Rundown: The Next Eovaldi, Cleveland Trade Rumors and More

I think whoever invests in Eovaldi long term will get a lemon. He made a heroic effort in the playoffs showing he can start and come out of the bullpen. However, there's no way that kind of usage is sustainable over the course of 162 games. Durability has always been in question with him.

My guess, without any particular evidence except a recollection that he had some peculiar training methods as a rookie, is that Bauer must wear out his welcome with his team, despite good on-field production.

Backup guess: the Indians have looked as his body of work and see a sell-high situation. Maybe I should make this my primary guess, after all.

I've got one more item to pass along. Shortly after this published, Kiley McDaniel of FanGraphs reported that the Mets are motivated to trade away Noah Syndergaard.

 

Thor has had some injury issues, but he's also managed to top 150 innings in three of his four seasons with the Mets. That also comes with a 2.93 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 9.9 K/9 and 4.94 K:BB ratio. He's under team control via arbitration for the next three seasons and is still only 26-years-old, so I'd have to imagine the asking price is going to be very high.

They're trying to shed some salary since they're about to acquire Cano and Diaz from Seattle. No one in the Twins' organization is off the table for 3 years of Thor.

I don't understand what the Mets are trying to accomplish here. Do they just want Diaz? Just re-sign Familia. Are they trying to rebuild or compete? If it's compete, I'd think Syndergaard + Familia or a similar free agent is better than Cano + Diaz both on the field and on the books.

I think they are trying to compete. You don’t even talk Cano if considering a rebuild. Syndagaard rumors are probably an attempt at balancing the roster. Position of strength/Position of weakness thing. They will probably only move him if the return brings back MLB ready talent.

Otherwise... yeah it doesn’t make a ton of sense.

I’ve always like Eovaldi. Even when his numbers sucked. He had has stuff.

However. The time to get Eovaldi was when his numbers sucked. Right now you are paying for a small window of greatness coming on the heels of a ton of injury time.

I’d rather the Twins look for the next Eovaldi type with stuff but numbers that ain’t so good and that smaller price tag as a result and then take the money you’d spend on Eovaldi today and get a little closer to a sure thing.

I wouldn't give up Royce for him.

you'd rather have 6 years of an unknown commodity, than 3 of one of the best pitchers on the planet?

And, others won't sign SP to long term deals, where, exactly, do people expect to find great pitchers? 

I wouldn't give up Royce for him.

I would for sure. Before it's determined whether or not he can stick at SS.

Six years of Royce Lewis? Yes. There's still some uncertainty around the next three years of Thor too. There are no guarantees.

 

I believe Royce is a shortstop, but even if he moves to the outfield you're going to get an awesome defensive outfielder. Not all of his value is tied up in the ability to stick at shortstop. 

 

 

If the Twins were one ace pitcher away from winning a World Series, I'd feel differently about this question. But right now, I believe six years of Royce Lewis gives the Twins a better chance at winning a World Series at some point than three years of Noah Syndergaard.

how do you plan to get great pitching, if you won't trade top prospects, or sign guys to long term deals?

They could develop them themselves, like most of the rest of the league does.

so, punt on having another great pitcher for how many more years? Which guy is coming that you have lots of confidence in? Because most of the ranking sites love their hitting a lot more than pitching.

houston traded for 2. The yankees are about to sign another FA after trading for one. boston? trades and FAs. the Angels signed the best international one available. Philly? FA and early picks. 

Twins have decided not to use high picks on a SP with this FO so far, do you think that will change? If so, why would you think that?

Most of the rest of the league doesn't have great starters, that's why they cost so much in money or trade. 

There is the obvious way of drafting/developing your own prospects, but personally, I'd like to see them target youngish big-league pitchers with ace-potential and trust the development staff to raise them to the ace level. That is basically what the Astros did with Cole, the Indians did with Bauer, the Tigers did with Scherzer, and the Yankees are trying to do that with Paxton. None of those deals required a top-10 prospect.

Unfortunately they did not go get Paxton.