tony&rodney

I don't think that Jose Miranda was ever fully healthy in 2023. The Twins will want to see what he can do when healed and at full strength. Don't forget that Miranda hit very well in the minor leagues and in large stretches in his rookie year. A huge unknown for Minnesota is how Kirilloff and Miranda look when the bell rings.

Gordon and Balazovic need to stick on the 26 person roster or they can be claimed. I have put Austin Martin in the lineup batting 9th in a number of iterations for the Twins in 2024. Martin is the one rookie who I hope can make a big contribution next season.

For sure, Miami still needs to upgrade their offense. I'm not sure the Twins have any players of interest. They are specifically looking for an experienced DH, SS, and 3B. While it might have been 90% of TD against trading Jeffers, it might be 10% added to that to trade Royce Lewis. Perhaps you were thinking that the Marlins would be interested in Brooks Lee? Maybe. That's it though. Their outfield is covered as is second base.

Miami got their catcher today, which takes any trades with the Marlins for pitching off the board.

I think if you are going to follow the Twins, you need to be a realist and recognize the types of players and strategies that the team follows. You don't need to agree with Falvey's designs, but reality happens nonetheless. The Twins are not focused on defense in their scouting, development, promotions, or trades. That doesn't mean that they do not favor good defenders or teach it, it just means that their priorities are placed in other areas above defense. This is also true on contact. Remember, two things can both be true. The justification by the Twins is that their decisions bring the team a greater chance at winning games. Again, one does not have to agree with the Twins ideas. If you are referring to Julien at second base (right?), and assuming he is the primary second baseman in 2024, he will rarely be lifted next season for a defensive player. Now, in fact, Julien may be traded or not be the choice at second base, but if he is then fans need to know he will complete the vast majority of games he starts in the field. Don't let this bother you because as fans we just watch while Falvey runs the show, for better or worse.

Slow down there ... My position has been trotted out all too often (by me and sometimes by others in replies) and sometimes misunderstood badly. 1. Are the Twins hurting that badly for money and do not feel they can carry the team they currently have? While I do not believe this to be true, some have suggested this. In this case, the Twins trade players for prospects, but do not really expect to win in 2024. I'm opposed to that move. 2. The Twins are able to trade one or more of their guys making from $6-11 million, possibly in combination with other players or prospects to improve their team (markedly) for 2024. In this case, the Twins trade 2-3 players which may include Polanco or others plus a potential prospect, etc. for a starting pitcher like Logan Gilbert. I don't think Gilbert is available but used his name. I am in favor of trades that make the Twins better in 2024 and into the future. 3. While I do not want the Twins to trade certain prospects (Festa, Emm-Rod, Jenkins), any trade of any player in the Twins system is acceptable for a clear improvement for the team. 4. I am in favor of and hopeful for a challenge type of trade that improves the team, similar to the trade of Arraez for Lopez last year. 5. Lastly (I promise), I do not want the Twins to trade any of Polanco, Kepler, Vazquez, or Farmer just to clear payroll. I have zero illusions of the Twins signing a top dollar player, which means clearing salary is pointless if the team does not receive a very good return (see #2). The Guardians just signed Austin Hedges for $4 million. A couple of relief pitchers just signed for @$5 million. The clock is ticking and opportunities are passing but the Twins would be foolish to just trade players to save money.

Yah, the Twins are in a difficult position for adding any starting pitcher of significance. Guys like Lewis, Lee, Julien, Emm-Rod, Festa, and Jenkins should not be traded unless the return is someone like George Kirby. So, not happening. The team is actually in reasonably good shape as it sits. Falvey will add a few pitchers to compete for bullpen jobs, but it is likely that pitchers are the ones to fill the 40 person roster. The Marlins are still a possibility. You mention Rogers as a possibility, but the big known is that we don't know where Miami is headed; total guessing. We do know that Miami needs a catcher. How far would Falvey go to gamble on acquiring pitching? Is Miami still looking to save money? Perhaps the Twins could pry away a potential future asset like Sandy Alcantara along with Edward Cabrera for Ryan Jeffers. Too risky? This entire exercise of trying to guess where the Twins might improve their team has become Groundhog Day.

Baseball more closely reflects what is the experience of the United States than football, basketball, and particularly hockey. There is a massive amount of money in all of these corporations but the largely shared revenues and regulated limitations of football, basketball, and hockey are not in play in baseball nor in the corporate U. S. to the same degree. Individuals are left to make of it as they wish but it is what it is. The ownership of baseball franchises has been carefully controlled but one wonders if the allure may fade somewhat for a very few certain ownership groups as they realize that their assets, the players, are worth more than they are. Same as it ever was, money will drive the business and the direction of the corporation we call MLB. I think we are all aware of that as we follow the conundrum of how the Twins will attempt to build a better team in 2024. I find it is best to just enjoy the games as individual contests of competition.

Sorta ironic that there is a post on missing Pagan. For two years he blew up, but then managed to be good in the low pressure situations which gained him a beautiful new multi-year contract with Cincy. Good for Pagan. I'm glad he got his payday. The Twins will search around and sign some guys for February and March. Perhaps a Brock Stewart clone arrives, but the team is fine with Alcala, Winder, Sands, and Sons.

MLB doesn't have money? The Ohtani signing might disagree. No matter what, business makes money when it comes to big business.

..... and me as I have stated dozens of times on TD.

People want to trade with Milwaukee and Miami. Ok, here are a couple of trades that Milwaukee and Miami might consider. I hear calls for pitching coming to Minnesota. Now, I'm not suggesting these trades as let it happen, but attempting to put out what the other teams may find agreeable. Milwaukee: Joe Ryan, Griffin Jax, Marco Raya & Jorge Polanco for Jeferson Quero, Abner Uribe, & Corbin Burnes. The Brewers are unlikely to trade Quero or even listen to offers for him. Miami: Bailey Ober, Ryan Jeffers, Trevor Larnach, & Josh Winder for Max Meyer, Sandy Alcantara, & Edward Cabrera. Nobody seems to know how the Marlins value Cabrera, Meyer, or Alcantara. Alcantara is out for 2024. I will add one more - Seattle: Brooks Lee Or Ed. Julien, Max Kepler, plus two A or AA pitchers for Logan Gilbert. None of these will happen but are more or less a reflection of the demands for pitching. I do think the Brewers might accept a trade of Mitchell for Polanco, which was suggested by TopGun#22. Polanco is a good player and if a trade returns a player that makes the Twins better in 2024, they have to trade him. The paltry $10.5M will not be enough to pay for a pitcher that makes a difference unless it is Burnes. The Rays will trade Glasnow for Jeffers but that is it and the Twins cannot pay Glasnow. Twins won't do that deal. Falvey has his work cut out for him, but there will be opportunities and the team as it is now can compete too.

???

If the Twins trade with Tampa Bay there is interest in Jeffers or starting pitchers. That's it. The Rays have twice as many infielders as the Twins. Why would they add another? They wouldn't even ask about Lewis or Julien - that's how stacked they are at 3B/2B.

Brock, you follow the Brewers. Willy Adames has one year before free agency. Polanco is a second baseman and Adames is a shortstop which does not exactly make for a clean comparison. I'm not opposed at all to trading Polanco if the return makes the Twins better in 2024. Still...... Which player do you see as having more value to other teams all things considered?

If the Twins need money that badly, trade everyone (Polanco, Kepler, Vazquez, Farmer) for prospects. Otherwise it is pointless to trade an excellent player like Jorge Polanco for anything less than guys who will make the Twins a better team in 2024. We can splash around every metric and argument available to describe why Polanco is no longer the player he was in 2019 and 2021 and feel it is a good idea to trade him. A mediocre Jeimer Candelario just signed for 3/$45M. Polanco is the best infielder whose name is being discussed in possible trades. He still holds value and unless the Twins are rebuilding or get a strong offer (singular or as part of a larger package of players), just say no. Last offseason Max Kepler was in the news on a regular basis and his funky play into June brought screams of "release him". Well, Max showed up and the Twins do not win the AL Central without him. The Twins kept Kepler because the offers were not worth it and the same logic needs to be applied to Polanco (and Kepler, Farmer, and Vazquez) now.

Toronto is a beautiful city, but I'm not a fan of that park.

Trades totally depend on the pitcher and ask and of course everyone knows that. So, looking at the year, context, and details we should understand that Glasnow is too much money, unless we completely do not take the Twins at their word. Bieber would be a trade in division and he has struggled with injuries the past couple of years. David Festa is the Twins top starting pitcher prospect. The Twins are more likely to trade Brooks Lee or Emmanuel Rodriguez, which I would disagree with unless the return was a George Kirby/ Logan Gilbert deal. For 2024 money is an issue (according to the Twins). Certain players will be difficult to acquire. The Twins need to be judicious about which prospects are available. There are still potential trades to be made, but I'm guessing that these transactions will be more from the position players side than the pitchers. Teams trade from surplus and pitching is dear within the Twins system.

The double plays should go to 14 next season if he returns to an average season.

Twins fans waited a few years for Lewis to arrive. The two ACL setbacks and growing pains in the minor leagues created fairly low expectations for what Lewis could accomplish in 2023. Then Lewis blew through and left a fan base energized by his personality and home runs. Folks have elevated Royce Lewis to a status that often follows a #1-1 MLB draft choice and he is now seen as the star of the team by many. We have now arrived at the point where Lewis needs to perform to expectations.

For all of the reasons you put down, signing Shohei makes sense for the Twins. I'm thinking many of us on Twins Daily have at least considered it. However, as you also say .... it is not happening. I would be shocked if the Twins even contacted Ohtani's agent or had a serious conversation about him internally. The money.

I didn't mean anything remotely negative by my comment. The "There is that" is meant as a reminder for my self and all that the Twins are going to be tight with contracts. The Gibson, Lynn and other deals tells what constitutes a starting point. The Ed. Rodriguez to Arizona reminds us what a free agent #3 guy costs (4/$80M). The guys noted in the post are going to get innings, which is why this post is a good one. Naturally, there is always the chance that the Twins surprise us again, but the reality makes those odds low. A trade can happen and I do expect one. However, I would not bet on that either. I'm very positive about the 2024 team and also taking the reduced budget as a thing.

..... except for the next Chris Archer or Dylan Bundy (both were ok actually) have starting prices of $10+ million and the Twins look pretty close to maxxed out already on salary. There is that.

India had a pretty good rookie season. Polanco is clearly a better player in my opinion but there is no way to know how others view these two side by side. India has three and Polanco two more years of control. For me, it is an easy choice as well.

During the discussions on potential trades in the last month or so, my comments have indicated a firm opposition to all trades that include David Festa. The tall skinny right hander needs experience and refinement, but he already has the pitches. Hopefully Festa finds time during the offseason to gain some strength and coaching to make the subtle changes which propel him into becoming a major league pitcher. I believe he could be a #2/3 starting pitcher as early as 2025 or 2026. Most pitchers suffer growing pains in their first turns/year. I guess we shall see soon enough about all of these pitchers.