Jon Heyman ‏@JonHeymanCBS 1m

 

#nats put in claim on matt thornton, and nats get him

Jim Bowden ‏@JimBowden_ESPN 4m

 

Matt Thornton has only allowed a run twice in last 28 appearances since 5/20. @JonHeymanCBS reporting Nats have claimed and been awarded him

Does the waver wire award a player based on worst record AND league? As in, did it take that nobody in the AL claimed him or is it different from the normal DFA situation?

Does the waver wire award a player based on worst record AND league? As in, did it take that nobody in the AL claimed him or is it different from the normal DFA situation?

Yep; Evidently no one in the AL put a claim in on him. I don't really get it. He's been extremely effective out of the pen this year and $3.5M next year for him doesn't seem that bad.

Does the waver wire award a player based on worst record AND league? As in, did it take that nobody in the AL claimed him or is it different from the normal DFA situation?

 

No, it goes by league first and then record. If Nats won the claim on him then no AL team claimed him.

Yep; Evidently no one in the AL put a claim in on him. I don't really get it. He's been extremely effective out of the pen this year and $3.5M next year for him doesn't seem that bad.

 

 

No, it goes by league first and then record. If Nats won the claim on him then no AL team claimed him.

 

crazy. Detroit's pen is terrible and KC signed Downs yet neither of these teams claimed Thornton lol.

crazy. Detroit's pen is terrible and KC signed Downs yet neither of these teams claimed Thornton lol.

Seriously, wtf is a few million to Detroit this year and next. This is their window...that Jose Abreu is personally shutting.

The Yankees are one game out of the 2nd wild card and are always in win-now mode. Why would they give up their best LH reliever just to save $4 million?

The Yankees are one game out of the 2nd wild card and are always in win-now mode. Why would they give up their best LH reliever just to save $4 million?

 

to open a roster spot for John Danks.

I'm a little disappointed that WE didn't claim him...

 

I mean I get that you don't want to send the message that you're abandoning your "plan," but it seems like the tire fire that is our bullpen should be pretty comfortable with the notion that their jobs are not safe.

I'm a little disappointed that WE didn't claim him...

 

I mean I get that you don't want to send the message that you're abandoning your "plan," but it seems like the tire fire that is our bullpen should be pretty comfortable with the notion that their jobs are not safe.

 

Absolutely. Having him back next year at $3.5 mill wouldn't have been bad. Picking him up wouldn't be "abandoning the plan" and no one should see it that way.

Edited August 5, 201411 yr by chisoxfan310

I'm a little disappointed that WE didn't claim him...

 

I mean I get that you don't want to send the message that you're abandoning your "plan," but it seems like the tire fire that is our bullpen should be pretty comfortable with the notion that their jobs are not safe.

 

I am too, but I think they want to see if Surkamp can bring anything, and then maybe Snodgress in September. If you bring in Thornton, and he goes back to being a gas can, then you're on the hook for $3.5 mill and you still have no idea what you have for left handed options out of the pen.

 

Even if he gave up a homer to Parmelee, I wasn't put off by Surkamp on the mound. He looks like he had a plan of attack, you just hope that maybe he can add a couple MPH if he works out of the bullpen full time.

This whole thing confuses me. Why did the Yankees waive him? And why did nobody in the AL claim him?

One thing we won't know is if an AL contender claimed him, would the Yankees have let him go?

None of this makes any sense

I've always heard that, especially at this time of year, there are so many guys on waivers that many just get missed. When there are realistically 20 or more players you'd want to claim on the wire, you can't claim all of them because then you're stuck. I'm guessing the majority of teams just assumed the Yankees had no intention of letting him go to the team that claimed him

I've always heard that, especially at this time of year, there are so many guys on waivers that many just get missed. When there are realistically 20 or more players you'd want to claim on the wire, you can't claim all of them because then you're stuck. I'm guessing the majority of teams just assumed the Yankees had no intention of letting him go to the team that claimed him

 

Yeah, you're potentially on the hook for every single contract on every guy that you claim, so teams have to prioritize, and I guess nobody else prioritized lefty relief. That explains why Washington got the claim, but it still doesn't make a lot of sense that the Yankees just let him go.

Yep; Evidently no one in the AL put a claim in on him. I don't really get it. He's been extremely effective out of the pen this year and $3.5M next year for him doesn't seem that bad.

 

 

Based on our LH relief pitching I think Thornton would have been a good choice to take over

When he left here, he really didn't look like he had a whole lot left. His K totals are well below his peak, which suggests much of the stuff is gone.

He also had a real bad July.

 

 

Yeah, you're potentially on the hook for every single contract on every guy that you claim, so teams have to prioritize, and I guess nobody else prioritized lefty relief. That explains why Washington got the claim, but it still doesn't make a lot of sense that the Yankees just let him go.

 

From what I have read, apparently they have several young lefties in the minors they really like and may bring up to replace him. (Although at this point they just called up Rich Hill). Also, that saves them $4 million and an open roster spot in 2015.

Based on our LH relief pitching I think Thornton would have been a good choice to take over

 

Where the Sox are in the standings, it doesn't make sense to acquire anybody whose contract is up at the end of the season.

Where the Sox are in the standings, it doesn't make sense to acquire anybody whose contract is up at the end of the season.

 

He is signed for 2015 too, about $4 million.

He is signed for 2015 too, about $4 million.

 

Wow, then it does seem like it might have made sense for the Sox to claim him.

Wow, then it does seem like it might have made sense for the Sox to claim him.

 

At the same time, the Sox are trying to build towards the future. They have a few talented left handed pitchers in Surkamp, Leesman, and Snodgress and I think they are going to give them extended try outs for the remainder of the season to see if any of them can become a viable option long term. Frankly, you can't count on Thornton past next year, and given the Sox luck with their 38 year old LOOGY this year, I can't see them willing to pay another $4 million for a 38 year old LOOGY next year either.