I am assuming the management feels the Twins prospects are further down the road to the majors than the fans think. Or  management didn’t believe that Manaea could carry the Twins far enough in 2022 to win the peanut. Apparently the ‘A’s’ felt more value in Padres #12 & #26 prospects than the Twins #12 & #26 prospects. 
Sometimes, I too feel management disappoints me by moving too slow, too fast, to irresponsible, make dumb deals, make a good deal and then a surprising excellent deal.  Like my grandpa would say “there are more fish in the lake” than Manaea or Montas. There are 28 other teams in mlb besides ‘the A”s, who have some pitchers similar talent at a more reasonable price. Target Field isn’t  forgiving as Oakland Col.  I would be ok with Montas & even Manaea and several other starting pitchers.

I agree that the Tw ins could have matched that package. My only conclusion is they didn't want to part with that much for a 1 year "rental" knowing they had Maeda coming back next year and hopefully the prospects ready. Who knows, they may also feel Archer will be good to go now? I don't know, and I'm pretty sure this FO will never let us know why.

A few comments.  The innings thing mentioned you need to remember that very few starters pitch much more than 150 innings in a season. Only 39 pitchers threw more than 159 innings last season, and Twins had only 1 of them, Berrios.  In 2019, there was several more pitchers that threw over 150, but not a ton over the 150, and Twins had like 4 guys, Berrios, Perez, Gibson and Odo.  Big Mike was just below 150, and we as a team did just fine. Berrios and Perez were the top innings guys with Gibson and Odo 160 and 159.  So to argue that we cannot win because it is unlikely people will pitch more than 150 innings, to me, is not backed up by data.

Now, in terms of Manaea, I wish the Twins would have at least asked about him, but rumors are they did not even ask, which means either they are high on what they have, or they are low on Manaea.  we know they have talked to Oakland about their other starter.  I do not know if Twins were low on him because maybe his numbers were inflated pitching in Oakland, a pitchers park.  It could be lack of years of control affected this as well.

In terms of the prospects, it is highly likely we could have matched, although I do not know if Cavaco would be the IF that got it done.  More likely Miller.  Maybe Manaea does well for Padres and we look a fool for not going after him.  Maybe not.  Maybe we actually make deal with Padres now as they are starter heavy and need OF help.

Finally, I find the hype on Petty interesting.  He was a late first round pick, that some scouts had as a reach.  Yes, he has the velo, but even with that velo he was still 13th pitcher taken, and 5th High School pitcher taken.  Sure he may be a good pitcher in future, but to slate him as the face of a pitching staff right now is some major hype.  He is 7th prospect in Reds, and was around there with Twins.  Maybe he will live up to that hype, but high school pitchers are generally a gamble. 

The A's made it clear....they would move Manaea FIRST, and THEN deal with Montas.    Now that Manaea is gone, their focus SHOULD be on moving Montas.   But instead, the A's name him their opening day starter.   Could be a move for "optics" (to ensure others know he is a blue chipper).   I still don't think they will be keeping Montas for long.

In college a man much wiser than I once told me that, when it comes to writing, "in order to be taken seriously you must learn to use Spell Check."  Just sayin' this was a good write up except for the 3-4 errors in spelling.  

Manaea has some solid games and is a good pitcher, but he doesn't carry the talent level needed to be a difference for the Twins. Bassitt was the miss from Oakland. Montas works if there is a reasonable deal to be made.

54 minutes ago, tony&rodney said:

Manaea has some solid games and is a good pitcher, but he doesn't carry the talent level needed to be a difference for the Twins. Bassitt was the miss from Oakland. Montas works if there is a reasonable deal to be made.

Yeah he wouldn't move the needle much for me. Last two years Manaea was basically a league average pitcher-that's valuable, but is it really a lot more than we could get from Josh Winder? Or Drew Strotman? Or Cole Sands? Or Devin Smeltzer?  

7 hours ago, KnoblauchWasFramed said:

In college a man much wiser than I once told me that, when it comes to writing, "in order to be taken seriously you must learn to use Spell Check."  Just sayin' this was a good write up except for the 3-4 errors in spelling.  

Generally I despise grammar/spelling flames, but in this case you were being generous by saying only 3-4.  As stated at this site by a man exactly as wise as myself, "if it's not worth your time to do at least a proof-reading pass of what you're about to submit, maybe it's not worth your readers' time either."

That said, my reaction to the content of the OP is that apparently our FO didn't see enough of an upgrade to make it worth their topping the Padres' offer.  Seems to me a package centered around the somewhat redundant Spencer Steer would have done the job.  Maybe they are saving their ammunition for a bigger target.  If not, they really are doubling down on their confidence of a young arm or two breaking through in a big way.  Their confidence and optimism has convinced me... to at least see the season through a couple of weeks before I dig out my pitchfork and light a torch.

Now that SD has  acquired Manaea, they have some excess pitching. We need to contact them. They’re searching for outfield help. 

The OP says that the Sonny Gray trade only makes sense if the Twins also add someone like Manaea. I guess my thought is that a Gray AND a Manaea trade only make sense if they get someone like Robbie Ray or Kevin Gausman. What does a rotation led by Gray and Manaea really get you? Almost certainly not a deep playoff run.

This team is gearing up the young players to hopefully contend next year; this year will still be training wheels. I'm expecting watchable baseball, but realistically we need another year at least. Meaningful new pitchers need to have more years of control than Manaea.

2 hours ago, nicksaviking said:

The OP says that the Sonny Gray trade only makes sense if the Twins also add someone like Manaea. I guess my thought is that a Gray AND a Manaea trade only make sense if they get someone like Robbie Ray or Kevin Gausman. What does a rotation led by Gray and Manaea really get you? Almost certainly not a deep playoff run.

This team is gearing up the young players to hopefully contend next year; this year will still be training wheels. I'm expecting watchable baseball, but realistically we need another year at least. Meaningful new pitchers need to have more years of control than Manaea.

You hit right in your first paragraph. While no pitcher can be guaranteed, a Gausman or Ray type is a worthy gamble. I would include Berrios, Stroman, and Rodon in there as well. Still, these are tough decisions. San Diego really doesn't have anything we want. The Twins are lighting a ton of votive candles for their pitchers.

Your second paragraph hinges on "hopefully". Twins Daily and many Twins fans are not in agreement with the vast array of baseball writers who see their prospects as "average". We exhibit the characteristics of Garrison Keillor's mythical village, Lake Wobegon. While you can include me as one of those helpless hopefuls, it was nonetheless maddening to see the Twins tip-toe so carefully through free agency and the trade market last November leading up to the lockout. The Padres are supposedly in a similar market as the Twins. I don't believe that San Diego is going to win and didn't last year, but the Twins should be evaluating their options with fewer constraints when it will make a significant difference. 

At this point a significant trade for a pitcher is unpredictable. I am not a fan of trading with San Diego unless it includes Gore and Campusano, which is not happening. I am not a fan of pitchers like Cueto, Manaea, or Pineda either. Perhaps the Twins get lucky with a Marquez type or Miami, but the Twins are likely to roll with what they have right now and it might work with a tweak. Let's get Bryan Reynolds and his four years of control for left field. I'm looking forward to Friday's opener.

Sorry dude, no offense, but please proof read before posting or use grammarly or something. I couldn't even finish reading this because of all the spelling and typographical errors throughout.

I'm not terribly disappointed in not acquiring Manaea.  My eye has been on Montas from the outset.  Oakland didn't name him their opening day starter to try to gin up more interest in someone acquiring him.  He's their BEST pitcher.  He SHOULD be their opening day starter.  He will still be a hot trade commodity well after his opening day start.  I also agree that Montas shouldn't be the only target...but he should be high on the Twins list of preferred candidates.  Montas and Gray going #1 and #2 in a playoff series would be fine for me.  Especially if someone like Ryan, Ober or Winder flashes like  Liriano did in his rookie season.  THAT would be very interesting for our home-town team.   

On 4/4/2022 at 3:29 PM, dex8425 said:

Yeah he wouldn't move the needle much for me. Last two years Manaea was basically a league average pitcher-that's valuable, but is it really a lot more than we could get from Josh Winder? Or Drew Strotman? Or Cole Sands? Or Devin Smeltzer?  

Agree he doesn't move the needle, but I guess he is quite a bit more than what the Twins could/will get from Strotman/Sands/Smelter, I have high hopes for Winder if they let him pitch more than 3 innings a game.