Miguel Angel Sano watch: part II

This morning, Sano officially passed the MLB age and identification investigation: he is who he claims to be and he is 16. Let the bidding war begin.

There are no news as of now. All we know is:

• The Pirates are the only team that has made an official offer


• Mike Radcliff (Twins' VP of player personnel) is in the DR since yesterday


• Sano prefers to play for the Pirates, but his agent is looking for the most money


• The Yankees and Red Sox will not deal with this agent

I will keep an eye in the story and will post any new developments in my twiter. You can follow it here in the panel left to this post (just refresh for the latest updates) or follow me on twitter.

My gut feeling is that some announcement will be out by Monday

A dark horse trade target for the Twins

With the recent wrist injury to Kevin Slowey and the relative ineffectiveness and inexperience of the pitching rotation, it would be wise for the Twins to target an experienced starting pitcher. Roy Halladay is available but the cost might be prohibitive for the Twins (it will likely take one or two good young arms and an additional highly ranked prospects). Jarod Washburn might be available, but he will likely be a high priced (in players) two-month rental.

I think that there is a dark horse in the race who currently plays with an organization that has been a trading partner for the Twins. As most dark horses, there are some apparent problems on the surface, but there are potential slices of hope. Who is he?

He is a former Cy Young award winner who was offered a very large free agent contract and the last two seasons prior to the current, his performance has been that much sub-par that he practically defines the term "free agent bust" in the baseball world:

Barry Zito

Before you place a call to the nice people with the white coats to come and rescue me, listen to my reasoning:

• The Giants might be willing to bite the bullet and eat most of his salary. There have been calls and indications that the Giants might release him before the season is over. His contract looks like this:09:$18.5M, 10:$18.5M, 11:$18.5M, 12:$19M, 13:$20M, 14:$18M club option ($7M buyout); option vests with 200 IP in 2013 or 400 IP in 2012-13 or 600 IP 2011-13. If you assume that the option will vest, he will be owned $84.5 million until 2014. If a team is assuming to pay $5 million of this over the next 4.5 seasons plus add a couple of so-so players with no future in their organization (think Humber/Macri) , it will be a win for the Giants over giving him his outright release.


• OK, he will really come cheap, but how could he be better than say a Ramon Ortiz or a Sidney Ponson or, more importantly, the current pitchers the Twins have in their rotation? Here is why: This season, Zito seems to have overcome his nagging injuries and pitching at least as effectively as in his last (All Star) season with the A's (2006):
  
  
  • His peripherals are 1.406 WHIP, 6.8 K/9, 1.82 K/BB (.293 BABIP); his 2006 All Star season numbers: 1.403 WHIP, 6.1 K/9, 1.53 K/BB(.285 BABIP)
  
  
  • His fastball velocity is the highest that have been since 2005 and it has been more effective in getting batters out since 2005
  
  
  • His newly developed (and frequently thrown this season) slider and his signature curve ball are very effective out pitches. His curveball is more effective this season than has ever been, including his Cy Young 2002 season, as measured by curveball runs above average per 100 pitches thrown (see previous link)
  
  
  • This season he has been throwing 3.90 pitches per batter he faced. This is the second best of his career, behind his 2006 season when he threw a close 3.88 pitches per batter


• Both with the A's and the Giants he has been among the leaders in Pitching abuse points (2009 data on the link; change the years to see the other season rankings). Moving into an organization that does not let pitchers' arms fall off, might help him.
  

Will he ever return to his previous glory? Who knows? He is 31 and under contract until his age 36 season (assuming the option vests). Based on these numbers and the trending, I am convinced that in the right organization he would be at least a decent number three starter with a contact that would burden his next team a little more than a million a season. That is not bad and it is something that the Twins should look into

Who is hot in the minors V6

This is the sixth version of the list of the best performing players in the Twins' minor league system year to date. Up to the all star break. The rookie leagues are in full swing, so players will appear here, including some of the recent draftees.

Catchers:

Allan De San Miguel (RHB, 21, A,A+,AA,AAA) .258/.425/.344 9 RBI, 93 PA
Danny Rams (RHB, 20, Rk/APP,A+, A) .329/.415/.695 6 HR, 26 RBI, 94 PA
Josmil Pinto (RHB, 20, Rk/APP) .296/.298/.741 6 HR, 27 RBI, 57 PA
Tobias J. Streich (RHB, 21, Rk/APP) .327/.375/.673 4 HR, 14 RBI, 57 PA

Infielders:

Danny Valencia (RHB, 24, AA,AAA) .304/.373/.505 10 HR, 42 RBI, 330 PA
Tyler Ladendorf (RHB, 21, Rk/APP, A) .375/.465/.653 4 HR, 19 RBI, 86 PA
Brian Dozier (RHB, 22, Rk/GCL, Rk/APP) .344 /.488/.375 2 RBI, 41 PA
Jairo Perez (RHB, 21, Rk/GCL) .300/.400/.467 1 HR, 2 RBI, 35 PA


Outfielders:

Rene Tosoni (LHB, 22, AA) .278/.387/.480 10 HR, 51 RBI, 324 PA (Interesting post on Tosoni @ FanGraphs here.
Joe Benson (RHB, 21, A+) .297/.432/.432 3 HR, 15 RBI, 149 PA
Chris Herrmann (LHB, 21, Rk/APP) .397/.473/.667 4 HR, 12 RBI, 94 PA
Wang-Wei Lin (lHB, 21, Rk/GCL) .364/.432/.545 1 HR, 7 RBI, 37 PA

1st basemen/DH:

Justin Huber (RHB, 26, AAA) .285/.360/.490, 12 HR, 49 RBI, 289 PA
Erik Lis (LHB, 25, AA) .320/.388/.486, 10 HR, 46 RBI, 321 PA
Kevin Sylvania (LHB, 18, Rk/DSL) .283/.371/.483 2 HR, 12 RBI, 70 PA
Kennys Vargas (SH, 18, Rk/GCL) .263/.364/.500 2 HR, 11 RBI, 44 PA

RH Starters:

Mike McCardell (24, A+) 3.93 ERA, 1.213 WHIP, 7.47 K/9, 4.88 K/BB
Dave Bromberg (21, A+) 2.87 ERA, 1.308 WHIP, 8.01 K/9, 2.03 K/BB
Brad Tippett (21, A) 2.64 ERA, 1.078 WHIP, 7.38 K/9, 4.12 K/BB
Liam Hendriks (20,Rk/APP, A) 3.22 ERA, 1.299 WHIP, 7.18 K/9, 0.54 K/BB
Pedro Guerra(19, Rk/DSL) 0.00 ERA, 0.705 WHIP, 7.25 K/9, 9.00 K/BB
Cesar Ciurcina (18, Rk/DSL) 1.74 ERA, 0.750 WHIP, 9.20 K/9, 9.00 K/BB
Manuel Soliman (19, Rk/DSL) 2.61 ERA, 1.184 WHIP, 6.87 K/9, 2.42 K/BB
Renzo Reverol (18, Rk/DSL) 2.10 ERA, 0.728 WHIP, 9.17 K/9, 8.75 K/BB
Wilson Sanchez (18, Rk/DSL) 1.85 ERA, 0.971 WHIP, 10.06 K/9, 5.47 K/BB
Angelo Sanchez (20, Rk/APP) 3.63 ERA, 1.209 WHIP, 9.7 K/9, 4.80 K/BB
Miguel Munoz (20, Rk/APP) 3.10 ERA, 1.230 WHIP, 10.62 K/9, 6.00 K/BB
B.J. Hermsen (19, Rk/GCL) 1.59 ERA, 0.647 WHIP, 5.29 K/9, 5.00 K/BB
Jhon Garcia (22, Rk/GCL) 1.06 ERA, 0.647 WHIP, 8.47 K/9, 16.00 K/BB
Adrian Salcedo (18, Rk/GCL) 0.64 ERA, 0.857 WHIP, 10.93 K/9, inf K/BB
Blayne Weller (19, Rk/GCL) 2.77 ERA, 1.077 WHIP, 9.00 K/9, 4.33 K/BB

LH Starters:

Mike Tarsi (22, A, A+) 1.80 ERA, 1.300 WHIP, 8.64 K/9, 2.89 K/BB

RH Relievers:

Jesse Crain (27, AAA) 3.14 ERA, 1.256 WHIP, 10.70 K/9, 2.43 K/BB
Juan Morillo (25, AAA) 2.84 ERA, 1.263 WHIP, 11.60 K/9, 2.23 K/BB
Armado Gabino (25, AAA) 3.27 ERA, 1.089 WHIP, 5.68 K/9, 2.20 K/BB
Rob Delaney (24, AA,AAA) 2.79 ERA, 1.1103 WHIP, 8.84 K/9, 3.80 K/BB
Yohan Pino (25, AA) 3.16 ERA, 1.228 WHIP, 9.79 K/9, 4.77 K/BB
Anthony Slama (25, AA) 2.77 ERA, 1.250 WHIP, 12.63 K/9, 3.08 K/BB
Alex Burnett (21, A+, AA) 2.10 ERA, 0.955 WHIP, 9.12 K/9, 2.89 K/BB
Steve Hirschfield (23, A+) 2.53 ERA, 1.123 WHIP, 6.00 K/9, 2.24 K/BB
Loek Van Mil (24, A+) 1.96 ERA, 1.174 WHIP, 6.26 K/9, 1.45 K/BB
Matthew Williams (22, A, A+) 2.76 ERA, 1.276 WHIP, 7.87 K/9, 2.64 K/BB
Billy Bullock (21, Rk/APP, A) 1.00 ERA, 0.665 WHIP, 11.00 K/9, 11.00 K/BB
Fransisco Nunez (17, Rk/DSL) 1.91 ERA, 0.988 WHIP, 10.80 K/9, 11.33 K/BB
Orlando Villaroel (19, Rk/DSL) 2.33 ERA, 1.222 WHIP, 6.70 K/9, 4.00 K/BB
Eddy Santana (21, Rk/DSL) 4.15 ERA, 1.269 WHIP, 8.83 K/9, 3.40 K/BB
Dakota Watts (21, Rk/GCL) 0.00 ERA, 0.360 WHIP, 7.6 K/9, 2.33 K/BB

LH Relievers:

Spencer Steedley (24, A+) 1.83 ERA, 1.150 WHIP, 8.93 K/9, 2.75 K/BB
Joe Testa (23, A) 2.10 ERA, 1.078 WHIP, 12.45 K/9, 2.96 K/BB
Kyle Carr (22, Rk/APP) 1.06 ERA, 0.647 WHIP, 14.80 K/9, 5.60 K/BB
Andrei Lobanov (19, Rk/GCL) 1.23 ERA, 0.545 WHIP, 12.30 K/9, inf K/BB
Nelvin Fuentes (20, Rk/GCL) 1.59 ERA, 0.706 WHIP, 11.10 K/9, 3.50 K/BB

Update on 2009 draft signees

The following Twins 2009 draft picks have signed so far. I am including their current numbers where applicable:

Matt Bashore (1st sup) (LHP)
Billy Bullock (2nd) Elizabethton/Beloit (RP): 1.08 ERA, 0.720 WHIP, 10.8 K/9, 10.00 K/BB (8.1 IP)
Derek McCallum (4th) Elizabethton (2B): .227/.310/.387 1 HR, 10 RBI (85 PA)
Tobias Streich (5th) Elizabethton (C): .327/.375/.673 4 HR, 14 RBI (57 PA)
Chris Hermann (6th) Elizabethton (OF): .400/.447/.640 3 HR, 10 RBI (89 PA)
Brad Stillings (7th) Elizabethton (RP): 5.73 ERA, 1.545 WHIP, 6.5 K/9, 1.14 K/BB (11 IP)
Brian Dozier (8th) GCL (SS): .286/.375/.286 (16 PA)
Nick Lockwood (9th) GCL (SS): .167/.259/.167 2 RBI (27 PA)
Tony Davis (12th) Elizabethton (RP): 8.00 ERA, 2.000 WHIP, 17.0 K/9, 2.83 K/BB (9 IP) 17 of his 27 outs were strike outs.
Matt Tone (14th) Elizabethton (LHP): 1.29 ERA, 1.571 WHIP, 9.0 K/9, 0.60 K/BB (7.1 IP)
Dakota Watts (16th) GCL (RP) : 0.00 ERA, 0.333 WHIP, 6.0 K/9, 2 K/BB (6.1 IP)
Nick Tindall (17th) GCL (C): .158/.200/.263 4 RBI (20 PA)
Kane Holbrooks (21st) Elizabethton (RP): 5.00 ERA, 1.889 WHIP, 9.0 K/9, 1.13 K/BB (9 IP)
Buddy Munroe(22nd) Beloit (C), .263/.300/.316, 20 PA
Trayvone Johnson (30th) GCL (C): .176/.281/.179 1 RBI, (19 PA)
Peter Kennelly (38th) (RHP)
Paul-Michael Klingsberg (49th) Elizabethton (1B/DH): .276/.290/.414 3 RBI (31 PA)

Brian Bistagne (undrafted FA) GCL (OF): .188/.289/.188 3 RBI (38 PA)