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Twins Certainly Giving Fans What They Want

Although we have grown accustomed to slower offseason activity when it comes to Major League Baseball free agency, that doesn't make the reality any more exciting. Sure, the Minnesota Twins have spent $30 million already in retaining Nelson Cruz and Jake Odorizzi, but the true free agents are still out there. Before adding new talent to Twins Territory the franchise gave fans something else they've been clamoring for over the past few years; the baby blue's.   In 2020 Majestic is being replaced

Ted Schwerzler

Ted Schwerzler

Wheeler, Bumgarner, Ryu

Last night the Twins Daily Twitter account tweeted out a poll, asking which free agent pitcher people would want the Twins to sign. As I am typing this right now, 71% of people voted Wheeler, 15% voted Bumgarner, and 9% voted Ryu, with 5% saying they wouldn’t want any of the 3. I personally voted for Wheeler as well because I think he definitely has the stuff to take his game to another level, but it surprised me that an overwhelming majority of people want Wheeler, considering Bumgarner’s

BlakeAsk

BlakeAsk

The Epitome of Offseason Plans

You have all been very patient waiting for my 2019-2020 offseason plan. Your patience is now rewarded as I present to you the master plan for winning the 2020 World Series. {Cue the calliope.} This plan includes six free agency signings, one major trade, three contract extensions, and one token raise as a reward for a great year.   The Trade to End All Trades Step one is to call the Arizona Diamondbacks and offer them the opportunity to greatly improve their day-to-day lineup. The Twins send

terrydactyls

terrydactyls

Did Schoop Work for the 2019 Twins?

In early December 2018 the Minnesota Twins found their replacement for Brian Dozier. With the fan-favorite having been traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers prior to his free agency, Derek Falvey and Thad Levine needed to find another second basemen. Replacing Dozier’s pop wouldn’t be easy, but they tabbed a former All Star to do so when they inked Jonathan Schoop to a one-year deal. Now with the season behind us we can evaluate how it turned out.   At the time of his signing I wasn’t too terribly i

Ted Schwerzler

Ted Schwerzler

Offseason Blueprint: Let's Make a Trade

My 2020 Offseason Blueprint builds a Twins roster that can win the World Series within the next two years. I’ve tried to address the three weaknesses that TD staff have ably outlined in previous articles: A rotation depleted by free agency and in need of a second front-line starting pitcher. Poor infield defense. An inability to attract first-tier free agents. How do Falvey and Levine get the Twins that third World Series Title? Aggressive free agent signings and a blockbuster trade. Pay for

dbminn

dbminn

What if we trade Kepler?

I am not advocating trading him, but I have read so many trade Rosario scenarios I began to wonder what would happen if we took another of our players and put them out there. Admittedly Betts is the FA RF that will dominate all discussions, but what would Kepler bring us?   Here are his basic stats for the MLB career and a comparison with his MIB stats.   The first note is that he had not matched his MILB stats in the first three years, but he did last year - OBP/S/OPS. Is this his next platform

mikelink45

mikelink45

Everyone Wins on Odorizzi’s Payday

Prior to the 4pm deadline to decide on the qualifying offer presented to Jake Odorizzi by the Minnesota Twins, a decision was made. The 2019 All Star made the choice to return to Wes Johnson and Rocco Badelli’s staff on a one-year pact. This one will be lucrative at $17.8 million, but in the end all sides win.   In 2020 Odorizzi will be just 30 years old and is coming off a career year. He had a mechanics breakdown and blister issue mid-season for the Twins but bookended that performance with ex

Ted Schwerzler

Ted Schwerzler

Yet Another 2020 Blueprint: Wheeler and Ray, Let's Play!

Throw another log on the off-season blueprint fire because here's one more opinion about how the Twins should approach the winter. I believe this game plan is realistic and it would make the 2020 Twins a more complete team than the 2019 Twins. This off-season is all about adding quality pitching (hopefully a lot of it!), and my blueprint does just that.   Assume that I was named honorary GM for the winter and let's fast forward to March 2020 to look at what I did before handing the keys back to

Long Live La Tortuga

Long Live La Tortuga

Why the Reds and Twins Should Talk About Trevor Bauer

As I was pondering about the potential rotation for the Twins in 2020, I remembered something. It had been in the back of my mind but it came to the forefront today.   Thad Levine, in an interview with Aaron Gleeman, proclaimed that the Twins explored a trade during the season for Trevor Bauer. I can not remember the exact quote, but it went something like this: “We are interested in the player (Bauer), but it is unlikely that the Minnesota Twins will make a deal with the Cleveland Indians.”   O

Nash Walker

Nash Walker

Will Twins Double Down on Extension Excellence?

It hasn’t quite been a year, and unfortunately, we aren’t yet to the point of embarking upon Fort Myers for Spring Training, but the Minnesota Twins signed Max Kepler and Jorge Polanco to contract extensions last offseason. Both deals felt incredibly team friendly at the time, but Ozzie Albies and Ronald Acuna Jr. already had preconditioned us for those feelings. Now after the first season into their extensions with the Twins, Kepler and Polanco have already paid for themselves.   For two straig

Ted Schwerzler

Ted Schwerzler

My 2020 Twins Blueprint

First I non-tender Cron, tough decision, but have too many moving parts to keep him. This leaves me with C - Garver 1B - Sano 2B - Arreaz ss - Polonco 3B - Gonzalez LF - Rosario CF - Buxton RF - Kepler DH - Cruz   Of - Cave OF - Wade UTL - Adrianza C - Like the thought of signing Maldenado for about $3   This should give me the flexibility in case Gordon is ready which in a lot of other bloggers posts would cause me to either lose him or trade him for little value. This should also leave me wi

beckmt

beckmt

Foot, Meet Throat: A 2020 Offseason Blueprint

In January 2019, Thad Levine answered a question at Twins Fest:   "The best time to acquire players of that magnitude is when your window to win is wide open, not when you got your fingers underneath the window and you're trying to jam the window open. I want to do it when we're projected to win the Central and we're ready to put our foot on someone's throat".     After a fantastic 2019 season ending in a disappointing fashion, Derek Falvey addressed the media and is quoted as saying "We're goin

Andrew Luedtke

Andrew Luedtke

2020 Offseason Blueprint

Introduction   Coming off 101 wins in 2019, the Twins have put themselves in a position that GM’s could merely dream of. They only have around $70 million in guaranteed contracts and expected arbitration salaries on the books for 2020, making the possibilities almost endless. The window is open and it’s time to take full advantage of the roster and payroll situation the Twins' brass has put together over the last couple of years.   Arbitration Decisions   • C.J. Cron I chose to non-tender Cron.

nmjohn4

nmjohn4

Trivia

I have had the good fortune to be with Mark Harris, a former minor leaguer who threw batting practice for the Twins in the sixties. He once threw Home Run Derby to Aaron and Killebrew and has their autographs! He proposed a question to me that I flunked on, but it was too fun not to pass on. Name five pitchers who had a Cy Young and were convicted of a felony.   https://dcbaseballhistory.com/d-c-baseball-history-assorted-videos/1960-home-run-derby-washington-players/   Good luck

mikelink45

mikelink45

Why Jordan Balazovic has the makings of an ace

Rightly so, Twins fans are very excited about Brusdar Graterol, the flame-throwing 21-year-old from Venezuela. Graterol was called up to the Twins bullpen last summer and mostly impressed, even touching 102 MPH on his sinker. Graterol will be in the rotation soon enough, and his future partner in crime, the one they call "Jordy Blaze,” is on his way to stardom.   Jordan Balazovic was drafted in the 5th round of the 2016 Amateur Draft out of Mississauga, Canada. Balazovic played in eight Gulf Coa

Nash Walker

Nash Walker

2020 Minnesota Twins Blueprint, version 1.0

Here is my first blueprint for the Twins offseason. I'm using baseballtradevalues.com to come up with the trade scenarios.   1) Let CJ Cron walk. 2) Re-sign Sergio Romo, 1 year 3 million. Re-sign Jason Castro, 1 years 6 million with an option. 3) Keep Odorizzi, either through QO or work out a 3 year deal. 4) Trade Eddie Rosario, Jordan Balazovic and Lewis Thorpe to Arizona for starter Zac Gallen. I REALLY like his upside, and he comes with 6 years of team control. His changeup and command woul

Cory Engelhardt

Cory Engelhardt

From Contender to Champion: my plan for the 2020 Minnesota Twins

This time last year, I gave an offseason blueprint that had the Twins winning 100 games in 2019. Commenter tarheeltwinsfan appreciated that, saying "I like your hope-filled optimism." Well, so did the Twins, and they one-upped it by winning 101, beating my overly-optimistic hope by a win.   What won the Twins the division in 2019 won't do so in 2020. They have to be considered the favorite no matter what offseason moves they make, no doubt. But, don't forget that their Pythagorean wins were 97,

PSzalapski

PSzalapski

Planning the Twins Winter Moves

Today officially marks the beginning of free agency for the 2020 Major League Baseball season. The Minnesota Twins have some serious work to do with four-fifths of their starting rotation up for grabs, and a 100-win season to replicate. Rocco Baldelli will be angling for a second straight AL Central Division title, and the goal for the foreseeable future in Twins Territory will be Postseason berths.   While working through a full blueprint to outline a 25-man roster for the Twins I found myself

Ted Schwerzler

Ted Schwerzler

Another 2020 Blueprint

While I certainly chat with the white whales this offseason (Cole, Strasburg, Rendon), ultimately none land in Minnesota. That doesn't mean the offseason cannot be a success. I move forward with the following:   Zach Wheeler - 4 years/76 million Mike Moustakas - 3 years/42 million Jake Odorizzi - 3 years/39 million Will Smith - 3 years/35 million Jason Castro - 1 year/6 million   Trade AWAY Eddie Rosario for prospects Trade FOR David Peralta for prospects (Net +1.3 million for trades)   Non-Tend

3rd Inning Stretch

3rd Inning Stretch

One Reliever the Twins Should Be Locked in On

The Twins bullpen was mostly great in 2019 as they finished with the third best WAR in baseball, per Fangraphs. They had the best second half reliever WAR and watched Tyler Duffey and Trevor May become legitimate weapons along with the great Taylor Rogers.   Starting pitching will be the main focus this offseason, and rightly so. Trade deadline acquisition Sergio Romo is the only impending free agent from the bullpen. One of the other names circling at the deadline was left-hander Jake Diekman.

Nash Walker

Nash Walker

2020 Blueprint

Here we go...this first one will hurt... Trade Miguel Sano, Alex Kirilloff and Jhoan Duran or Balazovic to the Reds for Luis Castillo Trade Eddie Rosario and a couple of lower prospects for Jeff Hoffman Let Sam Dyson go Pay Martin Perez his buyout Project payroll: $67.5M   Sign Marcell Ozuna for 3 years, $36M Sign Josh Donaldson for 2 years $45M Sign Madison Bumgarner for 3 years, $57M Sign Kyle Gibson for 1 year, $8M Sign Dellin Betances for (? - 2 years, $12M) Sign Travis d'Arnaud for 2 years,

sthpstm

sthpstm

Opening Up the Twins 40 Man Roster

The 2019 Major League Baseball season officially comes to an end tonight as the Washington Nationals and Houston Astros wrap up game seven of the World Series. As the league calendar switches over to 2020 there will be significant roster shuffling. For the Minnesota Twins that already began yesterday, but the front office isn’t close to done when it comes to a 40-man overhaul.   After getting run with the big-league club in September the Twins outrighted a trio of talent off the 40 man yesterday

Ted Schwerzler

Ted Schwerzler

Baseball in the West

I just read this really fun article in True West Magazine https://truewestmagazine.com/article/six-guns-sluggers/?mc_cid=1c6674cead&mc_eid=b66323b9da   "Two sesquicentennial anniversaries in 2019 will commemorate landmark events in the history of the American West. When gold and silver spikes were gently tapped into place in a ceremonial laurelwood rail tie at Promontory Summit in Utah Territory to symbolize the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad on May 10, 1869, it opened the West

mikelink45

mikelink45

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