Twins Pitching For More Pitching

Couple points:

1) While it may seem like a low ball offer, certainly nobody else has offered enough for him to sign as of yet.

2) Could the offer have been a casual inquiry to feel Lynn and his representation out rather than a "here, take this" offer?

3) At some point, Lynn, Cobb and Arietta may have to accept lowering their initial demands and expectations, or consider a 1 year deal.

I guess I'm just saying the FO is at least interested in another addition, but not sure we know enough about all the factors and conversations involved.

We need another starter. Too many question marks on staff at the moment. I have zero faith in Gibson, Berrios and co.

We need another starter. Too many question marks on staff at the moment. I have zero faith in Gibson, Berrios and co.

I have faith in Berrios and Odorizzi, and that's it. I want to trust Mejia but he's got a lot to prove.

Every day recently I log on here, hoping for a Lance Lynn signing.  I'm not going to hold out hope for the playoffs unless I see him in Twin-stripes.

Come on, Falvine!  A pennant may be out there yet!

With Ervin out for opening day and more this is Jose’s chance to step up and be the player we all believe he can be. He’s got great stuff and looks outright nasty at times. Just don’t put to much pressure on yourself bud. And have a lot of fun beating the damn yanks!

I'm confused with the lowball offer. Unless Lynn isn't receiving anything near that from other clubs.

I would expect his price to be a bit higher, and at least a 2-year offer more towards $25-30 million with a third-year option.

But maybe...he just isn't worth it.

I mean, Jamie Garcia ALMOST got that much per year.

You do have to look at the bigger picture. You lose a draft pick (these guys refused a qualifying offer of an outrageous salary for a season), plus you more than likely ALSO lose a player that you remove from your 40-man roster, in exchange for a known commodity who may/may not produce as expected in your home field.

In many parts of the world bargaining is SOP. Here not so much. I have noticed some get offended with lowball offers. I say it's business, a starting point. Anyway if you have zero faith I the rotation this year must have been less than zero last year . Mejia is young and lost 16lbs to drop in to the 260's! That's progress.

How long before Lynn tells his agent to call the Twins back?  Their $20mm for two years was a starting point.  Expect that his agent could negotiate that up a few million. 

What kind of position is a starting pitcher in if he misses all/most of spring training?  I will be shocked if there isn't movement during the next week.  And the 40-man spot is easy if the Twins sign one of these guys...release Sanchez.

Berrios and Odorizzi are locks - Santana will be back by June.  Mejia and Gibson seem to be given spots, but I still hold out hope that Gonsalves and Romero move into the rotation and we build rather than plugging in Lynn and others who at the moment would be fillers.  We would hope that Lynn will improve from his TJ - well I hope Gonsalves and Romero improve with opportunity and move to a higher level that they are capable of.   

His 2017 numbers weren't too bad for a first full year back from TJ.  He would certainly help solidify the rotation.  Maybe he will reconsider and agree to a two year deal with mutual third year option.  That would be beneficial for both sides i think.

I'm confused with the lowball offer. Unless Lynn isn't receiving anything near that from other clubs.

I would expect his price to be a bit higher, and at least a 2-year offer more towards $25-30 million with a third-year option.

But maybe...he just isn't worth it.

I mean, Jamie Garcia ALMOST got that much per year.

 

Jaime gets $8 million this year, plus a $2 million buyout if they don't pick up the option.  So $10 mil guaranteed.  If they pick up the option for 2019, he gets $18 mil guaranteed.  Plus, up to $2 million per year in bonuses. Depending on the details of the 2/20 offer, Garcia could even earn more $ than what the Twins offered Lynn.

Somehow Garcia wrangled a pretty nice contract in this weird free-agent season.  Lance Lynn, Arrieta, Cobb, etc. should hire his agent.

 http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/22457044/toronto-blue-jays-sign-lefty-jaime-garcia-1-year-contract

Can we start using the term "Fake News" around the Twins, or no?  

I would like to see Lynn offered a three year deal, $15 mil per, give him an opt out after 1year, the third year a vesting option with 2 mil buyout. Third year vests if he throws 400 innings in the first two years. My guess is he would opt out after one year if he had a typical Lance Lynn type of season.

One would have to imagine that the pitchers will eventually sign somewhere. Or maybe their egos are so large that they don't think they need to take a lower salary. There will be injuries and other unforeseen events, so these guys will likely get scooped up eventually, but at what point do they need to accept what they can get just so they can pitch? Seems logical to me, then again, I'm not the one getting low-balled, so it's easy for me to say.

$ 10 million a year is not as low ball, especially for a NL pitcher who has had no other action and is  crossing over to the AL and having had a recent TJSurgery.  It was an opening offer that any non-idiot would counter. Thing is, unless they are staying in shape, they could sign late, get injured and end up sucking this year. 

Lynn can't play hardball at this point. These FA pitchers should sign one year make good deals. I suspect that Lynn just doesn't want to pitch for the Twins. OK. I saw somewhere that Odorizzi has been lobbying for an offer to Cobb. 

In many parts of the world bargaining is SOP. Here not so much. I have noticed some get offended with lowball offers. I say it's business, a starting point. Anyway if you have zero faith I the rotation this year must have been less than zero last year . Mejia is young and lost 16lbs to drop in to the 260's! That's progress.

Agree!  It's the beginning of a conversation.  It's also getting late in the off-season, so I'm pretty sure Lynn's agent is still listening.  And shopping around....

I'm just glad we are still in the hunt. The new regime is relentless.

I would never say "don't get any more pitching". That would be absurd. But I do have to ask...if Santana were fully healthy, would this even be discussed at this time after the Odorizzi trade?

As Brock mentioned, I'm fine with Mejia learning on the job a bit as the #5 man. He's LH, has some solid stuff, and he's an investment in both the near and long term future of the team.

Probably comes down to Gibson and is the FO and staff confident he is the guy they saw the second half of 2017?

I agree, which makes the team's interest in Lynn a little puzzling. Gibson improved in the second half when he started using his 4 seamer more and really reduced his sinker usage.

 

Lynn did just the opposite and went super heavy on the sinker all season but late in the year in particular. Unlike Gibson, Lynn doesn't really have a change or curve to use as offspeed pitches either.

 

Does the front office think they'll be able to get Lynn to reduce his sinker? Do they think they can give him a usable offspeed pitch? 

I'm not puzzled at all. If we have the money, Lynn is obviously a better option than Mejia. You can never have too much pitching. 

To look ahead a bit, it appears we are positioning ourselves to be buyers and sellers at the trade deadline. We may well have an excess bullpen arm or so, and with Pineda coming aboard next season, we have starting pitching options. 

We made solid deals this off season, but don't overlook, we barely touched our deep farm system, and few teams going forward have our payroll flexibility.

I seem to recall reading that the Players' Association had set up a mock spring training camp for unsigned players, so as to give them reasonably professional facilities to get into playing shape. It wouldn't be the same, but actual game play is arguably not a crucial aspect of spring training. I don't know whether Lynn is one who has taken part.

 

Then I don't think we, or anyone, will sign him. *groan*

Read in today's paper that they just closed the camp.  Didn't give a reason why.

I don't think Lynn is obviously a better option than Mejia.

 

People might speculate that he is, but there's nothing ever obvious about signing mid-level free agent pitchers and if anyone knows that, it's the Twins. Lynn's repertoire is bad, his peripheral stats are bad and his splits are bad. He's basically good measured on Wins and ERA. I don't trust that moving to a new league and a new team and a new stadium.

 

Also, if this team is going to be a buyer mid-season, I'd rather save the money for then. They're not going to be able to find room for a Justin Verlander this July if they are already at their max payroll.

I don't know how much more obvious it could be. He's a proven vet. Mejia isn't and may never be. If I'm not mistaken, he was the 5th highest rated starting pitcher in free agency based on projected WAR. I know you believe in those WAR things.

This board was screaming that the old regime didn't believe in advanced metrics. Now we get a group that clearly does, and we are going to pretend we know more? Also, every single AL team will take pitchers from the NL. 

I have faith in Berrios and Odorizzi, and that's it. I want to trust Mejia but he's got a lot to prove.

Wouldn't it be a HUGE addition to the staff if Mejia could pitch to his full potential.  We see it at times but not enough of a sample size to trust him.  Would be great to have that trusted lefty in the rotation.