TopGunn#22

There will be a trade (or trades plural) coming at some point. The Twins roster is jammed with players at certain positions and they need a horse to lead the staff who could give them 170-190 innings. Lopez would be that guy. He's just 26 years old and has 2 years of team control. By that time, the Twins F.O. will have figured out who from Gray, Mahle, Maeda, Ober, Varland, Winder, SWR, Balazovic, Canterino, and others (Ryan is a no-brainer) will be staying and going. I still like a play for Lopez AND Sixto Sanchez. I'm not averse to trading Arraez, his value will never be higher. I'm anxious to see Julien, with more power and as "The God of Walks" replace him. To me, one of Arraez or Polanco should be traded. (I'd consider Larnach in the right package as well). I'd still engage with Colorado for a possible Kepler for German Marquez deal. Stockpile some arms and let Lee, Lewis, Julien, Rodriguez among others hit their way onto the Twins and into the everyday lineup.

As the roster is currently constructed there are going to be some trades coming to better align talent on offense and pitching. I like Arraez and Polanco, but with Julien and Gordon I could see one of them dealt. Kepler, Gallo and Larnach are too similar for one of Kepler or Larnach to dealt. Miami is a potential trade partner but so is Colorado with maybe a German Marquez and Connor Joe type of deal. I would certainly look to sign Chafin. And with Theilbar still being effective but 35 years old, signing Chafin would enable the Twins to include Theilbar in a trade if a bigger deal was possible.

Doc Bauer, I couldn't have said it better. I would just add two possible trades to take another big step forward for this year and several years to come. Yes, go get a RH bat. McCutcheon or Mancini would fill the bill at an affordable cost. Here are the trade options: Trade #1 (All values courtesy of Baseball Trade Values). Marlins Get: Arraez 26.6 and Larnach 14.6 for a total of 41.2 Twins Get: Pablo Lopez 38.7 and Sixto Sanchez 1.6 for a total of 40.3. Or, Trade #2" Marlins Get: Polanco 34.8 and Kepler 7.6 for a total value of 42.4. Twins Get: Pablo Lopez 38.7 and Sixto sanchez 1.6 for a total value of 40.3. I'm slightly overpaying in each trade because you HAVE TO if you want to add young, talented, controllable pitching. In each trade the Marlins get bats and we move one LH hitting outfielder. The Twins get Lopez, a 26 year old who is capable of throwing 180 innings to lead the rotation and Sixto Sanchez, who just a couple years ago was MLB's #6 overall prospect. Shoulder issues the last two years have cratered his value but the kid has talent and could be a winning lottery ticket. And Sanchez is just 24 years old. The Twins deal bats from a surplus and stockpile two, young, talented arms to an already promising stable of young arms.

Six years for $200 is great. Lewis and Lee will be major league players in that window and one might end up being a SS. If we end up with 8 years of Correa it will be because GOOD things have happened in the first 6. Correa is a difference maker. I'm enthused. I will applaud the F.O. for getting this done. Still, there's a part of me that can't shake the feeling that our F.O. just kind of lucked out...again. BUT! I'm giving them a thumbs up for sticking with it.

I happen to like the BTV site because it at least gives me a sense if what I'm proposing is realistic or simply a fantasy. Here are some player values according to the site: Marlins P. Lopez 38.7 26 yrs old Ed. Cabrera 14.8 24 yrs old J. Luzardo 20.8 24 yrs old Max Meyer 21.1 23 yrs old Trevor Rogers 36.5 24 yrs old Sixto Sanchez 1.6 24 years old. Twins Arraez 26.6 26 yrs old Polanco 34.8 28 yrs old Larnach 14.6 25 yrs old Kepler 7.6 29 yrs old Kirilloff 11.9 24 yrs old Martin 7.5 (young) Wallner 7.3 24 yrs old Winder 8.3 25 yrs old Miranda 26.4 24 yrs old Ober 21.8 26 yrs old. From this, I will propose two trades that would work. In each I slightly overpay to get young, controllable pitching. Trade #1 Arraez 26.6 & Larnach 14.6 total 41.2 for Pablo Lopez 38.7 and Sixto Sanchez 1.6 total 40.3 Trade #2 Polanco 34.8 and Kepler 7.6 total 42.4 for Pablo Lopez 38.7 and Sixto Sanchez 1.6 total 40.3 Each trade is fair to both teams and realistic. The Marlins get veteran bats. (or an up and coming bat in Larnach's case). The Twins get a #1 pitcher (I disagree with those who don't think so. Lopez is 26 years old. Capable of throwing 180+ innings and strikes guys out. We'd have him for two solid years and longer if at 28 they like what they've got. We have NO ONE we could expect 180+ innings from). The Wild Card in each trade is Sixto Sanchez who for the last two years has battled some shoulder issues but was at one time MLB's #6 overall prospect. Sanchez is just 24 years old and his value is waaay too low. That's who I target as a throw in that could be a huge piece down the road. The Twins have several "young promising arms" where health has been an issue. In Lopez, they get a horse. In Sanchez they get a lottery ticket that would leave the Twins very deep in young talented arms for the future. This is the kind of trade I would make ESPCIALLY now that we've got Correa for the next 6 years. Buxton & Correa give the Twins 2 guys that can be high WAR guys if they play 140 games or more each season.

And this is why one of our LH hitting OF'ers and Arraez/Polanco need to be packaged for a solid SP. Gordon could handle 2B. Julien is ready, and I'm anxious to see him get a chance. Correa would settle the entire infield down as the Twins would build around him.

It's probably just Boras, I agree. But I can see our hapless FO just coming to a dead stop until the "Correa situation resolves."

Didn't realize that Canterino was out the entire season. Thanks for clarifying. Still can't get myself to give up on him.

Good points mikelink45, but with Martin being a RH hitter and every OF'er we have not named Buxton being a LH hitter if Martin is playing and hitting well I could see him up by All Star game or before. He could play IF and OF. Wherever they need him. I'm not ready to give up on Balazovic, if he can just stay healthy he could turn a corner rather quickly. But that's a BIG if. Canterino wasn't mentioned either, but if HE can stay healthy he certainly has the stuff to be up sometime this year in a BP capacity. I for one wouldn't mind a trade of Polanco and Larnach to Miami to get one or two young pitchers depending on who the Twins prefer. To me, that kind of move deepens and strengthens the pitching staff while opening a spot for Julien who is the guy I'm most excited to see hitting leadoff or 2nd in our lineup. I think Julien is ready and I'm not afraid of sticking in there and letting him rake. Let's imagine for a moment that the Twins somehow luck out and reel in Correa. This would be a GOOD thing no matter what. Lewis get's all the time he needs to rehab and knock off the rust. If he's ready he can become the primary backup at SS and play other positions as needed. Julien is still the primary 2B-man. Lewis can play some 2B and 3B. Miranda 3B, 1B and DH. And if Brooks Lee rakes (and I think he will) he could be up by September. If all this happens then Farmer becomes depth and we let the kids play and see if any or all of them are up to it. If Correa ends up with the Mets, Farmer backs up Lewis who becomes the everyday SS.

Very good list Ted, but I agree with jmlease, Buxton needs to be here. Of all the Twins players nobody could have a bigger impact than Buxton. If he plays 140-150 games the benefits would be huge.

It's not MY money, but I would be on board with signing Correa. 3 years and $105 million, 10 years, $285-$300 million is O.K. for me. He's a cornerstone player to build around. I'd prefer the shorter deal to see whether Lewis could play SS but I'll take whatever comes of this.

A move for Wacha would not move the needle one bit.

I like the young SS the best. Would also like the Twins to be more aggressive with pitching. So there are only 6. Who's the best one? Is there a sleeper pitcher they could sign under the radar?

Great article !! I agree with mikelink and Dr. Gast that I would add Julien to the list as well as the Canterino, Balazovic and Austin Martin selections. We've had SO MANY injury issues with our prospects that it's hard to limit it to just 5 guys.

Good points and insights Doc Munson. The Twins FO should be far from done. I don't know much about Duran from Texas, but I like your reasoning. I also like Doc Gast's point regarding Guillorme. He's certainly blocked in New York. What would it take to get him? We certainly have a lopsided roster with all these LH hitting corner outfielders. Another possible option for a RH OF bat would be Adam Duval. Very similar to Gallo with good "D" and power, except he's a bit more dependable than Gallo and would be a major upgrade from Garlick. I know it's practically blasphemous to advocate trading Arraez, but even though I'm a fan, his trade value will never be higher and I for one am excited to see Edward Julien at some point. Between Polanco, Gordon and Julien and to a minor degree Arraez we've got plenty of 2B-man. Deal Polanco or Arraez for pitching and include Larnach. I like tony&rodney's targets of Edward Cabrera and Jesus Luzardo. Max Meyer and Pablo Lopez are also good options.

All interesting deals. I'm not "chained" to BBTV's but Gilbert for Arraez would be a massive underpay for us so that's not happening. I like tony&rodney's deal the best. If the BBTV's numbers say it's fair I like gambling on the upside of a young LH and RH starter. One other possible trade could be Kepler and something else to the Yankees for Frankie Montas.

I'm a firm believer that no matter how fun 2019 was for Twins fans, it ruined Rocco as a manager. I agree with the idea that Rocco would hate playing for himself. And this lack of aggression on the basepaths will only be exacerbated by the new rules this year. If this year is another big disappointment as many of us believe it will be, I'd say clean house all around. New FO, new manager, new coaching staff and, heaven forbid it ever comes true, new ownership. Rod Carew and Paul Molitor should be brought in for baserunning "101."

Good Topic. Certainly inspired good responses. I would have only included Lopez from the initial three. If he's anything like he was in Baltimore he's a huge compliment to Duran at the back end. I think he rebounds. I give a high five to Boswell for his comments and to those who mentioned Kirilloff and Larnach as well. We need health in the starting rotation. But the key for the Twins to me is Buxton. If he's healthy and plays 140 games, those that said 35-40HR's and 100 RBI's are correct. He's our most impactful player.

How much would a guy with an electric arm (Alex Reyes) cost the Twins ??

I would sign a LH (Moore or Britton, lean toward Moore). I would package Theilbar and Kepler to the Yanks like BTV has suggested for Domingo German and promising outfield prospect Pierera. German allows Maeda to begin in the BP. Then sign Rosenthal/Alex Reyes. So the Twins would end up with a LH & RH from Moore/Britton and Rosenthal/Reyes. Each has closing experience so Duran doesn't have to should the entire load at the back end. The Twins would still certainly need to employ plenty of their young pitchers throughout the long season, but with a pen like that (and I expect Jorge Lopez to bounce back strongly) we would have depth AND talent.

There is no doubt Joe will get in. But first ballot honors are a high bar. I think he gets in on his 2nd or 3rd try. A great honor for a classy guy.

Excellent article Ted and you've started with a key player for the Twins in Kirilloff. Health is his biggest challenge (like it seems to be for so many Twins players and prospects). None of us really have any idea or certainty and for those who are more pessimistic I hear you. My heart tells me he will hit and be a mainstay in the middle of the order. I also see Royce Lewis contributing sometime after the All Star break. We may have lucked out with Correa landing with the Mets. I see Lewis as our SS. Finally, I agree with the idea that Brooks Lee could be up sooner, rather than later. Highly thought of college bats move more quickly through the minors than high school players. They start a little higher as well. If Lee finds himself in St. Paul and he's hitting ropes, he could be up before the end of the year.

Wow! If true that is quite the trade chpettit19. Varsho is a great young talent, just the LH hitter Toronto was probably looking for. But Arizona gets tremendous value back. Gurriel is a RH hitter I had wished the Twins could have acquired, and Moreno is a really promising catching prospect. I think this works well for BOTH teams.

I like Arraez, he's one of my favorite Twins. But the time to trade him is now when his value is at a peak, especially with Polanco as our starting 2B and Julien on the way. I agree with Doc Gast on a Kepler for Marquez trade because Marquez could rebound getting away from Coors Field and he's a horse. A true innings eater. I would do that trade, but I would also be willing to trade Arraez straight up for Edward Cabrera or Arraez and Larnach for Pablo Lopez.

Agree everyone. I always liked Taylor and I'm glad he's playing with his brother. But at 3 yrs and $33 million that's an overpay.