Great season, looking forward to '18

[smoot27]

I think it was reasonable to assume much improvement this year but I'm thrilled by what Buxton and Rosario did.

 

This offense with a healthy Sano is easily a division challenger.

 

I'm not sure what the 2018 forecast is for Gonsalves or Romero but improved pitching will be necessary.

 

I would imagine the Twins will add a middle of the rotation starter in FA with Santiago's 8 million expiring. Perhaps some BP depth as well.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

I'm just worried that guys like Rosario and Escobar had their best seasons, and maybe Mauer doesn't keep it going. Still will be a great lineup but they need pitching.

[Rosterman]

You have to judge the worth of some guys, again, like Escobar and Grossman. Don't fall in love with msot of the bullpen. Ask yourself what you can get if you spend $10 or $15 or even $20 million on the pen (considering you have no closer).

 

Are you wishing you did trade for Verlander right now?

 

Serious look at who is on the verge in the minors and others a bit down on the horizon, and start planning moves in mid-season 20-18 accordingly.

 

And, if they won't be contributing ANYTHING to 2018, maybe time to let guys walk. Like, sadly, Phil Hughes. Pony-up and eat the contract in a season in which your revenues are higher than planned (yes, all those full-price tickets you sold in 2017 because the Twins were hot)..

 

Again, don;t fall in love with 2017 stats. Not that most were that barn-burning wonderful. Start constructing a team to play to the strength of Target Field and a line-up that respects players around the players.

 

Don't be cheap. The Twins can be competitive and rake in the dollars (and quit trying to raise the prices of certain games and tickets even more in 2018...you were lucky this season).

 

And do something about the radio station. Was driving home on playoff game night and the first inning would go in-and-out and I was in the general area of the original Met Stadium home of the Twins. 

 

 

[yarnivek1972]

I really don’t see any way to substantially upgrade the MLB pitching staff without trading either Kepler or Rosario.

 

I don’t know where the fit is. Obviously quality starting pitchers are far more valuable than solid corner OFers, but the FA class is less than impressive and the one impact arm on the horizon seems likely to be at least two years away from being impactful. Oh, Romero will probably be up next year, but I really don’t like the chances of him stepping in and becoming Luis Severino next season.

[Shane Wahl]

Use the farm system. End of story.

[yarnivek1972]

Use the farm system. End of story.

I don’t see the players in the minors that are going to fetch controllable, quality starting pitchers. The Twins would probably need to trade 3 of their top 10 guys to get a league average starter. I’m not sure they can afford to do that. This franchise is always going to be primarily built on “homegrown” talent. Start trading 3 to get 1 and pretty soon you are left with nothing.

[smoot27]

2018 FA isn't great but getting someone like Drew Pomerantz, Brandon McCarthy, Garrett Richards or Patrick Corbin could suffice.

 

We might be fine with the existing rotation if the BP is enhanced.

[jimbo92107]

I'm kind of a purist. I want the Twins to become a winning team with as many guys from their farm system as possible. I want Gonsalves, Stewart, Jorge, Romero, etcetera to replace the aging vets, even Santana if possible. I want Gordon to replace Polanco at SS, then Polanco to replace Dozier, so the team keeps the infield fresh with new talent in the system. 

 

I realize it seldom works out that way, but it would be pretty cool to out-compete the rich teams with talent the team drafted, or acquired from independent leagues. Trades for minor league talent are okay too, but they have to spend at least a year in the system. Can it be done? Looking at today's roster, they're not far off from making it happen. 

[Jacksson]

Need to approach 2018 as Mauer's last hurrah and make sure there is a 1B in waiting in the minors. 2 years to go on Castro, extract and utilize all the pitch framing and game calling ability out of him and be sure there is an able backup in waiting to serve behind Garver when it is his time. If Mauer is batting 2nd in 2018, need someone with wheels at the top of the order to offset all the DP's that Joe hits into. Need to clean the deadwood out of the bullpen - there are only so many chances that can be given so spin our junk off to other teams in exchange for their junk. Some times a change of scenery works and if it doesn't at least there is no organizational or emotional attachment to the reclamation projects you receive back. Shop Santana. He's your ace and when it counted, he folded. Time to move on.

[drjim]

I don’t see the players in the minors that are going to fetch controllable, quality starting pitchers. The Twins would probably need to trade 3 of their top 10 guys to get a league average starter. I’m not sure they can afford to do that. This franchise is always going to be primarily built on “homegrown” talent. Start trading 3 to get 1 and pretty soon you are left with nothing.

I'm not sure 3 for 1 of straight prosects even gets it done. Twins have depth, but impact is what moves the needle in trades.

[drjim]

Offensive core is legit. They should be able to be aggressive in spending this offseason.

[lukeduke1980]

 

We might be fine with the existing rotation if the BP is enhanced.

Did you watch the game on Tuesday

[Doomtints]

 

I'm just worried that guys like Rosario and Escobar had their best seasons, and maybe Mauer doesn't keep it going. Still will be a great lineup but they need pitching.

 

If the three of them tank (which I do not think will happen), they do not have a great lineup anymore.

[terrydactyls]

Did you watch the game on Tuesday

And I guess Severino must be a crappy pitcher also? His line was far worse than Santana's.

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

I'm just worried that guys like Rosario and Escobar had their best seasons, and maybe Mauer doesn't keep it going. Still will be a great lineup but they need pitching.

Those are definitely concerns but Rosario's batted ball profile looks like he'll continue to be better, though how much better is certainly in question.

 

I believe Escobar's performance will drop considerably.

 

On the upside, Buxton should improve. As good as he looked for the second half of the season, he still only finished with a .728 OPS. His second half OPS was .893.

 

Not that I expect him to be a .900 OPS player going forward but the improvement was real and if healthy, he should certainly top a .728 OPS for the season.

[ND-Fan]

This is good core group of fielders for the twins and should not yet be broken up or traded for pitching. If They are going to improve pitching its going to have to be on the free agent market. Also it means they are going to have to sign some high cost and high risk players for next three to four years. Also maybe some international signings could be done. Verlander would have been a good fit for them he was high cost but he fit in this three year term and he would have given them shut down pitcher for this years playoff game. If the yankees would have been in similar position they would have made the deal to strengthen the team. I just don't see trading any outfield players now because they are improving and still low cost for next three years. Trading Dozier is possibility but by far he's leader of the team and the big question is Gordon ready to come up to be short stop. Only other player i see having any value would be Escobar but it would be limited value. I can't see the twins trading any prospects in farm system.  I hate to say this but Sano may be only player they might consider to trade for pitching but could be like the red sox in trading Babe Ruth  biggest mistake  ever made. The reason for trading Sano is he may be injury prone and doesn't look to be longterm high value player and will become costly to sign in near future. The problem he is fan favorite and great draw to just watch him hit his big home runs. Ownership is going to be faced with decision if they want to invest big money in pitching. I am willing to bet that geniuses were thinking they have another poor year where they would get alot of high draft picks to add to farm system with there plan to be competitive in couple of years. Now this team won now fans expectations and ownership expectation have risen where they want something done next year. No time to develop pitching that will be major league ready by next year.  If they this team falls way back again because of pitching the geniuses will start feeling the heat something they have been given a pass on this year.

[howieramone2]

I'm happy with our position players, including our bench. Yes, bring back Gimenez. I would not spend much on the pen, because I believe we finally have the numbers going forward. To me, it's a no brainer to bring back Belisle.

 

It's going to be won or lost on whether we can trade for a 2/3 starting pitcher, using our deep, and if not currently, soon to be highly regarded farm system. We basically need only the one player. Board scapegoat Terry Ryan, left us the rest and it's going to get better as his drafts continue to mature.