Josh Donaldson Trade Rumor: Twins, Mets In “Very Preliminary Talks”

40 minutes ago, yeahyabetcha said:

Donaldson might be overpaid, but he is still one of the better current lineup pieces. Is paying him to play for another team really saving much money?  You still have to replace him and projecting Arraez and Miranda as possible everyday replacements might be wishful thinking.  

The team won't be better in 2022 with Miranda or a prospect we get at the deadline at 3B.  Lewis might even end up there.  We should keep Donaldson If our only focus is 2022.  What about 2023 and 2024.  Will we be better with Miranda in his second season and $20M to spend on a guy who is not 36/37?  IDK with any certainty but I would bet on Miranda and $20M spent elsewhere.  I am not betting on sending the same team out there that is getting killed this year.  If you keep Donaldson and extend Berrios/Buxton and Rodgers you have very little left for free agents.  I am not betting on that plan.  

I would move Donaldson for a lottery ticket if we can jettison most of his salary.  Bring up Miranda whenever he is ready.  If we can extend Buxton or Berrios, great.  If not we are positioned to add significant free agents when and where it makes sense.

BTW ... I agree he is not part of the problem.  However, in this case, that does not mean he is part of the solution.

I would trade Donaldson if we can get a couple of players who will help soon- and at least one pitcher. I would not trade, but would rather sign, both Simmons and Cruz before the deadline. Cruz is still a monster and Simmons is the glue to the infield. I would rather not trade Pineda since he has been good and will eat innings. However, we may have to if he is healthy since we may not be able to sign him. Look, in Berrios, Maeda and Pineda we have 3 decent starters. It would be nice to have a Scherzer type as a top dog but can we get someone like that since Berrios may not be quite like that? I still could see trading Kepler if he has value.

14 hours ago, darwin22 said:

LA Vikes Fan:  I, for one, am in complete agreement with your analysis.  Call me an eternal optimist, but if Twins management follows your position-----doing everything possible to retain Berrios, Buxton and Rogers----by investing the financial savings gained by trading Donaldson (big $$) and the prorated salaries of Simmons, Pineda and Cruz--the foundation is there to compete next season.  Saying that, Falvey & Levine need to make some serious moves in the offseason to upgrade the rotation and as importantly the bullpen.  Those in the camp of trading EVERYBODY, I just don't understand.  

I completely agree. There’s actually a foundation of a decent to contending team here if they can just add some starting pitching. Let’s clear the decks of expensive  contracts to guys who aren’t really performing or aren’t really long term pieces and use the money thus winter to sign a FA pitcher, shortstop, and, most importantly, our three key after 2022 free agents.

What Passan is referring to is that the most coveted trade piece in baseball right now is Jose Berrios.  The second most sought-after is Kyle Gibson. (I'm sensing a pattern here.) If Jose is dealt that sets a fresh benchmark for trade value in our fan ambivalent, dollar challenged post-COVID  market. Twins fans should realize that this year is a bad time to sell. There are contending clubs who are economically unable to spend money. This dampens any potential trade frenzy over a guy like Nellie Cruz. It also doesn't help that the Yankees will probably just be spectators at the deadline.  If the Twins don't trade much, these will be the reasons. 

I think everyone on the planet knows that Donaldson is available at a price and that he wants to play elsewhere. The Twins will likely hear an offer for $15-20 million in salary relief (the Twins eat the rest) and a middling prospect just to help them save face.  I doubt it gets better than that. Forget your committed dollars to him. That is gone one way or the other.  It really boils down to do you want him for $20 million? The answer is of course you do. People oddly hate on him but he is EXACTLY what the Twins thought he would be in 2021.  Unless he hand picked the bullpen, the blame is elsewhere. 

16 hours ago, Linus said:

It was a horrible signing to begin with (check my posting history). If they can dump his contract they should in a heartbeat   Ask nothing in return. 

Why do you say it was a horrible signing?  He's one of our tip players and an all-star and a leader.  Sorry, but you trying to say I told you so turned into you eating crow.

4 hours ago, LA VIkes Fan said:

I completely agree. There’s actually a foundation of a decent to contending team here if they can just add some starting pitching. Let’s clear the decks of expensive  contracts to guys who aren’t really performing or aren’t really long term pieces and use the money thus winter to sign a FA pitcher, shortstop, and, most importantly, our three key after 2022 free agents.

What does that look like Financially?  Donaldson and Sano is roughly $30M.  However, I can't imagine we can move Donaldson without eating salary.  Are Pineda/Cruz gone.   Even with Donaldson's full salary gone, that would be $40-50M cut.  Are we replacing them with rookies? Add at least $30M for Buxton / Berrios / Rodgers leaves us $10-20M absolute best case scenario which is not likely.  The SSs in next years class are going to be $25-33M.  I am not sure any single SP is going to make this group a contender is going to be in the $30M neighborhood.  So, we are talking about adding $30-40M (probably $40M) + arbitration increases in 2023.  The rotation would have to be filled out by prospects in 2022 and I just don't see a free agent SP and one of the top SS being viable financially.

The net of what you have described is to replace Pineda with a better FA and sign a SS.  We lose Cruz / Sano.  Losing Cruz will hurt.   Upgrading Pineda and SS will help.  Make us a contender help.  I highly doubt it.   

Donaldson can be valuable to a contending team. He needs to be healthy and the team needs a contending core. He wasn’t healthy last year when they needed him and they are a long way from contending with their pitching this year and next.

I would move him soon before he is injured again. Miranda’s best spot is 3B and Donaldson isn’t nearly as valuable at DH. 

2 hours ago, se7799 said:

Why do you say it was a horrible signing?  He's one of our tip players and an all-star and a leader.  Sorry, but you trying to say I told you so turned into you eating crow.

Because the Twins will have one large contract like this. I would not spend that on an injury prone 34 year old third baseman. He is nowhere close to being an indispensable player so I’m am being proven right. 

In my  anger  right now ,get rid of  strikeout king Sanó. 

18 hours ago, Vanimal46 said:

That certainly wouldn’t bode well for the current regime if 1.5 years ago you’re proposing $92 million to sign him and you’re asking for another $20+ million today to get out of it. 

Well yea I agree they screwed up. I do recognize that you can go only so far in getting rid of the contract. If you could have a get out of jail free card on this contract who wouldn’t take it?

2 minutes ago, Vanimal46 said:

Imagine asking your boss to approve the largest purchase they’ve ever done externally and asking for more money to get out of that deal 20 ish months later. You think you’re in good standing with your boss?

Well that’s how front offices succeed or fail is the quality of their decisions. Pretty sure the Pohlads aren’t ignorant of the situation. 

4 hours ago, jorgenswest said:

He needs to be healthy...

I would move him soon before he is injured again. 

Too late.

The team announced that he was removed from the game today as a precaution, but that sounds fishy to me. My guess is that the injury has him bound for the IL and that nobody will want to trade for him. Merde.

1 hour ago, Vanimal46 said:

Imagine asking your boss to approve the largest purchase they’ve ever done externally and asking for more money to get out of that deal 20 ish months later. You think you’re in good standing with your boss?

If you can recoup the investment or at least come very close the boss will still approve. However, given today's events I think it's unlikely that will happen.

I like Donaldson as a player. Very good fielder and has pop at the plate. That said, i think he is at the age where he will struggle to stay healthy. If they could move that contract off the books we might better spend that money for pitching. We need to find players that are more athletic and pitchers who can miss bats. I might even consider moving Buxton for the same reason. He can't stay healthy. Lastly, you have to win a trade or think you are going to win a trade to even make it. If the trade does not make you better it is not worth making.