Offseason Status Update: The Long Winter Begins

Given the $130 m budget, I'd decline arbitration on both Castro and Topa and figure on eating half of Paddock and Vazquez's contracts in order to dump them. That nets to about $13 million to spend. Enough for a cheap 1B option ($6 m) a lefty reliever ($3 m) and a cheap 5th starter ($4 m)

1 hour ago, Nick Nelson said:

I don't think people in the org would tell you they feel confident in Miranda's glove at 1B, outside of the occasional spot start or maybe as the RH in a platoon role. 

But you also listed Severino as a possible option. He was on the 40 man roster and STILL didn't get called up to the Twins. And Diego Castillo did get called up to take some AB's and play a little 3B when . So I would say the Twins have even less confidence in Severino than Miranda.

21 minutes ago, howeda7 said:

Given the $130 m budget, I'd decline arbitration on both Castro and Topa and figure on eating half of Paddock and Vazquez's contracts in order to dump them. That nets to about $13 million to spend. Enough for a cheap 1B option ($6 m) a lefty reliever ($3 m) and a cheap 5th starter ($4 m)

You have no utility infielder, no 2nd catcher, a gaping hole at 2B, two first basemen and a 5th starter very likely to be worse than Festa because nobody else in MLB wants to use him a starting pitcher. Plus, you threw away Topa and Castro instead of trading them. What was the point of all that?

How many more years is Dobnaks contract?

First thing I'd do is ask Correa and Buxton which clubs they would waive their no trade clauses for. Second, I'd get on the phone 1 minute later and start negotiating with those clubs to see what I could get in return. This team is never going to go anywhere expecting 2 players that are either injured or performing under their abilities due to injury, to lead them to anything but disappointment. It hasn't happened in the last 3 years and it isn't going to happen going forward. Wake up Twins fans. Using young players via platoon per Rocco's management style and adding in washed up veterans has been tried enough. Is there anyone who really thinks Falvey is going to bring in players talented enough to make the changes needed if he has to work around the Correa, Buxton and Lopez contracts? Trying to do just that will only be a rinse and repeat of the last few seasons that have gotten this club little or nothing to be proud of or make fans happy about. If I can trade those 2 away along with Paddack, I've got $60M to spend on quality difference makers instead of $10 or $15M to spend on the same junk we've seen the last few off-seasons. Do we really want just more of the same or do we want to actually try something different that might lead to something better than what we've had and seen?

1 hour ago, DJL44 said:

In 2023, Miranda was injured and couldn't hit the ball even in AAA. He started the season as the team's primary 3B.

If they hate his glove so much, why has he had so many starts at 3B? That's a more difficult position defensively. It doesn't make any sense to say, "We don't trust this guy to play 1B, let's play him at a more difficult position instead". He didn't start at 1B much last year because Lewis was hurt, and Santana wasn't.

Because Lewis and Correa missed massive amounts of time? Julien was getting regular time in the field while he was a viable offensive option, that doesn't mean his defense was adequate. 

Mike Sixel and rv78 see it the same way I do.  The Twins under their owner-imposed salary cap cannot afford to have Correa and Buxton on the roster.  If they can be traded, you have to do it.

I don't want to trade Lopez, but he is a very valuable piece.  If Teel is your target from Boston, they have a number of other good prospects that could also potentially be gathered up.

If you clear out Correa, Buxton, Lopez, Paddack and Vasquez, you essentially have a clean slate and can concentrate on the young guys.  Payroll would drop to about $45-50M.

I would actually find this a more interesting and fun team to watch play than the "almost good enough" squad they are currently rostering.  This team as constituted is non-competitive against good teams.  We were below .500 if we take out the White Sox last year, and there is not a whole lot of hope they will improve next year, with the exception of potentially more games from Correa.

Twins priorities are all screwed up. They are all twisted around worried about defense at 1B & don't give a s**t about the defense at catcher. Beyond Vazquez & Jeffers (& I'm concerned about Jeffers) we have nothing regarding catchers. Falvey has been darn lucky that neither of them has been hurt especially Vazquez. I don't get the talk about trading Vazquez. Because defense is imperative at catching, Vazquez's handling the pitchers, blocking, receiving, framing, throwing out runners & leadership, how can they even consider throwing that out the window? Yes, Falvey paid Vazquez like Dobnak too much & like Dobnak they have to eat it because we can't do it w/o Vazquez. We could do w/o Paddack's salary then we'd need to find a cheaper & at least equal replacement.

We don't need a GG at 1B (Geez) we need someone who can hit! & Miranda would our best hitting 1B that we haven't had since '19, & he could even out do that. It'd be an absolute waste of money & talent to go outside the org. again. 

Sticking with Julien at 2B would be a big mistake, His glove & bat won't cut it, we need to trade him while we still can cash in on his hype. I like utility Castro & Martin's glove better than Julien's. I'd get Lewis in the offseason & ST to get ready to play 2B or otherwise, we need to look outside the org. to find a good starting 2B. I'd have Keirsey in LF, with Larnach as the 4th OF & Castro as the full-time UTIL & Martin as utility & Lee at 3B. Keirsey's glove is much more needed than Helman's while we don't know how either bat will respond to MLB (Keirsey had better #s)

The only area that the budget cuts affect us is extending players. We can still fill our holes via trades. They are the same ones that weren't filled last season which are a mid-rotation inning eating SP, a LHRP & most of all a young MLB-ready catcher. Like I said before we have been lucky so far of having both lucky. I wouldn't continue to tempt luck, we absolutely need a catcher to step in when either goes down. There are a few available that I like but the one I like the most is Drew Romo, Rox have been grooming him for their future catching duties. I've had my doubts that he'd be available but after Rox let Elias Diaz go Hunter Goodman has gotten hot. & seems like Black is leaning towards Goodman as their future catcher. IMO we could coax both Romo & Carrigg (who could become an elite catcher) away from them.

21 minutes ago, rv78 said:

First thing I'd do is ask Correa and Buxton which clubs they would waive their no trade clauses for. Second, I'd get on the phone 1 minute later and start negotiating with those clubs to see what I could get in return. This team is never going to go anywhere expecting 2 players that are either injured or performing under their abilities due to injury, to lead them to anything but disappointment. It hasn't happened in the last 3 years and it isn't going to happen going forward. Wake up Twins fans. Using young players via platoon per Rocco's management style and adding in washed up veterans has been tried enough. Is there anyone who really thinks Falvey is going to bring in players talented enough to make the changes needed if he has to work around the Correa, Buxton and Lopez contracts? Trying to do just that will only be a rinse and repeat of the last few seasons that have gotten this club little or nothing to be proud of or make fans happy about. If I can trade those 2 away along with Paddack, I've got $60M to spend on quality difference makers instead of $10 or $15M to spend on the same junk we've seen the last few off-seasons. Do we really want just more of the same or do we want to actually try something different that might lead to something better than what we've had and seen?

Buxton may be movable if he wants that, which is debatable but not impossible. The return would be negligible though and maybe Buxton plays 110 games in 2025 for the Twins at a high level. Trading Buxton is an idea to develop.

Carlos Correa is a horse of a different color however. His NTC and the financial terms make him very difficult to move. The Dodgers fans have not been forgiving of him and that would be the only team that might be interested in Correa. Correa is very good when he is in the lineup and I'm afraid that the best tactic is to hope for good health and 130+ games from Carlos. I cannot envision a trade of C4.

Polo for 1B?

40 minutes ago, LA VIkes Fan said:

Reading the contrary postings on Miranda, I really am wondering what the plan is for 1B if it isn't Miranda.

Julien is probably next on the depth chart, then Severino. I would watch the waiver wire.

I wish I could grasp all the numbers; still not sure how I passed stat. About first and second bases: sorry, numbers aside, neither Miranda nor Julien plays with confidence, and failing that we see both defense and offense shortcomings. I’m understating. Average arms, under average bats, forced errors. Stop it!

But there are in the wings players skilled sufficiently for either position. They’re infielders, on the verge of the show. And if they’re skilled AND can hit a lick, they would be better placed in needed positions. Am I making sense? A capable infielder, with all that engenders, will adapt to any infield role, with some modest experience. The arm, instincts, and intelligence will show, and in one season. I’m for the kids getting chances as will be the forced situation for pitchers. Seems the cupboard is bare of dollars, but not players.

2 hours ago, USAFChief said:

I don't understand the love for Miranda as a regular first baseman.

What is the best case scenario there? .750 OPS?

That's gonna get us back into the postseason??

It’s one of the problems when you really can’t play a position. Then you have to be a really good hitter to either play 1b or DH or you end up being José Miranda or Ed Julien. 

4 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

Among ALL qualified hitters in MLB, 750 would put a player 68th in all of baseball......

Of those with 300 at bats, 750 is 101st in ALL of baseball.

And is better than what Santana did last year.

Which would be great if he was a plus fielder somewhere and could run. 

32 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

Among ALL qualified hitters in MLB, 750 would put a player 68th in all of baseball......

Of those with 300 at bats, 750 is 101st in ALL of baseball.

And is better than what Santana did last year.

Ideally, you get elite offensive production out of 1B/DH but 750 is not the problem it's being made out to be here either.  We should be equally concerned with solidifying 2B and even 3B.  I think Rodriquez gets here by June 1 and the OF gets solidified at least in terms of roster allocation.  Obviously, he has to prove himself at the ML level.  We also have a 5th SP spot to solidify.  1B does not stand out in terms of question marks.

3 hours ago, KirbyDome89 said:

Because Lewis and Correa missed massive amounts of time? Julien was getting regular time in the field while he was a viable offensive option, that doesn't mean his defense was adequate. 

Viable, try handicap on both counts.

Are there plans to replace Thad Levine?