Rumor: Top 50 Trade Candidates - Who Interests You?

[jkcarew]

1 minute ago, Brock Beauchamp said:

Sometimes guys walk, it’s not the end of the world. Get to the postseason and give yourself a chance to win, that’s more useful than trying to eke out a bit of trade value from two months of Sonny Gray.

I don’t care which hand a starter throws with, I care how good they are. And Snell is a good pitcher but I have no more faith in him than the top three Twins starters. 

I’d rather try to build a complete team…one that would have an actual chance in the playoffs.

[Brock Beauchamp]

3 minutes ago, jkcarew said:

I’d rather try to build a complete team…one that would have an actual chance in the playoffs.

You mean like the Phillies that fielded 12 DHs last season, backed into the final Wild Card spot, and went to the World Series?

There is rarely a "perfect year" and even when there is, the "perfect team" rarely wins the World Series (2022 Dodgers, 2001 Mariners, etc).

Just put together a competent team, get there, and see what happens.

[jkcarew]

4 minutes ago, Brock Beauchamp said:

You mean like the Phillies that fielded 12 DHs last season, backed into the final Wild Card spot, and went to the World Series?

There is rarely a "perfect year" and even when there is, the "perfect team" rarely wins the World Series (2022 Dodgers, 2001 Mariners, etc).

Just put together a competent team, get there, and see what happens.

Look at the division they compete in. Their 87 win last year would be about the equivalent to AT LEAST 95 in the ALC. The ALC central is 6-22 in playoff games since 2016. It’s not an accident, and it’s not going to ‘normalize’ until it starts fielding true contenders. And this year it’s worse than ever. Usually I’d agree that the pitching gives you a punchers chance. But you have to have punchers…and the week division provides a unique chance to sell and accelerate the rebuild…AND still ‘compete’ for a playoff spot.

[Brock Beauchamp]

6 minutes ago, jkcarew said:

Look at the division they compete in. Their 87 win last year would be about the equivalent to AT LEAST 95 in the ALC.

The 2022 Phillies were 34-47 against winning teams.

The 2022 Twins were 39-53 against winning teams and missed the postseason by a mile.

[jkcarew]

7 minutes ago, Brock Beauchamp said:

The 2022 Phillies were 34-47 against winning teams.

The 2022 Twins were 39-53 against winning teams and missed the postseason by a mile.

Unbalanced schedule. 25 of the losses against winning teams came against Braves and Mets, division rivals that were super legitimate and made the Phillies a stronger team. It’s not the same as racking up wins (or losses) against Cleveland. That would be my point.

Look, I have no problem with the ‘get there and anything can happen’ view point. That’s fandom, and it’s technically true. I just don’t ascribe to that as a plan. I’d rather see the club take the 2023 opportunity to rebuild/reload and simultaneously compete for a division. This year it’s not an either/or, IMO.

[terrydactyls]

3 hours ago, Brock Beauchamp said:

Because you seem averse to using google yourself;

https://amp.tmz.com/2021/10/12/tommy-pham-stabbing-photo-gruesome-injury-strip-club-san-diego-padres-mlb/

Thank you for making disparaging remarks about me and also for providing the link.

[Brandon]

I'll just say

Turner for 3B/1B/ DH

Pham for a RH OF 

Barlow for the pen or if the Twins want to go all in Hader

We absolutely need someone with a winning attitude to help get the team out of its offensive slump.  

[jorgenswest]

6 hours ago, Mike Sixel said:

Zero chance I trade Scobel for Hader, let alone him and another guy. 

Fair enough. I wouldn’t either. Someone will send a promising prospect. 

[Mike Sixel]

1 hour ago, jorgenswest said:

Fair enough. I wouldn’t either. Someone will send a promising prospect. 

If Hader had another year on his deal, i MIGHT send Schoebel for him.....but not half a year I don't think.

This offense stinks. They need to fix that much more than the bullpen.

[TopGunn#22]

Mike, YES!  I'd trade six years of Winder and six years of Headrick for Hader.  But I'd make sure I'd sign Hader for another 3 years.  Hader is only 29.  He's money in the bank at the back of your BP.  Extending Hader is crucial to making a deal.  Pham is a 3 month rental.  Not coming back in 2024 for sure.  By then either Larnach or Wallner is entrenched in a corner OF spot.  Bellinger is a "maybe" for an extension, depending on how he plays for us and how expensive retaining him would be.  He becomes much more necessary depending on Buxton's ability to play CF.  But a guy who's a Gold Glove caliber CF and 1B could certainly plug a lot of holes for the Twins.  A lot of money could/should be coming off the books for 2024 Gray, Kepler, Gallo, Polanco, Taylor, Maeda, Mahle, and a lot of young talent will be playing for minimum salaries Lewis, Julien, Kirilloff, Larnach, Wallner, Ryan, Ober, Varland, Duran, Moran, Stewart, Jeffers and maybe Brooks Lee.  The Twins make a deal for Hader to keep him.  So yes, to get a stud like Hader I gladly give up Winder and Headrick.  heck, I'd give up a little more if I had to.  Hader and Duran at the end of a game would be lethal.  And remember, there still is this sliver of thought that Duran could still become a SP.  Pham and Bellinger would be nice acquisitions with some uncertainty.  Hader leaves nothing in doubt.  You want to win that game with a one run lead?  Hader rarely fails.    

[Mike Sixel]

6 minutes ago, TopGunn#22 said:

Mike, YES!  I'd trade six years of Winder and six years of Headrick for Hader.  But I'd make sure I'd sign Hader for another 3 years.  Hader is only 29.  He's money in the bank at the back of your BP.  Extending Hader is crucial to making a deal.  Pham is a 3 month rental.  Not coming back in 2024 for sure.  By then either Larnach or Wallner is entrenched in a corner OF spot.  Bellinger is a "maybe" for an extension, depending on how he plays for us and how expensive retaining him would be.  He becomes much more necessary depending on Buxton's ability to play CF.  But a guy who's a Gold Glove caliber CF and 1B could certainly plug a lot of holes for the Twins.  A lot of money could/should be coming off the books for 2024 Gray, Kepler, Gallo, Polanco, Taylor, Maeda, Mahle, and a lot of young talent will be playing for minimum salaries Lewis, Julien, Kirilloff, Larnach, Wallner, Ryan, Ober, Varland, Duran, Moran, Stewart, Jeffers and maybe Brooks Lee.  The Twins make a deal for Hader to keep him.  So yes, to get a stud like Hader I gladly give up Winder and Headrick.  heck, I'd give up a little more if I had to.  Hader and Duran at the end of a game would be lethal.  And remember, there still is this sliver of thought that Duran could still become a SP.  Pham and Bellinger would be nice acquisitions with some uncertainty.  Hader leaves nothing in doubt.  You want to win that game with a one run lead?  Hader rarely fails.    

What if he doesn't want to sign here? Is make that trade for three years of him.... But not three months. 

[TopGunn#22]

I can't disagree that the offense has been pathetic.  But after tying the game last night, Rocco tapped Duran and he promptly lost the game.  Our BP needs more depth.  Assuming neither Gray or Maeda are dealt, you add Pham, Bellinger and Hader for what I outlined earlier and you've added two bats that are upgrades to what we currently have (and Gold Glove defense in the case of Bellinger) and one of the 3 best closers in baseball in Hader. Not only would the Twins win the division but they would have their best chance of not only breaking the curse of zero playoff wins since the "W" Bush administration, but actually WINNING a playoff series.  If I trade for Hader though, I'm doing everything I can to keep him for 3 or 4 years.  

[jorgenswest]

10 hours ago, Mike Sixel said:

If Hader had another year on his deal, i MIGHT send Schoebel for him.....but not half a year I don't think.

This offense stinks. They need to fix that much more than the bullpen.

If they bring in offense they really need to bring in bats that are going to slot in the top three of the order. Anything else won’t move the needle and they may as well hope on the guys they have achieving their 70th percentile instead of 30th.

I don’t think Turner is going to move the needle. He is no longer a viable 3B and I am not confident he will be significantly better than a Kirilloff/Solano platoon. They need to aim somewhere better than him and be prepared to trade from their best prospects. Are you ready to do that?

[Vanimal46]

20 hours ago, Fire Dan Gladden said:

I am trying to understand this...

The Twins are in playoff contention.  You can argue about how strong the team is all you want, but THEY ARE IN PLAYOFF CONTENTION!!!!!!!

On what planet would they be considering moving Sonny Grey, the teams best SP and among the top SP in baseball this year?  Not only would you be ruining their chances in the playoffs (where SP always dominates), but you would be sending an insanely bad message to the team.

For any of you that truly think the Twins should trade Grey right now???  We seriously have to question which team you are rooting for.

I support trading Gray if the value is there. I will also be rooting for the Twins now and long after Sonny Gray’s playing days are over. 

You are correct, the Twins are in playoff contention. It won’t take much to remain in contention thanks to a dreadful AL Central division. There is no team to fear. 

No one is saying to trade Gray for anything you can get. They will need a return with more perceived value than a competitive balance pick in the 40s overall. With Gray likely being the top SP trade target, I think they would get a lot more than whoever they draft in the 40s. 

[Dave Borton]

I looked thru the top 25 (pitcher dominated) and realized that I am a 'seller.'

Trade Gallo, Kepler, Taylor, Solano for prospects. None is a gate turner so revenue won't be affected. Enough marquee players remain.

Wallner comes up, same with Larnach. Build for tomorrow and let the youth perform.

[Squirrel]

34 minutes ago, davidborton said:

I looked thru the top 25 (pitcher dominated) and realized that I am a 'seller.'

Trade Gallo, Kepler, Taylor, Solano for prospects. None is a gate turner so revenue won't be affected. Enough marquee players remain.

Wallner comes up, same with Larnach. Build for tomorrow and let the youth perform.

If you are going to be a seller, then you trade Gray and maybe Polanco, too, if he’s healthy. Agree on the others but you won’t get much for them. It’s not about ‘getting rid’ of players you don’t want, it’s about getting value for those who are worth something

[DJL44]

3 hours ago, TopGunn#22 said:

Mike, YES!  I'd trade six years of Winder and six years of Headrick for Hader.  But I'd make sure I'd sign Hader for another 3 years. 

If you want to sign Hader after this season you don't have to give up anything but money. You're trading for the next 3 months  of Hader, about 30 innings of pitching. What happens in the offseason is irrelevant to his trade value.

[DJL44]

3 hours ago, Vanimal46 said:

No one is saying to trade Gray for anything you can get. They will need a return with more perceived value than a competitive balance pick in the 40s overall. With Gray likely being the top SP trade target, I think they would get a lot more than whoever they draft in the 40s. 

I hope so, because he's worth the comp pick AND their shot at the playoffs to the Twins. You have to give up a lot to get me to give up my shot at winning the division.

[Dave Borton]

3 hours ago, Squirrel said:

If you are going to be a seller, then you trade Gray and maybe Polanco, too, if he’s healthy. Agree on the others but you won’t get much for them. It’s not about ‘getting rid’ of players you don’t want, it’s about getting value for those who are worth something

I am not interested in this year. This club is going no where post season.  I am interested in retaining Gray. Use this year to come to collaboration with Gray. He is a bulldog and I love bulldogs. Polanco, agree he is aging but I think MLB sees  his bad wheels. 

Some club with strong punch will need light hitter (who can surprise you) and offers great defense. Kepler. Everyone knows Gallo is the vulnerable big-bopper with good defense.

Tomorrow is what I am interested in. Strictly prospects come our way, not plugs for this anemic hitting club. Tomorrow.

[Squirrel]

6 minutes ago, davidborton said:

I am not interested in this year. This club is going no where post season.  I am interested in retaining Gray. Use this year to come to collaboration with Gray. He is a bulldog and I love bulldogs. Polanco, agree he is aging but I think MLB sees  his bad wheels. 

Some club with strong punch will need light hitter (who can surprise you) and offers great defense. Kepler. Everyone knows Gallo is the vulnerable big-bopper with good defense.

Tomorrow is what I am interested in. Strictly prospects come our way, not plugs for this anemic hitting club. Tomorrow.

All I’m saying as those you listed won’t bring back much of anything but you listen to offers and see. I’d be surprised if we retain Gray or he’d already be extended. Gray wants to try the FA market and is going to get a bigger and longer deal than we will offer a pitcher. If we are going to sell, Gray will be sold and should be. He is the only one who will bring back anything of value. 

[Dave Borton]

2 minutes ago, Squirrel said:

All I’m saying as those you listed won’t bring back much of anything but you listen to offers . . .

Agree on listening.

I have never been as interested as I am this year in the developments by/on Aug 1st. I think it will demonstrate the FO's approach to this year but as importantly, how secure Falvey feels in his role/relationship with ownership.

[USAFChief]

On 7/7/2023 at 10:47 AM, Brock Beauchamp said:

The Cubs don’t want a salary dump. It’s likely they extend the QO to Bellinger this off-season so he won’t come cheaply. 

I'd agree the Cubs probably don't care about a salary dump, although EVERY owner pays at least a little attention to the bottom line.

However, Bellinger's contract with the Cubs includes a mutual option for 2024, which I'm reasonably certain prevents the possibility of a QO. The Cubs can't decline the option, then make a QO.

 

It also means there's at least a chance Bellinger is here for 2024 too.

And if Buxton isn't gonna play CF, they need better than MAT.  Bellinger's huge year came in 2019, so it's a little suspect, but it was a 1.000+ OPS MVP year.

 

https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/bellico01.shtml

 

 

[Brock Beauchamp]

3 hours ago, USAFChief said:

I'd agree the Cubs probably don't care about a salary dump, although EVERY owner pays at least a little attention to the bottom line.

However, Bellinger's contract with the Cubs includes a mutual option for 2024, which I'm reasonably certain prevents the possibility of a QO. The Cubs can't decline the option, then make a QO.

It also means there's at least a chance Bellinger is here for 2024 too.

And if Buxton isn't gonna play CF, they need better than MAT.  Bellinger's huge year came in 2019, so it's a little suspect, but it was a 1.000+ OPS MVP year.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/bellico01.shtml

That's a really good point. I don't know how a QO works with a mutual option, though I suspect you're right and a QO cannot be extended.

[Major League Ready]

On 7/6/2023 at 10:22 PM, Brock Beauchamp said:

None of this makes a lick of sense to me.

The Twins have allowed the fewest runs in baseball. If that's not a team you try to build out for a playoff run, what is?

And the last thing this team needs (see sentence above) is Blake Snell.

Also, Lewis has stated he does not want to play center field.

Memolo and Joyce discussed buyers and sellers yesterday on their radio show.  They talked about the numerous teams around 500 and their fans wanting them to be buyers.  They said and I quote them as nearly as I can recall, "these fans are deluded into believing these teams have a legitimate shot at post season success".  They went on to say these teams are not contenders despite their relative ability to make the playoffs.  There are a handful of teams that are simply far better teams and most of the league is mediocre.  

That's what these particular non-biased industry insiders think.

[Major League Ready]

On 7/8/2023 at 1:10 PM, DJL44 said:

I hope so, because he's worth the comp pick AND their shot at the playoffs to the Twins. You have to give up a lot to get me to give up my shot at winning the division.

Trading Gray would not mean giving up a shot at winning the division as long as the remainder of the staff remains relatively healthy, especially if Maeda continues to pitch well.  Improved play from the position players that are underperforming will have a far greater impact on winning the division.

BTW, Gray was great early in the year but in his last 10 starts Gray has a 4.14 ERA.   Not bad but not a game changer by any means.  Bailey Ober's ERA is 2.93 in his last 10 starts.

[DJL44]

2 hours ago, Major League Ready said:

Trading Gray would not mean giving up a shot at winning the division as long as the remainder of the staff remains relatively healthy

There is a huge drop from Sonny Gray to Dallas Keuchel or Louie Varland

[Mike Sixel]

2 minutes ago, DJL44 said:

There is a huge drop from Sonny Gray to Dallas Keuchel or Louie Varland

They can't score. This team is not good, despite having the best pitching staff. 

[Aerodeliria]

How about a better hitting coach, so we could at least change the approach. The homerun or strikeout approach really isn't working. The Twinkies scored four runs at home in the three-game set.

[Doctor Wu]

On 7/8/2023 at 8:03 AM, Brock Beauchamp said:

Sometimes guys walk, it’s not the end of the world. Get to the postseason and give yourself a chance to win, that’s more useful than trying to eke out a bit of trade value from two months of Sonny Gray.

I don’t care which hand a starter throws with, I care how good they are. And Snell is a good pitcher but I have no more faith in him than the top three Twins starters. 

I don't think that Snell is any sort of upgrade either. He's been too up and down and sideways since he left Tampa Bay. 

[Doctor Wu]

On 7/7/2023 at 10:59 PM, mnfireman said:

This front office doesn't have track record of DFAing players owed substantial $$$, so you can pretty much count on them not DFAing Gallo, Kepler, Polanco or Pagan. If any of these players can get/stay hot, they might be viable trade chips, but they do not fit the mold of young prospects to build around. Any team looking to dump salary is not going to trade for them either. 

The team is full of infield prospects, but which ones are available to trade? And if the prospects have success with the new team and the player brought in struggles with the Twins... well we know how TD handles that!!

Having said all that, Hader, Candelario and Gomes kind of intrigue me, but the best trades might be returning players from the IL and struggling players regressing to normal. 

 

Agree, I don't think any front office with a lick of sense would give up remotely good prospects for any of those players.  Maybe Polanco if he was healthy, but a definite no way on the other guys. But like you and others have said, it's also unlikely that the Twins will just release any of them at this point. They have all have the potential of being useful and productive players, but obviously we haven't seen much of that this season.