Mailbag: Catcher Innings, Bye-Bye Creams, Free Agent Watch

Obviously, he's unsigned... I have to think someone will swoop in, and I think at this point, calling his agent and seeing what would get him to sign right now might be prudent. If he's go no market, upping that 3/45 a bit to get him here on time makes a ton of sense. 

It helps that two of our currently known competitors are heavy favorites to land Machado or Harper. I doubt either the Padres or Phillies would turn around and sign Kimbrel as well.  Teams probably don't want to officially bid on Kimbrel if they are serious about landing either of them two.

The big question for me is Boston, they probably wouldn't even need to match us to win his bidding.  The Braves and Dodgers seem occupied with Realmuto negotiations.  The Yankees already addressed their bullpen (and did an amazing job).  Not many others have shown interest or been linked to him in anyway.

I doubt Kimbrel would sign anything right now.  Doesn't seem like he is a priority to anyone else at the moment and waiting might be his best option.  Either way it is encouraging that we currently lead the bidding, and I would think he would give us a chance to match or beat any other offer besides maybe Boston.

Didn't realize we were on in Kimrel. I tend to agree on aging relievers, but he's 31, not 35. That seems like a very reasonable contract for a guy whose worst season in his MLB career came with a 3.4 ERA an a 14+K/9 rate.

 

Obviously, he hasn't signed... but they really need to get him in here and not let it linger into ST.

Big difference between starters and relievers. Most relievers only need 10 innings to get ready, especially a vet like Kimbrel. He’ll be fine.

I find it ironic that Levine would make a comment about spending big on Machado or Harper as the kind of move they will make when they are projected to win the division.

Then a report comes out that the team is the front runner for the most expensive closer on the market. That is the ultimate front runner move by a team that is PROJECTING a strong playoff run, not a team that is aiming for 85 wins and POSSIBLY contending for a wild card spot.

That makes me very suspect of the report about our favorite squad and Kimbrel. It's completely contradictory to the front runner statement. 

I find it ironic that Levine would make a comment about spending big on Machado or Harper as the kind of move they will make when they are projected to win the division.

 

Then a report comes out that the team is the front runner for the most expensive closer on the market. That is the ultimate front runner move by a team that is PROJECTING a strong playoff run, not a team that is aiming for 85 wins and POSSIBLY contending for a wild card spot.

 

That makes me very suspect of the report about our favorite squad and Kimbrel. It's completely contradictory to the front runner statement.

If it is true, it’s further evidence that this FO doesn’t have an actual plan that they are willing to stick to. This week they are going for it. Next week they are rebuilding. Next week they are biding their time. After that, who knows. It certainly doesn’t seem Falvine knows.

I just can not imagine any scenario where Boston does not resign Kimbrel.  

It sounds as if they are so far over the luxury tax line, they don't want to push it much farther. I also think that playoff performance soured them some as well as others or he would have been signed already. 

3/45 for Kimbrell? That's not a deal, that's a steal. Do it. Give him an extra mil or two in 2019 and let him opt out after the season. We have the money for 2019, not to mention about 70mil coming off the books after this season.

 

If this team won't spend the money on a Kimbrell now then it never will.

And if that were enough to get him and that offer truly is out there, then he would have signed already. Don't let the reports about Twins offering money get to you. What they are offering is below market value, you can bet on that. They know there is a very slim chance he signs that type of contract, but by leaking that info -  The "Hey! We tried!!" is still alive and well as per usual. 

If we’re willing to pay 3/45 for Kimbrel, I wonder how high we’d be willing go for Keuchel, maybe 5/75??

The whole idea is to go higher AAV so you don’t have to pay/roster these guys when they’re 35+.

Still, if we’re willing to go that high for Kimbrel (in terms of AAV), why no consideration for Keuchel?? All it would be is 2 extra years, and it’s not like it’d be as big of a gamble as people are making it out to be since he doesn’t rely on velocity for effectiveness. Sure, we might have to “overpay” in terms of the years given, but given our need for a SP beyond 2019, besides, Berrios, it’d be well worth it.

I’m all for the “overpay” for any proven MLB talent. Would just prefer it comes in the form of AAV not extra years. Would be ecstatic to have Keuchel for three years, at ANY price.

How does adding a "last piece" that would require an 8 year deal make any sense? Now is certainly the time to add a super star. If your window is opening, then why waste half of it waiting to peak? Fling those shudders open and worry about keeping it open down the line. This team's about to get expensive anyway. For years we looked to 2019. No Mauer. No Hughes. No Santana. No Nolasco. Sano, Buck, Rosie, Kep, JO, Polanco, Romero... Come on! Make a move at the deadline? You mean over pay for 2 months of a player? Get guys for a full year and play it out from day 1. Who wants to miss the playoffs by 2 games after taking away prospects when investing in February may have made up those games without losing the future?

If you won't get Harper get Kimbrel.

This is how we [perpetually rebuild].

This is how we [perpetually rebuild].

That’s gotta sting to anyone from the FO who reads this, and hopefully they do.

If the Twins have actually offered 3/45 for Kimbrel, that is great news. It would be the highest price paid for a reliever on the market this offseason. Maybe it would take a few more million to get him to sign, but hopefully the Twins’ patience on the market and payroll flexibility will pay off.

Aside from shoring up the back of the bullpen, he would be a fine trade piece. The Yankees traded Aroldis and Andrew Miller and got Gleyber Torres, Clint Frazier, and Justus Sheffield (who has turned into James Paxton).

The catching dept. is yet again an interesting black hole. Castro theoretically should be the primary catcher, but his knee is a bending time bomb. Garver is a catcher coming off a concussion, something that for some reason seems vaguely familiar. Trying to get a handle on where I have seen this scenario before? Astudillo? I don't know how his bat will hold up over a season, so far it seems to be just fine. As for his defense? After having watched Garver catch a baseball last year, or should I say attempt to, the Twins catching defensive bar is set very low. Basically if you can't out catch Mitch Garver, they should remove the 'C' from behind your name on the position list.

-On Kimbrel, if the Twins do find a way to land him that makes our bullpen much deeper and probably really good if Reed can bounce back which I expect he will. Loosing one run games late is maddening for me as a fan. I hope and expect better bullpen management from the current coaching staff. While it wasn’t said I think this is a factor in Molitor no longer being here.

-I’d love for the Twins to go with a 4 man bench and include Astudillo. As a late inning pinch hitter who can play around the field and you can be sure will put the bat on the ball every time he could be really valuable. Again…those one run games, it’s fun to be one the winning end. Also he could play some at C/1B/3B/DH to give guys days off. For those worried about him not being able to repeat his hitting with more extended at bats, his skill is contact and I believe that plays well for him going forward.

“Not when you’re got your fingers underneath the window and you’re trying to jam the window open. I want to do it when we’re projected to win the Central and we’re ready to put our foot on someone’s throat.”

Seems like you make the move when the market has something good available if you plan to contend later. Next year may not have the same talent available, or the year after, or the year after.......

An upgrade is an upgrade!

Yeah, if he's going to use that metaphor, my response is that maybe it's time to stop messing around with fingers and just pay for the heavy duty crowbar that's for sale, to pop that sucker wide open.

I like your crowbar metaphor “manny” times more than the fingers metaphor.

-I’d love for the Twins to go with a 4 man bench and include Astudillo. As a late inning pinch hitter who can play around the field ... he could be really valuable.

I somehow read that as “as a late inning pinch runner”, and did a double take.

Yeah, if he's going to use that metaphor, my response is that maybe it's time to stop messing around with fingers and just pay for the heavy duty crowbar that's for sale, to pop that sucker wide open.

Your response is elite. You should be running the team.