Trade Rumor: Rosenthal writes that Rival Official Predicts White Sox Runaway Division Winners

[bean5302]

On 7/30/2022 at 8:17 AM, adjacent said:

I don't know what they forgot, but since he left the pitching has been absolutely terrible. Rotation and bullpen.

It's been largely the same pitching, just with different results. xFIPs have barely moved since June 30th.

[Morneau for Gov]

Do the Twins have a realistic chance of winning the AL Central? Yes, they have a chance. The real question is does it matter? Whomever wins the AL Central this year will have the longest odds in the playoffs. If I'm the Twins GM, my goal is to win a world series, and this isn't the year to trade away resources to take that shot. I'd be a seller at this point. Let's try to win something that really matters. 

I like a lot of pieces on the current Twins, but they're not one or two arms away from being a contender. 

[Vanimal46]

Maybe I’m just drunk on all of this positive Twins news today, but I’d love to see what the “rival official” thinks now… The Twins addressed their major flaws; Chicago and Cleveland did nothing. 

[Squirrel]

17 hours ago, Vanimal46 said:

Maybe I’m just drunk on all of this positive Twins news today, but I’d love to see what the “rival official” thinks now… The Twins addressed their major flaws; Chicago and Cleveland did nothing. 

Chicago did acquire a RP. But yeah. I said this in another thread, but local reports on the Sox inactivity had the GM stating that they just didn't line up with anyone and that he is as disappointed as the fans. It sounded as if he wasn't willing to deal away their top most prospects, but then didn't have much to offer behind that.

[Otto von Ballpark]

22 hours ago, Vanimal46 said:

Maybe I’m just drunk on all of this positive Twins news today, but I’d love to see what the “rival official” thinks now… The Twins addressed their major flaws; Chicago and Cleveland did nothing. 

I was thinking this too, but to be fair, it doesn't look like Chicago or Cleveland had quite the gaps that the Twins had on the pitching staff. Even their lineups are filling out a bit with guys returning from injury and from minor league call-ups. Both have a couple black holes (Grandal & Moncada, Straw & Hedges) but they seem stuck/committed to them, contractually or otherwise.

[Brock Beauchamp]

16 hours ago, Otto von Ballpark said:

I was thinking this too, but to be fair, it doesn't look like Chicago or Cleveland had quite the gaps that the Twins had on the pitching staff. Even their lineups are filling out a bit with guys returning from injury and from minor league call-ups. Both have a couple black holes (Grandal & Moncada, Straw & Hedges) but they seem stuck/committed to them, contractually or otherwise.

They may not have had the gaps but that also speaks to just how underwhelming their rosters have played this season. The Twins shot themselves in the foot constantly during the first 100 games but their BaseRuns record is even with their real record. Should they merely cease sabotaging themselves, they're probably a 90-win team.

Whereas BaseRuns has Cleveland at one game worse than their actual record and the White Sox at three games worse, four games under .500.

The Twins had big gaping holes that they mostly patched up at the deadline. The Guardians and White Sox are just mediocre.

It will be a massive disappointment if the Twins don't win the division. They're the best team.