Falvey discusses off-season

[mnfireman]

Somebody mentioned this article on a different thread, here's the link:

https://www.si.com/mlb/twins/news/twins-have-received-trade-calls-about-royce-lewis-eddy-julien

[USAFChief]

"Falvey discusses offseason."

 

I expected an empty thread.

[tony&rodney]

Figuring out what Falvey will do to replace Sonny Gray has filled the pages of Twins Daily. The process is tricky and may just involve going with the roster in place. All I take away from the article is a Jerry Dipoto like "We really like our baseball team". The main lesson from last season was the importance of depth. The financial restrictions self-imposed this offseason, largely or partially as a result of the changing media contracts, puts Falvey in a position where difficult decisions need to be made ..... or perhaps he just decides to do nothing at all.

[Cory Engelhardt]

3 minutes ago, tony&rodney said:

Figuring out what Falvey will do to replace Sonny Gray has filled the pages of Twins Daily. The process is tricky and may just involve going with the roster in place. All I take away from the article is a Jerry Dipoto like "We really like our baseball team". The main lesson from last season was the importance of depth. The financial restrictions self-imposed this offseason, largely or partially as a result of the changing media contracts, puts Falvey in a position where difficult decisions need to be made ..... or perhaps he just decides to do nothing at all.

Doing nothing isn’t really an option though. They’ve said it before too, if the initial path of what they hoped for isn’t there, they can pivot. Lots of ways to build a baseball team.

For example, when Zach Wheeler went with the Phillies, the Twins at that time pivoted to Josh Donaldson. It happens. Obviously he wasn’t great here, but it was still a big move at the time.

I just, Falvey has never been one to do nothing. I expect a playoff level starter. But even with that, they still do arguably have a few too many position players for spots right now. 
 

I guess all I am trying to say is, nothing is something that won’t happen. 

[tony&rodney]

20 minutes ago, Cory Engelhardt said:

I guess all I am trying to say is, nothing is something that won’t happen. 

I believe all I said is that it is an option. While I myself might expect a trade or some move, sometimes the best trades are the ones not made (cliche). Tom Petty, "The future is wide open."

[mnfireman]

Lopez was acquired January 20, Maeda was acquired February 10, Gray was acquired March 13, and Paddack was acquired April 7 - there's plenty of time yet...

[Cory Engelhardt]

25 minutes ago, tony&rodney said:

I believe all I said is that it is an option. While I myself might expect a trade or some move, sometimes the best trades are the ones not made (cliche). Tom Petty, "The future is wide open."

I do love Tom Petty

[wabene]

Considering the track record of Falvey this is what should've been expected. In spite of the doldrums there has been some good and interesting conversation here at Twins Daily. Thanks for that and hang in there. Expect the unexpected! 

[Craig Arko]

50 minutes ago, wabene said:

Considering the track record of Falvey this is what should've been expected. In spite of the doldrums there has been some good and interesting conversation here at Twins Daily. Thanks for that and hang in there. Expect the unexpected! 

The Spanish Inquisition?

[Riverbrian]

3 hours ago, Cory Engelhardt said:

I do love Tom Petty

Every off-season.

The Waiting is the hardest part. 

[Jocko87]

7 hours ago, Cory Engelhardt said:

Doing nothing isn’t really an option though. They’ve said it before too, if the initial path of what they hoped for isn’t there, they can pivot. Lots of ways to build a baseball team.

For example, when Zach Wheeler went with the Phillies, the Twins at that time pivoted to Josh Donaldson. It happens. Obviously he wasn’t great here, but it was still a big move at the time.

I just, Falvey has never been one to do nothing. I expect a playoff level starter. But even with that, they still do arguably have a few too many position players for spots right now. 
 

I guess all I am trying to say is, nothing is something that won’t happen. 

I've been wondering, as I have nothing better to do in the quiet off season, if doing nothing isn't the correct move. 

We all are pretty much on the same page that they need another front line starter to be competitive.  However, that's a postseason requirement, they have enough to win the division now. 

Does it make more sense to wait until the trade deadline for getting what they need?  They would lose out on a QO for a Burnes by waiting but prices should be lower and they would have more information on the targets and prices.  Sure we would all love a stud new starter with 3 years control but do we want to pay that price?

What if Miranda goes off in the first half?  Varland or Martin?  Kepler and Polo and their various replacements?  The values will all be different and the reality is they only have a certain number of moves they can make before they run out of things to send. 

If everything stays pretty much the same as now (it won't) grab the best deadline ace and go for it?  Are deadline prices even discounted? 

I guess I could see nothing being the thing for quite a bit longer.

[Nashvilletwin]

14 hours ago, tony&rodney said:

I believe all I said is that it is an option. While I myself might expect a trade or some move, sometimes the best trades are the ones not made (cliche). Tom Petty, "The future is wide open."

No need to defend yourself.  Standing pat for the most part, if not completely, is certainly an option. You have that correct.

We as a fan base are clamouring for the “Gray Replacement”. Well, we don’t have cash to get that done through FA and it’s very possible the FO likes our top prospect capital enough on the mound that they don’t feel like trading our top prospects in the field.

What if they think the team is in a strong enough position this season (and, yes, that may even include to a large degree keeping Kepler, Polanco, Farmer and Vasquez) to win the division and to see what happens in the post season? In fact, so much so they aren’t willing to move Lee, Julien or Lewis to sacrifice what could be a huge open window starting in 2025 when these prospects start hitting and our rotation could be stellar with whom we already have in the system.  Just maybe the FO is willing to “sacrifice” some upside this year to let their cheaper, longer term open window roster gestate for a season.

We as fans tend to always look at just the season ahead of us as opposed to letting the better tasting cake bake a bit longer.  Patience is sometimes the best course - and it could the overall strategy the FO has mapped out more or less for this season. And yes, it’s a reasonable strategy. 

[DJL44]

8 hours ago, Jocko87 said:

We all are pretty much on the same page that they need another front line starter to be competitive.  However, that's a postseason requirement, they have enough to win the division now. 

Woods-Richardson is the 6th starter at the moment. They can upgrade the rotation at the deadline (though the last time they did was Mahle and people universally hate that trade) but they need another starter before opening day.

[Cory Engelhardt]

15 minutes ago, DJL44 said:

Woods-Richardson is the 6th starter at the moment. They can upgrade the rotation at the deadline (though the last time they did was Mahle and people universally hate that trade) but they need another starter before opening day.

I still do that Mahle trade every single time. 
 

But yeah, they need more innings at minimum added to the rotation to start the year. Once they add, we will all quibble on how good that player is. 
 

I do like the potential of SWR, I will add, but still.

[wabene]

2 hours ago, DJL44 said:

Woods-Richardson is the 6th starter at the moment. They can upgrade the rotation at the deadline (though the last time they did was Mahle and people universally hate that trade) but they need another starter before opening day.

Nobody likes the trade in hindsight, but that particular outcome was not known at the time of the trade. Many were on board in real time. The Sonny Gray trade couldn't have worked out better, but what if he blew out his elbow in his first start with the Twins. Does that make the trade a bad trade at the time of the trade? What if Chase Petty wins 2 Cy Youngs? Does that erase the fact that the Twins got all they hoped for in that trade; 2 really good years of Sonny and a pick only a few slots behind the Petty pick? 

[stringer bell]

I'll pile on about the Mahle trade. I thought getting Mahle and Jorge López at the deadline were exactly the shot in the arm that the Twins needed. Injuries (Mahle) and ineffectiveness (López) proved me wrong. 

Most of us have come around to loving the Arraez-López trade, but if Pablo gets injured, the second guess would be to hold on to a two-time batting champion. Hindsight is 20-20. 

[Cory Engelhardt]

21 minutes ago, stringer bell said:

I'll pile on about the Mahle trade. I thought getting Mahle and Jorge López at the deadline were exactly the shot in the arm that the Twins needed. Injuries (Mahle) and ineffectiveness (López) proved me wrong. 

Most of us have come around to loving the Arraez-López trade, but if Pablo gets injured, the second guess would be to hold on to a two-time batting champion. Hindsight is 20-20. 

That’s exactly why I can’t get mad about the post trade results though. Have to go with what you have at the time. I’m glad we have a front office that adds talent. They don’t have the power to see into the future (I don’t think) so why get mad about the Mahle and Lopez trades when the process to acquire them at the time was solid.

This is certainly better than always hoarding prospects and never making deals to try to better yourselves, right?

[wabene]

Yes hindsight is 20/20 and when things don't turn out the way you wanted you can complain.  The thing I keep in mind about this front office is what a stark contrast it is to the former regime. On every level. Modernization. Player development. Spending. No all the moves won't work out, but the more assertive approach is very appealing. They make bold splashes. I expect them to attempt to improve the roster yet again this year. 

[Greglw3]

17 hours ago, Cory Engelhardt said:

I do love Tom Petty

He sang of Twins fans yearning, "I Need to Know"!

[Nashvilletwin]

Many were on board in real time
 

And many of us weren’t. 
 

That’s ok though - I hated the Arraez - Lopez deal and that worked out.  Very rarely are we always right - just like the FO. 

[Jocko87]

4 hours ago, DJL44 said:

Woods-Richardson is the 6th starter at the moment. They can upgrade the rotation at the deadline (though the last time they did was Mahle and people universally hate that trade) but they need another starter before opening day.

It doesn’t rule out a depth or rehab signing, but what if they gave the innings to SWR? Or Headrick for that matter. What’s Dobnack up to lately?  I stay they still win the central. 

[Cory Engelhardt]

11 minutes ago, Jocko87 said:

It doesn’t rule out a depth or rehab signing, but what if they gave the innings to SWR? Or Headrick for that matter. What’s Dobnack up to lately?  I stay they still win the central. 

I think they all will get innings this year. You want to play for 9 starters at minimum through a year, and probably will use 11. The more good pitching, the better

[Jocko87]

1 hour ago, Cory Engelhardt said:

I think they all will get innings this year. You want to play for 9 starters at minimum through a year, and probably will use 11. The more good pitching, the better

Agreed, I think my main question is would it make more sense to get the ace type at the deadline? 

[Cory Engelhardt]

24 minutes ago, Jocko87 said:

Agreed, I think my main question is would it make more sense to get the ace type at the deadline? 

I don’t know if ace level is the need, now or at the deadline. They should have a really strong bullpen regardless, and I think the need would be someone you can comfortably trust to start a playoff game. I’d prefer it now, because you never know who may or may not be available at the deadline with teams possibly still in playoff races. 
The pitching staff should be really good with the goal of having Varland be your 6th starter (I think they use 6 guys even to start the year, especially to help watch Paddack’s innings if everyone else is healthy) and that’s a really good thing.