Kepler

[Craig Arko]

Not tired of Max at all, but he’ll be leaving and freeing up the cash might have been helpful.

[Mike Sixel]

12 minutes ago, Craig Arko said:

Not tired of Max at all, but he’ll be leaving and freeing up the cash might have been helpful.

This. 

[tony&rodney]

2 hours ago, Craig Arko said:

Not tired of Max at all, but he’ll be leaving and freeing up the cash might have been helpful.

The "freeing up the cash" will go to arb payments. It will be time for Larnach, Wallner, and Emmanuel to take the baton.

[mnfireman]

https://puckettspond.com/posts/yankees-twins-max-kepler-trade-offer/partners/36534

[Twins_Fan_in_NJ]

2 hours ago, mnfireman said:

https://puckettspond.com/posts/yankees-twins-max-kepler-trade-offer/partners/36534

Yankees have liked Max for a while...

[Patzky]

22 hours ago, Road trip said:

Exactly.

Next year I expect him to end up at a bigger money club.  It's just the nature of the game.  3 years/$45 million or something like that.  Not a chance the Twins can fit that into their payroll plan since they have a bunch of arbitration eligible players who will need increases.

"Humm would you take 5 years at 47.5 million Max?"

[Patzky]

19 hours ago, tony&rodney said:

The "freeing up the cash" will go to arb payments. It will be time for Larnach, Wallner, and Emmanuel to take the baton.

Even if it isn't!

[cmoss84]

I would have been okay with Max for Cortes...

[tony&rodney]

Just now, cmoss84 said:

I would have been okay with Max for Cortes...

You are not alone with that thought, but I still believe that Max is a big part of this 2024 team. Perhaps Falvey (and many others) make that trade. I would never do that deal because I'm looking for the Twins to win this year.

[tony&rodney]

8 minutes ago, Patzky said:

Even if it isn't!

The reality is that Max Kepler will be looking for a change in scenery, offers will be out there (guess = 2/$25M with an option), and the Twins have some expenses pushing the payroll higher for 2025. As much as I like Max Kepler, I believe he is ready to move on more so than the Twins are unwilling to discuss contracts with him. Yes, I would like Kepler back, but I just think the time has come for Max to enter a new experience. 

Then, the Twins need to pivot. Buxton will be here and so will Larnach and Wallner too unless some unforeseen blockbuster deal unfolds over the winter. Rosters change.

[JD-TWINS]

On 7/30/2024 at 9:49 PM, Mike Sixel said:

It makes no sense. If you aren't trying to win, you deal him. And they aren't trying to win. 

How does moving Kepler help them win? He’s a 2 month rental with good defensive skills and slightly better than average offensive numbers. He may net a AA pitcher and a lottery ticket from Low A. Nobody’s sending Team some stud pitcher for Kepler.

[Mike Sixel]

2 minutes ago, JD-TWINS said:

How does moving Kepler help them win? He’s a 2 month rental with good defensive skills and slightly better than average offensive numbers. He may net a AA pitcher and a lottery ticket from Low A. Nobody’s sending Team some stud pitcher for Kepler.

I'm not sure I ever said it would. 

[JD-TWINS]

On 7/30/2024 at 9:49 PM, Mike Sixel said:

It makes no sense. If you aren't trying to win, you deal him. And they aren't trying to win. 

They are or are not trying to win? I may have misunderstood what you’re getting at here……if so, sorry.

[AKTwinsFan]

Kepler is awesome, stop hating.

[Mike Sixel]

Just now, JD-TWINS said:

They are or are not trying to win? I may have misunderstood what you’re getting at here……if so, sorry.

I don't think ownership is. They didn't add last deadline, even with the best pitching they've ever had. They cut payroll in the off season. They didn't add at the deadline this year. I don't think ownership cares about winning at all. This is a decades long pattern. 

[Mike Sixel]

1 minute ago, AKTwinsFan said:

Kepler is awesome, stop hating.

Literally no one hates him. 

[gregens]

On 7/31/2024 at 9:38 AM, Patzky said:

We may never know but have to trust the braintrust.

 

God that was painful to write..

Would it be more accurate to say "accept the braintrust" instead of "trust the braintrust"?

[gregens]

1 hour ago, Mike Sixel said:

I don't think ownership is. They didn't add last deadline, even with the best pitching they've ever had. They cut payroll in the off season. They didn't add at the deadline this year. I don't think ownership cares about winning at all. This is a decades long pattern. 

Perhaps their idea of winning ($$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$) is different then ours?

To me the ideal Twins ownership would be someone who is very wealthy, has enough profit from other sources so they don't care about taking reasonable team financial loses, and has a passion for this baseball team to win big.  You know.... someone who has a very expensive hobby!   I almost never make money on my hobbies.

 

[Patzky]

30 minutes ago, gregens said:

Would it be more accurate to say "accept the braintrust" instead of "trust the braintrust"?

Considering these is no choice, we should choose the verb that makes us happiest!

[Twins_Fan_in_NJ]

Would have been really interesting if the Yankees got Flaherty because that was supposedly the precursor to moving Nestor Cortes. 

Max for Cortes would've saved the Twins some money and bolstered the pitching staff. Cortes has been up and down this year but I would've liked to see what the Twins could have done with him.

[Twins_Fan_in_NJ]

Also - I'm glad they didn't dump Max. The Athletic had an article this morning about how the players reacted to no impact trades and there were some disappointed although unnamed players. Regardless of what the fan base thinks of Max, I think he's well-liked and respected in the clubhouse. You move a guy like that in the name of dumping salary and I think you see the team implode.

[Mike Sixel]

1 minute ago, Twins_Fan_in_NJ said:

Also - I'm glad they didn't dump Max. The Athletic had an article this morning about how the players reacted to no impact trades and there were some disappointed although unnamed players. Regardless of what the fan base thinks of Max, I think he's well-liked and respected in the clubhouse. You move a guy like that in the name of dumping salary and I think you see the team implode.

I think this is fair, and I"m good w/ not trading him......I'm just surprised they didn't emulate the Rays here.

[Twins_Fan_in_NJ]

56 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

I think this is fair, and I"m good w/ not trading him......I'm just surprised they didn't emulate the Rays here.

Agreed. I wouldn't have been shocked...

[chpettit19]

3 hours ago, tony&rodney said:

You are not alone with that thought, but I still believe that Max is a big part of this 2024 team. Perhaps Falvey (and many others) make that trade. I would never do that deal because I'm looking for the Twins to win this year.

You don't believe Nestor Cortez could've helped this team win this year? I think one could make a pretty solid argument that another starter is more needed than a defense first right fielder for this team.

[C-Gangster]

Honestly at some point he was one of the most productive right feilders in the Leauge. Although he is not the best he still puts up productive at bats so we need him for a while although eventually we'll find someone else either this year or in a few years or after he retires.

[Craig Arko]

3 hours ago, gregens said:

Would it be more accurate to say "accept the braintrust" instead of "trust the braintrust"?

I only accept the Pinky and The Brain trust.

[Mike Sixel]

19 minutes ago, C-Gangster said:

Honestly at some point he was one of the most productive right feilders in the Leauge. Although he is not the best he still puts up productive at bats so we need him for a while although eventually we'll find someone else either this year or in a few years or after he retires.

I can't imagine they are signing after this year, given their budget constraints.

[C-Gangster]

2 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

I can't imagine they are signing after this year, given their budget constraints.

True

[tony&rodney]

3 hours ago, chpettit19 said:

You don't believe Nestor Cortez could've helped this team win this year? I think one could make a pretty solid argument that another starter is more needed than a defense first right fielder for this team.

No. I understand the interest but I'm just not a believer in Cortes. I agree a case could be made.

[cmoss84]

If the trade market wasn't great for Max, I wonder if he will get decent money in FA. If not, does he take a 1 year prove it deal with us?