Cooper Carlson

Matt and Cooper discuss what is left in free agency so far and give their exhausted thoughts on an offseason that has been disappointing. It is beginning to look like the Twins will need to land Donaldson for this to truly be considered a successful offseason for the Twins. Link: https://open.spotify...rKg4pW4nBNvuFI2https://open.spotify...rKg4pW4nBNvuFI2 We're back! This time we both have good audio for the first time ever so give it a listen to hear what we sound like. This week was different from our usual structured format as we focused on two things and talked for about 40 minutes. Topics discussed: Slow week for baseballRyu to TorontoIs it now Donaldson or bust?Can this be a successful offseason without Donaldson?Give it a try and let us know what you think. MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email Click here to view the article

I expect them all to regress except Kep and Buxk. That could bring the Twins down to like 94 wins. Thats still really good.

The Chicago White Sox have been the most aggressive team in baseball this offseason. With key additions to their lineup and their rotation, they are looking like a possible threat to the Twins. Do the Twins and their fans need to be worried about losing the AL Central crown to Chicago?The offseason has not exactly been satisfying or encouraging for Twins fans. While they did re-sign Jake Odorizzi, Michael Pineda, and Sergio Romo, the only additions have been Alex Avila and Tyler Clippard. When compared to the White Sox it is easy to see why fans (I'm looking at you, dad) are frustrated. White Sox offseason additions: Dallas Keuchel: 3 years/$55 millionGio Gonzalez: 1 year/$5 millionYasmani Grandal: 4 years/$73 millionEdwin Encarnacion: 1 year/$12 millionNomar Mazara: Acquired from TexasThis comes with re-signing first baseman Jose Abreu to a 3 year/$50 million contract earlier in the offseason. So the White Sox have made additions while the Twins have yet to really make their “big move” we are hoping for. What does projected fWAR say abou the two teams in 2020? White Sox vs Twins projected fWAR in 2020 Position players: Twins (25.4 fWAR), White Sox (23.2) Starting pitching: Twins (10.3), White Sox (10.7) Bullpen: Twins (3.7), White Sox (2.2) Total: Twins (39.4 fWAR), White Sox (36.1 fWAR) So the projections basically say the White Sox are right there with the Twins and they have become a legitimate threat in 2020. There are two reasons I would take the projections lightly and not overthink anything. First, the Twins had a total fWAR of 54.9 last season. The projections expect them to lose 20 wins, basically. Second, the Twins will add more pieces to their team, whether it’s Josh Donaldson, and/or trading for a starting pitcher or two. The Twins aren’t done and they are still projected more wins than Chicago. For an excellent analysis on the WAR for each team last season, check out this Chicago will be relying on the same formula the Twins used to win 101 games last season. Add impact veterans via free agency and have their young core step up in a big way. This includes their No. 1 prospect Luis Robert and their No. 2 prospect Michael Kopech, both of whom are expected to have a big impact in 2020. They will also need repeat performances from Tim Anderson who is due for a load of regression and Yoan Moncada after he finished 15th in position player fWAR at 5.7. They basically won 72 games last year (69 pythag) with career years from Anderson, Moncada, and Giolito that could all see some regression. Expecting them to make the jump to the Twins level is unlikely. It’s not impossible, but they are nowhere close to being the “favorites” to win the central. An 18-win jump to get them to 90 wins is where I would put their ceiling for 2020 and honestly that should be the Twins floor. The White Sox have had a great offseason and are likely the most improved team. The Twins have not made any real impact additions to this point and are still projected to be better despite losing 20 wins according to WAR projections. Minnesota will add a couple more players to make them even better, and the White Sox are likely close to being finished. What do you think about the White Sox? Can they overtake the Twins in 2020? Let me know what you think below. MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email Click here to view the article

Matt and Cooper finally have better audio! With this audio they discussed the recent offseason moves related to the Twins and they are joined by fellow TwinsDaily writer Andrew Gebo to discuss different views of free agency so far. Link: https://open.spotify...N3NvAVnAQbEV9alClick here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7xt8iE6N3NvAVnAQbEV9al If you've never listened to us before or turned us off due to low audio quality, I recommend trying again with this weeks episode. All the recent rumors and the quiet free agency was discussed this week with our first ever guest. Topics discussed: Mike Bell named bench coachCron and Schoop to Detroit.Romo re-signed and Clippard signedMad Bum signs with Arizona with AndrewWhite Sox hype? With AndrewTwins have made 4 year offer to DonaldsonFree agency options becoming extremely slimMORE FROM TWINS DAILY— Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email Click here to view the article

There has been constant talk this offseason about adding impact players to improve from 2019 a 100-win team. Obviously that is necessary in order to keep getting better but today I’ll name three players that could play the largest roles in repeating last season’s success.Jose Berrios The first player the Twins will need to take another step forward in 2020 is Jose Berrios. He is currently the “ace” of the staff and he is so close to becoming one of the games best starters, but he is just not there yet. Berrios has been extremely consistent over the last three seasons with his ERA and FIP seeing no real improvement and both hovering around 3.75 each year. 2019 was his best season according to fWAR (2.7 in 2017, 3.1 in 2018, 4.4 in 2019), but he never really became the true ace the Twins need. He showed flashes of becoming that player, but just couldn’t do it over the full season. Berrios getting to that next elite tier could be the most important upgrade for the rotation. He has the potential to be much better or the equal of any of the free agent starting pitchers we have discussed this offseason. If he can take that next step then the entire rotation looks so much better. Byron Buxton Buxton is probably the most obvious player for this article. His presence on the team makes everyone better no matter where he is on the field. He was only able to play in 87 games and he still accounted for 2.7 fWAR. If he can just reach his career high of 140 games he will be around at least 4.4 fWAR which is top 30 for position players. Buxton was able to raise his walk rate to a career high (6.4%) and decrease his strikeout rate to a career low (23.1%) in 2019. This came with career bests in hard hit% (35.4%) and fly ball% (48.5%). He showed so much improvement, it was just a blow to the whole team when he suffered a season-ending injury. Keeping him healthy is going to be extremely important for repeated success in 2020. He makes the entire outfield and pitching staff better with his elite defense. Now that his bat seems to have become above average, it is not hard to see him getting MVP votes if the Twins are good and he stays healthy enough to be a main contributor. Max Kepler Putting Kepler on this list may seem like a surprise because of the huge step he took last season, but I believe there is still another step he can take. Just like Berrios, Kepler took a big step in his fWAR (1.5 in 2018, 2.7 in 2018, 4.4 in 2019) and I expect him to improve on that in 2020. His walk and strikeout rates stayed essentially the same as his career averages this past season at 10.1% and 16.6% respectively, but his contact numbers were great. His wOBA stayed around .315 for three years and then jumped to .355 last year. He also started trying to just hit the ball for solid contact which resulted in a career high for hard hit% and 42.4% and fly ball% at 46.6%. It might be a bit unfair to expect him to improve after being a top 30 position player, but I think we saw just the first step in his ascension to being an elite outfielder. After all, that is why the Twins were eager to lock him into the contract extension. Who do you hope takes another big step in 2020? Do you agree with the three players I listed below? Sign up and leave a comment! MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email Click here to view the article

Hot stove season is in full swing and that means rumors are swirling around everywhere. Jon Heyman said the Marlins are looking to acquire a left-handed outfielder, and the Twins need starting pitching. These teams should make a deal this offseason.The Miami Marlins are certainly one of the more interesting teams in baseball this winter. They are coming off a 105 loss season, but they have been rumored around some big free agents and appear open to making trades. Good for them. The newest rumor is that Miami wants a lefty outfielder, so if you’re in the Twins front office, make that call. So who do the Marlins actually have to offer? They just lost 105 games, right? Well, I’m glad you asked. They have two starting pitchers who have been included in rumors this offseason in Caleb Smith and Sandy Alcantara. Both would be great additions for the Twins. Caleb Smith Smith is a left-handed throwing 28-year old starting pitcher. He has only been in the league since 2017 and last season was his first season throwing at least 80 innings (153 1/3 in 2019). His stats don’t jump out at you, but acquiring him would mean you think you can make him better: 4.52 ERA, 5.11 FIP, 9.86 K/9, 3.52 BB/9, and 1.0 fWAR in 2019. With around four years of control left, Smith is someone you look at if you believe he is the breakout candidate many teams believe he could be. There are a few reasons for this, starting with his solid 12.6 whiff rate. Another solid part of his game last season was his fastball. He threw it 53.8% of the time at only around 91.6 MPH. The spin rate on the fastball is among the 85th percentile, so there is something there. Sandy Alcantara Alcantara is probably the more intriguing option if you’re the Twins. He is already very good, and is not a free agent until 2025. Alcantara is coming off his first All-Star season in 2019 where he had a 3.88 ERA, 4.55 FIP, 6.89 K/9, 3.69 BB/9, and 2.3 fWAR. He has never been a huge strikeout guy and walks have always haunted him, but he is also only 23-years old. He is a hard thrower with around 95 MPH on his fastball and sinker, so handing him over to Wes Johnson and the Twins pitching coaches could get him to that next level of control. If the Twins are able to acquire him and increase his strikeout rate, then they could have something special. Teams are looking at Eddie Rosario Rosario alone obviously wouldn’t net you a major league caliber starter like Smith or Alcantara, but the Twins have the prospects to make almost any trade happen. With Miami looking to acquire a left handed major league bat and the Twins having outstanding outfield depth, I think a trade like this makes a lot of sense. I don’t think Smith or Alcantara are the big name guys fans want filling out the rotation, but they both would definitely help. Do you think a trade like this makes sense for the Twins? Are you open to trading Eddie Rosario? Leave a comment and start the discussion. MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email Click here to view the article

Matt and Cooper of Twinsdaily discuss the latest in coaching hires related to the Twins along with the two recent free agent signings. They also got into the general state of free agency as a whole and much more. Click here to listen.Click for Podcast. Topics discussed Recent coaching hires/departuresPineda returnsAlex Avila signsRecent free agency moves (Wheeler/Hamels/Gibson)Cron and Hildy non-tenderedInterest in Ryu, Donaldson, and MadBumIs it now MadBum or bust?Winter meetings discussionFan questionsGive it a listen and let us know what you think in the comments or by talking to us on Twitter. Twitter usernames: Carlson_MnTwins or Matthew_bTwins Click here to view the article

Homer Bailey? Ew, gross!

The non-tender deadline was on Monday and it resulted in a bunch of new intriguing free agents. Among this group was relief pitcher Blake Treinen who the Oakland A’s decided not to bring back for roughly $7.5 million in 2020. The interest in him was immediately heavy, but should it be?If you were like me when you saw Blake Treinen was non-tendered, you probably thought back to his 2018 season when he finished sixth in Cy Young voting and 15th for MVP. He was the most dominant reliever in baseball and it looked like the Athletics had a star for years to come. During that dominant 2018 season Treinen had a 0.78 ERA (19 ERA-), 1.82 FIP (44 FIP-), 31.8 K/%, 6.7 BB%, 0.83 WHIP, 3.6 fWAR, and .187 wOBA against. This year was a complete outlier with every year since his 2014 debut finishing with a FIP above 3.00 or higher. He had always been a solid reliever, but some regression was expected after his 2018 season. The regression hit him hard and he had his worst season in the majors in 2019. He pitched 58 2/3 total innings and produced a 4.91 ERA (110 ERA-), 5.14 FIP (115 FIP-), 22.2 K%, 13.9 BB%, 1.62 WHIP, -0.3 fWAR, and .336 wOBA against. So basically if you take the middle ground of his last two seasons you get nearly his exact career average in ERA, FIP, and WHIP. This tweet alone from the creator of BaseballSavant shows the extreme difference a year made for Treinen. He is now a free agent after being non-tendered by Oakland while being just a year away from one of the greatest seasons for a reliever ever. The 2018 version is not the one that will be signed, but I also don’t think the 2019 version is who you will be getting. Whoever signs him will likely get the guy in the middle of both of those seasons. Steamer projections have him at a 3.86 ERA, 4.00 FIP, and 1.33 WHIP. Oakland let him go for a reason. Maybe that reason is they just hate spending money, but they probably realize they are not getting the guy from 2018 because relievers are weird. He was due for $7.5 mi which would have been the fourth-highest salary on their team. The immediate reaction from Twins fans suggested a lot of people would love to sign him on what I estimate will be a two-year deal for around $15 million. It could be a good idea with a solid back half of the bullpen with Taylor Rogers, Tyler Duffey and Trevor May. They wouldn't be relying on Treinen to be the lights out closer, but the upside is there and if he flops it doesn't destroy the bullpen. What do you think? Should the Twins take a chance on Treinen, or roll with their interior options that project to be just as good? Leave a comment and discuss. MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email Click here to view the article

Michael Pineda ended the 2019 season on a sour note with Twins fans due to a PED suspension. Before that happened, he was leading a struggling rotation and that should not be forgotten. Pineda should be the fifth starter in the Twins 2020 rotation.The 2019 season was going extremely well for Pineda before he was suspended. In 26 games started he had a 4.01 ERA, 4.02 FIP, 8.63 K/9 and 1.73 BB/9, but he had an excellent stretch before the suspension that really intrigues me. From June 13 to September 6 he had a 2.96 ERA, 9.5 K/9, 1.9 BB/9 and .234/.277/.373 (.650) line against him. If the Twins get that guy in their fifth rotation spot then they are in a great spot. From everything I have heard, the Twins seem like a lock to get at least one free agent in the second tier of free agents (Wheeler, Ryu, Bumgarner, Hamels), and then sign or trade for another starter to fill the number three or four spot. That leaves one rotation spot open and I think Pineda is the perfect fit. He is going to be finishing up his suspension for the first part of the season but that is fine. The Twins likely will want to get guys like Dobnak, Thorpe, and Smeltzer some starts this season and with Pineda serving suspension they will be able to make that happen. He will likely be looking for a one year "make good" deal for around $10-$12 million to hit free agency again next season with a clean slate. It seems like a good fit for both sides. I’m not at all saying he should be their big name free agent signing, and if he headlines their offseason then it was likely a failed one. He would be a nice piece to cap off the offseason. A rotation of Berrios, Odorizzi, FA/trade, FA/trade, and then Pineda would be a very good rotation depending on the pitchers they pick up of course. They will need to find someone to fill that fifth spot so why not bring someone everyone enjoys playing with and someone who already knows the organization well? They might decide to go the route of another Martin Perez type project, but I like Pineda to return for one more season. Is Michael Pineda someone you would like to see come back to Minnesota? He certainly expressed his interest in returning during his interview after the suspension. He was loved by his teammates and there really isn’t any risk to bringing him back. What do you think will happen or what would you like to happen with Big Mike? Leave a comment and discuss below. Click here to view the article

Matt Wheeler and Cooper Wheeler of TwinsDaily discuss the free agent market so far, the recent 40 man roster additions, the C.J. Cron decision, Zack Wheeler, and much more. Give it a listen and let us know what you think. Link: https://open.spotify...KJtfWHyGTFK6OgLTopics discussed: Odorizzi signs the QOZack Wheeler rumorsGrandal to White Sox: three team race?Twins kicking the tires for Wheeler, Bumgarner, Donaldson, and FrazierC.J. Cron decision due on December 2nd40-man roster additions. No Javier.Twins sign Blaine HardyFan questionsLink: https://open.spotify...QS0kuDFRW5rjWRH Click here to view the article

At this time last season all of the offseason talk was about about adding to the bullpen. The only addition, Blake Parker, is no longer on the team but the Twins suddenly have a good bullpen due to some key breakouts. Should the Twins still look to add an impact arm to the bullpen this offseason?The Braves got out to a fast start on the relievers market this season, adding Will Smith and bringing back Chris Martin. That is along the lines of what fans wanted the Twins to do last season, but the Twins decided to stick with their same bullpen and it ultimately paid off until the playoffs. If the season started today, the bullpen would consist of Taylor Rogers, Tyler Duffey, Trevor May, Zack Littell (unless the Twins want him to start), and Cody Stashak as locks. The remaining options would consist of Fernando Romero, Devin Smeltzer, Brusdar Graterol, and Jorge Alcala among others. We saw last season that this group could be very effective. In the second half the Twins had the highest bullpen WAR at 4.8 along with a 4.03 ERA, 3.56 FIP, and 10.09 K/9. It’s a solid group, but we also saw that in order to make a true postseason push, bullpen depth seems necessary. Sergio Romo is someone who seems destined to return and it has been rumored that both sides have interest in a reunion. He quickly became a fan favorite after being acquired at the deadline, and he is still an effective pitcher. In 22 ⅔ innings for the Twins, Romo had a 3.18 ERA, 10.72 K/9, 1.59 BB/9, and 0.93 WHIP. Some of the big names out there are Dellin Betancis, Daniel Hudson, and Drew Pomeranz. Betances is coming off a season where he only recorded two outs between injuries that kept him sidelined. He has been effective in the past, but I don’t expect the Twins to spend money on someone as risky as Betances. Hudson is coming off a World Series championship with a solid 2.47 ERA. He also had a 3.97 FIP and a scary 5.08 xFIP. There were some rumors about him and the Twins around the trade deadline. Drew Pomeranz is someone I expect the Twins and many other teams will be intrigued by the most. In 28 ⅔ innings as a reliever last season he has a K/9 of 15.2 or a K% of 47.2%. He had been a starter for most of his career, but something about coming out of the bullpen just seemed to click. He will likely be one of the most sought after relievers. Another reliever who is coming off a solid season is right hander Will Harris. In 2019 he had a 2.36 ERA, 9.5 K.9, and 0.99 WHIP. He is 35 years old but he can still be effective out of the back end of the bullpen. If the Twins look to add to their bullpen I would expect them to add someone who would be in the top half of their current bullpen. They have never seemed too inclined to sign a bullpen arm when they feel there is someone in the organization who could be as effective at some point during the season. What do you hope they do? The focus will obviously be on starting pitching, but once that is figured out should they add a reliever? Leave a comment below. Click here to view the article

Jim Pohlad has had it up to here with you people. After checking his burner twitter account (@matthew_btwins) and once again seeing someone call him a Pohlad Pocket Protector, he officially snapped. He told Falvey and Levine they can spend as much money as they want, and they did not disappoint.The 2019 Minnesota Twins set the home run record last season as an offensive powerhouse. The obvious need this season is starting pitching, but this blueprint will be different. What if the Pohlad family decides to just say screw it and spend north of $200 million with the main focus being offense? Here is the most realistic blueprint so far: Sign Yasmani Grandal to 4-year, $60 million contract. The Twins obviously loved the catching tandem they used last season with Castro and Garver, so why not upgrade it? Signing Grandal gives the Twins two of the top five catchers in baseball and Grandal is also excellent defensively. Let C.J. Cron go, move Sano to first base. With $200 million to spend and the lineup I have planned, Cron is unfortunately the odd man out on this team. It will be the same situation as last season for him where a team can claim him for his final year of team control. Moving Sano to first base is something that seems inevitable so why not do it this season? It will be a downgrade defensively, but the bat makes up for it. Sign Anthony Rendon to an 8-year $264 million contract. With Sano at first base that leaves a hole at third. The best way to fill that hole would be to sign a top three third baseman in baseball, Anthony Rendon. He would be very expensive, but that doesn’t matter to the Twins. They’re building a juggernaut on offense and Rendon should be a part of that. Twins trade Eddie Rosario, Alex Kirilloff, and Nick Gordon to the Red Sox for Mookie Betts. The final offseason lineup addition will come to the Twins via trade. It will be the former MVP Mookie Betts and he will be in his final year of arbitration. He will be due roughly $27.7 million until the Twins of course reach a long extension with him. The Red Sox immediately get back a starting outfielder, a top 15 prospect who has upside as good as Betts, and then a potential starting infielder. Sign Zack Wheeler to a 4-year $72 million contract. The first addition to the rotation is Wheeler. After spending more money on the lineup than the entire 2019 payroll I had to cut it back for the rotation, but only a little bit. Wheeler has the best upside of any starter not named Cole or Strasburg and if any team is going to unlock it, I would bet on the Twins do it best. Sign Hyun-Jin Ryu to a 3-year $54 million contract. Ryu is coming off a career year after betting on himself and taking the qualifying offer last season. This year with no draft pick attached he will be popular despite the injury history. The Twins will win him over by offering the third year guaranteed. Bring back Kyle Gibson for 1-year and $10 million. Last year was a wash for Gibson. I am extremely confident he could get back to being his former self (3.76 ERA from 2017 All-Star break to 2019 All-Star break). If he does that in the number five spot in the rotation then the Twins will have an elite staff pitching for one of the best lineups ever. Summary: The Twins just spent north of $200 million to build one of the greatest lineups ever assembled along with an elite rotation and solid bullpen. The Twins have six or seven guys who should receive an MVP vote in this lineup and their 2019 home run record could be broken by this team. I’ve been trying to figure out how this lineup would be constructed but it is so difficult because everyone is so good. How would you create the lineup? This is probably never going to happen but you never know, and if we keep calling out the Pohlads and their pocket protectors maybe we can make it happen. If you had the chance to spend around $200 million on the Twins, how would you do it differently? Download attachment: Lineup.png Download attachment: Rotation.png Download attachment: Bullpen.png Final Payroll: $202.6 million Click here to view the article

Cole Hamels is one of the best starting pitchers on the open market and teams are definitely looking into him. It is rumored that 13 teams are interested, but the teams were not revealed. It is probably a safe bet to say the Twins will be checking in on him, but how much of an upgrade would he be?With only Jose Berrios locked into the 2020 rotation, the Twins will likely be looking to add at least two starters, and Cole Hamels certainly makes sense on a similar contract to what Nelson Cruz signed last season. If the Twins sign him to a $17 million contract with a $13-$15 million option for 2021, it would be a solid move. The 35-year old veteran starter is coming off another solid season where he threw 141 innings with a 3.81 ERA, 4.09 FIP, 2.55 K/BB, 47.3 GB%, and 2.5 WAR. He has indicated he would be open to signing a one year deal as long as the team he signs with is a championship-caliber team. The Twins would certainly check that box, and signing Hamels would push them closer to the end goal. Since his debut in 2006, Cole Hamels has been one of the most consistently good pitchers in the game. Over his 14 seasons, his highest ERA was just 4.20 and he finished in the threes or lower for ERA in 11 of his 14 seasons. He has also finished with a WAR of 2.5 or higher in 12 of his seasons. His strikeout rate started to take a dip in 2017, but he had it back to a 9.08 K/9 this season. His velocity has dipped on the fastball, so he has had to adjust and he has done so by learning how to get batters out without velocity and with a great breaking ball and changeup. Maybe Wes Johnson can wave his magic wand and get a couple miles per hour back on that arm. Hamels certainly isn’t the top end starting pitcher many want like Gerrit Cole or Stephen Strasburg, but he is on the end of the second tier group of Madison Bumgarner, Zack Wheeler, and Jake Odorizzi. If the Twins are looking for just a one- or two-year deal with a consistent pitcher, he is a good option for the number three or four spot in the rotation. What do you think of Cole Hamels? Is he someone you hope to see the Twins pick up via free agency? Leave a comment and get the discussion started below. Click here to view the article