Cory Engelhardt

1) I would be all about Price, especially if Boston covered even some of the salary. Playoff experience, previous working history with Rocco and Josh Kalk. Could be a great role model. If the shoulder holds out, this could be a great way to add talent for relatively low cost in terms of prospects going back! 2) Wheeler or Bumgarner or Ryu (whoever they like the best) getting one in the fold would also significantly add to our team. As many playoff-level starters as possible should be in our rotation. 3) Buxton, Berrios, May, Rogers all should be approached for good extensions. No doubt! Love the article!

I would totally go for Wheeler. I want either of them, or Ryu, on the team. I like Wheeler’s stuff more for sure. If he is here, that is good in my book. Gallen I like more than most. I am all about trading for a pitcher though, someone young with team control. There are definitely other options though. Who else should they look at?

1) You might be right. I wanted to shoot for trading for a pitcher with team control and that the Twins would like their stuff. I'm not certain it is an overpay. They gave up a very good prospect to get him 3 months ago. They might be open to gaining some good prospects/players for him now, no? 2) I'd argue the trade I brought up is an underpay for Anderson. He's only 26 and has been almost a 4 WAR player for 2 years in a row. Larnach, or the idea of Larnach, would be tough to lose. But the other 3 players that I named, are any of them future stars? Anderson is someone I see as being a core level player here.

1) I can agree with that, as it was super tough to give up Balazovic. Still, Gallen threw 80 innings in the majors last year, and 133 and 147 the two years prior in the minors. Balazovic has topped out at 93 innings, but I still think he has a chance to be something. Gallen, to me, already looks like he is someone that we hope Balazovic could turn in to. Rosario leaving could hurt, as would Thorpe, but I love the potential. I also figured if our fans hate a trade, but don't loathe it with every fiber of their being, then it is probably fair 2) Brian Anderson has 4 years of team control, has had 3.9 and 3.8 Baseball Reference WAR in back to back years in Miami, and grades out well above average defensively, all while hitting 261/342/468 for a pretty bad Miami team. And I'd argue no one they are giving up is a true difference maker, even if all of them are solid/good. 3) The 3 free agents, those are guesses on money. I know 72 is what a lot of people are predicting for Bumgarner, but if 6 teams are offering 72, Twins may have to go above that to secure his services no?

Here is my first blueprint for the Twins offseason. I'm using baseballtradevalues.com to come up with the trade scenarios. 1) Let CJ Cron walk. 2) Re-sign Sergio Romo, 1 year 3 million. Re-sign Jason Castro, 1 years 6 million with an option. 3) Keep Odorizzi, either through QO or work out a 3 year deal. 4) Trade Eddie Rosario, Jordan Balazovic and Lewis Thorpe to Arizona for starter Zac Gallen. I REALLY like his upside, and he comes with 6 years of team control. His changeup and command would look great long term. 5) Trade Trevor Larnach, Brent Rooker, Nick Gordon and Blayne Enlow to Miami for Brian Anderson. 4 years of team control, solid defensive 3rd baseman and can hit. This would move Miguel Sano to 1B. This might be an underpay in trade value, but I really think he would upgrade our infield defense. 6) Sign Madison Bumgarner, 4 year deal, 88 million. I think he is up for a 2nd wind in his career, like Justin Verlander has had with Houston. 7) Sign Jake Diekman, 1 year 8 million with an option. 8) Sign Alex Gordon, 1 year 13 million with an option. C Mitch Garver 0.60 1B Miguel Sano 5.50 2B Luis Arraez 0.60 SS Jorge Polanco 4.0 3B Brian Anderson 0.60 LF Alex Gordon 13.0 CF Byron Buxton 3.50 RF Max Kepler 6.3 DH Nelson Cruz 12 Starting lineup total cost = 46.10 million Bench Jason Castro 6.0 Marwin Gonzalez 9.0 Lamonte Wade 0.60 Ehire Adrianza 3.0 Bench total cost = 18.6 Rotation Madison Bumgarner 22.0 Jose Berrios 4.5 Jake Odorizzi 17.8, or give or take 15 Zac Gallen 0.60 Randy Dobnak (or Devin Smeltzer, until Duran/Graterol/et al are ready) 0.60 Rotation cost = 42.7 to 45.5, depending on Odorizzi signing a 3 year deal or taking the QO Bullpen Taylor Rogers 4.0 Tyler Duffey 1.3 Trevor May 2.5 Jake Diekman 8.0 Sergio Romo 3.0 Zack Littell 0.60 Cody Stashak 0.60 Graterol/Alcala/Smeltzer/churn of guys between AAA and the majors 0.60 Total bullpen cost = 20.6 Total team cost Lineup = 46.1 Bench = 18.6 Rotation = 45.5 (I'm putting this in as if Odorizzi takes the QO) Bullpen = 20.6 ________________ Total = 130.8 We traded away a lot of prospect capital for the guys coming back. But we also would still, potentially have 4-5 top 100 prospects, all who could make their debuts this year, not including Graterol who made his debut this year. But there would certainly be room for Kirilloff and Lewis to push to make the team at some point in 2020 ongoing. Thoughts?

The top 8 for me are basically given, depending on where they think Javier is at and IF they believe he could stick for a whole year somewhere else. I also think Sam Clay could be a good option. Lots of talent here for sure. Any chance any of these players are moved prior to the point where a decision has to be made, specifically for players that wouldn't have to be on the 40 man?

Loved this! Great article!

This was awesome! Thanks for throwing this! Literally everyone that played won money, since the top 70 or so would win and only 36 people signed up. Made the super bowl fun to follow. Have a great day!

I like all of this, and I think he would help the team long term. My only question is, other than money (which every team will be able to offer) why would Machado choose Minnesota?

1) Maybe a deal with the Rockies for Jon Gray and Ryan Mcmahon (3B/1B) ? 2) I'd also love the extensions you mention, as well as potentially a strong glove/defensive shortstop. I'll say Jose Iglesias would look great here. 3) Sign a reliever to a 2 year deal (like Reed's contract) and some 1 year minor league contracts for the bullpen and see what plays out. 4) Get everyone healthy and ready to roll. Let's go!

I like this thought. Sign Iglesias and move Polanco to 2B. That fixes two positions up the middle as I think Polanco is a better 2nd baseman than anyone else currently on the free agent market. And then because Igelsias is so good defensively, it would help Sano as well IF Sano is still going to be the main 3rd baseman.

I was interning with the Saints in 2005, remember that 5am game well. Thanks for starting this list

That is almost exactly what Rooker did last year. Why not try the same scenario with Larnach?

Should be fun to follow. I'd imagine pitching will be the focus today, but I like that they took college bats in the first day who should at least be able to translate their offense to professional ball. If they were able to save a little money with the Jeffers pick and/or the Larnach pick, I'm curious to see how they will divvy up their slot money today.

mlb.com's mock today had the Twins getting your #9 Mcclanahan. It'll be a fun draft to follow on Monday. Hopefully the player they take can help the team in the coming years. Also, awesome job on these write-ups, they are much appreciated.

All day games is an exciting idea for the lunch hour! Can't wait!

Congrats!

Loved the article. Great job!

Yeah I have to admit, this looks pretty cool. I play video games maybe an hour or so every two weeks, but it's fun to have the option.

Thanks Tom! Have a great day!

I think Mauer can and should go year to year as long as he wants to play. He still gets on base at a healthy clip, gives you good at bats, plays well above average defense (which helps the other infielders who are on the younger side make their way) and is still the face of the franchise in many respects. You mention Sano and Rooker; we all love the potential with their bats, but there is no guarantee they will be able to field as well as Mauer in 2019 or 2020. Rooker may be a career DH they hide in LF for a few years, and Sano may be a career DH by that point too. Defense is important. If Mauer wants to retire that is his choice. If he wants to continue playing (and is still productive, which I think is probable) I hope it is with the Twins. Oh, and lastly, congrats on the first post!

Awesome article Jamie! Great job!

I LOVE your product, and I would love to try and write some articles at some point, even though I don't have a ton of time (who does really?) and I'm not confident in my own writing abilities, at least as of yet. Here are some ideas I have to cultivate more writers; 1) Work with schools to offer a writer(s) position as paid or unpaid internships. The student could then use some of their work in a portfolio a year or two later on? They could have the opportunity to be brought along and learn about the business model. Maybe advertise that you are looking for writers in a few online school websites (MN daily for example?) 2) Allow for other types of content to be on your website. If people want to express themselves with a video blog, or a podcast, or a youtube channel talking about the Twins, reach out to that demographic too. You may find people who are comfortable in one mode of communication who, with the right guidance, would be open to try writing. Writing, really, is the best model long term for a website that people wish to read, but have the other options available for people to share their thoughts as a way to get people involved? Like a gateway drug, but for writing for the site? 3) I do think people come here and enjoy the work because it is a community feel and it is a way to break away from reality and talk baseball and the Twins. I also think you would have an easy time selling "stock" (think like Packers stock) to fans for some amount of money, where they would get a stock certificate to say they are a part owner of Twins Daily. Could help boost some revenue in the short term, and help people even more so feel like they are a part of the family/community/Coop. 4) More and more local brewery events, and Saints games, and Twins games. I think more presence is a good thing, and I have enjoy some of those in the past year or so. Thank you for that. But also, instead of you John always being in charge of the events, open it up to others to take the reins if they feel up to it, or at least have a hand in the planning to bring people along that way?

I do think adding the analytics guys teaching pitch sequencing and how/when to use players in what role will help a ton, (similar to what Jeff Pickler did last year with the outfield defensive alignments) and some of that will be gradual changes throughout the year and ongoing. I also think getting guys healthy (like Chargois and Jay, for example) will be a huge boost to the amount of swing and miss stuff that is coming from the bullpen on a daily basis. Hopefully then, ongoing, the Twins can build a bullpen that is at least league average as far as production, all the while not spending a ton of money to bring guys in when relievers can be so volatile year to year.

I like this concept no doubt. I think acquiring a 100+ million dollar starting pitcher may be difficult (with all of the other teams out there also needing pitching) but adding a solid reliever or two is smart. I wouldn't mind the Twins trying to go unconventional in their starting pitching acquisitions and find someone who isn't an ace yet, but can be. I don't know if that makes sense.