clone52

If the Dodgers were so sure if this, why was their first choice to trade him to Boston?

Who knows what the pitchers are working on in those games. They might be trying something new or working on something specific. I'm not worried about Maeda and if Chacin amounts to anything, it will be a win.

I wouldn't be opposed to Betts/Price for Rosario/Larnach/Duran. Might not be my first choice, but I wouldn't hate it. They've got to use their prospects to get something at some point. Maybe wait and see who's doing good for a mid-season trade. I wouldn't make any prospect untouchable for the right person.

The just use about $5 million per arb eligible player to project that. There are a boatload of guys on that list for 2022 that the Twins won't be offering arbitration to. It won't actually be nearly that high. For example, this year the Twins have 7 players on arbitration salary and they are paying them 22.76 million. That website would have estimated they would be paying them $35 million. In 2022, its more likely that they'd be paying them a lot less. In 2022, I could see them maybe paying them $70 million in arbitration, and thats if Berrios gets $20 million in arbitration and Buxton and Rosario gets $15 million. Garver might get $6 million by that time. Taylor Rogers could be up around $10 million. Guys like Romero, Stewart, Gonsalves, Littell, Harper, Astudillo, Rorreyes, Cave Hildenberger, if they are still around wouldn't be getting more than a million or 2 each.

I kinda doubt the Twins will go back to 8 pitchers soon, unless they get hit with some poor starts. If they do Astudillo makes the most sense. I don't think he needs to. He has been slumping since he came back from injury, but really its more about not stringing together hits. He has only gone hitless is 2 games in a row once in that cold streak. A couple weeks in AAA might help him get his timing down. The next option would be Adrianza, although I'd prefer to keep him. I think you'd lose him entirely if you sent him down (although that would free up Arraez to take his place and you'd have to be okay with Marwin at SS a couple times a month. More than likely, some other position player will get dinged up and this debate will be moot.

Marlins are not going to take average major leaguers for JT. Unless it starts with Royce or Kiriloff, it ain't going to happen.

The one reason you might go cheap is if you think Gordon is close, but not quite there. Do you want a more expensive guy blocking Gordon?

No downside either then.

Keeping Duke is building for the future?

Nice article on Costello. Seems like a baseball guy and looking at his college stats, quite possibly a late bloomer. http://www.sentinelsource.com/sports/local_sports/costello-s-road-to-pro-baseball-led-straight-through-keene/article_40c94fa5-3716-57c5-a01a-2eb75c463f5a.html

Nice article on Costello. http://www.sentinelsource.com/sports/local_sports/costello-s-road-to-pro-baseball-led-straight-through-keene/article_40c94fa5-3716-57c5-a01a-2eb75c463f5a.html Sounds like he was a really under the radar guy. 31st round pick out of Central Connecticut State. Got drafted by the Mariners who drafted him because their scout was his AAU baseball coach. Was a midwest league all star this year, currently #1 in HR, #7 in OPS, #5 in slugging. Having a far better season than Twins 5th round pick Andrew Bechtold at the same age and same level. Looking at his college stats, seems like he was a sub his freshman and sophmore year, broke out a little bit his senior year and no breaking out even more as a pro. Could just be a late bloomer. I'd imagine he'd be in the Twins Top 30 at this point. Also, just noticed that guys in the Escobar and Pressley trade are currented ranked as #11, #14, #17 and #22 in the mlb.com rankings of the Twins system.

Seems like Costello is a pretty interesting prospect. Not in their Top 30, but thats probably because he was a 31st round pick out of Central Connecticut State last year. Has been really productive in Single A this year, although fairly old. He's actually no older than most of the infielders the Twins already have in single A and was a Midwest League All Star. #7 is OPS, #1 in HR, #5 in doubles. Very good K/BB ratio for a power hitter (better ratio that Kirloff, Lewis and anyone on the Kernels roster). In my opinion, seems like a sleeper and with the season he is having, he could easily move up the rankings. Having a far better year than Bechtold at the same age and he was a 5th round pick. Reading more about him, I think this is a big deal. He really wasn't a home run hitter in college, so it looks like he is really filling out.

Dozier is at .226/.307/.412 with a .719 OPS right now. Last year at the end of July he was .247/.329/.438 with a 0.767 OPS. He's slightly worse than he was last year at this time.

I think they are handling Garver about right. He's on pace to catch more games than he ever has in his career and it looks like they are beginning to play slightly more often.

I'd be A-ok with that plan. However, if he were thrown in to a bigger deal to pull in a bigger prospect, I'm A-ok with that too.

Stop lumping Kepler in with the rest. He's not having his worst season by any freaking metric. He's literally having the same season he's had the last 2 years. Blame scouting all you want on Buxton and Sano, but I'm guesisng every other team would have handled them both about the same way. Morrison is having a bad year, but at least they were smart enough to give him a 1 year deal, not a 3 or 4 year deal. Dozier has always been streaky.

Its probably also time to jump into the Yankees/Red Sox arms race. Yankees got a reliever. Red Sox got a starter. Time to get serious with the Yankees about Lynn, Odorizzi or Gibson. Time to get serious with the Red Sox about Rodney, Duke and even Dozier. Keep working with the Brewers about Dozier and Escobar. Talk to the Phillies about whoever. Talk to the A's about whoever. Try to pry a pitcher from the Yankees, or what about Thairo Estrada (2B/SS buried behind Torres and Gregorius) I just read that the Red Sox are looking for a veteran reliever, maybe a 3B upgrade and questions about Pedroia coming back. What if the Twins offered Escobar, Dozier, Duke and Pressley? Would the Red Sox like that and what would they give up? Escobar would be a termporary upgrade over Devers, Dozier is Pedroia insurance and the bullpen guys are nice.

Your post makes sense if Escobar was not a free agent this year. They might lose him anyway, so why not trade him. Honestly, if you do trade him, you just let Sano sink or swim the rest of the season. If Sano gets hurt, its Adrianza, Astudillo, Motter, Petit or whoever. None of those guys are in the plans as a regular for 2019, but maybe Escobar isn't either, so who really cares. Also, if you trade him, it doesn't eliminate the possibility of signing him in the offseason.

If they don't trade them, I'd absolutely offer one of the 2 a QO. There is very little risk involved. If you give Dozier a QO, he is not going to take it at all. I guarentee he could absolutely get a 3/40 contract from someone and I don't see any way he accepts the QO. A QO for Escobar, would be overpaying. I still think its a better than 50% chance he doesn't accept it and goes for a multi-year deal. Your risk is that he accepts it, but even if he does, what is the big deal? In a perfect world next year, Gordon, Polanco and Sano man 2B, SS and 3B next year. If they all stay healthy, well, you just paid your utility infielder $17 million, but you also probably had a pretty good season, so who cares. In reality, those guys probably won't all stay healthy and have great years. History has shown that Escobar is probably going to play 120 games a year, so he's more than a typically utility infielder.

I'd rather see him traded, but if they get garbage offers, I think I'd go the QO route. It'd have to be a really garbage offer to make that decision, though. If for whatever reason they don't trade him, I'd definitely consider a QO.

I know Dozier isn't going to get a multi-year offer for over 17 per year. Would he get take a multi-year deal instead? Would a team offer Dozier 3/40? Would Dozier take 1/17 over that? He might take the 3/40 and the Twins would get a draft pick.

If its a good deal, sure. You might also consider giving one of them a qualifying offer and getting a draft pick if they don't accept.

I mean, if you get a good offer, great, go for it. I wouldn't give him away from peanuts. He's never been the worst reliever in our bullpen. I don't think you get rid of cheap guys who aren't at the lowest rung.

1) Maybe they can swing a deal for a PTBNL or cash. If Santana sucks, you get cash. If Santana is decent, you get this player. If Santana wins the World Series MVP, you get this player. Not sure if that is allowed in the baseball trade world. 2) Heck, you might even bring Morrison back next year, hoping he rebounds a bit and become a trade asset next year. $8 million isn't that expensive. I doubt you keep him and sign Mauer though. 3) Me too. But if some desparate team offers a Top 50 prospect, you might ship him off. Would you trade him for the package the Giants got for Nunez last year? 4) If its a player that is not in your 2019 plan, why not trade for peanuts. And Lance Lynn will get far more than peanuts.

What is the possible logic in trading Pressly or Duffy?