Breaking Down the Twins Signing Carlos Correa

Is this all a dream.

Two things:

1. He's gotta redeem himself from his past cheating 

2. Twins have gotta acquire more pitching to make this move pay off

If both of the above happen, this is gonna make every game with the Yankees fun, and Central Division eats Twins' dust.

Very bold, interesting, and totally unexpected. We do need starting pitching.  Hopefully we address that as well.  For what they paid Correa they could have gotten two quality starting pitchers.  If they add a starting pitcher or two they could actually contend.  Nice.

This move should also energize the other Twins players...I bet they will have fun at camp today.

36 minutes ago, VivaBomboRivera! said:

Two things:

1. He's gotta redeem himself from his past cheating 

2. Twins have gotta acquire more pitching to make this move pay off

If both of the above happen, this is gonna make every game with the Yankees fun, and Central Division eats Twins' dust.

 

He has redeemed himself.

Correa hit 279/.366/.485 with a career-high 26 homers in 640 plate appearances this past season.

Front office with a strategy?  Jury is still out in my opinion.  Made some head scratching moves/non-moves thus far in their tenure, but they sure have brought the buzz back this week, whether good or bad just depends on the seat you sit in.  Starting pitching still is questionable, so maybe the A's become that dance partner over the next couple of days. Go Twins!

Did Falvine really just play the Yankees like that? Planned? Or just odd luck...

Well.....as a Twins fan for nearly 50 years, this is easily the most UN-TWINS like move ever done.  Will be easy for many to criticize this deal placing blame on the Pohlad family, Levine and Falvey. I, for one, have been very critical of their recent decisions.  Today, though, I will give them credit for trying to bring back WINNING baseball to this franchise.  Again, this is NOT the past "Twins Way"of doing business.  This is the first time this organization made a free agent signing of this magnitude.  

Putting aside possible personal feelings of dislike for Correa (involvement and comments controversy in Houston), this deal is a MAJOR win for the Twins.  Although a 3-year $105m deal on paper, its truly a 1-year $35m deal for this season as Correa will opt out to hit the market to land a Cory Seager like ($325/ 10 year)deal.  Assuming Correa can stay healthy and put up numbers anywhere close to what he did last season, his future as a Twin totally rests with Falvey/front office.  With the current state of our pitching staff (which might be changing), I don't see this team competing for a playoff slot by the trade deadline. At that time, if Correa is productive and the FO knowing he'll opt out for 2023, Falvey should be able to wield a massive prospect haul in a trade.

What MIGHT alter a Correa trade later this summer is if the Twins can actually swing a deal with OAK to acquire Montas,  He is the SP that I covet, not Manaea.  I believe Montas' current contract relatively affordable for 2 more years.  As evidenced by their recent firesale, the A's will trade Montas, but it will require sacrificing talent.  Would be interested to hear feedback from others if the following deal would land Montas.

Twins trade the following players:

Luis Arraez

Simeon Woods-Richardson

and 1 these 3--------Jhoan Duran, Blayne Enlow or Louie Varland.

and 1 other lower level hitter---Cavaco or possibly Rooker.

If I'm Falvey, I don't make a deal for Montas that requires giving up Winder or Balazovic.  I also don't give up Austin Martin or Royce Lewis.

IMO opinion, OAK would make a deal involving some combination of the 4 players listed above.

If Montas is added in a trade, that could potentially change the landscape of the Twins automatically flipping Correa for prospects at the trade deadline.  Not likely, but possible when taking into account the expanded playoffs.

Definitely a “wow” moment for this franchise! Make a big splash for likely one year, which gives Lewis time to show if he can play shortstop. The next logical step would be a package that includes prospects like Austin Martin, Balazovic and other  and high minors SP  depth for Montas  or another starter. Go Twins! Just don’t mortgage the future for one season of 90 wins and a short playoff run. 

Excited and proud to be a Twin's fan this morning!

Great job front office!

Can't wait to see the next move!

Correa is a fantastic fit for the Twins. He's an impact player on offense who hits lefties & righties, home or away and provides 20 hr pop at a position where power is harder to find...and does it while not being a K-machine. An average season by him at the plate is an excellent one, the kind of performance the twins haven't gotten...ever? His defense is elite and he makes the routine plays and the spectacular ones. He's a complete player and fills the hole wonderfully.

I'll be interested to see where he hits in this lineup; I'm guessing he might land 3rd? Maybe it goes:

• Buxton
• Polanco
• Correa
• Kirilloff
• Sano
• Kepler
• Miranda
• Arraez
• Jeffers

That looks pretty fun!

I read an alert on my phone this morning that said Correa had signed with the Twins.  I figured Randballs was messing with our heads.  Then I found out it was the truth! What a shock.  But also, this is what I have repeatedly posted that the Twins should do.  I finally made an accurate prediction.  Yea me!!!!

Next up is Arraez, Balazovic, Steer, Rooker,  Sano, and Enlow to Oakland for Montas and Shea Longeliers or Tyler Soderstrom (two top catching prospects).

I love it - and it is not just fans - Gleeman and the Geek have made the Twins are not going to sign Correa statement weekly like the rest of us.  It is shocking, but it is also possibly just one year with the opt outs so we have to win this year to maximize the return.  Does this mean we could include Royce Lewis in a trade?  Something else has to happen - at least one really good pitcher has to come here and I have no idea what the A's will require.  

At least now the interest is high again and anticipation will be higher!

The more I think about it, it’s really a one year deal. Don’t get me wrong, I like the deal.

Maybe Correa likes it here and he hangs out for more than one year. Maybe we renegotiate a new deal after next year. Maybe Lewis really is a shortstop and is ready sooner rather than later. Maybe we trade him at the deadline for a haul.  Etc, etc.

The point is that this thing could go a number of ways, but for today I’m ecstatic. 

Love this signing.  It would be a bummer if he opts out after 1 year though.  Shocking that he agreed to 3 years, thought for sure he would find one of those absurdly long deals that burns the team for last 3-4 years.

UNBELIEVABLE! I am still trying to pick myself up off the floor. This will only make sense when tomorrow we here that they traded him away for Sanchez and Urshela Clones. Ok FO, time to finish the picture and get 1, hopefully 2 quality starters to fill out the rotation and make this Correa signing worthwhile, otherwise it won't put you over the hump.

“The delicious irony of trading the expensive contract of aging third baseman Josh Donaldson, only to sign the All-Star shortstop coveted by the Yankees with the newly-freed funds, is a breathtakingly brazen and exquisite move almost too delightful to put into words.”

So well said! I’m on board. Let’s make baseball fun again!

1 hour ago, bighat said:

He has redeemed himself.

Correa hit 279/.366/.485 with a career-high 26 homers in 640 plate appearances this past season.

That's not redemption.  That's just another season playing with the rest of the cheaters.

Nevertheless, it would be nice to see that kind of a line on the Twins charts.

Lineup

Kepler

Buxton

Correa

Kiriloff

Sano

Sanchez

Polanco

Urshela

Arraez

Wow! How the trade market can supplement the free agent market.

The Twins essentially traded Donaldson (and his salary relief) + Garver and Rortvedt for Correa, Sanchez, Urshela and a pitching prospect. 

Somehow they managed to grab a shortstop that interested the Yankees and flip him to the Yankees, to get them to eat the Donaldson contract, and also in the process eliminated the Yankees from the #1 free agent hunt.

Good work, front office.

It is soemthing a mid-level team like the Twins have to do. WHen you overpay, overpay short-term, or even just for a one off like this.

Hopefully a trade of our over abundance of rotation arm prospects is still in the works with Oakland.

I am greatly surprised, greatly impressed, and extremely excited.  Even if the season goes south, the Twins have the ability to trade him this summer for what should be a great prospect, assuming of course, that he plans to opt out after year one which is a given.  Now they should really stun us and strike a trade for BOTH Montas and Manaea.  That would cost a number of our top prospects and some young talent like Arraez or Larnach, but boy if Ryan is our fourth starter, watch out Central Division.  More realistically, even adding Montas would be huge.  I could also see them checking with the Marlins about their young pitchers and the Astros about Odo.  I suspect more fun is yet to come.

Correa >>> Simmons

Gray < Berríos

Urshela << Donaldson

Jeffers < Garver

Bundy = Pineda (hopefully?)

Sánchez < Cruz

Buxton could be healthier, veterans could have career years, young players could improve. There is reason for optimism. But the off-season still looks like a wash at best if there isn't more coming, especially given how bad the pitching already was. 

As of now, outfield of Kirilloff, Buxton, and Kepler.  Infield of Urshela, Correa, Polanco, and Sano with Jeffers behind the plate and Sanchez, Arraez and a fourth outfielder rotating through the lineup and as DH.  Lots of POTENTIAL 30 homer guys in that lineup.

I little bit expect Cashman to call falvey and make him trade Correa to the Yankees. 

41 minutes ago, Nashvilletwin said:

The more I think about it, it’s really a one year deal. Don’t get me wrong, I like the deal.

Maybe Correa likes it here and he hangs out for more than one year. Maybe we renegotiate a new deal after next year. Maybe Lewis really is a shortstop and is ready sooner rather than later. Maybe we trade him at the deadline for a haul.  Etc, etc.

The point is that this thing could go a number of ways, but for today I’m ecstatic. 

 

I personally LOVE the flexibility of this deal. Basically, as long as it is successful for both sides, we can get 3 years of a great player and a chance to extend.
If the team tanks, he bails and the Twins don’t have to pay. 

It’s rare that I like an expensive free agent signing, but this is a no-lose proposition in my opinion.

The Twins are not done.  They have many attractive pieces to trade for a top starter.  With that starter, Sonny Gray and the best and most deserving filling out the rest of the rotation with what we have -  That is a team that can contend for the division title or a wild card.  Can we say -     World Series - too soon?  Still - Wow.