Twins Acquire RP Shaun Anderson from Giants for OF LaMonte Wade

I don't know what to do but shake my head.

Twins sign a milb/AAAA journeyman with high BB rates and limited to poor success and turn him in to a solid 60 game contributor. They aren't certain about his future, or his arbitration numbers, and dont like him not having options.

Now, they trade a 5th/6th OF who probably doesn't figure in any plans beyond 2021 for a similar version of Wisler...with options...who has just begun to transition to the pen. Same age or younger, just as good of stuff, cheaper, has that option, perhaps even better floor and ceiling...yet to be determined...but the forward thinking Twins are suddenly backward thinking here?

My bad. I forgot it's wrong to question any move this front office makes.

I’ll just be happy if he’s better than the last reliever we got from the Giants! I wondered if we’d actually hold a grudge for the next few years...

My bad. I forgot it's wrong to question any move this front office makes.

Question away, but comparing Falvine to previous regimes (Ryan/Smith?)? You lose me there. Completely different experience.

.....17-years ago, the Twins acquired another RH from the Giants who was also only one season removed from transitioning into a reliever's role.  He was a couple years older, but also threw in the upper/mid 90's.  Now he's in the Twins HoF.  Come on lightning!  Strike twice!!!    

Seems like a long long long time ago now. I immediately thought about the most recent trade for a pitcher with SF, and that Dyson really sucked (intended). I'm thinking hasn't the FO learned its lesson about trading with SF for a damaged reliever.

I also wonder how many pitchers you can have throwing the same mix of pitches, the same mid 90s fastball and slider, before it works against you and gives the opponents pitching familiarity.

Question away, but comparing Falvine to previous regimes (Ryan/Smith?)? You lose me there. Completely different experience.

They're definitely making moves and changes that will hopefully lead to something, but until they do something that actually gets this team over the playoff hump, it's the same thing in a shinier package.

Is it better to get swept every year playing "new school" or get swept every year playing "old school"? Or is it basically the same thing?

Too bad to lose Wade, but I guess we'll see what Anderson turns into. I thought Wade's plate discipline skills were a good complement to the Twins offense, and he might take over from Cave as the main 4th outfield option at some point.

I liked Wade as a 4/5th OF, but his only real advantages over Cave are his batting eye and shorter service time.  Larnach, Rooker, Lewis or Celestino would all likely jump him if injuries required a regular fill-in at the major league level.

Eventually any of those guys might have jumped Wade to fill in as a regular, yes, but other than Rooker they might not get pushed to that extent early this season. (Though this move probably makes Rooker more likely to open the season in the bigs.) I wonder if another backup OF option is coming, maybe on a non-roster invite.

Boof?

Didn’t Boof go poof?

Not concerned about losing Wade but I am concerned about acquiring Anderson. I'm not going to take any stock into 15 innings of 2020 but he looks like he walks too many and gives up two many home runs.

They traded for him to pitch him and a 1.53 career WHIP does not excite me.

I looked at some of Anderson's highlights. Does anyone else look at this guy and see the body of a starting pitcher? He's 6'4" and 228, and somewhat slow to the plate. Seems very deliberate, kind of a Michael Pineda type.

I think the Twins are kinda taking a flyer on a guy with potential to see if our pitching coach can polish him up a bit. I'm thinking if he has a good year, he could be competing for a #4 or #5 starting spot in 2022.

Meh. If a guy is still a "project" at 26, is he actually a project or is this simply what he is?

 

I know everyone is in awe of this front office and the "Magic" Wes Anderson, but the jury is very much out for me.

 

Like it or not, they haven't produced any more results than the previous regimes have.

Wade's 27, and if he isn't a project then he's a career backup outfielder. Agreed, we didn't get a shoo-in for the the top half of the bullpen, but I think the cost was pretty reasonable.

It's amusing to me that many assume Twins coaching will automatically improve the new pitcher. A tweak here and there, voila! A reliable reliever or possibly even a productive starter. 

Wade, however, is what he is. SF has obtained a good OBP, no power, steady but limited defender. 

I wonder what SF thinks Wade can be with a tweak or two?

Is Cave next?  He would seem to have higher value and is another one of the OFs long list.

Wade is a replacement level player....so getting anything for him that can help at the major league level is a good deal.  Hope he does well in SF....ready for the the season!!  

They're definitely making moves and changes that will hopefully lead to something, but until they do something that actually gets this team over the playoff hump, it's the same thing in a shinier package.

 

Is it better to get swept every year playing "new school" or get swept every year playing "old school"? Or is it basically the same thing?

Old school got to the playoffs, new school got to the playoffs. That is a far better than the Mariners this century. They have gone as far as the A’s this century. They have done better than the Padres at getting to the playoffs. Complain all you want about lack of playoff success, that is the nature of baseball. 

Great seeing this FO actually get something for a player who would need to be taken off the 40-man at some point this year.  

Is Anderson the next Joe Nathan? Unlikely, but who knows. But it is great getting a pitcher with MLB experience for the bullpen or a future spot in the rotation. Love how they are adding competent depth to the pitching staff. Saw the walks in only a few innings last year. Does anyone know if walks were a problem in 2019 when he was starting?

Expected the FO to exchange a fringe player from our 40-man for another piece to the 2021 puzzle. Will there be more?

I like Wade, he was our best CF replacement. I'm happy for him that he should get more playing time, wish him well

While I like Wade and think this might work out for him, I think there was zero room for him after 2021 with the Twins without a serious jump. Instead, we get a live arm just transitioning to the pen with potential.

Probably good for both teams, but think the Twins "win" this one on initial speculation.

You could be right.  The trade does appear to be a wash the more I look into it.  I just like Wades odds better.  He was never below an 800 OPS through AA.  He did struggle in AAA (700 OPS) and MLB ( under 700 OPS avg.) so as the pitching got better he had a harder time making good contact.  Having a good eye at the plate should help him though as he adjusts to the pitching at the higher levels.  He hasn't had a ton of MLB at bats.  His kryptonite though is power.  He is OBP over power and likely always will be.  In todays game that can be a liability that keeps him in the 4th outfielder position.  Still I think he has a chance for greater impact than the pitcher we received in trade but that is just my opinion.

Anderson who was a starter had OK numbers coming up but his K rate was never great. The higher the level the higher his hits allowed and WHIP so he gives up a lot of contact and knows it so tries to dance around the zone.  He does appear to have an elite slider but right now it looks like he needs his fastball to improve as he is giving up too many hits and too many walks.  Granted those numbers were better at the lower levels of MiLB ball but very concerning when it comes to MLB ball.  He looks kind of like Poppen to me at this point although his slider is probably better.

While the Twins did well with Harper and Wisler (in a shortened season)  It seems there might be limits to what they can achieve with these types of players.  Once teams figured out Harper he was far less effective and the Twins let Wisler walk for peanuts so they seem to understand the limits of what these guys bring.  Harper had a decent K rate last year but his ERA was 7.61 with 1.61 WHIP.  If he wasn't hitting with his breaking stuff guys waited for his fastball and that was that.  Yeah his K percentage was decent but you need two good to very good pitches to make it.  I am not sure Anderson has that.

Relievers that make it have to have a pitch that they trust they can put in the zone and dare the batter to make solid contact.  Right now the numbers don't show that to be the case.  He was a starter though so he does have three pitches to work with so that might help. Can the Twins turn him around and make him better I think they can but I am not sure they can make these cast off types last for long.  If they can help him find another gear and get the walks under control then I am happy to agree with you but I think that is a lot of ifs.  I mean I think Colina and Chalmers likely have equal or better stuff than this guy.  If they can't fix those guys how are they going to fix Anderson?  

I like Andersons potential I really do and I agree with you that there was no room for Wade. Carrying 7 outfielders on the 40 man was a burden so the Twins are better off this way.  I just believe in Wade soo much and know more about him that I believe the Giants will get the better end of this deal in the end.

In good faith, San Francisco could've returned Kai-Wei Teng from the Sam Dyson trade.

I like Wade, he was our best CF replacement. I'm happy for him that he should get more playing time, wish him well

Don't agree... Much better off with Kepler given our depth of corner OFers. They can also keep Canterino at AAA and use him if Buxton goes down for a prolonged period.

Good luck, Wade, Jr!  

I do think this is a solid move.  They dealt from depth (especially the L/L outfield pile) and acquired a bullpen arm that can ride the LRT between St. Paul and Minneapolis for two years, if necessary.

Guy struggles as a starter for the Giants.

 

Then starts to look good as a reliever.

 

Then gets traded to the Twins. 

 

So help me, but if he stands on the mound and does the bpbpbpbpttt thing before he pitches, I think we got us a keeper. 

IALTO

Don't agree... Much better off with Kepler given our depth of corner OFers. They can also keep Canterino at AAA and use him if Buxton goes down for a prolonged period.

That 99 from CF should be interesting....

That 99 from CF should be interesting....

Oooops! Of course, I meant Celestino not Canterino. Too many inos but I think both guys could be a pleasant surprise addition at some point this year.

With 7 BBs per 9, I'd take Jim Hoey 2.0 to start. He can work his way up to New Wisler.

Yeah, that's either careless or disingenuous. He had a 7BB/9 last year in 15 IP. In 96 IP the previous year it was 3.6 and 2.3 when he was in the minors.