The Blue Jays like Kevin Slowey, according to Joe Christensen of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune (on Twitter). Christensen hears that the Blue Jays have relievers to spare and had three scouts watching Slowey pitch in a 'B' game against the Pirates this morning. The right-hander logged three innings without allowing a hit or a run, striking out three.
ESPN.com's Buster Olney reported on Sunday that the Twins are "very much willing" to discuss trading Slowey. The Blue Jays are not desperate for pitching help; Jo-Jo Reyes, Jesse Litsch, Marc Rzepczynski and Kyle Drabek are battling for two rotation spots and Zach Stewart, Brad Mills and Scott Richmond are also in the mix for jobs.
Toronto does have lots of relief depth, particularly from the right side. Frank Francisco, Octavio Dotel, Jon Rauch and Jason Frasor all have closing experience and Shawn Camp and Casey Janssen are coming off of strong seasons. Throw in two more right-handers, Carlos Villanueva and Josh Roenicke, and it's easy to see why teams might ask the Blue Jays about potentially available arms.
Slowey posted a 4.45 ERA with 6.7 K/9 and 1.7 BB/9 in 155 2/3 innings last year. The 26-year-old has never posted a walk rate above 1.7 per nine or a strikeout rate above 6.7 per nine in four big league seasons. He'll earn $2.7MM this year and is under team control through 2013.
They have no one that I’m interested in getting other than Drabek/Lawrie and let’s face it, that isn’t a possibility.
Nobody? Really? Funny stuff.
I’m really just saying that I don’t want to give up another player for nothing like we normally do..
Ah, well in that case, see you 1 April. And watch out!
We’ll be ready, the twins are stronger than the bluejays in every conceivable capacity, you need to watch out!
2011 Farm System Rankings
4. Toronto Blue Jays
13. Minnesota Twins
What does this have to do with anything of what the teams are right now?
it has to do with his claim (“the twins are stronger than the bluejays in every conceivable capacity”) and the context in which he made it (an exchange about what of value the jays have to trade). hope this helps
arguable
i wonder what would happen if the jays played in the old ladies league and the twins got the yanks and red sox 36 times a year??
2010
Vs. Minn
6 Wins 3 Losses 59 runs scored 34 against
2009
Vs Minn
5 Wins 3 Losses 44 runs scored 28 against
2008
Vs Minn
6 Wins 0 losses 35 runs scored 19 against
2007
Vs Minn
6 Wins 4 Losses 59 runs scored 40 against
2006
5 Wins 2 Losses 32 runs scored 25 against
care to make that statement again?
BOOM.
you should edit you comment because you are getting beat down like pedro on zimmer
Like we normally do? Other then the Johan Trade we always get a solid return.
Ramos for Capps…Hardy for Hoey and Jacobson…Garza and Bartlett for Young, Harris, Pridie (yes I know Delmon is finally showing up but everyone, including myself, hated that trade when it happened)…
Ramos was incredibly overrated and we got a solid bullpen arm for him. I’m surprised we got anything for J.J Hardy, we as absolutely awful last year and we still got a really good return on him. Also the Delmon Young trade was a great trade for us, Garza never got along with any of the coaches here anyways and we ended up getting the best prospect in baseball for him. Like I said other then the Johan trade we get solid returns.
Garza and Bartlett. I’m not sure if you like the WAR stat but those two players were worth over 15 WAR pre 2010 season. Delmon was a 0.3 pre 2010. WAR has its flaws like all stats but the Rays kicked the Twins butt on that trade. And now the Rays have a haul of players to take their place. Unless Delmon becomes Morneau or better the Rays will always have won that trade.
And if you wonder where I took those numbers from it was from a Rays blog on SBNation. I think that post was called trade strings v2.0. It showed the value the Rays received from Delmon and also the players the Rays received in their Bartlett trade. Garza trade pieces weren’t listed because I believe that post was made before they traded him.
what do you expect it’s kevin slowey not joe mauer
I know you weren’t talking to me but as a Twins fan I expect more than relievers. I don’t expect a haul for Slowey because his value is not high but I expect better than relievers. The Twins already have over 10 guys competing for two bullpen spots and some are doing well enough to earn the spots so far.
It would be more valuable to the Twins to make Slowey a reliever rather than trade him for some.
Is that because you have only heard of those two (presumably because they were involved in well documented trades)?
No it’s because those are the only ones that I as a Twins fan would want.
No JPA? No Deck McGuire? No Zach Stewart? No Perez or D’arnaud? No Thames? No Gose? No Hech? etc.
If I may, why would you not want any of those? Perez, JPA, and D’arnaud, I might give you because they are blocked by Mauer (though they are still valuable pieces). The rest though…
This makes little sense. My guess is that the Jays are scouting multiple players with MIN. They are also opening the season vs the Twins 1 April. Of course, a trade could be in the works, but who knows who’s involved?
Always a chance of something bigger… or just scouting for the opening series. At this point I don’t see a fit, but you never know, AA might have a game of musical chairs starting up.
AA might want to flip a richmond or someone for a proven 5th starter in case one of our young guys don’t start out strong.
What would the Jays do with him? The Twins would need a couple of lower level guys they like. Do not see a good fit, but who knows.
“What would the Jays do with him?”
lose
Don’t discount a big trade. The Jays could send MIN MLB pitching/players for God knows what. AA has us all blind, as usual.
I don’t see why the Jays would want to go after Slowey with all those arms fighting for 2 spots. And at that price tag (albeit it isn’t really that high), I’d prefer the internal options. I can definitely see the Twins being interested in the surplus of major league ready relievers, but I’d be more interested in prospects in return.
Wow.
Slowey went from being the #4/#5 starter, to being possibly traded during spring training.
Blackburn/Baker/Duensing must have made some serious strides so oust Slowey from not only the rotation, but also the team. I hope whatever happens to Kevin, he gets a good chance as he has always had wonderful command.
Blackburn has looked really good this Spring for the Twins. It could have been the extra shove that gets Slowey out of MIN.
Blackburn was hurt last year and the Twins organization was hiding it. All of the reports from spring training are saying he is healthy again. He is also regaining confidence in his slider.
Blackburn did not tell anyone he was hurt the way he was. He hid it from the Twins. The Twins did not know
That’s right… Thanks for the clarification.
He’s a #5, your leaving out Pavano.
I think it also has to do with the depth behind Pavano, Liriano, Duensing, Blackburn and Baker. Last year the best option outside of the starting 5 was Brian Duensing (which I think paid off). This year there are very quality options in AAA (Dave Bromberg and Kyle Gibson). The Twins can trade Slowey and still have depth in the event of an injury (likely to happen).
I’d call it doing due diligence for now. I don’t see an immediate advantage to acquiring Slowey
except that the diligence isn’t due. slowey’s a flyball pitcher who doesn’t miss bats. he isn’t a bad pitcher and he has room to grow, but toronto isn’t a good place for him at all
Well, when you have as many scouts as the Jays, you need to keep them busy… this may be nothing more than data collecting.
are you ever wrong? geeze
but yes exactly, no pitcher who hit 150 IP last year had a lower GB% than Slowey
him in Rogers center wouldn’t go well
I’m upset at myself for giving in to corporate slavery and calling it anything besides the Skydome
I feel like I’ve been brainwashed by Rogers Corp.
And I hate it.
Get Brandon Morrow. He is a stud and the Mariners were stupid to trade him for a reliever. The Twins should not trade Slowey for relievers either. You can always find them.
no hope. morrow’s ceiling is higher than slowey’s. he’s younger and under control for longer
We wouldn’t be able to get Morrow from the BJs. Probably just end up with an average reliever.
1. Kyle Gibson, rhp
2. Aaron Hicks, of
3. Miguel Sano, 3b/ss
Why did you list those Twins prospects?
For a good laugh. That’s what I want for Morrow. Fair, no?
Oh okay. I did laugh at that.
You mean the Morrow that people are talking about again as a possible (as in real possibility) front of the rotation guy? Dream on.
LOL. Morrow is worth more than two of MIN’s top pitchers combined.
Liriano is much more advanced than Morrow. Watched them both many times at the stadium. That said Morrow may, if he can develop control to go with heat, be as good. Not as good as Minnesota’s top two. Slowey is going to be a good middle of the rotation guy.
I agree, his comment was much too far
Morrow has potential for sure
but
Liriano if can stay healthy is a top 10 starter in the league the next 5 years
slowey seems similar to shaun marcum. and the jays flipped him for lawrie. if the could pick slowey up for frasor, reyes & other, it’d almost be like trading those relievers for lawrie…
I don’t think Slowey is as good as Marcum, but that is an interesting way of looking at things.
Correct, he’s nowhere near as good. He has avg stuff that relies on hitting corners, which normally end up over the plate, which normally ends up over a fence 400+ feet away. He is what he is.
I’d compare him more to Jesse Litsch than Shaun Marcum.
Jesse Litsch and Shaun Marcum are similar pitchers.
similar is theory, different in execution
Jesse certainly does not have Marcum’s devastating change-up. Remember when the Rays’ switch hitter’s were hitting on the opposite side of the plate just try something different against that pitch?
Marcum is a control guy too. He doesn’t win with pure stuff (except his change up). I was looking more at numbers than style though.
I honestly don’t understand why the Jays would be interested but if the the return is right I really don’t care where he goes or what that teams needs are.
makes no sense for either team. a frankly nonsensical report.
Isn’t every game against the Pirates a ‘B’ game?
Makes no sense. The Twins have over 10 guys competing for two open bullpen spots and they dont all suck. Just puy Slowey in the bp. We’ll get more value out of him that way.
Hopefully this doesnt post three times
This makes no sense in a totally different way from which Twins trades that actually happen usually make no sense. JoeC is not really on the ball lately.
The Jays want Slowey to be the personal BP pitcher for Travis Snider.
No thank you.
Sincerely,
Blue Jays Fans
AA’s moves come out of thin air – this must mean they have zero interest in Kevin Slowey.
chances are AA was spotted at the B game in which slowey pitched..
He easily could have been there watching someone else.
Jays rotation is fine, its the bats I worry about
Who would the Twins have to throw in to complete a trade for Lawrie? Ben Revere?
That would be a dream trade. I would love it if it is realistic.
nothing…lawrie is just steps away from the bigs. he’s the first canadian to have a chance to STAR for the Jays. The traded their #1 starter for him. they are not going to trade him for a lesser prospect and an average pitcher
justin morneau
I don’t have a problem with Bill Smith trading Slowey, but the return needs to be right. I don’t think he needs to get more relief arms, because there are just too many quality options to try before looking to trade for a veteran. If the deal was for prospects, that is just fine. The only problem is that Slowey’s value is not at its peak, so the return wouldn’t be that great. The next problem is there is no spot in the rotation for him to boost his value for a trade.
My guess is they would flip him to another team. Preferably one who makes bad trades and needs starting pitching. I can think of a few.
At least someone thinks the way I do.
Purely speculation on my part, but any chance AA’s interest in Slowey is merely as a chip? Would look good pitching under Dave Duncan’s tutelage….
….but that’s really too many assumptions, no?
I would take Slowey on the Pirates, I think fly ball pitchers play well in PNC and with their outfielders. If his stock is low, I can certainly see a team swooping in and making a deal for him. Even though he’s been pretty hittable so far, he’s provided good value when healthy and is cheap, he’d be a good back end pitcher and a mid rotation guy in the NL. He’d help out a lot of team’s rotations. If the Blue Jays want him, I can see a deal centered around Shawn Camp and a prospect. I don’t think teams are allowed to trade free agents immediately so Rauch or Dotel won’t be going anywhere.
The Twins should send Slowey in a deal for Joel Hanrahan.
I like this idea if they flip Slowey for bp help it needs be a strikeout pitcher and Hanrahan at 13k/9 defiantly fits that bill. Also the trade works for both sides from backed up positions Meeks can close and they need a starter Slowey can start and Hanrahan can be a setup man. There is depth behind the rotation even minus Slowey and he isnt going to be enough by himself to fill any other hole so its basically Slowey as a reliever or find a experienced reliever to fill that spot.
I would much rather see Frasor moved than Camp…Camp’s kind of awesome.
Twins :
Slowey
Blue jays :
bag of pucks
through in Mike Komisarek just for good measure.
true say maybe J.S girguere too
What is the Twins outfield situation like? Rivera is the only thing I could think of that makes sense. That depends heavily on Twins needs of course.
Delmon/Span/Cuddy are suffice especially with our good outfield prospects we have in the minors (Revere, Benson, Hicks, Morales, Arcia, Keplar).
Twins needs are starting pitching prospects and MLB relievers.
4 guys for three spots, though three of them are not great fielders. Plus two to three guys in the minors who could be ready by mid-season or 2012.
Then I got nothin’. Only way this makes sense to the Jays is if they can move out Rivera and extra ‘pen arms.
Right. And the only way it makes sense for the Twins is if it’s for more than relievers. It really doesn’t make sense for either team.
Revere is weak armed and was overmatched badly in his brief trial last fall. I’d like to see hom dealt as I don’t think he can play every day on a contender.
I am not a Revere fan but he hasnt even seen time at AAA. It was too soon to call him up. The Twins rarely call up guys straight from AA. They usually only do it if the player is a stud and I would not consider him to be one. That is probably why he was overmatched. He was seeing pitches and pitchers who were way more advanced than he is.
That being said I would not mind if he was traded. He is probably my least favorite OF prospect and I feel he wont reach his ceiling. Just a gut feeling.