Span Traded

[DonBo]

Quote:

OFFICIAL: MN Twins acquire top pitching prospect RHP Alex Meyer from Nationals for OF Denard Span. Meyer, 22, was drafted 23rd overall by the Nationals in the 2011 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Kentucky. The 6-foot-9, 220-pound right-hander went 10-6 with a 2.86 ERA (129.0 IP, 41 ER), 45 walks and 139 strikeouts in 25 starts between Single-A Hagerstown and Single-A Potomac last season. Check out his MiLB player profile here: http://atmlb.com/TtZtkM

This could work out good in a couple years, but don't you think we need help NOW?

[ted4887]

I agree that we need help, but this is a move I'm happy with overall. I liked Span, and loved watching him play but I'm on board with going after pitching prospects. Should be fun to watch him pitch in June when we're out of the race already.

[fishingstar]

Just what we need is a pitcher that can pitch in a ball.

Dan

[nofishfisherman]

I like the move. We need top of the rotation guys but we're never going to go out and sign a free agent ace so I see this being the only real way we get a top 1 or 2 type pitcher other than drafting one ourselves.

Span has become expendable with Revere playing well.

This isn't going to help us this year but there is no possible way they can fill all the holes to make us a playoff contender next season. Its going to be a 2-3 year process at best.

[Slabasaurus]

Logically a good move. Our pitchers are not very talented, at least in the 'being a professional baseball player' department.

Personally I'm not huge on it since Span is one of my favorite players.

Why?

Run run run as fast as you can, you can't catch me, cuz I'm

Denard Spaaaaaaaaaaan.

[B. Amish]

very rare for teams to trade top tier pitching prospects. hopefully this one pans out.

[B. Amish]

they still have to get 4 starters for next year though. this guy ain't mlb ready.

[Scott M]

I hope the kid pans out, I do like taking the risk. This team wouldn't be ready even if the kid was. Let it cook a few years.

Denard was a model citizen and a decent product of the system. He had his ups and downs but you knew what you got. I'm hoping to catch his interview with Paul Allen tomorrow on KFAN.

[HossFisher]

Updated rankings have him as our new #5 overall prospect. Pretty significant addition. Hopefully Kyle Gibson can recover from his surgery because they both have the makings of top the rotation pitchers.

[Bryce]

Will Meyer have Tommy John surgery in preparation for Twins training staff getting their hands on him?

[PierBridge]

Quote:

but we're never going to go out and sign a free agent ace

I would hope not as its been proven time and time again to not only not work 95 percent of the time but it has crippled teams for years to come.

I think CC is about the only one I can think of that worked out somewhat.

Solid move and this is no 3 year rebuilding deal here guys!

Go Twins!

[Bryce]

Year and a half to learn the "Twins way" of pitching to contact + year and a half to recover from Tommy John surgery = 3 years And this time line of course all hinges upon if Gardy likes him.

[Musky Buck]

6 Jacks and 63 rbi's and 25 steals 8 caught stealings and that's his 5 year average on 162 game schedule,OBP .357 which seems decent though I think, we just improved our team, I never saw him take over a game,saw him make some great catches, you must have that ability once a month I think as an outfielder to have a I got this game for us tonight guys with the lumber. Watching him watch balls like they were gone and they never made the warning track, stupid base running at times, brutal, he will not be missed unless Ben Revere has a career ending injury in game one, great guy, great off the field, pretty mediocre on it, the change of scenery is what he needed also I think, re-focus things. If Ben Revere isn't in the mix I have better things to say and more hope for the nards moving forward. Can't deny he's a class act.

[Scott M]

Braves are dealing their starting pitching. Maybe Twins can get in on it.

[Musky Buck]

We definitely need to get our pitching in order then it doesn't take as many bats ie. SF Giants even though they're NL, sorry I ripped you up some Denard, you always gave 110% on and off the field. Heard Boof Bonser is making a comeback ? Syd Ponson also.

[greebs]

given that it the writing was on the wall already that span was not in the future plans for this team, I think they did ok. Span is not a superstar so it's not like we were going to get a pitcher that is going to be someone to rely on right now. And let's face it, this team doesn't look like it's close to being a contender again for a few years at least anyhow.

I don't like that they are relying on ben revere as their next cf though. He's a decent offensive player but that arm is not a cf quality arm at all. Hopefully one of their other minor league outfielders will be ready in the near future to replace ben.

[B. Amish]

i used to think revere's arm was bad enough that he should only be playing left field. but, after seeing his range, i think it makes up for (and then some) his lack of arm.

his arm gets exposed in high pressure situations like late in a close game and guy on third. but, holy smokes, revere can flat out take away hits with his range.

and there's something about revere's high energy that is contagious to the other players.

also, revere is a far superior base stealer to span.

[JAfish]

Twins should have more outfielders to trade considering that's all they have drafted the last few years. No wonder they are so short of pitching. There are plenty OF down there to bring up.

[Musky Buck]

Exactly Amish, when you weigh it all out yes Ben Revere vs. Span, Revere does energize our team more so than Denard and in a nutshell was why I won't miss Denard and likely will be a really solid Leadoff guy, 1 bobble he's on first, in the dirt anywhere and he's on 2nd. In a way I was hopeful Denard would be Revere, he's close and hopefully the extra run Revere gives us will balance out his arm strength with A+ defense.

[eyebenband]

And now Revere.....don't need to worry about his arm now.

NASHVILLE, Tenn -- The Twins saved their biggest move of baseball's winter meetings for the last day, trading center fielder Ben Revere to the Philadelphia Phillies for right-handed pitcher Vance Worley and minor league right-hander Trevor May.

The move Thursday, Dec. 6, comes just days after the team shipped center fielder Denard Span to the Washington Nationals for right-handed pitching prospect Alex Meyer. The Twins had planned to move Revere to center field, but their decision to deal the 24-year-old was rooted in their need to replenish a starting rotation that had the second-worst earned-run average in the majors last season.

Worley finished third in the 2001 NL Rookie of the Year voting, when he went 11-3 with a 3.01 ERA for the Phillies. He struggled last year, posting a 4.20 ERA, but throws two breaking balls and a changeup in addition to a fastball that he can cut on occasion.

The 23-year-old May went 10-13 with a 4.87 ERA for Class AA Reading last year, but was seen as one of the Phillies' top pitching prospects. He struck out 151 batters in 149 2/3 innings last year and gives the Twins another hard-throwing starter as they try to stockpile power arms.

With Revere and Span both gone, the Twins will have an open competition for center field spot spring; 2008 first-round pick Aaron Hicks could be ready to play in the majors, and Darin Mastroianni could see time there, as well. With Chris Parmelee likely to play in right field, this would give the

Twins two untested players starting in their outfield alongside Josh Willingham.

Still, that was the price of trying to rebuild their pitching staff.

[zepman]

Year and a half to learn the "Twins way" of pitching to contact + year and a half to recover from Tommy John surgery = 3 years And this time line of course all hinges upon if Gardy likes him.

+1.