Riverbrian

Loved that Vikings Rotation!!!

I actually pondered this for longer than I should have. All I could come up with was... "Depression Tree". Coming up with an opposite for stick in that sense was hard.

He might not leave after that.

Oh yeah... I remember that one.

I think Cole got us once as well. I don't remember April was such a long time ago.

Everything just looks like fastball variations. The One is straight a little... This sinks a little... this one slides a little... this one runs a little. Yeah I get that he mixes it up... but everything he throws is just a little.

Take a look at how the Brewers handled their pitching staff in the playoffs last year. They didn't let their starters stink and struggle for 5. Wade Miley led the team in innings pitched throwing 14.2 Innings making a total of 4 starts. 2 Earned runs 0.95 WHIP. The Brewers played 10 playoff games... Led the all post season teams in Team ERA with a 2.40 ERA facing the Rockies and Dodgers.

Off the top of my head. Trevor Bauer... maybe first series of the year. He may not have went 8 or 9 but he we didn't look like we were going to touch him.

I know I said this and I know that he has struck out 5 batters in a row. But He still looks hittable even as he struck out 5 batters in a row.

Whoever it was... probably meant starting pitching. Pitching in general will be perpetually important.

Farris Bueller could dial that thing back.

Kubel took him deep. Kubel is watching this game and saying: "Porcello is only 30"?

I've seen Porcello pitch maybe 5,627 times now. Every time I watch him... He just looks hittable. Every single time I watch him. It's also shocking that he's only 30 since it seems like he has been pitching for 30 years.

Marwin is becoming my favorite Twin.

I know what you mean. I was hoping to be done with supper before the game.

If I didn't know who Mookie Betts was and he walked into a room... All 5-9 180 pounds of him. And he said... I'm a Major League Baseball Player... I think I'd go "Sure you are... Me To".

Yep... I'm on the same page in the playbook. Bumgarner costs us Graterol. Plus... We will have to trade for an arm in 2019 because we won't be signing 3 FA's to fill the abandoned rotation spots. So now you've added Kiriloff to get a quality arm for 2020. The end result is Graterol and Kiriloff potentially for one roster spot when Graterol plus a player or two from the next tier took care of both this year and next.

In my opinion... the Yankees were already extremely deep offensively. So much so... that I think it is quite possible that the acquisition of EE doesn't move the offensive needle upward that much. However... Where EE can really move the needle for the Yankees is in the form of the next trade they make for starting pitching. EE allows them to trade a quality position player for a starter and not move the offensive needle downward and really moving the needle on the mound. The Twins were always capable of this type of creativity. If the price was cheap for EE... I hope that the front office didn't say to themselves... "We got Cron and Cruz so where are we going to put EE"? But Yeah... The Yankees had the advantage because they could easily shift Stanton to the OF and then move an OF for starting pitching. That's the beauty of depth and flexibility.

Who knows but that K rate is still impressive pumpkin or not. Also... If he is turning into a pumpkin I’d rather he turned into a pumpkin wearing a Twins uniform.

Agreed The Mets seem to be at a crossroads. They could go either way but they seem to have stepped forward so stepping back at this time would appear somewhat clumsy for a new GM to undertake but who knows. The Giants in my opinion should be tearing it down immediately and starting over and they seem to have limited assets to do so quickly. They have to drop payroll with players that are not that attractive anymore while trying to build up a depleted farm, those two things don’t go together well. Melancon for example isn’t attractive to anyone at the moment due to contract and performance. The Giants have a lot of These types... Longoria, Crawford, Belt. I’d imagine they will want to make sure they get some prospects back for Bumgarner and Smith because the others won’t rebuild the farm with quality. I can see the Yankees trying to use Frazier for Bumgarner for example. The Giants need a reset bad in my opinion.

It’s an example of creativity that can be used to get deals done but I do agree with Spycake above. The Marlins should be more motivated to keep young controllable talent then shed the last remaining high dollar contract. However... the same concept could be applied with other teams in different stages of roster building. The Giants for example would love to remove money off the books I imagine. The Mets might if they don’t turn it around. All in all... I think the Twins will try simple prospect for player trades because they’d like to keep their books uncluttered as much as possible. But yeah... I’d love to have both of those guys right now. The Yankees... will see. They were already offensively deep. It’s the 2nd move after the EE trade that will truly strengthen them. Frazier is now a trade chip for starting pitching with Stanton back in the outfield after EE takes over DH.

I have no issues with Marwin defensively at any position. I think as a whole, we've had a stretch of defensive mistakes lately that will ebb and flow as the season rolls along but in the end we will be just fine defensively. I’m not sure there is anything that needs a remedy.

The Animal you refer to is Zach Greinke. The more money on that contract we assume will lower the prospect price needed to complete the deal accordingly. We can still purchase a player. Take on the whole contract, we might get him for Seth Stohs.

OK... I'm out of the rain and dried off. I can try again without being distracted by the raindrops. First, for complete clarity. If my team is in contention... there is no circumstance where I will punt a playoff contending team. I will try to improve the club in preparation for the playoffs every single time. It doesn't matter if my team backed into the last wild card spot. I'm prepping for a deep playoff run. Basically... if I'm in the playoffs... I'm thinking deep playoff run and there is no circumstance that would make me think differently. We have 3 blue chips. My definition of Blue Chip is top 100. Obviously, the Blue Chips will bring back the best quality in return. If a Bumgarner rental costs me 33% of my Blue Chip stack like Bowden suggested. I'd rather spend that 33% of my Blue Chip stack plus additional prospects for someone like Syndergaard who is also available to pitch for us next year. Or Duffy with the Royals, Boyd or Fulmer with the Tigers, Kluber, Bauer or Carrasco with the Indians or Stroman with the Jays. I like him but, I don't believe that Bumgarner is a guaranteed World Series victory. Now, weather he increases our chances over the guys I list is certainly debatable. However, the guys I list can help us this year and they can help us next year. The window next year will be open for us. This offense is real and it will be back. We can go for it this year and next year. We need to find 3 starters for next year and there is no historical precedence of any team grabbing 3 top flight free agent starters in one off-season and there is certainly no historical precedence of a team with the Twins self imposed financial limitations doing this. We will have to make a trade for a starter next year. Burning a Blue Chip on a rental means that you are actually burning two before training camp or settling for a lessor starting pitcher in 2020 because we spent on a rental. Bottom Line, If you are spending a blue chip. Get a starter who will pitch this year and next year. If you have to trade Graterol plus to get the extra year, so be it.

I’m trying to type outside in the rain. I will never count on prospect when making future plans. Never... the prospect arrived when he arrives. In no way am I considering Graterol for 2020. If he is ready... great... if he’s not. I wasn’t counting on him. My concern with Graterol is strictly the value of the chip he is. We have 3 blue chips. Blow a blue one on a rental and you will have to repeat it again in the off season. It makes more sense if you spending a blue chip to trade for this year and next. Player with an extra year of control.