Olney: Twins are buyers, but second-tier buyers

[John Bonnes]

Buster Olney's latest column has lots of trade tidbits, including this:

 

 

• The Minnesota Twins have told other clubs in so many terms that they will be measured buyers -- in other words, they won't rip up major parts of their farm system to trade for big names, but they would like to add some help in their pursuit of a wild-card spot. As of Saturday morning, the Twins were just a game behind the Yankees for the second wild-card spot.

 

This dovetails nicely with the last 20 minutes of the latest Gleeman and the Geek podcast, where I list second tier starters, many of whom might be able to be acquired AFTER the trade deadline in the waiver period. Names include: Trevor Cahill, Scott Feldman, Edinson Volquez, Marco Estrada, Jaime Garcia and Jeremy Hellickson. 

 

Any of these float your boat?

[ahart10]

Nope.

[drjim]

I'd take any of them if the price was right. It's a smart play for the Twins if they're still hovering after the Dodgers series.

[Teflon]

Who was the last pitcher the Twins traded for in mid-season who had a positive impact? It wasn't Hector Santiago last year. It wasn't Tommy Milone in 2014. Has there ever been one? I can't recall.

[old nurse]

Cahill and Hand for a few of the over 22 prospects and Gibson. Gibson would have a chance in San Diego for a few good starts .The Padres could flip him for another prospect. Gibson pitching well is San Diego would generate a few angst filled threads

[old nurse]

 

 

Who was the last pitcher the Twins traded for in mid-season who had a positive impact? It wasn't Hector Santiago last year. It wasn't Tommy Milone in 2014. Has there ever been one? I can't recall.

Pavano.

[Tomj14]

Without knowing Cahil's contract I would take him, he is only 29 and seems like a guy that could break out for a few years.

[Mike Sixel]

I'm fairly indifferent, as long as they give up older prospects this FO doesn't want to give a chance, why not? That said, I'd rather they promote their AA pitchers to AAA, then the majors, this year. Others think that is rushing them, and will hurt their development. I don't feel that way.

[bluechipper]

Marco Estrada would be a good buy-somewhat-low guy as a rental. He's striking out more guys than ever this year, but he's given up more hits than usual for whatever reason, resulting in an ERA over 5.

[gheggs42]

Straily is who I would look at, how much would he cost?

[Kwak]

 

Who was the last pitcher the Twins traded for in mid-season who had a positive impact? It wasn't Hector Santiago last year. It wasn't Tommy Milone in 2014. Has there ever been one? I can't recall.

Pavano.

[Willihammer]

2nd tier players for a 2nd tier organization.

[Vanimal46]

As you and Aaron said in the podcast John, Cahill and Feldman were easily obtainable last winter. Now it's going to require some sort of compensation beyond money to acquire these types of guys for ~2 months of performance. 

 

I don't really have a desire to trade for any of these rental players without an agreement that they would re-sign with the team in the offseason. 

[drjim]

 

I'm fairly indifferent, as long as they give up older prospects this FO doesn't want to give a chance, why not? That said, I'd rather they promote their AA pitchers to AAA, then the majors, this year. Others think that is rushing them, and will hurt their development. I don't feel that way.

 

The bigger issue for the AA guys, for more than potentially hurting their development, is that there is little in their profile suggesting they can be successful in the majors this year. If Twins want to try to remain borderline competitive, they need someone that can actually help them win games.

 

If they want to sell off and reload for next year, then there is nothing wrong with giving the AA guys some starts in the bigs, aside from Romero's innings issue.

[drjim]

 

2nd tier players for a 2nd tier organization.

 

They absolutely are a second tier organization at the moment. It's a step up from last year!

[Twodogs]

IDK, I'd wait to see what the rotation additions of Colon and Gee could add before going after a low tier starter as they already are filled with low tier starters. Go with

Santana

Berrios

Mejia

Colon

Gee/Gibson

for the time being and maybe look to add something to the bullpen cheap. Then in the off season look to add a Lance Lynn type and then another one of those low tier guys like Cahill, Estrada, Hellickson, or Feldman. Otherwise it will probably cost too much in prospects for even one of those lower guys because the selling teams know that their pitchers are needed. I'm afraid that even a Feldman or an Estrada will ask for too much. I really want to see what Gee can offer and give Colon 3 or 4 starts to see if he can get back to last year. Then Gibson becomes the 6th man to rotate in and out when needed. If those guys bomb this season will probably be toast anyway, so at that point look to make next year stronger.

[ahart10]

Who was the last pitcher the Twins traded for in mid-season who had a positive impact? It wasn't Hector Santiago last year. It wasn't Tommy Milone in 2014. Has there ever been one? I can't recall.

This is my problem with being a Twins fan. Other teams in comparable markets "go for it" when they have a chance. I'm not saying this is the year to do so. It's just disappointing to see Brewers, Royals, Indians, etc making big moves when they're in contention but we trade for Capps.

[bluechipper]

 

This is my problem with being a Twins fan. Other teams in comparable markets "go for it" when they have a chance. I'm not saying this is the year to do so. It's just disappointing to see Brewers, Royals, Indians, etc making big moves when they're in contention but we trade for Capps.

Remember when there were rumors surrounding the Twins and Cliff Lee in 2010 I think? That would've been pretty cool.

[Kwak]

 

Remember when there were rumors surrounding the Twins and Cliff Lee in 2010 I think? That would've been pretty cool.

But we couldn't trade our precious prospects... . Though in later years they did trade them.

[drjim]

 

But we couldn't trade our precious prospects... . Though in later years they did trade them.

 

This is a point of debate, but I think the Twins would have been happy to trade their prospects. Alas the Ms did not think quite as highly.

[Mike Sixel]

 

This is a point of debate, but I think the Twins would have been happy to trade their prospects. Alas the Ms did not think quite as highly.

 

We don't really now, but given that the Shannon Stewart trade is the one big in season trade made during that time, it might not be a one sided thing that it didn't happen.

[drjim]

 

We don't really now, but given that the Shannon Stewart trade is the one big in season trade made during that time, it might not be a one sided thing that it didn't happen.

 

Which is certainly fair, we don't know for sure. I generally think 2010 was a different paradigm for the franchise. They just didn't have enough in prospects to match the offer from the Rangers.

[Thrylos]

 

 Go with
Santana
Berrios
Mejia
Colon
Gee/Gibson

 

I am sure that this rotation petrifies the Indians, Red Sox and Astros that the Twins will have to beat in the post-season.

[Otto von Ballpark]

Cahill and Feldman are cheap/good enough that they won't clear waivers in August. They should get dealt in July.

[Teflon]

Thanks for bringing up Pavano. He was 9-8 in 2009 with the Indians but with an ERA over 5 when the Twins dealt Yohan Pino for him. Pavano replaced an injured Glen Perkins in the Twins rotation, going 5-4 and also starting game 3 in the ALDS. (Perkins was demoted to AAA instead of being sent on a rehab assignment - which Perkins claimed was done to keep him from qualifying as a Super 2 for arbitration.) Pavano's real impact came the next season when he won 17 games for Minnesota and pitched 7 complete games. The rest of the staff was solid, too, as Blackburn, Baker, Slowey, and Liriano all made 28 or more starts and all won 10 or more games. (Duensing also won 10 in mixed duty)

 

[Ben Noble]

I'd still prefer they try to move legitimately valuable prospects for young, controllable pitching. Gotta give up value to get value.

[Mike Sixel]

 

I'd still prefer they try to move legitimately valuable prospects for young, controllable pitching. Gotta give up value to get value.

 

Like?

 

They passed/or lost the bidding on Quintana. I doubt Archer is actually available. 

[Twodogs]

I am sure that this rotation petrifies the Indians, Red Sox and Astros that the Twins will have to beat in the post-season.

It petrifies me, but adding Feldman to the rotation isn't going to change that. The only pitcher that would make a difference with how the Red Sox, or the Astros, would feel about the Twins rotation would probably be Gray or Archer. As far as that goes then the Twins would really have to give up a lot, a la Quintana. So what I was saying is that they might as well go with what they got and see how far they get. Because a guy like Feldman can be had via free agency this off season. We already have a rotation full of Feldmans.

[Guest]

Which is certainly fair, we don't know for sure. I generally think 2010 was a different paradigm for the franchise. They just didn't have enough in prospects to match the offer from the Rangers.

Different manager, two GMs ago. Frankly, the Capps trade was the team trying to go for it, exactly as many people are demanding now. Unfortunately, they were using archaic thoughts and systems about the value of prospects and closers, and how to assess the skills of a closer, so they got snookered while trying to do what most fans consider the right thing. The thought process was to dangle an exciting prospect - at a position, catcher, the team thought it would have covered nearly for eternity - and get the most it could for him, and the manager valued highly a closer on the basis of counting stats. A savvier GM - or management team - should have been able to get more for Ramos or pay less for Capps.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Archer plays for the Rays, and the Rays are three games behind Boston.