Saturday, November 30, 2013

Hot Stove Update: Phil Hughes to the Twins

RHP Phil Hughes has agreed to terms with the Minnesota Twins for a reported 3 years/$24 M according to MBLTR.

Well, I think we just found out why Sabes folded his cards and signed Ryan Vogelsong to a 1 year deal.  I really envisioned Hughes signing a deal similar to Dan Haren and Josh Johnson,  a 1 year deal with a team that plays in a pitcher-friendly stadium which would allow him to rebuild his value and sign a bigger deal next year.  Seems like the Twins and he had other ideas.  I've always liked Phil Hughes and I think he has a lot of upside, but there is serious risk there too.  Given the Giants overall situation, I much prefer a 1 year deal for Vogey to a multiyear deal for Phil Hughes.

The Twins have now added Ricky Nolasco and Hughes.  Given the pathetic state of the Twins pitching last year, Nolasco and Hughes cannot be worse and give them some serious upside, especially pitching in that stadium.

4 comments:

  1. Dominoes are starting to fall and it is clear that Sabean values shorter term deals even if he has to overpay a bit. He must feel comfortable that some of the guys in the minors are going to make the cut in the next couple of years and wants to make sure there will be room in the rotation and payroll when that does happen.

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    1. This is a bit of a departure for Sabes as in the past he has appeared to never worry about blocking a prospect in the future, or even the present. He did speak glowingly of the pitching in the lower minors with an estimate of their arrival in approximately 2 years. Sabes often keeps his own counsel and does not disclose his strategy, but when he does make a comment like that, he generally means what he says and is not trying to mislead anyone. So yeah, I would say he definitely believes in his pitching prospects.

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  2. A question to ask...Many places around the net are still reporting that the Giants STILL HAVE INTEREST in ARROYO even after signing VOGEY. It makes little sense as Sabean has vowed he wouldn't sign Vogey to compete for a job and I don't think Vogey would have signed with the Giants if there was a possibility he would be a long reliever....Thus, these reports are likely wrong......

    Unless the Giants are quietly thinking about going with a 6 man rotation....or quietly hiding an injury to Cain....Just trying to think of reasons the Giants might still be interested in a SP like ARROYO

    SteveVA

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    1. I've seen those reports too. I don't put much stock in them. I would say there is a small possibility that Sabes feels like he did not have enough depth in the rotation last year and got burned and he is going to make darn sure it doesn't happen again. More likely he got wind of Hughes getting a 3 year deal and and with Arroyo holding out for 4 years, he decided the market was running away from him and he simply folded his cards and signed Vogey to whatever it would take to get him on a 1 year deal.

      One other possibility is with the kind of strange 1 signing at a time approach were seeing, and in a strict order of priorities, he simply wanted to clear the decks by establishing cost-certainty for the rotation so he could pursue an OF if one or 2 came available at the non-tender deadline, which will be tomorrow, I believe.

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