110 million 4 Donaldson or Prospects for Bryant Faceoff

[Brandon]

While the Twins posture and possibly walk away from Donaldson we are left wondering what are options are for an impact upgrade. The only other big one I see is a trade for Kris Bryant with the Cubs. They are asking alot but we fans are practically demanding the front office put up or shut up. So with an impact move that needs to be made do we trade for Bryant or go with JD s demand for 110 million? What would we need to give up to get 2 seasons of Bryant? larnarch, Graterol, Jeffers? I am not.going to pretend I know what it would.take.to make this trade but I am sure it's not cheap. What do you think the Twins should be do?

[Squirrel]

What we would give for Bryant depends on how many years we would have him for before free agency, and we won’t know that until his grievance is resolved. But the Cubs will be asking for and wanting a lot. I’m not sure what all it would take other than a lot. And I’d say highly regarded pitching will be a part of it. I’d rather have Bryant than Donaldson, though, just not sure the cost.

[darin617]

Trading for Bryant would be a mistake. The Twins would have no chance of resigning him and would only have him for 2 years. It would not be worth the price he would command when the Twins have a glaring weakness in the starting rotation.

 

The Twins should be focusing on trading for pitching over dreams of trading for the likes of Bryant & Arenado. 

[tony&rodney]

Bryant has had some great seasons thus far. He is in a dispute with the Cubs that he is expected to lose. I think he should win his grievance. Thus, he become a rental. Either way I am not a Bryant fan. Something unexplainable makes me think he could mirror Prior - quick start and too quickly becomes a highly thought of young coach. Donaldson is risky in two years and Bryant costs major prospects. JD - ok, KB - no.

[Ben Derflott]

I'll take option #3 and send Kiriloff plus to Denver in exchange for Arenado and Freeland.

[whosafraidofluigirussolo]

From MLBTR; take for whatever it's worth:
"Speaking to people around the game, Kaplan [David Kaplan of NBC Sports Chicago] found real skepticism that Bryant remains the foundational superstar he was in 2016."

So maybe no one else is lining up to trade a big prospect package for him either.

 

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2020/01/offseason-notes-nationals-free-agents-rays-cubs-bryant-contreras.html

[akmanak]

The only way the FO ever listens to the fans is when they stop showing up to games. Stadium was full and ratings were up. They don't care.

[diehardtwinsfan]

 

What we would give for Bryant depends on how many years we would have him for before free agency, and we won’t know that until his grievance is resolved. But the Cubs will be asking for and wanting a lot. I’m not sure what all it would take other than a lot. And I’d say highly regarded pitching will be a part of it. I’d rather have Bryant than Donaldson, though, just not sure the cost.

This can be solved with a PTBNL defined pending the outcome of the grievance. 

[Musk21]

 

The only way the FO ever listens to the fans is when they stop showing up to games. Stadium was full and ratings were up. They don't care.

Winning 101 games and the AL Central division tends to help on those fronts.

[akmanak]

Winning 101 games and the AL Central division tends to help on those fronts.

In a weak division with a fan base who simply settles for medicore. Do you think the majority will remember the wins or how we got swept again in the first round?

[prouster]

In a weak division with a fan base who simply settles for medicore. Do you think the majority will remember the wins or how we got swept again in the first round?

I’ll remember how much fun I had all summer watching a young team gel and succeed together.

[akmanak]

I’ll remember how much fun I had all summer watching a young team gel and succeed together.

I also enjoyed seeing the team win a bunch of games but fans knew given our pitching that we really had no chance at advancing in the playoffs.

 

We also have seen management make none of the moves that they said they would. Just like the last 2 years.

[RaoulDuke]

If they are going to go the trade route, which they all but have to now, I would only spend prospects on pitching. 

 

 

[specialiststeve]

 

In a weak division with a fan base who simply settles for medicore. Do you think the majority will remember the wins or how we got swept again in the first round?

 

Yep! Folks go to the game to be entertained and watch the Twins win. 90% don't care about a weak division and care more about the food and the beer flowing. Everyone would love another title and if the minor league pitching improves and we find an ace in the system we just may do it... otherwise having winning teams that are entertaining will be remembered and what people want .... 

[arno0091]

I thought TD would be reasonably cool as I catch Bonnes on KFAN weekly. I just signed up a half hour ago and have been scrolling through various topics and realize this feels like a comment arena for Pohlad pocket protectors. Has the west side newspaper really brainwashed us so bad that racking up 100 wins against the Oswalds is a successful season? The FO has quote "Felt the breeze and the window is now" yet no starting pitching as promised and after no trades are made either the Trib will tell fans to stop complaining and this takes patience and maybe next year, etc. Pohlad is the 4th richest owner in MLB and he gets his share of revenue from the big TV markets. He either needs to put some money back into the team or get the hell out of the baseball business. And no the excuses of so and so didn't want to leave the west coast or Falvey fought hard but barely missed out don't do it anymore for non brainwashed fans. I hope they crap out so fans stop showing up and filling Pohlad's pockets. Same bs year after year for 30 years. Johan and even Berrios this past summer was right about management not giving a darn.

[darin617]

I would not want either JD or Bryant.

 

JD "wants" a 4 year deal. I don't feel teams are wanting to give him the 4 years at much more than $85M tops. If he had a 4 year $100M deal on the table I feel he would have taken it by now. Along with the nonsense of him wanting to let Atlanta match any deal would not make me happy. It just proves the guy wants to play there and no place else.

 

I had a good laugh when I made a post on reddit about whether JD would accept a 2 year 60-65M deal and pretty much the consensus was he is too old to take just a 2 year deal and then to try to go back on the market after that. Pretty much proves the point I have tried to make the whole time, whoever signs him will most likely get burned in the last 2 years.

 

As for Bryant, he would not want to resign here and to me I can't see the reason to trade top prospects for a 2 year rental. Those top prospects should be traded for pitching and not a 3rd baseman.  This team needs pitching to go anyplace beyond being one and done in the playoffs again.

[Whammy]

I thought TD would be reasonably cool as I catch Bonnes on KFAN weekly. I just signed up a half hour ago and have been scrolling through various topics and realize this feels like a comment arena for Pohlad pocket protectors. Has the west side newspaper really brainwashed us so bad that racking up 100 wins against the Oswalds is a successful season? The FO has quote "Felt the breeze and the window is now" yet no starting pitching as promised and after no trades are made either the Trib will tell fans to stop complaining and this takes patience and maybe next year, etc. Pohlad is the 4th richest owner in MLB and he gets his share of revenue from the big TV markets. He either needs to put some money back into the team or get the hell out of the baseball business. And no the excuses of so and so didn't want to leave the west coast or Falvey fought hard but barely missed out don't do it anymore for non brainwashed fans. I hope they crap out so fans stop showing up and filling Pohlad's pockets. Same bs year after year for 30 years. Johan and even Berrios this past summer was right about management not giving a darn.

Oh cool. Another person that knows the phrase Poland Pocket protector but applies it to everything, to the point that it becomes meaningless, like “fake news”

[IndianaTwin]

 

I thought TD would be reasonably cool as I catch Bonnes on KFAN weekly. I just signed up a half hour ago and have been scrolling through various topics and realize this feels like a comment arena for Pohlad pocket protectors. Has the west side newspaper really brainwashed us so bad that racking up 100 wins against the Oswalds is a successful season? The FO has quote "Felt the breeze and the window is now" yet no starting pitching as promised and after no trades are made either the Trib will tell fans to stop complaining and this takes patience and maybe next year, etc. Pohlad is the 4th richest owner in MLB and he gets his share of revenue from the big TV markets. He either needs to put some money back into the team or get the hell out of the baseball business. And no the excuses of so and so didn't want to leave the west coast or Falvey fought hard but barely missed out don't do it anymore for non brainwashed fans. I hope they crap out so fans stop showing up and filling Pohlad's pockets. Same bs year after year for 30 years. Johan and even Berrios this past summer was right about management not giving a darn.

 

Welcome to the site. It’s beyond “reasonably cool” because the moderators do such a great job keeping people on topic and making sure that it remains a civil place for great discussion among people who contribute good insights. 

 

So what’s your view on Bryant vs. Donaldson? Mine would be Donaldson, but I mainly agree with the group that says if we’re thinking about trading prospects, let’s do it for pitchers. 

[IndianaTwin]

 

This can be solved with a PTBNL defined pending the outcome of the grievance. 

 

As noted, I’m not high on the thought of trading for Bryant, but that is an interesting solution for teams that are. 

[Twins33]

Prefer Donaldson. Use prospects to get pitching.

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

Prefer Donaldson. Use prospects to get pitching.

I agree with this. It's time to start pushing chips into the middle of the table en masse.

 

Find a way to get Donaldson and then use trade pieces to acquire a starter.

 

Go for it. Sano, Buxton, Rosario, et al aren't going to be here forever. I don't want or expect the front office to loot the farm entirely but it's time to start using resources to push this team to a place where it can compete with Houston and New York on something approaching an equal footing.

[nicksaviking]

 

Prefer Donaldson. Use prospects to get pitching.

 

I agree, in a vacuum I'd like Bryant, but I think you'd need the same prospects to get him as you'd need to get starting pitching. Even if the team misses out on Donaldson, I'd probably stay away from Bryant unless there truly is no pitching available.

[Doctor Gast]

I`d love to do a monster trade w/ the Rockies. J Gray + T Story for whatever gets it done. That would take care of SP & SS

 What would it take to make it happen? Garver & Lewis + throw in Romero. I think they need catching & I think a change of scenery would be good for Romero, he probably wants to be starter any way 

[jkcarew]

Are there actual tangible reasons people think Bryant is not going to be good-to-great? His awful year was an OPS+ of 121. He just turned 28, the organization doesn't have an obvious or imminent alternative at 3rd base (other than Sano), or 1st base...and Bryant even comes with some defensive flexibility.

 

Having said that, 2 years of Bryant (it will be two) for top prospects vs. 4 years of Josh Donaldson for $25M+ per year? It's a good question. I'd rather have Bryant...but I guess it would depend on the cost for me to compare against the $110M that seems to be established for JD.

[bird]

 

In a weak division with a fan base who simply settles for medicore. Do you think the majority will remember the wins or how we got swept again in the first round?

 

 

Yes.

[jhoffman]

I don't want either!  I want Matt Chapman. The A's can't afford to extend him or buy out his expensive arbitration years coming up, but the Twins can. Marcus Simeon only has 1 year left with the A's at SS so Lewis is the perfect trade chip to start this deal. If Polanco is your SS and Buxton your CF, why the need to hang on to Lewis? Chapman has 4 years of team control (compared to 2 for Bryant) and Donaldson doesn't warrant a 4 year deal. Arbitration is going to be very expensive for the A's starting in 2021. Would Lewis,Thorpe,& Rooker get it done?

[howeda7]

 

I don't want either!  I want Matt Chapman. The A's can't afford to extend him or buy out his expensive arbitration years coming up, but the Twins can. Marcus Simeon only has 1 year left with the A's at SS so Lewis is the perfect trade chip to start this deal. If Polanco is your SS and Buxton your CF, why the need to hang on to Lewis? Chapman has 4 years of team control (compared to 2 for Bryant) and Donaldson doesn't warrant a 4 year deal. Arbitration is going to be very expensive for the A's starting in 2021. Would Lewis,Thorpe,& Rooker get it done?

If we can get Chapman for Lewis straight up, I would do it.

[Doctor Gast]

 

If we can get Chapman for Lewis straight up, I would do it.

 

If the A`s were open for a trade which I doubt unless something horrific would have to happen for them to be open to trade; it would at least take 3 of our top prospects Lewis, Kirloff & Gratorol

 But it`d be great if we had him

[USAFChief]

 

I don't want either!  I want Matt Chapman. The A's can't afford to extend him or buy out his expensive arbitration years coming up, but the Twins can. Marcus Simeon only has 1 year left with the A's at SS so Lewis is the perfect trade chip to start this deal. If Polanco is your SS and Buxton your CF, why the need to hang on to Lewis? Chapman has 4 years of team control (compared to 2 for Bryant) and Donaldson doesn't warrant a 4 year deal. Arbitration is going to be very expensive for the A's starting in 2021. Would Lewis,Thorpe,& Rooker get it done?

Chapman isn't even arb eligible unitl 2021. Why would Oakland trade him, instead of Simeon? 

 

 

[Mike Sixel]

 

I don't want either!  I want Matt Chapman. The A's can't afford to extend him or buy out his expensive arbitration years coming up, but the Twins can. Marcus Simeon only has 1 year left with the A's at SS so Lewis is the perfect trade chip to start this deal. If Polanco is your SS and Buxton your CF, why the need to hang on to Lewis? Chapman has 4 years of team control (compared to 2 for Bryant) and Donaldson doesn't warrant a 4 year deal. Arbitration is going to be very expensive for the A's starting in 2021. Would Lewis,Thorpe,& Rooker get it done?

 

Hmmmm.....Lewis and two near MLB prospects? That seems like one of the most rational trade proposals this site has ever seen. It depends on what the As think of Thorpe, I'd guess.