rodriguez for Trevor Hauver, Ezequiel Duran, Glenn Otto, and Josh Smith.

    Gallo is known for being one of the most frequent hitters, if not the most, to strike out at the plate. He is the definition of the three true outcome hitter which entails he will either strikeout, walk, or hit a home run anytime he is at the plate. Gallo had a strikeout percentage of 39.8% for 2022, his highest ever in a full season. 

    However, he also has 177 home runs in 2811 plate appearances, or better than one home run every 16 plate appearances. His career-high single-season home run total came in 2017 when he hit 41 with the Texas Rangers.  Also, despite his below-the-Mendoza line batting average, (career .199 hitter) he gets on-base; he’s posted a .325 OBP over his career.

    Now a member of the Twins, Gallo will likely be playing in the corner outfield positions, possibly sometime in center field with 56 career games at the position, and spend time as the designated hitter as well. He has also played at first base during his 8-year career. The addition of Gallo, another left-handed hitting outfielder, also places further emphasis on the future of Max Kepler as a Twin, as Gallo now becomes the seventh left-handed hitting outfielder on the Twins' 40-man roster. 

    Gallo has played 15 games at Target Field in his career and has posted a .263/.323/.632 triple slash with six home runs and 13 runs batted in 62 plate appearances. His .632 SLG percentage at Target Field is his highest in any Major League ballpark with a minimum of 40 plate appearances. 

    The deal comes four days after the Twins signed catcher Christian Vazquez to a three-year, $30 million contract, which was made official today.

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    4 minutes ago, Nashvilletwin said:

    The goal is to build a roster that can compete for a Pennant year in and year out.  This FO is desperate to take one more crack at making their Gray, Maeda and Mahle trades work before they all leave next season.

    Sorry, we just disagree. IMHO, there is absolutely no reason to mortgage our future - whether it’s moving more young talent or taking away badly needed innings - to try to save Falvey, Levine and Rocco’s jobs.

    The good news is that we will run this strategy up the flagpole.  If (or when) it doesn’t work, the firesale before the deadline will commence and the true rebuild will begin.

    Boy, I can just imagine the analytics team all sitting around the room talking themselves into how Gallo is this or that (TF ave, no shift, good years before, etc.).  

    If someone cherry picks stats they can even make Joey Gallo look like a good move. 

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    Just now, Mike Sixel said:

    So, I guess Gordon is on the bench now. As is Larnach, and Wallner in AAA. Not sure how Larnach shows he belongs while sitting on the bench. Martin is in AAA now, maybe AA. 

    Yep, straw that broke the proverbial camel's back as far as the FO is concerned.

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    2 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

    How will they live up to expectations if Gallo is playing, and they aren't?

    If he's even good, let alone great, he won't be back in MN. This solves nothing in the long run. Nothing.

    This is a desperate attempt by the FO to kick save their Gray, Maeda, and Mahle trades before they all are gone next year - thinking of the long-run be damned.

    Don’t worry though - either we are contending or we start truly thinking of the long-term at the deadline (and ideally with a new FO and manager who has proven the ability to develop young players to their potential).

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    Just now, rwilfong86 said:

    Gallo is proven? Proven what? He has career .199 average and strikes out about 30% of the time. The Twins also have guys like Wallner, Celestino, and even Nick Gordon who can play outfield. 

    Gallo is a good outfielder who can cover center field. He also has well over six years of major league at-bats and puts the ball in play less than half the time. Not a great fit IMHO.

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    2 minutes ago, rwilfong86 said:

    Gallo is proven? Proven what? He has career .199 average and strikes out about 30% of the time. The Twins also have guys like Wallner, Celestino, and even Nick Gordon who can play outfield. 

    a 2 time all star, 2 time gold glove winner who hits between 20-40 hrs a year for the last 5 years(non covid) seems like a proven commodity to me....But ya he's no Celestino..................

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    Just now, Nashvilletwin said:

    This is a desperate attempt by the FO to kick save their Gray, Maeda, and Mahle trades before they all are gone next year - thinking of the long-run be damned.

    Don’t worry though - either we are contending or we start truly thinking of the long-term at the deadline (and ideally with a new FO and manager who has proven the ability to develop young players to their potential).

    Your point is literally the only thing I can find solace in at this point in the offseason. They win=great. They lose and front office and management is gone=great..

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    Just now, JakeBru3 said:

    a 2 time all star, 2 time gold glove winner who hits between 20-40 hrs a year for the last 5 years(non covid) seems like a proven commodity to me....But ya he's no Celestino..................

    He was bad (or awful) 2 of the last three years, with a great year 2 years ago. What's the most likely outcome here in your mind?

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    46 minutes ago, JakeBru3 said:

    Sano has flicker to become a well rounded player??

    Is his celieng a 2 time gold glove winner in the OF? Or could he be a 5 WAR type player? Because that's Gallo 1 season ago...

    It's a no risk high reward 1 year prove it deal.

     I wouldn't call an 11 million dollar contract a prove it deal

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    14 minutes ago, Karbo said:

    Wow another swing and miss for the twins. I thought it  must be a joke So disappointed But that's the way this front office views things try to hit the ball over the fence who cares how many times they strike out terrible move

    Bingo

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    1 minute ago, JakeBru3 said:

    a 2 time all star, 2 time gold glove winner who hits between 20-40 hrs a year for the last 5 years(non covid) seems like a proven commodity to me....But ya he's no Celestino..................

    All Star selections are purely popularity contests as are Gold Gloves. But yes, keep convincing yourself this was a good deal. 

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    24 minutes ago, LA VIkes Fan said:

    This is not exciting, although I wouldn't call it disheartening. I'm assuming it is a step necessary because of another step coming - a trade of Kepler, Laranch, Wallner or some combination thereof, hopefully as part of the rumored package for  a Lopez type starter. That might make this move make some sense. Otherwise, all we've done is make a crowded OF more crowded with yet another LH hitting OF who strikes out a lot. That would be a little disheartening. 

    In other news, Andrew Benintendi just signed with the White Sox - 5 years, $75 million. 

    so our main competition just got better

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    Just now, Karbo said:

     I wouldn't call an 11 million dollar contract a prove it deal

    Right? He's the starter until June or July, when he's either benched or traded (unless everyone is healthy and better than last year, maybe he's a legit starter and not traded). Unless Kepler is traded, Larnach is on the bench or in the minors. Heck of a draft record for this FO.....

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    For adding a good defensive glove to your OF and a bat that has historically hit well at TF and has upside to him 30+ HR's. 

    Not every signing is going to be a franchise guy. They are banking on their young guys to be those guys....they haven't proven they can yet so until they do you bring in a veteran that can help the team win games. I believe that's the goal, right? 

    You are ignoring some facts.  Don't like projections, then note that Kepler's career WAR is 16.9 and Gallo's is 14.7.  Hmmm, unless my math skills need work, Kepler has outperformed Gallo in the same number of years by 2 WAR.  I don't like either of them much, but to add this guy at 11 million is crazy. All the spinning in the world won't change that fact.  And, he bats left handed.  Kepler is better in high leverage at bats as he has hit .250 with .725 OPS, while Gallo is .166 and .681.  Late and close Gallo is .156 and .629.  We couldn't afford Urshela at 9 million so we sign Gallo for 11.  Amazing. 

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

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    2 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

    He was bad (or awful) 2 of the last three years, with a great year 2 years ago. What's the most likely outcome here in your mind?

    Aging mediocre sluggers don't turn it around anymore, steroids are illegal now?

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    Just now, Mike Sixel said:

    Right? He's the starter until June or July, when he's either benched or traded (unless everyone is healthy and better than last year, maybe he's a legit starter and not traded). Unless Kepler is traded, Larnach is on the bench or in the minors. Heck of a draft record for this FO.....

    sooo dumb...this FO

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    24 minutes ago, JakeBru3 said:

    They have proven they can't! They can't stay healthy so they can't be relied upon to help win games this year. Gallo is proven and most importantly available. Larnach hasn't' been for 2 years, Kirilloff hasn't been for 2 years. 

    All our young guys have proven to date is they can't stay healthy and cant be counted on for a full year. 

    Rodon couldn't stay healthy for years..... and then....... tons of examples of overcoming young injuries. 

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    2 minutes ago, RJA said:

    You are ignoring some facts.  Don't like projections, then note that Kepler's career WAR is 16.9 and Gallo's is 14.7.  Hmmm, unless my math skills need work, Kepler has outperformed Gallo in the same number of years by 2 WAR.  I don't like either of them much, but to add this guy at 11 million is crazy. All the spinning in the world won't change that fact.  And, he bats left handed.  Kepler is better in high leverage at bats as he has hit .250 with .725 OPS, while Gallo is .166 and .681.  Late and close Gallo is .156 and .629.  We couldn't afford Urshela at 9 million so we sign Gallo for 11.  Amazing. 

     

    You can also add that Kepler has a team option for next year....it does not sound like that is the case with Gallo. If Gallo is comeback player of the year he's one and done.

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    32 minutes ago, JakeBru3 said:

    IMO the Twins are already in the midst of a rebuild and were last year too. 

    Your SP with the most wins was a rookie, your closer was a rookie, your leader in HR was a rookie. That sounds like a young team rebuilding. 

    Until they young guys show they can stay healthy and be productive no sense mortgaging the future. Maybe this is the year they prove that but it's not like this team is build around aging veterans.

    HR leader a rookie? Not even close. Buxton (28), Correa (22), Polanco (16), and Sanchez (16) all had more homers than Miranda(15). Now you are just making things up.

    At this rate, before this thread is over, you will probably have increased your total comments by at least 300%! B)

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    15 minutes ago, Steve71 said:

    I am not thrilled by the signing, but I get it.  It is a long-shot chance that he re-emerges and likes hitting to the short porch in Target Field.

    Here is the stat on Gallo that blows my mind: In 2364 at bats, he has sacrifice flies.

    How is that even possible??????

    I am fascinated by how that is humanly possible, Even Sano had 11 sacrifice flies in about the same at bats! Nelson Cruz hit 18 in that same stretch of about 2500 ABs.

    Don't blame Rocco for failing to coach his guys to knock in runs when the FO is signing guys who are innately bad at it. Only 47 RBIs in 410 PAs...

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