Twins Listening On Trade Inquiries About Pablo Lopez

Trading our ace away would make it impossible for ownership to keep up the fascade of trying to be competitive this year . Plus, it would be just one more slap in the face to our already used and abused fanbase.

The ol' Hot Stove is very cold this year....Falvey has stated multiple times he gets asked about the availability of all players and, in good faith, listens to the other teams pitch. 

I look at TD everyday for one reason or another, but lately its just been the same series of articles (i.e. the Ishbia's, trade player X, extend player X) only written by each writer/contributor. However, some of the  Payroll Blueprints give me a good chuckle...

6 minutes ago, BiggestRoccoFan said:

Do you actually trust this incompetent front office to make a half way decent trade?

You are asking this question in an article about a player THIS front office acquired in a half way decent trade.....LOL

Just now, mnfireman said:

You are asking this question in an article about a player THIS front office acquired in a half way decent trade.....LOL

Look at the Paddock trade, Tyler Mahle trade, Yanier Cano trade. Do you want me to keep going?

2 minutes ago, Cory Engelhardt said:

Woods Richardson earned 1.8 WAR via fangraphs in 2024, getting paid the minimum. Berrios earned 1.0 WAR making 21 million. And you are saying that's terrible?

Not gonna lie I think WAR is one of the most misleading statistics… I get it… but I think it is a highly overused analytic.

2 minutes ago, Cory Engelhardt said:

Woods Richardson earned 1.8 WAR via fangraphs in 2024, getting paid the minimum. Berrios earned 1.0 WAR making 21 million. And you are saying that's terrible?

Even if you used Baseball Reference, SWR had 2.0 WAR compared to Berrios 2.2 WAR - literally a wash and still a huge cost savings. Plus SWR isn't a FA until 2031.

There were a few comments on this topic (trading Lopez) last night on a previous Lopez thread. The underlying issue with the Twins has two angles from my viewpoint. The money factor continues to be real or at least it seems to be a factor in completing the 2025 roster. Reducing to $130 million should not be difficult whatsoever though as there is likely quite a bit of interest in Chris Paddack. The return for Paddack would not be of much interest except to rid the team from worrying about payroll.

Another angle is the view of Falvey & Sons regarding the players currently rostered. It is entirely possible that the Twins are satisfied with the players on board now. We read a ton of comments on Twins Daily regarding "the core", which often includes nine position players. So the roster may be already set, minus a few minor league free agent signings with an invite to Ft. Myers.

Pablo Lopez is a very good starting pitcher and his contract is looking really good. Kudus to the Twins for the extension. It is entirely possible that the Twins can get a load of value from a trade. A couple of teams will not have a chair to sit on once Burns signs. Pablo Lopez is probably the least risky pitcher in MLB who could be traded. So it is wise to listen. If Boston gets major angst they may be willing to discuss Jarren Duran. Every player should be available and there are opportunities for improving the talent on the Twins team, but only if the Twins are not already satisfied with their current roster.

Pablo Lopez has huge value and there is less reason to consider trading him right this second than there was this morning. With Lopez traded, the Twins might have had room to sign Christian Walker to a 5 year/ $70 miilion contract or at least engage on the topic. Now Walker has signed with Houston. The continued and total inaction by the Twins tells me the team is largely already completed. We shouldn't have to worry about a trade of Lopez. 

3 hours ago, tony&rodney said:

Pablo Lopez has huge value and there is less reason to consider trading him right this second than there was this morning. With Lopez traded, the Twins might have had room to sign Christian Walker to a 5 year/ $70 miilion contract or at least engage on the topic. Now Walker has signed with Houston. The continued and total inaction by the Twins tells me the team is largely already completed. We shouldn't have to worry about a trade of Lopez. 

Walker at $14 Million per sounds lovely.  Of course he signed for $20 million per.  So you're saying we could have traded away our best SP for a slightly above average 1B? Sign me up.

6 hours ago, BiggestRoccoFan said:

Pohlads please leave and fast. They have just ruined this franchise over the last 2 offseasons.

 

 

I mean I am by no means Pohlad fans, but do people think the Pohlads are sitting by the phone trying to trade away arguably their best pitcher?  This is Falvey's job, so if there is someone to be pissed at it would be Falvey.  I'm thinking the Pohlads said, "hey get the payroll around this number." and now it's Falvey who gets to make the decision on how it gets there.  That's just my thoughts.  

5 hours ago, Cory Engelhardt said:

Woods Richardson earned 1.8 WAR via fangraphs in 2024, getting paid the minimum. Berrios earned 1.0 WAR making 21 million. And you are saying that's terrible?

I mean, I see what you're saying but since the trade, Berrios has started 108 games, 44 wins, 620 innings, 570 strikeouts.  Now granted, I hope and pray SWR wins 20+ for the next 5 - 6 years in a row.  You know what I'm saying, I mean I want SWR to do great things, and in 5 years from now we could bring up real good arguments as to why SWR is better than Berrios.  But right at this moment, to say these things is probably a little bit out of line, even with the WAR statistic.  That trade is definitely not over with, but I'm pretty sure Berrios would have made the Twins better for the last 3 seasons than SWR has.  I mean how long will it take for SWR to even throw 620 innings as a Twins starter?  I hope not long, but his track record so far says it'll take awhile.  

3 minutes ago, nicksaviking said:

Very much disagree. Falvey is tied to this ownership. He knows the only way he keeps his job with new ownership is by catering to their whims. At this time we have no clue what the new owners want as we don't even know who they are, so Falvey's path to keeping this job will almost certainly lie either in putting together a winning team now, or putting together a cost efficient team now. He may have to blindly pick one of those two very different lanes, but he's still only going to do what the billionaires want. He may have to deal with the inconsistent and indecisive owners, but none of this mess is his, it's the past and future owners.

And if he picks the cost efficient lane and deals Lopez, Correa or Buxton, that should probably give us a good expectation for where the wind is blowing with any potential new owners. He's not dealing Lopez if he thinks his best shot at keeping his job is putting together a competitive team this year.

Yes I agree that their best shot at trading away someone would be to trade away a position player before their arguably best starter.  I mean the Twins have shown a great ability to develop position players over the years.  They have largely struggled to develop pitching.  Ryan and Lopez came in trades, hey they developed Ober but SWR came in a trade also.  So they should probably ride Lopez and trade a position player.  Anyway, we absolutely have no influence, so fingers crossed 🤞 I guess?

10 minutes ago, nicksaviking said:

Very much disagree. Falvey is tied to this ownership. He knows the only way he keeps his job with new ownership is by catering to their whims. At this time we have no clue what the new owners want as we don't even know who they are, so Falvey's path to keeping this job will almost certainly lie either in putting together a winning team now, or putting together a cost efficient team now. He may have to blindly pick one of those two very different lanes, but he's still only going to do what the billionaires want. He may have to deal with the inconsistent and indecisive owners, but none of this mess is his, it's the past and future owners.

And if he picks the cost efficient lane and deals Lopez, Correa or Buxton, that should probably give us a good expectation for where the wind is blowing with any potential new owners. He's not dealing Lopez if he thinks his best shot at keeping his job is putting together a competitive team this year.

Yeah, new ownership might get rid of Falvey regardless.  I mean, I'm sure most people that buy a new company or whatever is going to bring in their own people to run stuff?

1 hour ago, dxpavelka said:

Walker at $14 Million per sounds lovely.  Of course he signed for $20 million per.  So you're saying we could have traded away our best SP for a slightly above average 1B? Sign me up.

 

Walker signed for 3 years and $60 million. I suggested that a conversation should have been had with Walker, offering more money in total but spread out over more time as a way to lower the annual cost (5 years and $70 million). The idea of not being in on Walker doesn't bother me but it might be a good idea to shoot higher than fourth place. So you read that wrong, no big deal. You can't trade free agents.

I have no idea how you say "traded away our best SP for a slightly above average 1B?" The thread is discussing the Twins listening on Pablo Lopez. I have specifically called for the Twins to hold any team wanting Lopez for a ransom, suggesting that Boston send Jarren Duran if they want Lopez. That is extremely unlikely.  

In any event the Twins are doing nothing. When you read various sites, pretty much all of the writers state that they hear the Twins have no plans but are "listening."