beckmt

What I am seeing on multiple websites is that Baumgartner may get more than Wheeler, just overpay Cole or Strasburg

And Glausman could want a fully guaranteed contract, he might get that from a club that does not rate to contend, and use him as a flip special at the trading deadline.

I agree, a low risk, high reward type of player. I also believe, and I could be wrong, these contracts are not guaranteed until the end of spring training with a growing buyout, so go for it. If it is fully guaranteed at signing I am a little more skeptical.

Treinen would fit the bill for me, rest are speculation, but a flyer on Walker or Nelson could be good insurance, while allowing the first group of starters to get more time in Rochester.

Do you see the twins signing one of the top 6 FA pitchers? Do you see C.J. Cron coming back?

2 points here. 1. MLB reduced the suspension from 80 games to 60, which buys the arguement, he really didn't know and wasn't trying to cheat. If MLB thought he was trying to cheat it would have been 80 games. 2. You get a 25% reduction on 2020 salary so 2/24 or 3/36 are reasonable. This might be low, looking at what Gibson got, but feel it is in the park. Then if you sign one or two of the top 6 FA pitchers, you are set.

I am in the let him go camp. Then if you do not sign a top tier third baseman, you can rotation the rest of the moving parts thru 1B. Also gives you the option of moving Kiriloff there or Rooker if either forces he way into the Twins lineup. Flexability is key. Also would rather spend the money on front line starting pitching.

Chalmers should probably be moved to the pen this year (as you suggested Nick). In that role, he could be here in 2021 and you can never have enough pitching. I see Blankenhorn as more taking over in 2021 for Gonzalez, if the Twins do not retain him, a super utility player with a decent bat. Raley is either trade bait or the replacement for Cave or Wade if they should be traded, or maybe even Rosario when he walks in two years. Duran could be a stud. Celestino is a long way away, look at him more as a lottery ticket if Twins cannot extend Buxton, otherwise maybe more at this time of a 4th outfielder with an upside for more.

Of the group I expect either Kiriloff or Larnach to be here at the end of next year. Larnach screems professional hitter to me. This is a nice problem to have. It is possible Rosario will be traded this winter, just that would be a reach given we are now contenders not pretenders. This might be the reason to leave Sano at 3rd, so one of the above can play 1B. Just do not see where Rooker fits in with this group, but who knows.

I expect 1 - 2 of them will be gone this winter in deals. Outside of Kiriloff I would think any of the other three are possible. My best bet is Rooker, but will depend on what other clubs will desire.

The 2.6 WAR would have been about 4 given if he was in Minnesota all year. That is a nice number.

Problem is would the Colorado GM feel he has to win this trade. Gray would signal the start of a rebuild, not a retool. Interesting problem.

Nice article. Interesting, but given that Colorado already has payroll issues, why would they trade Gray (unless they were planning a rebuild, or even a reset). Does not hurt to ask. You didn't show his expected payroll number this year, so do not have a clue what he would cost. Still this trade would save them money, but if you did something on this level, maybe aim a little higher like Trevor Story. Colorado has a replacement for him (Rodgers, who has no obvious spot at this time). Offer might have to be a little bigger, but could be doable(even better if the Twins took one of the bad contracts off Colorado's hands(Desmond)). Question would be if we could sign Story to a long term contract. Nice out of box thinking Seth.

seeing Raley make it, they are almost certainly going to trade/release another outfielder this winter. Should be interesting.

I also think his low might be around .290 - .300 with walks putting him around .380 - .400 OBP. That screams leadoff or two hole to me. He was up long enough to show me that the pitchers hadn't figured him out - otherwise his playoff numbers would have fallen off a cliff. If you take away some of the line drives by bringing the outfield in closer, you risk more doubles and triples as some of the line drives find the gaps. I like tough outs. More of them in the lineup the better.

With 26 spots this next year, I would be worried about clubs like Detroit and Miami stashing a high upside player and then having 3 more years to develop them. Jax might be OK, but he is just one of many. Duran - must Raley - be interesting to see if they can trade either Cave or Wade today, otherwise it might be a mistake so pass. I agree on Chambers upside is too high, so keep Javier - may need one more year - but we do not have a high upside SS in the system, unless Lewis can stick there. Celestino is probably too raw and too far away to be stashed for a year. Rijo is tough, just do not know enough about him.

Twins need to get one of the top five FA starters. That involves risk. To me resigning Pineda would seem to be a way of handling the bridge gap until a couple of the 6 - 10 starters in the minors make it (guessing we will be lucky to get 2 out of 10), I am hoping for 3. Trading for a down starter involves risk, Archer or Boyd are the most likely targets (maybe Robbie Ray), but most Front offices after a couple of the burnings the last few years are not likely to sell low. Maybe you wait till midseason and then see which clubs have not preformed to pick up the last piece, and the price might be lower if the pitcher in question is having a bad year.

As a 4th or 5th option, do not have a problem, if he is 2 or 3 Twins have not done a good job this winter.

mlbtraderumors had Oderizzi at 3/51. Would rather take the Rendon money and go top shelf with Cole (not likely, but we can all dream). I had him at 7/260 slightly front end loaded with an op-out after 3. Trading Rosario is not a bad plan, just do not like Gray(and would rather have Duran). Wheeler would be my fall back option if we do not get Cole. Nitpicking, but I like the general outline.

Would rather put the money toward other options. Just hope the Twins do not swing and miss.

I am trying to leave room for several of the top minor league prospects close to the majors to force their way onto the roster. I would prefer a stopgap SS, but feel Lewis is too close to get a decent one because it would be 1 year only.

First I non-tender Cron, tough decision, but have too many moving parts to keep him. This leaves me with C - Garver 1B - Sano 2B - Arreaz ss - Polonco 3B - Gonzalez LF - Rosario CF - Buxton RF - Kepler DH - Cruz Of - Cave OF - Wade UTL - Adrianza C - Like the thought of signing Maldenado for about $3 This should give me the flexibility in case Gordon is ready which in a lot of other bloggers posts would cause me to either lose him or trade him for little value. This should also leave me with a lot of payroll space for pitching staff upgrades. Extend Berrios if possible 5 years/$75 (8,12, 16, 19, 20) Would like to also extend Buxton, but have little idea what it would take. Maybe something on the lines of Berrios, but a lot more risk say 5/80 Pitching Sign Cole 7/260 (40,40,40,35,35,35,35) opt out after 3. Sign Oderizzi 3/51 (predicted by mlbtraderumors) Sign Pineda 3/36 Starters Cole Berrios Oderizzi Pineda Dobnak, Thrope, others Bullpen Rogers Romo 1/3 May Duffy Will Harris 2/10 Littell Long man rotation with Rochester LR (Dierkman, Watson) This should do it, payroll will be a higher than maybe the Twins will go, but the window is open, let's also kick in the door. You can't win without front line starting pitching. Maybe having someone above Berrios will help and I think Twins will get some better pitching from our minor leagues starting in 2021. This may let us trade a starter and some of our surplus coming up for a better starter. Also considers Betcenes, but do not have a feel for how he will return from injury and what he will cost.

Would like a little bigger budget with more top end pitching, but seems about what the Twins would do.

I would actually move Polonco to 2B, Arraez to 3B and aquire a short term SS for the next year or 2.

There is one other role he could fill. He is better than a lot of the #4,#5 starters on bad teams, so make use of that. He could be a wonderful throw-in for a decent starter (with some better prospects) on a bad team.