Minnesota Twins: Re-Grading the 2021 Offseason Moves
Re-Grading the Minnesota Twins Minor League Deals
Original Grade: B
While it’s hard to judge a large group of talent, I gave out a B at the start of the year because I felt like that was a fair grade given the wide group of talent the Twins brought in. With most of the season in the rearview mirror, we can give a more accurate grade.
There were always going to be a few busts. Keon Broxton was cut in August and is in the Brewers system. Glenn Sparkmann was released in May and now plays in Japan. Chandler Sheperd has a 5.76 ERA in Triple-AAA. Robinson Leyer’s ERA is even higher.
A few players reached the bigs but fizzled. Tzu-Wei Lin played a combined 8 games between the Minnesota Twins and St. Paul Saints before missing the rest of the season on the IL. J.T. Riddle was productive in his 4 games at the major league level, but didn’t offer much over 90 games at Triple-AAA. Derek Law and Andrew Albers made appearances, but weren’t key contributors.
Two of the signings have made big impacts in Minnesota though. Rob Refsnyder played pretty well before injuries derailed what could have been a career year. Luke Farrell has pitched in 17 games with a 3.32 ERA (3.44 FIP) and a 22-8 K-BB ratio, buoyed by a strong spin rate.
Don’t be surprised if Farrell finds his way into the 2022 bullpen and the production out of those two alone drags this grade up to passing. Most minor-league deals don’t end up helping (and that was the case here, but Refsnyder and Farrell did solidly for a beat-up roster.
Grade: B-
Re-Grading the Minnesota Twins Reliever Deals
Hansel Robles
Original Grade: A-
Well this grade is obviously going to drop. Hansel Robles posted a 4.91 ERA (4.82 FIP) and a career low 8.8 K/9 rate while struggling in high-leverage spots. I originally loved this move for two main reasons: cheap contract and rebounding opportunity. Neither ended up right.
He was an overpay at $2 million, and while he was better than 2020, he was nowhere near the player he was in 2019 or even in 2018. It became evident that he wasn’t the guy the Twins expected and when the season fall apart he was shipped out to Boston.
The trade with the Red Sox brought back relief prospect Alex Scherff, who hasn’t made an appearance yet in the Twins system due to a concussion. He looks like he a could be a solid back-end up option, but that’s not what the Twins wanted when they signed him.
New Grade: D+
Alex Colomé
Original Grade: A.
The Minnesota Twins bringing in a big name reliever with an All-Star appearance under his belt? What could go wrong? The Twins inked Alex Colomé to a one-year deal with a mutual option that guaranteed the closer $6.25 million, which at the time looked like an incredible deal. Finally landing a trustworthy closer who can get the big outs? Easy A.
Well, as we all know now, Colomé had one of the worst months by a reliever ever in April and has spent the entire season putting it back together. He’ll finish the season with an ERA in the 3.80-4.10 range and a modest 15 saves (a good number considering the situation).
I would expect the Twins to pick up his option and use him as the closer in 2022. At best, he’s the closer from 2020 that lends a big hand to a bounceback team. At worst he’s a solid trade chip on a team that’s looking to contend in 2023. His signing wasn’t the great move that we wanted to be, but it has ended up being pretty okay.
Grade: B-
Re-Grading the Minnesota Twins Rotation Additions
J.A. Happ
Original Grade: B+
I should really be a little harsher on these grades. The J.A. Happ signing was supposed to add an experienced veteran who was successful in the playoffs, a guy who could eat innings and who had really solid stats the year before. Similar to the last two moves, that was just being optimistic.
Happ got off to a really hot start, with five very good starts to begin the year. Immediately after that, it went up in smoke, as he posted a 6.77 ERA and some of the worst strikeout and walk numbers of his career. Mercifully, the trade deadline rolled around, bringing the most surprising deal: Happ was sent to the Cardinals for Jon Gant and Evan Sisk.
Sisk looks like a solid relief prospect at Double-AA, while Gant seems like he could be an okay swingman. That’s a miracle deal, but unfortunately we aren’t here to grade the trade, we’re here for the signing. $8 Million for that kind of production warrants only one kind of grade.
Re-Grade: F
Matt Shoemaker
Original Grade: C
I was not thrilled that the Minnesota Twins went out and spent $2 million on their fifth member of their rotation. Not wanting to offer a long term deal was smart with the pitching prospects the team has. Did they really think Matt Shoemaker would be a trustworthy option? I gave them the benefit of the doubt with a C. Woof.
He wasn’t ever reliable. In any capacity. He started eleven games and only made three quality starts with two starts of 5 innings with less than three runs. The rest were all ugly enough to the point that he was moved to the bullpen. When that wasn’t any better, he was designated for assignment, not even making it through June.
He pitched well for the St. Paul Saints in four games, but after a messy stint there, Shoemaker was granted his release and signed with San Francisco. There’s really no grade low enough for his single season in Minnesota.
Re-Grade: F
Re-Grading the Minnesota Twins Lineup Deals
Nelson Cruz
Original Grade: A-
Finally, a move that worked out really well for the Twins. Nelson Cruz was really good for the Twins, slashing .294/.370/.537 with 19 home runs and 50 RBI in 85 games before the trade deadline. He was the heart and soul of the team, and his leadership kept the team fighting.
The fact that he was easily the best hitter on the team was enough to make this grade worth it, as he only missed a few games in Minnesota before he was shipped to Tampa Bay in a deal that will later be known only as the Joe Ryan trade. This is easy to re-grade.
Grade: A
Andrelton Simmons
Original Grade: A
Welp, I really struck out here. It was easy to see why Andrelton Simmons was going to be a good fit for the team. The Twins desperately needed a true shortstop that could slot in towards the back of the order, play great defense, and make a contending team better. Unfortunately, the Twins still need that guy.
Simmons was a bust right out of the gate for the Twins, bad enough that I suggested Simmons be traded back in May. If i’m going to flip my opinion on a player that quickly and dramatically, you have to be awful. I still believe in Sanó for crying out loud. It only got worse from there.
After the trade deadline, I wrote that the Twins should just designate him for assignment to free up his innings and be rid of the headache. They didn’t and now the Twins’ third-highest paid player is slashing .224/.285/.277 (all three are the worst marks of his career) with just 3 homers and 31(!!!!) RBI.
He’s a gaping hole in the lineup, unpopular in the locker room, and hated by the fans. Andrelton Simmons has been arguably the worst free agent signing in Twins history, and his grade should show as much.
Re-Grade: 0% (An F felt too high)
Next. Minnesota Twins: Ranking the Top 5 Prospects We should See in 2022. dark