clone52

1. Agree, but don't underrate his clubhouse presence. Sounds like his mentorship really helped Miranda. 2. He does want to be here. If the Twins had offered 12/350 like the Giants did, I bet he picks the Twins. If the Twins had offered 12/315 like the Mets did, I bet he picks the Twins. The fact that he chose more long term security and money than average money per year doesn't mean he didn't like Minnesota. 3. BS. When was the last time a big time contract had someone who wanted to renegotiate in baseball? Does it ever happen? Is Mike Trout begging to get a contract like Aaron Judge. 4. Its more like your hooker dropping you, trying some other guys and then coming back. There is money involved. A personal relationship typically doesn't involve money or a contract. At least for most, maybe your relationships do. 5. It is really weird. Definitely a risk, but you gotta take some risks.

I wouldn't worry about signing those young guys. They are under control for a long time. Larnach, Kiriloff, Duran, Ryan, Ober won't be free agents until 2028. Lewis, Miranda, Winder, Sands, Woods-Richardson won't be a free agent until 2029. Lee, Martin, Julian, Rodriguez, Prielipp won't be a free agents until 2030 or later. Correa will only be making $30M in 2029 and $25M in 2030 if he's still around. By 2029, the Twins payroll should increase up to $160M at minimum I would guess. That still leaves a lot of money for retaining their best young players. Plus, the probably try to sign some of them up for extensions early, which would mean it wouldn't be like they are signing them all to $30M/year contracts of their own.

It does give them a ton of options now to bolster the roster, either during the offseason or before the trade deadline. All of the OFs could be available for the right deal (Kepler, Larnach, Kiriloff, Wallner, even Gallo). Polanco, Arraez or Miranda could go and they wouldn't have a huge hole. Even prospects like Lewis, Lee, Martin or Julian become more available theoretically. I think they could put together a deal for about any SP that became available if they thought it moved the needle.

Just go with Nick Nelson's idea. I don't care about the opt outs at all. Twins would have been thrilled with him for 3 years at 105M, so if they offer him an opt out after year 3 or 4, who cares? And if he stinks and stays, how is that any different than a contract with no opt outs? Its not at all. And he's going to have a no trade clause no matter who signs him, so complaining about that is pointless.

Sign Correa Trade for Alcontera, Lopez or some young high end pitcher. Would Lewis, Varland and Sabato get you Lopez? Sign Archer for the bullpen and SP depth if needed. Sign a decent catcher to pair with Jeffers. Maybe add OF depth if you can afford it. Could probably live with Buxton, Kepler, Kiriloff, Larnach, Wallner and Gordon. Injuries just make me nervous.

I hope it turns out well long term, but my take is not aging well.

Go compare Paddack to Kyle Gibson. First 3 years are very similar in results (ERA, FIP, etc). Paddack started his career 3 years younger than Kyle Gibson. Paddack had way more strikeouts and way fewer walks than Gibson. Gibson really took a leap in his 5th year, 4th year was still a struggle. Gibson was a higher draft pick, but both were in the minors as highly rated prospects. Paddack broke into the big leagues 3 years earlier than Gibson and has a lot better stuff it seems. At a minimum, this seems like 1 year Taylor Rogers for 2-3 years of good Kyle Gibson and a 2 years of a serviceable to good RP. I mean, there is a chance that Paddack and Pagan are more valuable to the Twins this year than Rogers would have been. Not much worse than 50/50 I'd say. Long term, this was a fantastic trade for the Twins. Honestly, this might even make Correa more likely to stick around. If the Twins had picked up Mannaea instead and gotten into the playoffs but not made the World Series, would Correa stick around? Rogers would be leaving, Mannaea would be gone, Now, if Paddack improves and Pagan regains his Tampa form, you are looking good in 2023. Gray, Maeda, Paddack, Ryan, best rookie RP has the makings of a great rotation. You only need to hit on one of the rookies. If more of them hit, you've got some great trade chips (not just them, but Paddack himself could be a great trade chip) Duran, Alcala, Tampa Pagan could be a great backend of the bullpen.

And lose both Manaea and Rogers at the end of the season. This is a great trade long term for a slight risk to 2022. No brainer.

Not to mention, you would never pair up two blue chip trade pieces in a single trade. 9 times out of 10 you would get more for them in 2 separate trades.

Yeah, there goes that benefit. And I'm not pushing their agenda, nor do I agree with it. Its just a fact that the Twins effectively have to compete with their own self imposed salary cap.

Another potential benefit of this trade. $3M savings on payroll. We don't know the exact limit the owners have given the front office, but that does free up money for the front office to play with in other deals.

Man, you'd think after a few years with Baldelli and this front office, fans would look outside the box. The Twins aren't going to have a 5 man rotation this year. Its going to be something weird, no doubt. Joe Ryan has never pitched more than 123 innings. Bailey Ober has never pitched more than 125 innings. Winder has never pitched more than 125 innings. Balazovich has never pitched more than 100 innings. Obviously Gray will go every 5th day. Bundy can go every 5th day. Ryan and Ober might start going every 5th day, but they will wear down. Paddock is way better with an extra day of rest. Ober was incredible the first time through the opener. Baldelli would really manage this team with Openers, then starters going 3-5 innings, then go to the bullpen. Yeah, losing Rogers sucks, but if the bullpen without him is going to prevent a successful season, then keeping him isn't going to turn them into a World Series team. Obviously they are going to go with a Closer by committee. They already started doing this with Rogers, by pitching him in the high leverage situations. With Duffy, Alcala, Pagan, you have 3 guys who have had success in high leverage situations in teh past. Stashak has been great at times,b ut not consistant. Joe Smith seems solid. Duran and Jax are a wildcards. If Archer rebounds and the young starters are solid, then Paddock could be a really good bullpen piece. Thielbar, Romero, Coulombe and Romera are depth (and expendable if someone needs to get added to the 40 man). Getting value from Rooker makes sense. If you need to add Garlick, you now drop your lowest rung RP off the 40 man.

If they can't win with this Pen, then Taylor Rogers wasn't going to be the savior that allowed them to win with this Pen.

seems like this guys got a great shot to be a good reliever.

No downside either then.

Keeping Duke is building for the future?

Nice article on Costello. Seems like a baseball guy and looking at his college stats, quite possibly a late bloomer. http://www.sentinelsource.com/sports/local_sports/costello-s-road-to-pro-baseball-led-straight-through-keene/article_40c94fa5-3716-57c5-a01a-2eb75c463f5a.html

Seems like Costello is a pretty interesting prospect. Not in their Top 30, but thats probably because he was a 31st round pick out of Central Connecticut State last year. Has been really productive in Single A this year, although fairly old. He's actually no older than most of the infielders the Twins already have in single A and was a Midwest League All Star. #7 is OPS, #1 in HR, #5 in doubles. Very good K/BB ratio for a power hitter (better ratio that Kirloff, Lewis and anyone on the Kernels roster). In my opinion, seems like a sleeper and with the season he is having, he could easily move up the rankings. Having a far better year than Bechtold at the same age and he was a 5th round pick. Reading more about him, I think this is a big deal. He really wasn't a home run hitter in college, so it looks like he is really filling out.

I'd be A-ok with that plan. However, if he were thrown in to a bigger deal to pull in a bigger prospect, I'm A-ok with that too.

Its probably also time to jump into the Yankees/Red Sox arms race. Yankees got a reliever. Red Sox got a starter. Time to get serious with the Yankees about Lynn, Odorizzi or Gibson. Time to get serious with the Red Sox about Rodney, Duke and even Dozier. Keep working with the Brewers about Dozier and Escobar. Talk to the Phillies about whoever. Talk to the A's about whoever. Try to pry a pitcher from the Yankees, or what about Thairo Estrada (2B/SS buried behind Torres and Gregorius) I just read that the Red Sox are looking for a veteran reliever, maybe a 3B upgrade and questions about Pedroia coming back. What if the Twins offered Escobar, Dozier, Duke and Pressley? Would the Red Sox like that and what would they give up? Escobar would be a termporary upgrade over Devers, Dozier is Pedroia insurance and the bullpen guys are nice.

Your post makes sense if Escobar was not a free agent this year. They might lose him anyway, so why not trade him. Honestly, if you do trade him, you just let Sano sink or swim the rest of the season. If Sano gets hurt, its Adrianza, Astudillo, Motter, Petit or whoever. None of those guys are in the plans as a regular for 2019, but maybe Escobar isn't either, so who really cares. Also, if you trade him, it doesn't eliminate the possibility of signing him in the offseason.

If they don't trade them, I'd absolutely offer one of the 2 a QO. There is very little risk involved. If you give Dozier a QO, he is not going to take it at all. I guarentee he could absolutely get a 3/40 contract from someone and I don't see any way he accepts the QO. A QO for Escobar, would be overpaying. I still think its a better than 50% chance he doesn't accept it and goes for a multi-year deal. Your risk is that he accepts it, but even if he does, what is the big deal? In a perfect world next year, Gordon, Polanco and Sano man 2B, SS and 3B next year. If they all stay healthy, well, you just paid your utility infielder $17 million, but you also probably had a pretty good season, so who cares. In reality, those guys probably won't all stay healthy and have great years. History has shown that Escobar is probably going to play 120 games a year, so he's more than a typically utility infielder.

I mean, if you get a good offer, great, go for it. I wouldn't give him away from peanuts. He's never been the worst reliever in our bullpen. I don't think you get rid of cheap guys who aren't at the lowest rung.

1) Maybe they can swing a deal for a PTBNL or cash. If Santana sucks, you get cash. If Santana is decent, you get this player. If Santana wins the World Series MVP, you get this player. Not sure if that is allowed in the baseball trade world. 2) Heck, you might even bring Morrison back next year, hoping he rebounds a bit and become a trade asset next year. $8 million isn't that expensive. I doubt you keep him and sign Mauer though. 3) Me too. But if some desparate team offers a Top 50 prospect, you might ship him off. Would you trade him for the package the Giants got for Nunez last year? 4) If its a player that is not in your 2019 plan, why not trade for peanuts. And Lance Lynn will get far more than peanuts.

What is the possible logic in trading Pressly or Duffy?