Complacent Twins Front Office Stands Pat at the Trade Deadline

[gman]

2 hours ago, davidborton said:

Ouch.

I know my attention now shifts to other division games/races to which I will listen. Lost a measure of interest in the Twins and other divisional games will carry more interest.

Winter trade session will be tough. Buxton has healed as much as he will so he clogs the DH. Will need a CF. Kepler/Gallo gone. Can Larnech and Wallner carry the corners? No Lewis experiment in OF, please.

Polanco's wheels are finished so they will have Julien working all winter on his defense. Kirilloff will cover 1st, Lewis at 3rd. How to work Lee in?

SP: Gray gone, Maeda resigned. Ryan, Lewis, Ober. Will need another arm.

C: Jeffers will get most of duty; saddled w/Vazquez thru '25.

BP: Good grief. Your guess is as good as mine. 

They have Paddock back at some point, maybe September. He is signed for next year. They could also resign Mahli to be back the middle(?) of next year.

[Major League Ready]

1 hour ago, mikelink45 said:

Here is the take from the Athletic: Their only move was a change-of-scenery swap: Jorge López for Dylan Floro. It’s an astonishing lack of activity for a team with real flaws.  If you want the rest - here is the URL.https://theathletic.com/4738208/2023/08/01/mlb-trade-deadline-winners-losers-takeways/?campaign=5888993&source=dailyemail 

Investing any significant assets in a flawed team is desperate and detrimental long-term.  It's hardly astonishing they stood pat.  The team one game back of them in the division sold off their starting 1B and a good starting pitcher.  Would you prefer the lack of activity have been resolved by selling? 

[jmlease1]

People are really all over the place on this trade deadline. You have people that wanted the Twins to punt on the whole season, functionally, by trading players like Gray & Maeda...with the team still in first place in the division. I'm sorry, I see selling off when you can win the division to be a betrayal of the fans and the franchise. By this kind of logic, if your team is flawed (but can still make the playoffs) you should sell. Improbable runs happen in the playoffs: short series, players get hot, someone implodes on the other team...anything can happen in the playoffs. I'm pretty sure KC wouldn't trade their most recent title to have prospects.

Fans on this board (hell in this thread!) who wanted the Twins to add are also all over the place. The opinions run the gamut on what we should have added, ranging from getting star players to finding a RH corner OF to a new closer to set-up arms and more. Feels like people just wanted the team to do something anything because this team has been inconsistent and frustrating and there's this belief that adding players at the deadline (with the corollary that whomever you like least on the current roster would be made to go away in the swap it seems) would end the malaise.

I don't know what the offers were really like out there, and neither does anyone else which makes this kind of speculation both fun and maddening. What were people talking about when asking about Wallner and Larnach (or Kepler/Kirilloff)? Were there reasonable RH corner OFs on offer or RH bullpen help, or was it A-ball lottery tickets? Were people demanding Royce Lewis? we don't really know what kind of offers were really out there to get MLB talent as it related to the Twins. (Keep in mind there's a real possibility that dealing with a team like the CWS might have had a premium on it if it was in play at all; some teams really don't want to deal within their division)

There weren't a lot of impact bats traded by anyone; I guess it might have been worth it to try and out-bid the D-backs for Tommy Pham? how much do you want to pay for Teoscar Hernandez to take 45 ABs against LH pitchers for the rest of the season (you're not going to want him on the field against RHP) assuming he was actually available? 

I think the big moves that some people wanted would have stripped the system down to the studs and would have made the Mahle deal look cheap. I think a lot of smaller moves that would have shored up some weaknesses might not have been a) very impactful, and b) not the right fits.

Right now, players like Larnach, Miranda, Kepler, and even Wallner and Polanco don't have the kind of value across the league we'd hope and want them to have. Sonny Gray would have brought back a lot of value but also would have potentially screwed the season (and we're likely to get draft pick compensation for him). Maeda would have brought back value as well, but again: might have screwed the season.

Twins are a flawed and frustrating team...that's also in first place in their division. A chip, a chair, and a chance I say.

[chpettit19]

1 hour ago, Major League Ready said:

I agree completely in concept but how would that look.  I would have been good with Polanco being traded but was there a market for him right now?  The rest of the IF Correa / Julien and Kirilloff are not going anywhere.  Cron at 1B and Kirilloff to the OF seems like the most viable move they could have made.  None of the OFers that were moved are difference makers IMO.  The best thing they could do there is DFA Gallo but that's not ideal right now with Kirilloff out.

They could have moved one of Gray or Maeda but that would have to be characterized as selling.  What would selling without selling have looked like?

Giving young guys shots. My dream scenario was to see if a package built around Wallner and Polanco would entice Seattle into parting with one of their young arms. No idea what would have to be added to that, or what their view of Wallner is. But they need a young OF bat, and a 2B while they have extra arms and are trying to win now. If that deal gets done then trading Maeda or Gray isn't "selling" because you created a surplus of 2023 arms in the Seattle trade. 

Or just any of their lefty OF bats for a righty OF bat. Kepler for Bader intrigue the Yankees at all? Gallo for anything at all? Bell has a .233/.318/.383/.701 batting line this year and got a 2021 1st round pick in return. That kid isn't blowing away the minors, but they got a return that is far from nothing for him. Gallo couldn't have gotten some random rookie ball or low A flier in return? I'd dump Gallo today and give Williams a shot at 1B until Kirilloff is back. And I'm not even a Williams believer. But playing Gallo isn't helpful for the now or for the future.

This team has holes everywhere. I know we all want Larnach to be good, but, to me, he's not somebody you can't trade to better shape your organization. Gallo, Kepler, Wallner, Larnach was too many lefties to start the year, but made some sense with Kirilloff's wrist questions so I didn't mind the Gallo flier. It didn't work out. At this point you're simply holding onto him because you paid him and hoped he'd be good. If there's nobody in AAA that can play passable defense at 1B, and not strike out 50% of the time this organization is doomed anyways. I don't care what Kirilloff's situation is, Gallo isn't the answer if you're trying to actually win this division. There were absolutely ways to move pieces around to have a better fitting top of your organization if you valued your guys correctly. Are they going to move Lewis, Julien, or Kirilloff to the OF? If not you're looking at a logjam in the IF anyways if you were right on Lee, and are going to promote him as he deserves. He should be in AAA now, and if succeeds there the rest of the year have a legit shot at the opening day roster next year (thanks to the new pick compensation rules). I love those 5 IF guys, but if they're all as good as we hope/expect they should all play 160 games a year (I know this regime would never do that) and you don't keep one of them in AAA, or on the bench, for depth. Trade 1 for an equally talented OFer or arm with equal control. 

Doing nothing didn't help this team for 2023 (they're not good enough even though the FO thought they'd be) or 2024 when we still won't know about Larnach, and I'd actually bet today that that leads to Kepler being back while we continue to do this "mediocre veterans we hope will suddenly be really good" dance they've been doing for years. This org needs a shakeup and it could've/should've started over the last couple weeks.

[JoeCool]

There was a lot of sub par talent out there. The places where quality could be gained ended up being buyers rather than sellers.  

Bellenger would have been a nice add but the Cubs are buying. Putting a Royce Lewis out in Center over a Michael Taylor is likely an upgrade even to Bellinger, because it puts a right handed bat in the lineup.  

I don’t think Verlander or Sherzer would have waived their no trade clauses, but a true #1 would have been nice and placing Lopez at #2 matches up well against any #2 in the league and Ryan/Ober against any 3-4.  

Polonco coming back helps us immensely against lefties and Julien is a spark.

The glaring hole remains the bullpen. Floro is likely more stable than Lopez, but a Josh Hader or even Paul Sewold would have helped us a lot. We do see Jordan B. evolving though and perhaps we can covert a starter to a reliever to drive some additional high leverage arms. Simeon Woods-Richardson has the raw stuff to maybe be an upgrade and hidden gem in the pen. 

I would have liked to see a move that upgrades the club, but I don’t think the talent was meaningful enough for what we would have lost. Tyler Mahle and Jorge Lopez were fleecings and I think the same would have happened if we went after a Jameir Candelrio.  

 

[rv78]

It's concerning that those who wanted the FO to make deals to improve the team don't see the bigger picture. Most of us agree that the starting pitching has been the strength of the team so far. They've had their hiccups which most everyone does but overall Gray, Ryan, Lopez, Ober, and Maeda have been solid and should be for the rest of the season. The bullpen is a question but not anymore than it was at the start of the season. This FO seems to think they also are good enough. If/when, the combo of Jax and Duran are on, it works. Theilbar coming back will help and I think Floro will actually be a better option that JLopez was. Pagan seems to have found his mark as well even though we are all waiting for the next blowup from him. I'd sure like to see Keuchel get a shot before he options out. Move Maeda to the pen replacing one of the Sands, Ortega, Balazovic options and see how that works. The main problem with this roster is not the young hitters like Julien, Kirilloff, Wallner, Larnach, Jeffers, or the guys brought in to be situational role pieces like Farmer, Taylor, Solano, and Castro. The problem are the veterans that are suppose to be carring this team. Buxton, Correa, Kepler, Gallo, and Vazquez have all been failures, So, if you are going to make deals who do you trade? More prospects? Why? They aren't the problem. Starting Pitcher? No that's your strength. Think anyone is interested in any of the veterans that aren't worth the paper their contracts are written on? Nope. Unfortunately this FO has put this team in a difficult situation. The guys they should trade, no one wants.

[mikelink45]

1 hour ago, Major League Ready said:

Investing any significant assets in a flawed team is desperate and detrimental long-term.  It's hardly astonishing they stood pat.  The team one game back of them in the division sold off their starting 1B and a good starting pitcher.  Would you prefer the lack of activity have been resolved by selling? 

No, but that is not the only option - look at teams like Texas jumping on Chapman early, on other trades that took very little prospect capital.  If our FO is as smart as they think they are they could have gotten just one arm to help the BP.  And in truth I would have sold Gray without hesitation. 

[Mike Sixel]

22 minutes ago, chpettit19 said:

Giving young guys shots. My dream scenario was to see if a package built around Wallner and Polanco would entice Seattle into parting with one of their young arms. No idea what would have to be added to that, or what their view of Wallner is. But they need a young OF bat, and a 2B while they have extra arms and are trying to win now. If that deal gets done then trading Maeda or Gray isn't "selling" because you created a surplus of 2023 arms in the Seattle trade. 

Or just any of their lefty OF bats for a righty OF bat. Kepler for Bader intrigue the Yankees at all? Gallo for anything at all? Bell has a .233/.318/.383/.701 batting line this year and got a 2021 1st round pick in return. That kid isn't blowing away the minors, but they got a return that is far from nothing for him. Gallo couldn't have gotten some random rookie ball or low A flier in return? I'd dump Gallo today and give Williams a shot at 1B until Kirilloff is back. And I'm not even a Williams believer. But playing Gallo isn't helpful for the now or for the future.

This team has holes everywhere. I know we all want Larnach to be good, but, to me, he's not somebody you can't trade to better shape your organization. Gallo, Kepler, Wallner, Larnach was too many lefties to start the year, but made some sense with Kirilloff's wrist questions so I didn't mind the Gallo flier. It didn't work out. At this point you're simply holding onto him because you paid him and hoped he'd be good. If there's nobody in AAA that can play passable defense at 1B, and not strike out 50% of the time this organization is doomed anyways. I don't care what Kirilloff's situation is, Gallo isn't the answer if you're trying to actually win this division. There were absolutely ways to move pieces around to have a better fitting top of your organization if you valued your guys correctly. Are they going to move Lewis, Julien, or Kirilloff to the OF? If not you're looking at a logjam in the IF anyways if you were right on Lee, and are going to promote him as he deserves. He should be in AAA now, and if succeeds there the rest of the year have a legit shot at the opening day roster next year (thanks to the new pick compensation rules). I love those 5 IF guys, but if they're all as good as we hope/expect they should all play 160 games a year (I know this regime would never do that) and you don't keep one of them in AAA, or on the bench, for depth. Trade 1 for an equally talented OFer or arm with equal control. 

Doing nothing didn't help this team for 2023 (they're not good enough even though the FO thought they'd be) or 2024 when we still won't know about Larnach, and I'd actually bet today that that leads to Kepler being back while we continue to do this "mediocre veterans we hope will suddenly be really good" dance they've been doing for years. This org needs a shakeup and it could've/should've started over the last couple weeks.

Didn't help this year or next year. They have, according to the way they play their players, zero OF signed for next year, and one, maybe, this year, and they did nothing. No idea why anyone thinks next year is promising with that. 

[Mike Sixel]

11 minutes ago, rv78 said:

It's concerning that those who wanted the FO to make deals to improve the team don't see the bigger picture. Most of us agree that the starting pitching has been the strength of the team so far. They've had their hiccups which most everyone does but overall Gray, Ryan, Lopez, Ober, and Maeda have been solid and should be for the rest of the season. The bullpen is a question but not anymore than it was at the start of the season. This FO seems to think they also are good enough. If/when, the combo of Jax and Duran are on, it works. Theilbar coming back will help and I think Floro will actually be a better option that JLopez was. Pagan seems to have found his mark as well even though we are all waiting for the next blowup from him. I'd sure like to see Keuchel get a shot before he options out. Move Maeda to the pen replacing one of the Sands, Ortega, Balazovic options and see how that works. The main problem with this roster is not the young hitters like Julien, Kirilloff, Wallner, Larnach, Jeffers, or the guys brought in to be situational role pieces like Farmer, Taylor, Solano, and Castro. The problem are the veterans that are suppose to be carring this team. Buxton, Correa, Kepler, Gallo, and Vazquez have all been failures, So, if you are going to make deals who do you trade? More prospects? Why? They aren't the problem. Starting Pitcher? No that's your strength. Think anyone is interested in any of the veterans that aren't worth the paper their contracts are written on? Nope. Unfortunately this FO has put this team in a difficult situation. The guys they should trade, no one wants.

Or, just dfa some veterans....

[Battle ur tail off]

I don't like trading starting pitching when we are going to likely win the division by default and I didn't want any young guys moved by the geniuses for win now players. We have seen how well that worked out before. 

Let it shake out. This season is and always has rested on what Buxton, Correa, and Royce Lewis do. So far it has been...🤢

Question. It he waiver process still in effect like it used to? If so, this is where you pickup your bullpen help or bat from a team that thinks they are in it now but won't be in a few weeks.

[chpettit19]

1 minute ago, Mike Sixel said:

Didn't help this year or next year. They have, according to the way they play their players, zero OF signed for next year, and one, maybe, this year, and they did nothing. No idea why anyone thinks next year is promising with that. 

I 100% believe they have Kepler penned into RF in 2024 right now. Hopefully Wallner remains in the lineup the rest of the year and they at least have an idea of what he'll be able to provide. There are definitely some glimmers of hope amongst the young guys, but the foundation of this team is built on some incredibly shaky pieces (Correa, Buxton, Polanco, Kirilloff, and Lewis all have very real questions about their abilities to stay healthy at this point). It's hard to see an encouraging path forward under this FO. Which is a bummer since I've been on their side more often than not for most of the past few years.

[saviking]

Just some musings. After the Mets classic debacle I chuckle when I think the Mets were an ankle away from adding Correas massive contract to the top of the bond fire 🔥 

[Cris E]

The strength has been starting pitching, the weakness has been some combination of injury and under-performance on offense.  They are inter-related in many ways, but if the team performed as expected, even to within 90% of estimates, then things would be immensely different. What would things look like with decent seasons from Correa, Buxton, Polanco, Theilbar, Mahle, Alcala, Miranda, Lewis? (And that's before accepting this Kepler as the real Kepler and deciding what should have been expected from Gallo.)  SO the plan wasn't too bad last spring: they had Farmer and Taylor in place in case the big two got hurt. They had depth for the starting pitching. Gallo was there in case the kids didn't develop at 1B or LF. They picked up one of the top catcher free agents. There was some doubt in the pen, but they had a lot of youngsters around to train up and they kept digging around, eventually adding the very effective Stewart (and Blogosvic is emerging as well.)

So the things to address at the deadline were mostly holes where there were injuries and places where guys were not performing for one reason or another. The pen is still short and should have been shored up.  The ineffective guys can still be replaced by internal options at the corner OF spots and by returning injured players within the coming week or two.  You might have seen a much different approach to the deadline if it happened two weeks later when we knew how well Theilbar or Stewart or Lewis or Polanco would return. But as of this week they don't know much more than Stewart's fate so they're making guesses that things will be OK for those guys. 

(I'm still cranky about not adding to the pen though.)

[Riverbrian]

41 minutes ago, chpettit19 said:

I 100% believe they have Kepler penned into RF in 2024 right now.

Pencil Please! With a functional eraser that doesn't rip holes in the paper. 

[lake_guy]

17 hours ago, LastOnePicked said:

Here's what I find funny: Cleveland has so little fear of us that they turned themselves into sellers and are probably still certain they can take this thing.

And to me that's the most damning evidence out of all of this for the FO.  If I'm Pohlad and see Cleveland make that move it speaks volumes of how bad this FO has become and the brand of baseball they have created.

[chpettit19]

54 minutes ago, Riverbrian said:

Pencil Please! With a functional eraser that doesn't rip holes in the paper. 

He's their blind spot, and I think this last month will be more than enough "proof" in their minds that he's the answer out there no matter how his season ends. They love them some Max Kepler.

[Major League Ready]

2 hours ago, chpettit19 said:

Giving young guys shots. My dream scenario was to see if a package built around Wallner and Polanco would entice Seattle into parting with one of their young arms. No idea what would have to be added to that, or what their view of Wallner is. But they need a young OF bat, and a 2B while they have extra arms and are trying to win now. If that deal gets done then trading Maeda or Gray isn't "selling" because you created a surplus of 2023 arms in the Seattle trade. 

Or just any of their lefty OF bats for a righty OF bat. Kepler for Bader intrigue the Yankees at all? Gallo for anything at all? Bell has a .233/.318/.383/.701 batting line this year and got a 2021 1st round pick in return. That kid isn't blowing away the minors, but they got a return that is far from nothing for him. Gallo couldn't have gotten some random rookie ball or low A flier in return? I'd dump Gallo today and give Williams a shot at 1B until Kirilloff is back. And I'm not even a Williams believer. But playing Gallo isn't helpful for the now or for the future.

This team has holes everywhere. I know we all want Larnach to be good, but, to me, he's not somebody you can't trade to better shape your organization. Gallo, Kepler, Wallner, Larnach was too many lefties to start the year, but made some sense with Kirilloff's wrist questions so I didn't mind the Gallo flier. It didn't work out. At this point you're simply holding onto him because you paid him and hoped he'd be good. If there's nobody in AAA that can play passable defense at 1B, and not strike out 50% of the time this organization is doomed anyways. I don't care what Kirilloff's situation is, Gallo isn't the answer if you're trying to actually win this division. There were absolutely ways to move pieces around to have a better fitting top of your organization if you valued your guys correctly. Are they going to move Lewis, Julien, or Kirilloff to the OF? If not you're looking at a logjam in the IF anyways if you were right on Lee, and are going to promote him as he deserves. He should be in AAA now, and if succeeds there the rest of the year have a legit shot at the opening day roster next year (thanks to the new pick compensation rules). I love those 5 IF guys, but if they're all as good as we hope/expect they should all play 160 games a year (I know this regime would never do that) and you don't keep one of them in AAA, or on the bench, for depth. Trade 1 for an equally talented OFer or arm with equal control. 

Doing nothing didn't help this team for 2023 (they're not good enough even though the FO thought they'd be) or 2024 when we still won't know about Larnach, and I'd actually bet today that that leads to Kepler being back while we continue to do this "mediocre veterans we hope will suddenly be really good" dance they've been doing for years. This org needs a shakeup and it could've/should've started over the last couple weeks.

I really like the Polanco / Wallner for Seattle's young pitching.  Polanco at 3B is not a solution and I totally agree something could have been done to reshape the team.  That said, there are only two positions that make sense to shake up.  The first is 3B and Lewis will reshape that position.  The other is the OF.  DFAing Gallo and giving the young guys a shot accomplishes would help.  IDK if they are willing to DFA Gallo or not.  The Kirilloff injury justifies keeping him around for the moment.  The available OF bats did not move the bar for me.

 

[chpettit19]

11 minutes ago, Major League Ready said:

I really like the Polanco / Wallner for Seattle's young pitching.  Polanco at 3B is not a solution and I totally agree something could have been done to reshape the team.  That said, there are only two positions that make sense to shake up.  The first is 3B and Lewis will reshape that position.  The other is the OF.  DFAing Gallo and giving the young guys a shot accomplishes would help.  IDK if they are willing to DFA Gallo or not.  The Kirilloff injury justifies keeping him around for the moment.  The available OF bats did not move the bar for me.

 

Yeah, I just didn't need "bar moving" type trades. Tommy Pham on the roster instead of Joey Gallo is a nice shakeup I would've gone for. Any of a dozen relievers would've helped. I don't need big swings, just a better fitting roster with new pieces. This team will only succeed if their core guys figure it out. But if they do they still have massive holes we've all known were there since the season started that are likely to stop them dead in their tracks in the postseason. Were they likely to win the World Series by adding Pham and a couple relievers? No. But at least the ticket to beating them wouldn't have been so obvious as "pitch any lefty you have and get to their pen before the 8th."

It's not the end of the world that they didn't make moves. And I prefer this to what happened last deadline. But this team is very likely to make the playoffs. Why not at least partially fill your obvious holes to give yourself a punchers chance? Pham cost a 17 year old prospect. We could spare one of those. And really it's just another example, to me, that this front office is really, really, really bad at making in season adjustments away from their plan unless they have obvious Archer/Bundy/entire 2022 pen not named Duran sized holes that they try to fill.

[jkcarew]

19 hours ago, Sutter50 said:

Ok 

It's put up or shut up time for the players,the coaching staff, and the front office.  If they don't win the division and at least 1 playoff game The Pohlad's will have to clean house.

If they win the division and win a game or two, it will be sold as a resoundingly successful season…and more than half of the fan base would swallow that narrative whole.

[Thebigalguy]

I’m good with standing pat. We have the horses. It’s time for Rocco to crack the whip or to replace him with Molitor. 

[Mike Sixel]

24 minutes ago, jkcarew said:

If they win the division and win a game or two, it will be sold as a resoundingly successful season…and more than half of the fan base would swallow that narrative whole.

Why wouldn't it be a success?

[Mike Sixel]

6 minutes ago, Thebigalguy said:

I’m good with standing pat. We have the horses. It’s time for Rocco to crack the whip or to replace him with Molitor. 

Why does anyone think molitar would ever be back?

They literally have three backups in the outfield, again, and a terrible DH. I have no idea how this is on the manager, and not front office. 

[jkcarew]

9 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

Why wouldn't it be a success?

Simply because winning a really bad division…while not getting really much better than you were the previous season and while sticking with veterans that aren’t going to get better, isn’t much of an accomplishment.

[Riverbrian]

1 hour ago, chpettit19 said:

He's their blind spot, and I think this last month will be more than enough "proof" in their minds that he's the answer out there no matter how his season ends. They love them some Max Kepler.

I was sleeping during optometry school but I wonder if it was a case of contract blindness. 

Contract blindness is a temporary condition curable with proper treatment. If it is still happening in 2024 that would mean it wasn't treated properly. 

It should run it's course in a couple of months. 

[chpettit19]

3 minutes ago, Riverbrian said:

I was sleeping during optometry school but I wonder if it was a case of contract blindness. 

Contract blindness is a temporary condition curable with proper treatment. If it is still happening in 2024 that would mean it wasn't treated properly. 

It should run it's course in a couple of months. 

I've had a few other Drs tell me the same thing, but I'm not convinced that this isn't a terminal condition. At least for the FO. The fans and org may be able to recover after years of therapy, but I fear this one has too tight a grasp on the FO, and they'll never recover.

[Riverbrian]

18 minutes ago, chpettit19 said:

I've had a few other Drs tell me the same thing, but I'm not convinced that this isn't a terminal condition. At least for the FO. The fans and org may be able to recover after years of therapy, but I fear this one has too tight a grasp on the FO, and they'll never recover.

I know what you mean. My doctor says I need to eat more veggies but I'm not convinced either. 

Rosario was tossed over 7 million bucks after a .792 Covid shortened OPS. 

[Einheri]

Okay, so I'll ask.  Can we reasonably project the Twins 2024 Starting Line Up now?

[jmlease1]

2 hours ago, Riverbrian said:

I know what you mean. My doctor says I need to eat more veggies but I'm not convinced either. 

Rosario was tossed over 7 million bucks after a .792 Covid shortened OPS. 

I'm not entirely sure what Eddie Rosario has to do with this conversation, but if he's coming in to the discussion let's get the facts right: Rosario made $7.75M in his last season with the Twins, was in line for a raise in arbitration (would have likely been in the $10M range) when the Twins non-tendered him. So it wasn't $7M. He then signed with Cleveland for $8M (which the Twins might have been willing to give him, but pride gets in the way of these things with players at times) and promptly was awful. Even with a hot streak with Atl to finish the season, it was still his worst season as a pro. Atl overreacted to him being good in the playoffs by giving him a multiyear deal, and since then he's been awful again, with a 2022 that made him one of the worse regulars in baseball and he's been a replacement-level player this season as well, while pulling in $9M.

This FO has made a lot of mistakes, but moving on from Eddie Rosario is not one of them. I've been ready for them to move on from Kepler, but as frustrating as Kepler has been over the last 3 seasons (including this one) he's been better than Rosario in pretty much every way (while costing about $4M less).

[weitz41]

I know I'm in the minority when I say I liked the Mahle trade last season. Never was a fan of the Lopez trade. Just gave up too much for only 2-3 months of success in his whole career.  Ended up getting burned on both trades. I would say I prefer Julien and Kirilloff over Steer and CES short and long term. Not doing anything this deadline is disappointing but still makes sense. IDC about the cost as much as how much player A improves the team. No one really stood out as a huge improvement other than a couple of cardinal's players that they weren't going to trade easily. So, every other central team punted. Great, if we can't win it now, there are some realistic changes that need to be made. IMO cleared up the FO for me and there are a lot of players who won't be here next season. Win the central and God forbid a playoff series and we continue this mediocre path. Loose and who knows...

[Riverbrian]

52 minutes ago, jmlease1 said:

I'm not entirely sure what Eddie Rosario has to do with this conversation, but if he's coming in to the discussion let's get the facts right: Rosario made $7.75M in his last season with the Twins, was in line for a raise in arbitration (would have likely been in the $10M range) when the Twins non-tendered him. So it wasn't $7M. He then signed with Cleveland for $8M (which the Twins might have been willing to give him, but pride gets in the way of these things with players at times) and promptly was awful. Even with a hot streak with Atl to finish the season, it was still his worst season as a pro. Atl overreacted to him being good in the playoffs by giving him a multiyear deal, and since then he's been awful again, with a 2022 that made him one of the worse regulars in baseball and he's been a replacement-level player this season as well, while pulling in $9M.

This FO has made a lot of mistakes, but moving on from Eddie Rosario is not one of them. I've been ready for them to move on from Kepler, but as frustrating as Kepler has been over the last 3 seasons (including this one) he's been better than Rosario in pretty much every way (while costing about $4M less).

I didn't research the money. I am sure you are correct, 

I was dry humoring my way through the back and forth between Chpettit19 and myself.

You would have to read back a few posts to follow the conversation. 

Rosario was brought in by me... to simply point out that Kepler could be jettisoned this off season because of the price much like Rosario was.  

For the record... I wasn't one of those who complained about the the loss of Rosario after the 2020 season and I am still not complaining.

It certainly wasn't my intention to hijack this thread with a Rosario discussion. I intended to hijack this thread with a discussion about Kepler. 😁