Screw this, let's start some rumors now!

[Twodogs]

Ha ha

 

I mean none of us are front office guys and can only guess what the Twins direction in the future will take.  I am a constant Minnesota Twins fan stuck in this 75 degree weather known as California.  However, I am always usually a cup half full guy as compared to a cup half empty when it comes to the Twins and their players.  I am always hoping that Hicks will become that 285 hitter with 15 to 20 Hrs and great defense that will make it tough to bring Buxton up.  I was totally ecstatic when the Twins signed Nolasco last year to one of the richest free agent contracts ever for the Minnesota Twins.  So of course I was disappointed when he floundered all year last year and I had to give his former High School Baseball coach who sits across from me at work, if you call it that, and blame him for my Twins misfortunes.  Of course I hope Nolasco can throw 200 innings and K 180 guys and win 18 ballgames.  That's the cup is half full guy in me.  But I also remember Nolasco complaining about being in Minnesota last fall and Hicks getting basically let go in winter ball and the cup is half empty guy starts to creep in. 

 

So I now started to think, who is out there that really needs a change of scenery?? 

 

Who could the Twins trade for Van Slyke from the Dodgers??  I mean with Pederson coming in Van Slyke will be the Dodgers 4th or 5th OFer for ever, I think he could be a stud if given the opportunity, what do you non front office types think??  Who could the Twins off load for Van Slyke?? Nolasco??  IDK  Just thoughts going through my mind.

[Shane Wahl]

Hicks doesn't need to have those kind of numbers as long as the defense also improves. He just needs .250/.340/.360 right now and get to double digits with homers and steals. 

 

I didn't like the Nolasco signing in a vacuum, but when they got Hughes for cheap as hell last year I was happy with the total package. I did basically think that Nolasco was going to turn in one bad season, one good season and two slightly below average seasons. Brushing 2014 aside as the obvious bad one, I would take his remaining contract. I do wish it was never four years though.

 

Scott Van Slyke would have been nice as a trade instead of signing Torii Hunter, certainly. It's a bit hard to figure out a trade for the guy. What do you think of Travis Harrison, Tyler Duffey, and Michael Tonkin?

[h2oface]

Watching Van Slyke play out here in LA, I would wish for Van Slyke for Nolasco immediately if not sooner. The only place Ricky really pitched well (I contend the rest of his career was mediocre, except for horrible for the Twins) was for the that last part of 2013 in Dodger Blue. I would even go Hicks and Nolasco for Van Slyke. That would open up the rotation for Meyer and give us a center fielder that can hit and field.

[Paul Pleiss]

I dont want to trade Aaron Hicks. Watching him become an almost alstar for another team will be really really painful.

 

Let's trade Brian Dozier instead. Great hair, but I think we've seen the best of him already.

[Steve Lein]

Who could the Twins trade for Van Slyke from the Dodgers??  I mean with Pederson coming in Van Slyke will be the Dodgers 4th or 5th OFer for ever, I think he could be a stud if given the opportunity, what do you non front office types think??  Who could the Twins off load for Van Slyke?? Nolasco??  IDK  Just thoughts going through my mind.

 

Van Slyke would have been one of my top trade targets heading into the offseason, but they went with Torii Hunter to fill that opening.

[Paul Pleiss]

Hawt Take: Twins in trade discussions for back of the rotation guy with mystery team. Deal pending agreement and physicals.

 

Totes ah.

 

cra cra.

[Twodogs]

You'd think Van Slyke would want to get out of there.  The writing is obviously on the wall with Pederson coming in and Puig, Either and Crawford.  Plus Van Slyke is already 28 so it's not like he has 2 - 3 years where he can sit around and hope somebody like Puig gets delt before a big contract or something.  I'd think he would want to play full time now so that he can build up some numbers to get his own pay day.  With the Twins, he'd be the perfect fit in CF this year and next year he could take over LF and push Arcia back to RF if and when Buxton finally arrives.  Just seems like a perfect fit

[Paul Pleiss]

You'd think Van Slyke would want to get out of there.  The writing is obviously on the wall with Pederson coming in and Puig, Either and Crawford.  Plus Van Slyke is already 28 so it's not like he has 2 - 3 years where he can sit around and hope somebody like Puig gets delt before a big contract or something.  I'd think he would want to play full time now so that he can build up some numbers to get his own pay day.  With the Twins, he'd be the perfect fit in CF this year and next year he could take over LF and push Arcia back to RF if and when Buxton finally arrives.  Just seems like a perfect fit

What could the Twins give to the Dodgers in return? I don't see anything that makes sense.. maybe Brian Dozier. They need infield help, but that seems like a steep price to pay.

[snarkerbarnyard]

I like Van Slyke, but as others said Torii basically took his spot. He was not a good CF when he played there last year, but I would've loved him in left. And I don't like him enough to part with more than one top 7-15 prospect. He strikes out a lot, and that shiny .290 BA was over quite a SSS.

[Twodogs]

I would think that most would agree that hitting in the National League is a little bit harder due to less protection in the lineup, and the Dodgers play in a park with uber foul territory.  So I'd say Van Slyke right now is better that most of our prospects.  I mean he did hit 13 doubles and 11 HR's in 200 at bats.  He does K a lot but he also has a .386 on base percentage and a .500 plus slugging for about a .900 OPS.  I mean most of our prospects aren't even putting up numbers like that in the minors let alone the Bigs. 

 

And yeah, my thoughts, (obviously because I don't work for the Twins and they obviously haven't moved in any sort of direction like this or we would have heard about it,) are that Van Slyke is only a one year CFer and then when Buxton arrives he slides over to LF and Arcia slides back into RF.  I mean you can say the .290 average is from a small sample size but in that same sample size he had 25 extra base hits.  Kennys Vargas had 20 extra base hits with 3 more at bats last year, and he's supposed to be one of the Twins better slugging guys.  I'm not saying that Van Slyke is a savior or anything like that, Im just saying that it would be a good fit, not only for the Twins, but also for Van Slyke because he's going to be getting around 200 at bats again this year for the Dodgers.  Where as with the Twins he'd get 500 to 600.

 

Just my take, and I know it isn't going to happen, we will be coming out of ST with Hicks and Schaf in CF.  We will be waiting for the emergence of Buxton and in the meanwhile the Twins will have another losing season.  Hopefully not, but I am just saying that Van Slyke would shore up the OF.