The Twins May Need to Give Up Pitching for Offense

[Doctor Gast]

I agree with tarheeltwinsfan, We shouldn't be messing with the team chemistry. They need to take a long look at what really clicked during that winning streak & go with it. IMO, we have offense, although we didn't really need it. What a good team needs to win is good defense, good fundamentals & clutch hitting coupled with good chemistry. We don't need any player that can hit a ton of HRs when we don't need them & strike-out when we do. We were able to win w/o Wallner, now that he's back we should have plenty of offensive, especially when Lewis finds himself, & Keaschal comes back. 

My biggest concern is the BP burning out, younger pitchers petering out, Paddack hitting a brick wall & Jeffers, although doing well now, will eventually also hitting that brick wall. I really admire some catchers who can primary catch the whole season. Jeffers doesn't have that stamina gene. So,as I have advocated for years, we desperately need to trade for a promising young 3rd catcher (not dumpster diving & see who sticks) to be groomed to eventually replace Vazquez & relieve Jeffers as needed during the 2nd half, So our team can be full force to finish strong, not like last year.

[Eris]

The challenge is that the Twins are in need of more than one bat. The needs are 1B, 3B and possibly LF.  Bader, after a hot start is cooling.  

[Craig Arko]

4 hours ago, nicksaviking said:

Sorry no. I like many of the pitching prospects, but they aren't brining back a middle of the order bat. And this team doesn't need to add more 'eh' hitters.

I also still don't want lame duck ownership and front office members making big long term decisions so a big prospect package for a better player?  Nope, these guys can't be allowed to make that call.

That’s interesting. How would you plan to stop them?

[nicksaviking]

1 hour ago, Craig Arko said:

That’s interesting. How would you plan to stop them?

Stop what? Making bold moves? Isn't pretty much every post on this site describing future desires something we ourselves cannot fulfill or prevent?

But if ownership truly is selling, they probably should also not want the front office making meaningful moves of prospects for veteran contracts.

[hitterscount]

A trade should happen if they are remotely serious about making a deep playoff run. 27-4 when they score 4 or more runs,  4-22  when they can't muster that mark. 

We've seen enough of this offense to know it's what it is. We could use help at 3rd, maybe second or even a DH. This rotation is borderline elite, the BP is really good. One proven productive bat and possibly a mid-level player with speed that is a contact guy would make this team dangerous and set-up for a nice playoff run. 

My only hesitation is if they can't catch Detroit the WC games are tough if you can't get home field. So, the sooner this get done the better.... my head tells me in typical Twin MO nothing gets done.

[TheLeviathan]

5 hours ago, AKTwinsFan said:

We got thumpers waiting in the wings. Can we focus on our coaching staff? Let's replace the 1st and 3rd base coaches with someone who can help us steal more, and someone who doesn't send any and all players home on hits directly to outfielders. We've lost how many games since last year by Watkins sending runners home on plays that should have been held up at 3rd. 

What thumpers are waiting?

[TheLeviathan]

5 hours ago, Western SD Fan said:

Right now, it seems the Twins do not know what they really have.  This has been another reason for advocating for Lewis to be sent down ASAP, so they know what they are going to have in him going forward, or at least by the deadline.  I don't see them trading for a 1B unless France completely tanks and starts making Lewis' at bats look competent as we know this FO loves them some low-paid veterans with something to prove.  

 

Ty France is absolutely replaceable.  He's below average offensively (93 OPS+) and he's not a good defender.

The Twins should be targeting a young player for that position.  Veteran?  No.  Young player?  Yes.  And yes....they do have the depth to make such a move.  And yes....they should be making that sort of move.

[Blyleven2011]

8 hours ago, amjgt said:

I'm not sure what trading Paddack really accomplishes, unless maybe it's a three team trade.

If Paddack continues to pitch really well, then he definitely has value, but a team that's going to want a pitching rental isn't going to want to give up any of their remotely decent MLB hitters and Paddack isn't good enough to pry a really good hitting prospect away from a team.

Paddack value right now is peaked ...

If we don't trade him , he walks at the end of the year and we get nothing ...

He could fetch some decent return , if it's a good hitter that plays good defense and can help now , but if it's decent prospects I'm okay with that to ...

We really need to address the offense and get some consistency going  ...

[Danchat]

I'm on board with moving a pitching prospect or two for a bat, hitting is a long-term need and they can absolutely survive moving two of Prielipp/Festa/Matthews/Raya/Soto/Morris/Culpepper. If this is indeed a pitching pipeline, then they will be fine replacing the outgoing arms.

Of course, it depends what bat we are talking about... 

[Fatbat]

2 hours ago, Blyleven2011 said:

Paddack value right now is peaked ...

If we don't trade him , he walks at the end of the year and we get nothing ...

He could fetch some decent return , if it's a good hitter that plays good defense and can help now , but if it's decent prospects I'm okay with that to ...

We really need to address the offense and get some consistency going  ...

Whats Paddack worth in FAgency? $12M/year max?  He is pitching like a #2/3 SP. someone will pay for him one way or the other. 

[h2oface]

Sure. Falvey can be trusted to make sure thing trades, and that kind of trade is said not to exist. Falvey always makes great trades. Alcala will be the next Ryan Pressly any day now. 
 

Hitters traded for will be sure to hit. Look at our sure thing guys that were the talk of the off season. And we have great pitching depth. Canterino and all the no miss guys with no real MLB experience et al willl be ready to fill in soon. Falvey has an amazing track record, right?

[h2oface]

11 hours ago, Fatbat said:

Depth is always an illusion. We don’t have enough pitching. We have great hitters that have been injured and Lewis is currently lost but I would expect that he will find his swing soon. 
by the trade deadline, we may need to trade for pitching so I would not be out looking for a big bat on the trade market. 
LK will be back in 5 weeks and will spark the offense by getting on base 5 times in 3 AB’s😂

Seriously tho. We need another RP to step up and we need all the young guys that swing a bat to step it up. See ball, hit ball. 

See. Great hitters. People are still saying it. Must be true. 

[h2oface]

6 hours ago, Eris said:

The challenge is that the Twins are in need of more than one bat. The needs are 1B, 3B and possibly LF.  Bader, after a hot start is cooling.  

Bader playing through finger injury ain’t helping. 

[DJL44]

2 hours ago, Danchat said:

Of course, it depends what bat we are talking about... 

Probably available (depending on how the team fares in June)

Orioles: Ryan O'Hearn, Ryan Mountcastle, Cedric Mullins, Ramon Laureano

Pirates: Joey Bart

Marlins: Jesus Sanchez

Angels: Yoan Moncada, Jorge Soler

Athletics: Luis Urias, Miguel Andujar

Rockies: Ryan McMahon, Hunter Goodman

Arizona: Josh Naylor, Lourdes Gurriel, Eugenio Suarez, Randall Grichuk

Reds: Jose Trevino, Austin Hays

White Sox: Andrew Benintendi, Luis Robert

Red Sox: Rafael Devers, Rob Refsnyder

Rangers: Adolis Garcia

[Blyleven2011]

50 minutes ago, Fatbat said:

Whats Paddack worth in FAgency? $12M/year max?  He is pitching like a #2/3 SP. someone will pay for him one way or the other. 

15 million probably tgecgoing rate if he continues to pitch effectively  ...

1 clunker of a start , some 5 inning starts and lately he been going 6 or 7 innings , managing his pitch count better by throwing first pitch strikes ...

[amjgt]

Three very comparable pitchers (Severino, Pivetta, Manaea) last offseason all got qualifying offers and ending getting somewhere around 3/60 on average

[Jeff K]

21 hours ago, mickster said:

I think we need to pump the breaks on Keaschel.  As good as he was when he was here, it was a very SSS and thinking he will save the offense is a stretch.  I would be happy to be wrong.   Paddack has been solid and selling him gets us not much in return right now.   The trio of Zebby/Festa/SWR is insurance - but I want a trade of one of them to happen for a bat if that is what the deadline brings

 

I agree that a deadline trade is in order.  i wouldn't move now (unless a good deal falls into their laps).  Reinforce which position?  1st, middle infield, catcher?  hopefully the next month provides clarity.

[tarheeltwinsfan]

22 hours ago, Fatbat said:

Depth is always an illusion. We don’t have enough pitching. We have great hitters that have been injured and Lewis is currently lost but I would expect that he will find his swing soon. 
by the trade deadline, we may need to trade for pitching so I would not be out looking for a big bat on the trade market. 
LK will be back in 5 weeks and will spark the offense by getting on base 5 times in 3 AB’s😂

Seriously tho. We need another RP to step up and we need all the young guys that swing a bat to step it up. See ball, hit ball. 

Great post Fat.  LK getting on base 5 times in 3 AB's. Really funny. Thanks for the laugh.

[Fatbat]

@tarheeltwinsfan you’re welcome 😇 

[Eris]

Lopez left last nights game with right shoulder tightness. I haven’t seen an injury update, but just when we think the Twins have expendable pitching someone gets hurt.