tony&rodney

Agree with ashbury, even if the article is nicely done. We are Twins fans and Smeltzer, Thorpe, and whoever may be the team's solution. Relief pitching is funky and results come in all shapes - sign Kinzler.

Kluber may or may not be returning to form but he was as good a gamble as there was out there this year. Plug in Dobnak, Thorpe, Balazovic, and Duran and keep Smeltzer loose too. If the Twins can't sign Kluber for $12 million then it is time to give the kids a shot and i guess I'm fine with that decision. Just no Homer Bailey, please.

Well, I guess the Twins were daydreaming ... a miss.

Every year Minnesotans wait for Spring ... and the Twins. Patience is our lot. April isn't far off - stay safe and warm.

Hendriks is really good and I hope he has a fantastic year. I love that he was tunneled from a very young age to throw to spots and learn his craft. It has all come together for him and every baseball fan should be delighted at his success. The White Sox did get great outings from their closer last year, however, and Hendriks alone doesn't win the World Series for the White Sox. The Twins are very good right now and it should be a fun summer of baseball. We may pay more attention than in past years because of the competition. I bet on the Twins.

Both are fine players but ... hard pass in favor of other needs: bat, pitching, and pitching.

Ted, I always love your posts. I'm not hearing the hints from the Twins, so we all keep hinting for them. I'm hinting Cory Kluber, Trevor Rosenthal, Nelson Cruz, and Ehire Adrianza. I would love to see Simmons come aboard or a trade to bring in Sonny Gray too. Any move that substantially improves the Twins is fine with me. However, the silence from the Twins makes me think they are pretty staunch in their belief of the current roster with 2-3 additions from the vast array of players still out there. My main concern, above all else, is MLB's total incompetence in setting the rules for this coming season. It's total negligence and GM's are waiting to see if they only need to build a team that wins 80 games in a full season because every team qualifies for the playoffs. This is the main hangup in my view.

This - Cory Kluber can neutralize the White Sox 5-6 times this summer. He has a good beard, is cool, and is super fun to watch pitch as he carves up hitter after hitter. Doesn't that sound good?

The dollars direct the team. The Twins can add Kluber and Adrianza to sit around $110 million. They can add Cruz if they are somewhere near $120+ million for the roster. Where life gets interesting is if the Twins are open to a payroll between $130-155 million. I cannot fathom a scenario where the Twins sign Ozuna because they are loaded with corner bats and players to rotate through the DH position. Nelson Cruz is a short term cost and his past production warrants another look, not because the team owes him but because he has been consistently good. While there is some evidence of decline, it is scant and Cruz still compares more than favorably with all other options. A roster of 26 also affords a team to carry a player like Cruz who only carries a bat. At this time, with this team - no to Ozuna.

Cory Kluber is fun and really cool.

We just cannot guess the trade market right now, although it would be sweet to add Sonny Gray and/or Luis Castillo in a blockbuster move. Agree that the free agents are not real inspiring but Kluber may be worth a gamble, especially if he is interested in a host of incentives within a contract that can include a second year. Kluber is intoxicating because he was so much fun to watch.

One consideration that may present the Twins fortunes to come in a more positive light is the depth of their players who are at or approaching significant contribution status. This list could include Duran, Balazovic, or others. The Twins seem to have more depth than the White Sox. However, the post makes solid points that the next month may be crucial as the Twins solidify their major league roster with a few key additions. Management seems to have a plan and when April rolls around it does appear that the Twins and White Sox could be well matched to compete this coming season. The competition is healthy.

Buxton, Sano, Berrios, Maeda, and more are all available under the right circumstances. Twins Daily articles and discussions have mentioned Garver, Sano, and more in trade conversations. The post has a lock like Cave, but leaves off two players who are just as certain as any others to be locks on the roster. Donaldson because of his contract is an exception, but the Twins would trade him too if they could. I'm not opposed to any combinations of moves that result in the Twins being a stronger competitive team in 2021 than in 2020. The post was locks for the roster and I believe Arraez and Polanco qualify as locks. Others disagree and want a new set of players in the middle of the infield. I think the Twins are looking for two reserve players, one or two starting pitchers, and one or two relief pitchers. If they stumble into JT Realmuto or other free agents or find a trade that is too good to pass up, then they will gladly make a move. The roster is pretty set on one hand but with a big wallet in hand, the Twins would clearly react to a favorable set of circumstances. It is possible to see the Twins signing Bauer, Adrianza, and Clippard and call it a day. An example of a player the Twins really needed but was clearly not available at a cost suitable to the Twins planning sheet: Liam Hendriks. So they wait, call, talk, and listen.

Cruz is a victim of his own magnificence. A normal 40 year old former MLB star plays amateur ball where reduced skills are the norm. Cruz has been terrific and if he was even 35 the discussions would be totally different. But he isn't and age happens. All of the arguments are well put and it does seem like the internal options are great, but wouldn't it make some sense to see Nelson Cruz again this coming summer. I can even accept if he is injured or suddenly cannot Boom. I'm of the mind to offer $15-17 million for this year with some option that is at the team's discretion and might include a path into coaching. Nelson Cruz is not even the shadow of Harmon Killebrew but letting the Killer go to Kansas City was the single worst mistake in franchise history. The Twins can afford to take a swig of Cruz in '21. Who knows, he may once again forget how old he is and do his little tip-toe jog around the bases enough to keeping us all smiling at the absurdity of it all.

There are two scenarios where Polanco and/or Arraez are not total locks for the coming season. 1) One or both of them are disabled and unable to play which necessitates a sudden decision to sign or trade for a regular shortstop or second baseman. 2) The Twins complete a total blockbuster trade like some have suggested. For example, Sonny Gray, Luis Castillo, and Mike Moustakos arriving in return for Luis Arraez, Mitch Garver, Trevor Larnach, Randy Dobnak, and Lewis Thorpe. The Twins signed Polanco to a very team friendly long term contract and while not permanent there were discussions about his position and place on the field at that time. Arraez has a unique set of skills that portend possible special player status. Nothing short of debilitating injuries or a major trade will change their status in my opinion. If this was a gambling site, I would play 10 to 1 odds on Polanco and Arraez as locks. However, I have lost before. Such is life. Go Twins.

This would be a smart move, especially if the Twins could sign two, perhaps Kluber and Garrett Richards or even a return of Hill. We shouldn'r forget that Dobnal, Thorpe, Smeltzer, Duran, and Balazovic are in the wings; these players are valuable. Kluber is throwing on Wednesday.

Do you expect trades or do you think the Twins will roll with what they have?

Agreed, the Twins are sitting in a solid position with a payroll around $90 million and a competitive team already rostered. Dobnak, Thorpe, Smeltzer, Duran, Balazovic, Colina and a few others can fill their pitching needs quite ably. Likewise, the field players are solid with reasonable reserves, especially if Adrianza would return in his role as a reserve/coach. This does allow the Twins to wait. If there is a budget from $ 110-150 million, the decisions still must be made and I am hoping that the Twins take at least one gamble. Wait too long and the player you want may be gone. Trades are an option too. Personally, I would like to see the payroll expanded or at least match last year, but adding Liam Hendriks and Cory Kluber or James Paxton along with getting Adrianza back in our uniform would be minimum additions if something near $120 is required.

What will Pittsburgh require for Musgrove? I'm interested for a smaller cost. from amjgt- "Gray, Castillo, and Moustakas for Garver, Arraez, Larnach, Duran, Cavaco." This is quite aggressive. Do the Reds hang up? Add Thorpe and/or Smeltzer? Cincy may have some interest in moving Moose and a player who gets on base and doesn't strike out very often such as Arraez would be a very attractive addition in their lineup. Conversely, can the Twins lose such a player? In the nothing new department ... all of these suggestions and speculations do hinge on the ceiling of the budget for this coming season. I can see a mid $140s million roster, but will not be surprised by a ceiling of $ 115-120 million. The higher budget does allow for the Reds trade and returning Nelson Cruz. More likely are less dramatic additions.

Has MLB definitively set rosters at 25 or 26? For some reason I'm not sure of this. I favor 25. Kirilloff/Rooker/Larnach should take a roster spot or two. I'm holding out (still) for Hendriks or Rosenthal. My preference is to then add either Soria or Clippard. Colina or others could slide in as the season progresses and need is apparent. If a suitable trade cannot be accomplished for Sonny Gray or Luis Castillo or Joe Musgrove, then I'm hoping for Kluber or Walker and maybe Hill. They might be bargains. Finally, while not opposed at all to a major addition in the infield, I am fine with a return of Adrianza. The Twins roster is set more than most and they are poised to win the division with just two or three decent moves. There are free agents readily available but we are all still just guessing about any potential big trades. The main cloud that hovers over the Twins is a beast for many teams - health. For the Yankees it is Judge and Stanton, while other squads have their worries too. The Twins are leaning heavy on a return to health for a host of very fine athletes: Polanco, Arraez, Buxton, Donaldson, Garver, Kepler, and Rooker. Can Sano show up at Ft.Myers at a nimble 250 pounds? So many uncertainties lead many to look for changes when a winter of healing might be all that was needed. Lastly, it is entirely possible that we are all vaccinated and ready to move freely by June. The strain of Covid for the players should not be dismissed when evaluating 2020. This summer could be normal.

Arraez, Polanco, and one of Rooker/Kirilloff/Larnach are also locks. Any player on any team can be traded for the right offer. Ok. Except Trout. The other spots you have open remain: 2 reserves (1 may be Cruz at DH), 2 starters, and 2 relievers. Trades or free agent signings will happen to fill the roster. The Twins are highly unlikely to fill the roster with all rookies or released signings. The weeks before Spring Training should be exciting.

A little caution for anyone looking at that trade site - it can be very distorted. Example: let's trade for Baez and send over Smeltzer, Astudillo, and Gordon. This is big overpay by the Twins, but will the Cubs really consider this offer? Would you? The site may be worth a look but it is pretty bogus overall.

Well put Doc Bauer. Baseball needs to get its house in order from collective bargaining that distributes the revenues in order to equitably allow for profits and strong salaries that build the product, labor peace that recognizes the role of milb and those players just gaining a job in their first years as well as public relations to celebrate teams and stars, to standardizing the rules a year or two in advance as opposed to the current shifting status. A plague on both the MLBPA, the commissioner, and the owners for the present condition of MLB. Both sides share blame and the sport suffers.

Trading Ramirez? Bowie Kuhn would have stepped in here. I can't see it. It could happen though. What a crazy thought. What next - Bieber? Lewis, Larnach, and Duran for Bieber? Poor Cleveland. This is how we felt when Rod Carew was traded. Then it was, poor Twins fans.

Nash, love the post and your ideas. Earlier you suggested a trade for Ketel Marte that was very intriguing. I'm still curious if there is any chance if the Diamondbacks could be talked into a reasonable trade. Certainly Story and Baez are both worth looking at in the trade market. Colorado or the Cubs may be more interested in Josh Winder, but this is the year to take a chance. I am a big Jorge Polanco fan and have stated a defense of his position as our shortstop on numerous occasions. However, there are strong reasons to take on a one year contract for either Baez or Story. Extensions would be icing if at all possible for the Twins. While I'm not convinced at all that Chicago would part with Baez, neither his down 2020 nor Story's stats at Coors worry me in the least. These guys are both outstanding players. Any trade for either Baez or Story would affect the dollars available to fill SP and RP. Unfortunately, a play for Story would almost certainly mean that Nelson Cruz doesn't return. There should still be enough, however, to fill out our pitching needs. The next seven weeks promise to be exciting. Who knew this week would be so much fun.