Are the Twins buyers again?

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

The thing that changed is the two teams above them won every single game they played and the Twins won 1.

Did I say otherwise?  The original poster said, don't make a trade based on the last week.  My point is, the Twins already did that (and a lot of people patted them on the back for it around here).

 

FWIW, since those streaks, Cleveland is 3-5 and KC is 3-8.  We haven't played particularly well in that time either, but we've made up 2.5 games on KC and the second wild card spot.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

Much ado about nothing. They traded what one member called a pig with lipstick to the Yankees for 2 pitching prospects. In the other 2 trades, they moved 2 board scapegoats for 2 additional pitching prospects. We net 4 total pitching prospects, 3 of which are lefties, which is signficant, and are still in the hunt.

Hmmm... now you like the taste of pie in the sky, eh?

[Thrylos]

I suspect that we are going to have this discussion any time they win a series...

 

 

Important:

 

Have they proven that they can win a series from the Astron, Red Sox, and Dodgers?  All three teams that they will need to beat in the post-season?   Can they "buy enough" to be even close to winning a series from these 3? 

 

No.

Move on...

[Rosterman]

If you aren't calling the guy up in September, feel free to listen to trade offers.

 

If you aren't going to protect the guy in November, get rid of him in some way.

 

If the prospect is on the fringe, see if you can package in a deal.

 

But watch out for contracts and lack of options. If a player is available, it is because there is no need for them in another organization's plan, or they are a salary dump that you probably don't need yourself.

 

And speaking of salary dumps, if you think you might be paying players too much for how your tem is doing or is expected to do, flip them out for something that you need...combined with the salary relief.

 

And tell Molitor to find a lineup and stick with it, thinking ahead to 2018. Is Buxton better at leadoff? Who is the BEST clean-up hitter. How should Mauer contribute? 

[Willihammer]

I get the impression that where you fall on the buy/sell debate depends on how you value the Twins finishing the year competitively, if not primed for a deep playoff run. They're not going to add anyone that puts them in the Houston / LA tier, or even Boston or New York probably. But how much would you be willing to spend (in prospects) to finish ahead of the Royals? How important is that?

[Mike Sixel]

 

I get the impression that where you fall on the buy/sell debate depends on how you value the Twins finishing the year competitively, if not primed for a deep playoff run. They're not going to add anyone that puts them in the Houston / LA tier, or even Boston or New York probably. But how much would you be willing to spend (in prospects) to finish ahead of the Royals? How important is that?

 

I might have endorsed a Sonny Gray trade, but not a trade of "real" prospects for a 2 month rental. Also, I hated the "one move" strategy, deployed again this year. Either try to win, or don't, but one move? ugh.

[twinssouth]

As of today, only 1 and 1/2 back for 2nd wild card

[Mr. Brooks]

They made multiple trades based on one bad week of play leading up to the deadline...

Are you sure it was only based on that one week?

Could it have been based on the losing record in the 40 games prior to the deadline?

[Otto von Ballpark]

Are you sure it was only based on that one week?

Could it have been based on the losing record in the 40 games prior to the deadline?

The first Garcia trade suggests otherwise.

[goulik]

They bought Garcia for a low minors lottery ticket and traded him for two guys in the high minors. I think this all says More about the deals that were available than it does about one week of baseball. We need pitching sooner than later and those two guys are better for the team long term than Ynoa or Garcia

[Platoon]

The nice thing about being buyers one week. And sellers the next week. And buyers the next week. And sellers the next week. Is that you will be right about half the time! . As for me, I see both sides of this issue, and I agree wholeheartedly.

[Mr. Brooks]

The first Garcia trade suggests otherwise.

No it doesn't. Assuming they knew already that Pohlads would be open to eating salary, he could always be flipped.

It wasn't a hard buy, it left flexibility to go either way.

[Otto von Ballpark]

No it doesn't. Assuming they knew already that Pohlads would be open to eating salary, he could always be flipped.

It wasn't a hard buy, it left flexibility to go either way.

Didn't say it was a hard buy. And by your own definition, they left the flexibility to go another direction, which they did, after a week of negative results.

 

I didn't think this was a controversial point. A soft buy on a Kintzler or Belisle type reliever would be roughly equivalent as a change of course from a week ago as the Garcia trades.

[Mr. Brooks]

Didn't say it was a hard buy. And by your own definition, they left the flexibility to go another direction, which they did, after a week of negative results.

 

I didn't think this was a controversial point. A soft buy on a Kintzler or Belisle type reliever would be roughly equivalent as a change of course from a week ago as the Garcia trades.

But I still don't believe they sold ONLY based on that week.

If the Twins had gone 30-10 over the 40 games preceding that week, they wouldn't have sold.

That week was just the cherry on top.

[akmanak]

I will follow the rules but all I can say is really? Same team.

[old nurse]

 

But I still don't believe they sold ONLY based on that week.
If the Twins had gone 30-10 over the 40 games preceding that week, they wouldn't have sold.
That week was just the cherry on top.

If the Twins went 30-10 over the previous 40 games  Garcia would have never been traded for, Alex Meyer would have learned how to pitch, Phil Hughes and Glen Perkins would never have had injuries,  Mauer would still be the Mauer of the first decade and catching,  Along with every other less than optimal scenario that has develop over the last couple of years.

[AlwaysinModeration]

While it might look schizophrenic to become buyers again, there is one scenario that could make sense. Falvey and Levine went into trade deadline saying they wanted to trade for controllable assets. Verlander is under contract through 2019. If they could get some salary relief, he would be a big boost to their rotation for this surprising stretch run, as well as the next two years.

 

He's having a bit of a down year, but his BABIP is over 300 this year. I bet jumping into a playoff race and getting in front of the Twins defense would help.

 

Imagine the jolt it would give the team. (And the rotation.)

 

Could they pull this off? Convince the Pohlads to pay that salary? Find a prospect return that wouldn't hurt too bad but be enough for Detroit to bite?

[USAFChief]

While it might look schizophrenic to become buyers again, there is one scenario that could make sense. Falvey and Levine went into trade deadline saying they wanted to trade for controllable assets. Verlander is under contract through 2019. If they could get some salary relief, he would be a big boost to their rotation for this surprising stretch run, as well as the next two years.

 

He's having a bit of a down year, but his BABIP is over 300 this year. I bet jumping into a playoff race and getting in front of the Twins defense would help.

 

Imagine the jolt it would give the team. (And the rotation.)

 

Could they pull this off? Convince the Pohlads to pay that salary? Find a prospect return that wouldn't hurt too bad but be enough for Detroit to bite?

Do it.

[Otto von Ballpark]

But I still don't believe they sold ONLY based on that week.

If the Twins had gone 30-10 over the 40 games preceding that week, they wouldn't have sold.

That week was just the cherry on top.

Again, no one is saying it was only that week. We are not discussing possible long term memory loss in the FO. But the week was a decent sized factor. I will repeat: if the Twins did a soft buy now, it would be influenced by the past week as much as their soft sell moves at the deadline were influenced by the previous week.

[laloesch]

 

But I still don't believe they sold ONLY based on that week.
If the Twins had gone 30-10 over the 40 games preceding that week, they wouldn't have sold.
That week was just the cherry on top.

 

They only traded two guys for goodness sake.  Garcia and Kintzler both of whom would have been gone at seasons end anyways.  I don't get why so many here are flustered by these two moves and making it out to be the end of the world.  

 

"the Twins are officially sellers" yadda yadda yadda......This isn't that big of deal and it netted us Enns and Littell (who is the real pickup here).   

 

Would i have liked to have gotten Gray or some other Front line starter and a couple of relievers, ABSOLUTELY!  But not at the expense of a bunch of prized prospects when it's clear this team has a lot of work left to do.

[Brock Beauchamp]

While it might look schizophrenic to become buyers again, there is one scenario that could make sense. Falvey and Levine went into trade deadline saying they wanted to trade for controllable assets. Verlander is under contract through 2019. If they could get some salary relief, he would be a big boost to their rotation for this surprising stretch run, as well as the next two years.

 

He's having a bit of a down year, but his BABIP is over 300 this year. I bet jumping into a playoff race and getting in front of the Twins defense would help.

 

Imagine the jolt it would give the team. (And the rotation.)

 

Could they pull this off? Convince the Pohlads to pay that salary? Find a prospect return that wouldn't hurt too bad but be enough for Detroit to bite?

I like the idea of getting Verlander but his price would have to be dirt cheap to take on that contract.

 

And I doubt the Tigers are at that point right now.

 

I'd rather see the Twins make a run at someone like Darvish this offseason.

[diehardtwinsfan]

 

While it might look schizophrenic to become buyers again, there is one scenario that could make sense. Falvey and Levine went into trade deadline saying they wanted to trade for controllable assets. Verlander is under contract through 2019. If they could get some salary relief, he would be a big boost to their rotation for this surprising stretch run, as well as the next two years.

He's having a bit of a down year, but his BABIP is over 300 this year. I bet jumping into a playoff race and getting in front of the Twins defense would help.

Imagine the jolt it would give the team. (And the rotation.)

Could they pull this off? Convince the Pohlads to pay that salary? Find a prospect return that wouldn't hurt too bad but be enough for Detroit to bite?

 

This is a great idea. Verlander won't cost much, and he can finish his contract with a talented young core.

[diehardtwinsfan]

honestly, trading Garcia helped in the long term and quite possibly the short. We don't know how good Enns is, but it's not unreasonable to think that he could be comparable out of the gate to Garcia. He's just an unknown.

[Loosey]

 

Did I say otherwise?  The original poster said, don't make a trade based on the last week.  My point is, the Twins already did that (and a lot of people patted them on the back for it around here).

 

FWIW, since those streaks, Cleveland is 3-5 and KC is 3-8.  We haven't played particularly well in that time either, but we've made up 2.5 games on KC and the second wild card spot.

I wasn't meaning to say you said otherwise.  I was more adding to your point on what was significant about one back week being compounded by their competition being perfect.

[Loosey]

 

While it might look schizophrenic to become buyers again, there is one scenario that could make sense. Falvey and Levine went into trade deadline saying they wanted to trade for controllable assets. Verlander is under contract through 2019. If they could get some salary relief, he would be a big boost to their rotation for this surprising stretch run, as well as the next two years.

He's having a bit of a down year, but his BABIP is over 300 this year. I bet jumping into a playoff race and getting in front of the Twins defense would help.

Imagine the jolt it would give the team. (And the rotation.)

Could they pull this off? Convince the Pohlads to pay that salary? Find a prospect return that wouldn't hurt too bad but be enough for Detroit to bite?

I think it depends on what would need to be given up. If it's a huge prospect haul I say hold off and save the money for the off-season and get someone like Darvish who will likely need more money but no prospects in FA.  It is very strange even contemplating the Twins having a shot at a front line FA, but something with the new FO makes me think they can convince the Pohlads to let them spend.  Also, with taking on Garcia's salary and eating other salaries, I am beginning to think Terry Ryan was the cheap one and it wasn't 100% on the Pohlads.

[Mr. Brooks]

Again, no one is saying it was only that week. We are not discussing possible long term memory loss in the FO. But the week was a decent sized factor. I will repeat: if the Twins did a soft buy now, it would be influenced by the past week as much as their soft sell moves at the deadline were influenced by the previous week.

Well the post I originally responded to said it was based on one bad week.

[FunnyPenguin]

 

Also, with taking on Garcia's salary and eating other salaries, I am beginning to think Terry Ryan was the cheap one and it wasn't 100% on the Pohlads.

There could actually be some truth to this, he just thought if they were making good money he had job security

[Willihammer]

Half game back!

[tarheeltwinsfan]

 

Purge what you can from the 40 man, call up some young arms, and let it fly.

 

If they make the postseason, great. If they don't, oh well, it was probably fun to watch anyway.

Who should the Twins "purge" from the 40 man roster?

[Doomtints]

The bullpen has actually been serviceable as of late.  No, they should not pick up a bullpen arm right now.