tony&rodney
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Everything posted by tony&rodney
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This scenario is why the recently completed trade could potentially cost the Twins way more than imagined. We shall hope for the best but only DeScla's prior MLB experience puts him above #8 in the Twins system as a starting pitcher. Have pitchers come back and had brief flurries of decent pitching? Yes. Chris Archer and Dylan Bundy, they both had good days. San Francisco was very eager to move DeSclafani and Dipoto worked ceaselessly to move him as well. A good back end starting pitcher is not usually shuffled along so eagerly. Hey, maybe the Twins get wonderful innings from DeSclafani but the idea of pushing Varland or even Simeon Woods Richardson aside seems far from the notion discussed and written about all offseason of adding someone like Burnes, Luzardo, a Seattle top five starter, or others who might have slotted in behind Pablo Lopez. I think folks are beginning to see that the financial issues first noted last November are actually a thing. I'm wondering if the Twins might still trade Max Kepler and/or Kyle Farmer. It would sure help the crunch and give some players that people have talked about a chance to play, such as Larnach, Gordon, and Martin.
- 123 replies
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- jorge polanco
- brooks lee
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Both pitchers would be nice additions. Milwaukee doesn't need any outfielders, so only Lee plus seems reasonable and the Brewers want to win this year. I think Burnes is a long shot. Cease? The White Sox have turned down much more than the Twins can even offer but who knows what can happen in March.
- 123 replies
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- jorge polanco
- brooks lee
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A number of people who comment are still wondering about the Twins making a big signing of a major free agent. They point to late signings of Correa & Donaldson. This doesn't seem realistic to me. The roster budget is looking like somewhere near $120 million. We wait.
- 123 replies
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- jorge polanco
- brooks lee
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Spring Training and then April & May should tell us where DeSclafani is headed. We don't know. We should worry about holding back Louie Varland, Simeon Woods Richardson, and David Festa. I guess if DeScla can be almost as good as the average of what the Twins received from Dylan Bundy, Falvey will be pleased. I'm not particularly in love with analytics despite having devised my own system decades ago as a coach and following too many sites, but Eno Sarris of The Athletic put out a list of the top 150 starting pitchers. The Twins had six guys on the list. Varland was #87 and SWR was #149. DeScla was not on the list. As Twins fans we hope for the best.
- 123 replies
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- jorge polanco
- brooks lee
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The first order of business is to find a team that will take DeSclafani. If the Twins pay $2 million, they save another $2 million from the roster total. This potentially allows for an addition of some kind for a little less than $9 million. I don't know who though.
- 123 replies
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- jorge polanco
- brooks lee
- (and 4 more)
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What Do the Twins Have in Reliever Justin Topa?
tony&rodney replied to Cody Schoenmann's topic in Twins Daily Front Page News
Excellent comparison. -
The Jorge Polanco Trade Fails the Simplest of Tests
tony&rodney replied to John Bonnes's topic in Twins Daily Front Page News
Maybe the Twins are trying to see how Falvey does with budgets in the $85-115 million range. Challenge time. -
What Do the Twins Have in Reliever Justin Topa?
tony&rodney replied to Cody Schoenmann's topic in Twins Daily Front Page News
My only concern about Topa and DeSclafani is that the Twins don't use/keep them just because they traded for them. Topa has options, which is good. He had a good rookie year last season but struggled mightily for a decade prior. Giving DeSclafani starts over Varland would be pretty egregious at this point unless Louie is injured or just can't find the plate in March. No scholarships. Let the best players earn their positions. -
Ok. I like your optimism. Looking around baseball I'm not seeing anyone of Ace #2 material that the Twins could acquire. But time will tell.
- 336 replies
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- jorge polanco
- anthony desclafani
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I'm really curious about the comments that suggest the Twins may sign a free agent to a big contract Do people really believe that will occur? I took Falvey saying the Twins will allocate the savings on dumping Polanco as there will be a signing for around $5-8 million. But hey if the Twins sign Bellinger and Snell it is fine with me.
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What are the Twins Getting in Gabriel González?
tony&rodney replied to Jamie Cameron's topic in Twins Minor League Talk
A bit concerned about his lack of speed which can mean a Rooker type in the outfield. Perhaps a DH? -
Assessing the Twins' Trade of Jorge Polanco
tony&rodney replied to Ted Schwerzler 's topic in Twins Daily Front Page News
Fine that many TD readers are finally happy to see Polanco gone and that the Twins saved some money. Fine if you believe the Twins are better in the future because of this trade. There isn't any reason to play the shrill for the front office. Apparently all of the discussions and talk that focused on the Twins adding players better than what they currently have or more specifically adding a #2 starting pitcher has been long since forgotten. Last season Solano had a pretty decent season and he just may be our biggest addition of this offseason. Look over the list of the top 150 starting pitchers as ranked by Eno Sarris on The Athletic. The Twins have six (6) on the list, including Simeon Woods Richardson at #149. Guess who is not on that list?- 99 replies
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- jorge polanco
- justin topa
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Do you believe the Twins will get a front line starter?
- 336 replies
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- jorge polanco
- anthony desclafani
- (and 3 more)
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Assessing the Twins' Trade of Jorge Polanco
tony&rodney replied to Ted Schwerzler 's topic in Twins Daily Front Page News
So maybe the big addition will be a return of Solano for $4 million and then the Twins have completed their offseason. Ted, we don't know how the season will play out but suggesting DeSclafani can be better than SWR much less Festa or Varland is really a stretch. Trades are done for simple reasons. Make the team better in the future because the team is not really ready now, salary dumps, or acquiring players that make your team better now.. Seems pretty clear actually.- 99 replies
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- jorge polanco
- justin topa
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Ok, I know you are seeing things differently than I do, which is fine and I respect that. I guess I disagree with some of the views of this trade. When you say Polanco is not a top of the lineup hitter, this seems to be a disagreement with the managers. Why would guys like Molitor, Baldelli, and Seattle's manager all put Polanco in the top of their lineup if he didn't belong there? You also state that the number of games missed by Polanco. He was injured. Royce Lewis missed more games and we are not suggesting his career is past. The best collection of players make for the best teams. I was one to suggest that the Twins needed to add players better than what they already have now, not take away from their strengths to create positions for Larnach, Gordon, etc. I have nothing against Larnach, Gordon or others but feel Polanco is a better player for any team seeking to win more games. Seattle agrees. The money should have been irrelevant but perhaps the Twins need to be below $120 million for payroll. This is the only justification for this trade that makes any sense at all.
- 336 replies
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- jorge polanco
- anthony desclafani
- (and 3 more)
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The reality is that the coming season will play out in ways that are often unpredictable. Some things seem true though, but also can change. The Twins are not expected to win as many games this year as they were predicted to win before the trade. The Mariners win total predictions went up. Fangraphs, FWIW. To sum up the parts, a lottery ticket pitcher with control issues may possibly see time in MLB some day as a relief pitcher. This is Darren Bowen. A prospect who may have some pop in his bat and made decent contact in low A but really struggled in A+ ball, has a big arm but can't run and struggles to field but made the back half of a top 100 list. This is Gabriel Gonzalez. A middle relief pitcher who had a good season as a 32 year old rookie in 2023 after years of tough injuries. This is Justin Topa. A pitcher with a limited ceiling who has fallen on hard times after decent seasons in 2019 and 2021, who was traded twice this winter and is seen as below Simeon Woods Richardson as a starting pitcher by The Athletic's Eno Sarris. This is Anthony DeSclafani. Each can guess on all. Twins Daily is lauding this trade. Seattle blogs are joyous and wondering how Dipoto pulls these trades off, and BTV is once again going WTF. We will have our answer by October unless this was simply a salary dump or an attempt to field a better team in the future while giving up on this year's team which some have suggested. Personally I have no idea what Falvey is up to. I'm just a baseball fan and routinely follow/watch way too much baseball for my own good. As far as this trade goes, what is done is done. So it goes.
- 336 replies
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- jorge polanco
- anthony desclafani
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The payroll sits at around $115 million. Falvey stated the Twins plan to spend the $10 million. That would bring it back to $125 million. It isn't important really, but man what a switch from the mention of a $170 million payroll on this site and the Twins Daily roster calculator set to $150 million. Sure shows that fans are essentially out of it on their guesses to an extent.
- 336 replies
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- jorge polanco
- anthony desclafani
- (and 3 more)
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Yeah, this is what we knew last November. Dipoto wanted Polanco and Kepler. The Twins are short on outfielders and wouldn't talk Kepler. Dipoto played it cool, laid low and struck. Shannon is right on the mark. The Mariners improved dramatically at 2nd, 3rd, and at utility by adding Polanco. You noticed that she emphatically states that the Mariners have zero concerns about Polanco's health. I didn't either, but as you have read many across Twins Daily believe Polanco's career is over. I guess we shall see soon enough. Good for the Mariners. BTW, I really believe that Jerry would have traded Miller or Woo for Polanco plus a #6-12 prospect if Falvey had waited a couple of months. We'll never know.
- 336 replies
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- jorge polanco
- anthony desclafani
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I appreciate your positive voice here. There are a few things to consider though. First the Twins lose a guy who bats either 2nd or 3rd in their lineup. Only good players hit in those spots. Right? Second, the pitcher is not as good as our current bottom of the rotation arm or even (according TheAthletic's Eno Sarris) Simeon Woods Richardson. So not someone to use as a starter really. Third, quality depth is always a good thing to have available. There is a DH to rotate players. Again, thanks for the positive addition but this trade looks to hurt the team for the coming season.
- 336 replies
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- jorge polanco
- anthony desclafani
- (and 3 more)
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This season will tell where Polanco is headed. This was the first time in several years that he did not head into the season behind because of rehabbing a surgery. We cannot predict anything. George Kirby could blow out his arm in March and I sure hope he never gets injured. Stuff happens. I don't know how closely you follow the Mariner's minor leagues. Guys like Young, Ford, Celesten, and Adcock are all better players from my view than Gonzalez. Gonzalez has a ton of questions popping up already when he moved to A+ ball. He didn't look real good but there is still time. I would feel better if the Twins had received Ford in return. I do think Topa had a good year last year, but it was just one year. There is no real history with Topa. Unless a miracle happens DeSclafani is pretty much done. It was common knowledge that Dipoto would move him somehow. Polanco is not old unless we are to believe his past injuries are permanent. He could be an All Star this summer for Seattle. I believe that Seattle easily won this trade for 2024, and it doesn't even seem close. A few national sites are sure wondering. It looks a little like a mini salary dump with the money paying half of ADe's contract. Oh well, good luck to Seattle.
- 336 replies
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- jorge polanco
- anthony desclafani
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1. The team is worse off tonight than it was this morning. 2. DeSclafani has bottomed out. Now we need to be open that any pitcher could contribute, but think Bundy. If Varland is not starting the team is worse off. 3. The guy who bats in your three hole is gone and the return cannot make up the difference. 4. Polanco was among the most popular of players in the clubhouse due to his humility and friendliness. I'm concerned that Max Kepler make ask for a trade.
- 336 replies
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- jorge polanco
- anthony desclafani
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You got it wrong. Seattle is sending money to Minnesota.
- 336 replies
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- jorge polanco
- anthony desclafani
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Not even close to Varland. Eno Sarris ranks the top 150 starting pitchers in MLB. Simeon Woods Richardson is #149, Louie Varland is #87, and DeSclafani does not make the list at all. Keep in mind that anything can happen but right now he is not as good as Bundy.
- 336 replies
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- jorge polanco
- anthony desclafani
- (and 3 more)
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Well I said I would say I'm wrong if the Twins traded Polanco for less than his worth to the Twins and it feels like that just happened, so .... I was wrong. Harmony55, you have continually championed Seattle and their players. I questioned how you felt DeSclafani had any worth and suggested that Trader Jerry would dump him. Did not suspect the foil. Questioned how you felt that Urias, Rojas, etc. were a representative group at 2B and 3B. I was sure Dipoto was after Jorge all offseason but did not suspect Polanco going so cheaply. Seattle moved much closer to AL West contention tonight and i will be watching some late night games. Polanco will be in the three hole for the Mariners. Hard to believe that Dipoto gets Polanco for a decent middle relief pitcher, a guy the Giants wanted to cut, and two prospects who we shall be patient with as they hopefully develop. Hey maybe DeSclafani rises from the ashes, but if the Twins use him above Louie Varland it will cost the Twins. There are still weeks to go before the season begins and I will be hopeful for a trade to improve the team. Right now, my personal projection system moved the Twins from 87 wins (+/- 5) this morning to 85 victories tonight for the 2024 season. Those of you who wanted Polanco traded asap for a relief pitcher, any prospects, or whatever sure guessed correctly.
- 336 replies
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- jorge polanco
- anthony desclafani
- (and 3 more)
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Yes, this is correct. However, remember that the owners only say yes when they want to.
- 45 replies
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- carlos correa
- josh donaldson
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(and 1 more)
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