Twins stuff from around the Web (Fangraphs, Twitter, Athletic, non-local news sites, etc)

[Vanimal46]

I am not quite sure I understand. Are you advocating a salary cap?

The luxury tax threshold is basically the cap since teams don't want to pay past that number. What's more important IMO is a salary floor.

[Mr. Brooks]

I am not quite sure I understand. Are you advocating a salary cap?

A floor and cap, yes.

It would be nice to not have to make excuses for certain teams (valid or otherwise) anymore, nor debate whether the players are overpaid or the owners are greedy anymore.

[Richie the Rally Goat]

One other thing worth noting, I think, is that as teams have changed hands (for massive sums of money) over the years, many of them lost their ownership’s link to the community.

 

As owners losing touch with their communities, they’ve become less willing to do things “for the sake of the fans”

Jim Pohlad is “one of us” and yet he, and his father both ran the team as a business.

 

Better than Calvin Griffith, but that’s a real low bar.

[Mike Sixel]

David: Are you more confident now that Royce Lewis sticks at shortstop?

12:30
Kiley McDaniel: Yes, somewhere around midseason it seemed like pro scouts had some conviction he would stick, then I got to see him in the FSL and it was better than amateur days

 

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/kiley-mcdaniel-chat-2-6-19/

 

[dbminn]

Fangraphs has posted a new article describing Max Kepler's not-so-obvious breakout in 2018. More grist for the Kepler mill. 

[Brock Beauchamp]

The addition of "Kasota Gold" to the Twins color scheme a year or two ago was totally unnecessary. Wrecked the main home uniforms, especially the classic TC logo on the caps (one of the simplest and best logos in baseball). Gaudy, ugly. Looks like something a teenager would come up with in the uniform design program of a video game.

Yep. I railed on that design disaster frequently when it was released.

[nicksaviking]

 

Fangraphs has posted a new article describing Max Kepler's not-so-obvious breakout in 2018. More grist for the Kepler mill. 

 

Works for me. Early in the offseason I was up for using Kepler as an auxiliary piece in a big trade. I'm starting to buy into the post-hype hype though. He might breakout big.

[Mike Sixel]

 

Works for me. Early in the offseason I was up for using Kepler as an auxiliary piece in a big trade. I'm starting to buy into the post-hype hype though. He might breakout big.

 

I'd consider moving him to CF, and trading Buxton, as I think the league likes Buxton more......and I want more back. But, with Lanarch and Kiriloff in the minors, and Cave and Wade as possible backups, I see one of the existing three being traded, maybe as early as this deadline.....

[nicksaviking]

 

I'd consider moving him to CF, and trading Buxton, as I think the league likes Buxton more......and I want more back. But, with Lanarch and Kiriloff in the minors, and Cave and Wade as possible backups, I see one of the existing three being traded, maybe as early as this deadline.....

 

If we're trading from excess supply, it would be nice if we did it while someone was peaking, so I guess at this point I'm content waiting and crossing our fingers.

 

It doesn't sound like any good starters are available in trade at the moment anyway. Maybe midseason when a surprise team crashes and burns.

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

I'd consider moving him to CF, and trading Buxton, as I think the league likes Buxton more......and I want more back. But, with Lanarch and Kiriloff in the minors, and Cave and Wade as possible backups, I see one of the existing three being traded, maybe as early as this deadline.....

I think you'd get close to equal value for both right now, which isn't much (probably a bit more for Buxton). A top 100, maybe top 75 prospect for either with maybe a throw-in... I'll roll the dice on both Kepler and Buxton at that price.

[Mike Sixel]

I think you'd get close to equal value for both right now, which isn't much (probably a bit more for Buxton). A top 100, maybe top 75 prospect for either with maybe a throw-in... I'll roll the dice on both Kepler and Buxton at that price.

I'm not trading either for prospects. I want pitching.

[Brock Beauchamp]

I'm not trading either for prospects. I want pitching.

Either way, not getting much.

[PseudoSABR]

Trading either Kepler or Buxton at their current value is silly foolish.

[Brock Beauchamp]

Trading either Kepler or Buxton at their current value is silly foolish.

Yep, they’re at the point where you have to bet on them or basically give up entirely.

[Jham]

Yep, they’re at the point where you have to bet on them or basically give up entirely.

So why did we play them into almost no value? Those that suggested that they be traded previously while offering more promise and more cost control were chastised and told that position prospects are too valuable to trade. Well guess what, even if they're all good we won't be able to resign them all. So why not trade at peak value and trust your own scouts and reads? Just like under Ryan. Vastly overrating our own prospects. Also the are significant counterpoints of skepticism as to whether Kepler's "breakout" is sustainable. Swing path, trajectory, and shifting for example.

[Riverbrian]

 

Trading either Kepler or Buxton at their current value is silly foolish.

 

They either establish decent value or we choke on them is my thinking.

 

There is no way I could stomach watching them establish themselves someplace else while we are left to wonder if that left handed reliever we got in return gets a cup of coffee. 

 

 

[Mike Sixel]

I literally said trade later. Not now. But whatever.

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

So why did we play them into almost no value? Those that suggested that they be traded previously while offering more promise and more cost control were chastised and told that position prospects are too valuable to trade. Well guess what, even if they're all good we won't be able to resign them all. So why not trade at peak value and trust your own scouts and reads? Just like under Ryan. Vastly overrating our own prospects. Also the are significant counterpoints of skepticism as to whether Kepler's "breakout" is sustainable. Swing path, trajectory, and shifting for example.

Because that's how prospects work.

 

Seriously. I get how maybe Guy X should have been traded in Year Z but that ship has sailed. The Twins have what they have right now and trading either Kepler or Buxton is foolish because the future of the team literally depends on them.

 

If the front office decides to trade a few good prospects TODAY for good players TODAY, I'll be on board with that.

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

I literally said trade later. Not now. But whatever.

Fair enough, you did say the deadline but that doesn't make much sense either... Whatever, it doesn't matter. You did say later and I missed that initially.

[Jham]

Because that's how prospects work.

 

Seriously. I get how maybe Guy X should have been traded in Year Z but that ship has sailed. The Twins have what they have right now and trading either Kepler or Buxton is foolish because the future of the team literally depends on them.

 

If the front office decides to trade a few good prospects TODAY for good players TODAY, I'll be on board with that.

Well that's the way it has worked. The league is changing. Maybe after the next CBA it will change again. This isn't that different than the Hicks scenario. We just need a better result. The young controllable and effective player has always mattered to small and mid market teams, but it's even more valuable for teams that plan on exceeding the luxury tax and need to dip down for a year.

 

I'm seeing the same thing happening again. Graterol an "ace". Lewis and Kiroloff are future MVPs. They're all nice prospects. But I don't think Lewis is a Correa or Machado type or that Ak is a Bryce Harper.

 

I'm not saying they should be traded. I'm saying no one is off limits. We need to do a better job of evaluating our own talent. And if we're still committed to the Buck and Sano window, then invest in this team now. Waiting does nothing. We're walking toward a cliff where if they're good they walk and if they're not good we lose trade value by the minute.

[Brock Beauchamp]

Well that's the way it has worked. The league is changing. Maybe after the next CBA it will change again. This isn't that different than the Hicks scenario. We just need a better result. The young controllable and effective player has always mattered to small and mid market teams, but it's even more valuable for teams that plan on exceeding the luxury tax and need to dip down for a year.

 

I'm seeing the same thing happening again. Graterol an "ace". Lewis and Kiroloff are future MVPs. They're all nice prospects. But I don't think Lewis is a Correa or Machado type or that Ak is a Bryce Harper.

 

I'm not saying they should be traded. I'm saying no one is off limits. We need to do a better job of evaluating our own talent. And if we're still committed to the Buck and Sano window, then invest in this team now. Waiting does nothing. We're walking toward a cliff where if they're good they walk and if they're not good we lose trade value by the minute.

No arguments here. I’ve been pretty vocal about how much I’ve disliked this offseason.

[howieramone2]

 

No arguments here. I’ve been pretty vocal about how much I’ve disliked this offseason.

One national expert referred to our offseason as sneaky good, another as solid. I agree with both of them. The new regime is operating with one hand tied behind their back, and I'm not sure that's ever going to change. I think the core of 4 plus Polanco and Rosario are going to bounce back in a big way and our acquisitions will perform somewhat better than the market, which is 50/50.

[Mike Sixel]

KLAW said on his periscope today that he thinks Lewis will be more than All Star (assuming I heard it correctly, it went fast and I'm not going to listen again.....)

 

Fernando Romero as a starter.

[howieramone2]

 

KLAW said on his periscope today that he thinks Lewis will be more than All Star (assuming I heard it correctly, it went fast and I'm not going to listen again.....)

 

Fernando Romero as a starter.

I think we all want Romero to ultimately be a starter. What I don't want is him to spend anymore time in Rochester. When he wasn't brought up in September, that made me certain he was probably short a pitch. He could be the key to our 2020 rotation. Did I mention he's another TR guy? 

 

[yarnivek1972]

I think we all want Romero to ultimately be a starter. What I don't want is him to spend anymore time in Rochester. When he wasn't brought up in September, that made me certain he was probably short a pitch. He could be the key to our 2020 rotation. Did I mention he's another TR guy?

 

I don’t think anyone has ever questioned Terry Ryan’s ability to evaluate amateur talent. And the people saying that the Twins drafted poorly in the last 10 years or so of the Ryan era are also in the minority.

 

However, something clearly was amiss between the time that amateur talent signed and the time they made it to the MLB level. A large majority of them were overmatched and/or ill prepared despite no real evidence that players were “rushed”. Failed high level prospect after failed high level prospect. That suggests that the issue was player development. Terry Ryan’s loyalty to “his people” blinded him to the poor results. He was also blind to the changes taking place with regards to analytics - which is an integral tool in evaluation AND development. I’ll lay part of that blame on the doorstep of his most immediate boss, team president Dave St. Peter. He failed to recognize (or failed to care about) the lack of results coming from the system. He failed to hold Ryan and his staff accountable for far too long.

[Vanimal46]

 

This is who we're putting the weight of the franchise on. Someone comparable to Mark Reynolds and Austin Jackson.

[Mike Sixel]

MadKyleDisease: Are the Twins the biggest offenders of this slow offseason? A (relative) ton of money to spend. The favorites in their division doing nothing to get better and possible getting worse. And only reaching into the bargain bin instead of making a push.

 

10:16

Jeff Sullivan: I think to this point the Dodgers are considered the biggest offenders

 

10:16

Jeff Sullivan: But looking at the Twins, they’re projected for a $100-million payroll, down from last year’s $129 million

 

10:18

Jeff Sullivan: It’s possible, I suppose, guys like Keuchel and Kimbrel just don’t want to play there, or something. But it seems like the Twins should be involved on at least one of them, if not both

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

One national expert referred to our offseason as sneaky good, another as solid. I agree with both of them.

I've actually liked most of the moves the front office has made, except for one glaring omission...

 

They're literally $30m below what they spent last season and $40m below what they should be spending.

 

So, yes, go pick up those Crons at a bargain. Good for you. Never once have I complained about that type of deal.

 

But what chaps the hell out of me is that, AGAIN, they should have $30m MINIMUM to spend on other free agents.

 

I'm not looking for a Harper here, I'm just looking for a decent ****ing reliever.

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

10:18
Jeff Sullivan: It’s possible, I suppose, guys like Keuchel and Kimbrel just don’t want to play there, or something. But it seems like the Twins should be involved on at least one of them, if not both

I'd honestly rather see the team offer Gibson $20m this year and then $10m for three more years than sign Keuchel.

[rghrbek]

Stunned and shocked that there has not been more talk about the marlins trading their superstar catcher, who we have all coveted.  Hows was their hall compared to what we could have done?