Twins Acquire RHP Sonny Gray from Reds for Chase Petty

Why the fans of these trades aren't asking themselves why they couldn't have just been active in free agency rather than have to give up players or prospects. Is it the goal of this FO to only trade for pitching and NEVER just sign a good pitcher out of free agency?

I hope Petty isn't in the Majors by age 21. And I hope he isn't a Cy Young award winner by age 25. Otherwise this will end up a horrible trade. It will be a bad trade anyway if the Twins don't win a playoff game in the next 2 years, no?

The Twins are in desperation mode. They just traded away Garver and Petty because they sat on their hands during FA.

Out of reluctance they signed Buxton. They would've traded him if he hadn't been injured. The sweet deal we signed Buxton to, they had previously walked away from at the deadline.

I'm done with this FO. FIRE FALVINE!!!!

2 hours ago, Chachi said:

What if we just gave up the next Willie Banks??

Or John Smoltz??

Maybe the trading chips weren't what the Rangers, the Reds or what other teams wanted.  It also appears the next wave of pitching talent is not ready to open the 2022 season and it also appears the Twins are not opening up their wallet

I like it; get Big Mike, package a now expendable Arraez for another serviceable arm and let's try to win some 8-7 games!

I'm not sure if the past two trades will be good or bad, I dont have a crystal ball. But I do like seeing the FO  being aggressive in getting players they believe in. 

The defensive shift is going away in 2023 it's going to be important to have players up the middle to have some chops. 

We have 3 or 4 potential stud pitching propects coming the next two years. It's going to be important to have veterans on the pitching staff to be mentors and role models for the young guns. 

I am very confused.  Are we actually trying to compete this year or not?  If we are, why the heck didn't we spend some money on front line FA starters? Those just cost us money, not prospects.

Now we are mortgaging our future for good starters with only 2 years of team control.  Bizarre.  I would be down for a move like this if we had Gray for 4 or 5 years, but he is gone in 2023, if we don't flip him earlier.

What is this front office doing?

Very good move for the Twins.  Still need one or two more reliable starters.  Like many of you have said the twins probably won't be contending this year.  But at least it appears they may be trying to put a major league team on the field.  I certainly hope so.  I have no problem at all trading a prospect.  He may be great, he may never play in big leagues.  I see nothing wrong with trading a young unknown and inexperienced high school prospect for a proven major league starter.  Good job Twins!

1 hour ago, Otto von Ballpark said:

How would we feel about this trade if we were Reds fans?

The Reds aren't a great team, but they've been in the hunt the last 2 years. They have the reigning 2021 NL Rookie of the Year (Jonathan India), plus an elite prospect on the cusp of MLB (Hunter Greene). They don't have anyone significant who is in their walk year in 2022, and Joey Votto looks like he may have some baseball life left. And they were already an estimated $10 mil below their 2021 payroll, and $14 mil below 2019.

I think many of their fans would have wanted an immediate addition to the roster, and would be be frustrated that instead they shed further payroll in exchange for a guy that they passed on in the last draft (Reds picked 17th, Petty was chosen 26th), with no track record, who is at least 3-4 years away from contributing anything (if he contributes anything).

They had time to brace for it since there were reports that they were going to roll back payroll, but just getting Petty is a pretty bad return for them IMO. There's a reason why the Reds fans are ticked off right now, since the earliest they can benefit from this trade is 2025.

The odds any first-rounder will just play in the show is around 66 percent.  Maybe Petty will be a great pitcher, but with the stress on that arm, well let's just say they're perfecting TJ surgery.  Meanwhile, Gray will be around adding to WaR.

Garver may hit 60 HRs over the next couple years and get better at framing.  His SO rate may also hit 30%.  Meanwhile IKF will shore up the left side of the defense, smile and get his Covid shots if he must.  If he hits better than Simmons in this lineup and hands things off to Royce, that's all we need.

Cue the TD staff for a 2024 TD article entitled, "How did the Twins FO make out on those first two March 2022 post-strike trades."

1 hour ago, Otto von Ballpark said:

How would we feel about this trade if we were Reds fans?

The Reds aren't a great team, but they've been in the hunt the last 2 years. They have the reigning 2021 NL Rookie of the Year (Jonathan India), plus an elite prospect on the cusp of MLB (Hunter Greene). They don't have anyone significant who is in their walk year in 2022, and Joey Votto looks like he may have some baseball life left. And they were already an estimated $10 mil below their 2021 payroll, and $14 mil below 2019.

I think many of their fans would have wanted an immediate addition to the roster, and would be be frustrated that instead they shed further payroll in exchange for a guy that they passed on in the last draft (Reds picked 17th, Petty was chosen 26th), with no track record, who is at least 3-4 years away from contributing anything (if he contributes anything).

Reds fans aren't happy. They're seeing a decent team get dismantled in the name of payroll and feeling like they're heading into another long rebuild. I had a Reds fan text me this morning begging for good news about Petty and was furious when I told him he wouldn't be in the majors until 2024 at the earliest (and has a high ceiling/high risk profile). So far the collective response to this deal from the Reds fans has been "Sell the team, Bob!"

4 hours ago, Game7-91 said:

I'm up with that.?

Surprised, didnt think the could trade Petty for a full year. But it  works. 3 yrs of  control Twins-esque contract. All good....

Does it work for you if the Twins only have 2 years pf control of Sonny Gray?

I like Sonny Gray but I like Chase Petty more. I am not a fan of this trade. 

10 minutes ago, jmlease1 said:

Reds fans aren't happy. They're seeing a decent team get dismantled in the name of payroll and feeling like they're heading into another long rebuild. I had a Reds fan text me this morning begging for good news about Petty and was furious when I told him he wouldn't be in the majors until 2024 at the earliest (and has a high ceiling/high risk profile). So far the collective response to this deal from the Reds fans has been "Sell the team, Bob!"

 

That's like I felt when the Twins traded Berrios.  WTH ?

1 hour ago, cHawk said:

It’s technically two years of team control, since the contract has a ‘23 team option.

"one year of Gray in a non-competitive situation and another where they *might* contend does very little for me."

I acknowledged that it's two years.

My Gray matter says that we need to get over our Petty concerns.

4 hours ago, Doc Munson said:

This is a heart vs mind trade... my heart HATES IT!!!  my mind can justify it.

Prospects are suspects until proven otherwise., especially HS pitchers, but still... DANG!!!

I would be more of a fan if this was the move that would put us over the top vs just getting a SP when we need 2-3 of them.  I would be much more in favor if this was part of a bigger trade that would also get us Luis Castillo.

Doc, you hit the nail on the head for me. Heart vs. Head. Just several days ago I was raving about Petty on this website, after I had watched him pitch in practice at Fort Myers . He looked dominant.  Velocity, control and an incredible slider. But on the other hand, at my age, I need to shift to a win now focus anyway. For me Heart vs. Head also applies to the Garver trade. Garver was a favorite of mine, as were Berrios and Cruz. However I understood the Cruz trade, but not Berrios's trade.  I know we got good prospects in both of those trades, but Berrios is what the Twins needed today and tomorrow. I wanted him to be a career Twin. Berrios'  work ethic and success were outstanding and bode well for his future success. Anyhow, such is life in the business of baseball. Doc, your post helped me get calm after being so upset when I first read this Petty/Gray news. My wife asked me who died.? She said that all who read my posts would feel my anger since I was pounding the keys on my laptop so hard as I wrote my angry replies. I feel a lot better now. Thanks Doc. Head vs. Heart.

We could have signed a FA and kept Petty.  Sorry I hope Grey is great, but not my favorite move.

Wild card, baby!

How much does the recent collective bargaining agreement, and expansion to 6 American League playoff teams shape recent front office decisions? 

No one will mistake the 2022 Twins roster with 2019's Bomba Squad, and their 101 regular season wins. But 85 to 88 wins will likely lead to a wild card spot. Add Pineda and Cueto, If they go 15-10 and 14-12, along with similar numbers from Gray, and a wild card is well within reach. 

7 minutes ago, mikelink45 said:

We could have signed a FA and kept Petty.  Sorry I hope Grey is great, but not my favorite move.

This. The trade in a vacuum isn’t the whole picture. This is about the Pohlads trying to save some money. Look for a payroll between $115 and 120. 

30 minutes ago, PDX Twin said:

My Gray matter says that we need to get over our Petty concerns.

Great Post!!!!

14 minutes ago, mikelink45 said:

We could have signed a FA and kept Petty.  Sorry I hope Grey is great, but not my favorite move.

Only if the FA wanted to sign with the Twins.  People seem to refuse to acknowledge the fact that it takes both sides to agree on a contract.

I have mixed feelings. I don’t mind getting Gray, but I’m not as high on him as others. I think he’s a slight step below Berrios. I also was hyping myself up about Petty. I know the track record for guys like Petty is really bad but I still was getting excited. 
 

That being said, I’m with whoever said they’d rather trade a Petty than a Winder or someone else close.