Dman

It has not been a particularly great year consistency wise for Severino. Still he brought his K rate down to under 30% and upped his walk rate 14% this year. He traded that for losing some HR power and if he hadn't been an absolute K machine early in the year his numbers might look better. I'm still a big believer in his hit tool and power. I like him at 1st and DH even if Miranda might be a better option in both spots. I like the fact he is a switch hitter. I still think there is Wallner type power that he can tap into. Can he do it against higher end pitching consistently enough? I don't know, but I am happy to see him playing well the last few months.

Yeah I Liked the Thomason pick and the Carr pick. Senior signs just don't get much love in the draft. If he has the Griffen Jax mentality he'll do just fine. Looking forward to see what he can do.

Not much for top 100 Prospects being traded this year so teams understand the value those type of players have. Baltimore had the assets to get a big deal done and didn't pull the trigger. I think for smaller market teams doing deals for deadline players it's hard to take on a higher salaried player and lose potential cost controlled players in the process. With Correa, Lopez and Buxton taking up a good chunk of payroll it feels like those players salaries make it harder to fit higher salaries in at the deadline. Couple that with the up in the air TV revenue and maybe the money just isn't there for the Twins? Hard to say since we are not privy to the numbers, but the Twins aren't the only ones who operate this way, This year I wasn't all that interested in around the edges type of players. If the Twins were going to deal for a top of the rotation arm I could have gotten behind that, but Kikuchi wasn't that type of arm IMO. I would have liked to try harder for a better lefty reliever, but I suppose being burned by the Lopez deal had them second guessing pen arms that cost high end assets. I am ok with what they did at the deadline. For this team to go anywhere the guys they have, have to play well to get to the playoffs. I believe in the players they have and if they get hot we've seen they can have a high end offense. We've seen excellent starting pitching at times and we've seen the pen be dominant in stretches If they can put it all together at the right time I think this team can beat anyone, We'll see how all these moves shake out the next two months,

Maybe it is just wishful thinking, but could Prielipp make his debut? He has been K'ing hitters like crazy at the lower levels and he has two elite pitches, I believe. Hard to say if those pitches are ready for MLB hitters, but maybe they could run him up to AA and see how he does there and AAA if he is getting good results at AA. Then maybe MLB in September? I know that might be too much to ask, but desperate for a good lefty and he likely is the best one we have right now. He might not even be dominant at AA, but it seems worth a try given where we are with lefties in the pen. I am probably higher on Headrick than most, but given his results even when he was good it's a stretch to say he is any better than Fundy or Okert. He has been pretty homer prone which is not ideal for a reliever. I'd need to see more than a month of build up to trust him, but that's just me. I guess if we have nothing else he's probably the next best thing we have to try. He should have a fresh arm.

I was only box score watching but I had the Kernal's down for a loss heading into the 9th down 3 runs. They were going to have to go through the bottom of the order to win it and depending on Urbina, Salas and Hess to get hits against a likely closer or good arm seemed highly unlikely. Checked back quite a bit later and had to check to make sure I was on the right day for scores because they so rarely come back from deficits in the 9th plus having our worst hitters up after Doncon and Maitan it seemed virtually impossible to me they could pull it off. I guess every now and then good things happen regardless of trends and stats. Was surprised but happy to see them get a come from behind win after losing several that way this season. Nice to see Camargo hitting for power again. Seems like it has been tough year injury wise for him. Hopefully he is ready to start a hot streak. I also hope Randy Dobnak is back and ready to put up solid numbers as a MLB pitcher. He could still provide value to the team with the contract he has. They need to know if he is still has an MLB caliber arm or not and the only way to find out is to pitch him at the MLB level. If it looks like he can hold a 5th starter spot the Twins could move Varland to the pen and they can round robin Festa, SWR and Paddack to rest arms as needed. If Dobnak is successful it would be like getting someone at the trade deadline. Not an ace but at least someone to give the rotation more depth. Hopefully it works out.

Really happy with the way Festa pitched and that he made it 5 innings. If he can just keep improving and prove that he can make it at the MLB level that is huge for the future of the team. This team just struggles mightily to have both pitching and hitting working together any given game. When the bats show up the pen or a starter gives it away. Pitch well and the bats go quiet. Hopefully we get guys back and go on a run.

It looks like a salary dump for Toronto and the Twins apparently the only ones willing to do a deal. Very underwhelming, but something.

Yeah it is underwhelming get as Richards numbers aren't great, but Harry isn't a top 30 prospect and likely wasn't ever going to be in the Twins system. Looks like more of a salary dump for Toronto there.

The return appears to be Jay Harry.

If we are getting 2019 Dobnak he will be an upgrade. If we are getting 2020 Dobnak and I think this is his likely outcome I can live with that. If we are getting 2021 Dobnak we are in real trouble. I think he has a new pitch and his K rate is higher than it has ever been. I am hopeful that this will be a memorable comeback and not a trainwreck. This team needs a boost in the worst way and I hope Randy is the answer, because as things stand right now there isn't much behind him. In Dobnak we trust or bust.

Given the Twin's were connected to the Rockies, Quantrill I guess that makes sense. Why go after a guy with 6.4K\9 when you have someone cheaper in the system that might be able to do pretty much the same thing. I watched Randy the last few games and his stuff still worries me. I don't know if he can keep all those balls on the ground directly to his fielders at the MLB level. Looks like we are going to find out.

The just have to make sure they are willing to pay him when he reaches FA to they lose him for nothing.

I don't know. Last night against the Mets the Twins looked like they generally look in the playoffs. Not much offense and a leaky pen. That's too ,much to fix in one deadline on a payroll budget. It looks like SWR might be tiring and need a couple weeks to refresh the arm and who knows what Paddack's status is coming off of TJ. Festa is still learning at the MLB level and looks shaky. Things look a bit worse than I thought, but I don't think a deadline addition is gonna fix enough problems to make this team a WS contender. I think they might need to find a marginal starter or it looks like they might need to reach down for Dobnak and or Boushley for some starts at some point in last few months. Twins need this supposedly great offense to step up.

That makes sense. Heck they could be over budget right now for all i know it's just such a different feeling from the top down this year that I agree with others that it is a downer. Maybe I am incredibly naive, but I still trust that ownership is interested in doing the right things for the business as a whole. This is a challenging time though as the optics do look bad.

I'm not begging them to do anything at the deadline but I do find it curious that money is suddenly such a big deal. They were willing to go to around 150M last year and while I get the TV revenue went south you'd think they could go over budget a year or two or three if needed to support the club just like us fans do. I get that it's a business and you don't run them at a loss at least not for long it just kind of makes you wonder what changed on the commitment level from ownership? Last year it felt like money was virtually no object. This year there is no money for anything. A bit Jekyll and Hyde for me, but I don't see profit and loss statements and if there is no reserve fund then maybe they are up against it this year. It just makes me wonder if this is a philosophical shift and the FO needs cover so ownership is playing big bad Dad or with all other expenses they are just at the absolute limit. I don't know, but the whole thing is a bit odd to me without more info.

I always felt Harper was underrated. I never understood how he could so quickly fade away. He is etched in memory though mainly due to the 91 WS. He was huge in that series and I thought he would be our catcher for a long time. Things can change quick.

Well I was in college at that time and more interested in girls than the Twins. So you got me there. lol Thanks! (I changed it) I honestly didn't pay too much attention to that team until after their first playoff win. I think they were in last place or close to it the year before.

If you look at two of last years biggest names, Sherzer and Verlander didn't help their teams much. Bargain bin or not doesn't necessarily matter. It's a hope chip. You play it and hope it is a difference maker but only one works because only one team wins the World Series. It can be a small move like the Braves with Eddie Rosario who essentially single handedly moved them past the Dodgers or Montgomery who came in handy for the Rangers last year when they were expecting Sherzer to be "the guy". It's hard to say what is going to move the needle, but most chips fail and all chips rely on the fact the team at large is going to play extremely well with little or no weakness's along the way.

That was a well thought out great read. Thanks! I would just say that as a fan myself buying at the deadline isn't a make or break deal to me. I believe in the players they have and I believe in them to be the best versions of themselves in the playoffs if they make it. The Twins have bought at the deadline with essentially disastrous results and little to no impact in recent years. Buying at the deadline doesn't guarantee you anything more than what they have right now. Sure it's another hope chip, but not much more IMO. Stay the course. Believe in the guys we have.

Nice to see Doncon with 2 hits and one of them a Home Run. I was starting to get a little worried about him making contact after an 0 for 5 last night and he hasn't had the same level of plate discipline as earlier in the year. Kind of feels like maybe they have turned him loose to get to his power? He has been getting more extra base hits recently. Happy to see Culpepper back and I hope that forearm issue does not return. Three K's in 2 innings work with no hits, no walks and no runs. Doesn't get better than that if you are on a pitch count.

I see BR's WAR is very different from Fangraphs. I have no idea whose is more accurate, but I see where you are coming from if BR's is the most accurate. Pretty wild that they would be "that" different. It makes me wonder if BR changed their WAR calculation at some point because Fangraphs seems more consistent IMO. The way they calculate now BR has a lower WAR than Fangraphs where as Fangraphs has a lower calc for Viola. I don't get it but it has us talking apples and oranges right now.

Fangraphs shows Viola's WAR at 5.4 for 1987. Pablo was at 4.5 last year. Yeah I'd say that's fairly close. Clearly Viola was better but not out of the realm better. FWIW Blyleven's WAR in 87 was 2.2. Baily Obers WAR last year was 2.4. Joe Ryan's was 2.2 last year and he already sits at 3.,1 this year.

For 87 I think Pablo could be our Viola and Ober or Ryan as good as a late in his career Blyleven. 91 proves your point more while they didn't get Morris at the deadline he was the difference maker in the World Series for them. They got him in the offseason though. I think they have three starters who can compete well in the playoff's. And most of the playoff loses for the Twins were the offense not performing and or the pen melting down. It takes the whole team performing not just your ace pitcher. I'd have to look, but IIRC I don't think Sherzer or Verlander helped their teams that much in the playoffs last year and they were expensive acquisition's last year. Getting "your guy" doesn't guarantee victory, but sure it can give you a better chance.

I think about the question posed in the article a lot and I go back and forth on it a lot. The tough part for me about the deadline is that you have to pay a premium for a two month rental and an even greater premium for guys with an extra year. Also how much value does just that one player bring with them? If the Twins recent past is any indication they would have been better off not doing deadline deals. Still the Braves and Rangers likely don't win the World Series without their savvy deadline acquisitions. It's a risky gamble for every contending team every year and only one team comes out on top so the odds are fairly low that your moves make your team better than the rest. I think appetite for risk comes down to three things. short term team outlook, long term team outlook and available payroll. In the short term outlook who cares about prospects they are just assets that allow you to fill holes on the MLB roster to make it stronger. If you deplete your farm and have the money to spend up to or over the cap even if you make some bad trades you can still buy players in the offseason to strengthen your club. The short term outlook is putting all your chips into the middle every deadline until you have no chips left. The long term view is building a team via prospects to create a core group and then fill holes from there. The farm is the main source of talent as long term building is generally for teams with lower budgets as they can't afford much high priced talent. There does come a point though where a long term building team has to push their chips into the middle as the core of its good players is going to get too expensive to retain. I think the Twins are in the long term outlook category. They need to protect their prospects if they are going to sustain being a competitive team and not tear down and rebuild. Does that mean they can't trade away any of their prospects of course not, but trading long term assets for short term ones does bite harder for smaller market teams. Is this a year to go all in? I don't think so, but it clearly can be argued that a difference making starter could make a large difference in the post season for the Twins. If it were me I would be looking for a more elite lefty reliever and call it a deadline. We'll see what the Twins do.

Zebby with a tough night against a very good hitting team. He has more to learn about getting high end hitters out as he struggled in AA against the one good hitting team he faced there. I still am very impressed with what he has done this season. I can't remember a pitcher moving three levels in one season before. They usually get stuck at AA for a while. More refinement needed but at least he can be challenged at AAA. Man Prielipp has me sooo excited about his stuff and dreaming of having an elite lefty in the system. I would continue to take it slow, but golly gee wiz it's nice to see him back and dominating. I saw Deardon when he was at High A and knew he didn't belong there. At that time I thought he belonged at AAA. Glad to see him proving me right so far. His OPS in a smaller sample is higher than Keaschal's right now. I think this guy has an elite tool, but more time needed to make sure..