Twins Fielding Calls On Their Left-Handed Outfielders

So much angst follows Twins trades. They go for it and try to improve and the bottom falls out (Steer, CES, Hajjar, Cano, Povich, etc. for J. Lopez and Mahle). The fan favorite goes for a good pitcher (P. Lopez for Arraez). These were fair ideas and good trades. Previously, guys like Larnach, Winder, Martin, and others were off limits. Trades are hard to make because there must be a real interest in your players as well as a return offer that makes sense. 

I want to know what San Diego wants for Hader. Varland? Larnach and Winder? I don't have any idea but hopefully Falvey has some active, friendly conversations about a whole host of possibilities. The Twins have been fun since the All Star break but they still are pretty close to a .500 team. I'm listening on virtually every player, but mostly looking to just add a relief pitcher.

Yep, I'm sure the Twins would love for another team to absorb the salaries of a Kepler or Gallo. So, low level prospect at best.

At some point, who goes when Polanco, Lewis and Gordon all return?

Give Gallo away to the first team that calls, get a bag of balls or send one to get rid of him.  The last two games they have pinch hit for him because he can't make contact.  Why is he even in the lineup.

Why are people so quick to trade Kepler? He's been the Twins' best hitter since the ASB. Yes, not a big sample size, but nonetheless....

9 minutes ago, Twins_Fan_in_NJ said:

Why are people so quick to trade Kepler? He's been the Twins' best hitter since the ASB.

Trade high rather than low would be the thought. He had 3 straight bad years, and people think that is where he will return to.

9 hours ago, Dman said:

With Gallo, Kepler, Larnach, Wallner, Gordon they have too many lefty outfielders

Not to mention Stevenson, who has the best #'s in St. Paul - great speed, good fielder and he now has 12 homers with a .325 batting average. He's different than our Larnach and Wallner's as his K rate is in the lower 20's. 

9 hours ago, Rosterman said:

Yep, I'm sure the Twins would love for another team to absorb the salaries of a Kepler or Gallo. So, low level prospect at best.

At some point, who goes when Polanco, Lewis and Gordon all return?

 

 

Gordon shouldn't see Target Field again.   

Baloney. That's GM speak. "High bar"? All smoke-screen. Yeah, I'm sure teams are lining up for our left handed corner outfielders. I've got some ocean front property in Arizona I want to talk to you about too! If Falvey can find a taker for one of two of our stellar OF's...please feel free to make the deal. They have to do something with a couple of those guys. As for Gallo...one way or another, he HAS to go. DFA him or if they can find a team stupid enough to take him, DO IT! 

9 hours ago, Rosterman said:

At some point, who goes when Polanco, Lewis and Gordon all return?

This is almost never a real concern. The roster is never all healthy at the same time.

25 minutes ago, CRF said:

Yeah, I'm sure teams are lining up for our left handed corner outfielders.

They're calling about Larnach and Wallner, not Gallo and Kepler.

11 minutes ago, DJL44 said:

They're calling about Larnach and Wallner, not Gallo and Kepler.

100% agree. If there's any interest at all, it's Larnach and Wallner. I could maybe see some team having interest in Kepler based on what he's doing since the ASB. Gallo? He's about as close to poison as a player could possibly be. Below zero value, if there is such a thing. They'll have to make some kind of sweetheart deal with Boras to get rid of Gallo. 

8 minutes ago, chpettit19 said:

I'm with @tony&rodney, I want to know what San Diego wants for Hader. They're still in win now mode moving forward so I'd guess they want young, controllable MLB, or close to MLB ready, talent. Larnach would be who I start the call with and see where it goes from there.

Matt Capps for Wilson Ramos redux.

3 minutes ago, chpettit19 said:

I actually don't see any resemblance at all between trading Larnach for Hader and Ramos for Capps. Hader is significantly better than Capps, and Larnach isn't a 22 year old, top-65 global, MLB ready prospect.

I don't want them to give away the career prime of a first round draft pick for 25 innings of relief pitching. There are much, much cheaper options for obtaining 25 innings of relief pitching. Last year they traded basically nothing for Fulmer and a LOT for Lopez and Fulmer outperformed Lopez.

Let’s keep in mind if the FO moves Wallner and Larnach, then we will be down FOUR outfielders at the end of the season when Kepler and Gallo move on.  Maybe FIVE if Taylor does not return. We are then left with two super utility players, Gordon and Castro (if they are even back) and our everyday 1B, Kiriloff, as our only OFers with major league experience.

The fact is we are already short in the OF with no Buxton and a bunch of players who are, or should be, departing.

Please, please do not sell our young, controllable talent.  Even if the FO and Rocco’s jobs are on the line without a playoff win, we cannot mortgage the future and wind up next offseason signing a bunch of one and dones like this year. Invest instead!

I've been pushing for Hadar ever since trade rumors started percolating.  His value (on BBTV's) is only 2.9.  Hader is 29 years old and a free agent at the end of the season.   Larnach's is 3.7. and he is 26 y/o and his value is sinking.  You wouldn't even need to throw in Winder unless the Dodgers or some other team with a rich farm system started upping the ante.  Winder's value is 7.4.  He's 26 years old.  Blake Snell's value is 7.2 (Snell is 30 y/o).  

Hader and Duran for the stretch run and playoffs would put the Twins in a great position to make some noise.  Add a RH bat like Hunter Renfroe, Adam Duval or Randall Grichuch to balance the lineup and things could get interesting.  

Keeping Hadar would be very difficult as he would want to be the #1 closer someplace else (I would install him as the Twins #1 and use Duran for the 8th if we acquired him).  But with Sonny Gray and Kenta Maeda moving on after this season it would be great to retain Snell to go with Ryan, Lopez and Ober.  

I agree with chpettit19.  I'd be thrilled if we acquired Hader and were somehow able to retain him with an extension.  I'd make him the #1 closer and possibly even consider Duran as a SP.  It's not often an arm like Hader comes on the market at what would appear to be an eminently affordable cost.  Larnach?  Come on!  If you wouldn't do that trade, you would never make a trade for anything.  I just look at a team like the Dodgers, who we simply can't compete with checkbook-wise, and their closer situation (or lack thereof) and I can't see us outbidding them for a closer like Hader.  Maybe the Padres just refuse to deal him to L.A. but the Dodgers wouldn't break a sweat beating Larnach in a trade.  

17 minutes ago, Nashvilletwin said:

Please, please do not sell our young, controllable talent. 

I would flip Larnach or Wallner (though I like having the local player around to root for) for other young, controllable talent (like a RH hitting OF). I don't want to send them to another team for a rental player.

23 minutes ago, chpettit19 said:

Hader has been arguably the best relief pitcher in baseball for the last 6 years

And he's being paid accordingly ($14M salary). There is almost no surplus value there. I don't think it is a good idea to give up cheap talent AND a lot of money for 25 innings of relief pitching.

This is a "get to the playoffs and see what happens" season. Not a "we're the favorites so go for it" season.