Terry Ryan has been pretty busy this week, more so than I think I've ever seen in a Twins offseason... at least morso than it's been in a while.  He picked up a boom or bust 1B, a part time C, and a prospect in exchange for a lot of cash, a worse backup C, and a starting OF (though to be fair Hicks didn't exactly start all year).  I'm not good with who is available and I haven't had time to research, but I think the next move is going to be to get an OF.  I don't think Span will come here on a 1 year deal (though that would be ideal), so I think there's another trade coming at some point.  My prediction:  Tommy Milone is sent packing for a slightly above average major league cornoer OF with 1 or 2 years left on his deal. 

 

That's my guess for the next one.  Other candidates would be Nolasco leaving for really nothing (if we are lucky a Jepsen type RP).  Plouffe getting traded, though after yesterday I'm inclined to take TR at his word when he says Plouffe is the 3B, is another possibility.  I think the real dark horse is that someone gives TR an offer he cannot refuse for Gibson. 

 

Thoughts?

I think the real dark horse is that someone gives TR an offer he cannot refuse for Gibson.

Now that catcher is apparently taken care of, what kind of offer would be one that can't be refused? I imagine he sees Gibson as an integral part of the starting rotation.

Gibson, Arcia for Jay Bruce and Chapman (and a prospect)

Edited November 12, 201511 yr by DaveW

Fien and Milone are set up to make $2M and $6M in arbitration.  They should go.  Likely the next trade involves one of them or another iffy arm on the 40 man roster (Achter, Darnell, O'Rourke, Tonkin.)

 

Plouffe will be traded but cannot happen before the Park issue gets settled...

 

 

Gibson, Arcia and a prospect for Jay Bruce and Chapman

 

Got to add Duensing to balance that trade

I still kind of think he trades Plouffe probably for relief help and a lotto ticket player of some kind.  Plouffe is essentially blocking Sano and this is really the last year they have a chance to get much for him and he offers some salary relief to go after other players as well.  Unloading Plouffe makes a lot sense for lot's of reasons.

 

Getting rid of a pitcher is possible as well but I agree it would have to be a deal that Ryan just couldn't refuse.  Will be interesting to see if he does anything else.

Edited November 12, 201511 yr by Dman

 

 

Gibson, Arcia for Jay Bruce and Chapman (and a prospect)

The way you wrote that makes it sound like the Reds are adding the prospect?

 

I'd definitely think we'd have to toss in the prospect.

Edited November 12, 201511 yr by RedBull34

Plouffe to the Angels for RP Mike Morin

The fact that the Twins are letting Sano play 3rd base in Winter Ball should be a dead give-a-way ... Trevor will be dealt for bullpen help.

 

Terry Ryan has been pretty busy this week, more so than I think I've ever seen in a Twins offseason... at least morso than it's been in a while.  He picked up a boom or bust 1B, a part time C, and a prospect in exchange for a lot of cash, a worse backup C, and a starting OF (though to be fair Hicks didn't exactly start all year).  I'm not good with who is available and I haven't had time to research, but I think the next move is going to be to get an OF.  I don't think Span will come here on a 1 year deal (though that would be ideal), so I think there's another trade coming at some point.  My prediction:  Tommy Milone is sent packing for a slightly above average major league cornoer OF with 1 or 2 years left on his deal. 

 

That's my guess for the next one.  Other candidates would be Nolasco leaving for really nothing (if we are lucky a Jepsen type RP).  Plouffe getting traded, though after yesterday I'm inclined to take TR at his word when he says Plouffe is the 3B, is another possibility.  I think the real dark horse is that someone gives TR an offer he cannot refuse for Gibson. 

 

Thoughts?

What is this "a lot of cash"? Did I miss something?

Plouffe, D. Santana, Suzuki and Nolasco to the Pads for Kimbral, Hedges  and Upton.

 

What is this "a lot of cash"? Did I miss something?

I believe that's in reference to the Park posting fee.

They'll only acquire a vet outfielder (beyond Sugar Ray) if they trade Plouffe.  

 

I think Milone is the next likely to be traded. 

Plouffe, D. Santana, Suzuki and Nolasco to the Pads for Kimbral, Hedges and Upton.

I would love this blockbuster.

Edited November 12, 201511 yr by GP830

Plouffe, D. Santana, Suzuki and Nolasco to the Pads for Kimbral, Hedges and Upton.

If they wanted to do Norris instead of Hedges would you do it?

I would love this blockbuster.

If we offered Milone instead of Nolasco would they include Shields?

 

If they wanted to do Norris instead of Hedges would you do it?

Probably gotta toss in Nunez to sweeten that deal.

I'd like to see Milone as the long man, and for Molitor to have a quicker hook and to use Milone for 2 innings at a time......I think the team that decides most SP should NOT face a lineup a 3rd or 4th time is a team that will win games "it shouldn't".....

 

That said, i think the next trade is a true shocker, and Ryan trades a prospect or 2 for a MLB player.

 

Plouffe, D. Santana, Suzuki and Nolasco to the Pads for Kimbral, Hedges  and Upton.

I don't get why the Padres would do that. They are literally giving up the 3 best players in that trade.

 

The way you wrote that makes it sound like the Reds are adding the prospect?

 

I'd definitely think we'd have to toss in the prospect.

 

And by "prospect", you undoubtedly mean Berrios?

 

Plouffe, D. Santana, Suzuki and Nolasco to the Pads for Kimbral, Hedges  and Upton.

Not sure if serious, but since others are taking it seriously -- if the Padres think they can utilize Plouffe, Suzuki, and Nolasco the next 2 years, they're not shedding Kimbrel.

 

The fact that the Twins are letting Sano play 3rd base in Winter Ball should be a dead give-a-way ... Trevor will be dealt for bullpen help.

Where else would Sano play this winter?  Outfield, for the first time ever, increasing his chances of a Buxton-Kvasnicka style collision?

Considering this club's track record over the last 5 years, probably something like:  Plouffe, Gonsalves, and Amaurys Minier to Oakland for Sean Nolin and Craig Gentry.  Nolin is attractive to TR because he is younger and cheaper than Plouffe, and under team control through 2017.  No brainer.  

 

The trade sets off an unbelievable chain of events:  Craig Gentry is released in August after being handed the starting CF job and lead-off spot through the end of June, when Buxton makes his first appearance.  After falling 15 games back of the Royals and Indians, Park is traded at the deadline to the Astros for prospects, and goes on to hit 32 HRs after the All-Star break.  Miguel Sano and Byron Buxton are furious and both demand trades at the conclusion of the season.  Ryan, in his final move before retirment, refuses to grant them, instead selling their contracts to the Yomiuri Giants for record amounts, and neither is ever seen in the MLB again (but go down as Japanese baseball legends).  Bill Pohlad is then named GM, returning from Hollywood.  

 

Flash forward to 2022:  Gonsalves and Minier are the first teammates in history to win the Cy Young, Triple Crown, and a World Series title in the same year, while the A's win a record 135 games.  The Twins franchise is moved to Albuquerque, NM, after Target Field mysteriously collapses, and investigators find that the Pohlads had half of the structural steal removed and sold as scrap in 2021, under the cover of darkness (Thank God there were no fans in the stands), to open a chain of Hot Yoga studios nationwide.  The team is taken from the Pohlads, headed by a statutorily formed committee of representatives from the MLB and Federal Government, to be sold to the highest bidder.  

 

The Albuquerque Twins are World Champions in 2024 under Owner/GM/Manager Joe Mauer, who calls it a "pretty neat little deal," in his post-game press conference. 

 

 

In all seriousness:  I don't think they make another trade.  At least not before the season starts.

Edited November 12, 201511 yr by Darius

Ploof and Milone go to the NL somewhere. 

 

I don't get why the Padres would do that. They are literally giving up the 3 best players in that trade.

Yeah, agreed. No way they do that.

 

Gibson, Arcia for Jay Bruce and Chapman (and a prospect)

Right.

This is a hard question to answer because I automatically think of trades that will actually help the club, so I'm already at a huge disadvantage when predicting a Ryan trade. :-)

If they trade Plouffe, contingent upon signing Park, I think they'll wait until the 3B free agent market has played out and teams have fewer options.

Trevor Plouffe to the angels for Cam Bedrosian and Victor Alcantara.  Or something similar. I don't know the Angels farm system that well.

Angels traded Aybar too. So they are definitely expecting to land a 3b via trade.