My prediction for which FA pitcher the Twins pick up is....

[rdehring]

 

Duensing has been a punching bag in this site for years but he recently signed another contract for $7 million dollars - not too shabby!!!  I wonder if he'll be able to feed his family on that??!

 

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2018/01/cubs-to-re-sign-brian-duensing.html

If I recall, Duensing's family has done a lot of good while with the Twins.  Can't recall the specifics, but I believe he and his bride were involved in several good charities.

 

While everyone seems to be waiting on Darvish before going on to one of the 3 other Big 4, would it be smart for the Twins to move on and grab either Cobb or Lynn?

[Squirrel]

I still hope for Darvish because it doesn't appear that the Dodgers or Yankees will be able to clear the space and still stay under the Luxury Tax cap. If they don't get Darvish, I hope for Cobb and adding Todd Frazier as a consolation prize.

 

This is why I’m fine with moving on from Darvish. He’s waiting for the teams he really wants to be with to do what is necessary to sign him, holding up everyone else. I’d rather someone who wants to be here and not someone who begrudgingly takes an offer because there was nothing else appealing to him and he needed someplace to go.

[Jham]

This is why I’m fine with moving on from Darvish. He’s waiting for the teams he really wants to be with to do what is necessary to sign him, holding up everyone else. I’d rather someone who wants to be here and not someone who begrudgingly takes an offer because there was nothing else appealing to him and he needed someplace to go.

A lot of people don't want to be in Minnesota, then they move here and love it. I get that it is clear that Darvish wants to stay in LA, but that in itself would not keep me from trying to get him.

 

That said, Garcia fits this team and it's history.

[woolywoolhouse]

 

Air Bud

 

Show me in the rulebook where it says a dog CAN'T pitch in the majors?

[IndianaTwin]

 

Bear in mind I did not intend for this to be a snarky post.

 

I really think that the familiarity + the price + lack of interest by other teams will make this the easiest option for the Twins.

 

Garcia is several floors down from the other pitchers discussed, but it is what it is.....

 

And I wasn't being snarky in suggesting they double down and go for both Garcia and Tillman. Tillman was horrible in 2017, but if we were having this conversation last winter, we'd be noting that he was coming off four straight years of 170+ innings, with three of them having an ERA+ of 110 or better. He doesn't turn 30 until Tax Day.

 

Are the Twins good enough to compete for the playoffs and beyond? Potentially. But so much went right last year, and I'm not sure they are a lock to take another step forward this year. I hope they do and think they should, but baseball's a funny game.

 

Think of 2016. We were cautiously optimistic and started 0-9 on the way to 10-30 through 40 games. In 2017, fewer of us were cautiously optimistic, but they started 5-1 on the way to 22-18 through 40 (and 25-18 through 43, if we extend it a few days).

 

Eight or so starts from Yu Darvish would not have made the difference between the 2016 and 2017 Twins through 40 games. Even with him, I could see enough hiccups for them to end up an 80-85 win team, still poised on the cusp of being really good. 

 

So given the situation, I'd rather roll with Santana, Berrios, Gibson, May, Mejia, Garcia, Tillman (with Gonsalves and Romero getting a half-dozen starts in Rochester) through mid-May. Then, if the team looks like 2017, go get this year's Verlander amidst what shapes up to be a huge herd of potential rentals. If the wheels have come off, the focus unfortunately shifts back toward another year of development and those remaining 25 starts that aren't allocated to Darvish are given to others. 

 

 

[FlauerPauer]

I'm over Darvish.  I think that is going to end rather badly for the team that eventually signs him.  He may be really good for two years, but his trend is downward the last couple years; I don't see that changing anytime soon.  Is he better than what we have? Yes, he is. 

 

I like this idea if they brass isn't sold on Cobb or Lynn...

 

So given the situation, I'd rather roll with Santana, Berrios, Gibson, May, Mejia, Garcia, Tillman (with Gonsalves and Romero getting a half-dozen starts in Rochester) through mid-May. Then, if the team looks like 2017, go get this year's Verlander amidst what shapes up to be a huge herd of potential rentals. If the wheels have come off, the focus unfortunately shifts back toward another year of development and those remaining 25 starts that aren't allocated to Darvish are given to others. 

 

[Homer Hanky]

I think it will be Lynn and Tillman... 

 

but 

 

I hope it is Darvish and Lynn

 

 

[lecroy24fan]

Kenny Rogers

[Mr. Brooks]

If I recall, Duensing's family has done a lot of good while with the Twins. Can't recall the specifics, but I believe he and his bride were involved in several good charities.

 

While everyone seems to be waiting on Darvish before going on to one of the 3 other Big 4, would it be smart for the Twins to move on and grab either Cobb or Lynn?

I'm guessing Cobb and Lynn are going to wait for Darvish to set the market before they sign.

[Taildragger8791]

 

I'm guessing Cobb and Lynn are going to wait for Darvish to set the market before they sign.

 

I kind of expect this too. At the same time it seems like it could be a savvy move to run an end-around on Darvish and sign before he gets his pick of the litter and the dominos start to fall. Assuming you can get a team you like to bite.

 

The passive-aggressive Minnesotan in me hopes the dominos fall without Darvish and he loses his leverage, thus signing a smaller deal with whoever is left offering. That would at least bring a smile to my face after this annoyingly cold stove offseason. Or maybe I'm just spoiled by the wild and crazy NBA offseason we just had.

[Ryan Atkins]

Jordan Schafer

[Mike Sixel]

Tillman....

[old nurse]

Walker Buehler. He is not a free agent, but you take him for taking on Matt Kemp's contract for Hughes' contract. This allows the Dodgers to sign Darvish and stay under the luxury tax. If they don't want Hughes, I would give them Stewart

[Mike Sixel]

 

Walker Buehler. He is not a free agent, but you take him for taking on Matt Kemp's contract for Hughes' contract. This allows the Dodgers to sign Darvish and stay under the luxury tax. If they don't want Hughes, I would give them Stewart

 

No chance they give up Buehler for Darvish, imo. If they would, of course the Twins should do that.

[FormerMinnasotan]

At this time my hope is for either Lance Lynn or Alex Cobb. For all I know Darvish turned down the Twins “final offer” so they are done there. They haven’t publicly met with or called Jake Arrieta so I doubt they have any interest in him. Lynn and Cobb are more affordable 2nd tier pitchers (who could easily fit as a #2 or 3 in our rotation) that we could sign to the tune of 4 yrs $60-$75 million.

 

Signing Tillman or Jamie Garcia only makes sense if you want them to compete for the #4-5 spot in the rotation and have no problems dumping them if they don’t pan out.

[caninatl04]

I'm guessing Cobb and Lynn are going to wait for Darvish to set the market before they sign.

I think this is exactly right.

 

What do you think the market will be eventually for Cobb and Lynn? 4 / $72?

[h2oface]

 

Duensing has been a punching bag in this site for years but he recently signed another contract for $7 million dollars - not too shabby!!!  I wonder if he'll be able to feed his family on that??!

 

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2018/01/cubs-to-re-sign-brian-duensing.html

 

And, Duensing outlived his battery mate at the University of Nebraska, Joba Chamberlain by several productive years, even though Joba was more heralded in his ascent to the Majors. Didn't Duensing start the lose the opener in 2009 and the 3rd and elimination game of the 2010 series against the Yankees (and Phil Hughes)? Anyway... some don't decline so much in their 30's. He is a good guy.

[nicksaviking]

 

This is why I’m fine with moving on from Darvish. He’s waiting for the teams he really wants to be with to do what is necessary to sign him, holding up everyone else. I’d rather someone who wants to be here and not someone who begrudgingly takes an offer because there was nothing else appealing to him and he needed someplace to go.

 

Well it sounds like he wants the Dodgers, which could mean two things. One, he actually wants the Dodgers, or Two, he wants the Dodgers to get other teams to up the offers to six years.

 

But as long as the Dodgers are unable to get someone to take Matt Kemp's salary, they probably aren't going to clear enough to get Darvish AND get below the salary tax threshold. If they cared more about signing Darvish than getting below the threshold, they'd already have done it.

 

I can't imagine the Dodgers will be able to shed Kemp's salary so Darvish is probably just crossing his fingers at this point. And in this case, I'm just fine if the Twins happened to be runner up because runner up is probably going to take the prize.

 

Just don't take third place.

[Thrylos]

If it is not Darvish or Archer, they better let it be and see what Gonsalves and/or Romero can do at the end of the rotation until May is ready.   Not convinced that any Lynn, Cobb, Arietta etc are any improvement over (let's say) Gibson, and May may be better than all 3.

[Brandon]

Me: 42 years old, overweight and out of shape, 59 mph fastball and even slower changeup. These are the type of depth signings we should all be able to get behind.

[darin617]

 

If it is not Darvish or Archer, they better let it be and see what Gonsalves and/or Romero can do at the end of the rotation until May is ready.   Not convinced that any Lynn, Cobb, Arietta etc are any improvement over (let's say) Gibson, and May may be better than all 3.

 

If they sign 1 of the Lynn, Cobb, or Arietta it will cost the Twins their 3rd highest draft pick.

[old nurse]

 

Me: 42 years old, overweight and out of shape, 59 mph fastball and even slower changeup. These are the type of depth signings we should all be able to get behind.

You could probably strike out Steve, but not many others

[gunnarthor]

 

If they sign 1 of the Lynn, Cobb, or Arietta it will cost the Twins their 3rd highest draft pick.

Good point. Pohlads can save some money in the draft!

[Darius]

Sidney Ponson

[Doctor Wu]

What, no love for Colon? Seriously, I'm exhausted even thinking about the options at this point. My guess it that they end up signing someone like Garcia or Miley, but honestly I have no idea who will be behind door number three?