LA Vikes Fan

Good concept by Passan, wrong guys. Use some of our better minor-league assets and trade for Reid Detmers or Jose Soriano of the Angels. Both are controllable for 2.5 seasons and the rumor is both are available for the right package of MLB ready talent. The Angels need hitters, including outfielders, which happens to be what we actually have to trade. We will probably have to give up some of our favorite children but trade a package highlighted by Emma, GG or Roden (basically anyone other than Jenkins or Culpepper), and add in a top 15 guy like Young, Quick, or Ellwanger. Throw in Wallner if they need another warm body. He needs to go somewhere, he's done here. That's who you concentrate on, not a rental

I think this is article ignores the real reason to trade Jeffers - it looks like he isn't going to be on the team past 20026. Look, I would love to keep him if I thought he would be here next year. I would be willing to pay him 50-60m for 4 years to keep him. But everything you read says that he is determined to test free agency and that is is unlikely the Twins will want or be able to outbid teams like the Yankees to keep him. The real choice isn't whether it would be a good idea to keep Jeffers for the next few years. That's easy. It is a good idea. It's just not the real choice. The real choice is do you keep Jeffers for the rest of this season only and lose him for nothing, or do you trade him now and get some decent or better prospects in return? That's also easy. You trade him and get something for him now rather than losing him for nothing. My vote is to sign him to a three or four year deal before the end of the month and keep him around with Caratini in a timeshare. Unfortunately, everything I read those tells me that is not actually an option. If your choice is to keep them just for 2026 or trade him for a couple of good to very good prospects the choice is easy; you have to trade him.

I agree that were not too far off. I want to add that I do think we should trade Jeffers for prospects assuming he's not going to be re-signed. My beef was more with trading top 10 or top 15 prospects for guys like Sonny Gray. I think you and I are in agreement that that's just not smart. This year and next year's team are not worth that kind of investment and he won't be worth much after next year, maybe not even after this year at his age. I am intrigued by the idea of trading even two top 15 prospects plus others for a real star. I just haven't seen anybody like that being mentioned as available. If there was a true middle of the order bat or established top of the rotation starter under 30 with at least a couple years still in the arbitration process or on an affordable contract with at least a couple of years left after this one, I would be all over trading pretty much anyone we got except for Jenkins for that player. I actually don't care what position he plays, we'll make room. I just haven't read anywhere that there is a guy like that available. I love to hear about someone like that if there is and I just have missed it.

Agreed in part. No giving up top prospects for Sonny Gray and his $30 million salary with a $10 million buyout for next year. Besides, he is a no trade clause and wants to go to Atlanta. Let's stop talking about Sonny Gray; he is not coming to Minnesota even if we wanted him. I wouldn't trade to top 15 prospects to get him. Boston ain't trading Gray for a couple of 15 – 30 prospects. He will probably cost a top-five prospect other than Jenkins and another in the top 15. Think Culpeper and Mendez. That's the price, deal with it. Don't agree with you on Chapman if the price is right. I wouldn't give up a top 10 prospect, but someone in the 12 to 30 range would be worth it, or two guys if neither is in the top 15. Maybe even go as high as Young or Ellwanger (#s 12 and 14), just not a top 10 guy. That may mean we can't get him, but I can live with that.

I respect your opinion because it actually makes sense based on your premise, but I don't agree with your basic premise. I do think this is a team worth investing in. Perhaps not so much for this year, but I think they've actually begun to put together a core group that can be competitive for the next two or three years and maybe longer. Lee, Keaschall, and Martin all look like solid MLB contributors at various levels, and I think Buxton, Larnach, Caratini, and Clemens will still be effective contributors for the next two or three years. The Starting pitching staff is coming together and one can actually begin to see outlines of a younger group that can be part of an effective bullpen. Don't get me wrong, we are a few players away from having a truly competitive core but I think it's only a few, not several. We need a long-term answer at SS, 1B (or 2B if the Lewis experiment fails and Clemens moves back to 1B), two mid to late 20s late inning bullpen pieces, one more long-term mid rotation starter, and the solid middle of the order bat regardless of position. That's not a ridiculous shopping list and some of that may come internally from guys like Culpepper, Houston, Roden, Jenkins, GG, etc. on the field position side, and Abel, Rojas, Matthews, Festa, and others on the pitching side. That's why my outlook for this trade deadline is focused on getting guys will help us over the next 2 to 3 years, not guys for just this year and not guys who are 3 to 4 years out from really helping us. Even if we trade for a guy at AA or AAA and he advances quickly, he probably needs at least another year of minor league ball and then a year or two of experience at the MLB level before he can really help us. Brooks Lee now really helps us; two years ago and even last year he had some tantalizing upside but was of limited current utility. I'm willing to make a move now by trading guys 2 to 4 years out to get guys that will help us over the next 3 to 4 years. I think the pipeline's robust enough to support trading from it, especially when you have to think were going to get at least two pretty good prospects from the Yankees or someone else when we trade Jeffers. Let's invest in this group.

Hey, was that Tom Pohlad showing up with more 20s for Plouffe and Span to give out fans who are actually in attendance? Same guy then showing up in the booth with a large hot dog? It's almost like this guy understands he is running an entertainment company and is trying to connect with the customer. Since when did that become a thing for the family? A guy who actually cares running the team? Who knew? That must've been an imposter in a Tom Pohlad costume. Seriously, really smart, savvy move. Gotta give the guy credit for that. Little things like that can start to change the narrative about the team and about ownership. Good for him.

You may be right on the cost and it's a cost I think we should be willing to pay for Detmers or Soriano. I would be willing to trade Emma plus someone in the 10 – 15 range to get one of those two players, say, Emma plus Young or Riley Quick (or Mendez but why would they want to left-handed hitting outfielders). If we do that we are trading from surplus to get what we need and it really is a twofer because the acquired player slides into the rotation for the next 2.5 years, and some of our starting pitching candidates then become high-octane relievers and fallback options if we can't re-sign Ryan or Lopez, or Lopez can't come back from the Tommy John surgery. To me, that is exactly the kind of deal we should pursue - trading from our surplus of high potential AAA outfielders to get younger, proven quality controllable pitching. I really don't like the idea of trading a top 15 prospect or more for an aging reliever, even Aroldis Chapman, although he might be worth it since he has a vesting option for next year at $13 million that looks likely to vest so you might actually get a 1.5 year quality backend guy. Still, at age 38 he could fall off the cliff at any moment. The other guys that have been mentioned like Kirby Yates, Kenley Jansen, or if it's a starter, Sonny Gray, Seth Lugo, or Robbie Ray, leave me pretty cold. I would rather not trade even top 30 prospects for one of those guys and a guy like Sonny Gray may cost two top 15 prospects. This year's Twins team is becoming fun and exciting to watch but let's be realistic, the ceiling is likely a Wild Card or winning a weak division, one competitive playoff series that they could actually win, and then getting hammered by one of the big boys. Still fun stuff, but I'm not willing to trade a lot of the immediate future just to improve our chances of reaching that level. I want to trade in a way that makes is better over the next two or three years, or more if possible, not for a quick fix for just 2026 and maaaaybe 2027, and also not for guys who aren't going to help us until 2029 or later. I know that's tough to find but we're not so desperate that we have to sacrifice the short-term future for either a quick fix or something that can't help us until the long term. Plus, we are likely trading Jeffers for prospects so replenishing the farm is already in the works. I hope they've already talked to the Angels about the price for Soriano or Detmers, and also the price on a lower wattage trade like for Yates or Bachman, and are thinking about getting one of the starters. To me, that's the one possible trade I've heard about that makes a lot of sense other than trading Jeffers, which they have to do.

I agree with the idea that acquiring a starting pitcher could be a twofer by both strengthening the rotation and moving a quality starter like Preilipp into the bullpen. Prielipp will not last the season in the rotation because he is on an innings limit this year after the injuries and surgeries, so I think following the Dodgers model of having him start into August and then moving him to the bullpen is a great idea. It has worked really well for the Dodgers. The part I can't understand is that I see a lot of sentiment here towards acquiring Sonny Gray. I just don't think he's a realistic target and I think acquiring him isn't a very good idea considering what is likely to cost. We have to remember that he has a no trade clause and publicly stated a desire to go to Atlanta since I think he's originally from that area or a surrounding state. He doesn't have to come to the Twins if he doesn't want to. Moreover, he is going to be expensive both in his $31 million salary ($10 million of which is being paid by St. Louis) plus $10 million buyout for next year if either side declines his $30 million mutual option, and in terms of prospect cost. I think you have to assume that he is going to cost one of our top five prospects other than Jenkins plus a 10 to 15 prospect. Think something like Culpepper or Emma plus Mendez or Riley Quick. And that's just for Gray, we don't get Chapman with that. Chapman will fetch a top 10 prospect just all by himself. Add to that the fact that Gray is 36 and I just don't think he makes sense given our competitive timeline either. I think it makes a lot more sense to target younger starter if available, and the rumor is that the Angels are willing to entertain trading either José Soriano or Reid Detmers for controllable bats. The prospect cost might very well be the same, but the player we would be getting back is substantially younger and controllable through arbitration for the next 2.5 years, although not as accomplished. Still, they would fit our timeline better. The Angels also need an outfielder and guess what, we have lots of those. I would be much more interested in trading an Emma plus say Mendez or Young type package for one of those two guys. That's the trade I would be pursuing.

I agree with the bullpen as the biggest need but trading for a starting pitcher would kill 2 birds with one stone. We need BP help, but it's expensive for unreliable guys and unpredictable results. Plus, our surplus is quality OFs that are worth more than a BP pitcher unless we're getting a dependable closer. I think we can vastly improve the bullpen if we trade for a Starting Pitcher and move Prielipp into the BP along with Ober replacing Paredes who also goes to the BP. Why Preilipp? Because his innings have to be managed coming off injury and he'll be shut down before the end of the season. Moving him to the BP gets him through the season and gives us a valuable BP arm, even a late inning arm. The Dodgers have done this a bunch of times with Sasaki, Maeda, Stripling, Sheehan, even Glasnow. We did it successfully a couple of years ago with The Sheriff. The Angels appear willing to trade controllable starting pitching for young, controllable quality hitting. With that in mind, here's my proposal: Emma for Reid Detmers or Jose Soriano of the Angels. Alternatively, Emma and either Wallner or Ross for Detmers (or Soriano) and Sam Bachman or Kirby Yates. Why Emma? Because he's worth a lot, like a quality SP with 2.5 years of control left like Soriano or Detmers, and we have a glut of LH hitting OFs. I realize that Emma is out of options after this year, has been hurt a lot and hasn't seen the MLB field yet, so his value is down a little and we might have to sweeten the pot just to get Detmers or Soriano . We are going to have to keep or DFA Emma next season and we haven't even had the chance to see if he can hit MLB pitching. He's also fallen behind Jenkins, Roden, and probably Mendez in the LH hitting OF hierarchy for the reasons his value is a little down. Conversely, the Angels need hitters bad, can be patient while he develops, and Soriano's and Detmers 2.5 year controllable timeline ends before they are likely to be relevant while our guys 6 year clock hasn't even started yet. I l think it's a win/win short and medium term for us, longer term for them. What do you think?

That makes sense, especially with the schedule and rotation. We have a night game followed by a day game so this would be the prefect time. Jeffers tonight with Prielipp, Caratini with Zebby tomorrow, and then Jeffers with Ober on Friday when I expect him to be back. Paredes goes to the BP and Adams goes to AAA when Ober comes back.

By the way, I'll start with a trade scenario. We need BP help, but it's expensive for unreliable guys and unpredictable results. Plus, our surplus is quality OFs that are worth more than a BP pitcher unless we're getting a dependable closer. I think we can vastly improve the bullpen if we trade for a Starting Pitcher and move Prielipp into the BP along with Ober replacing Paredes who also goes to the BP. Why Preilipp? Because his innings have to be managed coming off injury and he'll be shut down before the end of the season. Moving him to the BP gets him through the season and gives us a valuable BP arm, even a late inning arm. The Dodgers have done this a bunch of times with Sasaki, Maeda, Stripling, Sheehan, even Glasnow. We did it successfully a couple of years ago with The Sheriff. The Angels appear willing to trade controllable starting pitching for young, controllable quality hitting. With that in mind, here's my proposal: Emma for Reid Detmers or Jose Soriano of the Angels. Alternatively, Emma and either Wallner or Ross for Detmers (or Soriano) and Sam Bachman or Kirby Yates. Why Emma? Because he's worth a lot, like a quality SP with 2.5 years of control left like Soriano or Detmers, and we have a glut of LH hitting OFs. I realize that Emma is out of options after this year, has been hurt a lot and hasn't seen the MLB field yet, so his value is down a little and we might have to sweeten the pot just to get Detmers or Soriano . We are going to have to keep or DFA Emma next season and we haven't even had the chance to see if he can hit MLB pitching. He's also fallen behind Jenkins, Roden, and probably Mendez in the LH hitting OF hierarchy for the reasons his value is a little down. Conversely, the Angels need hitters bad, can be patient while he develops, and Soriano's and Detmers 2.5 year controllable timeline ends before they are likely to be relevant while our guys 6 year clock hasn't even started yet. I l think it's a win/win short and medium term for us, longer term for them. What do you think?

Quick question. Is a thread here where can exchange trade ideas? I'm sure most of them will be laughable since none of us know what we're talking about, but I do think it would be fun and a lot of people would engage. Moderators, is that something you can set up ? I can do it if you tell me how to get on the home page so people can see it. .

I agree that the timing is good, even though it kind of sucks for Buck to have to miss the All-Star Game. Fedco is still on the roster and playing CF tonight since Cleveland is starting a LH pitcher. I think his tenure ends very soon as the man that goes when Jeffers rejoins the roster. Roden should start and play CF on Wednesday and Thursday when Cleveland is throwing RH starters. This is Roden's chance to show he's worth keeping when Buck is ready to come back.

Well, the wait is over! Buxton was just placed on the IL and Roden was called up to replace him. Fedko is slated to start tonight in CF, probably because the Guardians are starting a LH. They're starting RHs the next 2 days, so I think there's a good chance that Roden will be in CF both days. Here we go!

Hey, at least one just came up. Buxton went on the IL and Roden was called up to replace him.

Makes more sense to trade from our OF surplus than a middle infielder but I'm with you.

It was Lawyerson. Optioned yesterday.

You're probably right. Still, I'd even be willing to throw in a mid-tier prospect with Jeffers to get a better pitcher like Hess or Lagrange. Trading him for two 10-15 guys doesn't really excite me. Having said that, we have to trade him so if that's the best we can get . . . Here's the thing I wonder about. If Chapman is worth a top 7 prospect why wouldn't Jeffers be worth at least that? It seems like a top 5 everyday catcher has to have the same or better value than a reliever, even a closer, particularly if that reliever is 38 with a bit of an injury history.

By the way, I'm bored at work so I'm using Claude AI look at trade scenarios. According to Claude, Jeffers should fetch a top five system prospect on the acquiring team, or two mid tier prospects. Claude specifically mentioned RHP Ben Hess, the Yankees number 5 prospect plus some younger, lower tier prospects, or SS Kaeden Kent (Yankees #13) and LHP Kyle Carr (Yankees #11), two mid tier prospects as a package. I would be more interested in getting a better prospect like Hess or, even better, adding in someone like Taylor Rogers and getting Carlos Lagrange and a mid-tier guy still down in A+. What I would really like to do is trade Jeffers for a solid MLB reliever plus a lower tier or younger prospect. I think that's going to be hard since any team trading for Jeffers must consider themselves a contender, or why trade for a rental, and probably won't want to trade somebody any good from their bullpen. I guess the one possibility is to find a team surplus bullpen arms but I don't think that's the Yankees and I don't know who it would be. My guess is the best likely deal is for someone like Ben Hess or Carlos Lagrange. That's likely the best we're going to be able to do, if we can do that well.

The trade talk is interesting and made me curious about 2 things. First, what would it take to get Chapman? I put that inquiry into Claude and the AI response was a top seven prospect. For the Twins, that means someone like Tait (3), Houston (7), Hill (5), GG (6)or Soto (8). That seems like a lot for a 38-year-old two month rental. I like Chapman as a player and I can see how he would be a great get and a real addition to this bullpen but I just am not certain I'm willing to pay that price for this team. Second, has anyone heard or seen anything that suggests Sonny Gray would waive his no trade clause to come to Twins? What I've seen is that he wants to go to Atlanta because he's from the area and wants to play for team that has a real World Series chance. Maybe his buddy Joe Ryan can convince him to consider the Twins but even then, Claude says it would take a top three prospect (not Jenkins, but someone like Culpepper or Tait), plus a pitching arm in the upper minors as a secondary piece (CJ Culpepper? Sam Armstrong? Mike Peredes?), and maybe a third piece if the market gets very competitive. That prospect cost is also really high but I think the real hurdle is that Gray can choose where he wants to go and he has publicly said he wants to go to Atlanta. I guess I would be tempted to trade someone like GG for Chapman given how many OF prospects we have, particularly if we can be assured of re-signing him for next season at something in the neighborhood of $13.3 million deal he has for 2026. Otherwise, I think the cost for these two it's just too high because I don't think either one of them gets us beyond a one (or maybe two) and done playoff appearance at best.

I would agree but them who does Jeffers replace when he's ready to go, hopefully today. Jackson is out of options and will be claimed on waivers because of the real dearth of catching available as injury replacements (and there's always injured catchers) and because he's playing well. I think the plan all along has been to replace Fedko with Jeffers and keep 3 catchers until Jeffers is traded. I really think that Roden needs to come up and it should be now. There's only 3 choices that I see to make that happen. First, IL Buxton. Bad choice unless you're sure he can't help us against Cleveland. Famous last words, but we shouldn't need him against the Angels so if he can't play by Thursday put him on a 10 day Il and use next week at 4 of the 10 days. That means he doesn't get to play in the AS game though so he isn't going to like that idea. Second, replace Fedko and Martin with Roden and Jeffers, Another bad choice. Martin is starting to play well again and makes a very good natural platoon with Larnach in left. Don't do this to force Roden onto the roster. If this is the only choice, Roden waits. Best choice is to option Gray (he has one left) for Roden. It's risky because now you have no utility IF if someone gets hurt or needs a day. If someone gets hurt, your only option is to move Lewis to the open spot if it's 2B or 3B, with Bell at 1B, or Lewis to 3B if you need a SS and Lee goes back to SS, also with Bell at 1B. Defensively pretty ugly. Still, the best choice available to get Roden up now. I suspect that unless there's an injury Roden is going to have to wait until Jeffers is traded to create a spot to come up. If Buxton can't go in CF this week, then maybe you option Fedko and Gray for Jeffers and Roden if Jeffers is ready, Roden for Fedko if Jeffers needs another couple of days and then Jeffers for Gray. I don't see why Jeffers needs more time though so to me the choice is Gray or Roden. I would pick Roden, but I get why they may want to stick with Gray , Arcia, or Ross, to have some kind of a utility IF on the roster. I love Bell as a hitter but this is what happens when you have a full time DH.

He hated it and so did I. Nobody here is suggesting that we do that, or at least I'm not. I'm a big proponent of trading Jeffers, the one good player we have on an expiring contract. Besides, this is a different team in a different situation. Artie refused to trade when the world could see the Angels weren't in contention. Plus the Angels drew 30,000 a game even with a bad team then so there was no business imperative. Here, we'll have a better idea in 3 weeks whether the Twins are in contention for the playoffs this year and there is a serious business imperative to trying to contend. The Angels analogy doesn't work unless you assume the Twins can't contend for the division or the playoffs. That's a question for which we don't yet have an answer. If we go 9-13 or worse in the next 22, or 13-9 or better in the next 22, then we will. Watch, we'll go 11-11 and be having this debate a month from now.

Both Mike and I gave you the thumbs up but I suspect for different reason. I think the Twins can go 41-30 the rest of the way and I also think 39-32 might get it done.

Hey, if we can get Hogland or Dotel for Bell and even a solid prospect like Rosario or CJ Culpepper, jump on it. I'm not as big a fan of Harrington, in part because he played for the Campbell Fighting Camels. Seriously, the Fighting Camels? That's the best you got?

Jeffers for Fedko. Roden only if Buck goes on the Il, which I don't think he will. No room for Wallner.