Twins work trade to keep Rule 5 draft pick, Jason Jones
Posted on March 28th, 2009 – 8:37 AMBy Joe Christensen
FORT MYERS, FLA. — Francisco Liriano gets his second-to-last tuneup of the spring today, as the Twins face the Red Sox at City of Palms Park.
Liriano is 1-1 with a 2.95 ERA this spring and has allowed 14 hits and eight walks in 21 1/3 innings, notching 19 strikeouts.
Joe Nathan and Philip Humber are scheduled to pitch in relief. Humber has allowed one earned run in his last six appearances, spanning eight innings.
Update: The Twins traded Class A pitcher Charles Nolte to the Yankees today to acquire the rights of Rule 5 draft pick Jason Jones.
The Twins assigned Jones to Class AAA Rochester, where he will be part of the starting rotation.
Nolte went 4-3 with a 2.05 ERA in 44 relief appearances last season for Class A Beloit.
Jones went 2-0 with a 2.70 ERA in seven games for the Twins this spring, allowing 11 hits and three walks in 10 innings.
Update: The Red Sox scored seven runs against Liriano in the third inning with home runs from Rocco Baldelli, David Ortiz and Jason Bay. Liriano threw 72 pitches in three innings, and Joe Nathan came in to pitch the fourth.
Luis Ayala pitched two innings against Class AAA Pawtucket today, allowing one unearned run with no walks and three strikeouts.
Update: Got an e-mail on this, and yes, there is a stiff wind blowing out to left field. That helped lift Ortiz’s liner over the left-field wall, but Baldelli crushed his over the scoreboard in left center, and Bay’s was hit a country mile to left.
Liriano did not use the wind as an excuse.
“When you get behind in the count, you get hurt, and that’s what happened today,” he said. “It’s one of those days, no matter what you throw, they’re going to hit it.”
Liriano will get one more start before spring training ends, likely Thursday against Boston again.
“I feel comfortable at this point, I’ve just gotta keep working on locating my fastball,” he said. ”That’s the main thing for me just locating my fastball, and everything’s going to be OK.”
TWINS
1. Denard Span, RF
2. Carlos Gomez, CF
3. Joe Crede, 3B
4. Justin Morneau, DH
5. Delmon Young, LF
6. Brian Buscher, 1B
7. Brendan Harris, SS
8. Mike Redmond, C
9. Matt Tolbert, 2B
RED SOX
1. Rocco Baldelli, CF
2. Dustin Pedroia, 2B
3. David Ortiz, DH
4. Kevin Youkilis, 1B
5. Mike Lowell, 3B
6. Jason Bay, LF
7. Jed Lowrie, SS
8. George Kottaras, C
9. Nick Green, RF
Starting pitcher: Brad Penny
City of Palms Park. First pitch: 12:05 p.m. (Central)
87 Responses to "Twins work trade to keep Rule 5 draft pick, Jason Jones"
It looks like we have the three players fighting for a bench spot in the field today. I really like Harris and Tolbert personally I think they are way more versital then Buscher. I think the Twins might go with Buscher though because they think he has more potential power off the bench. I not sure you want someone just because of potential when the other two give you options on the field and on the base path.
who is buscher going to pinch hit for late in games, punto? couldn’t the odd man out in the outfield do that? or harris? and cuddyer could play first if mvp need a day off. harris is a much better 3B than buscher. theres to many reasons for buscher to be the odd man out if there can be only 2 of the 3
Exactly if you use Buscher as a pinch hitter in the late innings uou end up using the other player on the bench for defense. No more options.
unfortunately tolbert is the one who will go, simply because harris and buscher are too solid to let go…buscher hits .300+ against righties…you have to have buschers bat available….tolbert should be on this team also, but i like the idea of having a dickey in the bullpen…simply because of the knuckler…i think he will be great in the middle of alot of these games….sorry tolby…your time will come sooner or later, just not now…
[…] Around the Majors – […]
I am pretty sure that Harris, Buscher, and even Tolbert will be on the opening day roster…Harris and Busch are locks..
I agree that we need and will go with 12 pitchers. I would love to see Dickey pitch in the dome but I am not sure he will start the season going north. It will depend how Humber and Mijares finish ST. Humber unless he is awful because he is out of options will come north and if Mijares can put the ball over the plate will probably be the second lefty in the pen.
Since Guerrier is having a decent spring I hope that there’s room in the BP for Humber. Tolbert will be back. Guys like him always come back to Gardy.
Honestly, look at the left side of our infield Punto and Crede! Wow those guys are going to make our pitchers better! And those guys are also more than likely each going to make at least one trip to the DL this season. Hopefully, they are only 15 day stints. My point is Tolbert will be back. Casilla got hurt last year. Will he be healthy for the whole season? Who knows? I also think Jason Pridie will be back. I would be shocked if Cuddy and Kubes both stayed healthy.
Buscher, Harris and Tolbert could all make the team…if not for that damn Punto signing. What a mistake…
When will they cut to the final 25?
What day?
I am Topp Dogg…..Answer me 98..
This RedSox line-up will let us know where Liriano is really at. If he can do well against them today that would be a good sign because they are playing most of their regulars and it’s going to be a very potent offense.
The Punto signing is truly baffling.
Topp Dogg, every team is different, they might wait till next sat or sunday to cut to 25. Id say its gona be at least until friday since the battles are so even for one or two spots on the roster
actually back that up be one day, I forgot the opener was on a monday not a tuesday
I hope our scouting staff has grabbed a steal from the Hated Yankees in Jason Jones..
great job BS. keeping Jones for a relatively low prospect was a great idea. that way, Jones can get plenty of innings in AAA, and guys like Dickey or even Duensing now have a shot at that 12th spot. Humber is a lock for the 11th spot.
The only reason Mijares is still here is to see if Andy can keep working with him and get him out of this terrible funk he’s in (and probably to work with the trainers too to get him in shape). he’ll get plenty of innings in AAA to get him back in the september groove he had last year.
Hamms
Jones is a prototypical ‘hits his spots’ type pitcher that the Twins breed. he’s got a chip on his shoulder (the Yankees dumped him because ‘he doesn’t throw hard enough’), and works very hard. he’ll fit in very nicely in the system.
FYI, today’s game with the Sawks is on NESN. Channel 628 on DirecTV if you get the sports package.
While I agree that the Punto signing was a bad move, it isn’t a bad move because Buscher, Harris or Tolbert won’t make the team.
The team needs a shortstop. I am confident that Punto will prove that he is not an everyday shortstop, and they have no one who is. Tolbert and Harris are utility players, one with speed, versatility and a switchhitter, the other with a pretty good bad who plays subpar defense. Neither is an everyday SS. Buscher is a lefthanded hitter with a bit of pop, but terrible in the field. He is not an everyday player either.
flatblade…
We do have a natural good SS on the team his name is Alexi Casilla. He was a SS all through the minors and that is his natural position. IMO the infield would look best like this: Crede 3B, Casilla SS, Tolbert 2B, Morneau 1B with Harris as our utility infielder and Buscher to back-up 1B.
does liriano look in better shape this spring?
I’m excited that we got Jones!:)
[…] (1:24pm): The Yanks acquired righty reliever Charles Nolte from the Twins for the right to keep Jones today. Nolte had a 2.05 ERA and a 75-35 K/BB ratio in […]
[…] Around the Majors – […]
Liriano looks ripped this year.
So our AAA rotation looks like
1.Mulvey
2.Duensing
3.Swarzak
4.Jones
5.?Dickey?
Shazel
I am guessing Dickey makes the team.
Liriano - 3 K’s (including a swing and a miss by Ortiz), a walk and a DP in 2 innings. Go Franchise.
The 12th pitching spot is no more than extended Spring Training for a pitcher that hasn’t proven he belongs on a Major League roster. Like Brian Bass last year.
Not so much luck in the 3rd inning.
walk, hit batter, strikeout, 3-run homer
…and another walk
…and a 2-run homer
yay! that inning is over! Hopefully that is the worst of the season for Liriano
well, the flood gates opened…
we seem to have this inferiority complex with Boston (especially the hitters). wonder if we’ll ever get over it.
way to jinx him MMM!
Nice 2-run jack for Tolbert…his 3rd already
After yesterdays game I was hoping that Span had maybe started to find his swing, but he looks downright uncomfortable out there. Have the Twins been messing with his swing?
I think it’s a really bad sign the way Boston owned Franchise! What will they do to Baker and Blackburn if they can demolish our best starter?
Nolte has 97 K’s in 94.2 minor league innings.
I’d rather they let Jones go back to the Yankees. It’s not like he’ll help the Twins now or in the future.
Jones is a less-talented Brian Bass.
After the last 2 starts where is all the crying that Franchise should be the opening day starter? Where is all the talk of the injustice to him?
Really cause i heard he was the next brad radke.
This RedSox line-up will let us know where Liriano is really at
Let’s hope not.
There are LOTS of relievers in the organization that are better than Nolte. Jones could be a MLB starter if he learns to pitch Twins style and brings his # of walks down.
I think it did let us know where Franchise is at. He’s not DOMINANT. He has to hit his spots like the rest of our pitchers and use all his pitches. The league will probably hit for a higher BA against Liriano than Slowey.
I’m not to worried about Liriano, he definitely has the stuff to be able to figure out how to pitch successfully. He seems like he’s trying to do a little to much out there right now.
union
He has a Great slider and a great change but his fastball it just average. It used to be 93-98 now its 87-93.
Craig copies and pastes his posts from La Velle’s thing, because he doesn’t want anyone to miss anything. Craig sees this as a public service. He is always willing to help out when he can.
Craig Rips One says:
March 28th, 2009 at 1:10 pm
The Twins glory days were when Bartlett was at SS and Punto at 3B. Two swift athletic guys. You can’t get too much better than those two both on the left side.
Crede had a fine glove at one time. Hopefully he still does. Problem is he is very slow footed and his power is not suited for the dome. The big field in LF and the tall curtain in RF renders his power inert in his home park. He will hit .245 with 9 HR on the year.
Crede puts the ball in play fairly well, so he should make some productive outs, by moving the runners along. That’s a good thing because he is an out machine. He will have a pathetic sub .300 OBP in 2009.
Overall, Craig thinks Crede is still a very slight upgrade over Buscharris, but Buscharris would have produced many more runs.
Crede is an overcooked noodle with the bat, but he will help the pitching and that’s good enough for Craig. Baseball is pitching.
Craig Rips One says:
March 28th, 2009 at 1:16 pm
How could the Rays end up with both Morgan Ensberg and Pat Burrell on the same team? Ugh!
That good young staff is going to have to cover for some awful hitters. Pitching can do that. Hopefully, the Rays can just release the miserable Ensberg. Hard to find a worse ballplayer. Burrell comes close.
Craig Rips One says:
March 28th, 2009 at 1:39 pm
Craig hopes that Alejandro Machado is not sent down. The Twins have plenty of room for him with the major league club. He has the skills, versatility and athleticism to help the team win. Craig notes that Machado has played very little this spring and is a non-roster player, which unfortunately indicates he is unlikely to remain.
Besides Machado, Catcher (Jeff?) Christy and R.A. Dickey are the remaining non-roster players. Christy won’t make the team and Dickey absolutely should not. Dickey has to be one of the dumbest spring training invites of all time. Release him immediately.
Do the Twins expect his fastball to increase at all?
People are already freaking out. Guess I should not be surprised. This outing isn’t going to define the Twins or Franchise.
The Twins most definitely need 12 pitchers, but Craig believes the Twins can start with 11. It is a high risk move, because the pitching quality has been so compromised since the ill-conceived Santana and Garza trades.
Craig believes that Harris is Gardy’s least favorite of the likely infield reserves (Tolbert, Buscher, Harris). However, Gardy almost always prefers two reserves who can handle SS when they start the season. It’s his history (check it out). Harris can play SS if he has to, and Buscher cannot.
Craig has predicted Harris would be cut, but this could be the first time a Craig prediction is wrong. Craig is humble and he certainly understands that it is impossible to ALWAYS be correct. People rely on Craig, but no one can bat 1.000 that many years in a row. He apologizes in advance if he is wrong.
Did the Red Sox trade for Baldelli or sign him? If he can stay healthy he has all the tools to be an all star IMO.
Brainfreeze– Baldelli was a free agent
Baldelli has excellent natural talent, but he is more injury prone than Punto and almost as fragile as Crede.
Those are some great comments from Liriano — they show me that he’s really maturing as a pitcher. Does it seem like that is happening, LENIII?
union
If he hasn’t regained his velocity by now it’s not coming back. He’s scared of hurting himself again. I think Livan Hernandez told him you don’t need to throw hard to win and you’ll make a lot more money in a long career than a short and glorious one. The Twins changed his delivery….maybe his violent delivery added some mph….I don’t know.
Yeah he needs to locate his fastball REALLY good because it isn’t that fast.
Shazel
just like the rest of the rotation; they do just fine (he’s still working on location because when he first came in here he’d just blow it by people).
qualler,
What did Liriano say?
paul– look up above the line ups, I think that is what he is talking about
That’s my point he cant blow anyone away anymore.
Little Miss,
Thank you.
Wow, just checked the box score, Mr. Franchise got SHELLED! Three dingers? Is he trying to emulate Johan, or maybe Radke? Watched the first few innings on mlbtv, and his velocity was 91mph, i.e., not good. Oh well, he is still better than 90% of the other starters in the league.
I think liriano’s velocity will regain to 92-95 at least eventually. He just needs to trust he wont get hurt.
Hes only what 25 and hes also still trying to perfect a new delivery. Plus this is spring training and hes working on locating
Hope Shooter Hunt can make to the bigs in a hurry! We need….or should I say I want a strikeout pitcher.
CRAIG-You are a legion in all 5 of your minds(??)!
In all seriousness Liriano will be fine. He just won’t ever be the left handed version of Pedro we all thought he could be back in ought six. People say that velocity is usually the first thing you get back after TJ surgery. Don’t think he’ll ever be the ace.
Liriano can be a strikeout pitcher even without a dominating fb.
Shazel-not all p’s that get TJ change their delivery watch by sometime this year his velocity will be somewhere from 93-95 pretty consistently
“CRAIG-You are a legion in all 5 of your minds(??)!”
GENO, you must have meant lesion.
We keep all three infielders (Tolbert, Buscher, Harris)out of camp.
11 pitchers- Humber are in, Mijares/Dickey/Duensing are out.
Nobody is lost because of lack of options
It’s all about options. No way you release Harris. He’s a pretty good player, especially for a team that once kept LRod on the bench for a full season. And he is a key piece if Crede becomes re-injured.
Remember that we can recall a pitcher as soon as we need one at the season’s beginning (no 10 day waiting period).
If we need to do so early, Harris and Buscher stay. Harris because as described above (at least in April) Buscher because he is the left-handed 3B to spell Crede on his needed rest days.
Heinie,
I like your plan and I think that is what the team will do. But, as much as I like Harris and how he goes about his business, I have this nagging feeling that having him as a backup IF will preclude the Twins as a strong playoff team. There’s just too much downside with him on the field as a middle IFer. As a matter of fact I think Tampa knew this and “set us up” on that trade he was involved in. He’s just good enough for most teams to keep runnin out there. But not good enough to elivate a team deep in the playoffs. I think the Twins should trade him now. While his stock is high. Then deal with the Crede problem if it happens. I know the Harris/Bucsher platoon is plan B at 3B but I don’t think the Twins should keep a dead spot in the roster just in case.
birdofprey,
I bet he meant legend
Heard from a scout at the game that Liriano was 91-94 on the gun and consistently at 92.
Thats good hopefully he can even improve a little more! I’m very excited to see liriano pitch this year.
Let’s go Twins!!!!!! You win the division with 92 wins. Everythings in the place for a WS run, go Twins!!!!
Just goes to show how different radar guns are. I watched the Boston broadcast and Liriano’s fastball hit 93 once(I know, I was curious so I was keeping track.)Never hit 94 on that gun. Most of them were 90 or 91, and I counted 3 at 92. To the degree he threw changeups they came in on the Boston gun at 79.
LENIII you might want to ask Anderson about if the mechanics changes that they worked on last year are still there. He looks to this eye like he’s throwing the same way as before the surgery. Across his body and falling off. Maybe the changes were more subtle.
It just goes to show you can’t really trust stadium radar guns
…especially in spring training stadiums
Nice to have tough decisions on who to cut, for a change. Except maybe the pen. Is there much chance of a trade before the opener - Harris or Buscher for a pitcher? Someone else? Are the Yankees happy with their ARod fill-in?
Sorry,I had to jump in since I’ve never posted. With ST winding down here is a thought I’ve thought about the last two weeks. I’d like to see BS find a compatible trade partner…send Harris and possible a prospect to Team A for bullpen help. Keep Tolbert and use Buscher/Tolbert as 3B plan B. Tolbert can be used as a much better defensive replacement at SS/2B than Harris. Thoughts?
Anyone here or are ya’ll at church?
I like that idea
You got my vote HoskenPowell’s jock strap. Wow, I’d think bout changing your moniker dude.
The Bay homer WAS mammoth. DY didn’t even move. From where I was sitting, on the third base line, I could see it land in the softball field…basically halfway across the field.
The Baldelli homer was almost as far. What was interesting was the huge ovation Baldelli got when he was announced–before his homerun. I assume he is making their roster this year.
After the game, stopped by the barricades to see the players signing autographs as they left. Talked to Span for a bit–seems like a really quality, humble guy.
Haven’t had much of chance to watch much this spring. How has Delmon looked this year? Hopefully he can step it up and make us at least forget about the Garza/Bartlett trade a little bit this year.
[…] back to the Yankees for half of the original $50,000 fee required to select him the Twins instead worked out a trade to keep him in the organization. Jones isn’t totally without potential and may be a decent fifth […]
