Twins 'Having Nightmares' About Last Season's Louis Varland Trade

[Vanimal46]

7 hours ago, Hawkeye Bean Counter said:

Yes the trade deadline was painful, yes trading Varland was losing a talented and emotional piece. As of today, though looking back it was all worth it. Some continue to not understand the value of a player like Lackey that occurred because of trading these players. Looking back now with as well as the Twins have done with rebuilding the bullpen, getting a player like Lackey and Bradley - the big picture is this really worked out well for the Twins. Rojas as of today might have more value than Varland if he can show he can be a #2-3 starter.  

 

Do you truly believe trading Varland tilted the scales between the Twins tanking and not tanking last year?

[Vanimal46]

7 hours ago, tony&rodney said:

Sure the trade was a disaster

Yes it was. 

[JADBP]

10 hours ago, USAFChief said:

First of all, Lackey is completely, 100 percent not related to Varland.

 

Secondly, Lackey has only potential value, like any prospect. He has provided zero actual tangible value to the Minnesota Twins. None. Zip. Zilch. Negative value, actually, since he cost them millions of dollars.

 

The trade is currently a disaster. 

You are 100% right!  Trading Varland was a disaster from the moment it happened and, worse yet, it was absolutely unnecessary!  It was an catastrophic self-inflicted wound.  There was just no reason to trade him.  Other than that the BJ's pulled the wool over Falvey's eyes.  He was so wrapped up in tearing down the pitching staff that he just couldn't stop himself.  Every team was calling and banging on the desk with trade deals to pry some of the remaining excellent RPs from Falvey.  It was just insanity to fall for this trade offer.  

FALVEY DESERVED TO GET FIRED.  

Maybe Falvey really thought he was smarter than all of these other GMs.  But the last ten years have proven that he was wrong.  I do NOT see any other teams jumping to offer him a job.  He might find a role in A-ball.  But I am pretty sure, after the last deadline nightmare, he will never again be a GM.  

And, yeah, there is absolutely no was that Lackey is linked to the Varland deal.  

[twinstalker]

In all fairness, when the Twins traded Varland, they had given up on the 2026 and probably the 2027 seasons.  Getting a serviceable bat and good prospect starter made some sense.

A lot is true in retrospect.  I personally thought the Twins would be wasting Varland.  Now that doesn't mean they had to trade him then.  They could have waited until they were out of it this year, which they should have been by now.   Still not sure how they're in it, other than the AL was bad for so long.

[Hawkeye Bean Counter]

8 hours ago, Vanimal46 said:

Do you truly believe trading Varland tilted the scales between the Twins tanking and not tanking last year?

Yes I do. I think the a twins win 5-6 more games with him last year, The others were expected. Just like this year the bullpen solidified when we had 2 solid arms.  Plus losing him I felt like the team gave up.  That’s my personal opinion, but for everyone claiming he is such a big loss you have to admit we would have won more games.  The tank was on but Varland was the final necessary piece. 

[howeda7]

There's no world in which it was a good trade. At the absolute best, Rojas vs Varland may eventually be a wash. Roden is just a guy. At best, it's a push in 3 years. At worst it's a disaster. Currently much closer to a disaster. 

[howeda7]

3 minutes ago, Hawkeye Bean Counter said:

Yes I do. I think the a twins win 5-6 more games with him last year, The others were expected. Just like this year the bullpen solidified when we had 2 solid arms.  Plus losing him I felt like the team gave up.  That’s my personal opinion, but for everyone claiming he is such a big loss you have to admit we would have won more games.  The tank was on but Varland was the final necessary piece. 

A relief pitcher would have won them 5-6 more games in two months? Wow. 

[Rod Carews Birthday]

13 hours ago, Andy MacPhail said:

The trade might have looked good on their weird analytical paper

You would rather that they didn’t do any analysis?  There’s a lot of recent evidence in the world that making judgements by the gut is a bad idea.

I get it.  He’s a hometown favorite and you liked him.  I did too.  I also like Rojas, and less so, Roden.  Let’s give this trade a little time to breathe before we call it a win or a loss.  

[Hawkeye Bean Counter]

3 hours ago, howeda7 said:

A relief pitcher would have won them 5-6 more games in two months? Wow. 

Between actual better performance and keeping the attitude up yes. If we didn’t have the worst record in the 2nd half we were in the bottom 3. There was ample area for improvement. 

[USAFChief]

4 hours ago, Hawkeye Bean Counter said:

Yes I do. I think the a twins win 5-6 more games with him last year, The others were expected. Just like this year the bullpen solidified when we had 2 solid arms.  Plus losing him I felt like the team gave up.  That’s my personal opinion, but for everyone claiming he is such a big loss you have to admit we would have won more games.  The tank was on but Varland was the final necessary piece. 

First rule of holes: When you find yourself in one, stop digging  

[Hawkeye Bean Counter]

41 minutes ago, USAFChief said:

First rule of holes: When you find yourself in one, stop digging  

In dang happy with Lackey - most here should be. I’m digging no where. I told you a year ago it would be worth it and you continued to mock it.

[tlkriens]

I'd rather have Kendry Rojas and Alan Roden then Louie Varland. I'd rather have Eduardo Tait and Mick Abel than Jhoan Duran. They already have Andrew Morris, which quickly developed into a great bullpen arm. They got Gomez for nothing.

They have shown it's quite easy to restock a bullpen with quality arms. The Twins have a 2.74 bullepn ERA since June 30. That's a full month, 92 innings. Fifth best in baseball. The days/months of having the worst bullpen in baseball is over.

[Hawkeye Bean Counter]

27 minutes ago, tlkriens said:

I'd rather have Kendry Rojas and Alan Roden then Louie Varland. I'd rather have Eduardo Tait and Mick Abel than Jhoan Duran. They already have Andrew Morris, which quickly developed into a great bullpen arm. They got Gomez for nothing.

They have shown it's quite easy to restock a bullpen with quality arms. The Twins have a 2.74 bullepn ERA since June 30. That's a full month, 92 innings. Fifth best in baseball. The days/months of having the worst bullpen in baseball is over.

Exactly, it’s hard for some to understand.

[USAFChief]

49 minutes ago, tlkriens said:

They have shown it's quite easy to restock a bullpen with quality arms. 

Ridiculously wrong.

[Hawkeye Bean Counter]

14 minutes ago, USAFChief said:

Ridiculously wrong.

Seriously?  It’s not easy but they have shown it can be done. They have also shown they could be competitive this year which you also disagreed with. 

[tony&rodney]

The Twins have moved on from a number of pitchers who struggled in their roles and contributed to the current bullpen season long ERA. Things have changed though. I don't see how those who follow the Twins cannot see that there is clear improvement. A quick check of July results shows: ERA, IP

Anderson - 0.00 in 4.1 IP

Morris - 0.64 in 14 IP

Funderburk - 0.77 in 11.2IP

Rogers - 1.04 in 8.2 IP

Adams - 1.69 in 10.2 IP

Gomez - 1.74 in 10.1 IP

Nance - 2.57 in 7 IP

Rojas - 3.65 in 12.1 IP 

Gone are: Sands, Orze, Go, Paredes.

I did not include the good, but small samples from: Jackson, Laweryson, Raya.

We can only hope that the bullpen is as good in August and September but it bears no resemblance to the unit from May.

 

[killercarewoliva]

22 hours ago, alexlegge said:

What makes the Varland trade even sillier and more ironic is that nobody is talking about Varland as a potential 2026 trade deadline candidate, even despite the Jays being a huge disappointment and clear seller. Because who in their right mind would trade an excellent reliever who doesn't hit free agency until 2031? 

But hey, maybe the Twins will trade Roden and Rojas back to the Jays for 8 weeks of Kevin Gausman. 

there was like 5 seconds left and I was begging they would not trade Varland. Rojas is getting better not so many way out of the strike zone balls and yes he has great potential. I don't know what it is about Rolen that was so attractive. but then again, I'm not an evaluator of baseball players, but I think he's batting around 170. Yes I don't care what Mr. falvey said we like Louie but this was a deal we couldn't refuse. well you sure could have look where you'd be now if you had. I don't know that the third pick in the draft had anything at all to do with varland. with trades the idea that time will tell not here. the guy has a 98 era, mowing them down 23 saves. One unproven Young starting pitcher is going to be better than getting 40 saves a year for the next 5 years from one player. I don't think so. Mr. Falvey. Plus the guy was a consummate Minnesota twin professional who did not want to play anywhere else, but that's how baseball works. but in this case there was no reason to do it.