Get To Know: Twins Infield Prospect Daniel Ozoria

Well, two posts after this one you claimed you were convinced on BJ Garbe after 4 at bats. So, you're contradicting yourself a bit when you say the FO can't be convinced after 15 innings.

It isn't a contradiction at all.  I was convinced that Garbe did not have the bat speed to play in the majors within 4 at bats.

But, I wasn't going to cut him after 4 at bats either.  I wasn't going to not give him a chance at higher levels of the minors by putting some 30+ year old has been in the Quad Cities outfield so our A minor league team could win a few additional minor league games.  

I am going to understand what the objectives of the team should be, and trying to develop and evaluate Garbe was really important.  I think the Twins did the proper course with Garbe.   They moved him each year from A, to A+ for two years, and a final season in AA.  They gave him 2,500 of minor league plate appearances, let him reach his level of complete ineptitude and gave him a substantial amount of opportunities at that level.

In that game, a Twins prospect I thought had way more potential than Garbe was Kevin West.  West was our 16th round draft pick in that same  1999 draft.   A huge guy at 6-2, 225 West developed into his power potential as a minor league player.  Moving slowly through the minors, by 2004 he had a season mostly in AA were he hit 29 home runs with a ,899 OPS.  He followed that season up by hitting 20 home runs in 425 at bats in AAA Rochester with a .832 OPS.  

I would think that a guy that developed that level of power with a .350 OPB would have at least got a look at the end of the 2005 season on a team that was 16 games out?   Fifteen at bats or so.  WHat does that hurt?  Would the team have lost 81 games instead of 79 if they brought West up and at least gave him a cup of coffee.  

West was injured the next year.  Left the organization and never played as well as he did in 2004 or 2005, never got a chance at thebig leagues.

Wish we could re-do the trade and keep Curtiss. Chances are good that the Twins regret this move.

Members usually say that, but it seldom happens. 

Well, they have a good track record with reclaiming hard-throwing but wild pitchers from the Twins.  See: Alex Meyer.

 

We're just a bunch of old farmers sitting around the coffee shop in the cold of winter, arguing about the price of combine parts.  The Lukewarm Folgers League.

We got six inches of snow so far. You? And can you believe those idiots on (name your channel of choice)?

...

 

When I watched Garbe in rookie league ball (Elizabethton vs. the Danville Braves) I could tell he was limited in four at bats.  Now, instead of inept high school pitchers he was facing drafted players only and you could see he did not have the bat speed.   At the same time, you could see that Tim Spooneybarger had a future because he not only had a draftable fastball, but could change speeds with control.

 

 

I was high on Spooneybarger when he came up. Wouldn't it have been awesome if he was five years younger or Saltalamacchia was five years older? 

1.   Not sure how they are convinced that Curtiss isn't a MLB caliber player in just 15 innings stretched over 2 seasons.   I get that they have a good idea, but to be convinced that is stretching it.   

 

2.   This is the same front office that had some idea that 38 year old Matt Belisle is a MLB caliber player and gave him the ball in 25 games (15% of their total games, much more because he was picked up mid-seaason) to a stellar 9.13 ERA.  

 

Again, why not give the ball to a young guy like Curtiss and Andrew Vasquez and see what they can do.  YOu already know what Belisle will do.  THen, if you give each of them 25+ appearances you can be convinced.

 

The other thing, why do they have such patience with a guy like Matt Belisle, a 38 year old journeyman who will not impact the future of this franchise, and such little patience with John Curtiss, and no patience with players like Luke Bard???   It is baffling to me.

Belisle had the best ERA on the team in 2017 after June 15th. I believe the Indians thought he was a major league pitcher early in 2018 also. 

Belisle had the best ERA on the team in 2017 after June 15th. I believe the Indians thought he was a major league pitcher early in 2018 also. 

And the Indians had a team that could compete. So having a veteran pitcher on their staff actually made sense. 

When the Twins picked Belisle off waiversin 2018, they were not a competing team and having a 38 year old pitcher made Zero sense.   

When Belisle pitched terribly, it made even less than zero sense to keep him on the staff.

And when he continued to pitch beyond terrible, how does it occur to the manager and front office to continue to bring him into the game?????

Seriously, how can I have respect for a front office that does this?   If I pitch John Curtiss in those right handed relief appearances instead of Matt Belisle I actually GAIN something for the organization even if Curtiss is as bad as Belisle.  And since he probably wasn't going to be as bad (a 9+ ERA) we probably come out statistically better anyways.  

Again, why does the organization have patience with a 38 year old guy who has zero future with the team, giving him 25 appearances he, to use a phrase others use, "did not earn" while they appear the be beyond anxious to kick prospects WHO HAVE EARNED THEIR WAY TO A CHANCE AT THE MAJOR LEAGUES, out the door?????   Between that and not giving other prospects even a chance, I have to wonder what these people are trying to do? 

WE are not going to build a competitive team signing 30+ year old players on the abject downside of their careers to one year deals.