Thrylos

Thorpe is the surprise in this group. Likely the Twins know better than me about Burdi's health (and it was that botched trade to ATL for health reasons as well,) but, I'd have him ahead of Thorpe at this point. What I don't get is that Boshers (and Slegers to a lesser degree) have 40-man spots at this point. I don't think that anyone will pick up Stewart and have him stick to the majors for a full season. He was horrible last season. Ryan Eades might surprise some people. I think that as a reliever has a future in the majors. A couple of more thoughts: a. I suspect that there will be trades and some of these players will be traded b. how in heaven does Deron Johnson still has a job with the Twins with so many high round picks in his tenure bombing?

Curtiss is 3 months younger than Burdi, a year older than Jay, and about 21 months older than Moya, to get that out the way Could have been the butterflies, or the fact that he was tired, or something, but his slider was horrific in the majors and his fastball was not overwhelming. If you look at his numbers this season across all levels, there are almost identical to Tonkin's (2.33 vs 2.87 ERA, 12.1 vs 12.2 K/9, 3.7 vs 3.6 BB/9) with the exception of WHIP (.966 vs 1.245) which was driven by the differences in BABIP (.238 vs .322.) So I look at Curtiss and I see Tonkin. Or Pressly with slower fastball and the same inconsistency in their breaking stuff that has flashes of filth when they can command it. But they don't usually. That's his ceiling. Burdi throws in the triple digits and has way much better control. No comparison as far as stuff goes, but the health thing is questionable Moya is a little freak who for some reason was extremely effective in the minors (BA named him the best relief pitcher) and was better than Curtiss in the majors. And 2 years younger. He had video game numbers. Does not throw hard, but he throws a good 3-4 mph harder than his bullpen coach in his prime. Jay has Andrew Miller potential and will eventually find his way, if his health keeps up. That's why I was asking about health being one of the concerns here... And still, there is no way that Curtiss could be ranked higher than Moya in the age vs. results equation.

Curtiss ahead of Moya, Jay, and Burdi? Based on? Ceiling? Floor? Health? Stuff? Potential? Results? No way As his 9 games in the majors showed, 0% HR/FB rate and .212 BABIP are not sustainable. He really sucked when he was called up.

Same reason they did not drop Perkins the last couple seasons: insurance reasons.

I'd probably put both Turley and Rosario at 2. Rosario is not someone who is missing bats and Turley a.has had 10 seasons to find his control and it is still lost, and b. his K% did not translate in the majors. Still, I'd given up on Boshers and Slegers as well. They are both replacement level and I hope that someone worthwhile does not leave the organization because they occupy spots on the 40-man roster. Need to add Liam Hendricks to the list with Hicks and Swarzak.

The one who took an 84 win team to 101 wins.

Congrats, but he was not worth it. Unless someone wants to give him a pass for the 103 Loss team that he also led. Net change from 2015 = 2 games. That a MoY should does not make. If anything, he deserved it more in 2015. And if someone thinks that the 103 losses in 2016 was because of the front office only, that someone should be asking for Antony's (the GM for half the season) head.

Tapani and Aguilera won the Twins the 1991 World Series. The one prospect did not pan out, so what?

Originally published at The Tenth Inning Stretch ----------- My premise this off-season is for the Twins to be competitive deep in the 2018 post-season, they need 2 starters better than Berrios, and at least 3 relievers better than what they have now. A few days ago, I discussed three free agents who can play a vital role in the Twins' 2018 pen. Unfortunately, unless someone believes that the Shohei Otani lottery ticket will land on the Twins' lap (it still could, btw; I just don't like living on a prayer,) there are no suitable free agent pitchers who fit this bill, as far as starters go. So the Twins have to trade for two top of the rotation pitchers. As far as who their first trade partner to accomplish this would be, I was crystal clear. As far as who their target should be, I was not, until I had an epiphany. There is a great synergy for the New York Mets to be the Twins' trading partner again. The Twins traded both Frank Viola and Johan Santana to the Mets, in trades that met both teams' needs needs (albeit the Gardenhire Twins were too quick to give up on the superstar centerfielder they got in return). Two of the biggest New York Mets' needs are a veteran starting pitcher who will be there to eat innings and be an example to their young Five Aces, a second baseman, and a power bat. This clearly spells Ervin Santana, and Brian Dozier, ladies and gentlemen. As far as who the Twins should be after, I have been really focusing on 29 year old Jacob DeGrom who has been their most consistent pitcher, has 2 years of club control through arbitration and about to get pretty expensive. Or the 25 year old lefty, Steve Matz, who did have a health scare, but his reconstructed UCL was fine after all, and might have the highest potential of them all. But then it hit me. There is a guy who would be as great a fit to Minnesota as Ragnar, and probably more than this guy: The Scandinavian god of thunder, Thor, himself. Indeed, the Twins should go after 25 year old RHSP Noah Syndergaard. Probably fell in their depth charts behind DeGrom, and with Matz, Steven Wheeler, Robert Gsellman, and even Matt Harvey ready to step in his shoes, Thor can rule in the frozen tundra in 2018. Just imagine the sponsorship opportunities for the guy. What will it take for the Twins to get Syndergaard? Assuming that he is fully recovered from his lat muscle issue, Santana and Dozier might not be enough. I think that adding Nick Gordon (a top 20 MLB prospect according to Baseball America), and Tyler Duffey and/or Jake Reed will help sweeten the deal. The Mets do need help in their pen and the Twins have plenty. So here is the deal: Noah Syndergaard to the Twins for Ervin Santana, Brian Dozier, Nick Gordon, and Tyler Duffey and/or Jake Reed. Mind you, this is not a trade between a team that wants to shed payroll and a competitive team. This is a treat between 2 competitive teams that are comfortable trading and rearranging assets. Not many of these kind of trades happen. The last one the Twins did, also involved the Mets, who traded Ricky Reed for Matt Lawton. This is not a Santana or a Viola deal that was centered on prospects. And the Twins have their opening day 2018 starter. And this is a match made in a Scandinavian heaven. And the Mets and the Twins meet in the 2018 World Series (Hint: Twins in 7.)

So are Buxton's. 90 OPS+ 2016, 94 OPS+ 2017. Can you count on him, since he has not proved otherwise over the course of a whole year? If you can count on Buxton, based on his second half, why cannot count on Gibson, based on his? Gotta use the same yardstick. Buxton went down, something clicked and he improved. We all hope its permanent and talking about the second coming of Kirby Puckett. Gibson went down, something clicked and he improved as well. Not all of us are as enthusiastic as we are regarding Buxton, and expecting him to suck. Don't get it. Really. I suspect that the truth is some place in the middle regarding both of these fine gentlemen

Who is this Jax guy? Last time I heard he is a part-time ball player... Jelfry Marte is grossly underrated. He got high 1st round draft bonus $, and at least should be treated as such...

I'd love to see what a full season of Vargas, a healthy Park, and even Brent Rooker can do before I spend $ that should be dedicated to fixing pitching (2 starters, 3 end of the pen relievers.) I would not mind taking flyers on MiLB contracts and see whether any of them can stick. That's about it. The bat are not the problem here. Grossman is fine as well.

2017 against the AL : 4.76 ERA, 1.294 WHIP, 6.4 K/9. That's Ricky Nolasco territory. He is available too I have no problem with them signing older free agents who maybe lottery tickets if: a. it is a zero risk MiLB contract b. they are willing to go to the minors and prove themselves in Rochester for a while Both Lackey and Werth will not do that.

Agree. Miller is on a different category. Right there with the Baseball Executives and the like. As far as players go, they need a rule that a player needs to be 20 years away from the last time he was on the regular ballot for his candidacy to be re-examined. Just imagine what hysterics will happen in those "modern era" ballots when McGwire, Clemens, Sosa, Bonds et al. are included, if they do not make it the usual way.

Miller should make it. The others had their chance recently and were passed over for good reasons. The Veterans' committee looks like a back door to the Hall arrangement and really serves no purpose.

Watson is way too low. He is one of those prospects that flashes top of the rotation potential, but there is a lot of risk, since he has not put it all together. Yet. He is not quite at the Romero / Graterol level, but deffinitely a top 20 talent in this organization. Burdi and Moya are also ranked very low. Moya had a video game season last year. Slegers was horrifying in the majors, is a definition of replacement player and will likely moved from the 40-man roster. Way too high.

I think that if the Twins had a different manager in 2016 whose mess Molitor cleaned, he could have won. He cleaned his own mess and just gained 2 games from 2015. This is not manager of the year territory.

12th in K% 30th in K-BB% 33rd in fWAR, FIP, 76th in WHIP 0 Cy Young votes No AS appearance among 120 pitchers with 130+ IP, makes an above average, not a great season...

Hellickson has a really intriguing 2.36 ERA and 0.960 WHIP the first time though an opponents' order (68-2/3 IP), which makes me think that despite his K% being low, he might be intriguing as a potential bullpen set up guy. However, a. would he do it? and b. would he do it at a rate ($2M plus incentives) which will make him a "bargain"? I doubt both. Tillman, Ross, and Cahill are about as healthy and effective as Phil Hughes. Jimenez's last great season was in 2010, and even 2.5 seasons in Cleveland could not fix him much. His FB is 6 mph slower than its peak. Might take a flyer on a MiLB contract, but that's about it.

Cannot do that. MLB contracts are guaranteed

Nishioka

You don't really use a roster spot other than the off-season. Here is the counter argument: As long as Phil Hughes is on the 60-day DL, insurance plays a huge part of his salary. If the Twins cut him, they have to pay his salary. He could retire...

Morrow as the closer. Not even close as far as the quality of FA available talent. They need a lefty as well. Minor could be it. Reed can bee the RH set up guy, but there is so much talent in the organization in that position. I'd take a flyer of Huston Street on a MiLB contract, as well, to see what's going on there.

WAR is what got them to the post-season. WAR does not matter in the post-season. Rate stats, do matter more. Verlander's WAR with the Astros was very small (because he did not play much.) But he was essential for their off-season. No Verlander no WS. WAR is a very bad metric for this.

The Royals were 3rd in the AL in team ERA in 2015 and 4th in 2014. Plus that pen. The Mets in 2015 had Harvey, deGroom and Thor with ERAs 2 under 3, the other 3.25 and WHIPs around 1.000. The 2014 Giants had Bumgarner and Peavy with 2.98 and 2.12 ERAs and WHIP around 1.000, as well as 5 relievers with WHIP under or around 1.000 The 2012 Giants had 5 starters with 184+ IP, headed by Cain (2.79 ERA, 1.040 WHIP) and Bumgarner (3.37 ERA, 1.114 WHIP) The 2011 Cardinals had 4 starters with 183+ IP, 4 starters with ~3.50 ERA, and 5 relievers at 1.000 WHIP or under, 3 of them under 2.30 ERA. Are the Twins projected to have anything close to that if they sit on their rear ends? Esp. with Santana regressing.