mike8791

Aside from the stats, this makes sense if the Twins are agressive in signing FA relievers. This is a deep class and the Twins do have needs. I have no problem with nontendering Wisler, assuming the coaching staff has supportable reasons. Same with letting homer-prone May go. But they need a reliable closer. Rogers was awfully hittable and relievers are very prone to quick drops in effectiveness. A franchise truly interested in going deep into the playoffs must look for a second closer. Today's market includes several: Hendricks, Rosenthal, Yates, Hand. I'd like them to select two, but if only one, Liam's the one and then resign Clippard and your bullpen becomes very solid, at least on paper. Unfortunately, there is no one in their minor league system who seems major-league ready. This is a must for a team that seems intent on over-protecting their starters!

Sorry Cody, can't agree with your philosophy at all. This opinion is predicated on two basic assumptions: 1.) This team's window is now wide open; and 2.) the only goal in 2021 should be to go deep into the playoffs. I for one, have little faith in this farm system developing potential aces, nor is fishing for reclamation projects is the way to go deep into the playoffs. Instead, when someone like Snell might be available, the FO should be all in. Sano plus one or two top ten prospects could get the job done. This team is at the point where quality pitching depth could put them over the top. Imagine a staff headed by Snell and Maeda, followed by Berrios, Pineda and Odo! That is a championship staff! Add in a bonafide closer like Hader(doubtful) or FAs like Hendricks, Rosenthal, or Yates with a better all around hitter at !B like one of our rookies or someone like LeMahieu and our team has gained substantial pitching depth and a more rounded lineup, at the expense of two or three prospects who may or may not pan out. Incremental moves will not end this disastrous playoff streak! I'm not looking to rebuild again, nor do I want to rely on 2 or 3 rookies or bargain basement pickups to end this 30 year drought. Time to go bold and bring home the trophy.

Hope you're right about Twins forsaking payroll shedding and instead, aims to maintain 2020 payroll. If so, here are three transactions I would like to see happen(in order of priority): 1. Spend the money for a proven closer. Liam Hendricks would be first choice with Kirby and Hand next. Relying on Rogers is far too risky at this point if the team is committed to win the division and go deeper in the playoffs. 2. Trade one of the top 3 position prospects - Lewis, Kirillof, or Larnach - to land a stud pitcher like Snell, DeGrom, Scherzer. Do not trade eiother of the Twin's top pitching prospects. Fill out the rotation with Odo or Hill or some high risk starter willing to sign a one year contract like Kluber, Archer, etc. 3. Trade Sano for someone less streaky. His power would still fetch either a couple of high ranking prospects or perhaps in a package deal for Story. This Twins lineup going forward must be more balanced with higher OBP players. 1B is fairly easy position to fill with combination of Rooker and one of the two remaining stud OF prospects. Assumptions on above assume they keep Cruz(if not, Sano stays) and perhaps Rosario(unless Twins exceed their salary cap from other additions). Maeda and Donaldson(hopefully) were two major additions last year but obviously were insufficient to stop the embarrassing playoff losing streak. The plan above would be a huge step forward to ending the playoff drought!

The Twins went "all in" in 2020. We fans are grateful, but want more in 2021. Arguably, shutdown arms for the 7th, 8th, and 9th innings becomes more important in the playoffs, but also because of Baldy's tendency to pull his starters early. My take is now the Twins have one shutdown guy - Duffy. To rely on a comeback by Rogers is a huge risk. Let him go or sign him for less-than-closer money. If the FO wants to go all in again next year, spend the money on two of the top tier candidates. Do not resign May and his all- too- worrying tendency for the deadly HR ball. As many have said, dump Rosario; Kirillof should fill in nicely. Spending big bucks on a utility IF or OF is a fool's errand. Let the prospects duke it out(Lewis deserves a shot now). And yes, sign Cruz for one year, not two. The top three starters are as solid as we've seen in ages. Fill out the rotation with Odo, Hill, and a couple of long shot FAs. As has been the case for ages, there simply is no prospect currently who can be expected to step up and fill a starter position on a club with championship aspirations. If it takes a budget of $130MM to take a step forward, so what. The window is wide open now, but in a couple years could be closing. Shoring up the pen is the highest priority!

Good article Nick, but I would take a different slant. In order of priority: 1. Change the mindset of this organization. Start with Jim P pronouncing the single goal for 2021 is for Twins to go deep in playoffs. Anything less will be considered a failure and will result in a shakeup of the organization. 2. Immediate changes should include new hitting coaches. While you can't blame hitting dropoff on coaches alone, such a change sends a clear message to the players that continued under-performance will not be tolerated; slow starts in April/May will result in lineup changes. A new bench coach - with a much more agressive mindset than Baldy - should be hired. Hiree can be looked at as new manager in waiting. 3. Behind closed doors, Falvey has to admonish Baldy to have more faith in starters to go beyond 5 innings. This fast hook was inexcusable and led to a tiring bullpen later in the season. It's difficult to assess a player's injuries, but this abbreviated season was marked by babying many of the players. These guys are professionals and should play unless team doctors rule otherwise. Again, Baldy's incessant need to resti his players in a two month season was inexplicable. 4. The lineup should be retooled, primarily by adding higher OBP hitters, even at expense of HRs. This all or nothing lineup just will never get it done if postseason success is the stated goal. Players like Arraez, maybe Jeffers and Kirillof, should be given every chance to supplant all or nothing types like Garver, Sano and perhaps Rosario or Kepler. Not a wholesale revamping, but one or two early demotions to send a hard message. If there is money to spend on FAs, spend it on preferably a RH batter with high OBP, not on a starter. 5. Falvey should not rest on his well-deserved laurels. Kudos to Maeda and Donaldson additions, but failing to recognize at the trade deadline that Rogers was ineffective and needed to be demoted was a major blunder. Rosenthal was available from KC and maybe even Hader. This offseason must see a serious retooling of the pen, which would include establishing a set closer and two late inning shutdown types. One or two might be on the roster already but to stand pat and hope for improvement is not an option for an organization committed to playoff success. 6. And lastly, players with a more agressive mindset need to be added. Whether its ownership, Falvey, Baldy, his coaches, or players, the Twins have been lacking in leadership since the days of Kelly, Puckett, Hrbek, Gladden,, Gaetti. There is no heart on this current team. Who are the leaders? Cruz, Romo? This team has been passive for years, as shown by folding in 18 straight playoff games. Mauer and Morneau never really provided the leadership and hard edge that the 87/91 teams exhibited. We've had lineups at least as good as those WC teams, but not the hearts. Find a couple of gamers who don't like losing! Change the clubhouse culture! Losing can no longer be acceptable.

Echoing the Chief, key to this series is Buxton and Donaldson having relatively good days on the field! Without them performing near peak abilities, Twins chances look greatly reduced.

Question: would you rather have bullpen "depth" or a lights out closer? Playoffs tend to be low scoring affairs. With the solid rotation we have, give me a Joe Nathan any time.

Ranking May #2 - with 5HR/20IP is a joke. He's an all or nothing pitcher. He can't be trusted against a top hitting club like the Yanks. Duffy is better, but has been shaky against the Yanks(just look at last year's playoffs). Agree yjay Romo/Rogers/Clippard should be downgraded and replaced by Wisler/Stashak/and Alcala. Yes, experience is important, but current season performance more telling. I'd hate to be in Baldy's shoes - he's damned if his choices backfire!!

Nick, best summary anywhere. Highlight of my on-line Twins' news - far superior to The Athletic's summaries. You have highlighted the big question going forward - who to rely on as closer and in clutch game-changing situations? Wasn't it interesting that Baldy used Rogers in the 8th and Romo in the 9th(though neither in a Save situation)? And as you noted, they both looked particularly shaky last week, maintaining this troubling trend. Don't you think both Wisler(six strikeouts in 2 innings of relief) and Alcala who bailed out Rogers last Monday, keeping it a one run game, deserve trials in shutdown situations in the playoffs.? Rogers has been consistently unreliable in game changing appearances all season and Romo hasn't been much better. I wouldn't trust May with his HR or K propensity, nor does Clippard give me much comfort. Duffy has to be in the equation for late inning relief but looking back, like most of our bullpen, seems to fold when facing the Yankees in playoff situations. Tough decision for Baldy and the staff. Playing manager for a moment, I would experiment with Wisler, Alcala and Duffy in save situations over the last 5 games, then decide. Doubtful if mgr. does this but it would be a bold move that could pay dividends in the playoffs.

No, the season isn't over, but in terms of winning the division, it almost certainly is after a disheartening series loss in Chicago. The Twins were overwhelming favorites to win the Division, at least. The FO came thru this offseason by signing Donaldson and greatly strengthening the rotation by trading for Maeda and signing Hill and Bailey. Results in an improved rotation are self-evident to the point where this can now be considered the strength of the team. But what happened? Sure the Sox improved more than expected, but let's face it, the Twins blew it. How? By going 9-9 against the Tigers and Royals. Compare this to the Sox record of 18-2. Therein lies the tale. No way could the Twins make up for this disparity. So why did this happen? Just one opinion: the Twins did not take these teams seriously enough. Maybe they relaxed too much. Is this the fault of the players, the manager, or is it one of those inexplicable happenings that seem to occur periodically in baseball? Whatever the reason(s), playing .500 ball against two of the worst teams in the league is inexcusable for a team with legitimate World Series expectations. A few more thoughts on what went wrong. No, we can't blame injuries as every team(look at the Yankees) have had a slew of key players on the IL. No surprise with the pandemic-shortened season. Also not a big surprise that the offense declined from record-setting 2019. Guys like Garver, Arraez, Kepler - to name three - played well below expectations, leaving big holes in the lineup. You can't win consistently by relying on the long ball. This is a lineup that has trouble manufacturing runs. Big question: why doesn't Buxton have the green light to steal every time he's on IB? Despite improved infield defense, this team has made too many mental errors. For this the coaches, and especially the manager, must be held accountable. And speaking of the manager, his handling of the pitching staff deserves harsh scrutiny. Why hasn't he left starters in longer? Why do Twins' starters always go on 5 days rest? Baldy is babying his players and the results have shown in the increasing erratic performance of the overly-taxed bullpen. This is a short season and yet the relievers, especially their erstwhile closer, have blown an alarming number of games. Throwing Rogers out in one save situation after another, with predictably poor results, is a clear example of the manager's inflexibility in handling of his bullpen. So let's call this season a disappointment to date. No excuse for this team playing .500 ball after getting off to a 10-2 start! But this sour taste can easily be dispelled by going deep into the playoffs. A World Championship would silence the most severe critics, even me. I'm just not betting on this result, given what I've seen so far.

Closers are notoriously mercurial - great maybe for one or two seasons, then a steep decline. Rare is the closer who excels year after year like Mariano Rivera. Rogers falloff fits this pattern to a tee. He has been consistently horrible in clutch situations this tear. With a shortened season and the playoffs looming, he must be replaced. I hyped Hader as the one trade the Twins should have made if they were going all in this year. Yes, this was a longshot, but an agressive FO would have pulled out all the stops, knowing how the absence of a dependable closer can doom WS aspirations. Anyway, that ship has sailed and now Baldy and co. must make a big decision. They have less than two weeks to settle on a closer. Who should they pick? Nick thinks it should be Romo and perhaps that's the "safest" choice based on history. I'm not so sure he is the best choice right now, however. I would experiment with guys like Wisler and Alcala, for starters. Both have shown glimpses of excellence, albeit in SSS. It would be gutsy to throw them into the fire during a pennant race, but this would be the time to do it. The Twins are in great shape to be the #4 seed, good enough for first round home field advantage, so what do they have to lose(assuming their rotation and offense performs above average)? Something could be said for Duffy or May, but both have been quite inconsistent, Duffy lately and May consistently with the HR ball. Clippard would be a dark horse; just don't know about his ability to pitch in consecutive games. In any case, let's hope Twins get their jhead out of the sand before Rogers blows any more chances because putting him in any game situations is just adding fuel to the fire!

Rocco's bullpen usage has been erratic, to say the least. This has been caused by a number of factors: short starts, bullpen games, injuries, Rogers ineffectiveness, and as the author notes, a number of new faces who have surprised. No doubt, Rocco will have to sort thru this shortened season and select the 7 or 8 relievers who gives the team the best chance in the playoffs. However, it's a bit premature to try guessing today who will be selected. A critical 10 game stretch against the Indians, Sox and Cubs will pretty much tell the tale of who can be relied on in critical situations. Typically, past year's success is of paramount importance, but we should not overlook 45 game stats this season, either. If Rocco opted for veteran relievers, then no doubt Rogers, Romo, Clippard, Duffy, and May should all be locks - and they probably will be no matter what transpires over the next 10-15 games. However, as Mike Link has pointed out, May has been very erratic, coughing up 4 HRs in 14 innings. This could be ruinuous in a 3 or 5 game series. I love a shutdown late-inning reliever as much as anyone and Ks/9 are a valid measuring point but it's not enough. May's HR rate is alarming and I, for one, would put him under a microscope these next 10 games, as I would Rogers who has cost the Twins 5 losses in 45 games. Not up to me to determine if he's over what ailed him. Again, let's see how he performs over the next 10 days. Based on past records plus this season, it looks like Romo, Duffy and (lastly) Clippard look like reliable late inning relievers. Rogers and May will be somewhere in the pecking order but maybe not as high as some think. To these five, I would say that Stashak, Alcala and Wisler look the most reliable, but again withholding final judgment over the remaining games. I do hope that Rocco is not too rigid in his use of his bullpen in the last 15 games, as these should be games that determine who is most reliable going into the playoffs. One last comment on the playoff roster. The top 3 starters are pretty much set(barring injuries) - Maeda, Pineda and Berrios(maybe in that order). Lets hope ODO reestablishes himself these last two weeks as a reliable #4. As others have mentioned a combination of Hill and Dobnak as long relievers or, a bullpen game tandem(god forbid) makes the most sense. Neither of those two can be counted to go thru a strong lineup more than once. And a piece of advice to Rocco: if your starter looks strong don't pull him in the 5th or 6th; by this time in the season they should pitch into the seventh barring any blowups. That would help the bullpen more than anything!

Got to agree with Andrew about these two. They are solid additions to the bullpen - two nice finds by the FO. But let's not equate their additions to what is needed in playoff competition. As particularly shown by Rogers alarming dropoff(2BS, 3Ls), we do not have anywhere near a shutdown bullpen. Can anyone name reliable 7th, 8th, and 9th inning relievers against the Yankees(or Rays or A's) in a short playoff, meaning guys you have absoliute confidence in? Not only has Rogers failed, but guys like Romo, Clippard, May and Duffy - the big five - have all failed in some late-inning relief situations in the first 36 games! Sure, they've each had good stretches, but how many times have each blown leads? I think the talent is there, but Rocco's bullpen usage has been far too erratic. By this time in a season, our relievers should have well-defined roles. We do not, partly because of Rocco's babying of his starters. How many games have our starters completed 6 or 7 innings in this year? How many games have we burned the pen by relying on "bullpen games" ? And how often has he overworked the bullpen by pitching them 2 or even 3 days in a row? I know, lots of injuries, not sufficient conditioning, etc. So why can't we revert back to a 5 man rotation instead of six and why not encourage our best starters to push into the 7th inning? These men are all veteran major leaguers who should be in mid-season form by now. When Odo returns, pick the top 5 and go with them thru September. Quit sticking with an obvious flailing closer and pick someone else(is Wisler the guy? Alcala? Romo? Not my decision, but Rocco has to make some major league decisions now. With 5 games coming up against the Tigers, there are no more excuses left. 5-8 against KC & Det is totally unacceptable for a team with WC aspirations!

Can't make excuses for either of these pitchers. They've been horrible. Real question is what to do about it? Can't really add much to Berrios discussion, other than to say he will probably never develop into an ace, but Baldelli might look to the Cubs for an answer to Rogers' problems. Earlier, the Cubs had counted on Kimbrel to be their closer. When he started the season with about a 10.00 ERA with multiple blown saves, rookie mgr. Ross quickly demoted him to a late inning reliever, with others closing. This took Kimbrel out of high pressure situations where he seems to have found his rhythm. Yesterday, he came in to save a Cubs win by striking out the side. Ross realized in this shortened season, he could not afford to wait for his closer to rediscover himself; instead, he pulled the plug. With a deeper bullpen than the Cubs, Baldelli should follow suit. Let Romo close, use Rogers in non-save situations until he straightens himself out. The team cannot afford another near disaster like Tuesday nite!

Nick, with the enlarged playoffs, seems a no-brainer that this team will at least make the first round. Before the pandemic, I,too, believed this team should be the favorite in the Central; however, the reduced 60 game season gives me pause as bad streaks, injuries and just fluky runs by other teams can very easily upset the apple cart. I see a few clouds on the horizon: 1. Playing only one exhibition game prior to today's start is not conducive to a fast start, nor is the absence of 2 of our 3 best pitchers. Look for the Sox with Giolito tonite taking at least 2 of 3, with a possibility of a sweep. The latter would not be disastrous but could tilt the odds to Chicago oin a shortened season. 2. As mentioned above, our rotation to start the season is shaky. Berrios is a strong #2 and Maeda maybe a good #3, but I have little confidence in Bailey and 40-year-old Hill(maybe one will shine, but not both). If Odo is back and in form quickly that will help, but right now there is a big falloff after Berrios and Maeda. Losing Pineda for 2/3 of the season hurts big time. Sure, one of Smeltzer, Dobnak or Thorpe could surprise, but can't count on that. 3. The offense almost has to digress from 2019 - too many career years. It should be one of the best, but a falloff by 0.5 to 1 run/game is possible, especially if this team gets off to a slow start. 4. On paper the bullpen looks good(probably better than last year's), but an injury to their one proven closer, Rodgers, could be disastrous. Who would step up without a loss of efficiency? This is a very precarious position to be in, especially in the playoffs. Granted, I might seem like a nervous nellie here, but my optimism is tempered by the vagaries of such a short season and repeat of last year's offense. So, put me down for making the playoffs, maybe 35 wins, but without an ace, doubt this team is a strong contender to advance far into the playoffs.

Patrick, congrats on blogging on an issue that has bothered me greatly with the Falvey strategy. Of course,I'm very pleased with the progress they've made in 4 offseasons of drafting, free agency and (to a much more limited extent) trades. What Twin fan cannot be ecstatic with a 101 win season? Well, having experienced the thrill of WS wins in '87 and '91, and not getting any younger, I for one am getting impatient for this regime taking the step necessary to advance in the playoffs - a feat only accomplished once since 1991 - in 2002 when we beat the A's in the first playoff series. That's one playoff victory in almost 30 years. While there have been lots of reasons for playoff failures, we can see that the teams most successful in advancing have done so with top-of-the-rotation starters shutting down the opposition - a trait sorely lacking in the Twins organization to the present day. Only Santana has emerged since 1991 and his efforts in 2006 failed due to a lack of hitting in that series. But surely, as we looked forward to 2020, most fans would acknowledge, I believe, that lack of an ace would mean the odds against advancing would again be severely hampered by lack of one, no matter how powerful a lineup. Basically, there are 3 ways to acquire a stopper: by the draft, by free agency or by trade. This organization has remained consistent in their refusal to compete in the FA market for #1 starters - a position Falvey has followed. Trades have brought in Odorizzi and Maeda, but again, Falvey has proven unwilling to trade top prospects or an established position player for an ace(thinking of a Buxton for Thor trade here). So that leads to the draft, where again Falvey hasn't even attempted to go for top pitching prospects even though he had the #1 pick 4 years ago, where they, reportedly, passed on McCay to select Lewis. Yes, it's a crap shoot, but so is selecting a HS shortstop. OK, chances of drafting a #1 - type starter are also low, as Patrick has shown, but if you are never going to aim high, how are the Twins going to move into the elite circle of legitimate WS contenders? Either they start taking some greater risks in the trade market or in the draft, or we are probably going to remain on the outside looking in. If Falvey's hiring was due to his association with the Indians' organizational success in developing starters, he hasn't shown it rubbed off on him. I keep hoping for a change in philosophy, but so far, no dice. It would be a shame to waste such a potent lineup with a less-than-stellar staff.

Good and timely article, Nash. Everyone except Falvine seems to realize the need for an ace if this team is going to advance in the playoffs. After three stagnant years of good but not great pitching, Berrios is a good but not great pitcher - and he is the best we have now. So in evaluating trade candidates, we need to identify an established ace or one who has exhibited ace potential. Boyd and Archer do not move the needle much from Berrios. Sale more so, but unless he can be moved for prospects not named graterol or Lewis, his injury history and age diminishes his value considerably. Thor is the only candidate who clearly has ace potential and yes, the Twins should be willing to trade Buxton, one top 10 prospect and one 10-20 prospect, if Mets agreeable. I would hate to lose Buxton but Twins are stacked in OFers, with Kepler a more than adequate CF. The big drawback is the high unlikelihood of Mets trading Thor. Still, this is a subject the FO should be working on if they are serious about competing in the playoffs. Assuming Thor is unavailable, I would look at three other trade candidates(in descending order of desirability) : Snell, Ray and Jon Gray. Tampa Bay could unload Snell with their already formidable rotation. Signing Donaldson might allow Sano to be moved in a trade here. Ray and Gray have shown flashes of dominance and both have been rumored to be available, albeit for a high price. We have the minor league talent to get it done, even if it means giving up a Lewis or Kiriloff. So those are my immediate targets in order of importance: Thor, Snell, Ray, and Gray. Surely, one of these could be pried loose, If only we had some bold risk takers in our FO! If I were a betting man, I would say there is less than a 10% chance this FO could get it done. Sorry to be such a naysayer but nothing this FO has done in 3 years gives me confidence in their ability to pull off a major trade. Pohlad seems to thrive with low risk takers and he has had two of the best in Ryan and Falvey, I'm afraid.

Well Nick you are certainly right on Twins' chances for Ryu! It was just not in the DNA of this franchise to take such a risk - a stance that is an insult to the fans, the current roster, and totally indefensible. I can only conclude the surest path to the executive suite at the Pohlad-run Twins organization is to run scared, take limited risks and hope to get lucky! But as a perennial optimist, despite having little faith left in the One Trade Wonder Boys, I, too, look to the trade mart as our last best hope. Sure, we will probably dumpster dive like last year for 2020's Martin Perez reclamation project for someone like Hill, Woods, et.al, now the only way to pick up a top of the rotation guy is by trade. Not that I think Falvine has the balls to pull off such a major acquisition, but on a day when most TD readers are way down, let's spread a little hope, anyways. Robbie Ray is also my first choice, eve though his past record shows only one big year. You can't ignore his SO rate and he is certainly worth trading for. The Dbacks need outfield help, so start with Rosario and some mid level prospects (#10-20) they might like. Obviously, this trade doesn't get done unless FO has a tacit agreement for an extension. Lots of reasons this wouldn't work, but every effort must be made in an attempt to salvage what has been a disastrous offseason. Don't agree on Matz, as he really hasn't had a breakout year and his peripherals just aren't that good. While an extreme longshot, I would try for Thor again, starting with Buxton, and some top prospects. He is my favorite Twin, but he's probably the one Twin who might get the conversation moving. Do I expect this FO to try? No, but doesn't hurt to speculate what they should be doing. I would go all out for Blake Snell, who is coming off an injury-plagued off year. The Rays are always looking to shed payroll and add some offense. Any 2 of our top 4 pitching prospects should be offered, along with one of our thumpers, like Sano, Rosario, or one of our top 2 -3 position players,e.g., Lewis, Larnach or Kirillof. The Rays owe us big time for the Garza trade! Maybe they'll take pity on us! Yes, it's a shame we'll have to give up some major assets, both present and future, to strengthen a staff by trade rather than a far less painful free agency signing. But if this team is going to continue to be a factor in the playoffs with a decent prospect of advancing for the first time 1n 17 years, they simply have no choice at this time. Either think big or fall back!

If Rosenthal getting the straight skinny(and he usually does), count me as strongly against! Why, because it is not within the realm of possibility the Twins would splurge on both Ryu and Donaldson. A pitcher like Ryu is almost a necessity to push the needle forward, Josh is a luxury we can do without. Rather resign Cron then bring Donaldson aboard, unless budget was expanded to afford two high-priced free agents. Give me Ryu and I'd consider the offseason a success, especially if FO spent any excess money signing any of Berrios, Odo, Sano or Buxton to long term contracts. I think signing Donaldson would severely limit team's success in keeping their young core without significantly increasing chance for advancing further into playoffs.

http://No to Betances To land a potential closer on a short term contract, a risk must be taken. He has averaged a ridiculous 15SO/9IP! We need a guy like this. If we took a chance with an injured Pineda, Betances should be a no-brainer for 1 yr. http://A trade for Bryant does nothing in my view; C'mon. This is a ROY, MVP player. Would you rather have him than Arraez - he of the half season of ML history. You need to give up someone to get something. Doubt if Cubs go for this, but worth a shot! How do you like an infield with Sano and Bryant at the corners? http://strongly disagree that Ray's downside is a solid rotation piece. He's one of the most high ceiling low floor pitchers in baseball not even year to year but day to Ray is a solid #2 with a 12SO/9IP over last 3 years. True, he is a bit erratic but his fundamentals(age, LH, FB speed) mark a potential ace. If Dbacks continue top ask for the moon, then I would turn attn. to Jon Gray, but Ray is the prize here.

Lots of teeth gnashing on Twins' offseason so far - and for good reason. The strong FA pitching class has been whittled down to almost the vanishing point, or so it seems to many of us. After a record-setting 101 win season, followed by the crushing exit at the hands of the Evil Empire, the FO made noises about adding impact pitching. As most of us on TD realize, this team just doesn't stack up well in a playoff environment. The bats go cold, our starters and bullpen fall on their faces, and our defense throws away whatever slim chances we had left. So what to do to move the needle forward? Well, here's my plan(in order of importance): 1. The Rotation Unless a miracle occurs and they sign Ryu, the trade route is the way to go. Top priority should be Robbie Ray. Now that MadBum is on board, Ray might be expendable. He has one year left before FA and he was supposedly in play at last trade deadline. They have a need for a starting OF and Rosario might be a good fit. Sweeten the pot a bit with one or two of our top 20 prospects and get the deal done. Ray is not yet the ace we were seeking but he seems to have the upside to slot ahead of Berrios, et. al. At worse he would be a solid addition to the rotation. And by all means take a flyer on some free agent who could turn things around, fill in for Pineda early, then slide into the #5 slot should our minor leaguers struggle. Julio Teheran would be my first choice, Rich Hill my second. Either one would not break the bank and at least has a high chance to fit into the rotation immediately. 2. The bullpen Yes, this is still an area that needs improvement. Many on TD believe that with Rogers as closer and Romo, Duffy, May and Littell give us a playoff-ready bulletin. I do not. True, Romo looks solid and May and Duffy made good strides in the second half of 2019 but today's championship teams need a shutdown bullpen and that the Twins do not have. If their closer, Rogers, falters or gets injured or worn out from overuse like multiple innings, this pen is toast. You need at least three proven backenders out of the bullpen. The solution has to start with signing Betances, who is looking for a one year, $10MM contract. The FO should have jumped already. He is a risk, but one well worth taking. I would also try to sign either Will Harris or Daniel Hudson or even our old friend Brandon Kintzler. Two additions and this bullpen suddenly looks fortified for the long haul. 3. The infield Right now, we have a vacancy at 1B and an admittedly inferior left side infield defense. The solution seems apparent: 1.) move Sano to 1B, 2.) trade Arraez, and either one or two of our top 5 pitching prospects to the Cubs for Kris Bryant; 3.) move Polanco to 2B and insert Adrianza in as starting SS. The Cubs need a leadoff hitter/2B, they need to shed payroll and they need to add to their minor league pitching depth - in a big way. This is a high risk trade, but one that an organization seeking to move deep into the playoffs now should be doing. Notice the above moves do not require signing a high priced FA, though Bryant will certainly be one by 2022 at the latest, and Ray will not be cheap either. But these moves will show the current roster that managment is going all out to win now. They could put an exclamation point on this by signing at least Berrios, and possibly Odorizzi to long term contracts. The point is that risks must be taken if you are not going all out for the top free agents. The moves outlined above will dispel the doom and gloom surrounding this franchise now and change the whole dialogue of whether this organization is committed to a World Championship. Is any of this realistic? Most definitely!! All it takes is some cajones and a willingness to spend some $. Pohlad and Falvey - the ball is in your court.

I'm afraid this is going to be a very short series of articles, given this FO has made one trade of consequence in three years! Yes, the Odo pickup was a plus, but let's face it, Falvine didn't risk much in obtaining him. To look at the Littell deal as a positive assumes his short stint as a reliever in 2019 was indicative of future success. Looking at his minor league stats, especially his low SO/IP ratio, there is little(no pun) reason to think he can sustain this success in the majors. One has to ask: is this the type of reliever you want in a tight, late-inning situation or even in the playoffs at all? Hope I'm wrong here, but you just can't count on a guy like this with his mediocre minor league record. If we look at the Anderson, Pressley and Dyson trades vs. Odorizzi one, the best you could give this FO is a C grade. If they fail to make a significant trade in the 2019/2020 offseason, you can lower that to a D. Sorry, but this FO reminds me all too much of the do-nothing Ryan regime, in risk aversion and small-mindedness.

Nick, congrats on another of your balanced, logical articles. As you say, Twin fan base expectations for an impact pitcher have been overly optimistic. Cole and Strasburg were never within reach, and the next tier of MadBum, Wheeler and Ryu, for personal and financial reasons, were low % Twin FA additions. Just too many bidders for too few commodities. And frankly, there is a a huge question mark on whether any of the latter three FA would actually be the ace we're seeking. Mad Bum is on the decline, Wheeler has never been more than a #3 on the Mets and Ryu has an injury history that leaves major questions. But that leaves the question - what should this FO be doing - unanswered. IMO, there are two major reasons holding this organization back: 1. Ownership's inability/unwillingness to bring this franchise a championship. Pohlad has never come out and stated this as his mission and consequently, this ambiguity is reflected in lack of financial commitment to do so. 2. Falvey has demonstrated a risk aversion to trading assets that is more than troubling. One significant trade in three years(and that one didn't result in giving up a top prospect). This FO had no hesitation in collecting prospects at the 2018 trade deadline but have shown no propensity to use such assets to improve the major league team. No guts, no glory, I'm afraid. While 101 wins raised everyone's hopes, very few seasoned Twin fans on TD gave this team much of a chance to advance in the playoffs, especially when they sat on their hands at the trade deadline(Romo and Dyson were not going to move the needle much). And sure enough, another embarrassing loss to the Yanks! The offseason is well advanced by now, and so far the Twins continue to dither, ala Ryan. It has been 28 years and counting since our last WS and 17 years since our last playoff series victory. If the Wonder Boys continue to nibble at the edges, I would hope that the good writers like Nick call a spade a spade, rather than to continue to offer time-worn excuses for their lack of resolve. WE loyal fans deserve more!

Can't knock THIS trade. It worked. But it is the only one this FO has accomplished in Three Years. Oh, I forgot the brilliant acquisition of Dyson. And, of course, there was the addition of Sergei Romo who instantly filled the Twins' need for a second shut down reliever. For a team unwilling to take the plunge into the top tier of FA, how do you explain their inability to try the trade market? Is this Terry Ryan II? Remember Terry, he who could never give up a prospect for a meaningful midseason addition that might have improved our chances for at least one playoff victory in the aughts. Falvine has brought excitement to the TC but they have not shown the moxie and ability to take risks that separates the top execs from mediocrity. True, we have graduated from dumpster diving to nibbling at the edges. Let's see how that technique gets us another champioship.

Sorry Ted, but this just doesn't pass the smell test. The Wonder Boys have made exactly one - count them, one - trade of any significance in three years of stewardship. Granted it was a good one - landing Odo for practically nothing. But yet, that is a paucity of trade activity, isn't it? While you might point out they contributed 7 new players to the 40 man by their dump "trades", how does the MAJOR LEAGUE RETURN look on those? Wouldn't Escobar and Pressley fit in nicely to the current roster? Twin managment, both Ryan and Falvine, have proven timid in their trading abilities. You might even say inept when you look at the big bullpen pickup this year(Dyson)! True, Falvine's reign is still ongoing, but their legacy in trades and free agency is still very much in question. As everyone has noted, the window is wide open, now what? Are we really going to be content with one series and out? And while FA is certainly the other route to improvement, is the Falvine/Ryan method of waiting until spring training for the low-hanging fruit to fall still acceptable? For once, why can't this franchise identify the one or two difference makers needed to push the team into serious World Series contention, make preeemptive strikes early and land the big fish rather than wait for the difference makers to be taken before striking. When the moribund White Sox show their mettle and seriousness by beating the market to Grandal by signing him early, why can't the Twins identify those key cogs in FA to playoff success early and strike. Sure they may have to overpay a bit but 28 years of futility is a convincing argument to go for the brass ring, especially with a squad that won 101 games. I, for one, am tired of Twins timidity! We had a great chance at midseason to put our foot on Cleveland by making some significant mid-season trades, but whiffed, letting Cleveland back into the race. We got wiped out in the playoffs(again), partly due to the lineups' collective hand around their throats, but also because the Wonder Boys didn't pull the trigger on a Greinke or other available starters, nor did they heal a bleeding bulletin. Duffys' five inherited runners scored in the playoffs, Littell's meltdown, and Dobnak's predictable start in Yankee Stadium were all major factors in the expected playoff swansong. Nibbling around the edges is no longer acceptable! We have a strong lineup, but it won't be enough to get us over the hump, Mr. Falvey. Time to pay back your loyal fan base and earn your extension. No time to rest on your laurels.