What do the Twins need to do for a Successful Winter Meeting?

[Physics Guy]

I'd love to see Ryan turn a couple nickels into a quarter in trade.

I'd be happy giving up two dimes and even throw in a nickel if the quarter is a #2 SP or better.

[jokin]

None. I don't view next week as some kind of deadline......

 

 

 

You're right, it isn't a de jure deadline, but since Ryan has returned as GM, the shop has been on Auto-Pilot from about one week after the WMs are completed, as virtually nothing has happened that ended up affecting the team during the pending season, major-league-roster-wise between Christmas vacation week and April 1.

 

Year One offseason of the second Ryan Era (Major League Moves in Bold)

 

12/22/11-  Twins sign Jason Marquis

1/3/12-  Twins sign Casey Fien to a minor league contract

2/8/12-  Twins claim Darrin Mastroianni on waivers

 

Year Two

 

12/20/12-  Twins sign Mike Pelfrey

 

Year Three

 

12/23/13-  Twins sign Kurt Suzuki

1/29/14-    Twins sign Matt Guerrier to a minor league deal w/ ST invite

2/12/14-    Twins claim Brooks Raley on waivers

 

 

Compare that record to other teams, both contenders and rebuilders, the lack of significant activity, and especially considering yearly favorable position for waiver claims, it's pretty stunning.

[gunnarthor]

Not sure exactly what you're going for Jokin but the Twins signed Willingham, Correia and Fein after the WM and traded Doumit as well.

 

I do expect that the Twins do a few things at the WM but I also think that they are mostly in a waiting game on the young prospects/arms.  A few minor moves might happen but nothing that excites anyone, I would guess.

[ashbury]

from about one week after the WMs are completed, as virtually nothing has happened that ended up affecting the team during the pending season, major-league-roster-wise between Christmas vacation week and April 1.

 

Not sure exactly what you're going for Jokin but the Twins signed Willingham, Correia and Fein after the WM and traded Doumit as well.

 

Willingham was a Dec 15 signing and Correia was December 13, fitting what Jokin said.  Doumit was traded last December 18, as well.  Fein was signed January 3 so that one was missed.

[jokin]

Willingham was a Dec 15 signing and Correia was December 13, fitting what Jokin said.  Doumit was traded last December 18, as well.  Fein was signed January 3 so that one was missed.

 

Corrected my post, updating Fien, thankyou.  And yes, the point of my post is the lack of meaningful efforts of offseason upgrading activity after mid-December.

[jokin]

 

 

I do expect that the Twins do a few things at the WM but I also think that they are mostly in a waiting game on the young prospects/arms.  A few minor moves might happen but nothing that excites anyone, I would guess.

 

And playing this waiting game, it seems they seem to shut down consideration for all of the possible upgrades that become available between the WM and the end of ST- on the waiver wire alone, guys like JD Martinez, Emilio Bonifacio, Todd Redmond, have emerged.

[blindeke]

I don't see why there is so much in motion to trade Pinto.  What value does he exactly have?  It's known he hasn't been the best catcher and he had a down season at the plate in Minnesota.  There can't be much of a market for him.  Best case scenerio the Twins trade low oh him and he never puts it together and it was a good decision to get rid of him.  Worst case scenerio, the Twins trade low on him, a team gives him the reigns as their starting catcher, he improves to be a serviceable catcher and becomes a 280/350/425 hitter and the Twins look dumb giving up on him.

 

What's the harm in letting him be the backup catcher and starting a few times per week?

 

I just can't see anyone giving up anything of value for Pinto, 

 

Wilson Ramos trade 2.0

[Winston Smith]

A success would be not signing another NL pitcher.

[Rosterman]

Wilson Ramos trade 2.0

Hardly. WE ALL know Pinto isn't considered a great catching prospect. If he had major value, it was before last season, coming off a fine September. You can send him to AAA and have him catch to see if he does better himself. And if a team believes he can catch, and also develop as a hitter, he has value. He IS NOT the Twins catcher of the future. Right now, he has to be able to catch 20-30 games at least, be available as a DH, and be a solid bench bat, unless Vargas falters and he would be the permanent DH who could also catch (third catcher) behind Suzucki and someone not named Fryer and Butera or even Herrmann. Right now, sad to say, he's a better prospect than Herrmann.

[diehardtwinsfan]

I think trading Pinto or Plouffe would be a mistake. Perhaps someone will gamble on Plouffe, but I don't think they will, and I think his value will be much higher next year if he can maintain or improve on his existing season. Perhaps someone who desparately needs a 3B will give up a top shelf pitcher for him, but I'm doubting that.

[D. Hocking]

The Winter Meetings would be a success if:

 

10: The Room Key doesn't blank out

9: Terry doesn't piss off Theo

8. The maid doesn't walk in... At exactly the wrong Time

7. Drug sniffing dogs don't stop and bark at Terry's rental car.

6. The Dodgers make 30 moves taking attention away from Twins inactivity.

5. A Panda gives birth at the Zoo taking attention away from Twins inactivity.

4. Lauren Shehadi dresses skimpily

3. The Wi-Fi covers the entire room

2. Albert Hammond is correct for the week

1. Terry never says "Whales Vagina" not once.

I had seen a couple of your posts recently on some other threads that were lucid and on point, so I needed to read something like this to know that the world had not gone completely topsy turvey.  I am not sure I would want to live in a world with a coherent RB.