rv78

Santana is too good for the Twins to pursue. They prefer guys like Cron, who are cheap. The trade of Goldschmidt is a perfect example why the Twins will never win another Championship. Other teams get the best players as the Twins settle for the leftovers that no one else wants. Dream baby, Dream!

I'm intrigued by Johnathon Schoop. I think he could be a steal coming off a bad season and he'd fill the vacated hole at 2nd base at least for a year. He'd be a better risk right now than bringing back a Dozier or a weak hitting Forsythe. Maybe a return to the AL would fix his bat? Going after a LeMahieu or Lowrie would be a second option since Gordon is definitely not ready. If Schoop returns to his former self trade him at the deadline if you aren't in the race and then move Polonco to 2B and bring up Lewis to play SS. As for the starters I'd be ok with giving the cast of youngsters to continue their auditions for the first month or two unless the intention is to contend for the division in 2019. If the choice is to go for it then start trading some in a package deal with a Kepler or Austin and bring in a front line starter. I'd really like to see a hard push for acquiring Michael Brantley or McCutchen to play RF. With either of them and Rosario towards the top of the lineup along with Polonco you'd have 3 guys to set the table. I'd look to trade Kepler or use him as a backup to Buxton if he fizzles again. Signing Cron has hurt his value to play some 1B if needed. I'd rather see them use Cave as the 4th OFer than Kepler. Kepler probably has better trade value right now than Cave. As for the 5 guys you mention in the bullpen, Moya, Vasquez, Magill and so on... they are expendable. None are difference makers and I've definitely seen enough of Duffey forever. I'd rather see a Romero, Gonsalves, Littell or 1 of the other crop of young starters given the chance to pitch out of the pen.

Let's speculate that the Twins become real players in the Free Agent market instead of pretenders. That is afterall what we were promised when we helped fund a new stadium for them.

Extensions for Rosario and Berrios yes. Buxton and Sano no. I'm not sold on Kepler either. The Twins will do their usual. Sign the cheapest Free Agents they can get while passing over the true difference makers and they'll tell the fans that the window for this team will begin next season. Nothing new here.

In non-pitching we rank number 19. So go around the diamond: Catcher 16 (-0.6) 1st Base 24 (-1.6) who wanted to bring Mauer back? 2nd Base 21 (-0.7) SS 24 (0.0) Despite the fact that Eduardo Escobar played there half the year and had 2.2 WAR while he did. What does that say about Polanco? 3B 23 (-0.7) LF 7 (1.3) There is no minus! Way to go Rosario. CF 17 (-0.3) RF 10 (0.3) Not great, but no minus. DH 27 (-0.8) My god, we can't even get a plus from DH? The time has come. 2019 is the season of the changing of he guard. Falvine now have their people in place. They are drafting and trading and signing their players. There are a lot of players on the current roster that are expendable, Just look at the numbers. Last season only Rosario was worthy of a spot in the lineup. (Except:Escobar and he was suppose to be a backup!) Berrios, Gibson and Odorizzi give 'em a solid 3 starters, and Rogers and May give 'em a solid 2 in the bullpen. So we got 6 players that are worth keeping at the moment. On a 40 man roster that leaves a lot of holes to fill. I'd give Polonco, Sano, Buxton, Kepler, Austin, Cave, Garver, Astudillo, Hildenberger, 9 of those spots. But for Sano, Buxton and Kepler 2019 is the end of the line if they don't improve to a Rosario productive level. Time is running out for them. The others are extended a longer leash due to last season being their first real chance. As for the Duffey's, Magill's and those that have failed at every attempt numerous times it is more than past time to cut the cord and say bye bye.

Actually Correa was drafted BEFORE Buxton, #1 overall in the 2012 draft. Buxton was #2. The Astros have gotten 3 pretty good years from Correa. The Twins have gotten 2 months from Buxton. That is one of the things that has been so disappointing about Buxton. 2019 will determine his fate. If he turns in a good FULL season we may have a star in the making. If he doesn't his career with the Twins may be over.

I agree... Not the type of player we need. Spend $15M per year on 2 good pitchers and we'll be better off than $30M on a Machado.

Three options here 1.He was drunk and didn't know what he was doing. Not good. 2.He was sober enough to know what he was doing. Not good. 3.It was completely accidental and not his fault. Since it happened at 3AM I'm guessing number 1 or 2. Time to rid themelves of his immense talent and lack of intelligence.

What is Cody Christie smoking? Kepler was his choice for #3. Really?? Here's hoping Sano, Buxton, Cave, Polanco, Garver, and Kepler give him a run for Twins Hitter of the Year in 2019, and that Berrios gets CYYoung in the AL.

I often wonder how much better Joe could have been if he would have taken a different approach at the plate. We can all agree that he knew how to work a pitcher into deep counts and then still get a base hit but if he would have went up to bat looking to hit the first good pitch that was right over the heart of the plate he very possibly could have hit even better than what he did. I watched a lot of games where he would watch 2 pitches go right down the middle and then have to swing at a pitch later in that same at bat that was not a good pitch to hit because he put himself into that situation. Yes sometimes he still got a hit but a lot of those times he didn't and sure as shootin he let the best pitches to hit go by without swinging. He was a really good player, the best hitting catcher of his time, but if you compare him to another great hitting catcher like Mike Piazza who hit for average AND power he doesn't come close.

Awesome season for Berrios. Hope he continues to get better. Looking more and more like Cave could and should be the #3 outfielder with Kepler being the odd man out if Buxton can make a comeback and perform close to expectations. I think May is closer material more so than Hildenberger.

Another Manager blunder? Kohl who was pretty much lights out, gets pulled at 75 pitches for Hildenberger who has been awful lately. I don't understand the decision.

1. Overpay Byron Buxton in arbitration 2. Sign or trade for a top three starter in the rotation 3. Extend Jose Berrios 4. Build corner infield depth 5. Clear 40-man flotsam 1. Wrong. Buxton hasn't proven he's a complete player. Right now I'd bank on Cave winning more games with his bat than what Buxton can win with his glove. 2.No. Tried that this year and we got Lynn version #2. You know what a #2 is right? 3.Yes, Berrios is the best young player the Twins have on their roster with the most potential going forward. Reward him and retain him for as long as you can. 4.Ok. I'm assuming Mauer retires. Put Sano and Austin in a battle for 1B/DH. Find a good 3B. At the very least bring back Escobar if someone else who is better is too expensive. 5. Shouldn't be a problem. Lots of worthless arms in the bullpen that can go bye bye, like Duffey, Drake, Belisle, Busenitz, Slegers, along with deadwood players like Petit, Gimenez, Granite, Field.

If you can't hit, the best you'll be is a defensive backup. Hardly worthy of a #2 pick overall.

The Yankees should look back on tape at the game verses the Twins where CC Sabathia faced Jose Berrios earlier this year and notice that Sabathia was given strikes for pitches 6 inches off the plate and Berrios didn't get pitches as strikes that were ON the outside corner. Let's all cry for the poor Yankees!

Where are the Twins getting it wrong? That's easy to answer after this season....... EVERYWHERE!

The way I see it, if Buxton would have been in AAA most of the season where he belonged, based on his performance at the major league level, this whole service time issue wouldn't be an issue.

I agree. More Morneau and Hawkins. Less Smalley. I don't mind Morris. Hunter is ok. Smalley thinks he needs to analyze every play, hit, pitch, batter, swing, pitcher, throw, ball hop, twist, move, you name it. He earns the mute button from me when he's in the booth. Do we have a good SS in the minor leagues that can be brought up to play SS so we can move Polanco to 2B?

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

I really find this hard to believe. How can he have the best average in the league with RISP and still only have 39 RBI's? Yeah 39! I mean..... evidently it doesn't happen very often or he'd have more! So, you now what they say about small sample sizes.... It's not very indicative of how he really is.

Was a big fan of Mauer early in his career. Since then I've come to realyze he's just a really good player, not great. I know he was a catcher and the toll on the body is tremendous but if you look at the numbers outside of his BA and OBP he's never had 200 hits or more in a season. Never had 100 RBI's or more, never scored 100 runs or more. Never carried his team to a Championship. All things Puckett did more than once. I cringe when people consider Joe better than Kirby. Will he make the Twins HOF? I'm sure.... Is he deserved of Cooperstown? No!

Can we keep Berrios and just get rid of everyone else? I have no hope for anyone else on the roster. Even Rosario doesn't give you a good at bat everytime up. Let's blame Molitor and the FO for not doing their jobs but most of the problem is that these players just simply stink.

You have all 3 players over-valued based on a small sample size of performance. I highly doubt the Yankees will miss Cave or Austin yet you think they were great pick-ups? No one else could find a place for Drake but he miraculously becomes a fixture in the Twins pen? Sorry. When other teams castoffs are the better players on your team it only tells you what the current condition is of what you already have. Why do you suppose it is that certain opposing players always perform better against the Twins than they do against other clubs? Because of the level of talent they are facing. Period!

Agree with the comments about Adrianza messing up the play. It was an easy out at 3B or at the very least just tag the runner. As for the headline "bats slump in loss" don't you have to have HOT bats to have a slump? This team hasn't had hitting from more than 2 bats all season. The whole year has been a slump.

Grandal? Won't happen. The Twins have Castro coming back and they're in love with weak hitting catchers. That's why Bobby Wilson gets in as many games as Garver does. For a team desperate for offense it still favors to play the defensive guys over the guys that can hit. This Team is backwards and won't win another Championship until it gets players that can hit. We need the 2nd coming of Kirby Puckett!