Going forward, what moves do you think will happen?

[mazeville]

I agree with people who say change little. I still say this team is close. Here's what I would do:

 

1. Make some trades. I'd trade people like Zach Duke, Addison Reed, Lance Lynn, Fernando Rodney and perhaps Brian Dozier at the deadline. 

 

2. I'd give Joe Mauer a fabulous retirement gift of a promise of a statue outside of Target Field in the near future. I love Joe and think he's had some raw treatment by a lot of fans. But concussions suck. And this was bad.

 

3. Start playing Miguel Sano at first because that's where he's going next year. Play Eduardo Escobar at third until Nick Gordon is moved there to make room for Royce Lewis.

 

4. Get more kids playing time. Trevor May, Stephen Gonsalves, John Curtiss, Luke Bard. Maybe even Brent Rooker.

 

5. Move Jorge Polanco to 2nd and call up Nick Gordon. 

 

6. Make a very big splash in the offseason. Show fans you mean business. 

[Oldgoat_MN]

Gibson is our best starter, by ERA and FIP.

Pressly is our best RP by FIP. His ERA is second only to Magill (!).

Both are not free agents until 2020.

 

Rosario leads the team in OPS. He's not a free agent until 2022.

When are you building for? I thought the FO was looking at 2019 being our year. 

I don't see trading away some of our best players as a recipe for anything but mediocrity for the next few years.

Amazed that people are still down on Rosario. Or at least would be happy to trade him.

What's the kid gotta do?

[B Good]

With Mauer experiencing concussion symptoms, his career could legitimately be over.  Doesn't that make Sano our new first baseman?  In that scenario, Escobar is our new third baseman, so I hope he doesn't get traded.  

 

Dozier, Lynn, Duke, and Rodney seem likely to be traded if the level of play doesn't improve drastically.   

[Mike Sixel]

I too move Gordon to third in AAA right now.

[yarnivek1972]

I’m not sure Gordon’s bat will play at third. Defensively he should be fine. Most shortstops handle third quite well (Ripken, A-Rod, Leius, et al). I’m not really sure who would be the better defender at SS between Gordon and Polanco. My gut says it’s probably a push.

[Mike Sixel]

 

I’m not sure Gordon’s bat will play at third. Defensively he should be fine. Most shortstops handle third quite well (Ripken, A-Rod, Leius, et al). I’m not really sure who would be the better defender at SS between Gordon and Polanco. My gut says it’s probably a push.

 

He's better than playing Adrianza at SS right now......and Escobar isn't a long term answer, probably. 

 

I'd have him at SS, but if the team wants Polanco at SS going forward, where does Gordon play this year?

 

And, imo, he should play here this year before the REALLY bad players come up in September for KC, DET, CHI......because he'll be on this roster next year when Dozier and / or Escobar are gone.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

Ripken, A-Rod, Leius

That's the holy trinity of shortstops, right there.

[jctwins]

 

I would start by firing Molly and hiring a Latin manager with some fire. I would then trade Rodney, Reed, Duke, Pressly, hopefully Cleveland will give us something decent for 2 of these. Trade Lynn and Gibson to either Boston or NY, they both need starters. Trade Dozier if you can get a decent offer. Otherwise will probably have to give a QO at end of year.
Try and get the young core to sign longer extensions, consider trading those who do not sign in the off-season. All offers must be reasonable, not giveaways or salary relief.

 

Consider this post the first planted seed of a rumor that Ozzie is looking to get back into managing a team, and the Twins have been talking to him.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Doomtints]

Starting a team rebuild in June when you are realistically only around 3 weeks behind seems like an overreaction to me, especially in a division where no team is going to go on a tear (except maybe the Twins.)

 

If the Twins are at this point (or worse) at the trade deadline, yeah, sell off whoever will be leaving anyway. That's all there is to do.

 

We know Molitor won't be fired.

[The_Phantom]

Dozier will be in boston

[Mike Sixel]

 

Dozier will be in boston

 

I think Milwaukee.....along with a SP like Odorizzi or Gibson.

[Squirrel]

We'd all like to have Machado ... But I really think people are waaaaaay too down on Sano

I want them both! And Realmuto! Go Twins! Make it so!

[Mike Sixel]

They will have more than enough money to sign Machado if they want. I have some doubts....but it would be great if they did 

[twins_89]

My guess is the next 3 weeks could be the deciding stretch on whether the Twins go into sell mode. If at the end of the second Cleveland series we are over 10 games back I'd hope the front office makes guys available.

 

If the Twins sell, I see Lynn and Duke as almost sure to go. Santana might also be  moved if he's back and pitching well by the trade deadline. I think we'll make Dozier available, but I'm not sure any team will offer enough to make it worthwhile (would need to make up for the draft pick we'd get from making him a qualifying offer). Morrison and Rodney could also be potential trade candidates, though they fall more into the category of it would take a good offer since the Twins don't need to move them and they could be useful next season. Lastly, I would like to see the team work out an extension with Escobar to be their 3B for the next couple of years (with Sano moving to 1B).

[jun]

I would deal almost anyone, other than Sano, Romero, Berrios, Rosario, Kepler, Gibson, Pressly and Escobar.

[jun]

Duke is the only reliable left-handed pitcher in the bullpen right now. Rogers should've been demoted if there's any better option in AAA.

[Brandon]

I think with Sano hitting our offense will be fine with another bat. I would like to see the Twins aquire a C any if Realmuto, Ramos, or the Texas C Chiniros...

 

Also want to see the Twins bring up Gordon for a chance. We are already not hitting at SS.

 

Thos two plugs could help turn the offense around.

 

Also we could sign Hanley Ramirez to be a back up and DH.

 

I like our pitching the way its going and dont want to mess with it if we dont have to.

[beckmt]

I would be looking to trade with with clubs like Boston, NYY, Houston, Milwaukee, Cleveland. These clubs have decent farm systems and we have players they need. I would be looking for players with upside who are blocked with their current clubs. Aim high, twins should be able to get multiple offers for their starters, and some offers for their relievers.

[jorgenswest]

They need to wait closer to the deadline to get the better value as teams get more desperate to make a move.

 

Until then they can hope those with expiring contracts play well.

[nicksaviking]

 

Gibson is our best starter, by ERA and FIP.

Pressly is our best RP by FIP. His ERA is second only to Magill (!).

Both are not free agents until 2020.

 

Rosario leads the team in OPS. He's not a free agent until 2022.

When are you building for? I thought the FO was looking at 2019 being our year. 

I don't see trading away some of our best players as a recipe for anything but mediocrity for the next few years.

Amazed that people are still down on Rosario. Or at least would be happy to trade him.

What's the kid gotta do?

 

If the front office wasn't looking at 2018 being our year, they sure made a show of pretending they did.

 

I think this team is close, but ONLY if Romero and Berrios are actually the real deal. They need to be on the level of Kluber, Verlander, Price, Severino. 

 

If not, then they still have plenty of work to do. And offensively? Oof, that's tough. This team has a lot of promising young bats, some might be the answer, but nearly to a man they are awful at getting on base. If most of them are OBP blackholes, yeah, they might have to scrap most of the parts and try again. Too many of these guys are probably good individually but less so as a cohesive unit.

[notoriousgod71]

 

That's the holy trinity of shortstops, right there.

 

 

I almost had a stroke when I read that too.

[yarnivek1972]

Duke is the only reliable left-handed pitcher in the bullpen right now. Rogers should've been demoted if there's any better option in AAA.

Moya is doing well in AAA. Not sure he fits the mold as a traditional lefty reliever though. His best pitch is a changeup which typically is more effective vs RHB for LHP. He has not pitched well in SSS at the MLB level.

[VATwinsFan]

 

If theyre trading Buxton and Sano, it's a rebuild.

How can you rebuild something that was never built?

[ChrisKnutson]

I’m already over this Buxton/Sano era, and what about Berrios, Kepler, and Rosario? Think it’s time to enter a new era for the Twins that also includes Romero, Gonsalves, Jay, Thorpe, Rooker, Gordon, and Lewis

 

And I understand the Mauer fanfare, Buxton too, but what makes Sano any different than a Cris Carter or past his prime Ryan Howard? And I thought Molitor was suppose to be “10 steps ahead of everyone else.” It’s time to prepare for playoff run in 2019.

[ashbury]

Dozier will be in boston

July 26-29, at least.

 

Hm, a good time for a deadline deal. They'll save a ton on airfare.

[jkcarew]

I too move Gordon to third in AAA right now.

I don’t know...I’d rather see them get aggressive unloading Dozier (been a big fan, but it’s the right thing to do now) and keep Gordon’s range in the middle, presumably 2B. Escobar is at 3B...and/or a FA at 3B next year. (Assuming Sano moves to 1B.)

[gunnarthor]

 

 

 

I think this team is close, but ONLY if Romero and Berrios are actually the real deal. They need to be on the level of Kluber, Verlander, Price, Severino. 

 

t.

I don't think either of them will be on that level - top 3 in Cy Young voting types - but both should be occasional all-stars and top 10 in Cy Young voting (think last years Ervin Santana but a different type of pitcher). Basically, a notch below Kluber et al.

 

To compete with the Yanks, Cleveland and Angels etc, the Twins need a top 3 offense and a deep rotation. I honestly don't think they are that far off but they dug themselves a pretty large hole this year that I don't think they can get out. But let's keep giving Berrios and Romero ML innings so they're ready next year. 

 

On the offense, they need Sano and Buxton to emerge as the huge weapons we've seen in the first and second halves of last year, respectively. If those two don't develop, our offense can't reach its goals. Kepler and Rosario are really good supporting players and Escobar, Mauer and Dozier should be (but probably won't be part of 2019). So the team will need some retooling there but they need those two to play and figure it out. The rest of the year should be about getting them healthy and fixing the holes in their games. Bring up Gordon to see if he can fill in for one of Dozier/Escobar. 

[jkcarew]

That's the holy trinity of shortstops, right there.

“Third-basemen that played SS for at least a day in the majors” for 100 please, Alex

 

This trio is known as the “Iron-man”, the “400-million-dollar-man”, and “the man who coaches youth baseball in Wayzata”

[Brock Beauchamp]

Right now, the plan should be to do this:

 

Absolutely nothing.

 

It’s June 1st. Even if you’re ready to throw in the towel - and there’s little reason to do that quite yet - you’re not going to get buyers for your pieces anyway.

 

Give it a month, see what happens.

[TheLeviathan]

We really can't do anything right now.  I want us to sell, but realistically that doesn't happen in June.  We'll have to wait until July when it is more likely there will be interest in trading.

 

I'm not saying MLB should operate this way, but it does.  We're riding this out for 6-7 weeks whether we want to or not.