What would you do if you were the GM?

[DaveW]

This next month of Twins games are probably the make or break point of the season for the Twins, after this series they goto Texas to face the read hot Rangers (who currently are in the 2WC spot) then 4 games vs St Louis who is the best team in baseball. 6 games at home against both Chicago teams (The Cubs who are playing well and the Pale Hose who always play the Twins tough)

 

Following that the Twins have a huge ten game roadtrip at Mil, Cin and 4 @ KC, before finishing up the first half with 3 against Baltimore and 4 against Detroit.

 

Not a lot of "gimmies" in that stretch as Mil (rival) and Cinci are the worst two teams the Twins face. I think at minimum the Twins need to go 14-17 in that stretch (Including today's game) to have themselves still in a solid spot heading into the all star break at 5 games above .500 which should at least keep them in the WC race. Anything less than that and things could quickly go south.

 

So, if you were the GM what would you do to ensure the Twins had the best shot:

This is what I would do:

1. DFA Stauffer: Call up Polanco

2. DFA Duensing: Call up Oliveros

3. Cut Nunez: Call up Buxton

4. Send down Herman: Call up Pinto

 

Every day Lineup:

1. Buxton CF

2. Mauer 1B

3. Hunter DH

4. Dozier 2B

5. Plouffe 3B

6. Rosario LF

7. Hicks RF

8. Suzuki C

9. Polanco SS

 

Bench:

Escobar

Pinto

Vargas

Robinson

 

Thoughts on this lineup:

Buxton is ready IMHO, he may struggle a bit but he will give the team the best leadoff hitter possible, additionally a defense of Rosario-Buxton-Hicks would be utterly lights out in the OF, anything not hit in the stands would likely be an out thus helping out the rotation and more importantly the bullpen which can't strike someone out to save their lives (sans Perkins of course)

 

If Suzuki is going to start 5 out of 6 games anyways you might as well let Pinto have the 6th game, and you might as well have Pinto on the bench to PH for Hicks or Suzuki late in the game. Something like last nights 7th and 8th inning in a 1-0 game should never happen again.

 

Vargas also provides another intriguing PH option, and I think you actually try to play him 2-3 times a week at DH as well. If Hicks is hitting well you leave the lineup as is, but if he struggles a bit, toss Hunter in RF for a couple days and let Vargas DH (basically play the hot hand between Hicks and Vargas), ditto if Rosario hits a slump.

 

Polanco is the every day SS, give him a month or so to see if he can stick, Escobar gives you some great flexibility as a UTIL guy who can handle SS and spell 3B/2B if need be.

 

Not much to be said on the bullpen, the Twins starters are going deep into games, there is zero reason whatsoever to have 13 pitchers, replace Duesning with Oliveros and keep Boyer on a very short leash, if he bombs out, call back up Tonkin or try to trade for someone. Hopefully Fien can hold down the 8th inning spot in the meantime.

 

After the all star break you look into bringing up: Sano, Meyer (bullpen), Jay (bullpen), Arcia etc.

[goulik]

Find a team flush with catching prospects and short on MI/Shortstop and trade them Santana and Nunez for their 3rd best catching prospect. Keep Polanco in the majors. Trade either Vargas or Arcia and bring up Buxton and Sano when we DFA Stauffer. When Berrios is ready or E. Santana comes back, trade Pelfrey for best offer. I think he's a mirage and he's on last year of contract.

[Rosterman]

Figure out a way that you don't lose a series to a last place team...ever. And figure out how you are going to be competitive in your division against the Royals and Tigers, for starters.

 

It is a gamble to start too many rookies of sophomore players, especially when you are already being somewhat competitive on the field and it is working overall. 

 

But you have to look at the roles ALL players are playing and can anyone do it better. WHy do we need Duensing to get one out...any guy in the minors can do that. Stauffer is not making his pay for the team at all. Why are you afraad to use Nunez or Herrmann and if you truly are, can you find better guys to take their place, be it Fryer or Beresford or even Bernier (yes, that is stretching it). 

 

Figure out the outfield. Go back to Hicks and Rosario playing the Robinson and Schafer roles. A perfect example of why do you have guys around who won't be here next year. Arcia, for any of his faults, offers more than the two AAAA guys and Rosario and Hicks are playing equally as well.

 

Yes, you have 40-man questions. You can't just bring up Buxton without removing someone (not that you can't remove someone). aI would've voted for the two0day callup to be Sano. Let him see the meal spread at the major league level and absorb what major league pitching is like for a couple of days and then send him abck down and see what makes him hungry!

 

Polanco either comes up for an extended time or not. But that move alone is showing that Danny Santana has suddenly become a non-prospect. So another past hot commodity that will prove to be worthless.

[stringer bell]

I'd love to acquire Jonathan Lucroy from the Brewers.  Arcia + 1 minor league hitter + 1 minor league pitcher (not top 5 prospects).  Buxton should be recalled sometime around July 1.  Deal for a LH reliever (maybe taking on the salary will be enough).  I am not convinced that Polanco is the answer at short.  I think Escobar would be fine, if given the job. 

 

Otherwise, the Twins are kind of playing with house money.  They weren't supposed to contend and if these tweeks keep them relevant and help them in 2016 as well, it is a win-win.

[Otto von Ballpark]

If you are promoting Buxton and benching Vargas, why not bring up Sano?  He can get a good number of DH reps and some 3B ones too for any Plouffe or Mauer injuries or days off (days that Hunter can take at DH too).

 

Then Hicks can be a more frequently used 4th OF, and you can push Robinson off the roster.  The fewer guys on the roster who should *never* be starting, the better.

[drivlikejehu]

The real problems are unfixable things like Hughes being bad, Arcia hurt and struggling in AAA, the horrible bullpen, etc. The fluky hot start papered over some things that are now becoming harder to ignore, but which at the same time lack for any solutions.

 

Hughes getting shelled? Too bad, long-term extension. No SS? Oops. These things are not going to be fixed this year, or in some cases for multiple years.

[Vance_Christianson]

Mid-July Order:

1. Buxton - CF

2. Mauer - 1b

3. Dozier - 2b

4. Hunter - RF

5. Plouffe - 3b

6. Sano - DH  also teach him 1b, use him like Vargas

7. Polanco - SS

8. Suzuki - C

9. Rosario - LF

Bench: Hicks 4th OF, Escobar Inf Utility, Pinto backup C teach him 1st, Arcia bench bat 5th OF

Starters:

1. Kyle Gibson

2. Ervin Santana

3. Trevor May

4. Tommy Milone

5. Phil Hughes

Bullpen:

Glen Perkins

Alex Meyer

Lester Oliveros

JR Graham

Ryan Pressly

Logan Darnell - (I think he's a lefty, lol)

Casey Fien

Trade Candidates:

Kennys Vargas - good DH, but with Sano Hunter and Arcia in AAA we don't need him!

Danny Santana - need him to bounce back in AAA a little bit

Mike Pelfrey - I'd prefer to keep him and not Milone, but I think Pelfrey can get us a better player!

Ricky Nolasco - See if we can get 2, 24 packs for him, and everyone can have a beer to salute him off

 

 

[Mike Sixel]

Cut Stauffer, call up any AAA pitcher you want.

Cut Duensing, call up any AAA pitcher you want.

 

try to find a catcher available you can deal for, that doesn't cost anyone better than Kepler......

 

In 2 weeks or so, cut Nunez, call up Sano to DH, 1B, 3B

send down Vargas (assuming he's not dominating), call up random guy, not sure whom

send down one of the RP, call up Buxton.

Buxton in CF, Rosario in LF, Hunter in RF (except when he DH's, put Hicks in RF then)

 

Promote Berrios to AAA in about 2 weeks

Promote Hu

[drjim]

 

Cut Stauffer, call up any AAA pitcher you want.

Cut Duensing, call up any AAA pitcher you want.

 

try to find a catcher available you can deal for, that doesn't cost anyone better than Kepler......

 

In 2 weeks or so, cut Nunez, call up Sano to DH, 1B, 3B

send down Vargas (assuming he's not dominating), call up random guy, not sure whom

send down one of the RP, call up Buxton.

Buxton in CF, Rosario in LF, Hunter in RF (except when he DH's, put Hicks in RF then)

 

Promote Berrios to AAA in about 2 weeks

Promote Hu

 

A prospect of less value than Kepler wouldn't even come close to netting you Suzuki.

[Mike Sixel]

A prospect of less value than Kepler wouldn't even come close to netting you Suzuki.

Was thinking a minor league guy would even be good for me. But ya. ....I just don't have a good answer for catcher

[Thegrin]

If I were GM, I would quit, knowing that I am equipped to do the job of being GM.  

[amjgt]

Can Vargas catch?

 

How's his pitch framing?

[Cap'n Piranha]

First, fix the bullpen.  Stauffer DFA'd/released.  Duensing DFA'd/released.  Work out a deal for Graham (Beresford maybe?), and option him to Rochester.  Thompson optioned to Rochester.  Call up Oliveros, Achter, and Tonkin, promote Zach Jones to Rochester, promote Brandon Peterson to Chatty, assign Tyler Jay to the Miracle.

 

Option Robinson to Rochester, and call up Buxton.  Wait two weeks, and if Vargas has not resumed hitting AND Sano is continuing his positive trend, send Vargas to AAA, and bring up Sano to DH.  Call up Argenis Diaz, send Polanco to Rochester.  Send Herrmann to Rochester, call up Stuart Turner.

 

Your lineup is then;

 

1--Buxton--CF

2--Mauer--1B

3--Dozier--2B

4--Hunter--RF

5--Vargas/Sano--DH

6--Plouffe--3B

7--Rosario--LF

8--Suzuki--C

9--Escobar--SS

 

Bench would be;

 

Hicks--sub 1x/week for Rosario and Buxton, 2x per week for Hunter (1 rest, 1 DH)

Turner--start day after night games

Diaz--Mop-up duty only, his value is you don't care if he plays or not

Nunez--spell Plouffe/Escobar when needed

If Vargas stays up, he will replace Mauer at 1st for half of road games (where Mauer is currently OPS'ing .672, allowing Hunter to DH more often, giving us our optimal defensive outfield more often)

 

Starters would be;

 

Hughes

Gibson

May

Santana

Pelfrey

 

Send Milone to Rochester to await injuries/ineffectiveness, attempt to trade Nolasco/scour webMD for various reasons to keep him on the DL

 

Bullpen would be;

Perkins

Achter

Tonkin

Oliveros

Fien

Pressly

Boyer

[SheboyganBrats]

If I were GM, I think I would stick to the long-term plan.  I wouldn't panic after the team had a disastrous first week.  I wouldn't fall in love with myself after the team had a cinderella month of May.  And, I wouldn't panic again after a bad week in June. 

I think the position that I'd be most concerned about is shortstop.  There doesn't appear to be anyone in the system ready to be a legitimate full-time major league shortstop.  There are some intriguing prospects in the minors, and someday one of them may pan out, but right now it is a glaring weakness at a premium position.  I'd be looking to make a trade. 

The next position I'd be concerned about is catcher.  Suzuki might be okay as a placeholder, but there's no one in the system ready to take his place, and the position really needs an upgrade.  This would be trade priority number two.

As GM, I think I already know who's in the outfield of the future.  Hicks appears to finally have made the jump to the majors.  I'd have Rosario-Buxton-Hicks out there every day and Hunter would be full-time DH.  He could play in right field on days someone needs a day off, and the others would have to move accordingly.

As great as he's been this year, I'd trade Pelfrey at his peak value, since this is the last year of his contract.  I'd do something about Nolasco, involving a trade for a bag of balls, and I'd start thinking about signing a true #1 pitcher in the offseason. 

I'd keep Plouffe for now, but someday the third base problem will have to be addressed with Sano on the way.  But, no move just yet.

Bullpen?  There, I think the future is already in the minors.  Just need to clear the space to bring them up as soon as they're ready.

Bench?  I wouldn't worry too much.  There's nobody there right now that isn't expendable, and bench players can be had in the minors or easily found.

Anyway, just a few thoughts for you guys.  I'm gonna leave the lineup to the manager.

[USAFChief]

Bring back the trees, hope St Peter doesn't notice.

 

Cut concession prices in half, hope St Peter doesn't notice.

 

Trade for Cole Hamels, hope spinowner doesn't notice.

 

Trade for Troy Tulowitzki, hope spinowner doesn't notice.

 

Start making moves in an attempt to fix the pen, starting with Oliveros, then dipping into AA, don't care which names, just give me someone who can break a pane of glass with his fastball, hope Mikewantswins notices.  

[twinsnorth49]

Bring up more players who are good at baseball and get rid of the ones who are not good at baseball.

 

A guy who's been around as long as Ryan should know who belongs in those two groups.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

I do think Ryan has a blind spot when it comes to younger guys. I can't put my finger on it---it's just a feeling.

 

One example is catcher. Like sconnie and others have pointed out, Suzuki has graded out overall as the worst catcher in the AL this year. He just doesn't have the same juice. That's not to trash Suzuki, but maybe rolling with Pinto and Herrmann last season wouldn't have cost us anything on the field, and would even have gotten those guys more experience for this year and next as they enter their prime playing years. Maybe a decade of an MVP catcher somehow twisted up the Twins evaluation process of that position, or something. And now Suzuki, like many predicted, seems really tired, and the Twins apparently don't feel there's anyone capable of spelling him. In addition, Suzuki is a guy who refuses to come out of the lineup. I don't know how this is going to play out.

[pierre75275]

I would find a catcher first of all. Hermann Pinto and Fryer do not really do it for me. I think this off season the Twins get a catcher or try to sign Weiters out right. I wouldn't trade for Loucrey bc I don't want to deplete the best farm system. Find a way to get Oliverios an extended look at the bullpen. Maybe give Fryer a shot over Hermann as his defense is better but I don't see the point. I would let it ride with Duensing a little longer. Right now it's really to early to have knee jerk reactions. I would promote Buxton and Sano to AAA now and see where the team is at in July at the trade deadline

[Mike Sixel]

Duensing is not a knee jerk reaction, of the 230+ relief pitchers who pitched 10 or more innings, he was bottom 30.....more than 200 RP were better than him last year, and many of those weren't only brought in situations where they were supposed to have a huge advantage......

 

If I was GM, if I thought we were rebuilding, I'd promote guys faster, and have them all grow here together, and not wait for some perfect confluence to happen 1-3 years out. I'd certainly have 4 RP, 2 in AAA and 2 in MN, that could go back and forth as they got tired/ineffective, not fill my bullpen with old guys w/o options that aren't good.

[Shane Wahl]

I have a hard time actually figuring this out, other than Polanco stays up, Oliveros comes up, Pinto comes up. I think I wait on Buxton and Sano, at least through July.

 

I just wish there was some way that Kurt Suzuki was tradeable.

[Pius Jefferson]

I wish there was someone to replace Suzuki.

[Platoon]

Suzuki would not have to be traded, if we had not yet again bought high. Well, that's water under the dam. I know Pinto has struggled recently, but if we want someone to hit .230 with no pop, and miss about 3 pitches a game, I think Josmil can do that. Remember, catching Deduno was not exactly a fair comparison. I never figured that one out!

[drivlikejehu]

Little upgrades here or there aren't going to change the underlying situation. The Twins lack talent and need multiple prospects to come up and be very good before they will have a strong enough core to build around.

 

My prediction has been the same throughout the rebuild - the organization would have significant young talent available, but fail to put a winner on the field due to mismanagement. That young talent is mostly in AA, fairly close to being MLB-ready. Mismanaging that transition would blow the rebuild, and I'd be very pleasantly shocked if that's not exactly what happens.

[HitInAPinch]

 

Can Vargas catch?

How's his pitch framing?

LARGE