beckmt

Blue Jays released him today, so Twins would only have to pay the major league minimum. Was great at one time, maybe could bounce back. I see him as high reward very low risk. What to the rest of you think.

Given the concussion issues for Garver, can see signing Ramos. Also do not know how Castro will come back. Cruz would be nice, but may want (and get) the third year, maybe Soria (would rather have a reliever further up the pile) Cahill (not at what it would cost)

Hope it works out, not a big fan. if

There are players out there who could help this club and Twins have the payroll space to handle them. If you do not want to spend money on a middle infielder install Arraez at 2B and spend your money in pitching. This club's offseason needs some excitement, so create some. Twins need some to move the needle on ticket sales.

Twins have 21 B- prospects, most clubs do not have 10. This is what I am suggesting to use some of them to improve the major league product. There are many clubs tanking now, time to make some deals. This does not mean the top prospects, just use some of the near major league talent to improve the Twins

Twins need to package some of the starting pitcher depth and some mid level prospect depth to get a real difference maker. I am worried about the OBP of this club and the great deal of swing and miss. Maybe some of this will improve, but am looking to Wade to make a difference maybe as early as this year. Rest depends on what the Twins FO wants to do. If you do not want to go for the division +, play Arraez at 2nd base, rotation starters until you find one or two that can do the job and try bullpen options along with signing 1 - 2 pieces. With about 7 starters, Twins can afford to package 2 of them or 3 of them for a major league piece that is a #3 and maybe better. Maybe the Mets for Wheeler or KC for Duffy. They need to find out if Mejia can make it or maybe he can be included in a deal for a better starter. If Twins decide to step up (and I along with a number of posters hope they do), Sign 2 - 3 major bullpen pieces and a second base player. Explore all trade avenues to improve this club. Use the fact that they have 21 B- propects and better to trade a few of them for major league players. We do not have forever, White Sox are also coming and any delay may have the White Sox push to pass the Twins this year and they have more money and a better farm system to do so.

While not game over, it is clear the White Sox are another player, since the Twins seem choosing not to be. Twins had their chance to make some splashes and the Mighty Whiteys may have chosen not to get in. Would you have done Garver for Colume?? These are the types of moves you make if you are planning to contend. Twins are not sending a good message here.

This is not a move you make if you're rebuilding

Well the Twins waited too long. White Sox decided to jump in and acquired Colume from Seattle. Maybe Twins should decide to rebuild now as it looks like the White Sox have sensed the opportunity and pushed chips to the middle.

I have 2 questions. How much do the Mets want (I have heard it is a haul of close to major league ready talent). I would make Sano, Kepler and a prospect available and if they want more think very hard. 2. Is there something about Syndergaard we do not know (the GM is his former agent and certainly knows everything about him). This issue is what makes me pause since Mets could get a bigger haul for trading 2 years of DeGroom.

Interesting set of concepts as I also value OBP and long at bats. However unless you field 9 players with those skills (an interesting concept to chew up opposing pitching staffs), one or two of those type of players will not move the needle. Will see and hope the Twins make some trades today, but do not see much movement from them. Grossman is the only Twins player I can see nontendering. Oderizzi would cost as much or more to replace with someone that is as good, and would also tell me the Twins are going the evaluation route in 2019. Hope the Twins use some of the minor league depth (on one minor league list they had 21 B- or better players in their system), most teams do not get to 10. Let's see some deals and at the end of the day will have a better picture of where the Twins are going. Twins need to clear room on the 40 man and move some players not going to be here in 2020 for more controllable assets, so if some of these possible nontenders would be shipped out, would not cause a great deal of pain here.

Given the White Sox are about 2 years away (and about the same number of question marks, but with more money than the Twins are willing to spend), Twins need to be creative here. I can understand the viewpoint (though not agree with it), that the Twins need to figure out where Buxton and Sano are going to fit (are they a piece ongoing or will they never make it here to the extent the Twins need them to), before committing a lot of resources to 2019. I disagree with this approach because I think the division is reachable with the correct application of resources this year. As of last night the Indians are most likely shipping off Kluber in return for some position player help(rumor has it to the Dodgers). This still leaves Cleveland with a very good starting rotation (and a very bad bullpen). Maybe you can take a shot at Addison Russell (who has baggage, but is a very buy low or nontender candidate in Chicago). Then sign a couple of decent relievers (Herrera and one of Miller, Famila,Britton ) who might not command super multiyear contracts. I would certainly try and sign one of the top end starters also, and maybe call it good. This would still keep payroll within reason and give the Twins a chance to evaluate and either buy or sell at the deadline. Next I would try and extend Rosario and Berrios (doubt you could get either Sano or Buxton to agree to a multiyear deal since their reps would feel like this is selling low). I would not commit resources to try to extend any starters (maybe Pineda if he looks decent early in the year, or you could extend a QO to either Pineda or Gibson if necessary after the year). But expend enough resources to make an effort to make the playoffs and win the division, then see at midyear what you need and what holes you have and go from there. Please this is our time, at least make a big push to win the division as a starting point.

I feel Twins cannot carry both Astadillo and Grossman on this bench. I much favor Astadillo so if Twins do not tender Grossman will understand (and agree) with the direction. Twins have younger, cheaper options than Grossman.

I think you have 2 issues here. Most of the 2000's Twins drafted in the 20s. You will have a lot more misses in the high teens to 20's than in the top 5. There are going to be misses, just hope there are not too many. Some of these are why Twins metrics have changed in the new regime. Arraez needs to be given a chance this year and see if he can produce at the major league level. Really feel strongly about this if you are not moving a lot of chips into the table to see if you can win at least a division this year. Gordon does not look ready and Wade still needs at least part of a year at AAA before we bring he up (if Buxton totally becomes a failure this year). By the end of this year Twins should know what holes they need to fill to get to the next level. But I am hoping they play to win this year and push some assets into fixing the holes they feel they have this winter.

Nice article Nick. Like the love for Astudillo, he could turn into something special. Twins do need versatile players, and also players who could fill in if another player does not perform as needed.

Easy problem to solve. If his velocity is back, he will be a valued member of the bullpen, if not he is an early season DFA candidate, if he is unable to work with lesser velocity.

Would depend on how much Arizona wants for Goldschmidt. Certainly worth checking in, but depends on how much we have to send and how much salary the Twins take.

Glad to see they protected Arraez. Maybe their is stuff we don't know coming down (like trading Gordon).

Problem is for mid and small market teams, the window is much tighter. Big market teams can spend their way through problems, if they do not create so many payroll issues to be in luxury tax hell. Rest of the teams have to work hard, develop their players and get creative and lucky in roster makeup.

As I read it, it would have been like Gastrol, Gonsalves (or like piece (Stewart)), +. That would have been too high for me.

As far as the pitchers go, Twins keep Busneitz, Duffey, and Curtiss on their roster at this time. That speaks volumes to the FO pecking order. FYI, I expect none of the 3 above to be on the roster come February.

Seth, I thought Arraez was a decent fielder, though more of a 2B only. Maybe you can correct me on this, but he seems to have the ability to be a starter (doubt he his much of a utility type at this point), but his hit tool could be a .280 - .310 hitter. He would not draw many walks (though feel this is improvable). That still to me is a keepable player.

According to MLbtraderumors, the Yankees and Mariners have annouced a trade with James Paxton going to New York and Justus Sheffield and two other minor leaguers going to the Mariners. This seems to set up that only about 7 teams intend to compete next year with all the rest in reset or rebuild mode. Good news is that the Yankees will probably only sign one more starter, so some ot the competiton will be less, bad news is that the Yankees will be a very good to great ballclub next year. This seems to be more of a reset for Seattle to line up a run a couple of years later. Final analysis will depend on Paxton's health over the next two years and whether Justus Sheffield is as good as advertised. Interesting first piece to the offseason.

This is an interesting set of hires. I do think the main issue here is can they communicate and teach. Players are getting younger (as they will with the steroid era over). Most major league players will be done between age 32 and age 34. You will be dealing with younger players and need to teach them at the major league level to survive. This is what bothered me the last 10 -15 years with the Twins, other clubs would have their top prospects come up and succeed very quickly, the Twins top prospects would struggle for a few years before putting it together (if they did). So maybe the analysis was to blow the whole thing up. We shall see, but this will take another 2 - 4 years to have measurable results.

Herrera is the only name on this list I would want. Kelly is possible, but to this date at age 31 has not put it together and might want more money than the profile would warrant. The Japanese starter will have too many suiters and will command more money than he is probably worth, if you could get him at a reasonable rate go for it. Looking more for the trade market for starters. Would call Arizona and see what they want for Greinke, if we were even in the ballpark. If Arizona is looking for full talent and taking all the contract, I would pass, but contract is doable if Twins only send marginal prospects back, or slightly better prospects if Arizona keep about $10 million a year for the contract.