The Twins Would Be Wise to Trade Kyle Farmer

[Brandon]

16 hours ago, ashbury said:

We acquired Farmer for a run of the mill relief prospect, Casey Legumina.  Kyle has been a good Twin but didn't do much this year to raise his stock.  I can't imagine getting much more than we gave up, if we trade him now.  Sure, move him if he's redundant, but the difference between trading him and simply releasing him will be slight; he won't be a key part of a trade for high-end pitching, say, any more than Legumina would have been.

Farmer didn't do anything to lower his value.  The differentiator isn't anything he did.  it's the change in the market.  There is a scarcity of SS available in free agency.  In fact, Farmer would probably be the top SS on the market if he was a free agent this year.  I think if there are enough teams that need a SS, we can get a decent enough prospect for him in a trade.  I believe we could get a 5-10 ranked prospect for him.  That may be a little high, but we will definitely do better than a 25-30 ranked prospect.  If that is the case, then Farmer is probably more valuable to us as a backup who plays almost every day.  The only real reason to trade him is budgetary if the TV contract issue causes us to lower payroll to the point, we need to shed some salary.  I think he is a great super sub and a solid or average option to start.  Also as a starting SS he won't break the bank.  There is value to team in that.  Look at the current shortstops for the Dodgers, Tampa Bay, Cleveland, Whitesox, and Miami.  and I am sure there are more team in need.  Farmer is a big upgrade on all of these teams.  And if no one else is dealing a SS then Farmer is the best on the market thus raising his value due to scarcity.  

[howeda7]

I'm not vehemently opposed to trading him, but I think the return will be similar to what we gave up to get him, which wasn't much. I'd keep him as a bench bat/1B until Kiriloff comes back. Kepler is more likely to fetch a decent return and that's who I would look to trade. It would also free up more $$.

[Shaitan]

While I think Farmer is largely expendable, who becomes the backup SS?

Polanco, probably, as it stands. Gordon in a pinch. Possibly Lewis, depending what happens at 3B (if Miranda resurrects). But they need somebody who can go 15-20 days if Correa hits IL. Or maybe that's some IF combo that includes Lee and rearranging Lewis/Polanco/Julien.

I guess this comes down to if Correa will be 100% next spring. If not, I'd keep Farmer as insurance.

[Shaitan]

Also, they just aren't going to get anything more than an A-ball wild card or a fringe bullpen arm for him. The other key factor in keeping him, besides as IF insurance, is what else they can do with that $7million (just like the Urshela trade.)

[howeda7]

7 minutes ago, Shaitan said:

While I think Farmer is largely expendable, who becomes the backup SS?

Polanco, probably, as it stands. Gordon in a pinch. Possibly Lewis, depending what happens at 3B (if Miranda resurrects). But they need somebody who can go 15-20 days if Correa hits IL. Or maybe that's some IF combo that includes Lee and rearranging Lewis/Polanco/Julien.

I guess this comes down to if Correa will be 100% next spring. If not, I'd keep Farmer as insurance.

Castro day to day. Either Brooks Lee or Lewis if he suffered a LT injury.

[specialiststeve]

On 10/19/2023 at 3:14 PM, Muppet said:

Not just Farmer. Almost all position players not named Buxton, Correa, Lewis, and Julien should be considered trade bait. The Twins were a pretty good team. The only way they'll be a better team is if the upgrade their current roster. They have the chance to sell high on a lot of the guys. 

If we could find a taker for Buxton and get any sort of return... it is time. Use the money for pitching.. 

[Otaknam]

On 10/19/2023 at 1:49 PM, EGFTShaw said:

I suspect the Twins are open to trading just about anyone if its the right deal.

No one should be considered un-tradable.

That said, there are several players, GS Lewis for example, that we need to have our socks knocked off.

I think we are past the time where we, The Twins, unloaded players just to save salary or before they become a FA.

Now we can move people, like we did with Arraez last year, to make our team better.

I like our depth, but we have depth behind our depth at the moment, that can allow us to move some pieces to improve out club.

Lewis, Lee, Lopez, Ryan, and Julien should all be untouchable. Everyone else should be available for the right deal.

[yeahyabetcha]

12 hours ago, miracleb said:

I agree they probably would not get help for the upcoming year....but an added bonus of trading him for a prospect is that it opens up another spot on the 40-man roster.

How would he be replaced on the active roster 

[Shaitan]

58 minutes ago, Otaknam said:

Lewis, Lee, Lopez, Ryan, and Julien should all be untouchable. Everyone else should be available for the right deal.

Ryan's fastball is very touchable.

Hey-o! I'll see myself out now.

[miracleb]

11 hours ago, yeahyabetcha said:

How would he be replaced on the active roster 

Huh?  He would free up a spot on the 40 man roster...for us to be able to protect another prospect who otherwise might get taken in the Rule 5 draft.

[Fatbat]

What Farmer brings to the Twins is hard to buy. We got a great deal to get him here and it should take an even better deal to part ways with him. Lee is ready for the show so I do understand if the FO shops Farmer around. Polo is a foundation of this team so I see him on the team as an aging infield rotation player.  I can see a team, even the Dodgers paying to have Farmer on the team as an insurance policy. I would be screaming to keep him if it weren’t for the fact that we have Castro and Polo with Lee and Martin ready and waiting. 

[yeahyabetcha]

1 hour ago, miracleb said:

Huh?  He would free up a spot on the 40 man roster...for us to be able to protect another prospect who otherwise might get taken in the Rule 5 draft.

Who would be the backup to Correa if he got hurt or needed a day off?  

[stringer bell]

2 hours ago, yeahyabetcha said:

Who would be the backup to Correa if he got hurt or needed a day off?  

For a day or two, Willi Castro (he was preferred to Gordon when Nick was healthy) and for a disabling injury, Brooks Lee. Farmer isn't needed for the key utility role of alternate shortstop. He does hit left handed pitching well, which is something the Twins definitely can use. However, with the emergence of Lewis and Jeffers, that need is less. It would be helpful is the Twins had an outfielder that hit LH pitching well, but that isn't Farmer.

[twinstalker]

I would like to see Lewis get the reps at SS, because if something happens to Correa, there is nobody to take his place full-time except Lewis.  And if it's career-threatening for Correa, that leave Lee at 3B, Lewis at SS, and Julien at 2B.

[darin617]

On 10/19/2023 at 3:14 PM, Muppet said:

Not just Farmer. Almost all position players not named Buxton, Correa, Lewis, and Julien should be considered trade bait. The Twins were a pretty good team. The only way they'll be a better team is if the upgrade their current roster. They have the chance to sell high on a lot of the guys. 

Why is Buxton listed there? Because of the hope he can rebound or with injury history may have little to no trade value now.

[yeahyabetcha]

11 hours ago, stringer bell said:

For a day or two, Willi Castro (he was preferred to Gordon when Nick was healthy) and for a disabling injury, Brooks Lee. Farmer isn't needed for the key utility role of alternate shortstop. He does hit left handed pitching well, which is something the Twins definitely can use. However, with the emergence of Lewis and Jeffers, that need is less. It would be helpful is the Twins had an outfielder that hit LH pitching well, but that isn't Farmer.

Can’t Farmer, Lewis and Jeffers all be on the active roster’s as once? Especially since they essentially play different positions?

Brooks Lee?  How does replacing Farmer with some random unknown player and having an unknown quantity like Lee help the the teams depth??

[stringer bell]

8 hours ago, yeahyabetcha said:

Can’t Farmer, Lewis and Jeffers all be on the active roster’s as once? Especially since they essentially play different positions?

Brooks Lee?  How does replacing Farmer with some random unknown player and having an unknown quantity like Lee help the the teams depth??

Certainly Farmer could be on the roster with Jeffers and Lewis, but if his usage is limited to finding some at-bats in the infield against left handed pitching, he won’t be worth the +$6M price tag. The Twins figure to have better, cheaper options to be bench and short side platoon players. 

Brooks Lee isn’t “some random unknown player”. He’s the Twins #1 prospect and in the Top 100 of all MLB. 

Trading Farmer would subtract what is now redundant depth for a considerable cost savings.

 

[yeahyabetcha]

1 hour ago, stringer bell said:

Certainly Farmer could be on the roster with Jeffers and Lewis, but if his usage is limited to finding some at-bats in the infield against left handed pitching, he won’t be worth the +$6M price tag. The Twins figure to have better, cheaper options to be bench and short side platoon players. 

Brooks Lee isn’t “some random unknown player”. He’s the Twins #1 prospect and in the Top 100 of all MLB. 

Trading Farmer would subtract what is now redundant depth for a considerable cost savings.

 

The Twins may have cheaper options, but who exactly are the better?  I don’t think you give Farmer enough credit for the role he played for the Twins last year.

 

[stringer bell]

5 minutes ago, yeahyabetcha said:

The Twins may have cheaper options, but who exactly are the better?  I don’t think you give Farmer enough credit for the role he played for the Twins last year.

 

I appreciate what Farmer did last year and I think he was a valuable member of the 2023 Twins. That said, the team can't live in the past. Farmer is 33, this year the Twins figure to have others to back up Carlos Correa and he will make a lot of money for a utility player. 

[EGFTShaw]

On 10/20/2023 at 9:23 PM, Otaknam said:

Lewis, Lee, Lopez, Ryan, and Julien should all be untouchable. Everyone else should be available for the right deal.

I agree we should keep these guys for sure, unless we can get greater value in return.  Highly unlikely of course but i just wanted to indicate that the FO should always look to improve the team.

[PatG]

Just say No....unless the right offer comes along.

Remember, All of our infielders have some sort of injury issue......