Article: Sell, Sell, Sell: A Look At Twins Trade Chips

[troyhobbs]

....yeah....not a lot of trade bait here but plenty of bad contracts on this roster and if anybody heats up they're more likely to get an extension than they are to be dealt.

[DJL44]

Plouffe, Dozier, Santana and Park or Arcia. These are the only guys who will bring back the pieces they need (catcher, more pitching depth) and there are replacements for all of them on the roster.

[Winston Smith]

A Catch 22! If they play better Terry will again see them as part of solution remember the Plouffe led the team in RBI comment so why trade him comment last winter?

If they continue to play poorly he'll have the nobody wants to give up anything of value for our bad players excuse.

Sorry I just don't have any faith in Terry fixing this mess.

[HitInAPinch]

Now is not the time to make trades.  Or, should I say, waste your time trying to make one.  Sell high, not low.

 

As the year goes on, more player will come up hurt.  Remember this?

 

http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/eye-on-baseball/24655128/twins-trade-kevin-correia-to-dodgers-for-player-to-be-named

 

Wait for other teams to have roster needs.

 

Quoting Platoon:  Personally I think the trading criteria should be "how can I straighten out our own roster, and our 40 man" not what can I get in return.

 

You can literally get something for everyone.  If it's an A-baller and a AA, in many cases on the Twins roster, that would be a great success.  In many others, a "Correa-like" trade for cash would still clear a spot.

 

 

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Though I was opposed to the Ervin Santana signing and wasn't thrilled with his suspension, at this point I would like to see him stick around. It seems like I saw Berrios and Santana sitting in the dugout together a lot. Perhaps discussing pitching or just making it in MLB, though it's hard to know for sure. Isn't this the sort of mentorship or veteran leadership the Twins claim to value so much? So, I would keep Santana, and also Dozier. Dozier is struggling but my gut says keep him. All the other so called veterans can be released for a song and the team would be immediately improved, regardless of return. Like others say, we might need to throw in a prospect.

[nicksaviking]

I don't need to get value back. All I want back are open 25 and 40 man roster spots.

 

This team has prospects, let's worry about getting the ones they have playing time first.

[leopoty]

My candidates to be traded would be Park, Plouffe, Gibson, E. Santana. All I think could get something decent and all would clear up some roster space.

[DAM DC Twins Fans]

This is depressing...our best trade chips are the prospects like Buxton, Berrios, Gonsalves and Kepler. Dozier, Plouffe, etc. have little value.

 

I think the answer is to package one of the big prospects, Plouffe and a couple of lower prospects for the best we can get...

 

Keep Sano, Park, and Duffey--anybody else on the MLB roster can go.

[chagen5]

I wouldn't trade anybody until we have a new GM. I don't trust Terry Ryan to get anything of value. 

[alarp33]

I would trade Plouffe and Dozier, but I don't expect much of a return for either.  See if you can get a ML ready bullpen piece, or else some higher ceiling, lower probability prospect.  I think Plouffe would be an ideal Platoon partner at DH with Arica if Park gets traded, but his salary next year is too high for that.  

 

I would definitely trade Nunez, wouldn't expect anything great for him but should get something. 

 

If I can get good value for Park I trade him. 

 

I really hope Jepsen remembers how to get ML hitters out and hope he has any sort of trade deadline value.  

 

I would definitely trade Danny Santana but doubt he holds much value (Rosario is my 2017 4th outfielder)

 

I would not trade Gibson, and would lean not trading Santana.  I would rather them in the 2017 rotation than Hughes (bullpen), and most of the pitching prospects outside of Berrios likely won't be a ML factor until 2018.  So you've got Berrios, Duffey, Gibson, Santana and May/Meyer.  

 

 

 

 

 

[Vanimal46]

 

I don't need to get value back. All I want back are open 25 and 40 man roster spots.

 

This team has prospects, let's worry about getting the ones they have playing time first.

That's where I'm at. There's several candidates in the lower levels that need a promotion soon, so I would target young A ball players and see what happens.  

[Mike Sixel]

Well.....that was depressing to read, but accurate.

 

I agree with nick and van......it needs to about putting the current prospects in the best shape for the next few years and not about return.

 

4-5 years in, they have nearly zero tradeable assets.....wow.

[nicksaviking]

 

That's where I'm at. There's several candidates in the lower levels that need a promotion soon, so I would target young A ball players and see what happens.  

 

Agreed, A ballers obviously hold less value than their counterparts who are in AA and AAA so they are often more attainable and they almost surely can be left off of the 40-man.

 

I'm OK with more Miguel Sulbarans and Daniel Palkas.

[tobi0040]

Agreed, A ballers obviously hold less value than their counterparts who are in AA and AAA so they are often more attainable and they almost surely can be left off of the 40-man.

 

I'm OK with more Miguel Sulbarans and Daniel Palkas.

I would most certainly rather have a different GM trading people. But if it is Terry I prefer prospects that are in AA or AAA and have developed with another franchise. Here are just three examples from this year:

 

-Baseballs top prospects inability to recognize and hit breaking balls

 

-Duffey, a college reliever in our system for four years optioned to AAA to develop a third pitch

 

-Dozier, a 29 year old veteran on a four year deal who is currently working on going the other way

[Shane Wahl]

 

It's really tough to get someone to bite on quantity when asking them to give up quality in prospect for prospect trades.  Rarely happens.

 

and Vargas has about as much value as any other random player with AAAA upside...

 

It changes somewhat if these prospects in return are very young and raw. Other than a close-to-ready catcher, there is really no reason to expect or go after prospects over 20.

I imagine that Vargas would be an improvement over Kendrys Morales right now.

[troyhobbs]

Don't think they can afford to trade Gibson or E Santana as they have nothing MLB ready in the cupboards. I don't think anyone cares how Nolasco is sent packing just so long as he's gone and Hughes might be better off in the pen but not sure they have a better option at SP than him either. Until they have some legit pitching it matters little who they run out there in the field so might as well be the young guys. If you can't take pennies on the dollar for your veterans then let them sit on the bench.

[Shane Wahl]

Mind you, things could be easier in these deals if the Twins agreed to just pay the rest of the year's salary for someone like Plouffe. Or Suzuki, etc. Suzuki for free (option is likely not happening anyway) might be very attractive to a playoff team looking for a backup.

[ToddlerHarmon]

The return the twins should focus on for Nolasco, Plouffe, Jepsen, Dozier, Hughes, Suzuki, and Perkins is the empty roster spots. I'd be happy with that.

[Deduno Abides]

So much damage is happening this year to the veterans and the top minor leaguers that the horizon should be another three years. An example would be the 2003-2006 Detroit Tigers, who went from horrible to the World Series.

 

Trade Park, Plouffe, Dozier, Nunez, Gibson, Santana, Nolasco and any other veteran who's not nailed down (Mauer and Hughes are likely untradeable). Yes, some of these are good players, but the team needs to clear salary and reload. If you can get something of value for Abad, trade him. If a big contract like Nolasco can't get anything of value, still include him as a salary dump, like the trade of Bronson Arroyo last year, even if all that is received in return is a competitive balance pick. Some players in the minors should also be available, including Meyer, Stewart and Vargas, mostly for reload purposes but also because the team might as well get some value from them before they go to waste.

 

Not all will be traded by the deadline. After that, bring in a replacement GM or president around August, like the Phillies brought in Andy McPhail last summer, and let him figure out the next steps.

 

The South Coast Boutique is having a fire sale.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

The return the twins should focus on for Nolasco, Plouffe, Jepsen, Dozier, Hughes, Suzuki, and Perkins is the empty roster spots. I'd be happy with that.

If not all, then at least a couple of them.

[Dave The Dastardly]

Here's the problem; the Twins best prospects are stuck in the minors because of deadweight in the majors. So the solution is to clear out the deadweight, bring the kids up and let them learn how to play while the fans are enjoying beer and food in the stadium. Cut the price of the brewskis and the "fans" won't even watch the kids make mistakes. They'll be too busy sucking up the "stadium experience". That's a euphemism for "drinking too much beer". They'll also willingly buy 2018 Twins jerseys which the club can sell for outrageous prices. There will be numbers on the jerseys, but no names... maybe blanks the fans can fill in with magic markers - the kind that can be erased.

 

So how do we clear the roster? Keep in mind we really don't want any players in return because what we're doing is creating room for the "utes" in the minors. So put Bill Smith in charge of trading the deadweight. If anybody can can empty a roster and not get anything in return, Smith's the man.

 

"Go Twins" will have a whole new meaning.

[gocgo]

Don't forget Tommy Milone!  Ship him off for whatever you can get back.

[Thrylos]

 

I imagine that Vargas would be an improvement over Kendrys Morales right now.

 

He was in 2014

[Kwak]

The Twins best prospects aren't "stuck", they just haven't played their to the majors. There's a huge difference between earned promotions and "open mic" promotions. I'm reading "promote [him] because we need help, I like [him], and I can't stomach [who is there now]". 

[alarp33]

 

The Twins best prospects aren't "stuck", they just haven't played their to the majors. There's a huge difference between earned promotions and "open mic" promotions. I'm reading "promote [him] because we need help, I like [him], and I can't stomach [who is there now]". 

 

Miguel Sano isn't stuck?  Jorge Polanco hasn't earned a look? Jose Berrios hasn't been largely dominant in almost 20 AAA starts? Alex Meyer doesn't deserve a shot at some point? 

 

Buxton and Kepler don't need a few months of steady playing time so you know what you have for 2017?

Edited May 27, 2016 by alarp33

[gocgo]

Neil Allen suspended for a DWI.  Add that to the long list of things that have gone off track this season.

 

Trade chips?  Well, when the guy across the table knows exactly what cards you're holding, it's tough to win the hand.  The reality is that everyone in MLB knows that Plouffe is blocking Sano and that Sano in RF is not an option for the future.  So, if you were an opposing GM who really needed a 3B, what would you offer for Plouffe?  If you're smart, not much.  What we need is a really dumb GM...where is Kenny Williams when you need him?

[Kwak]

 

Miguel Sano isn't stuck?  Jorge Polanco hasn't earned a look? Jose Berrios hasn't been largely dominant in almost 20 AAA starts? Alex Meyer doesn't deserve a shot at some point? 

 

Buxton and Kepler don't need a few months of steady playing time so you know what you have for 2017?

No, he isn't blocked. First, he is in the major leagues.  Second, he will be replacement value defensively at 3B like he was in the minors, and third he is preventing himself from being a top-hitter--not Plouffe. Sano is the future Prince Fielder (at best)--refer to todays thumbnail about fielder and TX.

Edited May 27, 2016 by Kwak

[Darius]

No mention of Park? He may be the most valuable trade chip this team has, if he can prove he can adjust out of this recent slide.

 

I don't think anyone can be considered off limits at this point, given the state of the team. There is something toxic in that clubhouse. My guess is the veteran leadership -- or lack thereof (Mauer, Plouffe, Dozier).

[Jham]

 

No, he isn't blocked. First, he is in the major leagues.  Second, he will be replacement value defensively like he win the minors, and third he is preventing himself from being a top-hitter--not Plouffe. Sano is the future Prince Fielder (at best)--refer to todays thumbnail about fielder and TX.

I would agree with your general premise, that a lot of the frustration this season is based on prospects not performing and gets taken out on the veterans also not performing.  

You lost me at the Prince Fielder comparison, although it is interesting.  Would I take a Fielder like career from Sano?  (a few good years and then ship him off)  Probably.  Plus remember when Lew Ford lost that pop up?  

http://www.theonion.com/graphic/prince-fielder-dies-of-inside-the-park-home-run-9910

 

[Rosterman]

The Twins are so bad, that Billy Beane probably couldn't trade anyone away if he was general manager of the team. Trader Billy may be trading on his own team, but at least there is some demand for some of his assets. Whew!