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Otto von Ballpark

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Everything posted by Otto von Ballpark

  1. Otto von Ballpark
    Yes, agreed 100%. Guys at that age and level, with that track record, should absolutely be expected to have an MLB audition before they spend a whole winter on the 40-man roster. (Which Thompson himself did in 2014, as well as Oliveros, and Fryer in 2013, etc.) Likewise, a guy like Gilmartin should probably get that audition too before it is determined that we'd be OK losing him in Rule 5. Worst case, you see something in the audition that makes you not want to keep him on the roster all winter, and without Rule 5 restrictions you can probably flip him for another marginal player to fill a AAA depth role if that's all you wanted anyway.
  2. Otto von Ballpark
    Thanks, that's a more exhaustive list than the MLB.com Top 10 I posted earlier. Same Twins name on both lists, though (Zach Jones). Note that Pat Dean is older than every pitcher on that list except Kyle Drabek (who just signed as a minor league free agent and has over 2.5 seasons MLB service time).
  3. Otto von Ballpark
    That might have been possible too, had we not extended him. I thought one of the real benefits of Hughes's original 3/24 deal was that it could have played well in pen too, if necessary. Although that deal was probably accompanied by the promise of a guaranteed starting opportunity for the length of the contract. Hopefully the extension at least bought us some more flexibility in that regard, and hopefully the other starter performances render Hughes unnecessary in the rotation too.
  4. Otto von Ballpark
    Doogie Wolfson tweets that the Twins don't have interest in Thornton: https://twitter.com/DWolfsonKSTP/status/668453949855285248
  5. Otto von Ballpark
    Finally found the rule: http://www.thecubreporter.com/book/export/html/3517 See the section at the bottom on "Draft-Excluded Players." Emphasis mine. Basically, guys added to the 40-man after August 15th who would otherwise be Rule 5 eligible (including the guys added last week) can't be outrighted between Dec. 10 and roughly March 15 next spring. They can be traded or released at any time, but you can't pass them through waivers and outright them (removing them from the 40-man but keeping them in the organization) during that period. Which effectively means the player's 40-man spot is secured until March 15 -- if a team needs to free a spot in the interim, they will generally trade or try to waive/outright another player (i.e. what we just tried with Achter and Pinto).
  6. Otto von Ballpark
    Perhaps you misunderstood my post. My reference to minor league FA was saying those were the types that usually fill Dean's expected role (low upside AAA depth). We didn't need to use a 40 man roster spot to fill it.
  7. Otto von Ballpark
    10 interesting prospects available in the Rule 5 draft: http://m.mlb.com/news/article/157830358/top-10-prospects-available-in-rule-5-draft Tyler Jones makes the list, among 7 pitchers vs 3 position players.
  8. Otto von Ballpark
    Yes, as it currently stands. I suspect we may not make a Rule 5 selection, though, and a trade could also open a spot. Tonkin might be a prime casualty too, since he is out of options anyway.
  9. Otto von Ballpark
    Fine. But you really think say Felix Jorge is going to feel any more motivation now than he would have if Pat Dean had not been added to the 40-man roster yesterday, but was still given a chance to make the team in spring training and maybe a MLB cameo mid season? Heck, if Dean had been claimed by another club in Rule 5, wouldn't that also provide motivation to other players, both as example of another path to opportunity and as a rotation opening higher up the ladder? I do not doubt motivating factors exist all over baseball, but they are so complex and hard to predict that you can't really use them as a basis for a decision like this one.
  10. Otto von Ballpark
    So we can just do whatever we want with the 40-man spot in the meantime? Personally, in the meantime, I'd rather use it on upside or attempting to find a guy who might stick long term, rather than just subbing it for whatever minor league FA we usually sign to be AAA starter insurance.
  11. Otto von Ballpark
    It is not a question of Dean vs another prospect for me, I think they did a fair job protecting otherwise. But Dean's roster spot would probably be better used on a waiver claim, a FA, etc, sometime in the next year, rather than rewarding a low upside guy who was unlikely to be claimed just so he can be AAA depth. Heck, I doubt most of the relevant unprotected prospects have barely if ever even been Pat Dean's teammate, much less have an understanding why he was protected over them. The last guy on the 40 man is a much more abstract position than even, say, the last guy on the 25 man. (Where the Twins have had no issues allocating the spot for reasons other than talent/merit too, I might add.)
  12. Otto von Ballpark
    Kris Johnson was given up for a month of Morneau, Andrew Albers was free last winter, Aaron Thompson... there are limits to the value of "left handed and breathing." Being worthy of opportunities does not necessarily equal getting a guaranteed 25 man roster spot for an entire season which is what Rule 5 selection entails. Dean was Rule 5 eligible the past two winters and not selected. He might be older now than any non-minor-league-free-agent Rule 5 pick ever. His AAA success and his entire minor league career has almost entirely been pitch-to-contact, even vs LHB. Still want to guarantee he would have been selected in the Rule 5 draft? Even if he was, would he be missed? He might be no better than the 3rd left hander in line for promotion from Rochester, either starting or relieving.
  13. Otto von Ballpark
    What's good for the goose, is good for the left gander.
  14. Otto von Ballpark
    That's what irks me most about the Dean add, I think. Even if it ultimately doesn't impact Rule 5 much, Dean is pretty much locked into that 40-man spot well into next season.
  15. Otto von Ballpark
    Could be. One is for Park, we'll see about the other. We're pretty far down the Rule 5 draft order to expect much there. A lot of people here apparently want Matt Thornton signed.
  16. Otto von Ballpark
    You could say that about almost any player. But very few players get chosen in Rule 5.
  17. Otto von Ballpark
    You really think Pinto has any value right now? I wouldn't have minded if we brought him to spring training, I wouldn't mind if my team took a waiver flyer on him, but he really doesn't have any value at the present moment. Adding to the list of things I'll eat my hat about, I will eat my hat if Pinto returns value in trade this winter.
  18. Otto von Ballpark
    The angst from me is that we're protecting such players and not presently using the roster spot to find a potentially better player (i.e. Hultzen).
  19. Otto von Ballpark
    No doubt. But even having some value to this org doesn't mean he has to be protected in Rule 5. I'll eat my hat if Dean becomes anything more than Dave Gassner. (Meaning we'll win both of his MLB starts )
  20. Otto von Ballpark
    I was just noting his experience, I thought some relief experience could have made him a more likely Rule 5 selection, although now that I think about it, plenty of guys are picked as starters and moved to relief. (Not a lot of guys before high-A, though.) Now that he's on the 40 man roster, though, I could see them fast-tracking Rosario in the pen. Otherwise, trying to give him a conservative innings progression, it could be 2 years before he even reaches AAA, which would be a lot of time to hang out on the 40-man roster, especially if we hope to be competing these years.
  21. Otto von Ballpark
    Common sense says they could trade him after awhile, sure. Common sense also says teams probably aren't resorting to subterfuge to acquire Josmil Pinto at the present moment. Also, judging by waiver priority, the Athletics and Tigers both had a chance at claiming Pinto but passed. (The NL really had most of the terrible records this year.)
  22. Otto von Ballpark
    Probably not: "A club is not permitted to make a waiver claim and then trade the player to another club if the purpose of the claim was to prevent a third club from being awarded the waiver claim. (A waiver claim that is judged by the MLB Commissioner to have been made for this purpose will be revoked)." http://www.thecubreporter.com/book/export/html/3525 They could have an eye to outrighting him to AAA later, though.
  23. Otto von Ballpark
    Had he been chosen, I believe Pat Dean might have been the oldest non-minor-league-free-agent Rule 5 pick ever selected, much less actually stuck. Pat Dean's K% vs LHB in AAA last year was 12.2%, lower than everybody on his team except Thielbar and Stauffer: http://minorleaguecentral.com/team?tid=5342015&split=201&amod=%3C%3D&age=99&hand=-1&time=0&type=pitcher&ymod=%3D&dyear=99&rmod=%3D&round=99&table=0 This is a real head-scratcher any way you slice it.
  24. Otto von Ballpark
    Starting pitching depth should be the least of this team's concerns right now, even if they deal Milone and somehow unload Nolasco. Quality I understand, but not depth, at this point. Had he been chosen, I believe Pat Dean might be the oldest non-minor-league-free-agent Rule 5 pick ever selected, much less actually sticking. Pat Dean's K% vs LHB in AAA last year was 12.2%, lower than everybody on his team except Thielbar and Stauffer: http://minorleaguecentral.com/team?tid=5342015&split=201&amod=%3C%3D&age=99&hand=-1&time=0&type=pitcher&ymod=%3D&dyear=99&rmod=%3D&round=99&table=0 This is a real head-scratcher any way you slice it.
  25. Otto von Ballpark
    Michael is usually good for an injury or two, so that means some DL time. 5 position players stuck last year from Rule 5, versus only 4 pitchers (pending Winkler seeing 60 active days in 2016). Of course, they were generally better than Michael. Taylor Featherston was pretty bad for the Angels, that would probably be Michael in 2016 if he was selected.
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