The Twins Don't Need Much

[Matt Braun]

A step above frugal may be the ideal resting point for a team searching for answers.

Image courtesy of Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports

With the trade deadline in full swing, we—the good fans—anxiously await for our team to deliver us a deal. Like a child on Christmas Eve, we expect to suddenly receive a gift from our dreams; something to play with for a few months before inevitably growing tired and moving on. 

For the Twins, perhaps settling for something minor could be the better plan.

Let’s start with what happened last year with a similarly decent squad: they bungled it. Acquiring all those very nice pitchers felt great in the moment, sure, but a year later, we can see they weren’t worth the trouble. Yennier Cano became an All-Star. Spencer Steer and Christian Encarnacion-Strand rock, yadda, yadda, yadda. We know this story. Would following this folly again not be the definition of madness? Can’t we see the team—and the franchise’s health as a whole—would be much improved if they sat on their hands and trusted their talent? 

With that pain still fresh, the team should look to add a few pieces still, but shy away from any bigger-ticket player, whoever that even is in this market. Adding Tommy Pham and maybe Brooks Raley—or someone of his ilk—is all they need to do.

And, maybe, it’s all they really can do; as Greggory Masterson wrote on July 10th, the lineup is filled with veterans. The team can’t shuffle around players as much as you would like, with the only methods of removing hitters being a DFA or trade (yes, I know you would gladly do either to Joey Gallo). Outside of that Italian, though, everyone is stuck, whether productive or not. And Max Kepler and Jorge Polanco are not going anywhere—not suddenly shipped off after the team held onto them through thick and thin. 

The veterans are the crux of Minnesota’s problem. You can add Paul Goldschmidt, Mark Canha (who was just traded, so I guess not), or the ghost of Lou Gehrig to the lineup, but as long as Carlos Correa isn’t hitting and Byron Buxton isn’t playing center field, there’s really nowhere for the Twins to go. Their current construction won’t allow for it. 

They do have an ace up their sleeve: the Al Central. It stinks. The members of the exclusive club vary from outright terrible to selectively conservative, choosing to augment their complimentary pieces with… cheaper complimentary pieces. Never quite “in it,” Cleveland will remain in Minnesota’s vicinity, but will never overcome themselves, hamstringing their core with trades meant to churn perpetual competition, but not greatness. Aaron Civale will always be traded.

In fewer words: they’re mediocre. It’s an indictment that the Twins can’t convincingly best that standard, but that’s the nest they already made for themselves. All they need is to be a little better than the Guardians anyways; punching your playoff ticket after making relatively minor additions is what the 2021 Atlanta Braves did, and that worked out pretty well for them. This time around, the Twins have a much better starting rotation.

So go get Pham—they really could use him—and, what the hell, even grab another reliever while they’re at it; but taking any more extreme steps to improve this roster will only result in a repeat of last year. The players they have are correct, sort of—and they’re even really good when at their peak—but this season’s weirdness and failures from the established veterans make it difficult to believe that the Twins are just One Big Move away from being a playoff powerhouse. And what’s one more year anyways when you have Correa and Buxton locked up for two more presidential elections?

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[Hashim]

Good article. Sometimes minor changes/tweaks can become major improvements. Imagine if we had a decent bullpen and competent (not great) right handed hitters?  A few positive tweaks could help this team go a long way much like it has historically went for former teams that surged at the right time. The 1987 Twins, the Cardinals and the Phillies come to mind. You're point about Buxton and Correa is well noted, however, maybe we/Twins need to come up with a plan for Buxton to get healthier or move out of CF and into RF or LF. I still believe in this team, even though we might be very negative a times. I do believe in the old adage that good pitching always beats good hitting, and we have some good/decent pitchers. 

[Kenny Powers]

I agree with the premise of your write up.  But it seems like most posts/write ups are mentioning this Tommy Pham.  I don't get it.  I mean, if he can be had for cheap- sure.  But I hope to Gawd they don't give up anything of great value for a 35 year old guy.  Yes, he's playing well so far this year.  But the two years prior his OPS was about the same as Michael Taylor.  I'm not confident he's going to hit here the same as he's hitting hitting in NY.  We saw this last year with the Lopez trade.  The Twins sort of chased a guy on a hot streak and got burned - big time.

To me, this year's team seems like the one you go "half in" on.  Make some small, supplemental moves to get a right handed bat and bullpen guy.  But no need to give up big prospects or anything of great value.  I feel like our success is being built via the draft and we just need to be patient.

Julien - age 25

Lewis - age 24

Kirilloff - age 25

Wallner - age 25

Miranda - age 25 (need to get him healthy/right)

Jeffers - age 26

Larnach - age 26

 

That's seven guys - add in Buxon and Correa as your "veteran presence" and we good.  Plus lots more young talent on the way.  Trust the process.

[Hashim]

4 minutes ago, Kenny Powers said:

I agree with the premise of your write up.  But it seems like most posts/write ups are mentioning this Tommy Pham.  I don't get it.  I mean, if he can be had for cheap- sure.  But I hope to Gawd they don't give up anything of great value for a 35 year old guy.  Yes, he's playing well so far this year.  But the two years prior his OPS was about the same as Michael Taylor.  I'm not confident he's going to hit here the same as he's hitting hitting in NY.  We saw this last year with the Lopez trade.  The Twins sort of chased a guy on a hot streak and got burned - big time.

To me, this year's team seems like the one you go "half in" on.  Make some small, supplemental moves to get a right handed bat and bullpen guy.  But no need to give up big prospects or anything of great value.  I feel like our success is being built via the draft and we just need to be patient.

Julien - age 25

Lewis - age 24

Kirilloff - age 25

Wallner - age 25

Miranda - age 25 (need to get him healthy/right)

Jeffers - age 26

Larnach - age 26

 

That's seven guys - add in Buxon and Correa as your "veteran presence" and we good.  Plus lots more young talent on the way.  Trust the process.

That's 4 lefties and 2 unproven/often injured players. There's just too much uncertainty going forward. Jeffers is only one I'm sure about this year. Lewis/Kirillof are good but they haven't overcome their injury problems and Larnach has been inconsistent/injured and regressed this year. I'm not even sure about our veterans either because they've struggled (Carlos) or been injury riddled (Buxton/Polanco).  

[PatPfund]

Agree. The Twins "won" last year's deadline, and the White Sox and Guardians both got 'F's for doing nothing (then both blew past the Twins).

Nailed the veterans part as well (and yep, I'd DFA or trade Gallo for pretty much anything; the Marlins need offense), and they are partly why I'm not interested in adding a RH bat. If Correa doesn't start hitting, this team isn't going far in the playoffs. If they don't structure healing time for Byron (putting him on the IL for treatment also opens a roster spot), instead of being a help in the playoffs, he'll be shut down yet again by some secondary injury (like a hip) that comes from running the bases on a leg-and-a-half.

Add a RH bat with Lewis coming back, and committing to veterans means you don't play (and probably send down) Wallner and Larnach when both are of age, and you seriously need to know now how much you can count on them next year (when Max, Taylor, Gallo, and the rental may all be gone).

A deal for a solid arm or two, or nothing is fine with me.

[SteveLV]

When is Lewis coming back?  I have read no reporting that gives anything definitive.

They need him, badly.

[Kenny Powers]

11 minutes ago, Hashim said:

That's 4 lefties and 2 unproven/often injured players. There's just too much uncertainty going forward. Jeffers is only one I'm sure about this year. Lewis/Kirillof are good but they haven't overcome their injury problems and Larnach has been inconsistent/injured and regressed this year. I'm not even sure about our veterans either because they've struggled (Carlos) or been injury riddled (Buxton/Polanco).  

4 lefty (Kirilloff, Julien, Larnach, Waller)

5 right (Correa, Buxton, Miranda, Lewis, Jeffers)

Agree on uncertainly/injuries - but injuries are part of the game and they have plenty of other young guys who should be able to step up.  They've really done a nice job of drafting.

[MABB1959]

Why can't we have any thing bigger?  Is it no big name player will come here?  Are they cheaping out?  We are back to the left over table once again and if they don't do anything by end of day they need to grab some great players during the off season or we will be having these discussions at the time next year.

[Danchat]

3 hours ago, SteveLV said:

When is Lewis coming back?  I have read no reporting that gives anything definitive.

They need him, badly.

Late August at earliest, he will probably start a rehab assignment in a week or two.

[Brian Kingfield]

3 hours ago, Kenny Powers said:

I agree with the premise of your write up.  But it seems like most posts/write ups are mentioning this Tommy Pham.  I don't get it.  I mean, if he can be had for cheap- sure.  But I hope to Gawd they don't give up anything of great value for a 35 year old guy.  Yes, he's playing well so far this year.  But the two years prior his OPS was about the same as Michael Taylor.  I'm not confident he's going to hit here the same as he's hitting hitting in NY.  We saw this last year with the Lopez trade.  The Twins sort of chased a guy on a hot streak and got burned - big time.

To me, this year's team seems like the one you go "half in" on.  Make some small, supplemental moves to get a right handed bat and bullpen guy.  But no need to give up big prospects or anything of great value.  I feel like our success is being built via the draft and we just need to be patient.

Julien - age 25

Lewis - age 24

Kirilloff - age 25

Wallner - age 25

Miranda - age 25 (need to get him healthy/right)

Jeffers - age 26

Larnach - age 26

 

That's seven guys - add in Buxon and Correa as your "veteran presence" and we good.  Plus lots more young talent on the way.  Trust the process.

This is what makes me wonder if perhaps Rocco and the front office stay put no matter what happens this year. It seems they’ve done a good job developing talent but due to our veterans going cold and the young talent not being quite ready and/or injured it just hasn’t been our year.

[LA Vikes Fan]

3 hours ago, Kenny Powers said:

4 lefty (Kirilloff, Julien, Larnach, Waller)

5 right (Correa, Buxton, Miranda, Lewis, Jeffers)

Agree on uncertainly/injuries - but injuries are part of the game and they have plenty of other young guys who should be able to step up.  They've really done a nice job of drafting.

Take that group and add Polanco, Castro, and Vasquez and you actually have the look of a fun team.  Everyone else is surplusage unless you believe in the latest Kepler hot streak. I so much want to believe but I just can't...

[LA Vikes Fan]

3 hours ago, Kenny Powers said:

4 lefty (Kirilloff, Julien, Larnach, Waller)

5 right (Correa, Buxton, Miranda, Lewis, Jeffers)

Agree on uncertainly/injuries - but injuries are part of the game and they have plenty of other young guys who should be able to step up.  They've really done a nice job of drafting.

Take that group and add Polanco, Castro, and Vasquez and you actually have the look of a fun team.  Everyone else is surplusage unless you believe in the latest Kepler hot streak. I so much want to believe but I just can't...

Wouldn't it be fun if the Twins went with this lineup the rest of the season:

OF - Lane Thomas or Dylan Carlson (acquired by trade), Larnach, Castro, Wallner, Buxton, with 1 of the last 2 as DH

IF - Kirilloff, Julien, Correa, Polanco, Farmer, Lewis (Solano until Lewis comes back, then gone)   

C - Jeffers, Vasquez.

That's right, no Kepler, Gallo, MAT, or Solano. If you keep Kepler, lose Castro or Larnach. Add Finnegan to the BP and lose Moran. 

[old nurse]

They don’t need too much. The impossible of Correa and Buxton performing like the All Stars they once were, Polanco to be healthy. Vasquez to find the fountain of youth. Can’t trade to fix that. 3 durable relievers for the seventh/eighth innings so they can go with a six man rotation. The rotation does seem to be wearing down. A replacement for Solano wouldn’t be a bad idea.  Not much but really is quite a bit