mnfireman

Polanco is not a SS. His metrics (and the eye tests) are horrible. The Twins were 9-17 (.346) with him at SS last year and a full season of him and Arraez up the middle would be a disaster. Simmons couldn't hit his way out of a wet paper bag, but was one of MLB's top fielding SS's. But he tested positive for Covid and missed time. Several other players also tested positive and received a pass from this forum, but not Simmons because he spoke out against vaccines. Not one of those other positives was traced to Simmons, but he was still vilified. He was signed as a stop-gap until Lewis was ready, but Lewis got hurt, and the team needs another stop-gap year. Any other year and any other player, and this forum would be all for re-signing said player for another year, even with sub-par offensive numbers, because he would be the best stop-gap option again. Polanco is not the best option at SS for this season, or any season going forward, because that would mean Arraez is playing everyday at 2B and that is not good. You can cover one bad defender with offense, but not two, especially up the middle. There are several short term options the team could sign on the cheap, or they could sign Story, further clogging the 2B/SS depth, and go forward, hoping to win 8-7 every night and hoping to catch lightning in a bottle in a trade.

2021 bWAR - 8+ MVP, 5+ AS, 2+ Starter, 0-2 Reserve: Tatis - 6.6 bWAR Padres 79-83 Story - 4.2 bWAR Rockies 74-87 Swanson - 1.9 bWAR Braves 88-73 WS Champions Torres - 0.8 bWAR Yankees 92-70 SS bWAR doesn't always indicate team record, especially when most of that bWAR comes from the offensive side, Polanco is a better fit at 2B and stands a better chance to remain in the line-up everyday.

With Donaldson: 2020 - 19-9 .679 2021 - 57-78 .422 without Donaldson: 2020 - 17-15 .531 2021 - 6-11 .353

As do Hrbek, Gagne, Gladden, Bush, Newman, & Larkin.... Griffey Jr. and Trout also have 0 rings. I don't like using rings for individual player comparisons.

Both spent 12 years with the Twins, so let's use those splits: Carew - .334/.393/.448 12x AS, ROY, MVP, 63.8 bWAR Puckett - .318/.360/.477 10x AS, 6x GG, 51.2 bWAR, 2x WS Champ, 1x WS MVP Then let's take their age 26-32 season (arguably the best 7 years of each of their careers): Carew - .350/.414/.468 7x AS, MVP, 49.2 bWAR Puckett - .329/.368/.498 7x AS, 6x GG, 36.8 bWAR, 2x WS Champ, 1x WS MVP Carew never won a GG but fielding metrics didn't hate him at either 1B or 2B. Puckett won 10 GG but fielding metrics don't like him very much, though we remember the big plays (kind of like Jeter) If I had the #1 overall draft pick and these were my two choices (knowing these would be their stats), I would pick Carew. But I might also just flip a coin because you couldn't go wrong choosing either...

MI Depth between MLB & MiLB: Polanco, Arraez, Gordon, Sano, Lewis, Martin Miranda, Cavaco, plus some lower level prospects that may or may not pan out. Arraez is a known commodity and if he can't be traded I think it makes more sense to go year to year in arbitration, much like the team did with Rosario. His knees are bad and his stats are trending the wrong way.

Yes, are you? His 3 year splits are trending the wrong way: '19 - .334/399/.439 '20 - .321/.364/.402 '21 - .294/.357/.376 AVG down 40 points, OBP down 42 points and SLG down 63 points. And he has bad knees, which will not get better as he gets older. Buxton's (your comparison) 3 year splits are trending up: '19 - .262/.314/.513 '20 - .254/.267/.577 '21 - .306/.358./647 I don't think his numbers will stay at the '21 level, but probably somewhere around the 3 year average - .277/.321/.575. And Buxton's injuries have not included bad knees, but have nonetheless limited his playing time. Gordon, Lewis, Martin, Miranda, or FA signings such as Jonathan Villar, Josh Harrison or Matt Duffy could step in and do what Arraez does.

Arraez should be traded this off-season before any trade value he has goes away. He has no power, no speed. no defensive position and he has been injured too often. He could be easily replaced by any one of several players with more upside as a defender or hitter or both. I don't think he will be one of those players that we (the fans) will look back on and say "if only the Twins had kept him."

The Twins will put him in the line-up at 1B & DH, trying to maximize match-ups, as $9.25MM is a reasonable amount to pay him. They will try to move him at the deadline, and, if they get a good offer, will trade him. If unable to trade him, they will look at his numbers and decide whether to exercise the $14MM option for 2023. He has only had 1 season (2018) where he wasn't above league average in OPS+ and compares favorably to some good MLB players through age 28 according to Baseball Reference: Similar Batters through 28 Kyle Schwarber (966.1) Dave Kingman (942.8) Chris Davis (941.8) Greg Vaughn (938.3) Carlos Quentin (934.1) Nick Swisher (932.9) Randal Grichuk (932.0) Michael Conforto (930.3) Joc Pederson (926.1) Max Kepler (919.4)

Mid-level pitching FA starters left on the market: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2022/01/looking-at-the-remaining-free-agent-starters-beyond-rodon-kershaw.html

Twins relievers had a 3.45 ERA in August & September, and this was after they lost Rogers to injury and traded Robles to Boston. I think roles were figured out and the players made the necessary adjustments to be successful going forward. Does this mean continued success? Possibly not, but I think the BP is not of concern on the level of SP, SS and to a lesser extent, LF.

They also had Rosario in LF, a decent starting pitching staff, a usable BP and a Kepler who could hit....

LOL! Nice catch, changed it....

After stating that there will be no rebuild, a $95MM - $105MM roster would be a slap in the face to the fanbase, who would then find something other to do than fill Target Field.

This team has several tradeable assets, however, most of them are also key pieces to this team competing in the future. Unless team options are picked up, Sano is a FA after 2022, Kepler and Donaldson after 2023 and Polanco after 2024 (he has a vesting option for 2023). In addition, Rogers and Duffey are FA after 2022 and Maeda and Garver are FA after 2023. That's a lot of positions to fill. Some (most?) will be filled from within, so that takes Kirilloff, Larnach, Lewis, Miranda, Martin, Jeffers and most any pitcher off of the "tradeable asset" list, unless included in a package to fill a need long-term. If the universal DH gets voted in, Sano and Donaldson become tradeable, but most teams will choose Sano because of age, contract and upside. If Kirilloff and Larnach prove they can play, Kepler and Sano become tradeable. Miranda and Martin may prove to be good UT types, making Arraez available. If Rortvedt shows he can hit, then Jeffers, and to a lesser extent, Garver, become available. Rogers and Duffey may best be used in trades to bring in more prospects. Donaldson either performs like last season, almost earning his contract, or doesn't and is DFA'd (think Pujols). I would hope a combination of 3B, DH and an occasional game at 1B could keep him on the field for 135 games or so. Miranda and/or Martin could make Polanco available, but I like him for 3 more season at 2B. Unlike some teams, the Twins don't have much margin for error, the prospects need to pan out or the the reset button needs to be hit. Falvey and Levine's kids need to show that they are ready to be prime time players.

Annnd Stroman to the Cubs.....

They signed Dylan Bundy....

More like $25.5MM (15+8+2.5), but agreed.

Now let's see him penciled into the #2 spot 145 games a year for the length of the contract (allows for 1 IL trip).

2020 - 2021 slash lines: Player A: .203/.282/.350 .632 75 OPS+ 1 GG finalist nomination Player B: .240/.297/.292 .590 65 OPS+ 1 GG finalist nomination One player is being gushed over and one player is being called everything negative under the sun by TD posters. WOW! I would not be in on either player as neither player really suggests going for it in 2022.

How about signing Galvis or Villar and let them play there until May 1, allowing. Lewis to start the season at AAA? This would also allow the team to include Arraez in a trade for staring pitching. If the team elects to go big, I'm in for Semien as he also has shown he can play other positions capably.

The Gold Glove Award lost luster for me when Rafael Palmeiro won it 1999 and played a total of 28 games a 1B. Also, Jeter winning all those years when he clearly wasn't the best SS in the AL.

Of those 203 "non-HR" AB's, 82 have come with runners on base (91 PA's); he is 30-82 with 18 RBI in those AB's. With RISP he is 11-46 (50 PA's) with 11 RBI. Not a lot of chances to drive in runs....

I believe he has said he wants to stay here......?‍♂️

Sign a SS, start Larnach at AAA again to gain some confidence, trade Sano if possible and Arraez and Miranda can be Utility guys rotating through1B, 2B, SS, 3B, LF and DH. Play match-ups as much as possible to help. Much more flexibility than Cave and Astudillo give, though I can see the team somehow trying to keep both on the roster.