mike8791

With 3 good FA SS's on the market - Didi, Simmons and Semien - this seems like a potential upgrade for the team. My initial preference was for Didi because of his consistent offense over the years and a supposed upgrade over Polanco's defense. But reviewing the defensive stats, the Twins would be better off with one of the others. Simmons has never shown much offense and for that reason, Semien probably makes the most sense, although a clear risk that he was a one season wonder. Where I differ from most on this post, is what such a signing would allow the Twins to do, which is enhance their chances for bringing in a top rated starter. Using one of Arraez or Polanco as a utility infielder undervalues their worth on the market. We can easily fill that slot with someone like Kiki, Profar or LaStella. So if we made either Arraez or Polanco as a centerpiece in a trade for one of the top starters reportedly available - Castillo, Gray or Darvish - this combination of moves would greatly strengthen the team, both on offense and pitching. We know the Reds are in the market for a SS and that the Cubs are in need of a 2B. We have enough in the way of prospects to consummate a trade with one of these clubs or even Colorado or Pittsburgh. Castillo would be most desirable but hardest to get, which is why a regular position player would be a valuable trade piece. Sure, I'd hate to lose Arraez as his high OBP provides exactly what this team lacks, but to land another top pitcher would greatly enhance our playoff chances. Of course, this assumes resigning of Cruz(or equivalent), as well as adding two competent relievers, but at this point why not dream a little?

At first glance, idea of trading Arraez seems ludicrous. One glaring need for this team is higher OB position players. Last year's all or nothing offense demonstrated this gaping hole. Arraez seems to be team's best bet for leadoff hitter. So why trade him? Several reasons exist to seriously consider a trade: 1. Polanco's defense at ss is average at best. His best position is 2B. 2. There are several FA SS's available. My choice would be to sign Didi, but Simmons or Semien would be upgrades as well. 3. Arraez is probably the Twins' only position player in a sell high mode. If Arraez and one or two prospects could fetch a Snell, Castillo, Ray, or Darvish, the FO should seriously consider a trade. Sure, I would rather give up Polanco or even Sano but their values are not expected to be high right now. Doubling down on the rotation by resigning Odo and trading for one of the 4 names mentioned above would be a huge step forward in the Twins quest for legitimacy in the playoffs.

The only goal this offseason though should be a Postseason trip that results in a string of victories. Ted, you have hit the nail on the head!! Am I the only one sick and tired of this organization unwilling to take the big step forward to be considered a serious WS threat? It has been 30 years since we had a GM make bold, decisive moves to put us in the hunt. MacPhail rolled the dice for additions like Juan Berenguer, Jeff Reardon, and Dan Gladden in 1987 and for 1991 obtained Chili Davis, Jack Morris and Mike Pagliarulo. Augmented by a productive farm system that produced Scott Erickson and Chuck Knoblach, with previous pickups like Shane Mack, Rick Aguilera and Kevin Tapani, these FA signings moved the needle enough to bring this franchise their only two WS Championships. It is not a stretch to say that no Twins GM has done anything in the intervening years to equal such bold moves, at least until Falvine brought in Donaldson and Maeda last offseason. For whatever reason this was not enough to break the disastrous postseason futility last year. Lots of reasons for this, including injuries to JD and BB, falloff by Rogers, pandemic concerns, but most of all, just a falling to earth by an offense that way overperformed their career norms in 2019. So where does this leave us going into 2021? At this stage, losses include Rosario, May, Wisler, and Romo. Should we be concerned about sliding backwards? No, not yet, but the signs are ominous! Talk of cutting the budget to $125MM or $15MM from last year is certainly a move in the wrong direction. With a talented, but somewhat flawed team that, one would think, be anxious to break their dismal history in the playoffs, this offseason represents an immense opportunity to take a big step forward. Talented free agents abound, starting with two or three from last year's squad(Odorrizi, Cruz and Clippard), and buttressed by a strong bullpen core of FAs and potential FA's like Brantley, Ozuna, and LaMehieu. Add on possible trade candidates like Snell, Castillo, Gray to buttress the rotation and this could be a solid WS contender. No, I am not advoacating wild spending, but if Pohlad truly wants another championship flag flying over Target Field, cutting the budget is not the way to go. Some bold moves both in FA signings and trades is an absolute necessity, as Ted indicated. Will this occur? That is the unknown question at this juncture midway thru the offseason. I'm afraid that club ownership has shown little commitment over the years to take some risks and go all in for the gold ring. And while Falvey has exhibited more boldness than his predecessor (a very low bar) , the basic conservative nature of this organization, starting from the top and filtering down thru the FO, mitigates against boldness I truly hope I'm off base here, but it's this sort of inside-the-box mindset that prevents true success. If Pohlad and co. are not committed to this goal(and I don't recall JP ever publicly committing to bringing a title to this town, then isn't it time for him to sell the team to a new owner who is.

I've been a fan of Garver being a key trade bait this offseason, preferably to a team like TB in need of catching help and who is willing to give up a top starter like Snell. But after looking at our "catching depth", trading Garver doesn't look so hot. No one ready behind Garver/Jeffers and relying heavily on Jeffers is risky for a playoff caliber team. Better bet is to let Garver reestablish himself in 2021, Jeffers solidify his potential to be a starting backstop in a full season and hope that Rortvedt continues his improvement.

Ken Rosenthal had interesting column today in The Athletic on possibilities of Twins trading Arraez. While he said chances are not high this will happen, he indicated there was significant demand for him. Rationale is that Twins could move Polanco to 2B, his natural position, and go after either Story or even Lindor, on a short term deal until Lewis is ready. Or alternatively sign someone like Semien to take over SS. If the Twins could use someone like Arraez to land a top starter like Snell, Darvish or Sonny Gray, this could greatly improve chances for success in playoffs. Arraez is a valuable player to date, but nothing wrong with trading him at a high point, where Rosenthal thinks he is now. This would be a bold move which makes it unlikely the FO would do it, but it sure would be a decisive series of transactions that could jump start our offseason. It makes a lot of sense if the Twins pulled the trigger on this!

Agree that another ace at top of rotation would move this team closer to what should be the goal of this organization: field a team that can go deep into the playoffs. Aside from resigning Cruz and a well-established closer, this would be my choice for a big offseason move. However, a trade for Darvish is extremely unlikely, primarily because the Cubs cannot afford to lose him if they are going to be competitive in 2021. End of story. But Yu is not the most attractive starter available. Ignoring Bauer, who clearly expects(and will probably get) the moon and stars from a club desperate for an ace, Blake Snell is a younger, cheaper version who is reportedly attainable - for a high price,of course. The Twins match well with the Rays, who need a catcher badly and high profile, cheap prospects. The Twins have a surplus of catchers, 3 or 4 top position prospects, and 3-4 minor league starters who are almost major league ready. Sonny Gray would be another desirable trade target, but Snell is clearly the top choice. Pair one of these with an Odorrizi resign and the Twins would have a top playoff rotation!

The 3 payers cited above obviously fell off from 2019. But its pretty obvious 2019 was an aberration, especially when it came to HRs. So I don't put a lot of emphasis on these 3 players' bounceback numbers in 2021. If Garver doesn't rebound we have Jeffers who would undoubtedly move up to #1 receiver if Garvs slump continues. Kepler's contribution in 2020 was above average for a RF. I would be happy if he was just a little more consistent. And Polanco had a decent year, both offensively and defensively. Yes, we'd like to see a bump in his slugging %, but this would be a bonus for that position, not a must. For this offense to show a significant improvement next year, healthy seasons by Buxton and Donaldson are the key. Look how much better the Twins' offense was when these two were in the lineup together. Yes, SSS, but their offensive prowess when healthy is a given and fully productive seasons from them would alleviate the loss of Cruz and Rosario.

"We all know what happens when you take your eye off the prize." Exactly!! This team should be primed for a deep run into the playoffs. To do that we need grade A replacements, not bargain basement fillers. Not to say there aren't some worthwhile players in the non-tender group, but if this team is going to break their pathetic playoff streak, these are not the players to go after. A Hendricks(top choice), Hand, or Rosenthal could be the capstone on a very good bullpen. MLBTR has the Twins exploring a Soria signing. That move would not be a difference maker. Why not just resign Clippard? A stacked bullpen is a must in the playoffs! Presently, we do not have that. Similarly, the rotation is good but not World Series caliber. No, Bauer is too expensive, but trading for Snell makes a lot of sense, as does resigning Odo. Now that is a championship-caliber rotation! The icing on the cake would be addition of someone like LaMehieu who would add a badly needed contact hitter to this homer-happy, low OBP lineup. His addition would make it easier to include either Arraez or Sano in a Snell transaction. Of course, resigning Cruz is desirable but not a necessity if the above-type moves are made. So, yes, think big or go home. Haven't we had enough of the Ryan-type tinkering that led to such disappointment in the aughts?

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.