My offseason plan, #1

[Cory Engelhardt]

1) Trade Oswaldo Arcia, Travis Harrison and Felix Jorge for Mike Zunino.

I do think Zunino is a buy low. He is good defensively. He is young (he will be 25 in March) and he has some power. Yes, contact has been a major issue, but I believe he will cost a LOT less than some of the other catchers potentially out there, and could be a step up from Suzuki at some point. The 3 players traded away are all guys that would have to be added to the 40 man roster this offseason. They all have some potential, which Seattle would like. I could see making it a 2 for 1 or changing out who is traded though in case Seattle wanted pitching more.

 

2) Trade Michael Tonkin and Jorge Polanco for Will Smith

It is a LOT to give up for a bullpen arm, but man, what a bullpen arm. He is a healthy Perkins, basically. This solidifies the back of our bullpen. Tonkin should probably get a chance to be somewhere else, and Polanco may or may not have a spot here in MN at any point. That said, if Dozier falls off the table in the next year or two, the Twins may regret this move. Still, Smith is young and this move helps in so many ways.

 

3) Sign AJ Pierzynski, 1 year 6 million.

Get the band back together. He is a good DH option, and can catch once in a while. Yes, that looks like we have 3 catchers on the roster, because for a little bit we will. That said, AJ would mostly start against righties DHing, and catch once or twice a week. I view Zunino as catching 3-4 days a week, and Suzuki catching 1-2 days a week. Giving everyone more rest will help throughout the season, and I don't know that I see Suzuki on the team after July. And then, Turner or Garver can be ready to go midway through the year or for sure next year in a tandem.

 

4) Sign Jonny Gomes, 1 year 4 million

4th outfielder, DH against lefties. Bench bat. The Twins haven't had a good bench bat/pinch hitting option for a few years now. Now, they should have a couple.

 

5) Trade Trevor Plouffe to Arizona for LHP prospect Cody Reed

Reed is 19, Left Handed, 6'3" 245 and can throw 95. He has potential for a 3 pitch mix, and could be a potential starter long term. He would probably start at Cedar Rapids. He was a 2nd round pick for Arizona in 2014, and is in the lower half of their top 10 prospects. Also, Arizona's 3rd baseman was bottom 3 in MLB for WAR in 2015, so they may want an affordable upgrade.

 

6) Trade Tommy Millone to Philadelphia for C prospect Andrew Knapp

You can never have enough catching prospects either. Knapp will turn 23 next week. He was a 2nd round pick in 2013 out of Cal, and he had tommy john surgery that offseason. He played at the A and AA this year, and combined hit 308/385/491 with 13 homeruns, 84 rbi's and 51/106 bb/k rate. Maybe start the year at AA or even move to AAA. He is a top 20 prospect for Philadelphia.

 

C Mike Zunino

1B Mauer

2B Dozier

SS Escobar

3B Sano

LF Rosario

CF Hicks (to start the year, Buxton at some point)

RF Gomes against lefties, Danny Ortiz to start the year against righties (Kepler will be up at some point)

DH AJ/Gomes

 

Bench

AJ/Gomes DH/Pinch hit

Suzuki C

Nunez Backup INF

Danny Ortiz

 

Rotation

Santana

Hughes

Gibson

Duffey

May

 

Bullpen

Perkins

Smith

Jepsen

Pressly

Taylor Rogers (against lefties, maybe long/swing man)

Nick Burdi (Arizona Fall League and end of year gave him confidence, and he has quite the fastball/slider combo

Alex Meyer (long man, low leverage to hopefully show he has learned control)

 

 

I do think Buxton, Kepler and Berrios are all up at some point. In that case, May probably moves back to the bullpen to give it another piece, as well as Danny Ortiz and Danny Santana probably move on, unless Nunez is faltering or Santana playing well.

 

Then, of course, if the Twins are playing well in June or July, then the Twins would make a run at a potential ace for the rotation. Think Stephen Strasburg.

 

What do you think?

 

 

 

[Brock Beauchamp]

I can see your thinking here and while I agree with much of it, I just can't see the need for Pierzynski AND Zunino. That's a lot of roster taken up by inflexible players.

[Cory Engelhardt]

I debated that too. See, I look at AJ as more of a DH at this point against righties, what with trading Plouffe and all. I see Zunino as  more of a catcher with Suzuki, and AJ would be the emergency 3rd catcher and DH against righties, as well as a pinch hitter off the bench. Gomes would be the DH against lefties and could play the outfield until Buxton and Kepler are ready.

 

I am still thinking that Millone probably gets traded for pitching instead of the prospect I had. But still.

 

I don't love having Danny Ortiz on the roster. My absolute dream would be signing Jason Heyward to play in right and then using Kepler as a piece to get a #1 pitcher. But I don't think that is realistic.

[Brock Beauchamp]

Yeah, Kepler just isn't highly regarded enough to lure in a true ace and after his breakout 2015, I think his best days are in front of him. It would take a lot to pry him away if I was the GM.

 

An ace (maybe Sonny Gray) would probably require Kepler AND Berrios and that's a price I wouldn't be willing to pay.

[Cory Engelhardt]

Agreed. But, then, we tweak it. Kepler probably would still have a place on the team. At the deadline, other players could be traded instead of Kepler, and go out and get a guy that is maybe a free agent at the end of the year, and/or has one more year of control. That would all depend on how they are playing and who is available.

 

I don't know if Sonny Gray is available, but he would be fun. That said, I'm with you, no to Berrios and Kepler going.

 

That said, if Kepler is a force like he was this year again, he will play his way on to the team regardless.

[bluechipper]

 

I debated that too. See, I look at AJ as more of a DH at this point against righties, what with trading Plouffe and all. I see Zunino as  more of a catcher with Suzuki, and AJ would be the emergency 3rd catcher and DH against righties, as well as a pinch hitter off the bench. Gomes would be the DH against lefties and could play the outfield until Buxton and Kepler are ready.

 

I am still thinking that Millone probably gets traded for pitching instead of the prospect I had. But still.

 

I don't love having Danny Ortiz on the roster. My absolute dream would be signing Jason Heyward to play in right and then using Kepler as a piece to get a #1 pitcher. But I don't think that is realistic.

If AJ is mostly a DH, then he's not any better than Oswaldo Arcia, especially when he costs $5 million more.

[Cory Engelhardt]

5 million is nothing. And if the Twins want the veteran leadership that someone of AJ's age can provide, I can see this happen can't you? Especially if Arcia is traded this offseason.

[kab21]

AJ's only place on a baseball team is as a part time catcher. If he is DH'ing then the Twins really screwed up in the offseason (comparable to Nunez DH'ing).

 

I agree that a veteran OF bat first player should be brought in. I mentioned Cuddyer if the Mets would pick up half the salary. He is a guy that can start if needed, backup if prospects earn a spot or PH. Something the Twins haven't had for awhile.

[USAFChief]

Yeah, I want no part of a plan that expects AJ to be primarily a DH.

[diehardtwinsfan]

yeah, no to AJ.  I'd plug Arcia in there for now as primary DH/part time OF.  He's out of options.  That said, if you could pull off #1 and get Zunio for Arcia/Harrison/Jorge, I'd pull the trigger pretty quick.  Not quite so sure if Seattle will pull the trigger there, but if that were an option, I'd do it.  Zunio is certainly young enough that he could still be the major leaguer people thought he'd be.