Riverbrian

KEPLER!!!

Arraez again He's starting to get boring.

Light crowd in here tonight. Everybody must be at the Marshall County Fair?

The White Sox figure they will only need 1 run tonight.

After the great Harry Doyle, they all pale in comparison.

This stamina is noticeably taxed. It does appear that ceases will eventually cease.

I don't really understand the timing of the bullpen departures. I don't disagree with the departures... I just don't understand the timing of them. Are the young arms here now as possible trade showcases? Is Thorpe (for example) up with the big club so Toronto (for example) can watch him against Major League Hitters? Why did we hang on to Morin so long if this was the end result? He was clearly the low leverage guy all year no matter the numbers... we could have called up anyone with growth potential to fill the role that Morin was providing. His numbers were good so there was little chance of improving on them and the manager didn't really want to use him when his numbers were good. He ended up being a waste of a roster spot that could have been awarded to Smeltzer or Thorpe a long time ago. Does the club feel that Thorpe, Stashek, Torres are simply better than Parker, Mejia, McGill and Morin? They might be but if so... it took way too long to make that determination. I'm not attacking the moves but expressing these questions on the timing of the moves. Either way, there is no way the club hitches the playoff hopes and dreams to Thorpe and Stashek and crew. There is little doubt in my mind that an acquisition or two or three or four is gonna happen. If I had to place a bet... I'm thinking a big trade with the Jays is the most likely but who knows.

I won't argue the call without a tape measure.

For example... Brad Peacock of the Astros has jumped back and forth between starting and the pen so this isn't new ground. Mike Montgomery would go back and forth between starting and bullpen. The Dodgers moved Maeda to the pen when all of their starters were healthy. Urias is another Dodgers example of this. So, this isn't new ground... It's just ground that hasn't been traveled on a lot and it's ground the Twins have never traveled on so it will look foreign to the majority of us but the successful precedent has been set. In my opinion, Perez can be utilized anyway the manager sees fit, if he is converted to a bullpen role... He was a starter so we can thrown him up to 5 innings or we can throw 1 inning back to back... including saving games in the 9th.

I’m not in the room but I get the impression that they are not setting up their pen in a traditional manner. (For example: Closer-Set Up-Loogy- Long Man). In your example you are trying to make sense of the bullpen by designating a closer and placing each member into specific roles. I don’t believe the Twins are doing that. I believe they are just collecting arms and utilizing them in whatever role needed. I believe the first thing needed to be done is to throw out the traditional structure. After you do that, it becomes more obvious... they are simply looking for better arms. Starters, bullpen, wherever they can get them. If they can land Stroman... this could push Perez into the pen and that doesn’t mean a long man designation. But when Perez goes into the Pen Torres goes away and you’ve improved the rotation and pen with one move. Trade for a couple of bullpen upgrades after that and now Baldellu has other arms besides Rogers to throw when the game is in doubt. We don’t have to look for a closer specifically because if we trade for Giles he may not be used as a closer exclusively.

Keep watching... You'll join the team. Lots of significant game changing moments.

That'll be perfectly fine by me. It just doesn't make sense to me, that they are sitting an inch away from a deal, staring at that inch refusing to budge. If I were to guess... Kansas City is asking for another foot and waiting for the Twins, Phillies, Dodgers, Braves, Red Sox, Rays, A's, Astros, Cubs, Brewers and Cardinals to say, alright, here is that other foot you want. Meanwhile the Twins, Phillies, Dodgers, Braves, Red Sox, Rays, A's, Astros, Cubs, Brewers and Cardinals are reluctant to give that other foot because they might need that foot for Giles and they might want Giles more. But... Hey... I'm not in the room... just logical enough to assume that they are not holding out over an inch of real estate. Something is dragging the process out.

Fair Enough. I’ll simplify my stance then as the KC GM. Why am I trading Kennedy now when I know I can get more when Giles is off the market. Waiting a week increases my return unless he gets hurt. Maybe waiting for the off season increases my return. We sit here and demand action now from the Twins but that action will require an agreement from KC and KC should be playing us against the Phillies and everyone else using time as leverage and time isn’t leverage that the Twins will get to enjoy especially with the fan base screaming NOW!!! So if you agree there is a limit to what we should pay... there ya go.

Understood and I agree... but as ridiculous as the suggestion is... and I agree it’s rediculous. It establishes a very important point that is getting lost in this Trade Now discussion. The ridiculous suggestion establishes that there is a limit to what the team should be willing to give up. If there is a limit. How do you pay enough to shock Kansas City into trading without going over that limit. Especially when they are taking 11 phone calls from teams on that player and a assumption that the price will go up over time.

You are right... high bidder wins but what if Kansas City thinks they can get even more by waiting as you describe. I understand the Twins need for a deal yesterday. I question Kansas City’s reasoning to just stop the process of the prices go up waiting a week because we need the guy now and they don’t need to move him now. These are big boys at the big boy table.

This makes it sound so easy. Like there is no other possible influences changing the outcome. Just call Kansas City, offer this. Done deal. Kansas City will just say yes because no other team has thought of this. Do you think the Twins are the only team who has called Kansas City to ask how much money Kansas City will eat for your benefit. I agree we should have been more Bullpen serious in the off-season and during the season. I've often said that... but that isn't going to change the trade deadline complications of today. The Yankees were very bullpen serious in the off season and they are still most likely also calling Kansas City. Along with the Rays, Red Sox, Indians, Astros, A's, Braves, Phillies, Brewers, Cardinals, Cubs, Dodgers and D-Backs and maybe the Giants now. The Twins will probably have to do some over paying because of the lack of clear cut sellers but there has to be a limit and they have to prioritize the targets they seek. OK they over pay for Kennedy to establish the market at your request. Now, they just drove the price up on Giles by over paying for Kennedy. The top of the Twins prioritized list are probably the same players on top of the prioritized list of other teams. After a deep breath and clear mind... everybody should be able to see what kind of complication this creates to making a deal immediately. Ask yourself who has the leverage with just a couple of clear cut sellers and lots of buyers... the market is going to get established by how much the seller is willing to sell for. If you want the buyer to set the market today... It's Royce Lewis for Matt Capps.

No I'm not... I know that you are much smarter than that Jokin... And you know I am to. Please don't think that I'm ever minimizing you. I'm saying that any selling team is going to ask for more than teams are willing to give right now with the hope that they get it. It's 1:22 and I"M OLD!!!

Even you have to admit that these are concerns over something that hasn't happened yet based upon things that happened a long time ago. Good God... It's 1:12AM... I'm old and should be trying to sleep off my pulled hamstring. Good Night

I'm willing to bet the Twins are trying to make trades with the new rule 5 guys because I'm willing to assume that the front office has an eye on that. But I'm also willing to bet that Giants are asking for Royce Lewis every single phone call hoping the Twins front office reacts the way you are.

I don't know... I made a phone call to Lavine but he didn't pick up my call. You should care what other teams have done or haven't done... because in the long run, it will help stay reasonable about your expectations. Do you honestly believe the Twins are sitting there going... OK... we got a deal in place... but let's wait until July 31st. Is it possible that nobody has a deal in place and that's why no deal has been announced. Is it possible that the Twins offered an over pay to the Blue Jays while the Blue Jays are talking to other clubs to see if someone will over pay more. Is it possible that the Twins listened to the Blue Jays over ask and then called the D-Backs to see if they were not over-asking. Is it possible that this type of thing is slowing things down a little... this year and like every year. I suppose the Twins could walk into that auction room and plunk down 100 bucks for a bottle of wine when the top bid was going twice at 15 bucks... but, I'd want the front office gone at that point.

Do you know what the Tigers want for Boyd? Do you know what the Jays want for Stroman? Do you know that the Giants are trading Bumgarner. I don't... I just know that nobody has made a significant trade yet.

So you are saying that no front office is good... or no front office wants to win? Since no front office has established the market unilaterally.

Again... Look around the league... Who else has made moves? Name a team that has improved their bullpen... every team wants to improve their bullpen. Who else has made moves? Lots of crime around the league. Here's the thing... You, Chief and others probably didn't like the bullpen to begin with. So every time they hang zeroes for 7 innings it's insert backhanded compliment here but when a single run is scored... it's becomes total hate directed at the front office or the guy holding the ball. Again... I want bullpen improvement... I want mound improvement... but right now... nobody else is making moves either. The market probably isn't really established at the moment.

If my kids were younger and reading it. I'd have to tell them... I'm sorry but Adults can be that way some times and I'm sure that we can find much worse stuff on the internet but I'm not in the mood to debate the difference between being burned at the stake or tar and feathered.