Let's take a moment to be real about about the deadline, help, history,and what may happen.

[DocBauer]

Honestly, I expect this article to die a quick death simply because our favorite website is absolutely inundated with similar posts. And I think that would be a shame, because I think this SHOULD be the place where we can talk and post HONESTLY about what is, what we hope, and what may be.

 

Some of my opinions here are memory, and memory falters. And I simply will not take the time, at this moment, to research season by season numbers. So blast me all you want to as a result.

 

But before we get in to TODAY, I want to reflect a bit on yesterday.

 

From 2011-2014, the Tigers ruled the division with an average win total of 92. They slipped to 5th place in 2015 and rebounded to 2nd place in '16. They lost the WS in 2012 to the Giants 4-0. They had mashers, a strong SP staff lead by Verlander and others, but as I recall, could never get a BP together that could get them over the hump.

 

The Indians owned the Central, for the most part from 1994 to 2001. But recent success had them dominating for a 3yr stretch from 2016 through 2018, averaging almost 96 wins. IIRC, those earlier Indians teams lacked a deep pen. Most recent had them failing to win it all despite riding the unbelievable Miller experience, losing to the Cubs in 2016.

 

This all leads back to the fact that building a deep and quality bullpen is not always as easy as it sounds. I chuckle sometimes when it's offered up that moving Pineda or Perez to the pen would be easy to do after a SP could be brought on-board.

 

Here are a few simple truths based on various numbers posted right here on TD:

 

1] Despite a few lows here and there, the Twins have one of the deepest and most successful SP rotations in the league.

 

2] Smoke and mirrors may apply for the first half of the season...and important distinction considering our record and success...but the pen hasn't truly been the firestorm that some make it out to be. Going forward is a different story, but perspective should still be held in regard. Despite, unfortunately, losing the season series to the dreaded Yankees, their "elite" bullpen has been touched/torched by the Twins. Nobody talks about that. Again, building a pen and maintaining it is not easy.

 

3] Despite anger and angst about the FO not adding FA arms before the season started, they have been largely proven right in their initial approach.

 

What has the FO done right?

 

They have played the Rochester shuttle game quite well with fresh arms who show promise. I so wish we could rewind a month back to continue to do so, but that can't be. But they have been smart and aggressive with their moves and some of these kids show real promise, even if it may be too soon to truly count on them in the near future.

 

They have also been very aggressive in DFA to prepare for SOMETHING. You just don't make all of these moves without planning something else.

 

What has the FO done wrong?

 

I am skipping over the Pressly move because it's over and done. They thought they were being smart. This is one time where they were wrong. It's over and done.

 

Secondly, they may have waited too long to promote and audition some of these kids. But maybe they weren't ready a month ago.

 

So, in reality, what is going to happen in the next week?

 

Half the teams in the league seem to be 2-5 games out of the playoffs. The Giants, for example, seemed to be a team ready to trade away and rebuild and offer a few arms. Suddenly they are 3 games out. Are they going to be sellers at this point?

 

Some want to blast recent comments by the FO in regard to acquisitions, but where is the market? Who is going to be a seller? Push will come to shove over the next week. NOBODY of real value has been moved as of yet.

 

I have stated before I think the FO WILL make a move, or two, but it may not involve a big name. Rental or not, I think they are looking for a smart deal. Maybe their own version of a Pressly deal, or another Perez type of arm.

 

Who out there is just a really smart acquisition to be had? Because unless you really want to overpay, that seems to the reality of the market.

 

Go ahead and tell me we should trade anyone for a rental to go all in, if that guy is really available. Or be realistic with the way this crazy market is and give me some smart choices to add.

[cmoss84]

I'm not huge on rentals.

If I'm going to give up prospects, and overpay while doing so, I feel a little better doing so for guys that are under control mutiple years...and guys who throw 98.

Mets are a dumpster fire. Take advantage. I'd give up Lewis, Kiriloff, Graterol and change for Thor, Diaz and Lugo.

[KirbyDome89]

Cleveland actually had a really good bullpen in both 16' and 17'. They were deeper than just Andrew Miller. 

 

I understand why you want to dampen expectations. I'm of the same mindset, that the Twins will definitely add, but it won't by anything substantial. MN isn't going to acquire another Pressly; they had him and they gave him away. It's incredibly unlikely MN finds a trade that favorable. They don't need another Perez type arm. They're flush with fringy starters who struggle in the pen. If that's the best they can provide then the FO deserves to be raked over the coals. Look, it wasn't difficult at the beginning of the season to see that the bullpen would need help. Nobody said it would be easy but this club literally traded away their best relief arm and filled in all their holes with waiver claims and unproven minor leaguers. I'm not sure how the current state of the entire pitching staff isn't an indictment of the FO. If they've proven anything it's that they underestimated the team they had. I'm not sure why get a pass for ignoring a glaring weakness during the offseason, and playing "wait & see," while that weakness continues to cost them games. 

 

Gibson is silently back to being the erratic pitcher we all knew prior to last year. Perez crashed back to Earth a while ago, and Odorizzi is right on his heels over the last month+. Pineda is semi reliable when he's actually on the mound but even then it's 4-5 innings max of back end performance. It isn't the worst rotation in baseball but it's a far cry from the teams the Twins are trying to compete with, and that group certainly hasn't helped mitigate the damage from an undermanned pen. The Twins might be deep in terms of bodies they can use to start a game, but if we're talking about talent on the mound that certainly wouldn't be the adjective I'd use. 

[h2oface]

There is no "Pressly" deal. I don't know how you can just "skip over" that inept blunder. I don't see how any other FO could let something like that happen. I don't even see a pitcher that is even comparable at this juncture.

 

The regression of the staff is in full swing and is touching all our pitchers - yes all - as we consider this. The FO in on the clock. This team has been remarkably fortunate. Now is not the time to sit back and go with what we have. That is glaringly obvious. We will see if this FO really wants to win a championship in the next week, and if they do, we will find out if they are keen enough to make the right choice(s).

 

Do I know who the prize to be had is, the one that will be the magic instead of the lump of coal? Nope. I don't have the staff and data though. But I can be had for the right price, and then I would definitely give it a shot, and not sit and watch.