Front Page: Talking Yourself Into Homer Bailey and Rich Hill: A Primer

[RandBalls Stu]

Minnesota’s search for impact pitching this off-season went sideways. While visions of Madison Bumgarner and Hyun-Jin Ryu danced in the fanbase’s heads, the cold reality was a New Year’s Eve signing of Homer Bailey and Rich Hill. Put another way, this is like asking for the Lego Millennium Falcon for your birthday and instead getting the Lago Century Bird from the dollar store that always smells like fish. Thanks for putting in the effort, Dad.Still, it’s a good month and a half until pitchers and catchers report, and absent a Josh Donaldson signing or a franchise-altering trade, you have a grim winter stretch ahead of you. You’ll need to start talking yourself into Bailey and Hill being the saviors this rotation so desperately needs. Here’s how:

• Homer Bailey has thrown two no-hitters in his career. Yes, they were 7-8 years ago. But! The Rule of Threes exists for a reason. He’s due!
• Rich Hill just got arrested because his wife got arrested over the NFL’s exquisitely dumb personal bag policy. He’s a bad boy who fights for justice and stands up for his family! This is arguably the most interesting thing a Twins player has done off the field since Steve Lombardozzi and Dan Gladden started wrasslin’ on the Dazzle Man’s property.
• This is just a note that I would watch a 30-for-30 about that fight right now.
• The AL Central is going to be bad again. Detroit and Kansas City will be SuperFund sites. Chicago will be interesting and annoying but probably nothing more than that. Nobody knows what Cleveland is doing but no one thinks it’s good. You can probably ride this rotation as it stands to another title and move the impact pitching goal posts to a midseason trade.
• Reiterating that we need a documentary about the Lombo/Gladden fight or the bad vibes of the whole 1988 season. Gaetti finding the Lord and alienating Hrbek, the Brunansky/Herr disaster, the trade of future Moneyball architect Billy Beane…it’s all there, folks.
• Houston gets a postseason ban for cheating. Hey, they do it in college sports all the time! Take a seat, you garbage can-banging scofflaws.
• The New York Yankees get contracted for reasons.
• The Twins are going to the World Series with Homer Bailey and Rich Hill leading the way.

There. I’ve talked you into it. If the Gophers can beat Auburn in a New Year’s Day bowl game, this can happen too.

 

(That said they should definitely trade for somebody. Anybody. Please.)

 

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[highlander]

Hindsight is a great 20-20 prediction!

[AlwaysinModeration]

You had me at “Yankees contracted.”

[tony&rodney]

"You can probably ride this rotation as it stands to another title and move the impact pitching goal posts to a midseason trade."

 

This is the current state of the Twins. Because there really isn't any reason right now for a team to trade away their best pitchers, a signing of Donaldson becomes even more important. In July, someone will be amenable to an offer. Maybe the Mets tank and Thor is available or perhaps San Diego realizes they can afford to trade pitching for hitting. July will come and an opportunity should be there for a rotation upgrade.

[David HK]

Jeepers, the ghost of Clarence Darrow nearly talked me into it...

 

Nearly.

[LewFordLives]

If you're going to do a documentary on the '88 Twins don't forget to go behind the scenes on the moment where the characters played by Danny DeVito and Arnold Schwarzenegger discovered where they were created.

 

In all seriousness, if Cleveland does nothing, they are still a very formidable team. Can't beat that rotation.

[ashbury]

We got 'em! Rich Bailey and Homer Hill are pitchers I've heard of. I think.

[The_Phantom]

I'm not sure what has happened in the last (literally whatever number you want to use) years that has led you to believe this team will acquire any kind of impact arm at the deadline either. 

[AceWrigley]

** IMPACT ALERT **

 

Arm & Hammer chosen to be the go-to toothpaste in the clubhouse for 2020.

[USAFChief]

Y'know, now that I think about it, they never said the pitching they were looking for would have a POSITIVE impact.

[tony&rodney]

 

I'm not sure what has happened in the last (literally whatever number you want to use) years that has led you to believe this team will acquire any kind of impact arm at the deadline either. 

 

Nothing. 

However, it is possible,  even if not based on past practices, that the Twins view 2020 as a year to change their stripes. Buxton, Sano, Berrios, and Rosario could all easily follow Cruz, Gonazalez, Odorizzi, and others out the door in a few years through free agency, refusal to sign, or demand. Sometimes there is a tipping point and I'm thinking that a failure to attempt strategies different than prior years will cause an unfortunate return to sub mediocrity. 2019 had a very positive vibe for the team and I thought the team enjoyed the games and each other. A push can occur. The question remains - will it happen?

[LewFordLives]

Y'know, now that I think about it, they never said the pitching they were looking for would have a POSITIVE impact.

[LewFordLives]

True....even a belly-flop makes a big impact!

[goulik]

I am married and I am straight but for ANYONE on Twins Daily, if you can get the Yankees contracted, I will go on a date with you and I will even hold your hand. I don't know if that is really any type of motivation at all but if you were wondering, I’m willing to go that far!!

[ashbury]

and I will even hold your hand.

Don't worry. Someone able to get the Yankees contracted will receive much better offers than yours!

 

^{_{/ Kudos for a very Twins-like offer, knowing it will not win, however.}}

 

[Patrick Wozniak]

For the sake of clubhouse chemistry, I hope Bailey and Hill don't smell like fish.

[jkcarew]

 

"You can probably ride this rotation as it stands to another title and move the impact pitching goal posts to a midseason trade."

 

This is the current state of the Twins. Because there really isn't any reason right now for a team to trade away their best pitchers, a signing of Donaldson becomes even more important. In July, someone will be amenable to an offer. Maybe the Mets tank and Thor is available or perhaps San Diego realizes they can afford to trade pitching for hitting. July will come and an opportunity should be there for a rotation upgrade.

If there was ever a situation to 'force' an off-season trade, the Twins are smack dab in the middle of it right now. They already have, not one...but two...starters that will join the staff in the middle of the year. Meanwhile, you're expected to contend, but may have two teams capable of challenging in the division...and you have holes in your starting staff for huge chunks of games in the first third/half of the year.