Expect a Boring Trade Deadline for the Minnesota Twins

I completely agree with this.   Those wanting a big trade, remember that someone has to go for a new face to come in.

21 minutes ago, mickster said:

I completely agree with this.   Those wanting a big trade, remember that someone has to go for a new face to come in.

Not to mention, the big trades they made last year are almost universally disliked because they have aged poorly (despite being good moves at the time).

20 minutes ago, mickster said:

I completely agree with this.   Those wanting a big trade, remember that someone has to go for a new face to come in.

Not only someone, but more likely more than just one and high value. There is no veteran player on the Twins, other than Gray, who is tradable and could return us, let’s say, a controllable starting calibre RH CFer.  So to get that, we’d be moving multiple very valuable prospects.

The ChiSox retooled today with two really good prospects we will face for many years. The Angels could make that trade because as a cash rich big market team they can replace valuable prospects with FAs.  We are not that.

Let’s not mortgage our future by trying to upgrade this roster with one very expensive (in prospect capital) swing for the fences.

Spot on. They're not going to do much of anything. Certainly nothing significant. Maybe a couple minor deals. 

Give me a right handed corner outfielder who can hit lefties and maybe another left handed pen pitcher.

On one hand, the Gray for Petty trade is looking like a win-win type of deal for both teams: Gray has performed very well here and Petty is developing very nicely (last time I checked) into a pitcher consistent with his draft status.

I can’t knock the FO for that result.  However, on the other hand,  if we knew we would never win a playoff game during Gray’s tenure here, would that change the calculus at all? I know it’s hard to look at trades in that way - in a vacuum that trade looks great; however, if the ultimate goal isn’t reached and the future is then somewhat mortgaged, then in a broader sense, the trade might not look as good.

Let’s hope that’s not the case, but IF it comes to pass, I’d think I’d rather have Petty now than the past two seasons of Gray.  Here’s hoping that Gray wins one or more playoff games this year to make that trade really pay off!

26 minutes ago, farmerguychris said:

Give me a right handed corner outfielder who can hit lefties.

 

Who are you prepared to give up? 

14 minutes ago, bighat said:

Who are you prepared to give up? 

Anybody in Wichita not named Schobel, Lee, Raya, Festa for starters.

Also anybody in St. Paul not named Camargo,

And probably many more in Cedar Rapids.

1 hour ago, Ted Schwerzler said:

Not to mention, the big trades they made last year are almost universally disliked because they have aged poorly (despite being good moves at the time).

Hindsight is always dangerous.   The Jorge Lopez trade last year was one most liked.  Noone say Cano coming.   The Mahle trade was well recieved at the time.   We have a logjam now, so Steer and CES would be here at the expense of who?   Looking back putting Miranda and Gordon in the trade would have been better.   

What does San Diego want for Hader? They have indicated that they are holding him, but there may be a package to pry him loose. What is reasonable?

30 minutes ago, bighat said:

Who are you prepared to give up? 

Kepler or Gallo may be cut if my option. We have enough left handed corner outfielders in the minors who are ready to step in at the big club level and we wouldn't miss much production by having Larnach or Wallner in there instead.

10 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

This site would have ripped them to shreds for trading Miranda last year.....shreds. 

Cano was brutal here, agreed, no one thought he'd be like this. If other teams thought he'd be this good, MN could have traded him for a ton a good prospect at the deadline, not thrown him into a deal.

Agree on the backlash in trading Miranda last year.   This year, not as much.   

Rental relief pitching is usually fairly cheap, and adding depth is generally a good move. I expect them to go heavy on cheap rental players, but adding a guy like Dylan Carlson or Lane Thomas could shore up the outfield for 2024, even if it would cost multiple top-10 guys.

1) To anybody nervous about making moves this year because last year's moves did not work out the way you would have liked, there is a reason why you are posting here and not working for an MLB club.  Your trade currency is people, not robots or baseball cards.  You can't assume everything works or that you will win every move (unless you are Tampa Bay).

2) Buxton, Correa, Ober, Ryan, and Duran are probably the only untouchable names on the roster.  Everyone else could be had for the right price.  That doesn't mean those other players will be traded, but they would be in a discussions (the Twins would not turn down Gray and Kiriloff for Spencer Strider for example.)

3) Team culture plays a much larger role than is ever publicly discussed.  Moves made will impact the clubhouse and on field play.

4) I have said this elsewhere, do not downplay the return of Lewis, Polanco, Thielbar, and Stewart.  That is a huge shift in roster makeup.
 

31 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

Lee, Prato, or Severino at 3B until Lewis returns (it hurts my brain they aren't using a legit 3B for a month+ during a playoff chase).

I'd rather just use Farmer and Castro there for the month.

1 hour ago, Nashvilletwin said:

 

The ChiSox retooled today with two really good prospects we will face for many years. The Angels could make that trade because as a cash rich big market team they can replace valuable prospects with FAs.  We are not that.

 

I would prefer to use prospects we could lose in the rule 5 maybe 1 other minor prospect.  The prospects Chicago got back other than the catcher who is still young is ok but not game changers at this point.  If we can say one thing about the Twins is they are developing prospects out of the draft frequently,  we need to hit more on the talent we are acquiring.  But I would consider Gray a hit,  Lopez also (not quite as much but have multiple years of control now) and maeda as well.   Mahle and Lopez were obvious duds.  

11 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

Neither can hit....why? 

I don't trust a rookie (especially Prato or Severino) to immediately come in and produce at the plate. Both Castro and Farmer can field well enough to hold down 3B and in a platoon role they can provide enough offense for the short term. I also don't want to start the clock on Lee if they're going to send him back down when Lewis returns.

I would move both Severino and Lee to St. Paul. I expect the Twins will make that move after the trade deadline, assuming they are both still in the organization.

I hope it is boring.

I hope any trade is of the parallel type. Trading out Lopez for Floro is a parallel trade. They really need to avoid selling low on Miranda for a rental. We don’t know how much that shoulder has impacted his season and they need that right handed bat. I don’t want to sell low on Larnach either. If they package one Larnach or Wallner for a similarly aged right handed OF that would be a parallel trade.

The best hopes for them are on the roster already. They need Kepler to be a league average RF which is possible. They need to get Buxton back in CF even it it means he is there once a series, DHs once and rests the third game. That gives some DH space for Wallner and Julien. They need Polanco to come back healthy and hit. They Stewart to come back throwing like he was in the first half. They need to give Gallo’s spot to Larnach and Wallner.

I see the Angels trading two of their best prospects. I was advocating for those moves last year. This year I hope for boring.