Sell, Sell, Sell: A Look At Twins Trade Chips

When looking at ALL of the names above, and many of them should be moved sooner rather than later, the Twins also have to look at their depth in the farm system, especially at names of guys who will become minor league free agents, who need to be added to the 40-man roster not only this year but also the following year, and deal some of those names as well...since there are only 40 names you can protect in 2017 as well as 2018. 

That is the secret. Create the list of guys YOU EXPECT will come to camp and break camp next year. And also a possible list of players coming to camp in 2018.

They start packaging players. You might have to package a fringe prospect or two to rid yourself of some salary. Some teams may be willing to take on a Jepsen thinking a change of scenery may help, or jsut for depth.

Yes, I'm sure that little angel on Ryan's shoulder is telling him to NOT EAT SALARY while the devil is on the other shoulder telling him to just go ahead and release the guys...you won't be around in 2017 except as a roving scout of talent, if you don't get outright fired and jump to another team...many of which will seek your scouting services, I'm sure.

the Twins have to look for returns of prospects that are on the bubble because of the need for work, or guys jsut behind in anyother teams depth chart.

I mean, look at the Twins. Right now we have Escobar and Nunez, bother should be available. We have Polanco, who could play short, move to second eventually, or become a utility guy. We have Beresford who could be a temp 40-man backup this year AND next. We have at least four guys in the shortstop depth, with Nick Gordon possibly fast-tracked and Wander Javier at least four years out from getting a taste of major league life. So we have lots of depth (shades of too many centerfielders notice of the past).

But, yes, you have to look at the very big picture. The Twins have drafted a lot of bodies the past four years who are on the cusp of needing protection. Other teams are watching and salviating at who the Twins will leave open for Rule 5. The Twins trick is to move some of these possibilities for something, with soemthing of lesser value, to clear books AS WELL AS roster space.

You take Nolasco. You get a couple of higher prospects (guys we can't protect), we get a couple of guys we need to protect in 2019 or 2020. We free up salary. We move our own prospects up for a slice of major league life. We suck, but we such with rookies and the future, not just guys filling roster spots that other teams have already found no place in the home for now or ever again.

When a team is playing as poorly as the Twins have been, there's very little on the Major League Roster that's going to be attractive 7/31 trade bait.

What the Twins need is a number of guys to get on a roll for the next 6-7 weeks . . . enough to create some value.

If what we've seen continues, we might was well bring up the kids & let them learn in the Bigs.

I think Plouffe would be a good fit for the Mets. They need a 1B and their 3B is made of glass. My guess is Terry would hold out for Wheeler.

I don't see any of their 'chips' being cashed in for more than a C+ prospect.  

Teams are too smart to get swayed by hot and cold streaks. Suzuki had a great first half in 2014 but teams look at multiple years when they project the second half. He didn't increase his value to anyone beyond the Twins. Streaks are not going to change the reality that the Twins have little veteran value to deal.

Dozier and Plouffe will have more value than Nunez. Winning teams value defensive skill and owning several gloves isn't the same as defensive versatility. I can't imagine any winning team would play him in the middle of the infield with any regularity.

Jepsen will be a free agent. While he closes for the Twins, he had the value of a 7th inning guy last year with a year and a half of control. Now he is a 7th guy that is a rental.

It will be hard to find a taker for Santana's contract. There will be little if any competition for his contract driving down any perceived value.

For Suzuki, Nolasco and Hughes, it is probably place on waivers and hope for a claim. If someone makes the mistake of claiming as the Orioles did with Willingham, the Twins must let them go (as they should have with Willingham).

Let's face it: the only players other teams would be interested in-Berrios, Gorden, Stewart, Gonsalves, and Jay- are in the minors!

I have to echo a lot of the comments here.  The only really valuable chips we have are not on the ML club.  And heck, if it boils down to a C-level prospect as opposed to just DFA'ing a guy (Nolasco, looking at you), take whatever the heck we can get.

Again, the time to deal Plouffe or Rosario, for example, was when the snow was still on the ground.  Sadly, their output just melted away when the weather warmed up.

I really think Plouffe would have some value to the Royals. He's a known commodity. He isn't all that far off his career norms, which are good- beyond what you can expect from Cheslor Cuthbert, and he's still cheap. I don't know what they'd offer in return, but they have to have some bullpen arms that are blocked, don't they?

They have to package in mid-level prospects of their own to get valuable prospects back. And Vargas.

Plouffe and Vargas might be something for the Royals to look at. The Mets might like Plouffe and Abad.

It's hard to know what to do when they haven't played the young guys enough and promoted from below to higher levels in the system. And the damn injuries.

They have to package in mid-level prospects of their own to get valuable prospects back. And Vargas.

 

Plouffe and Vargas might be something for the Royals to look at. The Mets might like Plouffe and Abad.

 

It's hard to know what to do when they haven't played the young guys enough and promoted from below to higher levels in the system. And the damn injuries.

It's really tough to get someone to bite on quantity when asking them to give up quality in prospect for prospect trades.  Rarely happens.

and Vargas has about as much value as any other random player with AAAA upside...

Personally I think the trading criteria should be "how can I straighten out our own roster, and our 40 man" not what can I get in return. If you are waiting for return on this years version of the Twins, next years will look much the same.TR is either going to have to acquire some proactive agression from somewhere, or about the best you can hope for is Buxton, a couple middle of the pen moves, and maybe Kepler. That is not going to solve the Twins!

Some work needs to be done to clean up the roster. The team is too bad to have logjam issues. No mention of Arcia?

That is depressing. 

I would trade Plouffe simply to open a spot for Sano. Even at his peak performance Plouffe wouldn't generate much of a return, so this is simply a trade to get some return now and open up the outfield logjam and improve outfield defense.

I would definitely trade Ervin Santana. While the Twins "need" pitching they do not "need" Santana. He would actually command at least something on the open market and the Twins should probably open up some space for pitchers like Alex Meyer or Jose Berrios.

I would also trade Abad and Nunez. And I would look to trade Dozier in the offseason after some hoped-for improvement.

I don't know that TR would do all of these. But I would expect a couple of trades from the Twins. 

It's all horrible.

Personally I think the trading criteria should be "how can I straighten out our own roster, and our 40 man" not what can I get in return. If you are waiting for return on this years version of the Twins, next years will look much the same.TR is either going to have to acquire some proactive agression from somewhere, or about the best you can hope for is Buxton, a couple middle of the pen moves, and maybe Kepler. That is not going to solve the Twins!

Yeah, I think you're right, the criteria needs to be clearing space on the 40 man.

I have been pretty quiet about trading Plouffe because I saw this team as weak on true talent. I've finally come around to thinking that we need to let him go. 

If we ever want a Buxton/Kepler/Arcia outfield with a fourth who forces his way onto the roster we need to make room for that. Outfielders are the easiest to find in the FA market as well. Move Sano to the infield.

I really hope Dozier can have a good 6 weeks that allow us to get something for him. Polance should be playing. Unless Dozier relents and starts to hit the other way he will have no value. Trying to pull everything just has pitchers pitch you outside. Unless you are an elite hitter, it is a recipe for failure.

Nunez is the cat's ass for a utility infielder. His BABIP is high, but not amazingly so for a guy hitting line drives at the rate he's hitting them. He would be tough for me to let go.