kab21

Your 'worst case' scenario is exactly why you add someone like Machado now. If you wait until you are sure that you have something then it is too late. And there are indications that some of those young players (Sano especially) aren't interested in signing any contracts that buy out FA years. I would absolutely take an MVP caliber player at SS/3B in his prime and worry about the chance that multiple good young players take the step towards superstardom and are willing to sign long term contracts.

If your plan is to wait until a core of prospects all come up together to make any significant moves then the Twins will be bad for a very long time. I like value shopping as much as anyone. Sometimes is works and sometimes it is Morales/Lynn but but that doesn't mean the Twins can never identify a player that they really want and choose to overpay. All avenues should be looked at for player acquisition and just because the Twins are merely a mid market team that doesn't mean that they should ignore making big moves. And the Twins should definitely stop operating like a small market team from the 80s and 90s regardless of the results of 2 of those teams.

I don't understand the reasons to not sign Machado. Unless of course TD has been infiltrated by Pohlad agents. Block Gordon? Was this sarcasm? Gordon is an average player at best and a disappointing utility player at worst. Extend their own future stars? Who is a future star? Buxton? Sano? Kepler? Polanco? Rosario? Perhaps Berrios but the Twins don't really have future stars. They so far have unfulfilled potential and I am not going to not take opportunities if they are available. He isn't a pitcher. Pitching still needs works so this is somewhat valid but if you have an opportunity to add an MVP caliber player then you do it. Not a winner? Pretty soon there will be an argument about clutch hitting... At some point the Twins need to stop being so conservative about moves and chasing value. I think they have made some nice value moves this offseason but the Twins remain an 80+ win team and they will stay there for the foreseeable future unless they find a way to add some significant talent.

I am fine keeping Grossman but that means someone else (like Austin is out the door). I do like what he contributes within the narrow scope of what he does well. The problem like you say is that he has a very narrow list of positives.

Pretty much the only reason that a team wouldn't offer arbitration to a starter like Odorizzi is if they had an absolutely stacked rotation where there was a better option. His stats are unimpressive but nothing kills a season faster than having 2-3 revolving doors in the rotation.

I can't see this really going anywhere unless the Twins end up in the right place at the right time and AZ just wants to make a deal (below what we consider likely value) or Goldschmidt signs an extension. I would happily take Greinke though for minimal prospect cost.

Perfect time for a massive extension...

Hopefully this is something to build on. The last two weeks have been brutal (losing to bad teams) but there are still a lot of games left to play.

This is an example of what I consider a single season of RP innings to be a SSS when making decisions. Some people were wondering why Pressly was even on the team last winter but his season looked a classic case of bad luck. He led the Twins in swstr% and near the top in K% (with a very good BB%). And the bigger reminder is that one month of data for a RP is an even SSS. The good news is that his swstr% is even higher. I am hoping that he is just a very good (3.50 ERA) RP in the bullpen but the upside is higher since he has had fairly good K and BB rates in the past and he does throw the heat.

WHAT HAPPENED! This has been an awful stretch of games. Just make it end.

The OPS is now .466. Look out! He will be over .500 any day now. He has been awful but I expect him to be a .750+ hitter for the rest of the season.

I think I predicted a 4.75 ERA with 40+ saves for Rodney this year. Yep, that is the closer that the Twins have this year. Yippee!

Good addition. That makes 3 including Joe. I think that is a decent minimum for a position over a 10-15 year span.

The other thing about this is if he is still considered a catcher on the ballot and by the voters. Guys like Sheffield, Grace, McGriff get ignored because they are a few of many 1B/DH or corner OF'ers that hit well. I still consider him a catcher. Mauer is 4th in OPS for catchers between 2000-now. Piazza, Posada and Posey are the only catchers ahead of him. I am partial to the argument that at least a few players of each generation should be inducted. Piazza and IRod were closing their careers as Mauer was getting started. Besides Posey what other catchers would be considered HOF'ers that were Mauer's contemporaries? Posada (not a bad case)? VMart? McCann? I think when compared versus other catchers that played during his career it shows that he wasn't just 'very good'.

The significant thing is that he appears to have taken the next step towards realizing his potential. The short summary of his career Great MiLB prospect - MLB struggles - MLB above average - NOW Not every great prospect takes the steps that he has. I was always an optimist with Berrios but I reigned in my enthusiasm with the expectation that he would be a very good pitcher (let's say 3.60-3.80) with upside. My expectations are becoming unreasonable (still less than Pedro Martinez peak) now. He might even an elite pitcher (top 10 MLB).