TheLeviathan

'Member when Thornbyrg was the guy?

Alcala might go a long way to helping this pen. He was meant to be an integral piece. I think it's time to put Jax into more high leverage spots, but people should be ready for that to go poorly as well. It's worth pointing out that Theilbar is pretty much who they need him to be. Duffy and Pagan need lower leverage spots. Because of that fail, they need at least one, probably two, guys to help give this team a boost.

I would probably rank my top choices the following way: 1. CL Lopez (Baltimore) 2. LF/2B/3B Happ (Cubs) 3. SP Castillo (Reds) 4. RP Finnegan But I'm for sure calling the Marlins and seeing what options I have. Plugging Happ into this lineup would be a wonderful way to keep the defense great (he's marvelous out there) and he has positional flexibility to help with how we use the DH. As a bonus...he crushes LHP.

The team definitely needs to invest in another high leverage bullpen arm. Maybe two. But for context.....the team is well within the norm for blowing saves/leads in late situations. I mean....poor Rays fans.

The Twins do need a bat, but not a DH-only one.

My entire "defense", an odd term for a not-disagreement?, is that it's July and he's been healthy and effective for couch cushion change. Yup....good value. Definitionally. I don't know how I could be claiming anything more plainly, obviously true. Seriously. Going out on another limb.....Water is wet too. Not looking to "agree" with you for 2 pages on that either.

You mean be a consistent,effective, positive WAR player for pennies? Pretty sure that's the dictionary definition of "good value". But I don't see the point of engaging these 100% disagreeable positions if you aren't, in fact, disagreeing as you claim.

Acknowledging this great value in no way comments on whether they could/should have done more. Again, an unfair aspect to your disagreement.

It all makes sense now! They forgot to ask the question-free #2 starters who take 3M contracts to sign with them! What dummies!

Archer was signed as plan B. There is no such thing as a plan B with no question marks. That's why it's plan B! Hell, Plan As often have questions. Again, totally unfair expectation. He would have to be a flaming tire fire (healthy and giving up 9 runs a game bad) just to regress the value to "fine". For someone not disagreeing, you sure seem disagreeable to the rather simple, and obviously true, claim that he has been an exceptional signing.

Chris Archer openly applauds how the Twins are treating him and rebuilding his career. He borderline gushes. These gripes have zero basis in reality.

And they got way more than 3.5M worth of production is my point. They paid a hail mary price for a solid 4th starter. That's a giant effing win. Period. There is zero rational response other than "yup" to that.

Your entire argument rests on unfair expectations. They didn't get a cure for cancer for their 3.5M either...so "Boo!" Chris Archer I guess. They paid for a depth starter. (Hell, half of that going rate really, but I'm being as fair as possible to your argument) They've gotten that and one who has pitched really freaking well AND stayed healthy. I mean, if they paid him like Noah Syndegaard then sure. They paid what you pay your 5th guy in your bullpen on an arbitration deal much less a starter. Their ROI is through the freaking roof. Who has Archer stolen his starting spot from? Bundy? Sands? Oh right.....nobody. They've desperately needed him and he's been there every fifth day. I'd argue even if his ERA was north of 5, just by being a warm, competent body was worth the 3.5M, much less the production.

If you added any more caveats to trying to make that analysis you might have made TD explode. If, going forward, he explodes and they stubbornly keep him in the rotation that is a different analysis about a different set of actions 3.5M for a half a season of healthy, quality innings is a win. We're measuring money spent versus results, not hypothetically what "should" have happened based on underlying numbers. They paid 3.5M and got 60 damn good innings so far. You pay that price for that all day long. Hell, you might pay double or triple that price. Unless you can predict the future with certainty you're doing a lot of hand-wringing to deny what is plainly true: this signing was one hell of a nice return for chump change. Even if in July Archer has a 9.00 ERA and in August he secretly unveils he was a White Sox player in disguise before bringing on a baseball apocalypse in September or whatever other silliness you can imagine.

Or we could do mental gymnastics that sure sound like debating it I guess.....