Napoli is a win now move. There has been some talk on the board, which I don't agree with, that we are pointing to 2019 or beyond. Signing Napoli is a clear sign we are looking to ring the bell this season. I wonder if there will be a more valuable 24th-25th man in The Show this season. He needs to hit somewhat over the Mendoza Line and give us 25-30 bombs. If he still owns a glove, he may be the emergency catcher, that gives Garver an opportunity to be used differently.

If he still owns a glove, he may be the emergency catcher

He hasn't been behind the plate in a game since 2012. If he did that in 2018, his quads or hammies would likely become the emergency.

Napoli is a win now move. There has been some talk on the board, which I don't agree with, that we are pointing to 2019 or beyond. Signing Napoli is a clear sign we are looking to ring the bell this season. I wonder if there will be a more valuable 24th-25th man in The Show this season. He needs to hit somewhat over the Mendoza Line and give us 25-30 bombs. If he still owns a glove, he may be the emergency catcher, that gives Garver an opportunity to be used differently.

Addressing the rotation in a manner befitting a team looking to win now would be a win now move. Adding a RH hitting fourth OFer would be a win now move.

Personally I'd stay with Vargas and take the extra money that would be needed to land Napoli and apply that money toward Darvish.

 

That's only because I still believe in Vargas and I don't give up easy.

 

My Vargas support shouldn't be taken as any sign of disrespect toward Napoli. 

 

 

 

 

 

Addressing the rotation in a manner befitting a team looking to win now would be a win now move. Adding a RH hitting fourth OFer would be a win now move.

 

If the Twins are going after Napoli for significant playing time. It's a win now move. 

 

 

 

 

 

If the Twins sign Napoli, it's because he is a right handed Vargas in a left-handed leaning line up. And Napoli brings more balance to it. And that is worth several million more at the same time. I'm sure veteranness factors into monetary and signing value too. Vargas has the power and build to be a monster but doesn't go beyond league average, even with the 450 foot HR. I prefer to give Vargs one more shot but I'm more ambivalent on that matter and more on the sign Darvish and trade for Archer bandwagon.

And my point is that it doesn't really change much this year, either. What is the net gain/loss from swapping Vargas and Napoli? I don't think it's much either way. Given an option free of strings, I'd choose Vargas but I don't really care much either way.

 

The Twins don't need Nunez. They have Escobar and Adrianza to cover positional needs around the diamond. They have Granite to back up the outfield defensively, though it'd be a lot nicer to have a RHB available instead of Granite. But Nunez isn't good against lefties anyway so he brings more of the same to the table.

 

Nunez is redundant on this roster. The Twins need a slugger who can hit RHP and it'd be nice if he could play the OF but neither Napoli nor Vargas can play the outfield so, eh, whatever. Pick your poison, I'm not sure it matters much.

big assumption that Sano can play 3rd for 90 games. He has just begun conditioning and has the potential for a suspension this season.

 

If the option is bench bat or additional utility player, Nunez would be my preference because his bat is decent. Essentially he extends the bench by providing both.

Edited February 10, 20188 yr by Sconnie

If the Twins sign Napoli, it's because he is a right handed Vargas in a left-handed leaning line up. And Napoli brings more balance to it. And that is worth several million more at the same time. I'm sure veteranness factors into monetary and signing value too. Vargas has the power and build to be a monster but doesn't go beyond league average, even with the 450 foot HR. I prefer to give Vargs one more shot but I'm more ambivalent on that matter and more on the sign Darvish and trade for Archer bandwagon.

I'm not sure what you mean by some of this.

What do you mean when you say Napoli brings more balance? He's even more HR or nothing at this point than Vargas is.

You also mention league average. Vargas is actually slightly better than league average the last 3 years, while Napoli is well below league average the last 3 years.

Lets stop the collusion talk.  The slow movement is the Darvish factor.  He wants to be in LA and they aren't offering him anything.  He is controlling this and the major players are waiting for him to finish his own shopping for a team before doing anything else.

​All I can say is look at the new Baseball Prospectus - mine came yesterday and check out both his listing under the Dodgers and the Percota projections.  Nice pitcher, not a Kershaw or Verlander or Scherzer.  His projections are downward and the only reason that I want to see him sign with someone soon is so I can quit reading about him and his fishing expedition.

Vargas is younger, cheaper, and better at this point. Napoli doesn't even fill any real need on the team. I agree with a post I read earlier; the idea that Darvish's decision is somehow contingent on Napoli being part of the organization seems odd and highly unlikely.  The interest in him last offseason was at least understandable from a FO perspective. This year it's head scratching. I get it that he's "their guy," but right now it seems like its the only reason, and IMO not a good one, for bringing Napoli in. 

Doesn't something have to happen this weekend?  Do the Twins report tomorrow?  Or is it Tuesday?

 

Either Darvish is going to sign with total chaos breaking out as all the teams needing pitching scramble to get one of the other top pitchers in the next couple days.  Or one of the other BIG 3 says to hell with it and takes an offer...leading to the same scramble.

 

But it seems something has to happen by Monday morning.

It happened. Cubs.

6 years/$126M

https://twitter.com/Ken_Rosenthal/status/962415031819362304

Since I never for a moment thought we'd sign him, I'm glad it's over.  I imagine the uninspiring Lynn will be heading our way.  Or even less inspiring, Jaime Garcia.

Lame. He never wanted to come to Minnesota.

I knew it wouldn't happen but damn I wanted to believe lol.  Better get in on someone else quick.

Oof, just give him the 6/150 and make it happen.

 

Lame. He never wanted to come to Minnesota.

Or he never got the offer he wanted from the Twins.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

Edited February 10, 20188 yr by RedBull34

At least we have roster flexibility to extend Hughes and sign Tillman.

Great job, Levine!

Pending a physical?

 

Still a chance???

It's going to be ****ing hilarious when the Twins big FA splash is Fernando Rodney.

Oof, just give him the 6/150 and make it happen.

plus the incentive. Yep.

Or he never got the offer he wanted from the Twins.

That perhaps is because that offer would have needed to include playing in a different city?

Do you think Berrios starts the opener or do we go with Gibby and his veteran presence?

Disappointing to say the least.

 

It's going to be ****ing hilarious when the Twins big FA splash is Fernando Rodney.

Cobb or Lynn have always been more likely. Darvish played the waiting game to see if the Dodgers could deal Kemp or the Yanks could deal Ellsbury, he finally relented and signed with the next big market club and that was Chicago.  

Cobb or Lynn have always been more likely. Darvish played the waiting game to see if the Dodgers could deal Kemp or the Yanks could deal Ellsbury, he finally relented and signed with the next big market club and that was Chicago.

 

Cobb and Lynn don't get this team out of the Wild Card round.