14 games

[Mr. Brooks]

Andre Ethier might be available if the Twins are buyers near the deadline.

He'd be a clear upgrade in RF, he's played a fair amount of CF as well this year.

Not sold on him defensively. Not sure what he would cost in terms of players going to the Dodgers.

 

 

No way on Ethier, unless the Dodgers are willing to eat at least 75% of that contract.

[curt1965]

Everything, for me, keys around getting Santana back. Plouffe really helps too, but I see him struggling for 7-10 days until he gets his timing back. 7-7 would be a miracle-5-9 more likely.

[Brandon]

Waiting the 14 games to see what happened makes a lot of sense. Best case scenarios (because lesser cases isn't worth discussing) is 9-10 wins. But then what? Anybody worthy of being classified as an impact player will be expensive (in prospects). If all of the top ten are "off-the-block", forget about anybody any good coming over. Adding a "low cost, veteran" has been tried many times and will be judged hashly. Add no one?--is even worse.

The "half-in, half-out" mentality makes no sense.

 

Just a few low cost options. Emilio Bonifacio, Will Venable, Drew Stubbs, Marlon Byrd These guys could play some CF and be solid bench bats. And they wont cost much in salary or commitment. I see our biggest need as a bench bat/ CF. Our other needs look like they can be solved internally.

[Guest USAFChief]

I'm still on the "under" 72.5 wins at season's end. Playoff talk is pretty optomistic, IMO, regardless what happens over these next 14 games.

[DocBauer]

Good thread! And once again, just too many good and interesting comments and opinions to copy and paste them all. So going to just try to hit on some of them randomly.

 

I love this version of the Twins. There is a completely different level of play and contention, a different vibe from the team if you will, from the past three year's teams. I think a lot of it is Hughes and Gibson. But it's also Plouffe and Escobar and Dozier and Santana and Suzuki as well. Even glimpses here and there from others. But I don't feel this team is a real playoff contending team this year. And I'm the eternal optimist! Lol.

 

Now, with nobody running away with the Central, and a second wild card, could we be? Yes. Personally, before the season began, and even now, when I talk about the Twins winning, it's about being competitive daily, which we have been. Even on our recent road losing streak, disappointing as it was, we held our own most games, were in all games, and had a shot to win because we didn't give up, and were competitive. That's important! How many blowouts and games over after 3-4 innings have we endured the past three years? So to me, personally, winning is about competitiveness, building, re-tooling, and aiming for that .500 mark this year. Maybe even a couple games over .500 which would be huge. And if that puts in contention, so much the better.

 

There are holes with this team, absolutely. Some are part of a natural progress of a rebuild. Some are poor decisions made by the FO, miscalculations or other. Overall, the biggest problem this team has faced in inconsistencies from series to series, week to week. Now, some of that can be traced to those holes. Some of it can be traced to young players, or players new to the team or league. But I think one of the biggest problems this season, in regard to said inconsistency, has been the injury bugaboo.

 

Look, I'm not going to excuse the FO for a lack of planning for at least ONE viable, so-so ML caliber OF'er being available, but who could have anticipated Willingham, Arcia, Hicks and Fuld all being injured at the same time? Likewise, I still think the Twins made a major mistake in not promoting Romero when Plouffe went down, and messing with Escobar for the past two weeks. But again, who could see Plouffe, Nunez and Santana all being injured simultaneously?

 

You CAN'T depend on luck in sports, and yet, every single team everywhere does. You can build depth in your team, regardless of the sport, and injuries happen everywhere, but starters are starters for a reason. And every single successful team generally has one thing in common, that is, the majority of their starters do just that...start. I am NOT saying the Twins would lead the division today, or be 2-3 games above the .500 mark...BUT...how many games better might they be with Willingham healthy most of the first half? Or Arcia, even with his streaky-ness? Or with Plouffe and Escobar and Santana not being injured recently? 2 games better? 3-4-5? Not sure it can be quantified properly, but don't tell me they wouldn't be better by at least a few games with better health and stability in the daily lineup. (Not to mention some imposter/body-snatcher pretending to be Joe Mauer who has recently been replaced by the real Joe Mauer.

 

Along with health and a resurgence of Mr. Joe Mauer, I think Dave really hit some key points very well.

 

Hughes, Gibson and yes, Correia, need to continue what they've done so far. And there is no good reason to believe they won't at this point. But Nolasco, a talented, solid and proven veteran needs to figure something out and step forward. Pino and Deduno, it appears, may both be nothing more than replacement level. And in that case, May could go a long way to determining the depth of our rotation. (This not to discount Meyer, Darnell or even Johnson)

 

I hate to put too much pressure on, or too much faith in, a youngster like Santana, but in reality, the kid has been a catalyst and maybe the biggest surprise so far this season. He brings a real spark and some real offensive talent. I pray his injury heals quickly, and he doesn't get Rusty or lose the magic.

 

As far as being buyers and making a trade to bring someone in, I have mixed feelings. Despite the overall short-comings in CF, I'd be very cautious. I simply wouldn't trade any important prospects at this juncture. However...it's an area that must be addressed next offseason, probably in FA. The reality is that Buxton will probably not be ready day 1, even if gets a strong second half in, and some quality AFL or winter ball. You simply can't go in to next season banking on him being immediately ready. Been there, done that, got burned. Even if Soriano continues to play well, gets a AAA call up, plays well, maybe even in a September call up and a good AFL or winter himself, and even if you re-sign Fuld, the Twins simply HAVE to come up with another solid CF/4th OF option to compete and provide depth/options. (Even with Santana as an option of sorts). So if there is someone out there than can be acquired now without a big payout, well, then you have addressed that need early and more power to us.

 

As far as the next 2 weeks before the All Star break, I just don't know. But this streaky team is due. 10-4 is possible but doubtful. But I do think 8-6 is very reasonable. Again, we're due, Plouffe is back, Mauer is hitting better, the pen has been on a recent roll, and Escobar is back where he belongs.

[TheLeviathan]

And every single successful team generally has one thing in common, that is, the majority of their starters do just that...start. I am NOT saying the Twins would lead the division today, or be 2-3 games above the .500 mark...BUT...how many games better might they be with Willingham healthy most of the first half?

 

The Twins haven't been unlucky with injuries. They're middle of the pack.

 

It's simply a mistake to cite this as the team's problem.

[Willihammer]

The rotation alone is going to keep them from having the "wheels fall off", the bats have been silent as of late, which will surely turn around.

 

Will it? They've had two 5 game losing streaks just in June.

 

I agree a couple of bats might come around but there are plenty of holes in this lineup still, esp. if they get the injury bug again.

[Kirby_waved_at_me]

I think pieces from the ML roster could be traded whether the Twins are a buyer or a seller. Pretty much anyone in the bullpen, any outfielder not named Arcia, and in the infield there are options as well (Nuñez, Escobar, Plouffe should all be considered). Don't necessarily have to trade a prospect to get a player back.

 

 

Depending on what other teams are looking to add, the Twins might have something to offer. It's still a couple weeks away, but I expect that there are already teams calling the Twins front office and vice versa.

 

Question for the group - is there one position in the organization that seems deep? Like could the Twins deal a minor league Reliever or Middle infielder or corner outfielder and still have a fair number of prospects coming up behind that player? What about catching prospects? The Twins have several guys in the low minors that are promising - Mitch Garver, Navaretto, Stuart Turner... If you're the Twins, what would you be willing to part with to improve this year's team?

[nicksaviking]

If you're the Twins, what would you be willing to part with to improve this year's team?

 

For my money, not a damn thing. I want them to improve next year's team and the year after. I'm not trading prospects, no matter how fringy, to improve this year's dumpster fire. We knew this team was going to struggle coming into the season, the fact that they surprised us for three months was nice, but they're back to meeting expectations.

[Kirby_waved_at_me]

For my money, not a damn thing. I want them to improve next year's team and the year after. I'm not trading prospects, no matter how fringy, to improve this year's dumpster fire. We knew this team was going to struggle coming into the season, the fact that they surprised us for three months was nice, but they're back to meeting expectations.

 

Yes - that's why I think the Twins should be looking at players on their current 25-Man roster, deciding which ones will definitely not be a part of 2015, and then try to get something back for them.

[nicksaviking]

Yes - that's why I think the Twins should be looking at players on their current 25-Man roster, deciding which ones will definitely not be a part of 2015, and then try to get something back for them.

 

Yeah, I sell anyone over 30 starting now and listen on anyone over 27. There are, and will be holes when you make trades, but it's not like this team hasn't been dealing with roster holes all year long due to injuries and poorly planned 25-man decisions.

[diehardtwinsfan]

Question for the group - is there one position in the organization that seems deep? Like could the Twins deal a minor league Reliever or Middle infielder or corner outfielder and still have a fair number of prospects coming up behind that player? What about catching prospects? The Twins have several guys in the low minors that are promising - Mitch Garver, Navaretto, Stuart Turner... If you're the Twins, what would you be willing to part with to improve this year's team?

 

I'd say relief pitching is pretty deep. Decent pen at the majors with two high ceiling guys destroying AAA and a few nice pieces a bit lower too. I could see them trading off one or two relievers at the deadline to make room for Tonkin and Achter. I'd argue that this would be pretty smart.

 

Longer term, I think this team is going to have a pitching surplus to work with. Guys like Johnson might get a modest return. I could see Darnell fetching something nice too given that there's no room for him. With Gilmartin and Berrios coming up as well, I could see them selling some pitching.

[JB_Iowa]

• Mike Berardino ‏@MikeBerardino 15m
  Since climbing to 23-21 in San Diego six weeks ago, #mntwins have gone 14-23, been swept 3 times and gone 3-7-2 in past 12 series.
   
   
   
  I'll say 6-7 over the next 13 games.
   
   
  

[jorgenswest]

51-30 in the second half would give them a shot at the division. They probably need to do a little better than that to get a wild card. It would also take a performance that is among the best in baseball in the second half to put up a 51-30.

 

They need to begin a great streak of play starting today similar to the great stretches of the 1991 or 2006 Twins.

 

It helped to have Santana, Liriano and Radke in 2006 and Morris, Erickson and Tapani in 1991. Do these Twins have what it takes?

[tarheeltwinsfan]

• Mike Berardino ‏@MikeBerardino 15m
  Since climbing to 23-21 in San Diego six weeks ago, #mntwins have gone 14-23, been swept 3 times and gone 3-7-2 in past 12 series.
   
   
   
  I'll say 6-7 over the next 13 games.
  

Ouch. Those are some cold, hard facts.

[Winston Smith]

51-30 in the second half would give them a shot at the division. They probably need to do a little better than that to get a wild card. It would also take a performance that is among the best in baseball in the second half to put up a 51-30.

 

They need to begin a great streak of play starting today similar to the great stretches of the 1991 or 2006 Twins.

 

It helped to have Santana, Liriano and Radke in 2006 and Morris, Erickson and Tapani in 1991. Do these Twins have what it takes?

 

The best winning pct in the first half is .622 by the A's. If the Twins match that, and no doubt they have a team as good as the A's, they would end up with 87 wins. I'm not sure that will win much at seasons end.

[Mike Sixel]

did you just type they have a team as good as the A's?

[ashbury]

did you just type they have a team as good as the A's?

 

Our guy Winnie is the acknowledged master of satire.

 

As for my views, we're sellers, period.

[Mike Sixel]

Phew. So hard to tell on the Internet

[Kwak]

did you just type they have a team as good as the A's?

 

No, he said if the Twins match [the A's 1st half winning per centage] then (by inference) they would have as good of a team as the A's. My take, Winston's toungue is pushing his cheek out.