MLB Trade Rumors Predictions

[Tomj14]

 

do the plethora of alternatives available to DH for the Twins next year, all of whom can play defensive positions.

I have heard it all, the Twins shouldn't go out and get a guy with a .850OPS because he only plays DH. Because they have a bunch of guys with a much lower OPS that can play DH. 

[cmoss84]

Looks like we've been linked to J A Happ, according to mlb.com. 

 

Would be a nice signing...hoping it means that we trade some of our young pitching/Kepler for Realmuto (who has been linked to the Braves). 

[ChrisKnutson]

I'd prefer to improve the offense by other means than Cruz, but if they did sign him, they'd be hard pressed to also find a 1B only player as well. If they also want to improve offensive production, I don't think the Twins have the roster room for two defensively stuck players.

 

Which is OK by me, I don't want some league average hitter plugging up the 1B spot and from the looks of it, whether they go internal or external to get at bats for the 1B spot this year, league average is probably about the most optimistic outcome they can hope for..

 

I know he’s a league average 1B, but for the right price, I wouldn’t mind trading with Cleveland for 1 year of Yonder Alonso. May not be Goldschmidt, but in terms of price (prospects) and production, a tandem of Alonso/Austin could be a major bargain.

[Doomtints]

The Twins have almost never had a good DH, so talking about how their DH options last year sucked isn't saying that much.

 

The Twins, perhaps like many AL teams, don't think of the DH as a position to fill with the best bat they can find. DH is viewed as as afterthought. Until the Twins treat the DH as a legitimate position just like all the other positions, it will continue being a spot in the batting order to slot people in to "give players a bit of rest."

 

This is, of course, the wrong approach. The Twins changing their thinking on DH would probably have more of an impact than fiddling around with openers or whatever.

[Don Walcott]

If Arizona is re-tooling, I’d love to see a trade for Goldschmidt and Greinke.

[rv78]

If Arizona is re-tooling, I’d love to see a trade for Goldschmidt and Greinke.

The Twins are also re-tooling. That makes no sense.

[Monkeypaws]

IMHO, free agency is a method to put your home grown team over the top, not a foundation, especially for a team like the Twins. I think history would agree.

 

You hit and miss on draft and develop, but when you hit, you know it. Next season will tell us all we need to know, but buying a World Series will never be a Twins outcome.

[DocBauer]

IMHO, free agency is a method to put your home grown team over the top, not a foundation, especially for a team like the Twins. I think history would agree.

 

You hit and miss on draft and develop, but when you hit, you know it. Next season will tell us all we need to know, but buying a World Series will never be a Twins outcome.

Absolutely agree. But as you say, you enhance your team. Or, in some cases, you might fill a spot temporarily. I think we can agree that a pair of RP, one bat, and a 2B would be supplementing, yes?

[Don Walcott]

 

The Twins are also re-tooling. That makes no sense.

How so? Are they too good for us?

[nicksaviking]

The Twins have almost never had a good DH, so talking about how their DH options last year sucked isn't saying that much.

 

The Twins, perhaps like many AL teams, don't think of the DH as a position to fill with the best bat they can find. DH is viewed as as afterthought. Until the Twins treat the DH as a legitimate position just like all the other positions, it will continue being a spot in the batting order to slot people in to "give players a bit of rest."

 

This is, of course, the wrong approach. The Twins changing their thinking on DH would probably have more of an impact than fiddling around with openers or whatever.

I want them to change their thinking on all the positions, DH included. I want them to put the best possible offense together and let the positional aspect be malleable. I'd find it preferable to keep DH and possibly 1B fluid so as to help cover up any defensive deficiencies, but if they actually find one of those best possible bats and he happens to only fill the DH spot, so be it. But it better be a dang good bat. I don't want some league average guy there which forces the team to go with a below league average guy at another position.

[Monkeypaws]

 

Absolutely agree. But as you say, you enhance your team. Or, in some cases, you might fill a spot temporarily. I think we can agree that a pair of RP, one bat, and a 2B would be supplementing, yes?

Totally agree Doc - Mike Pagliarulo, Chili Davis, Don Baylor, all examples of this. I guess what I meant to say, while completely forgetting trades as another option, is that I don't believe you can build a team foundation through free-agency, although I'm sure someone could prove me wrong. 

 

Seems like most teams need a foundation of home grown talent, as we have seen with the last 2 Series winners. Then add through trades, and free agency as needed.

 

But if you fail on the development side, you won't have the chips to get a Sale or a Verlander.

[DocBauer]

Totally agree Doc - Mike Pagliarulo, Chili Davis, Don Baylor, all examples of this. I guess what I meant to say, while completely forgetting trades as another option, is that I don't believe you can build a team foundation through free-agency, although I'm sure someone could prove me wrong.

 

Seems like most teams need a foundation of home grown talent, as we have seen with the last 2 Series winners. Then add through trades, and free agency as needed.

 

But if you fail on the development side, you won't have the chips to get a Sale or a Verlander.

Definitely in agreement. Never believed you could use FA to buy a team. To me, the extreme example is Yankees of the past when they tried, but really succeeded when they kept their own and then built around them. Now, of course they still spend a TON, lol, but I think the point is made. And they've more of the same recently.

 

The Twins have guys who have not performed to expectation as of yet. But there is so much to develop and like here. And a second impressive wave is on it's way. But we are also in a unique position where we can legitimately bring in a nice handful of guys on 3 year deals financially, and timing wise, to complete this roster.

 

Yes?

[howieramone2]

 

I think the end is near for Cruz. 2015-17 OPS in the low .900s. Last year .850. Last year was also the first time in 5-6 years that he played fewer than 150 games.

I don’t like the trend.

IMO, Cruz is exactly the type of player the Ryan regime pursued: aging vets on their last legs. Every other team is looking to get younger and more versatile. Cruz looks like a “be mediocre” move to me.

That every other team is looking to get younger is a myth. What they are looking to do, is win more games. I like the move for Cruz.

[Riverbrian]

 

I want them to change their thinking on all the positions, DH included. I want them to put the best possible offense together as possible and let the positional aspect be malleable. I'd find it preferable to keep DH and possibly 1B fluid so as to help cover up any defensive deficiencies, but if they actually find one of those best possible bats and he happens to only fill the DH spot, so be it. But it better be a dang good bat. I don't want some league average guy there which forces the team to go with a below league average guy at another position.

 

I'm basically against a DH only because it clogs up the flexibility I crave but the concept you speak of is the same. 

 

The team should be trying to sign the best players possible and be able to fit them into the roster. If it's Edgar Martinez... It's Edgar Martinez... however, I'm still going to look elsewhere first for the defensive possibilities. 

 

 

 

[ashbury]

I'm basically against a DH only because it clogs up the flexibility I crave but the concept you speak of is the same.

This is something I keep meaning to address.

 

As I said earlier, I'm hugely in favor of flexibility. But it's not a fetish for its own sake. The payoff of flexibility is that, in an era of short benches, it makes room for a dedicated DH if you have a good one.

 

I don't want just any old bat, such as Grossman, as a full-time DH. I want one who's a difference maker. My take on Nelson Cruz is that he might be such a guy, as people keep expecting him to drop off offensively and every year he keeps on going. I'm open to contrary opinion on that forecast.

 

But if Cruz profiles as still an .800+ OPS guy for 2019, and his road numbers in 2018 suggest that, then I want his bat in the lineup every day as my DH.

 

The alternative, with a roster entirely populated by positionally-flexible guys, is that every single day, the DH position is manned by someone whose glove, which is part of what we paid good money for, is idle. That same money could have been applied to a little bit better bat, such as Cruz.

 

In an era of 13-man pitching staffs, a full-time DH plus 8 regulars leaves 3 gloves on the bench. One's a catcher, one's an infielder, one's an outfielder. If everyone's capable of filling in multiple places, the DH places no strain on the manager, and that bat'll win you a game every now and then, moreso than a Grossman or a 2018-version of Mauer slotted there.

 

Now that I think of it, Mauer's retirement is what opens the door for this move.

[Riverbrian]

 

This is something I keep meaning to address.

 

As I said earlier, I'm hugely in favor of flexibility. But it's not a fetish for its own sake. The payoff of flexibility is that, in an era of short benches, it makes room for a dedicated DH if you have a good one.

 

I don't want just any old bat, such as Grossman, as a full-time DH. I want one who's a difference maker. My take on Nelson Cruz is that he might be such a guy, as people keep expecting him to drop off offensively and every year he keeps on going. I'm open to contrary opinion on that forecast.

 

But if Cruz profiles as still an .800+ OPS guy for 2019, and his road numbers in 2018 suggest that, then I want his bat in the lineup every day as my DH.

 

The alternative, with a roster entirely populated by positionally-flexible guys, is that every single day, the DH position is manned by someone whose glove, which is part of what we paid good money for, is idle. That same money could have been applied to a little bit better bat, such as Cruz.

 

In an era of 13-man pitching staffs, a full-time DH plus 8 regulars leaves 3 gloves on the bench. One's a catcher, one's an infielder, one's an outfielder. If everyone's capable of filling in multiple places, the DH places no strain on the manager, and that bat'll win you a game every now and then.

 

In any roster construction, flexible or not. You will have your most obvious candidate to handle the DH... IE... the guy who sucks the most defensively or the guy who is the worst defensive player from an area of extras. 

 

I wouldn't have a problem signing Cruz but I'd like him to be able to play some OF in case, Tyler Austin, Sano and whoever we signed to play 3B are all hitting the snot out of the ball along with Cruz. 

 

If you sign Cruz and say we have DH locked down... it can limit the inclination to sign the guy who can play 3B because you wouldn't have any place to put Austin and Sano in case they all succeed. 

 

So you set your roster... go on with life... Austin hits .112 and now you are signing Grossman off the waiver wire and teaching Cruz to play 1B real quick. 

 

If Cruz could play some OF... you don't have to do any of that stuff. 

 

I'd sign Cruz just like I'm willing to sign Murphy but any DH I sign... I'd prefer if they could man a position.  

 

Therefore... I present myself as "Don't sign a DH only". 

 

 

[ashbury]

So you set your roster... go on with life... Austin hits .112 and now you are signing Grossman off the waiver wire and teaching Cruz to play 1B real quick.

Yeah, you're right.

 

I got ahead of myself.

 

This team is too crappy to be formulating any 2019 plans around.

 

Houston isn't worrying about "what if one of our hitters is batting .112 in May."

 

Neither is Boston, or LA, or any other legitimate contender.

 

I'm going to wait until we have stopped relying on Yankee rejects like Austin and Cave, hopefully in 2020. The engine is still in parts on the shop floor. I seriously don't know what I'd do.

[Riverbrian]

 

Yeah, you're right.

 

I got ahead of myself.

 

This team is too crappy to be formulating any 2019 plans around.

 

Houston isn't worrying about "what if one of our hitters is batting .112 in May."

 

Neither is Boston, or LA, or any other legitimate contender.

 

I'm going to wait until we have stopped relying on Yankee rejects like Austin and Cave, hopefully in 2020. The engine is still in parts on the shop floor. I seriously don't know what I'd do.

 

The goal of being a team with true flexibility isn't to limit the players you sign to only ones who are flexible... the goal is to be able to fit anybody on to your roster... even Nelson Cruz. 

 

Houston is not worried about Gurriel hitting .112. because they have Tyler White. They would hate it if Altuve got hurt but they have Marwin. The Dodgers don't have to watch Dozier hit terribly and they won't and they didn't  because they will throw in Hernandez, Taylor, Muncy or Utley instead. Boston didn't crash and burn because Pedroia couldn't play or Devers was struggling. They keep Nunez and Holt around. 

 

I think we are closer than some think. We have money to spend and multiple prospects to spend as well. We have a core... that needs to play better but a core that has talent and doesn't cost that much. This is a gift because it means that we hit the jackpot if they figure it out and we don't have to die if they don't. Every avenue is wide open.

 

I know exactly what I would do... Fill the 25 Man up with players who can play. Don't stop short by saying... We got Sano at 3B and Austin at 1B so we are good". and then have to come to us later and say... We sure expected more out of Sano and Austin. Go get Castellanos to join Sano and Austin and let them work it out. Have a manager who can figure it out in case all 25 players are successful and also figure it out in case we have some players who are not. I want a team that isn't bound and gagged by any traditional baseball convention and a manager who will not go down with the ship without trying something else. 

 

I'm willing to sign the next Morrison in 2019 and I realize that it might end up being a mistakelike it was in 2018... what I'm not willing to do is double down on that mistake by not only paying him all that money but letting him hit under .200 while paying him all that money. If you have to take the loss... take only one of those losses and not both. 

 

I'm not looking for a starting 9... I'm looking for a starting 12 and then I'm letting the players provide the information the manager needs to make the right decision. 

 

If the team would have taken this approach in 2018... We probably would have won 10 games more than they did. In my opinion... of course. 

 

Tyler Austin and Jake Cave could be great signings and I'm encouraged by them but I've got safety nets in case they are not. 

[Major League Ready]

 

The goal of being a team with true flexibility isn't to limit the players you sign to only ones who are flexible... the goal is to be able to fit anybody on to your roster... even Nelson Cruz. 

 

Houston is not worried about Gurriel hitting .112. because they have Tyler White. They would hate it if Altuve got hurt but they have Marwin. The Dodgers don't have to watch Dozier hit terribly and they won't and they didn't  because they will throw in Hernandez, Taylor, Muncy or Utley instead. Boston didn't crash and burn because Pedroia couldn't play or Devers was struggling. They keep Nunez and Holt around. 

 

I think we are closer than some think. We have money to spend and multiple prospects to spend as well. We have a core... that needs to play better but a core that has talent and doesn't cost that much. This is a gift because it means that we hit the jackpot if they figure it out and we don't have to die if they don't. Every avenue is wide open.

 

I know exactly what I would do... Fill the 25 Man up with players who can play. Don't stop short by saying... We got Sano at 3B and Austin at 1B so we are good". and then have to come to us later and say... We sure expected more out of Sano and Austin. Go get Castellanos to join Sano and Austin and let them work it out. Have a manager who can figure it out in case all 25 players are successful and also figure it out in case we have some players who are not. I want a team that isn't bound and gagged by any traditional baseball convention and a manager who will not go down with the ship without trying something else. 

 

I'm willing to sign the next Morrison in 2019 and I realize that it might end up being a mistakelike it was in 2018... what I'm not willing to do is double down on that mistake by not only paying him all that money but letting him hit under .200 while paying him all that money. If you have to take the loss... take only one of those losses and not both. 

 

I'm not looking for a starting 9... I'm looking for a starting 12 and then I'm letting the players provide the information the manager needs to make the right decision. 

 

If the team would have taken this approach in 2018... We probably would have won 10 games more than they did. In my opinion... of course. 

 

Tyler Austin and Jake Cave could be great signings and I'm encouraged by them but I've got safety nets in case they are not. 

 

It would appear a lot of teams are moving in the direction you suggest, Hopefully, including the Twins. I don't think we would have seen as much of Astudillo if they we not putting value in positional flexibility. 

[USAFChief]

In any roster construction, flexible or not. You will have your most obvious candidate to handle the DH... IE... the guy who sucks the most defensively or the guy who is the worst defensive player from an area of extras. 

 

I wouldn't have a problem signing Cruz but I'd like him to be able to play some OF in case, Tyler Austin, Sano and whoever we signed to play 3B are all hitting the snot out of the ball along with Cruz. 

 

If you sign Cruz and say we have DH locked down... it can limit the inclination to sign the guy who can play 3B because you wouldn't have any place to put Austin and Sano in case they all succeed. 

 

So you set your roster... go on with life... Austin hits .112 and now you are signing Grossman off the waiver wire and teaching Cruz to play 1B real quick. 

 

If Cruz could play some OF... you don't have to do any of that stuff. 

 

I'd sign Cruz just like I'm willing to sign Murphy but any DH I sign... I'd prefer if they could man a position.  

 

Therefore... I present myself as "Don't sign a DH only".

 

I guess I don’t view having too many good hitters as a problem.

 

The problem is having too few. Keeping A DH isn’t a problem whether Austin hits .112 or .412. But it becomes a problem when you don’t have a DH, and he hits .112.

[bird]

 

I guess I don’t view having too many good hitters as a problem.

The problem is having too few. Keeping A DH isn’t a problem whether Austin hits .112 or .412. But it becomes a problem when you don’t have a DH, and he hits .112.

 

 

This team had too few fielders AND too few hitters in 2018, don't you agree? Too many who could do one thing but not both. Grossman can't field, Adrianza can't hit...

 

Positional flexibility among every day players might be increasingly valuable if the distribution of innings among pitchers continues to, er, evolve. For the same reasons I cringed at the Escobar trade, I'm finding that players like Donaldson, Marwin, and Murphy appeal to my sensibilities, as does handing first base gloves to Kepler, Kirilloff and others. They may or may not give you offensive production equal to Cruz, but they give you the back-up in the event of a Sano meltdown or another positional setback. I'd be inclined to rotate guys through the DH slot, even if they can only give you the kind of production one might expect out of Cave, Kepler, Murphy, Donaldson, Marwin, Austin, or Turtle even. 

 

 

 

 

[ND-Fan]

I am not in favor of Cruz i think he's on the end of his career and if we did sign him we would be greatly disappointed. Second is somebody like Cruz is only DH so we loose having another player to play the field. The way teams are structured now so heavily with pitching i think all your bench players need to be able to play some where in the field. Also we already have several players already that could fill the DH role so going after strickly DH will put us with very little flexibility for position players. If we do sign DH and he doesn't work out i would sure like for us just cut bait with them right away not keeping because they signed a contract like we did with Morrisson.

[DocBauer]

It's that roster/lineup/flexibility why I don't mind a Cruz coming on board but prefer McCutchen, (possibly Brantley), along with Gonzalez and one of the available 2B, or Iglesius at SS with Polanco moving over. (Different ways to accomplish this, but these are names I rather like).

 

Between the 3 starting OF spots, 4th OF play, DH, Kepler playing some 1B, more than enough room for 5 quality OF. (Potentially)

 

This tentative idea of signings gives me different keystone combinations as well as depth on the infield corners.

 

And everyone's feel good story, Astudillo, even if he's the odd man out initially, is available as a versatile call up option for multiple spots, including catcher.

[Lonestar]

It's feasible that you can be competitive with a full-time DH in today's 12 (or 13) position player rosters. The Red Sox just did it. But I don't think you can do it with the question marks the Twins have with Sano and Buxton and (dare I say) Kepler.

 

Do the Twins want to spend that much on Cruz when they can get Jose Martinez at pre-arb prices by trade?

 

[Riverbrian]

 

It would appear a lot of teams are moving in the direction you suggest, Hopefully, including the Twins. I don't think we would have seen as much of Astudillo if they we not putting value in positional flexibility. 

 

Yep 

 

The Giants hired a PBO from the Dodgers

The Rangers hired a Manager from the Dodgers

The Twins hired a Manager from the Rays

The Jays hired a manager from the Rays. 

 

The Mets had a GM finalist from the Rays. 

The Orioles are looking at a GM or PBO from the Astros

Baldelli was a finalist for the Reds Manager Job

Hyde from the Cubs was a finalist for the Twins and Jays Manager Job. 

 

The baseball traditionalists should be feeling the ground shake and see the coffee cups falling off the shelves right about now. 

 

 

[Riverbrian]

 

I guess I don’t view having too many good hitters as a problem.

The problem is having too few. Keeping A DH isn’t a problem whether Austin hits .112 or .412. But it becomes a problem when you don’t have a DH, and he hits .112.

 

I don't view having too many good hitters as a problem either. It's exactly what I want. 

 

The team will naturally find a guy who gets the majority of swings at the DH position or it the team just wants to sign Nelson Cruz... It can and do so successfully but they will need other outlets elsewhere to accommodate the locking down of the DH position.  

 

But if they take the same approach as last year and just sign Nelson Cruz and go with Cruz, Austin and Sano at DH, 1B and 3B with no escape hatch. The team will learned nothing from what happened in 2018. You can set your egg-timer for when you see Adrianaza playing 1st base because they have nobody else. 

 

 

 

 

[Riverbrian]

 

This team had too few fielders AND too few hitters in 2018, don't you agree? Too many who could do one thing but not both. Grossman can't field, Adrianza can't hit...

 

Positional flexibility among every day players might be increasingly valuable if the distribution of innings among pitchers continues to, er, evolve. For the same reasons I cringed at the Escobar trade, I'm finding that players like Donaldson, Marwin, and Murphy appeal to my sensibilities, as does handing first base gloves to Kepler, Kirilloff and others. They may or may not give you offensive production equal to Cruz, but they give you the back-up in the event of a Sano meltdown or another positional setback. I'd be inclined to rotate guys through the DH slot, even if they can only give you the kind of production one might expect out of Cave, Kepler, Murphy, Donaldson, Marwin, Austin, or Turtle even. 

 

Necessity is the mother of invention. 

 

You are right... 13 Pitchers will be necessary to execute the changes coming. That leaves you 12 to play defense and hit on your roster.  

 

If you sign Nelson Cruz... now you are down to 11 players who can play defense.  

 

I'm ok signing Nelson Cruz... but if you do... flexibility instantly becomes even more uber-ultra-extra important. 

 

Signing Nelson Cruz is being looked at backwards here on Twinsdaily. 

 

Flexibility will allow you to sign Nelson Cruz. If you don't have it... you can't sign him. 

 

[DocBauer]

I don't view having too many good hitters as a problem either. It's exactly what I want.

 

The team will naturally find a guy who gets the majority of swings at the DH position or it the team just wants to sign Nelson Cruz... It can and do so successfully but they will need other outlets elsewhere to accommodate the locking down of the DH position.

 

But if they take the same approach as last year and just sign Nelson Cruz and go with Cruz, Austin and Sano at DH, 1B and 3B with no escape hatch. The team will learned nothing from what happened in 2018. You can set your egg-timer for when you see Adrianaza playing 1st base because they have nobody else.

Which is all the more reason I lamented losing Escobar and his quick re-up with Arizona. Also part of the reason I like the idea of Gonzalez from Houston so much, along with a more "traditional" 2B in the equation.

 

There is nothing wrong with having Adrianza on your roster. He's versatile, quality defensively, and not bad with the bat when he plays with regularity but not enough to be over-exposed.

 

I have a funny feeling, whatever additions and moves are made, the FO and Rocco are in agreement to build a more versatile roster.

[Squirrel]

I have a funny feeling, whatever additions and moves are made, the FO and Rocco are in agreement to build a more versatile roster.

Better hope so or we’ll never hear the end of it from Brian.

[Major League Ready]

 

Necessity is the mother of invention. 

 

You are right... 13 Pitchers will be necessary to execute the changes coming. That leaves you 12 to play defense and hit on your roster.  

 

If you sign Nelson Cruz... now you are down to 11 players who can play defense.  

 

I'm ok signing Nelson Cruz... but if you do... flexibility instantly becomes even more uber-ultra-extra important. 

 

Signing Nelson Cruz is being looked at backwards here on Twinsdaily. 

 

Flexibility will allow you to sign Nelson Cruz. If you don't have it... you can't sign him. 

 

If this were golf that one would be right down the middle and long.