Twins Adjusting FA Sights...Targeting the Big Bucks?

[tvagle]

Couldn't resist 2nd week of Deer Camp twist on the Topic Title

 

A little Thursday morning reading that is both refreshing and supports my prophetic Profile Sig

 

MLBTR suggesting bigger things from the Twins...and the Cheese-curds

 

With a link to Jon Heyman suggesting Twins are at least considering all options for pitching

 

Don't sleep on the Thad Levine/Rangers/Darvish connection...Thad may not say much but he seems to me to be like a duck cruising across the pond..."Calm, cool and composed on the surface....but paddling like crazy under the water" (here ends the hunting analogies)

 

Where there is Smoke...either LaVelle E. Neal III is nearby with a Cigar or there might be a little more fire to the thought that the Twins will change their spending ways...

 

It could happen

 

 

[wsnydes]

I wholly welcome a change in philosophy, but I'm not going to get too excited until I see it.  At least they've identified their biggest weakness and are considering all avenues of improving it.  That alone is a step in the right direction. 

[tvagle]

 

I think the lack of good free agent pitching is the only reason to look at Lackey, and even then we should only glance and then turn away quickly.  He's unlikely to be even a short term answer as a 39 year old pitcher coming off a mediocre season in the NL whose last years in the Al weren't very pretty. His rep when he was here in LA was as a fiery, difficult guy who was liked in the clubhouse but not really a leader so I would look at talent and production only, not whether he's a good teammate. Werth looks cooked and I would much rather have Howie Kendrick, Melky Cabrera or even Daniel Nava as a 4th OF/ RH DH veteran guy.

 

I would seriously look at Kendrick. He can still hit at age 34, plays an average to slightly below average corner OF, and can play a little 2B, 3B and probably can play 1B given his abilities (I don't know that he's ever played 1B).  He's supposedly a good teammate and has played on successful teams in the past. The negative is that he's probably going to command 8-12m for the season and may want more than one year. I think that's doable given his production, and our need for a DH will give him at least 400-500 ABs for the season since he could slot in as the regular DH and play 1-2 days a week in the field. Also, he can play in the field for 2-3 weeks if someone gets hurt. Basically, he'd be a replacement for Grossman who would be an upgrade at the plate and not a downgrade in the field.   

May have posted this in the wrong topic...try this topic out 

http://twinsdaily.com/topic/27959-article-two-veteran-free-agents-the-twins-could-target/page-5

[diehardtwinsfan]

Wonder if a Darvish signing could help them get Otani as well. That would be a splash... I wouldn't know what to do with myself.

[nicksaviking]

 

Wonder if a Darvish signing could help them get Otani as well. That would be a splash... I wouldn't know what to do with myself.

 

Yes, that would be a fantastic thought.

 

This year's free agent class isn't very inspiring so normally I would think it's a poor time to spend money, but symbolically I'm all for it. After two decades of never doing anything more than luke-warm aggressive, I'd welcome a completely different strategy, even if it fails.

 

[Shaitan]

 

I would seriously look at Kendrick. He can still hit at age 34, plays an average to slightly below average corner OF, and can play a little 2B, 3B and probably can play 1B given his abilities (I don't know that he's ever played 1B).  He's supposedly a good teammate and has played on successful teams in the past. The negative is that he's probably going to command 8-12m for the season and may want more than one year. I think that's doable given his production, and our need for a DH will give him at least 400-500 ABs for the season since he could slot in as the regular DH and play 1-2 days a week in the field. Also, he can play in the field for 2-3 weeks if someone gets hurt. Basically, he'd be a replacement for Grossman who would be an upgrade at the plate and not a downgrade in the field.   

 

It seems that Kendrick would be more of a replacement for Adrianza since he plays (mostly) the same positions.

[tvagle]

 

Wonder if a Darvish signing could help them get Otani as well. That would be a splash... I wouldn't know what to do with myself.

Have you not been reading what I've been writing?   

 

There's this

http://twinsdaily.com/topic/27955-berardino-tonkins-rights-sold-to-japanese-team/page-2

 

and here's how it looks with Yu, Otani and extensions for everybody (Mauer and Dozier included)

 

 

and somewhere I posted this justification for the increase in payroll

 

http://twinsdaily.com/topic/27869-article-diving-into-the-offseason-rosario-and-kepler-extensions/

Comment #6

 

Wait a minute...too many things are lining up...this is starting to feel like a "1998 wide left" moment

[Thrylos]

 

Have you not been reading what I've been writing?   

 

There's this

http://twinsdaily.com/topic/27955-berardino-tonkins-rights-sold-to-japanese-team/page-2

 

and here's how it looks with Yu, Otani and extensions for everybody (Mauer and Dozier included)

 

 

 

and somewhere I posted this justification for the increase in payroll

 

http://twinsdaily.com/topic/27869-article-diving-into-the-offseason-rosario-and-kepler-extensions/

Comment #6

 

Wait a minute...too many things are lining up...this is starting to feel like a "1998 wide left" moment

 

 

I'd rather see them not extend Santana, Mauer and Dozier and address that pen.  As is, looks pretty pathetic. 

[diehardtwinsfan]

 

Have you not been reading what I've been writing?   

 

There's this

http://twinsdaily.com/topic/27955-berardino-tonkins-rights-sold-to-japanese-team/page-2

 

and here's how it looks with Yu, Otani and extensions for everybody (Mauer and Dozier included)

 

 

 

and somewhere I posted this justification for the increase in payroll

 

http://twinsdaily.com/topic/27869-article-diving-into-the-offseason-rosario-and-kepler-extensions/

Comment #6

 

Wait a minute...too many things are lining up...this is starting to feel like a "1998 wide left" moment

 

I'm not sure my comment had anything to do with what you've been writing   I just simply noted that I wouldn't know what to do with myself if the Twins actually got Darvish and Otani. I'm well aware that both can fit in the budget... I'd add, they could go out and get a reliever or two as well if they wanted.