Hoping to be Traded

[BoomBoom]

As fans, we are constantly looking for the next top prospect.  Who will be next guy to reach the MLB and more importantly - When?.   That's pretty much what this website is about (The Twins and Future Twins).  Prospects are at the mercy of the organization in regards to fulfilling their dreams.  That has been the road map to "The Show" for decades now.  The fact is that most prospects Do Not make it to the show and are often leapfrogged by newly acquired prospects (draft / trade / free agent).  Another thread spoke of Tyler Jones and his recent success elsewhere, which lead me to these questions:

 

 

 

How many of our prospects are Hoping to be Traded?  

 

What runs through the mind of players as they witness a loaded position group (infield / outfield / rotation / bullpen) in front of them?  

 

Am I better off in another organization?

 

Which of our prospects probably feel they are better off with another team (opportunity)?

 

What situation would make you want to be traded as a prospect?

[diehardtwinsfan]

I'd imagine that a better chance to make it would be a reason for hoping to be traded.  I'm sure some organizations are better than others at developing certain types of talent... who knows.

[Monkeypaws]

If Oswaldo doesn't get called up sometime soon, he might be on your list.

[Loosey]

I would say if you are at a loaded position, (Say CF for the Twins) and are currently in AA or High A your chances of making the Twins roster as a CF is not great right now.  So that player may wish to be traded to an organization with the cupboards bare at CF.  But in reality if you are good enough to be a Major League ballplayer, either the team you are on or another team that needs good players will make it happen.

[ashbury]

I'd be surprised if this kind of thinking occurs very much below AAA, for a variety of reasons.

[WyoTwin]

I would think it would cross there minds sometimes.

Like Adam Brett Walker III seeing all the outfielders in the organization.

He might think Colorado with the thin air and less movement on a pitch would be a perfect spot for him. He might hit 45 bombs a year.

[goulik]

I'll play your game...

Danny Ortiz wants a chance and isnt getting it despite AAA numbers

Wilken Ramirez knows his MLB days here are done

James Beresford knows hes blocked by that guy with the sexy hair

Lester Oliveros thinks he needs another chance and may have that elsewhere

Any AAA starter not named Berrios knows they are needing a new location because Meyer will come back out of the bullpen eventually and they have no shot in Minnesota with all those other starter in front of them.

 

(Disclaimer: all my statements here are my personal opinion of what they are thinking and in no way shows inside knowledge)

[beckmt]

Kenny Vargas for one, no easy DH with Sano and Arcia now in front of him. Levi Micheal for another. Oliveros is another. Rest are too far away of the top prospects to count at this time.

[clutterheart]

Polanco - if he can't play SS I don't see him supplanting Dozier anytime soon

Vargas - Will the Twins DFA him and will Boston sign him and will he become a future HOF'er?

Rogers, Dean & Darnell are likely thinking they could be a lefty in a few MLB pens

 

[Mike Sixel]

It has to cross their minds at some point....."would I be better off in x organization?". They are humans. If I was a decent starting pitcher in AA or AAA, I'd maybe want to be dealt. There are clearly some orgs better at developing certain types of players. Or, at least at identifying them and having them work out, but probably at developing them. KLAW has talked about that on several chats.

[Guest]

I've never had a player in CR tell me, on the record, that he does anything but focus on what he can control - his own performance. That's the mentality that's drilled in to them, and with good reason.

 

No, an A-ball 3B isn't going to pay much attention at all to what Plouffe (or even Sano) are doing with the Twins. There's just too much distance and too much time where too many things can happen for them to even think about that.

 

But these guys are human. If you're a 3B, you're going to be aware of what the 3B in the class right above you is doing. Is he struggling? Is he raking? If he's raking, then what's the 3B at the next level up doing?

 

They can't dwell on that stuff, obviously, but while I've been told by some guys that they have no idea what the guy at their position is doing a level above them, I've never once believed it.

 

And if you happen to be reaching the point where you would be a minor league free agent the coming offseason, you'd better know exactly what the depth chart at your position is (or your agent better know for you).

[Rosterman]

If you switch organizations, then you are behind the guys in THAT organization and have to hope for a spot. Sometimes, as in years past, you look at an organization like the Twins that gave chances to minor league prospects who were free agents. But you still have to battle for that 40-man spoit. You never know.

 

Hey, take Glen Perkins. He bombed as a starter, was mad when he was sent down to the minors. He actually passed thru waivers and left the 40-man roster. He ahd an opportunity to move on, but it just wasn't there. He rebranded himself from rotation to relief and, bam...a success WITH the Twins.

 

Look at the current Twins. Ramirez has had a chance. He thought he might still have one, who the minor league pay with an organization that wants you is better than...say, indy ball. The Twins have given shoutouts to Bernier, Fryer, Schafer, Robinson this year alone. 

 

In apst years they have dragged out Walters, Pino, Hernandez, Velazquezs, Martis and others.

 

Where the you are going be traded" comes from is more management than the player. Take Polanco, for example. He is either blocked by Santana and may be jumped by Gordon. If the Twins want to keep Polanco, then maybe Gordon becomes the trade chip. Yes, Walker ahs to be wondering where an outfield of Rosario, Buxton, Arcia and Hicks leaves him, especially with fellow batterymate Kepler in the mix. Ortiz has to be counting his days to minors free agency. But who says the Twins couldn't flip Vargas for Hicks on the roster right now, and maybe score a winner.

 

Players have succededmoving on. Garret Jones for one. Grant Balfour. Not sure about Tyler Jones, though he is tearing up the minors. We all remember Anthony Slama. The names of former Twins trying to win roster spots are large just this year: Matt Tomshaw, Jairo Perez, Brock Peterson, Evan Meek, Walters and Mastrioanni, Deolis Guerra, Pedro Florimon, Debinson Romero, Yangervis Solarte, Blayne Weller, Julio DePaula, Chris Parmelee, Jeff Manship, Liam Hendriks, Bobby Korecky, Andrew Albers, Danny Valencia, Chris Colabello, Steve Tolleson, Tyler Ladendorf, Alexi Casilla, Scott Diamond, Yohan Pino, Alex Presley, Edgar Iberram Matt Koch, Tyler Jones, Tim Atherton. And those in Indy Ball: JD Williams, Jason Richardson, Dan Osterbruck, Dustin Martin, Luis Perdomo, Joe Testa, Derrick Penilla, Frederic Hanva, Randy Ruiz, Shairon Mathis, Yoslan Herrera, Rene Leverett, Mike Kvasnicka, Rene Tosoni, Dakota Watts, Brad Boyer, Jan Granado, Pedro Hernandez, Trent Oeltjen, Esmerling Vasquez, Kris Johnson, A;ex Romero. Lots of names. ANyone blowing you away as a great loss to the Twins organization?

[Thrylos]

 

I'll play your game...
Danny Ortiz wants a chance and isnt getting it despite AAA numbers
Wilken Ramirez knows his MLB days here are done
James Beresford knows hes blocked by that guy with the sexy hair
Lester Oliveros thinks he needs another chance and may have that elsewhere
Any AAA starter not named Berrios knows they are needing a new location because Meyer will come back out of the bullpen eventually and they have no shot in Minnesota with all those other starter in front of them.

(Disclaimer: all my statements here are my personal opinion of what they are thinking and in no way shows inside knowledge)

 

None of the above are prospects.  

[Thrylos]

People who might want to get traded are people who are MLB-ready (and they know it, and they have lights out seasons) and feel that they are blocked for some reason or been treated unfairly in their current organization.

 

As far as minor leaguers go with the Twins right now, I'd have to say that Achter and Meyer might be on that boat maybe.  Arcia and Vargas might have one foot in.  Polanco is too young to care likely, but if he does not get called up soon, he might.

 

[South Dakota Tom]

And Jason Repko is playing for your Sioux Falls Canaries!

[Shane Wahl]

More marginal guys likely feel this way. Danny Ortiz and James Beresford are clear examples. Those two are guys who would actually fit nicely in a package with some major leaguer in a deal (like Plouffe or Milone, for instance).

 

Vargas, Meyer, Oliveros, and Achter are definite examples.

[darin617]

The best answer to fix this franchise would be to trade Joe Mauer.

[Thrylos]

 

The best answer to fix this franchise would be to trade Joe Mauer.

 

The only team that would do that, would be the Yankees, for Alex Rodriguez...

Maybe.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

Hey, take Glen Perkins. He bombed as a starter, was mad when he was sent down to the minors. He actually passed thru waivers and left the 40-man roster.

I don't think Perkins was ever removed from the 40-man roster.  He was simply optioned 3 times -- they never had to pass him thru waivers to send him outright to AAA.  Baseball Prospectus has pretty good records on this stuff:

 

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/card/card.php?id=48557

[darin617]

 

The only team that would do that, would be the Yankees, for Alex Rodriguez...

Maybe.

That would make the Twins a better team. Slide Plouffe to first, Sano to third and we have a nice DH in A-Rod. Maybe out of NY A-Rod plays even better without all the pressure. Oh, we can dream can't we?