Written by GM Terry Ryan didn’t wait until the start of the Winter Meetings next week before swinging his first deal, trading Denard Span to the Nationals for minor league starting pitcher Alex Meyer.
Alex Meyer (Photo: Jeff Roberson/AP)
Meyer, the Nats 2011 first round draft pick, represented Washington in this summer’s Future’s Game in Kansas City. He’s 6′ 9″ and can bring a 98 mph fastball to the table. He immediately will become the Twins top starting pitching prospect, though he’s only pitched as high as the high-A level to this point.
Honestly, I love Span and hate to seem him go. Knowing it was likely, however, I hoped he would be traded for immediate pitching help. All of that said, it’s hard not to be excited about the potential of a guy like Meyer. Nobody can say any longer that the Twins do not have a “top of the rotation” prospect in their farm system. He is certainly that.
Best of luck to Denard in Washington and thank you for all of his efforts as a Minnesota Twin.
- JC
I think the mixed reviews on this trade, some positive for both sides, let us know that this was a pretty even trade. I love the upside for the future, and it gives the Twins room to play Parmelee while they have Morneau under contract, and gives them room to add Hicks or Arcia in 2014.
Finally, Keiunta got traded
Seriously this is a great trade for the Twins. They will miss nothing with Revere in CF (other than maybe a little power, but they will get better D and baserunning) and they got a piece they did not have (a hard throwing starter with a lot of potential). I think the Twins got a real steal of a deal (Keith Law agrees btw). Span was probably the second best CFer in the team and Meyer is now the best pitching prospect in the team. And there is a reason to go to ST this season
Eric, re: Parm & Morneau in the same team: These tidbits about wanting to get a third baseman etc makes me think that Plouffe will be back at the OF. Which makes me think that either Morneau will go and Parmelee will be at 1B or Willingham will go and Parmelee will be at RF with Plouffe at LF or both will go and one of the kids (Arcia/Hicks) will be up. I hope they go that direction because they are going nowhere in 2013 (and trading Span for someone who will contribute when Sano will be the Twins’ 1B is an indication that they are going that way. Hopefully they go all the way instead of a half rear end way.)
I agree with Eric… I don’t think either team is being taken advantage of here. They were two teams in different phases of the competitive cycle with different needs and he’s right, whenever you see considerable debate over which team “won” a trade, it was probably a fair trade.
If this were any other season, I’d probably like this trade. It sounds like an excellent deal. But we literally still only have one starting pitcher, and the primary trade chip is gone. It’s like buying insurance…when you still don’t have a car.