Please Share Your Thoughts on Mike Minor

[Centerfield]

I'll start by saying that I don't know that I've seen this guy throw one pitch. But this converted starter had a real nice year for KC last year. Maybe he wants to reunite with his pitching coach? 1.02 WHIP, 2.55 ERA, held lefties to a .163 average.

http://www.espn.com/mlb/player/splits/_/id/30624/mike-minor

May not be cheap. According to the Heyman article, projections were:

Expert: $32M/4 years. Heyman: $24M/3 years.

But only 29 years old and plenty left in the tank. Although we were intent on testing it, Jerry Blevins can't pitch every day.

[Ceetar]

Not so much a converted starter as an injury-rehab type guy. He was relieving because they didn't want to jump the workload.

i assume those projections are starter numbers, and honestly that's pretty cheap for someone with his potential (reliably and decent pitcher, which doesn't come cheap) and now I guess flexibility to pitch out of the pen. Hell, he could be that 110 IP reliever the Mets could lean on for large chunks if/when a starter is laboring early and pulled after two times through.

Shoulder surgery. labrum. but he pitched last year, and some the year before.

He's throwing much harder, and as a result striking out a ton more guys. Probably the short-stint/reliever stuff, and wouldn't translate back to a starter?

I'd consider him in some role. Could be very useful.

[smg58]

A nondescript starter (he did have one good season) who turned into an outstanding reliever, after losing two years with injuries. I don't think anybody's moving him back into the rotation. If we can pay Blevins $7M to pitch less than 50 innings, getting Minor at $8M per year would be a bargain in comparison. In fact, balking at that price would look silly after picking up Blevins' option. (Minor allowed a .662 OPS to righthanded batters and a .476 OPS to lefties last year; Blevins' splits were .993(!) and .455.) Pitchers like Minor are the reason I wouldn't jump too quickly on Bryan Shaw (although I'd have no problem making room for the both of them). I'd be in on Minor, and I think he's worth the added risk of going to four years to get him.

[Valadius]

Wasn't he a mostly-shitty Brave?

[Centerfield]

I think he had one good year. But as a starter.

He's like a left-handed Wade Davis. Who's not quite as good but still pretty good.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

We should make him a strict short reliever and call him "Two-Minute Minor."

[Ceetar]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: We should make him a strict short reliever and call him "Two-Minute Minor."

If he gives up a game-losing HR up in the zone the Post can make the cover a photo of the swing "Two-Minute Minor for High Sticking"

[Centerfield]

The headlines are endless.

When he does well:

MINING FOR GOLD

MINOR MIRACLE

When he sucks:

SEND HIM TO THE MINORS

EVEN ROY MOORE WOULD REJECT THIS MINOR

[Benjamin Grimm]

Centerfield wrote: EVEN ROY MOORE WOULD REJECT THIS MINOR

[Frayed Knot]

Minor was a one time 1st round/7th overall draft pick by Atlanta - 2009 out of Vanderbilt
I remember it as being somewhat of a surprise pick at the time, not that he went 1st round necessarily but that he went as high as he did. But it seemed to pay off fairly quickly for Los Bravos as he
was in the majors by 2010 and had good seasons as a full-time starter in both 2012 & 2013 [62 starts; 24-19; 3.43; 1.12 WHiP]. But then he slumped in 2014 before missing all of 2015 & 2016

Seems like he had a nice rebound year out of the pen.
Not sure if his injuries prevents and/or advises him from being a starter again. Worked more innings than games in 2017 so he's not strictly a situational dude so maybe a 'swingman' as opposed to
just being backup Blevins: we'd have our lefty and our lefty minor.
Turns 30 in a few weeks.

[Guest cooby]

I'm pretty sure he was a cute young guy in Petticoat Junction. Not a fan of his crop dusting job.

[Centerfield]

Going to Texas per reports. Will be given a shot to compete for the rotation.

[MFS62]

Compared to other needs, it would be a minor acquisition.
Later

[A Boy Named Seo]

Looks like he gets the 4-year/$28M contract that MLBTR predicted. I can say I absolutely would've been ok with the Mets giving him that contract as a starter or really good LOOGY (but it seems he wanted to go back to the rotation). I know we allegedly have 7 or so starting pitchers, but he's better than probably 5 of them, and at that rate, it shouldn't take much to get $28M worth of value out of him.

Kudos to the Royals for giving this guy a shot to prove he's still good. I wish we'd do more of that kinda thing, throw a few more darts at cheap, talented throwaways. They don't always work out, but the Dodgers the last few years have signed a bunch of talented, but hurt dudes who other teams had given up on. Sometimes you miss on the Brandon Beachy and Erik Bedard, but you look pretty good when you hit on a Brandon McCarthy, Brandon Morrow, or even Brett Anderson for almost nil.

[Centerfield]

Agreed. Though four years is definitely on the high side for a LOOGY with arm issues, but ultimately I think the lure of being in the rotation swung it to Texas.

It's too bad. I felt like a dominant lefty would have made a huge difference.

Guess we'll just have to get Wade Davis instead.

[smg58]

He actually got 3 years and $28M, so a bit higher than projections. I might have been willing to bite on that -- lefties who can also pitch to righthanded batters aren't that easy to find -- but we have multiple needs and I'd have to know how much I had to spend first. The chance to start might have factored in, although I would bet that the Rangers could find safer bets for the rotation at less of a price.