Angels Go All In, Take Ohtani Off The Market, Add Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo Lopez

Giolito wasn't getting traded here anyway and the Angels are probably the one AL destination where his acquisition is least likely to negatively impact us.

That takes Ohtani off the board. 

On paper that looks like a big overpay. Hope that's not a common theme this deadline.

8 hours ago, Seth Stohs said:

Giolito's going to have more good years. He's basically heading home and maybe that gives him an idea of if he would want to stay there.

This trade will make it extra fun if/when Giolito signs with the Dodgers as a free agent.

This is the type of deal that cash rich, big market teams feel they can get away with - they can trade their top prospects knowing that these prospects can be replaced by FAs.

The ChiSox just acquired two excellent long-term players with whom we will have to contend for years.  Since we cannot truly compete for a Pennant without first taking care of business in the Central, this trade is exactly a reminder of why we need to keep building our roster for the longer-term rather than depleting our prospect ranks by going all in this year with a fundamentally flawed team.

3 minutes ago, USAFChief said:

"Two excellent long-term players"? Heh.

Also, aren't we first taking care of business in the central THIS year?

 

 

Angels #2 and #3 prospects.  They might not be as highly ranked as our ours, but think Rodriguez and Jenkins types. Should we make such a trade for another one and done rental?

The Angels are going all in - I’ll take the under that this trade puts them over the top.  But they don’t care as much, because they can buy themselves out of it. We cannot.

Sure, we are “taking care of business” in the AL central this year.  Obviously any thing can happen in the playoffs.  But IMHO, this season’s roster is not worth depleting our prospects depth via a trade like this.  Instead, it’s better we keep investing in our prospects so we build even stronger rosters and continue to “take care of business” in the Central for years to come.

8 hours ago, Danchat said:

Fangraphs had the two prospects at #3 and #9, so the return doesn't seem that high. I suppose both pitchers are hitting the free agent market so that keeps their value quite low... I am intrigued to see if the Angels can finally reach the playoffs with Trout and Ohtani.

Gut reaction just learning about the prospects now, but if I were a White Sox fan I think I'm excited about getting Quero, though I don't think the Angels needed to push him so fast, particularly if the goal is for him to stick as a catcher, and I'm pretty lukewarm on Bush who maybe can start but could very well just be a lefty reliever.

I think Quero straight up for a Giolito rental is already a really good deal.  Lopez doesn't really move the needle much but getting a pitching prospect included is nice even if I think he's a back-end starter or reliever

3 minutes ago, USAFChief said:

I take extreme exception to "excellent long-term players."

Long-term, probable. 

Excellent? Extremely unlikely, as with 99.9% of prospects. The last time the Sox sold off they acquired quite a haul...and as noted above have mostly losing seasons and Luis Robert to show for it. 

The most likely outcome is neither have any real impact. If one or the other turn into average or better big leaguers, good for them, good for the Sox. 

But the most likely outcome of this trade in terms of impact on the Twins is that we won't see Giolito in the September White Sox series. 

You are correct - any prospect that becomes an everyday starter as a big leaguer should be viewed as an excellent outcome. It’s just really hard.  But you must admit, #2 and #3 prospects should have a higher probability of success than lower ones - even those ranked as low as Steer and CES.

Who knows?  But personally I’d rather take the prospect of facing Gio one more time late in the year with the ChiSox eliminated than the prospect of facing whatever two of Lee, Rodriguez or Jenkins become for years in the future.

But the real point of my post is that teams like the Angels can make these kinds of trades while it’s a lot riskier for franchises like the Twins.

1 hour ago, USAFChief said:

But the most likely outcome of this trade in terms of impact on the Twins is that we won't see Giolito in the September White Sox series. 

Yeah, we could see him in the September Angels series instead. I'd rather have seen him with the White Sox.

1 hour ago, Mike Sixel said:

I understand why they are doing this, but this is not going to go well for LAA......

As for the prospects, depends on who you ask, as far as I can tell. Some outlets like the stuff on the pitcher a lot.....some don't. In any event, it is what the Sox should be doing, selling off assets. 

The central looks no more difficult next year, this FO needs to figure out the OF for the future (and put Lee at whatever position he's going to play in the majors already). 

No kidding on that top point.  Go look at the Angel's schedule--after they finish their 3 games against the Motor City Kitties, they don't play another team with a losing record until NYM on August 25 (6 at TOR/ATRL, 7 home SEA/SFG, 6 at HOU/TEX, 6 home TBR/CIN), with only 2 off days.  I would not be surprised to see them go 10-15 against that slate, which could put them 10+ back in the division, and 6-7 back in the Wild Card.

Even after that, they still have a fairly challenging September with series against PHI, BAL, SEA, TBR, MIN, and TEX (although 2 series against OAK and 1 against DET helps).

All of this for a team who is building their recent optimism on a sweep of the Yankees and little else is quite bold.

The Twins could have drafted Giolito in 2012 or Max Fried.  Many of the top 2012 draft picks were busts.