Article: Where Are We Now?

[darin617]

 

 

 

Mad Bum has shoulder issues now and would be a big GIANT NO for me. 

Grienke Is just to old and not worth the time or the money.  

 

Why do you think SF is looking to deal Mad Bum? Last year of very team friendly deal and by the way he has a TON of innings on that arm. It seems like SF knows it's now or never to try to cash him in before he gets hurt.

[Riverbrian]

 

I disagree strongly with this assessment. Sano and Adrianza can more than adequately man third base. 

 

They didn't adequately man third base last year. 

[Thrylos]

 

They didn't adequately man third base last year. 

 

Buxton did not adequate man CF last year, does this mean that they need a centerfielder?

[Danchat]

 

We have 25+ years of Pohlad ownership. It doesn't matter who the GM is, this is going to be a bottom third payroll team. That's why they hired Falvey and Levine in the first place. 

I don't see how hiring Falvey and Levine has anything to do with the payroll rank... what, were there some potential GMs out there would have forced the Pohlads to spend more money so they didn't hire them? I highly doubt it.

[Riverbrian]

 

Buxton did not adequate man CF last year, does this mean that they need a centerfielder?

 

Yes

[Dr. Evil]

McCutcheon to lead the OF.

[Riverbrian]

 

Buxton was a 5 WAR player a year ago and Sano was an all-star. I'd put the blame a lot more on Molitor and his staff and assume that the new manager has a few ideas about this. There simply is too much talent in those two guys to assume they'll bust. 

 

He didn't make an assumption that they'd bust... In my opinion... he was not assuming they won't. 

[gunnarthor]

 

I don't see how hiring Falvey and Levine has anything to do with the payroll rank... what, were there some potential GMs out there would have forced the Pohlads to spend more money so they didn't hire them? I highly doubt it.

No, it means they were willing to take the job knowing that they'd be in this situation.

[Riverbrian]

As for the original question. 

 

Where are we now?

 

I'm in Grand Forks, North Dakota waiting for a move that makes me hopeful. 

 

Derek or Thad... either one... give me a call. 

 

[Kelly Vance]

I think the new FO is waiting for a hard freeze up, so they don't have to spend any more time working on fly casting techniques. But I could be wrong.

 

But seriously, folks, they are obviously waiting for the market to shake out and maybe come to them a little. Like drifting a fly down a ripple and then watching it slow down before a back eddy. 

[Vanimal46]

I think the new FO is waiting for a hard freeze up, so they don't have to spend any more time working on fly casting techniques. But I could be wrong.

 

But seriously, folks, they are obviously waiting for the market to shake out and maybe come to them a little. Like drifting a fly down a ripple and then watching it slow down before a back eddy.

Their fishing technique hasn't been working over the last couple of years... I'd try setting a net with a Manny's Porterhouse and $20 million AAV. Maybe they'll catch a trophy fish instead!

[tvagle]

 

I think the new FO is waiting for a hard freeze up, so they don't have to spend any more time working on fly casting techniques. But I could be wrong.

 

But seriously, folks, they are obviously waiting for the market to shake out and maybe come to them a little. Like drifting a fly down a ripple and then watching it slow down before a back eddy. 

 

Had to check the topic...Where is KV now? Obviously watching "A River Runs Through It"

[highlander]

Seth or anybody, I will be in Vegas for part of the winter meetings. Where are they located? Where might be the best place to "rub elbows"?

[Winston Smith]

 

Seth or anybody, I will be in Vegas for part of the winter meetings. Where are they located? Where might be the best place to "rub elbows"?

Mandalay Bay.

[AlwaysinModeration]

I am strangely optimistic about this season. There are a number of things that, in my mind, are pointing in the upward direction:

 

1)They got a new manager with new ideas, energy, and personality, while retaining a bench coach to work with him, who had a legitimate chance of being a manager himself. I’m optimistic about the new manager, but also view it as addition by subtraction of the old manager.

2)New pitching coach who has significantly improved pitchers at every organization he has been with. Out of the box (college) pick that might become a league-wide trend if he has success.

3)Sano went to Ft Myers last year to work on conditioning, committing to the team and the system, and is going to come into this year with something to prove.

4)The team gained another year of Buxton. Like Sano, he’ll come in with something to prove. Getting him back in CF should improve all of the starting pitching. I think he wins his second platinum glove and his bat starts to round into form and he may get an All-Star nod.

5)Last year’s two-year investment in Pineda was all about the second year. We are about to see whether that bet pays off.

6)Other players on the roster pointing up: Garver, Berrios, Gibson, May, Rodgers, Austin. Plus Castro coming back. Full year of Polanco. Kepler isn’t pointing up, per se, but he learned to hit LHP last year, so he might start to put it all together this year.

7)Finally, no commitments (other than arbitration) beyond 2019. The Front Office obviously was making a concerted effort to do this. Beyond the Joe Mauer era, now all of the personnel and players are going to be players they choose and want.

 

So even if we look at where the Twins are now, I see lots of reasons to be optimistic. And I don’t think they are going to stand pat. I expect several signings (nothing more than 3 years) and maybe a trade. And I see them being competitive in 2019.

Edited December 5, 2018 by AlwaysinModeration

[old nurse]

 

Simply put, if Wolfson’s report is correct, then signing both Cruz and Lowrie to 1-2 year deals must become our top priority(s). Now that’s not to say the bullpen isn’t area of need, it’s just that the match is too perfect for the Twins not to take advantage of, especially when the division is as weak as it is right now.

Simply put the report says something they have done.. It may reflect all they are going to do, it may not.  It all depends on how you choose to see it. They brought in a lot of players last year. Given their ages Cruz and Lowrie may well be 1 year signings with options

[old nurse]

 

If it is a series of 1 year deals again, I can't wait for Portland to get a team.

Live long and prosper. You will need to waiting for Portland to get an MLB team.  Portland did not support the PCL team. Considering there wasn't that big of drop in attendance for a northwest league team located in the remote suburb, the chances of getting a team with a fan base of 3-4 thousand people is remote. About as remote as the Twins signing Harper and Machado.

Edited December 5, 2018 by old nurse

[killertwinfan]

I know that the winter meetings are just starting but to be brutally honest as I look forward to the season I feel uneasy with this roster.  We lost our two most disciplined hitters, a very important role player (given Sano's pension for injuries and whatever), a lot of production at second base, (although not last year) and we are relying heavily on two guys who have not demonstrated that they can sustain any kind of performance for a season.  

There are a lot of moving pieces, we have a young front office and few options.  I think we need to have a very good offseason or you can expect regression with this team.  

[Riverbrian]

 

I am strangely optimistic about this season. There are a number of things that, in my mind, are pointing in the upward direction:

1)They got a new manager with new ideas, energy, and personality, while retaining a bench coach to work with him, who had a legitimate chance of being a manager himself. I’m optimistic about the new manager, but also view it as addition by subtraction of the old manager.
2)New pitching coach who has significantly improved pitchers at every organization he has been with. Out of the box (college) pick that might become a league-wide trend if he has success.
3)Sano went to Ft Myers last year to work on conditioning, committing to the team and the system, and is going to come into this year with something to prove.
4)The team gained another year of Buxton. Like Sano, he’ll come in with something to prove. Getting him back in CF should improve all of the starting pitching. I think he wins his second platinum glove and his bat starts to round into form and he may get an All-Star nod.
5)Last year’s two-year investment in Pineda was all about the second year. We are about to see whether that bet pays off.
6)Other players on the roster pointing up: Garver, Berrios, Gibson, May, Rodgers, Austin. Plus Castro coming back. Full year of Polanco. Kepler isn’t pointing up, per se, but he learned to hit LHP last year, so he might start to put it all together this year.
7)Finally, no commitments (other than arbitration) beyond 2019. The Front Office obviously was making a concerted effort to do this. Beyond the Joe Mauer era, now all of the personnel and players are going to be players they choose and want.

So even if we look at where the Twins are now, I see lots of reasons to be optimistic. And I don’t think they are going to stand pat. I expect several signings (nothing more than 3 years) and maybe a trade. And I see them being competitive in 2019.

 

I gave this a like because I like positive people and your post is full of positivitee. 

 

However... it does read like "I'm excited about the future of the American car industry" at the most recent General Motors press conference. 

[Tomj14]

 

Trade Gordon, Gonsalves, Cave, Mejia, littell is this enough? for Kluber.

 

I am going to go with No, not even close.

If somebody offered the Twins that for Gibson, I think the answer would be no and Kluber is better than Gibson.

[Number3]

No Cano (he is gone anyway), no Machado or anything like them for 2019. As has been stated in other threads, 2019 is the year to regroup (not rebuild), see if Sano and Buxton can finally come through, try to shore up pitching as much as possible in current market (everyone is doing the same), and play 2019 with no expectations. Just play one game at a time (what a concept; glad I thought of it) and see what happens. Rocco Baldelli may say something like "No one saw this coming".

Edited December 5, 2018 by Number3

[nicksaviking]

 

Agreed, but you have to take incremental steps to improve your team. Sign a couple real players each off-season and suddenly you're a good team. Signing no one year after year and hoping for every single internal candidate to take five steps forward is a recipe for disaster.

 

Signed no one? They signed a lot of guys last year, they probably gave out more free agent contracts than almost any other team including to MLBTR's #9, #15, #16 and #49 top free agents. They didn't work out, but overall by the time March rolled around people tended to be satisfied with the effort made.

 

But that equation is backwards if you look at how championship teams are made up. Overwhelmingly, teams that win have developed their own, then supplemented. For non-big-pocketed teams this has been the case almost without exception, with the 1997 Marlins being that exception because they did spend like a big-pocketed team. The Twins haven't done the develop their own step yet.

[howieramone2]

 

Twins need to package some of the starting pitcher depth and some mid level prospect depth to get a real difference maker.  

I am worried about the OBP of this club and the great deal of swing and miss.  Maybe some of this will improve, but am looking to Wade to make a difference maybe as early as this year.

Rest depends on what the Twins FO wants to do.  If you do not want to go for the division +, play Arraez at 2nd base, rotation starters until you find one or two that can do the job and try bullpen options along with signing 1 - 2 pieces.  

With about 7 starters, Twins can afford to package 2 of them or 3 of them for a major league piece that is a #3 and maybe better.  Maybe the Mets for Wheeler or KC for Duffy.  They need to find out if Mejia can make it or maybe he can be included in a deal for a better starter. 

If Twins decide to step up (and I along with a number of posters hope they do), Sign 2 - 3 major bullpen pieces and a second base player.  Explore all trade avenues to improve this club.  Use the fact that they have 21 B- propects and better to trade a few of them for major league players.  

We do not have forever, White Sox are also coming and any delay may have the White Sox push to pass the Twins this year and they have more money and a better farm system to do so. 

If you lived in Chicago as long as I did, you would be more worried about the St. Paul Saints than the White Sox. If your only concern is the Sox, indeed the Twins do have forever.

[ashbury]

you would be more worried about the St. Paul Saints than the White Sox.

From 1894-1899, Charles Comiskey's team WAS the St. Paul Saints. He moved them to Chicago in 1900.

[howieramone2]

 

So they're continuing to explore the 1 year contract path. Even when Falvey and Levine admitted that signing players on 1 year deals hurt the team last year.

Wow.

It didn't hurt the team last year though. I hope we have another trade deadline, reasonably close to last season. I thought everyone knew, very difficult to lose on one year deals. 

 

Let's do the one year deals again, have another outstanding trade deadline, but have our stars on the playing field much more often this season.

[KGB]

 

It didn't hurt the team last year though. I hope we have another trade deadline, reasonably close to last season. I thought everyone knew, very difficult to lose on one year deals. 

 

Let's do the one year deals again, have another outstanding trade deadline, but have our stars on the playing field much more often this season.

Looking forward to the July sell off is pretty depressing.

[Mike Sixel]

 

It didn't hurt the team last year though. I hope we have another trade deadline, reasonably close to last season. I thought everyone knew, very difficult to lose on one year deals. 

 

Let's do the one year deals again, have another outstanding trade deadline, but have our stars on the playing field much more often this season.

 

Odd stance. I'd rather they win, and be trading for more help at the deadline, so, like, the literal opposite of what you posted.

[howieramone2]

 

Get the best fielding SS for the short term ...Iglesias. No more than a 2 year deal. Move Romero and Stewart to BP, just for 1 year. Let Mejia start now...we need a left handed starter.  Bring up Jake Reed. I want to see what Jake can do. Keep Vasquez in the pen, along with Rogers, May, Hildy and A. Reed. Sounds like a plan.

I'm close with this. I would move at least 2 of Stewart, Mejia, or Romero to the pen, then move them back to the rotation next season. Do we know if Mejia is healthy?

[Rosterman]

Twins need Sano at third. They also have to make a decision on starters long term or to try the youth. If seeking free agents think long term. Same with trades. But the Sano and Buxton situation complicates things. Who are these guys and do you want them for the future?

[caninatl04]

I think the new FO is waiting for a hard freeze up, so they don't have to spend any more time working on fly casting techniques. But I could be wrong.

 

But seriously, folks, they are obviously waiting for the market to shake out and maybe come to them a little. Like drifting a fly down a ripple and then watching it slow down before a back eddy.

I think we've found our Twins Daily poet lauriate