Addison Reed to Twins 2 yrs 16.75 million

[NOMAAM]

Wanted to pitch in Midwest per

[NievesNoNO]

That feels like a steal at the going rate. Wish the Brewers had landed him at that price.

[reillymcshane]

Surprised Reed got this low. I was expecting three years and about $27-30M. I would have been happy to have had him at this price.

 

I assume he wanted to be a closer was of interest to him. He should get that gig in Minnesota.

[pacopete4]

At that price we should’ve been in. Understandable that he’d want an opportunity to close though.

[superfly]

This is a pretty big get for the cheap Pohlads. Didn't think i'd see the day when they start shelling out 8-10 mil for relievers.

[Brewer Fever]

I assume he wanted to be a closer was of interest to him. He should get that gig in Minnesota.

 

Quoted for emphasis here. Trying to fend off the anticipated Stearns bashing from the usual suspects for not signing Reed at that price. The man wants to close. That job is not open here.

[MadThinker88]

I thought the Twins signed F Rodney to be the closer... Regardless of who is the closer, the Twins needed bullpen help this offseason and they went out & got some.

 

I also have a suspicion that the Twins will be the team signing Yu Darvish (because the Twins will also re-sign Chris Gimenez, Yu's preferred personal catcher).

[JosephC]

Great add for the Twins. Have to wonder if they've grown tired of waiting on Darvish and just decided to spend their money elsewhere.

[Eye Black]

Surprised Reed got this low. I was expecting three years and about $27-30M. I would have been happy to have had him at this price.

 

I assume he wanted to be a closer was of interest to him. He should get that gig in Minnesota.

Agree, most projections I had seen were for three years in that range near $30 million. I think this is the first really surprisingly lower commitment than expected contract. I wonder if the reported desire to play in the Midwest ultimately limited his market value. Regardless, really nice pickup for the Twins.

 

One comparison I find mildly interesting in retrospect is Addison Reed and Tyler Thornburg. Both were 3rd round draft picks in 2010 (actually consecutive selections, picks #95 & #96 overall) and they are only 79 days apart in age. Reed’s service time clock started two years earlier than Thornburg’s. Both had phenomenal 2016 seasons (Reed for 2.9 bWAR and Thornburg 2.5 bWAR). Thornburg was traded with 3 years of control remaining and obviously netted Mauricio Dubon, Josh Pennington, Travis Shaw, and Yeison Coca in the 2017 off-season (yes, this package looks better today than it did a year ago). One year later Reed who has a longer track record of success than Thornburg gets a modest (by current FA bullpen standards) two year contract. Reed has also been traded three times himself which I guess is a little strange for a player seemingly as talented as he is, but none of those trades has turned out looking great for the team that dealt him thus far. I don’t really have some great point here, but find the fluctuation in value between those two players something curious.

[jerichoholicninja]

Closing issues aside, really disappointed he's not in Milwaukee for that price. Also appears that Fernando Rodney, who was told he would be the closer when he signed with Minnesota, is not too happy about this.

[MrTPlush]

Only half serious here:

 

Wish we would have traded Knebel and signed Reed. I am more bored with this off-season and this actually makes a little bit of sense.

[adambr2]

Closing issues aside, really disappointed he's not in Milwaukee for that price. Also appears that Fernando Rodney, who was told he would be the closer when he signed with Minnesota, is not too happy about this.

 

As mentioned though even if the money was the same or even more, he knows he's not closing ahead of Knebel here.

 

He could be a great setup man here for 2 years or could be a great closer in Minnesota. One is worth far more in future revenue.

[adambr2]

Only half serious here:

 

Wish we would have traded Knebel and signed Reed. I am more bored with this off-season and this actually makes a little bit of sense.

 

Honestly would not have been a bad strategy at all, assuming they got a huge return for Knebel.

[MadScientist]

Any word on escalators? If he's going to be the closer, I would think he would have tried to get some bonus money for saves or games finished.

[jerichoholicninja]

Closing issues aside, really disappointed he's not in Milwaukee for that price. Also appears that Fernando Rodney, who was told he would be the closer when he signed with Minnesota, is not too happy about this.

 

As mentioned though even if the money was the same or even more, he knows he's not closing ahead of Knebel here.

 

He could be a great setup man here for 2 years or could be a great closer in Minnesota. One is worth far more in future revenue.

 

Ya, I get that. Although I'd put the chances of Knebel imploding and becoming a dud in a year or two around 50% because that's the nature of those types of guys. From 2012-2014 Reed put up 101 saves, I'm not sure what happened that he was taken out of the role, but he's done it before and I can't see racking up a bunch of saves getting him any bigger of a contract in 2 years. Especially now that teams put little value in saves. Heck, the idea of the tradition "saves" closer may be antiquated in 2 years.

[DR28]

Just heard on MLB Network radio...

 

Reed was told he'll be the set up guy.

 

Damn, WE REALLY SHOULD HAVE ADDED HIM at that price!

[JosephC]

Does anybody know the story behind Reed wanting to play for a Midwest team?? From his birthplace to high school to college it appears he was born and raised in California.

[NYChez]

Just heard on MLB Network radio...

 

Reed was told he'll be the set up guy.

 

Damn, WE REALLY SHOULD HAVE ADDED HIM at that price!

 

They could have just signed Swarzak if they were going to spend that type of money.

[DR28]

Just heard on MLB Network radio...

 

Reed was told he'll be the set up guy.

 

Damn, WE REALLY SHOULD HAVE ADDED HIM at that price!

 

They could have just signed Swarzak if they were going to spend that type of money.

 

I would rather have Reed over Swarzak.

[adambr2]

It's honestly possible that Stearns has just decided, "Nope, market price for late inning relievers is $8M and up per year, I'm not paying it."

 

He might be preferring to see what happens with internal candidates like Williams and Houser, and then if they're in contention in late July, look to patch with lower rated prospects for rentals like they did with Swarzek last year.

 

If this is the case, his thinking is that late inning relievers are a market inefficiency on the FA market, and an efficiency on the trade market.

 

With our organizational farm depth, he's got a lot of ammo to pull this off in the summer, and if we're not in contention he can change course.

[MadThinker88]

Its also possible that players like Reed/ Bruce are grabbing contracts now that 5 or 6 weeks ago they would have passed on (thinking the open market would bring something of greater value)..

[coolhandluke121]

Huh. I thought he'd get more too. He's proven and deserves a lot more than Swarzak. I'm okay with the Brewers passing on so many of the other options, but this feels like the kind of bargain I thought they were waiting for. I agree with the person that said they might just want to look at internal candidates though. That's fair enough, and with all the other improvements other teams have made, they're justified in doing so. But this guy would have been nice as a flip candidate if nothing else at that price.

[adambr2]

Also possible that we made a similar offer and Reed just greatly preferred Minnesota to Milwaukee for whatever reason.

[KeithStone53151]

Also possible that we made a similar offer and Reed just greatly preferred Minnesota to Milwaukee for whatever reason.

 

He's likely going to get an opportunity to close in Minnesota, I can't see him unseating Knebel unless he completely falls apart. I know front offices are getting smarter, but closers are still generally overvalued.

[jerichoholicninja]

Reed wanted to sign in the midwest because his wife is from Akron. Cleveland is really the only place close to Akron. Pittsburgh, Detroit, and Cincinnati aren't that far. Minneapolis is a 12 hour drive away.

 

I never understand when a player says he wants to sign somewhere because it's close to home when it's no where close to home. If your house isn't a reasonable drive from your home ballpark what difference does it make if you're 500 or 1500 miles from home.