3 Trades the Twins Must Make Today

11 minutes ago, chpettit19 said:

I'd do a bit of both. I think making the playoffs, and breaking "the streak," has value to this franchise. I think getting that monkey off the organization's back would have value even if they don't go super deep. So I think improving on the margins (Finnegan to replace whoever you view as the bottom arm in the pen, or Pham over Gallo) has some value, and makes sense. If I can't replace a couple dime a dozen 45 FV prospects to bring them in I don't deserve to be running a major league team anyways.

But I'd also turn to some of the younger in-house options and see if they can provide a second half spark. I'd buy and sell. My big splash would be trying to turn Wallner and Polanco into one of the young Seattle arms. That'd allow me to trade Gray or Maeda to back fill the prospect depth I traded for Finnegan and Pham. That'd be my "improve on the margins to win a playoff game in 2023 while also looking to the future and setting myself up nicely there" plan.

It doesn't have to be buy or sell. It can be buy and sell.

I could get behind that plan.

No trade if it costs a top prospect. This team may win the division by default, but they aren’t going anywhere if Correa and Buxton keep bottoming out. Even then at best they might win a playoff series. The reality is they need to focus on the young players they want to keep for next year. I can understand if they trade Gray and/or Maeda because it is about planning for next year.

1 hour ago, Twins_Fan_in_NJ said:

If the Pohlad's haven't handcuffed the front office from making moves - and honestly, if they did, no one should be upset after last year - I expect them to make 2-3 trades. Their jobs depend on it. They don't win the division in 2023 and people are going to be or at least should be fired. 

Not sure how the Pohlads have handcuffed Falvey and Levine, 11M to Gallo, 200M to Correa, 73M to Lopez, etc, etc.....this FO just does not know how to trade well or who to dish the money out to. Personally I  hope the 2023 season blows up, (repeat of 2022) signaling a need for a change in leadership, FO and on the field. 

They should be selling some things off, IMO.

This FO just never seems to make the right call.  They don’t have the stones to go after a premier player at the deadline when they should.  They don’t have the stones to sell off expiring guys like Gray, Maeda, etc when they should. 

It’ll be another half-assed milquetoast deadline that won’t accomplish anything meaningful for the current or future years.  They may get some washed reliever with shoulder problems, or maybe some marginal RH bat.  The media will then praise the savvy and roll out the old faithful, “Lewis, Thielbar, etc. coming back later is like making a trade.”

The deadline has been the same for Twins fans going back decades.  Aside from Shannon Stewart and maybe Orlando Cabrera, I can’t think of a meaningful, highly successful move as a buyer. It’s typically guys like Kevin Jepsen, Matt Capps, Tommy Milone, etc.    With the team looking dead in the water, there’s no point and trading controllable assets for something like that.

Just get rid of Gallo and bench BB.  Let the young lefties play everyday regardless of pitcher.

"Here’s a list of prospects who have exited the organization in the past two years: Chase Petty, Cade Povich, Christian Encarnacion-Strand, Spencer Steer, Steve Hajjar, Sawyer Gipson-Long and Casey Legumina (and Yennier Cano, if you want to count him as a prospect). Steer and Cano are already productive big leaguers, and Encarnacion-Strand was recently promoted by the Reds." -- Do-Hyoung Park

When Cleveland traded Civale they essentially conceded the division to the Twins.  I would be sellers much the way Cleveland is.  They gave up a solid #3 starter and got a heck of a hitter back who is very close a full time spot in the majors.  I'd deal Sonny Gray for the biggest haul I could get.  Would the Reds part with a young OF??  I'd move Maeda if the deal was right.  I'd get Varland back up and in the rotation.  

Anyone from the major league roster Polanco, Kepler, Gallo, Taylor, Gordon and including Larnach and Miranda I'd listen on,  Start the revamping of this roster NOW.

If you can get Tommy Pham or Adam Duval for Joey Gallo or Max Kepler, then do it.

If you can bring back Luke Raley for the leftover of Gallo or Kepler, do that.

Activate Dallas Keuchel and go to a six man rotation. Caleb Thielbar is already back, and Brock Stewart will be soon.

If you can get a boatload of prospects for Sonny Gray, do ahead and do that and Dallas Keuchel cn go into a five man rotation. 

3 hours ago, USAFChief said:

No, it most certainly cannot and will not be addressed internally. 

Cannot is absolutely correct. Will not is questionable. I believe come 6:00 PM EST. Falvey will tell everyone that all is well. No need to panic. Reinforcements are on the way. 

59 minutes ago, Sjoski said:

Not sure how the Pohlads have handcuffed Falvey and Levine, 11M to Gallo, 200M to Correa, 73M to Lopez, etc, etc.....this FO just does not know how to trade well or who to dish the money out to. Personally I  hope the 2023 season blows up, (repeat of 2022) signaling a need for a change in leadership, FO and on the field. 

 

I meant in regards to trades. The Pohlad's aren't the issue. At all. I was referring to last year's trade deadline. Was it enough for them to tell the front office to stand down and keep the status quo?

Every other team in cental is dumping players and conceeding. And yet the Twins still look they cannot hold on and win this pathetic division.   Clap for Falvey and his wonderful team he constructed.   Barley .500 in the worst , sinking division in all of baseball.   This isn't Falveys 1st try....How many more years does he get??????  He took the top spot after 2016......MORE than enough time to construct more than this.  Bomba squad was a fluke , everything else has been bad.  He's had his time.   Time to fire him and fire Rocco as well.........Castros out at 3b the other day was as bad as anything even airhead Eddie Rosario ever did , yet no benching.    I gave up on Rocco long ago and he's not proven me wrong since.

Unless Falvey can trade Pagan and Gallo for Ohtani and Ocuna he needs to go.

3 hours ago, Sjoski said:

"Here’s a list of prospects who have exited the organization in the past two years: Chase Petty, Cade Povich, Christian Encarnacion-Strand, Spencer Steer, Steve Hajjar, Sawyer Gipson-Long and Casey Legumina (and Yennier Cano, if you want to count him as a prospect). Steer and Cano are already productive big leaguers, and Encarnacion-Strand was recently promoted by the Reds." -- Do-Hyoung Park

So what?

No one has the magic dice that say who will sink and who will sail, such is life in sports.

FWIW--is Cano becoming Pagan? He came on to preserve a 2-1 Orioles win against Philly last week (Bautista had the night off) He blew the save and the game. Sunday he came on in the 9th of a game the O's led 9-3...no pressure, struck out the side. Last night he came on in the 8th of a 4-1 O's lead. Immediately gave up a HR and then walked 2 of the next 3 hitters, forcing Hyde to bring in Bautista for a 5 out save.

Lately, when it matters, Cano has flamed out. Inability to throw strikes besides right down the middle has really hurt Cano. He is no longer a reliable late set up man in close games. Twins hardly need anymore pitchers like that.