The Time for "Getting Creative" Is Upon Us

[Nick Nelson]

History tells us that if the Twins are going to get weird with an unexpected or unconventional trade, we've now arrived at the stage of the offseason where it's going to happen.

Image courtesy of Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

Ever since Derek Falvey first took over, the Twins have openly prided themselves on a willingness to think creatively in their team-building approach. As Do-Hyoung Park remarked in his Twins Beat newsletter last month, "getting creative" is one of Falvey's favorite phrases.  

It's a valuable mindset for a team operating with limited resources in a middle market — if you can't outspend the heavy hitters, you can at least aim to outfox them. And the creativity mantra is far from being all talk: time and again the Twins have pulled off outside-the-box moves, in free agency and trades, that have seemingly come out of nowhere and shaken up the status quo. Sometimes these moves have given the Twins access to players that were seemingly beyond their means, including the highly opportunistic Carlos Correa signings.

We've seen plenty of fascinatingly constructed trades over the years too. There was the challenge trade that sent reigning batting champ Luis Arráez to Miami for emerging starter Pablo López. There was that five-player fracas involving Josh Donaldson, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Gary Sánchez and Gio Urshela. Few could've foreseen the acquisition of Kenta Maeda as part of a three-team blockbuster that sent Brusdar Graterol and Mookie Betts to LA. And of course, who could forget the stunner on the eve of Opening Day 2022 that shipped Taylor Rogers and Brent Rooker to San Diego for Chris Paddack and Emilio Pagán.

The commonality between all of these moves is that they happened in the late stage of the offseason, if not deep into spring training. And that's no coincidence; for these kinds of creative and complex trades to reach fruition takes time, and a lot of prolonged discussions. For other teams to be open to this kind of creative thinking usually requires other, more straightforward options to come off the board. 

Well, we are there now. Pitchers and catchers report two weeks from Thursday. That's certainly not a deadline preventing action thereafter, but we are now almost officially into February. Teams across the league are getting into the mindset that Falvey, Jeremy Zoll and Co. need them in to reach a receptive audience for their ideas and designs.

We're seeing some signs of this environment starting to percolate. The San Diego Padres are believed to be intent on lowering payroll ahead of the 2025 season, and thus it is probably no coincidence that we've seen names like Dylan Cease, Michael King and Robert Suarez springing up in trade rumors of late. The clock is ticking down and things need to start falling into place for a number of clubs that have largely idled through the first three months of the offseason.

Falvey, for his part, isn't tempering expectations for the rest of the offseason. During TwinsFest appearances last week, he seemed focused on getting the message across that activity is still on the way. 

“The reality of the baseball offseason is it feels like each year I come here, there is a lot more ahead of us than behind us,” he said at a banquet last Wednesday. “We’ve made trades, acquisitions in February and March. That’s just the way baseball works these days. Ultimately, I feel like it’s the midway point to the offseason. We have a lot more work to do.”

If reports that the Twins have shown any level of legitimate interest in the likes of Cease have merit, then it's fair to say Falvey's not bluffing. Based on his front office's history, you can't count these guys out at this stage of the offseason, although it's fair to feel dubious amid a stretch of 24 months with no significant moves.

Now or never. Can the Twins turn creativity into concrete upgrades?

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[Rod Carews Birthday]

Oh how interesting it would be to be inside Derek Falvey's head at this point.  I would assume he has a list of 10 or more players that he thinks might be realistic that he would really like to have.  Equally interesting, and probably more enlightening for Twins fans, would be the list of guys that he is really willing to part with.  (Yes, I agree, no one is untouchable for the right price, but. . . ). It's also hard to know whether there has been ground work laid by front offices just waiting to pull the trigger or whether all is quiet out there.  At the end of the day, it doesn't take long for two GM's to potentially pull the trigger on a trade, so I'm really not writing anything off until the umpire says "Play Ball" on opening day. 

[jmlease1]

I hope they've got a good one pending. Because as much as i still like the overall roster (I do think there are going to be some players who didn't do well last season who bounce back/step forward on the position side and I like the pitching staff quite a bit) there are still holes that can/should be patched. Would I love to see us get the payroll back up to $150M+ and bring in Pete Alonso? yes indeedy, but I'm also realistic. the outgoing ownership might not be chopping things back further, but they still have the purse strings tied tight.

That means trade, and Vazquez, Paddack, and/or Castro will likely be on the move with 1-4 prospects. The Brinks truck you'd have to back up to pry Walker Jenkins out of the organization should be semi-sized, but no one should really be off the table. Just don't sell low. Go ahead and deal A-ball pitchers if that's what it takes. Hopefully there's a real deal out there that improves the team in 2025 without selling off 2026-2027.

But I have zero idea what it is right now. Vazquez seems to have value, though. And I'm sure Paddack could be moved to open things up to take salary back in a deal.

[thelanges5]

4 minutes ago, jmlease1 said:

I hope they've got a good one pending. Because as much as i still like the overall roster (I do think there are going to be some players who didn't do well last season who bounce back/step forward on the position side and I like the pitching staff quite a bit) there are still holes that can/should be patched. Would I love to see us get the payroll back up to $150M+ and bring in Pete Alonso? yes indeedy, but I'm also realistic. the outgoing ownership might not be chopping things back further, but they still have the purse strings tied tight.

That means trade, and Vazquez, Paddack, and/or Castro will likely be on the move with 1-4 prospects. The Brinks truck you'd have to back up to pry Walker Jenkins out of the organization should be semi-sized, but no one should really be off the table. Just don't sell low. Go ahead and deal A-ball pitchers if that's what it takes. Hopefully there's a real deal out there that improves the team in 2025 without selling off 2026-2027.

But I have zero idea what it is right now. Vazquez seems to have value, though. And I'm sure Paddack could be moved to open things up to take salary back in a deal.

Pete to MN 🐻‍❄️; it just makes sense. One year with opt outs. Go ahead and use us to get a big contract in 2026. 

[NYCTK]

3 minutes ago, thelanges5 said:

Pete to MN 🐻‍❄️; it just makes sense. 

Do you really think the Pohlad Twins are gonna pay $25 million in 2025 for Pete Alonso? 

[Cory Engelhardt]

8 minutes ago, NYCTK said:

Do you really think the Pohlad Twins are gonna pay $25 million in 2025 for Pete Alonso? 

No, but if the new ownership group is saying they are good with adding that kind of salary, and the Pohlad's know a sale will be done in the coming months, then the Pohlad's wouldn't be the one paying that salary anyway right?

I don't think Pete comes here. But I do think other move or moves could happen and that completely be a sign that the sale of the team is getting closer.

[thelanges5]

19 minutes ago, NYCTK said:

Do you really think the Pohlad Twins are gonna pay $25 million in 2025 for Pete Alonso? 

A boy can dream. Let’s make the team look good for the new owners. 
 

Get rid of Paddack and Vazquez. Sign Alonso and McCann and it’s close to payroll neutral. 

[jmlease1]

15 minutes ago, NYCTK said:

Do you really think the Pohlad Twins are gonna pay $25 million in 2025 for Pete Alonso? 

not even a little. (I'm not sure he's actually going to be worth $25M in 2025, either; he's declined in value each of the last 2 years, so if that's a trend...) But it's a shame our penurious ownership makes it an utter impossibility to realistically consider. Christian Walker would have been quite a good fit, and we were never in it at all. Goldschmitt might be cooked, but a bounce back season from him would have slotted in very well with his good defense and right-handed bat. Never had a chance there either, and $12M on a 1 year deal wasn't bad.

Pohlad Twins are not gonna spend. So trade it is, hope they can find a good one.

[sweetmusicviola16]

Creativity. I mentioned the outline of a three way trade in another thread. Acquire Rushing from LA. Jeffers to SD. Duran to LAD. Brandon Valenzuela from SD in the deal. Prospects from SD to even it all out. Trade Paddack with some cash for prospect/s. Trade Vazquez with cash for prospect/s.  Sign Ha-Seong Kim. Solidifies the infield and allows guys we have to fill in at 1B with Miranda and get some COF AB's.

Cash out on Jeffers and Duran while they still have value and other clubs have needs.

[Major League Ready]

40 minutes ago, NYCTK said:

Do you really think the Pohlad Twins are gonna pay $25 million in 2025 for Pete Alonso? 

Sounds like he already turned that down with his preferred team, the Mets which makes your point all the more valid.

[Jocko87]

50 minutes ago, Rod Carews Birthday said:

Oh how interesting it would be to be inside Derek Falvey's head at this point.

 

[sweetmusicviola16]

Elias Diaz signs with SD. So their need for a catcher is likely gone. By playing the waiting game this year Falvey will be left with no one to play with. This would have likely been a good off season to get the most value out of Jeffers that he will still have for us. 

[tony&rodney]

35 minutes ago, sweetmusicviola16 said:

Elias Diaz signs with SD. So their need for a catcher is likely gone. By playing the waiting game this year Falvey will be left with no one to play with. This would have likely been a good off season to get the most value out of Jeffers that he will still have for us. 

Yes and this makes Luke Maille the last available MLB catcher. Minnesota cannot trade Vazquez before acquiring a catcher which is what we knew back in October. Meanwhile the free agent market is reduced to Margot or Andrelton Simmons or we now know for sure that trades are the only path remaining if the Twins want to add any significant players this offseason. It is possible that Paddack is dealt for a lower level prospect. The current roster looks ok and it is likely to be what we see in April unless Falvey gets real fancy. No use guessing any longer.

[IndianaTwin]

I think it's doubtful the Twins will work out something with the Padres on Cease. Not because they can't, but because Falvey has always operated below the radar. Perhaps there have been some, but I don't remember any of his biggest moves having been in the rumor mill. If it's rumored, it's doubtful.

And I'm okay with that approach. 

[nicksaviking]

Unless the sale is closer than we think and Falvey is already taking orders from a new boss, please, please don't get creative. Just put on your seatbelt, brace for the turbulence, grab the barf bags and then put this thing down in one piece. 'Getting creative' seems like the fastest way to land in the ocean since we don't have the slightest idea which direction we are ultimately heading.

[sweetmusicviola16]

3 minutes ago, tony&rodney said:

Yes and this makes Luke Maille the last available MLB catcher. Minnesota cannot trade Vazquez before acquiring a catcher which is what we knew back in October. Meanwhile the free agent market is reduced to Margot or Andrelton Simmons or we now know for sure that trades are the only path remaining if the Twins want to add any significant players this offseason. It is possible that Paddack is dealt for a lower level prospect. The current roster looks ok and it is likely to be what we see in April unless Falvey gets real fancy. No use guessing any longer.

Yep, I think Vazquez stays. I believe McCann and Grandal are still available though no? But I value D in a catcher and both of those no longer pass behind the plate imo. There are still a couple of 1B that could be useable, Canha, Grichuk. I'm OK with going with what we have too. Paddack is really the only trade we have left. I like him as insurance but we should have enough to cover. That leaves prospects as mainly what we'd have to trade. Castro is too needed here to deal as well. Big hole if he's not replaced.

[Major League Ready]

5 minutes ago, nicksaviking said:

Unless the sale is closer than we think and Falvey is already taking orders from a new boss, please, please don't get creative. Just put on your seatbelt, brace for the turbulence, grab the barf bags and then put this thing down in one piece. 'Getting creative' seems like the fastest way to land in the ocean since we don't have the slightest idea which direction we are ultimately heading.

Great post.  The pinnacle of bad management is making decisions without being properly informed and there are a lot of unknowns right now.   

[IndianaTwin]

1 hour ago, thelanges5 said:

A boy can dream. Let’s make the team look good for the new owners. 
 

Get rid of Paddack and Vazquez. Sign Alonso and McCann and it’s close to payroll neutral. 

If by "close to payroll neutral," you mean "take on at least $10M," sure. 

[JD-TWINS]

2 hours ago, thelanges5 said:

A boy can dream. Let’s make the team look good for the new owners. 
 

Get rid of Paddack and Vazquez. Sign Alonso and McCann and it’s close to payroll neutral. 

$30M is a piece from $17.2M - I like the aggression though!

[JD-TWINS]

Darvish & Musgrave are locked into San Diego for years - King & Cease are both UFA after ‘25. King has a really good track record…. arguably better than Cease!

King is at $8M plus & Cease is at $13M plus in ‘25. I think either can be argued to be superior to the other.

SD is more motivated to move the $13M, IMO.

Z. Matthews - W. Castro - R. Henriquez for Cease. SD gets a very reasonable PEN option and a fringe MLB ready starter and a solid LF that can bring IF depth. They get 3 players and save $5M at a minimum.

Twins trade Paddack - Tonkin - Gonzalez - Julien for Luis Arraez…….SD gets a couple more real MLB arms and shed another $6.5M.

[thelanges5]

It just makes too much sense. 
 

We need a first baseman, he plays first base. He’s a polar bear, it’s cold in Minnesota. We need a right handed power bat, he’s got one of those too. ⚾️🐻‍❄️

[thelanges5]

2 minutes ago, JD-TWINS said:

Darvish & Musgrave are locked into San Diego for years - King & Cease are both UFA after ‘25. King has a really good track record…. arguably better than Cease!

King is at $8M plus & Cease is at $13M plus in ‘25. I think either can be argued to be superior to the other.

SD is more motivated to move the $13M, IMO.

Z. Matthews - W. Castro - R. Henriquez for Cease. SD gets a very reasonable PEN option and a fringe MLB ready starter and a solid LF that can bring IF depth. They get 3 players and save $5M at a minimum.

Twins trade Paddack - Tonkin - Gonzalez - Julien for Luis Arraez…….SD gets a couple more real MLB arms and shed another $6.5M.

Keep the creativity coming!

[T.O.]

2 hours ago, Rod Carews Birthday said:

Oh how interesting it would be to be inside Derek Falvey's head at this point. 

 

[Doctor Gast]

Falvey's idea of being creative is passively sitting back (an oxymoron) & wait for offers from other FO's who want to flip or dump players. & pick the least bad one  & or normally try to find a bargain on the FA salvage heap. On rare occasions, a FO comes with a mutually beneficial offer (MIA Lopez/ Arraez) IMO we came out ahead. We had leverage over LAD because they were desperate to unload disgruntled Maeda, I'm happy with Maeda but we could have done much better on who we gave up. The rest we lost & I was vocal about it on each when they happened. The fiasco in '22 where our fantastic catching core was demolished, because of Falvey's signing of FA Josh Donaldson. Many think that the signing of Correa was a mistake. IMO we were lucky to sign Correa. Correa fell into Falvey's lap after Boras couldn't sell him & Falvey had luckily lost out on Story.

When Falvey says he going to be creative, it sends a chill down my back. That means trading someone we need to acquire someone we don't. If they can't fill our real needs then please don't be creative & stay pat. 

[JD-TWINS]

14 minutes ago, JD-TWINS said:

Can Twins acquire Cease and Arraez……that’s a $27M add to payroll………can probably move Paddack - Castro to SD as part of the new acquisitions. That’s a net upswing in payroll of $13.5M……..they move Henriquez - Tonkin - Matthews - Julien. ………2 guys to Twins with one year deals - 3 guys to SD with one year deals. Twins give up control guys in Matthews - Julien - Henriquez for the near term value of Cease & Arraez.

Is that a big enough shot in the arm for this club?………since Diaz signed in SD, they have no need for Vazquez…..Twins roll with existing Catching duo.

 

[Blyleven2011]

3 hours ago, Rod Carews Birthday said:

Oh how interesting it would be to be inside Derek Falvey's head at this point.  I would assume he has a list of 10 or more players that he thinks might be realistic that he would really like to have.  Equally interesting, and probably more enlightening for Twins fans, would be the list of guys that he is really willing to part with.  (Yes, I agree, no one is untouchable for the right price, but. . . ). It's also hard to know whether there has been ground work laid by front offices just waiting to pull the trigger or whether all is quiet out there.  At the end of the day, it doesn't take long for two GM's to potentially pull the trigger on a trade, so I'm really not writing anything off until the umpire says "Play Ball" on opening day. 

In the movie Money Ball , Beanne  was making trades every 5 minutes  ....

[Blyleven2011]

17 minutes ago, Doctor Gast said:

Falvey's idea of being creative is passively sitting back (an oxymoron) & wait for offers from other FO's who want to flip or dump players. & pick the least bad one  & or normally try to find a bargain on the FA salvage heap. On rare occasions, FO comes with a mutually beneficial offer (MIA Lopez/ Arraez) IMO we came out ahead. We had leverage over LAD because they were desperate to unload disgruntled Maeda, I'm happy with Maeda but we could have done much better on who we gave up. The rest we lost & I was vocal about it on each when they happened. The fiasco in '22 where our fantastic catching core was demolished, because of Falvey's signing of FA Josh Donaldson. Many think that the signing of Correa was a mistake. IMO we were lucky to sign Correa. Correa fell into Falvey's lap after Boras couldn't sell him & Falvey had luckily lost out on Story.

When Falvey says he going to be creative, it sends a chill down my back. That means trading someone we need to acquire someone we don't. If they can't fill our real needs then please don't be creative & stay put. 

I dont know whether I should laugh or cry ...

[mikelink45]

Quote

who could forget the stunner on the eve of Opening Day 2022 that shipped Taylor Rogers and Brent Rooker to San Diego for Chris Paddack and Emilio Pagán.

Yup - who can forget that?  Or - 

Quote

There was that five-player fracas involving Josh Donaldson, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Gary Sánchez and Gio Urshela.

 

Yup Isiah will always be one of my favorite Twins.  

Or the Twins acquiring both Joey Gallo and Vasquez in 2022! Or the sneaky way we got Shoemaker, Happ... I can't go on.  

 

 

[sweetmusicviola16]

12 minutes ago, Blyleven2011 said:

I dont know whether I should laugh or cry ...

LAD says laugh. They were able to dump Margot AND get SS Miller besides. I'm with the doctor on this one. This was Falvey's idea of creativity last February. That kind of creativity is frightening.

[sweetmusicviola16]

59 minutes ago, JD-TWINS said:

Darvish & Musgrave are locked into San Diego for years - King & Cease are both UFA after ‘25. King has a really good track record…. arguably better than Cease!

King is at $8M plus & Cease is at $13M plus in ‘25. I think either can be argued to be superior to the other.

SD is more motivated to move the $13M, IMO.

Z. Matthews - W. Castro - R. Henriquez for Cease. SD gets a very reasonable PEN option and a fringe MLB ready starter and a solid LF that can bring IF depth. They get 3 players and save $5M at a minimum.

Twins trade Paddack - Tonkin - Gonzalez - Julien for Luis Arraez…….SD gets a couple more real MLB arms and shed another $6.5M.

I like both deals. I know quite a few are against Arraez but I'd love for him to be back. Like both deals, except, who is going to replace Castro? Arraez would give us depth in infield but the loss of Willi hurts OF and 3B/SS options. I'm OK with moving Zebby, he's not a guarantee and we have options plus then Cease.