Twins Trade Pieces Not That Valuable

I think the new FO did a fine job. Basically traded away 1 prospect and returned 3. 

Why would it be a surprise when the worst team in baseball over the past several seasons doesn't have blue chip veterans to trade? Brian Dozier is about the only one, other than Escobar. On a contending team, he could be an important contributor at the plate and as a team leader. In the off-season, Dozier could attract some offers, but not a front-line starter. Maybe they can get a serious catching prospect in AA. 

The Twins traded their free agents, and got value for them.

They can always trade Dozier and Santana in the offseason. The guess here is that they didn't get decent enough offers for Santana (and there weren't enough contenders in need of a second baseman for them to trade Dozier). 

Gordon/Polanco as starting middle infielders might be punting on 2018.

There is no logjam until Gordon proves it in meaningful games against top competition. If that were to happen the Escobar might be the casualty.

I do hope Gordon gets a Sept callup and between that and Spring Training then a better decision can be made.

I hope they extend Dozier and choose between Gordon and Polanco next season.

What I find funny (yet not surprising) is the stark difference in reactions to the trades by TwinsDaily readers, who I think are pretty well informed fans, and casual fans.  I happened to glance at the comments on Star Tribune.  You would have thought the Twins just traded away Mariano Rivera in the midst of World Series run.  

I don't know if there is a way the Twins can better inform casual fans of what these type of trades are for, why they do them and what they mean to the future, because I think there are more casual fans than the type that come to this site.  And honestly it is kind of disheartening to see people who don't understand the reasons to just berate the team and give up.  

If Dozier or Santana were traded the Minnesota internet would have blown up with negativity except for one small piece of it here.

The title of the article should be we value our trade chips here more than others. To say they are not that valuable is wrong as Dozier and Santana are both 3 plus War players. And Santana is also a great mentor for a young pitching staff adding more value for us over what he might offer another team....

  On 8/1/2017 at 1:40 PM, Loosey said:

What I find funny (yet not surprising) is the stark difference in reactions to the trades by TwinsDaily readers, who I think are pretty well informed fans, and casual fans.  I happened to glance at the comments on Star Tribune.  You would have thought the Twins just traded away Mariano Rivera in the midst of World Series run.  

 

I don't know if there is a way the Twins can better inform casual fans of what these type of trades are for, why they do them and what they mean to the future, because I think there are more casual fans than the type that come to this site.  And honestly it is kind of disheartening to see people who don't understand the reasons to just berate the team and give up.  

 

If Dozier or Santana were traded the Minnesota internet would have blown up with negativity except for one small piece of it here.

Old poster once said the magic words: Never read the Strib comments!

Yes, and you look at the value of resigning the players yourself.

Kintzler is a solid journeyman relief pitcher who has been thrown into the role of closer and did well. He will be able to parley that into a decent multi-year contract in the off-season. Maybe not closer money, but somewhere in-between because he has enough skills to be a set-up man, if nothing else. Although I would discuss a return contract with him, the Twins now have the chance to look at closer possibilities (not Belisle) from within to see where they stand going into next season.

Dozier was hot last year. Unfortunately no one needed a second baseman in the off-season, or one who was as predictable as Dozier, coming back to earth. You know what you a e going to egt with him...now. The Twins have to either explore a longer-term cost-effective extension with the guy, or decide to take what they can get. Two questions have to be answered: who plays second if he is gone, not just next year but beyond. Is Dozier a viable DH candidate who can also play the field? Biggest question of all: Why is he still batting leadoff?

Santana. Another player that you know what he brings to the table. His past year of greatness besides, he is a middle-of-the-rotation workhorse that would thrive on an offense heavy team. He has a decent contract, is re-flippable if another team had taken the gamble. I look at moving him as freeing up salary for the next two seasons, but losing your most experienced pitcher. What would I want in return? More than anyone would be willing to give, sadly. The time to trade a Santana IS during the trade deadline. You might be able to move him in the off-season, but to whom and for what? My main reason for trading him would be the same as any other team for NOT trading for him. I can spend that money just as well elsewhere. Unless I really needed that 4th/5th starter for the playoff push, and no one better was available, I might bite and bite big. But right now...I'm going to get what the Twins got for the other Santana...a spare outfield piece with potential that needs roster space, a 28th-man starter out of options that is a placesetter and only pitching because I have no other candidates, a relief pitcher to fill out my bullpen but equal to anyone I can find on the waiver wire, and a guy with lots and lots of potential (can say the same for all prospects) but is taking waaaaay to long to get there, if he ever does - plus salary relief, only in this case save $13 million for 2018 and maybe more from 2019 instead of having to pay $120 million to a guy for the next seven years.

Joe Mauer. Has a no trade clause. But even with all he can bring to a team, does anyone want him as a first baseman? If he was still catching, he would be worth millions. You would think Joe would welcome the chance to go to a contender, since it looks like the Twins may not get there in his contract lifetime. Unless the Twins extend him, and there is the big elephant in the future...how long, how much, and where does he play?

The only other player (besides our prospects for the future) that may have worth is old Eduardo Escobar. But other teams look at him the same way the Twins have done - now for the third straight season. He is NOT the regular shortstop although he ends up playing the position more regularly than others, shows some power, an ability to hit...everything you want...from a dynamite utility guy, which means a low-level prospect (or two) in return.

August will be a tell for the Twins. Let's see who they let walk for CASH BACK.

Even trying to put together package deals with prospects...if the guys aren't wanted by a team like the Twins where almost EVERY job is up for grabs, why would other teams want these guys? You have to push these prospects a little bit...see how hungry they are...do or die-type stuff, rather than let them smolder in the minors while you throw out waiver-wire AAAA fodder to get you thru a game, with hopes that one of these pieces of coal will turn into a diamond and can be shipped off for another prospect that will wallow in the minors.

There are advantages to keeping Dozier and Santana. 

This is a "grass is always greener" thing. If either of those were gone, we would now be griping about the quality of the return.  

Players brought up to the MLB roster in September have to be on the 40-man, do they not? (requesting a correction to this if anyone knows this to not be true)

Why would we put Gordon on the 40-man a year before have to? If he plays great in AAA next year he can be added and brought up at that time. Someone on the 40-man who is under performing can be demoted then.

And I don't believe that moving Polanco to 2B is a very comprehensive solution to anything. His struggles at the plate are not going to be fixed by changing the position he plays on the field, especially a position he hasn't played all year.

I expect Dozier to play for the Twins next year. If he has a great season he may be moved if the Twins are not contending. Otherwise he will play out his contract and be a FA in 2019. By then Gordon should be ready and we'll have a better feel for what Palacious & Aarez may provide, along with a more clearly predictable timeline for them.

  On 8/1/2017 at 4:12 PM, Mike Sixel said:

No, they don't have a lot of tough 40 man decisions. I just don't buy that for one minute. Almost no player of value has been found in the rule V draft since MLB changed the rules. They lost at least 5 guys on the 25 man roster right now, and there are some easy choices to drop off the 40 man. Not even close to hard decisions.

The Twins will have 4 players leaving via free agency, plus another 6 RPs they could conceivably cut without costing them anything (and a couple of them will be cut for sure). As you say, there won't be a roster problem.

  On 8/1/2017 at 1:40 PM, Loosey said:

What I find funny (yet not surprising) is the stark difference in reactions to the trades by TwinsDaily readers, who I think are pretty well informed fans, and casual fans.  I happened to glance at the comments on Star Tribune.  You would have thought the Twins just traded away Mariano Rivera in the midst of World Series run.  

 

I don't know if there is a way the Twins can better inform casual fans of what these type of trades are for, why they do them and what they mean to the future, because I think there are more casual fans than the type that come to this site.  And honestly it is kind of disheartening to see people who don't understand the reasons to just berate the team and give up.  

 

If Dozier or Santana were traded the Minnesota internet would have blown up with negativity except for one small piece of it here.

Shoot, the Strib and even the Facebook comments are usually a cesspool of overreaction.   I used to take a peak at them because I'm a masochist and like to get up in arms about their up-in-armness.   I rarely to it now.

Not to say there isn't overreaction here, but it's far less exaggerated and much more informed.

I was hoping they'd trade three guys: Kintzler (no brainer), Santana (because I think he's topped out) and Eduardo Escobar. Escobar is arbitration-eligible this offseason and I would've thought he'd be a great pickup for a contender needing some versatility with pop in the bat. As much as I love him as a team guy, there are replacements available (Adrianza and Vielma, to name two) at a much lower cost.

  On 8/1/2017 at 5:41 PM, Teddy said:

I was hoping they'd trade three guys: Kintzler (no brainer), Santana (because I think he's topped out) and Eduardo Escobar. Escobar is arbitration-eligible this offseason and I would've thought he'd be a great pickup for a contender needing some versatility with pop in the bat. As much as I love him as a team guy, there are replacements available (Adrianza and Vielma, to name two) at a much lower cost.

I thought Esco might be going elsewhere, too.

However, Adrainza is having a career year at the plate and we don't know if we can count on him to hit well again next year. Almost no one expects Vielma to hit well in MLB.

So if we traded Esco now and Dozier in the off-season we are suddenly in a MI crunch. Help is coming, but I don't believe it will be here early next year.