Twodogs

89 - 73 I'm predicting that Cleveland falters this year, they don't go on a 20 something game winning streak and they have a bad month somewhere either early or late and they go 87 - 75 and they win the 2nd wild card. At least that is what I am hoping for.

It could all go back to business as usual next year. At the beginning of free agency I figured the Twins had no shot at Arrieta, I kinda felt the same about Darvish, but the Twins might have had an inside track on him due to the front office guys and whatnot. But now that no one else has signed him, might as well go for it and see what you can get him for?? Like the offer to Lynn, all he can do is reject it? I'd like to see a low ball offer with lots of incentives. Like 1 Mill for 150 innings, 2 Mill for 175 and 3 Mill for 200 innings. 1 Mill for top 5 voting Cy young, 2 Mill top 3, 3 Mill if he wins the Cy young. Make it so that if he does have a super stud year that he gets rewarded. Make it so that there are a low incentive, like the 150 innings, should be easy right? But it's only worth a million but he gets the big payday if he gets to 200 innings, which is pretty difficult in today's day and age. Just some thoughts to get one of these guys to sign for less. So offer 14 to 15 million one year offer with the same exact offer for a 2nd year with opt out in place, but on top of that 2 year deal he has a shot to make 20 - 21 million, but he has to do those things in order to make that happen. If he wins the Cy young and pitches 200 innings then he would be worth the price tag in my opinion, we are all worried about giving big money and then having the dude fall flat on his face. this rewards greatness, and if that happens the Twins would have a shot at the world series

Would you give Cobb the same offer Lynn got? 2/$20mil? Well I think if the Twins really want him they need to offer like 2/25 or 26 maybe with some incentives that could add a couple million per year. I think 2/20 those guys just kinda snarl at, but add 2 to 3 million and it might be kinda hard to pass on? One thing to consider is that Erv is on the DL and let's face it he pitched above his head last year, once he works his way back he most likely won't be the same pitcher as he was last year. Second thing is the draft pick, yeah people can cry about a draft pick but it's only one pick, so to put that in perspective, over the last 10 years how many of the Twins draft picks have turned out to be a pitcher as good as Cobb? If I do my math correctly, I think, what, zero?? So one pick shouldn't scare them, yeah use it as leverage to say hey, we are giving up a pick for you, so that's why we are offering 2/25, but in reality I don't think the pick is worth that much. Now it's up to the Twins, if they want to roll Hughes and or Sanchez out there all year then don't bother. I think the lineup is probably good enough to carry them again, but I am of the mindset that they probably shouldn't count on Santana to even come close to repeating last year's numbers

Give Cobb and offer.

https://newarena.com/mlb/ranked-every-mlb-teams-ace-from-worst-to-best/?amxt=pib&utm_campaign=fb_jg_mlb_PitchersRanked&utm_source=fb_ae&utm_medium=fb-pib&utm_term=mlb_nl&utm_content=1 Interesting, it's breaks down, according to them, each teams Ace and where they rank amongst each other.

I was always fairly high on Lynn, even last year towards the end of the season when free agency was first brought up. But now with Odorizzi and Morrison, I think Cobb might be a better fit chemistry wise. He would have some familiarity with some of his teammates.

Yeah, until he left.

Could be just, hey you have a 20 million dollar offer or you sit out and get nothing. But yeah a two year deal doesn't make any sense from the players point of view unless there is a player opt out after year one if he lights the league on fire?

Billy Ripken on MLB channel said he thinks Lynn should take that offer to re prove himself and maybe get a better deal later. I thought it was interesting that someone like Ripken is saying that maybe these guys should just sign. He said well he made 7.5 mil last season, probably shouldn't leave 20 mil sitting out there.

I think this is the year that they build up his arm strength to go 150 innings so that next year he can have a legit shot at being in the rotation. It would be cool to see him for a spot start in the middle of the season just to see him with the big club once, but I really think he has to dominate in AAA this year. At least most of it.

Meanwhile, Dozier is 2 - 2 today with 2 2B's

I was always a little higher on Lynn than Cobb, however it occurred to me that in a situation like this the guy that gets low balled in free agency could be somewhat bitter about it. So if Lynn takes a deal lower than the qualifying offer he could become a bad seed in the clubhouse. Cobb could fit this scenario also, however, with the Twins aquisition of Odorizzi and Morrison Cobb could make a little better transition with the Twins especially with the familiarity of some teammates already with the Twins?? Just a thought. Cobb is probably the guy they should go after? In my opinion

Well they have nothing to lose by offering these guys something, other than relegating Phil Hughes to the bull pen

I know it's a giant pipe dream, but could you imagine if Hughes was able to put it together for a few months this year like back in 2014?? That would be a great story and it would be really cool for the team

I havent seen any games, but has he looked crappy in ST games so far?

Yeah, if he tells everyone then the pitchers know also. Might as well let them try and figure it out

But, Gonsalves and Romero are probably on an innings limit this year, probably fairly significant innings limit. May will be the wild card if he can come back and perform it should all be moot. Also, if Hughes can perform it would go a long ways also, Hughes has to be able to keep hitters off balance and with an 87 MPH fastball that isn't likely to happen, but with 91-92 he might be able to because he knows how to pitch. But if the Twins are looking to do big things this year they may have to go out and get someone. 3 years 45 mill and an opt out so if they do well they will go and test the market again??

Well if they got Cobb they would have no problems with clubhouse chemistry, they'd have 3 new guys all off the same team.

I saw it on the MLB channel that the Yankees were in play to sign Lynn

Looks like the Yankees are going to sign Lynn

Big thing you have to look at is, is Santana going to be the same pitcher as last year?

They do when you take negative war guys out of the rotation. You are assuming everyone they ran out there last year was at a 0 war then no, not a lot of improvement. But when you are replacing negative war guys then it is a little better than it looks on paper.

Ozzie Smith wouldn't have made the hall of fame as a DH or at 1B/3B either. I think Mauer's stats play very well with all of the years he spent at catcher, if he were a life timer at 1B I don't think anyone even thinks twice about Mauer in the HOF. But when the majority of his career was at catcher then the discussion is at least there.

So am I wrong in assuming that at some point in the season the staff will look like this? 1 Santana 2 Berrios 3 Odorizzi 4 Gibson 5 Mejia, Sanchez, Hughes, May I don't think I'm really going to include Gonsalves or Romero in the mix as I think they both need to build arm strength so they can at least pitch 150 - 170 innings which won't be this year but hopefully next year. It at least shows that the Twins might have a little bit of depth and some competition going forward in the rotation. I'd still like to see a Cobb or Lynn signing, 4 years 60mill with an opt out or something then this could be the rotation 1 Santana 2 Berrios 3 Lynn/Cobb 4 Odorizzi 5 Gibson All those guys in the 5th spot becomes the 6th spot in case of injury, for instance to start the season with Santana on the shelf for a couple of months. I think a staff like that puts the Twins into 90+ win territory. They will still struggle to win the big game so not likely a WS rotation but if they are on Pace to win 90+ then maybe they can find that guy at the deadline like Houston did with Verlander?? Again I know I am just dreaming, but that's what being a Twins fan is all about.

Whoops? I made the post and for whatever reason I set my phone down and then that happened?? Sorry