beckmt

You seem to forget they were 3 outs away from a championship a few years ago. And they have had other teams that were contenders (and still will be with the outstanding starting pitching they have for a short term series). They have been close a few times, we have not won a playoff game since 2004 and took advantage of the same weak division that Cleveland is taking advantage of now.

Let's take this step by step: 1. We were getting nothing for Dozier, he was leaving at the end of the year and not coming back. A QO to me was out of the question. Prospects we got may not be great, but De Jong may be a piece, too early to tell. 2. Even if Gonsalves is a AAAA type, Twins should have a passible rotation next year, Berrios, Gibson, Oderizzi, Pineda, and a group of De Jong, Stewart, Little and maybe Thorpe should have enough to get us by. This group will not be great, but could be better than this year. 3. If Sano and Buxton recover somewhat, our offense should be playable. Castro and Garver at catcher, Austin and Kepler at 1B(if we do not resign Mauer), FA at 2B or SS. Polonco at one Middle infield position, Sano at 3B. Rosario, Buxton, Kepler and Cave in the outfield. Maybe Wade can make it. You have the room and the money for some decent FA signings in the position market, and the openings are were you do not have to break the bank, unless you want to go top shelf.(would be nice, do not expect it.) 4. Relief Pitchers have plenty out there, 4 top end closers and multiple other guys. Would like to see Twins spend in this area, but am not sure who they want. Kimbel, Miller, Herridia, come to mind and I am sure there are others. I am looking at several mid range short term signings 2 - 3 years max. Outside of Rodgers and Hildenberg do not think Twins have much in the way of relievers coming back, but expect a few of them to be here (moya, may, Duffey) along with hopefully a couple or three decent signings) This will get you a mid range club with some playoff hopes. Rest of the division outside of Cleveland is a dumpster fire and 3 - 5 years away from even thinking about contending (yes the White Sox may be closer, but have little at the major league level (outside of decent starting pitching) at this time.

Production is usually there, in a work situation it is how things are perceived by you supervisor. Guess you have never been in that situation.

No you misread the post. TR could be seen around and according to other posters was approachable. I doubt any of the current minor leaguers could approach either of the new FO and ask a question with the expectation they might get an answer. My point is that if a player feels they are just a number in the orgainization, that it is much easier to decide (if they are good) to take the best offer after they put in their time, and that makes organization continuity very difficult. what would the new FO do if every player at 2 - 3 years had their agent tell the Twins FO that they were outahere after 6 years. This would turn baseball into the same zoo that basketball and football (no loyality and only make choices based on player friendship and the dollars offered). The result would be that most clubs that were told this would have to trade their best players in the year 4 or 5 season or offseason to get a return, and would any of the posters here like it if baseball became like basketball with teams being the have and the have nots, with maybe 6 - 8 super teams and the rest all hoping to catch lightning in a bottle.

Yes, the guy that runs them is Jon Daniels, and the reason for their position is that their pitching staff is worse than a dumpster fire, it is a full grown forest fire. That will take far longer to fix, than the Twins patching holes into what is a fair pitching staff. Yes we have underperformed and the staff ERA is going higher as we give tryouts to pitching for next year, but we are in far better shape than Texas.

The minute any orgainization becomes all business (or what have you done for me lately) and you are just a number, many people (players or workers) try, but do not care to be in that situation. I am one of that type, my managers made all the difference in the world. If they did not respect my work, it was better for both of us if I moved on.

Congrats to the Miracle. Will be intereresting to see how well most of them do in Chattanooga next year. That is supposed to be the biggest jump for ballplayers.

As I remember it Pressly hung a lot of breaking balls here, it seems that was fixed in Houston. In the FO defense, one of the best new prospects in the Twins orgainization, came from Houston in the trade.

We also need to sign the building blocks for the future. None of us know the details, but am disappointed that none of the young Twins have been signed to long term deals. Romero and Berrios are a must this offseason, and I wonder what they offered Escobar that was turned down(reported by the local papers here), before he was traded. I wonder if some of the offers were extremely team friendly and what damage that might have done in the long run.

Seth, some of this might be true, but all business is not an end all in the baseball business. Players must know you care for their welfare and are interested in bringing out their best. If their best is not good enough, most of them will understand they tried and did not succeed. If you make it all business, you risk the players that do succeed being alienated from the club and if they feel like a number, they will leave as soon as they can. Example, if you play for Oakland or Tampa Bay, you most likely will be traded before you hit FA, therefore your loyalty to these clubs is likely to be less then to a successful club that your are a part of. Just do not want the Twins to become like a farm club, where most of your better players decide long before FA that they do not want to be part of the long term future of your club. It worries me along with other posters, that many of the Twins players traded or released the last couple of years (or left in minor league FA), have become much better players with their new clubs. That seldom happened in the Terry Ryan era We already have seen this with Pressly and Derek Rodriquez, two pitchers who should have been part of the Twins future.

Let's take a step back here and look at this analyticly. 1. For 2 - 3 years most true baseball publications ranked the Twins farm system in the top 3 or at least the top 5, the bulk of those players are here now and the Twins are not winning. 2. The two biggest prospects from this group are heading toward or worse than any expert would have called their floor. Is this a development issue or an issue with the type of person that was drafted. 3. Everyone develops at a different pace, are this group just pushing the panic button way too early. 4. At least a few of this players (Berrios, Romero) should be locked up to contracts which buy out some of their FA years, if the FO fails to do this in this offseason, I would read it as a culture or clubhouse problem that needs to be solved quickly. Failure to do so means we will become a development club for the big market teams, who will be the later prime years of our better players because we will need lightning in a bottle to get all good players from the farm system together at one time. 5. 2019 needs to see how Polonco(was it the PED's or do he have talent) and Kepler grow. Lack of growth would tell me that they are replaceable parts and not part of a Twins team the can win. 6. I like Mauer, but if 2019 is a trial and developement year there is no reason to have Joe on this club as he is not part of a 2021+ future. 7. If you intend to compete in 2019, you need to sign a front line starter(ace or near ace) no matter what the price and at least a couple of bullpen pieces(8th or 9th inning pieces) to give yourself a chance. Failure to do so will tell me that the new FO is waiting for their pieces to develop and do not care about the near future. 8. From what I am seeing from the bullpen pieces that Ryan tried to develop is that not any of them have enough command to make an impact here. Do not know the status of Anderson and if he needs a 40 man spot at this time, but have seen enough of the numbers at Rochester and Chattanooga to tell that none of the youngsters are lights out enough to make a difference here at this time. 9. You can never have enough pitching so the new FO's effort in this area is commendable. Now we see how they do at the AA and AAA level. 10. Noted in a post above the Rochester club this year was AAAA types and not good long term reenforcements for the major league club. That could just be the lull between waves or the fact the most of the 2013 - 2014 draft classes look like washouts.

Some of it is trying the young players before either keeping them on the 40 man roster or letting them go to fill the 40 man with players that have to be kept. Problem with this approach is I see little hope for 2019 without a big turnaround by some players who where expected to be the core of the Twins going forward. Not a good position to be in. Biggest issues seem to be whether either Sano or Buxton will be more than their absolute floor here before hitting FA, or in my mind whether the minor league coaching staff is totally inept at fixing holes in players games.

Interesting list, hope some of them show the same results at higher levels. List does not say much for Twins starters at higher levels, but at least a couple of them are now pitching for the Twins.

This may be audition season for Twins pitchers. I have zero idea why Beliele has not been released to free up another spot. Most of these relievers have not honed their control enough to survive against the better lineups in the majors. That is what makes the bulk of them AAAA pitchers. Some will find it later, some will not. I still see a big FO bias against the TR signed players, that to me is a major issue. Do not know what Duffey has to offer and Twins have seen him multiple times. Maybe the FO needs to figure things out, before doing a major 40 man roster overhaul this winter, I hope that is the case, but have seen little to suggest that is the case. It seems more to me like the new FO is playing for and waiting for their draft picks to arrive (2020 - 2022). I am very unhappy with that approach and if this is what they are doing, they need to be replaced sooner than later. There could be the Peter principal at work here, they were better in the jobs they came from than they are at this level.

Do not think that Gordon is ready, Arraez is a who knows, but fielding a major league average fielder if they can hit could be OK. Backing our developing pitching staff with decent defense is big. I am more in favor of moving Polonco to 2nd and finding a SS for a year or two.

Looks to me that Kiriloff will be the minor league hitter of the year. Next year will be key as he will almost certainly start in Chattanooga.

For a lot of these players called up, it is to see if they should remain on the 40 man roster this fall. That is meaningful. If you bring Buxton up, you have to play him, that takes away playing time for any outfield candidates for the 40 man to be evaluated this September. If you want to make the argument the new FO is trying to prove that TR did not know what he was doing the last few years and are rebuilding in place with their own players, I might well agree with you. But this discission has its upside and downside and I can see the point in it.

Outside of the Yankees and Houston, Buxton will be facing AAAA pitching up here in September. Will anyone learn anything from that? With hearing in the Star Tribune his wrist may still be a minor issue (this may be FO doubletalk), shutting him down does not seem that unreasonable.

Twins offense should be OK next year resigning Escobar and or Donaldson (if you are convinced he is healthy) or a short term 1 - 2 years second baseman and Escobar would be OK by me. Mauer if cheap enough or another LH stick and Austin would be OK for first base. Spend the money on pitching, you have two models: 1. Very good starters so so pens (Houston, Cleveland, LA Dodgers, Chicago Cubs) 2. Good not great starters - shutdown bullpens (NY Yankees, Oakland) There is a third way and I am very interested in seeing how this plays out in the playoffs, Great hitting, so-so pitching (Boston Milwaukee, Philadelphia) Twins do not fit any of the models, so let's get going this offseason.

Next question, 'How many Twins pitchers would be on a World Series team?'. Berrios and maybe a couple of the relievers in middle inning roles (Hildenberger, Rogers) and maybe one or 2 others. Gibson and Oderizzi may be on the club, but left off of the playoff roster. Stewart is still an unknown and Romero and Thorpe are possibilities. With this analysis Twins need to buy some pitching (1- 2 starters and at least 2 relievers). I would hope they look at the top of the market(they have the money). Do not think Kershaw will leave LA unless his agent hears of an insane offer, so Twins are out of this, but need to find another top end starter and at least 1 - 2 of the better relievers. There are risks here, but would rather try and fail than not to try.

I have seen reports that Buxton still is having some problems with the wrist. That may be enough to let it heal and give him September off. Donaldson was traded last night (reported) to the Indians, no QO. Would want a long look at the medicals before offering him a contract. Still think he will get 3 years maybe close to $50 million. Lot of risk here.

Comment was to sign Escobar, Twins payroll will probably be down next year, and I would rather see a major investment in pitching and with players with potential than to pay Mauer what he is going to want. I would like to see Joe win a world championship with a club, do not think he will be here when the Twins make there move.

I feel Pohlad will make the call on Mauer. As far as Buxton he is an asset if he can hit .240 at this time. But the extra year of control makes this a no brainer. Have him get the extra month of rest and see how he does in the spring. For me signing Mauer for more than a 1 year contract may well cause issues. It looks like we will have Lewis or kirloff here in 2020 baring a setback. And would rather have Escobar signed using some of the money for Mauer than bringing Mauer back.

Don't forget Burdi who may prove us very bad next year. Not willing to give the FO a pass at this point.

My concern is that if he continues to look bad, what does that mean for his future, I have seen some prospect sites rate him as an AAAA type player, so it will be interesting to see what he does the rest of this year.