JD-TWINS

Move on from CC!! Extend pitchers that perform this year by July 1st to show good faith & hopefully spend less $. Gray - Maeda - Mahle are all good targets for future. Maeda is 35 but his arm just got a reversal in time with surgery. All worth 3 more years with early success in ‘23! Hunt for FA needs next year after we see how the young bats develop in ‘23 & we see if our SS of the future is in the organization by August. Sign a reliever or 2 NOW from FA market. All spending can happen if we move on from CC.

Suggestion of RH bat depth for DH & security at 3B - Evan Longoria! Relievers for BP depth…….as you mentioned, I to wanted a FA starter to push Maeda into the Pen. Am still in favor of that happening somehow, maybe Varland picking up the 5th rotation spot. Drop Maeda into middle relief & add Fulmer - Hand - Britton or any 2 of those guys and our BP is really solid. No Pagan - maybe no López in bullpen …….offer up their “potential” along with Kepler and a prospect for a SP in return. Dream scenario. Bull Pen to reverse the 27 blown saves (let’s cut to 12) from ‘22: FA (Hand) - Moran - Thielbar - Megill - Jax - Duran - Maeda - FA(Fulmer)……..Winder & Alcala in St. Paul & ready to go.

Right, Gotta move Kepler and one or two more guys to get an arm, whether proven Starter or highly regarded prospect. Kepler alone will get us nothing. (Celestino - Walner - Sands - Jeffers are all in the mix for stronger pitching depth) Kepler plus two more pieces should yield some value. Would really like to see Maeda in Pen for 2-3 months as the probable “bridge” from middle 5th into the 7th in winnable games. Maybe all year. Don’t see Varland or any of the other young Starters forcing that move. However, signing Cueto as a depth piece and allowing Maeda to work from the Pen would be a potential back up plan to the Kepler & crew for pitcher transaction. Just seems Maeda’s experience is a better bet for middle/long relief than anyone else we have. He did exactly that for Dodgers for years & made spot starts as needed. He would shorten the need for 5 relievers used down to 3 in games we are ahead in during 5th. I think his best value for TEAM…….best protection for his arm at 35.

Love the optimism! We don’t suck & we have a bunch of decent to good players. W/o ridiculous injury problems we also have decent depth. Rays win annually without superstars …….I’m fine with our roster. Don’t see the large chasm between Correa & Farmer. I have not been a critic of the FO. There are 25 FO’s struggling every year - not just in MN! I don’t see our offer to Correa as wildly different than the Mets, $30M less total & 2 less years of service expected by the Twins. ($26.25/yr Mets & $28.5/yr Twins) ……..however, the Gallo signing is difficult to rationalize. To me, the Manager’s handling of pitching staff in ‘22 was pretty standard procedure in today’s game, especially if handling often injured Sonny Gray, Chris Archer, & Dylan Bundy. Mahle arrived & got hurt. Paddock arrived & got hurt. Ober was on the edge all year with injury. Ryan was in his first MLB season. I think Winder had some issues? Watching Maeda re-hab daily. Not sure what he’s supposed to do??? Not his fault Smith, Duffey, Pagan & López joined together to nearly lead the league in blown saves (27 is a bunch….what if only 12?? … that’s still 2 per month)……..it wasn’t “over work”….these guys are professional pitchers just like the starters. Would have liked our splash to have been on a free agent Starting pitcher to then move Maeda to Pen for 2-3 months, or if effective, there all year! I like your continued openness to Johnny Cueto or similar for starter depth!! Lastly, I think we have a Diamond in the Rough with Megill. Plus fastball - plus curveball - slightly different release point with his height……….needs a 3rd pitch to get hitters off sitting on one pitch. A cutter or a change-up used 10-15% of the time would make him dominant. Got my fingers crossed on our pitching development crew!! Add Maeda, Moran, & a more effective Megill and our Pen is solid! How about spending a little on Fulmer - Hand - Britton………please, more arms the better!! Let’s get blown saves down to 12?.

Agreed on Gordon! To me, he’s our opening day LF. Also, agreed that we have too many OF & we didn’t sign Gallo to trade him. Maybe we signed Gallo to play left and expect Gordon to play a lot more 2B with Polanco only being available health wise 60-70% of the time. Polanco also gone after 2023…..could we be grooming Gordon for future at 2B after last year’s uptick offensively? Blend a pitcher we see as serviceable (Sands - Winder) along with Kepler & Celestino for a proven arm or a high end prospect arm. If Jeffers &/or one of the young LH outfielders needs to be involved in a trade with Kepler to get a decent arm in return, do it. In my opinion, Celstino’s “OK defense”, complete lack of power for an OF bat, terrible base running……all put him in a place where we don’t need to see him on our roster in 2023 & forward. Larnach - Walner - Kirilof - Gallo - Gordon, assuming Max is traded, is still one more LH than needed. Gordon & Gallo aren’t trade bait. If somebody is more interested in “upside” than Kepler, keep Max & trade one of the other 3. NEED PITCHING DEPTH & Free Agency starters have sailed.

Bassitt & Vazquez would have been fabulous!! Eovaldi & Vazquez & Fulmer would have been fabulous! How about Vazquez, Fulmer, & Hand or Britton or maybe Kluber - to get Maeda into PEN. THIS COULD STILL EASILY BE REALITY. Our staff would be DEEP!! Experienced guys in high leverage spots & a good catcher to pair with them. Can trade Kepler - a pitching prospect like Sands - Winder - etc. ……along with Larnach or Walner………ALL 3 for one of the guys like López in a trade. Jeffers as one of 3 if he’s of interest. Can’t trade Arraez nat after losing Correa!

Gotta assume the medical issue that could shorten Correa’s availability may not have been a concern when signing a 3 year deal last year. If so, 10 years is a pretty bold offer if it’s serious. Maybe just an insurance hurdle they can’t get over at the length Giants & Mets were offering? Those actuaries can mess up what others seem to think isn’t a big deal. I get wanting insurance for sure the last 5 years of a 13 year deal, or “no deal” approach. In my opinion, can sign Evan Longoria to a one year deal for experience, professionalism, and RH bat at DH……..maybe 25-30 starts at 3rd. 37 & not expensive at this point. Assuming there’s a connection with him and Baldelli from the Rays days that may help as well! Eovaldi was too expensive & risky…….he’s had numerous health issues but still gets guys out when pitching. A lot like Sonny Gray. Eovaldi signed for 2 years & $34 million. That’s a deal!!! Kick the tires with Longoria - may be a good fit & not as costly as we might think. He’d be great for $6.5M or less.

All about adding a reliever or 2!! Am stuck on the known - Fulmer. Seems like a practical path for a signing. 2 years for $21M. Worst case. Maybe a lefty - Moore is 42……sensible??? Hand - Britton? My Pen for TWINS: FA we can sign …….Fulmer is choice #1 Jax Maeda Moran Thielbar Duran Lopez …….would like to alter this somehow, stuck for now. No command in zone. Pagan clone - good stuff, no clue how to pitch! Megill …….please develop a 3rd pitch, if only just for show Cap it at 8 guys……..26 man roster Alternates are Alcala - Winder. Gotta move Pagan!!!!

How does a poor signing from the Giants prove the Rogers trade was a poor decision. He was terrible in MN without at least a days rest between appearances. Every year with TWINS!! They lost half of ‘21 productivity due to his finger issues. Still paid him. They let him go due to lack of availability and he was brutal blast year ……..worse than Pagan somehow. We have the potential (low expectations) of Paddock coming back from surgery & contributing. How is this a “4x really poor” trade????

#5 Mahle - health & decent performance is necessary for Team success. #6 Larnach - needs to step up and play 110 games & realize potential with teens HR’s & 50 plus RBI. Lots of DH at bats I believe. #7 Maeda - need to feel his positive presence on the staff whether from the Pen (hopefully) or as a starter. #8 Nick Gordon - he’s on a track to be an All-Star left fielder. Speed - doubles power - plugs holes on defense as needed - .270 BA ……..walk a few more times and he’s a SOLID every day player for next 8 years!

Lopez was not a good pitcher at any point in his career prior to first half of last year…..4 pitches - decent to plus stuff, not good results. Desperation move to bullpen in Baltimore last year…….don’t think he has mental makeup to pitch in majors at a high level. Why would Baltimore trade him with his level of success & his contract unless they didn’t believe the results? He also had 44 appearances with 55% of season gone in ‘22 - that’s a lot. Lopez & Pagan are mirror images, good stuff, no bulldog in them. They should both be rolled into trades with a bat like Kepler for whatever we can get. Can’t keep Gallo & Kepler with the 3 young left handed bats behind them. #1 Joey Gallo - obviously can’t do what he’s done last couple years or he’ll be DFA’d…….Miranda’s production was & will be fine for this point in his career. #2 Jorge Polanco……….Getting paid to play 130 games per year at 2B and drive in runs while getting near to 20 HR’s. #3 B. Buxton & A. Kirilof………gotta play & play to capabilities. Buxton needs to hit .240 or more with 85 plus RBI & 33 plus HR. Kirilof needs to play 110 games and hit .270 plus with 50-60 RBI. #4 Wildcard - Trevor Megill……..his plus curveball & 98MPH fastball need to yield better to dominant results 1 inning at a time!! He needs a 3rd “show” pitch to keep hitters from sitting on 1 of the other two. Change-up or cutter would make him devastating. Get to work with him! Original Article Choices: Miranda will be fine - López may not have the guts to pitch consistently in MLB, an insignificant piece for Twins - Jeffers is almost insignificant as well with Vasquez on roster so don’t understand this choice?

I think it’s possible that not worrying about SS any longer would be healthy for the whole fan base!! Farmer is here for up to 2 years until our youth is ready from the Farm System. Trading for a non-offensive threat is not an option. Trading for a SS is senseless. Spend $ on pitching - sign a couple free agent arms, maybe 3. Still experienced value in arms left to sign. Trading for pitching solely, without signing any free agent pitching is a mistake. Spend any available budget $ on extending current veteran pitchers (Maeda - Mahle - Gray) (Kepler - Sands - Winder - Walner - Larnach - Jeffers - farm system pitchers) These are guys that are understandably available for trades. All upside guys, potentially. All in roles where we have depth. All could be bundled in some combination for A PITCHER.

Hand (need back up plan for Thielbar) & Fulmer for $17-$20 million/year total. Kluber for another $7-8M for starter depth so Maeda can start in Pen for couple months. On paper, our staff would be stacked! Extend Gray - Mahle - Maeda as deserved after May…..completely agree! Everyday lineup is fine unless 3 guys get hurt & Larnach/Kiriloff are way over-rated.

Arraez can split time at 2nd & DH in Boston but he can’t do both of those things & play some 1B for the TWINS??? Polanco has bad knees as well - missed a bunch of time in ‘22 and has one year left on contract. Trading Arraez’ flexibility in the Infield along with a .313 lifetime (4 seasons) batting average seems nuts to me. Trade prospects and guys we don care to have on our roster for pitching or pony up with a Free Agent pitcher or two - don’t trade away consistent productivity. (Keppler - Larnach - Celestino - Walner - maybe an unproven arm)

He’s 33 - 4th best WAR last year of all free agent starting pitchers …..he’s a risk, but he’s 100-140 innings of decent quality performance. Spots of high end performances here & there. Sounds a lot like Sonny Gray. I am concerned though that after Vázquez signed he hasn’t been able to get much activity on this front as his former battery mate. Maybe telling FO to go elsewhere?

Have seen it a number of times & don't understand the logic of trading Arraez? Has played 4 seasons and has a career .313 BA. Can play 1st - 2nd - 3rd in a pinch. Youth & player control coupled with productivity is what we wish every player was described as - Louis Arraez. If you don’t have a closer you’ll have a losing team.

Look at the Astro’s reliever resigning - this signing of Rogers, and it appears $11 million for a “standard plus” reliever is at that level. Assuming Fulmer would be there as well - two years at a minimum. Inflation - making up ground for Covid years - players cost money!! We need to sign either Hand - Britton - Fulmer. Have the $ and a supposed desire to win. Get it done! Eovaldi for depth for next 3 years at the top of the staff……extend Mahle - Gray with decent results through May. Maeda to pen for even more depth & competency!! Extend him with decent early results! If Eovaldi and 3 years is too much to ask, at least sign Kluber for a year to enable Maeda to work out of pen for at least a couple months. My assumption was Vázquez would talk up Eovaldi with management but doesn’t seem to be the case, at least not out in the open. Maybe Kluber this year and make a trade for pitcher, if needed, in July?

Miranda is our 3B in 2023, period. No trades happening to change that! Nobody trades Urshella with Miranda needing a position to then seek another third baseman. Maybe sign Evan Longoria for $5 million as a depth piece at 3rd and a right handed DH alternative. Good experience and leader by example in clubhouse at 37?

Draft picks in baseball don’t translate like football picks. Can’t understand the inflated view of draft picks in these discussions! We should try to get to the post season. What is the point of a “rebuild” other than listing younger ages on the roster? Seriously, what’s the point. Young guys don’t magically become solid players because they get a year or two under their belt in the Show! We don’t save money one year to spend more the next - no point. We have a decent club now. Not great. Certainly no chance to dominate!! If we get a reliever that will perform (Fulmer - Hand - Britton) & we sign Eovaldi & move Maeda to Pen we have the best staff in our Division top to bottom. Shift removed should disproportionately help left handed hitters & we have a bunch. Kepler - Polanco - Gallo all go away after next year. Let’s strengthen staff and not give away games with our Pen at 2022’s rate. (Smith - Pagán - Duffey - López) …….this bullpen debacle & poor health stopped us last year. We were assuming Correa would opt out in June & Lewis was our future until the knee injury. RIGHT? Correa was hurt & then brutal for 10 weeks last year. Farmer will be sufficient as a bridge to future. We need to stay healthy at some higher level so Celistino never sees a major league uniform. Strengthen pitching and run these guys back - maybe a vet DH guy like Evan Longoria for bench presence and depth? With decent pitching 90 wins & wildcard seems reasonable.

Sounded good until the propeller comment. Moving on, If we trade somebody it should be Keppler - Pitching prospect - Larnach (or similar) so we actually get a good pitcher. Nobody is sending any decent return at any position just for Max. I thought Bassitt was obvious sign for us. No activity that I recall. Sign Eovaldi & do as you suggest, unload starters that are ineffective or we can’t extend next July. Sign a starter & move Maeda to pen - agreed. I think a signing of Fulmer (or like) is needed!!!! Good points. If we add pitching we will be competitive, i.e. Cleveland of 2022.

Escobar at $9 million per year for 2 years - 25 points less batting average & same power, couple years older than what we traded in Urshella. Same salary. Why? Freed salary to sign impact guys & to let Miranda have a place to develop. As much power as Urshella or Escobar. He has a ceiling at 3rd but he’s not a butcher - needs more regular time……2-3 more years at $700K!!! Harmon Killebrew played third base off & on over a number of years……. Sign some pitching help! Trading for guys that are washed makes no sense & Escobar is the only 1 of 5 here that even makes one stop & think.

Live in Cinti & fans here aren’t real happy w/ownership. Only person they pay is Votto so not dragged down by a “mix of overpaid veterans”. St louis more than tries……they draw around 3,000,000 per year all the time!!! 3B & 1B they are paying for All-Stars and looking for more help. They develop pitching!! Cubs owners should get them & keep them competitive! Brewers have few resources and are in the mix quite often - we’ll run!

DO Something!!!! Refreshing thought.? Longoria - 30 games at 3B to spell Miranda & RH hitting DH? Eovaldi!!!! Fulmer!!

Cruz was free agent - Sano imploded - ball got unjuiced - Kepler had no power & Polanco has been hurt along with Buxton. Garver went in tank, got traded, been hurt. Not sure how intentional the changes have been? Stuff just happened. Can’t blow up a team that was in first place in early August within a still fairly weak Division. Fix the pitching!! Add depth!! Quit counting on 3-4 arms at AA & AAA!

What’s the logic here? Curious! We are concerned about losing young talent and QO draft pick but when we have budget to spend, don’t want to spend $$ on available talent, with no strings. ???