3 Reasons Why the Twins Stood Pat at the Trade Deadline

[Minny505]

14 minutes ago, old nurse said:

Other than Tyler Wells the Twins have not lost a player that amounted to anything in the rule v draft. In thinking other teams would want the current crop of rule v eligible players that are not on the 40 man is wishful thinking at best. 

The Padres added a starting pitcher that right now is pitching like somewhere between a 5th starter and a batting practice pitcher. They added a reliever that is having a horrible year with an ERA over 5.  They added a hitter that is about a league average hitter. They did not give up much to get them. They are only hoping that their past performances will come back. That would not be good additions to this version of the Twins. They already have a few players like that.

The rule 5 point is well made, but other moves, like trading Coulumbe for cash, or Lamont Wade (offseason, not deadline) were done because or a 40 man squeeze. 

My point is not the specific players the Padres got, but the low wattage, fill holes in the roster for minor league filler, that they accomplished. Choi is a solid 1B and a solid strong-side platoon bat with vRHP splits that Kepler/Gallo could only dream on. Cooper is his new caddy, the 1B version of what we could use in the COF. 

Scott Barlow is a 30 year old RP with 250 innings of very effective relief pitching coming into the season that, despite having an inflated walk rate, still has excellent peripherals and would be the #4 or #5 RP out of the Twins pen, which is exactly what the team was allegedly looking for.

Rich Hill is the ceiling of what I expect from Dallas Keuchal. 

It's not much, but neither are the needs for the Twins to plug some massive holes. Like the Padres, the Twins are hoping for progression to the mean from some of their multi-year contract players, but the Padres at least supplemented the areas of need outside of those players.

Padres get a solid B+ for their deadline with multiple small moves, while the Twins get a D- for one small move. 

[old nurse]

55 minutes ago, Minny505 said:

The rule 5 point is well made, but other moves, like trading Coulumbe for cash, or Lamont Wade (offseason, not deadline) were done because or a 40 man squeeze. 

My point is not the specific players the Padres got, but the low wattage, fill holes in the roster for minor league filler, that they accomplished. Choi is a solid 1B and a solid strong-side platoon bat with vRHP splits that Kepler/Gallo could only dream on. Cooper is his new caddy, the 1B version of what we could use in the COF. 

Scott Barlow is a 30 year old RP with 250 innings of very effective relief pitching coming into the season that, despite having an inflated walk rate, still has excellent peripherals and would be the #4 or #5 RP out of the Twins pen, which is exactly what the team was allegedly looking for.

Rich Hill is the ceiling of what I expect from Dallas Keuchal. 

It's not much, but neither are the needs for the Twins to plug some massive holes. Like the Padres, the Twins are hoping for progression to the mean from some of their multi-year contract players, but the Padres at least supplemented the areas of need outside of those players.

Padres get a solid B+ for their deadline with multiple small moves, while the Twins get a D- for one small move. 

Coulombe was not used much at the major league level by the Twins. He was not even rule v eligible.  Wade may have been useful but during that time the FO got rid of a lot of Ryan prospects.  Wade, Baddoo or Celestine. They chose the player they traded for.  

Comparing Hill to Kuechel only adds to the validity of the OP.

A rental player is only going to be as good as the player is playing this year.  Comparing the season Coi is having versus Kepler again gives validity to the OP

Barlow may have  peripheral numbers you like but the end result is he is walking batters and giving up runs like Colome used to. Again, deadline trades should be about making a club significantly better. You can give the Padres a good grade but if they do not in the end improve the club enough, the grade is f for failure. 

 

 

 

 

 

[arby58]

The Twins got roundly criticized for deals last year that looked really good on paper and then did not pan out. That is the nature of trades - and those who are now criticizing the Twins for doing nothing may have criticized them for last year's moves. I tend to agree with the front office - they are likely to make the play-offs without big moves, but there isn't a lot of point in making moves to add this year, as the team isn't good enough to advance in the play-offs. That said, they are good enough to make the play-offs, and it would be short-term stupid (for its fan base and players) to trade off assets that can help them do that.

[twinstalker]

Better than the three reasons Falvey gave.

[Doctor Wu]

I was hoping for an extra bullpen arm, but honestly, I'm not sure if even an addition like that would have helped us that much. So, I'm frustrated, but basically content, and still hopeful. If this team can stay healthy (and get guys like Kiriloff, Lewis, Stewart, etc, back in action), and if the high-priced vets start performing better, and if the starters start pitching like they did at the start of the year --- yeah, that's a LOT of ifs --- then I think we could, just maybe, hold our own in the playoffs. Maybe it's not quite like the '87 Twins, but magic could still happen. 

[Peter]

Twins did right thing at deadline-Seattle wanted Royce for teo-no thanks!   We have Royce coming back real soon and that’s going to be huge boost!! As well prospects in St. Paul with winder/SWR/Stewart hopefully kuechel which I think twins bring back. 

[P Meyer]

I don't know that there was a big move to make so no issues with the Twins not making one. Agree they should have added some type of bullpen arm, even if it was a buy-low type move on a guy having a down-ish year. 

 

I agree with Law that GMs and mostly conservative and make moves not to lose vs making moves to win, Essentially, you get fired for being a bottom level team, spending bog dollars on underperforming FAs, and making trades that look bad after the fact.

[NotAboutWinning]

2 hours ago, Peter said:

Twins did right thing at deadline-Seattle wanted Royce for teo-no thanks!   We have Royce coming back real soon and that’s going to be huge boost!! As well prospects in St. Paul with winder/SWR/Stewart hopefully kuechel which I think twins bring back. 

If that Seattle offer is true, I would say the Twins (Falvey) get no respect as serious negotiators. Which may be the case given previous deals they’ve done.

[KirbyDome89]

5 hours ago, Peter said:

Seattle wanted Royce for teo-no thanks!

Source?

[KirbyDome89]

21 hours ago, arby58 said:

First, you have no way of knowing if there was a market for any of these players, or if the return would be positive. Second, there is something to be said for actually making the play-offs - there are a lot of fans who go through the turnstiles every home game who would prefer they make them than not. I'd venture that both Gray and Maeda give the Twins a better chance of making the play-offs than not (and Kepler of late has been valuable as well).

Lance Lynn and Noah Syndergaard were both moved. You don't think there was a market for Gray or Maeda?

15 hours ago, arby58 said:

The Twins got roundly criticized for deals last year that looked really good on paper and then did not pan out. That is the nature of trades - and those who are now criticizing the Twins for doing nothing may have criticized them for last year's moves. I tend to agree with the front office - they are likely to make the play-offs without big moves, but there isn't a lot of point in making moves to add this year, as the team isn't good enough to advance in the play-offs. That said, they are good enough to make the play-offs, and it would be short-term stupid (for its fan base and players) to trade off assets that can help them do that.

If you don't think you're going anywhere this year sell your expiring contracts. If winning is a priority at least upgrade around the margins (RP, RH OFer) at a nominal cost and increase your chances of securing that oh so important playoff berth. I don't understand why anybody is defending this FO's decision to do nothing with the massively flawed roster they built. 

[Rosterman]

I'm confused? Is there no value in the Twins pending free agents, perhaps?

You have Gray and Madea. Hopefully each will start 10 more games. Okay, those two have been pitching better. But still, at season's end, they will be walking unless the Twins make a qualifying offer. Did no one make a decent offer for either, plus taking on the payroll obligation?

Is there a chance the Twins will pick up options on Kepler and Polanco, hoping they will be off-season tradebait, or perhaps improve enough to bring back something next year? Or do the Twins also let these guys walk. Kepler had to have some value as he has upped his game of late. And Polanco is still a young 29 with no place to play in Minnesota. Better to get something than...nothing. 

Gallo, Taylor, Solano also were available. Readily replaced by such folks as Wallner, I would bring up Contreras (or the aging Andrew Stevenson). Heck, even Larnach. Would Chris WIlliams be a grat replacement if Solano was taken by someone, anyone?

Anyone you advance from AAA allows you to advance others further up in the organization. Keuchel has now replaced Ryan for at least three starts. Shuffle out Moran to the minors for Fundeburk. Varland and Headrick (imagine the Twins having TWO lefty starters - or team Headrick with Winder for a complete game).

Yes, I can believe that the Twins had a roster full of unwanted free agents.