DaveW

The Twins record has been awful in Sept the last three years because they are often using those games to "See what they have" with all the Sept call ups. The reason they haven't been winning games isn't because they don't have any "winning attitudes" or whatever on the club, it's because they just haven't been talented at all.

A 162 game mentality? What does that even mean?

Weren't the Twins already linked to Drew?

Yeah, the only 3 worthwhile players that came out of the last 25 years were: Jacque Jones, Scott Baker and Jesse Crain. All nice players, but not exactly world beaters. So basically you have a 1/8 chance in giving up a useful player down the line if you give up a 2nd round pick to sign a premium player like JD Drew, Ubaldo etc in my eyes, you shouldn't hesitate in a heart beat to pull the trigger. I'd much rather have them give up a 2nd rounder this year for a SS or high upside pitcher, then watch them finish in the top half this year and not have a protected 1st round pick next year (and have to give up that pick for the missing SS/High upside SP)

Michael Young would NOT be a good move for many reasons. 1. He has been a negative WAR player the last two years. 2. He is 37 3. His "bat" skill has been below average the last two years and will only continue to decline. 4. Defensively he has been very bad at 3B the past few years. In summation: He isn't likely better than Plouffe at this point, hitting or fielding wise, and Sano likely will be up in June/July anyways. He doesn't play defense well enough, or hit well enough to justify a bench spot at this point.

Well if he was a sure thing, then you obviously couldn't get him on a below market deal and he most likely would be looking at 3-4 year deal. As far as the draft pick goes....if he proves to be effective/good, then the Twins can recoup a pick the following year if they make him a qualifying offer. Or they could always trade him for a good prospect anyways.

Cruz could be an interesting play if you can get him on a one year "prove it" deal.

Oh I forgot about him, but the point remains. I like Swarzak, but would not having a 1/10 chance or whatever in landing a guy like him really not be worth signing a premium SP like Ubaldo etc?

Well if you tally up the Twins last 10 years or so of 2nd round picks...that answer would be.....about zero.

Personally, I have no desire to put Knoblauch in the Twins hall of fame. Dude was/is a scum bag.

boom!

I have always been a huge Garza fan, so I definitely thought he would be better than most everything on the market...however, looking back at his numbers objectively, it should be noted that since 2010 he has been much closer to a middle of the rotation guy then a front of the rotation guy (sans a very nice 2011) He and Nolasco are different guys for sure, and while my heart tells me that Garza would have been a better deal, my mind tells me that based on WAR etc that Nolasco and Garza will be pretty closer to even at the end of these four year deals. Garza certainly has more upside IMO, however you can't discount the injury issues he has had. At the end of the day I would rather have had him then Nolasco, but the difference IMO is pretty small after thinking more about it. Certainly not worth "roasting" the Twins over.

Hopefully, and it would be a good time for the twins to strike, when they only have to give up a 2nd rounder

I can't believe the rangers wouldn't match that contract either (or a ton of other teams for that matter....)

Wow! Would have been nice for the twins, but who knows, seems like he left money on the table regardless. Hopefully the twins can go get ubaldo. Or just wait for bailey next off season

Not sure why people would want to get rid of Fien, who had a 10.2/1.5 k/BB ratio last year....which is fantastic and a whip of 1.016. He just had an unlucky year with a low strand rate, his xFIP clocked in at 2.71 which is damn nice for a RP

And how did the Twins acquire those MVP's, Cy Young Winner and one of the best closers? Farm development, and.............shrewd trades!!! I am not sure how many they would have won in the east and I am pretty confident they would have won multiple in the west. Also for as "soft" as the AL Central was...they still managed to put out some world series teams like the Tigers and White Sox.

They have guys like Jones, Tonkin etc who I think deserve a chance prior to Villareal, additionally I think you have to have one spot open for Diamond/DeDuno etc as well to at least start the season. If you can stash him in the minors, then no harm no foul, but I don't think they need to give a guy like him a spot in the rotation. Right now the way I see the pen- 1. Perkins 2. Burton 3. Fien 4. Duesing 5. Swarzak 6. Diamond/DeDuno/Worley 7. Theilbar IMO are all locks due to either success: Burton/Perkins/Theilbar/Fien/Swarzak or contract/need for roster space: Duensing/Diamond etc After that you have to imagine Tonkin has to be the next in line (if he doesn't crack the pen out of ST), followed by Jones and possibly even Dakota Watts. Additionally, I think the Twins need to go down to a 6 man pen at some point as well, especially once Sano and some of the other youngsters force their way onto the roster.

This isn't college football, you can't just go out and poach the other teams top guys. In 2-3 years when Meyer, Sano, Buxton, Arcia, Rosario, Gibson etc are all leading this team to glory, perhaps people will be saying this same thing about the Twins brain trust. Hell, they already were saying it about the Twins when they won the division 6 times in 9 years (no small feat for ANY team)

What was that Joe Mauer contract then? Also I think Nolasco and Hughes quantify as quality free agents, ditto with Willingham as well. Additionally....the off-season isn't even close to over yet!!!

I don't think the Rules need to be changed at all. The Yankees have won one title in the last 13 years, during that time the teams to win multiple ones are the Red Sox, Cardinals and Giants have all won multiple world series, I am not sure anyone would claim they have some huge advantage when it comes to payroll (Red Sox...ok...maybe, but for the most part those teams were built from within and shrewdly) In fact, as much as I hate the Cards, they are a premier example on how to build a team: Build GREAT in house talent, continue to replenish the farm, and make some smart plays on the FA market (and realize when its time to let people go- Like Pujols, Beltran etc)

Again, meh. His overall ML numbers have him as a 4.59 ERA guy, and in 3 seasons in AAA his ERA was 3.91 and his k:bb ratio was pretty....bad. Nothing he has done in either AAA or MLB indicates he isn't going to walk a ton of guys, sure I guess it can't hurt to sign him and stash him in the minors or whatever, but I think the Twins prob would be better served giving playing time to a youngster with upside if/when Burton/Fien etc etc falter.

Huge difference, Hamilton had/has/always has had significantly more raw talent then Benson ever had.

Meh, color me unimpressed with his numbers than a somewhat fluky looking 2012. I'm not sure who I would prefer he replace in the current pen, which is stacked, nor would I want him taking a spot from a guy like DeDuno/Diamond who potentially could be stashed and counted on starting down the road.

Yes, let's look at that more closely. Players lost: Morneau- Injury issues that nobody could predict, honestly, was it worth trying to bring him back this year? Alexi Casilla- You arguing the Twins should have kept him around? Cabrera- Not in baseball period. Twins should have kept him around? Crede- Not in baseball period. Twins should have kept him around? Delmon- Terrible. Twins should have kept him around? Gomez-Did absolutely nothing for the Twins. Got Hardy in return (another issue in itself) Late bloomer, yeah the Twins should have kept him around, but hard to argue with them trading him at the time. Cuddyer- I looooovvved Cuddyer, however 3 years/32 mil was a bit much. Since leaving one very mediocre year one nice year offensively...provides nothing really in defensive value. Kubel- (Actually back on the roster) Span- Pretty sure we will all take the Meyer for Span trade at this point and moving forward. Punto- I miss him, but does anyone else? Harris- Is he in baseball anymore? Redmond- Coach now Tolbert- Out of baseball Buscher- Out of baseball Morales- Out of baseball Blackburn- Out of baseball (more or less) Liriano- Yeah, this one hurts/sucks. Baker- Has done zero since leaving the Twins due to injury issues Slowey- Other than a few decent starts in Miami (then demoted to bullpen) has done nothing. Pavano- Retired. Nathan- Stud, no doubt. Hard to justify the Twins giving him 10+ mil a year (esp with Perkins) Guerrier- Solid, but has regressed since leaving, Twins were smart not to overpay. Mijares- Didn't like letting him go, but mehhhhhh had a rough year last year. Keppel- Out of baseball. Crain- This was a mistake. Other than Liriano (To be frank, I wanted him to stay but he didn't do much of anything his last several years here) Nathan (Not a huge loss with Perkins stepping in) and Crain, I can't really see where the Twins have really messed up letting those other players from 09 go.... in fact, I think because of this it gives em a real nice shot to take a real nice run in 2015/2016/2017 etc.