REPORT: Twins to Trade Eduardo Escobar to Arizona

There are ways to justify this Escobar trade, but it just doesn't seem right to claim that it meaningfully moves the needle on that kind of deal.

My apologies for being creative with the an adjective that I made up and included Realmuto in it

I will be more direct from now on

Twins were going to get nothing for him. Not challenging for anything meaningful in 2019...a theoretical division crowns with 83 or 84 wins does nothing for me...as unlikely as it is. This was the right move. Could they have done better is the only question I would have, but this seems reasonable...and infinitely better than nothing. One of my favorite guys on team. Still, the right move, IMO.

Not only is this a pale imitation of the FRE by Kimbrel, it may even be a copyright infringement.

I'm not following, Mike.

So hitting .311/.403/.442 with 8 HR, 56 RBI, and a 45/48 BB/K ratio (De La Trinidad) is meh...What do you think is good?

I'm on page 1 of 6, so this might have been the topic of discussion for 5 pages and I don't know it, but I would say doing that at age 19 or 20 instead of 22 (or doing it in AA at 22.) He was a 19th round pick last year and he's older that the league average. The good news is he's the throw-in on the deal and, while he has some catching up to do, he sure has been hitting so far.

I think the pitcher was they key for them. He may have had more upside than any other player they were offered for Escobar.

I guess I will just have to pretend that Esocobar had a season ending injury, and is now out for the year, and then a free agent. Good luck to the new prospects, who enter a system that has reorganized to the tune of none of their top 3 levels can muster a winning record and establish a culture of winning.

Not too long ago, the top 3 levels were always in the running in their respective leagues.  Those players are now not translating that culture of winning to the MLB level.  I agree that a culture of winning is an important component of development, but perhaps people like dougie baseball were let go because they were too focused on winning in the moment instead of player development.  My big issue with the last FO was their historical failings of developing talent.  This past year, the new FO shook things up and brought in a bunch of new bodies that focus on development (some of the moves were lauded by non-Twins fan analysts).  Consensus tells that and NFL GM should be given 3 years, I've read that new baseball management should be given 5 years to evaluate progress (based on the developmental component of baseball).  This FO wasn't even 6 months in before people started attacking them for the non-Dozier trade.  They're less than 2 years in, have shown to think outside the box and adapt, have been roundly praised by non-Twins-fan analysts, yet, there's a loud voice that seems to want them to fail, criticizing even the smallest move they make.  Some moves are confusing, which every fan of every team deals with, but I love the direction this FO is taking the team, and I have more hope for sustained success for this team than I've had in almost 2 decades. 

A possible back-of-the-rotation arm and a couple of promising outfielders. What makes the additional outfield talent a plus is that you aren't tied into extending Kepler or Buxton yet if you don't wish, and you can dangle Rosario out there next season, if you wish (and the comments we all make about his bat and glove seems like someone we don't trust).

I can almost say for certain that the Twins had no intention on making a qualifying offer to Escobar. I doubt that they wanted to spend $25 million over three seasons to extend him. Now they will have the opportunity to enter the bidding war for him in the off-season if Eduardo doesn't resign with Arizona right away. 

Our question now is: can Sano come abck sooner rather than later and play third.

Losing Escobar is a real hit in the gut for me.  One of my favorite Twins.  A young man who was a real asset to the organization, on the field, in the clubhouse and in the community.  The FO will make my day, hell make my winter, if they can figure out a way to get him back next winter...although I suspect that is a long shot!

But is it realistic to expect the Twins to make the playoffs this year...no.  So this move, and others to come, are the correct decisions for management.  Doesn't mean we have to be happy about it.

Losing Escobar is a real hit in the gut for me.  One of my favorite Twins.  A young man who was a real asset to the organization, on the field, in the clubhouse and in the community.  The FO will make my day, hell make my winter, if they can figure out a way to get him back next winter...although I suspect that is a long shot!

 

But is it realistic to expect the Twins to make the playoffs this year...no.  So this move, and others to come, are the correct decisions for management.  Doesn't mean we have to be happy about it.

Ozzie Guillen agrees--from a June 30th Pioneer Press article:

That, along with his stunning production, should make Escobar extremely marketable this summer should the Twins continue their downturn and begin to sell off parts for future help. Set to reach free agency for the first time this winter, Escobar could soon find himself in a new uniform and a pressure-packed pennant race.

“If Escobar gets traded, I don’t mind if he gets traded somewhere to help,” Guillen said. “But I would be back after that to play for the Minnesota Twins again. That’s what I would say to him.”

https://www.twincities.com/2018/06/30/twins-eduardo-escobar-has-turned-into-ozzie-guillens-greatest-discovery/

If they would have waited, made him a qualifying offer, if he refused it - they'd get a 1st round pick - that right?  Well, they didn't get a first rounder - typical Twins move - Dozier in the same category with a qualifying offer - they'll probably not get a 1st rounder for him either.  More mediocrity!

Oh joy. More prospects. And not even a top 10 in their system. Quite the deal makers, this new front office. Throwing in the towel. 

Never could understand the excitement over accumulating prospects. I always thought the number of major league wins was more important than the number of "prospects" we can garner in a trade. Of course if the Twins horizon is out in some galaxy far, far away...

Losing Escobar is a real hit in the gut for me. One of my favorite Twins. A young man who was a real asset to the organization, on the field, in the clubhouse and in the community. The FO will make my day, hell make my winter, if they can figure out a way to get him back next winter...although I suspect that is a long shot!

 

But is it realistic to expect the Twins to make the playoffs this year...no. So this move, and others to come, are the correct decisions for management. Doesn't mean we have to be happy about it.

Well put. I agree with the move, but damn do I hate it.

Duran appears to be the key here for the Twins. If he was available in the draft this summer at age 20 I don’t think he lasts until pick 75.

Don't hate the fact that they moved him if they weren't gonna try to keep him for next year. The return isn't as good as I would have hoped, but I guess that is what a rental type player of his caliber goes for. 

The people that say he will sign back here or that the Twins will even attempt it though are probably fooling themselves. This rarely, if ever happens. 

Could be valuable players in the future but it also mean were putting of having contending team again looking to the future when you trade for prospects. This front office has yet to sign deal to keep control of young talent here for the long term. The question will be if they are of mind to never to do that just continue trading for future talent. If the latter is the case we never have team that will make real deep run at the playoffs. I look at this years club by time Sano and Buxton if they develop they will be in their final years of control guess what we will be trading them for the future. Same thing will happen to Rosario and Kepler were chewing up team control without developing winnner. It just happen to Dozier and Escobar. Its close to happening with Gibson wouldn't be surprised we end up trading him yet before season done. It looks to me they are blowing up team again to start all over again hoping Buxton and Sano can create winner as soon as 2020 or we will start again.

By next year we will have lost Dozier, Escobar, Pressely, Gibson, Mauer,Santana, Duke, Rodney, and possibly Morrison. That means we have lost our 1, 2, and 3 baseman, our 2 and 3 starting pitchers; Closer, eighth inning reliever, and left hand specialist. If were building from within it also means we will be calling up whole lot of minor league players for next year not a formula to win immediately they will have learn to play in big leagues. Will make for affordable ball club with huge amount of salary gone will be back 50 to 60 million in payroll one of the lowest paid teams in MLB. Everyone complained about Terry Ryan being cheap but look this front office is no different because it set by ownership on philosophy of how this team is going to be run. Another prediction I have is that Levine will be gone before next year because there are couple of opportunities coming for him this coming year. At   sometime  if were going to have real contender were going to need to invest in some ball players who are going to be leaders of this ball club. The Twins just surrendered rest of the year to Vikings for press not that Vikings have been winners on that front before. The Twins will be little blip on the sports coverage now that surrendered for the year and are trading away players that fans come to see play the game. Also look at the schedule its all with AL central teams mostly or teams with bottom of their divisions not strong drawing card. I hate to be so negative but its hard to know that players like Escobar are gone one the players you like to watch and play. ITs been struggle this year as it has been with way this team has played. I thought some of the signings were going to be help but Morrisson signing has sure been bust how much worse could have been just to play Kenney Vargas there. It seems his numbers year before on part time basis were just as good or better. I am truly disgusted with this year and loosing faith in the Twins management because were getting same results over and over. Terry Ryan was fired because the Twins needed to modernize and I have seen where things have changed but were still getting same results players are not developing and have regressed or not developed I wonder why we haven't hit on some our top draft picks like other clubs have. Just some things to ponder.