Darius

Some kind of mistake has happened, surely.

A team trying to make a playoff run probably shouldn't throwing these guys against the wall to see if they stick. Every game counts when they'll likely be competing for a Wild Card spot again. Something tells me they'll have to win a few more games. Frankly, I'm tired of these types of moves. The Terry Ryan Special. There is a reason why they are cheap and nobody wants them. The likelihood of them being remotely good is very, very low. The likelihood of them being detrimental to the team's playoff hopes is very, very high. It's like rationalizing the lottery as a retirement strategy. "Someone has to win it, right?"

All I can really agree with is Myth 3. As far as #1, there is almost nothing to support the notion that the Twins will spend money. I think the "myth" would be that the Twins will start spending now that the window is open. This wasn't the case through much of the early 2000s. Their payroll didn't reach the heights it did (if you can call it that) until they had to sign Mauer to a large deal. Take that outlier out, and you're right back to where you historically are. They had to do that to avoid a PR nightmare. They knew it, Mauer and Mauer's agent knew it. No way they give that deal away to a traditional outside free agent. Also. They'll have a lot of young guys that'll need big contracts. I wouldn't think they're going to go beyond a modestly priced 2-3 year deal on anybody. #2 I think is also a fallacy. Sure, they don't "need" one to physically play baseball, bur they sure do to realistically compete with teams like Houston and Cleveland. Expecting Santana to repeat what looks to be a semi-anomalous season would be a mistake. Gibson had a nice run towards the end, and I like his stuff, but banking on him being that pitcher for 200+ innings going forward is another mistake. Mejia is virtually totally unproven. Berrios is the only one I'm looking at and think we're set there going forward. Sure, that rotation could theoretically put it together. But, so could any mix of pitchers on planet earth. But, if you want to confidently go into 2018 as a contender, some quality rotation help is necessary, IMO.

I think we could actually put together a respectable 'pen next year without going too crazy in free agency. May will help. Hildenberger and Busenitz are solid. Rogers can be serviceable. Pressly has shown he can be dominant at times. On top of them, maybe one or two of these young flame throwers will emerge (Curtiss, Reed, etc). A nice lefty like minor for the back end would fit perfectly.

I'm all for Cobb. I think he'd be an excellent signing and really boost the middle of the rotation. It's just not realistic to expect this team to go out and buy a high-end guy with Hughes still on the books. Just won't happen. A lot of people forget, not only is Cobb recently returned from TJ, but I believe to took a 100 mph liner that cracked his skull open. It takes time to come back into form from both of these injuries. Wouldn't surprise me at all if he returns to pre-injury form in the near future. I would think it could only help moving from the Trop to spacious Target Field, and getting out of the power-riddled AL East. To me, Cobb is the best value, but could also end up being the best pitcher out of any of the guys mentioned in this series. Make it so.

This comment is baffling to me. First, there isn't a pitcher that the Twins can realistically sign to have a better rotation than any of those teams. There isnt a guy in our rotation that sniffs the top 2 (in some cases top 3) of those rotations. So, doing nothing is a favorable option? Despite a guy like Cobb, for example, significantly improving a pretty bad rotation? But, hey, if you were running the Twins we would've traded Buxton for a bag of balls in June and we'd be going into next year minus one of the best players in game, with Zach Granite as our everyday CF. So, I can't really say we see eye to eye on anything baseball related.

Agreed. First base should be a place where errors are heavily weighted, IMO. The level of difficulty, in comparison to say shortstop, just isn't there.

Absolutely ridiculous. It reminds me of when I started playing varsity ball as a freshman in high school. Coaches vote on All-Conference players at the end of the year at a meeting. My coach called me into his office during school the day after the vote, and explained to me that although all the coaches in the conference agreed I was the better player, they opted to give the award to a senior and slide me down to honorable mention, because it was his last crack at it and I'll have three more years. Some of these professional awards are determined in the same manner. More things aside from plain-old "who is the best" goes into it. That's why it won't surprise me if Buxton doesnt get the award. They'll give it to someone else under the assumption that Buxton will be entrenched there for the next decade. Better give someone else the participation trophy while they can.

It is absolutely absurd that Mauer isn't a finalist. If Buxton doesn't get one this year, it officially means nothing.

It's interesting that the post you're replying to delves into what it takes to win in October, and you cite Joe Nathan, who collected 1 save, 1 loss, and 1 blown save in the postseason for the Twins. That in 8.2 innings, while walking 7 batters and allowing 6 runs in that span. Nathan is one of the best closers of all time, but my God was he brutal in the playoffs.

Proven - as in converted a high number and percentage of saves? No. Proven - as in has consistently been a good pitcher? Yes.

It's good to hear that electric update on Jay.

I have a feeling that people would feel differently right now if he hadn't fouled that ball of his leg, and finished with 35 HRs and 100+ RBI. But, there are a number of people out there who honestly believe that the injury is somehow correlated to his size or a lack of work ethic. I'm in favor of signing all of these young guys to long contracts right now before they're ridiculously expensive. But, let's be honest, it's easy to say that because there's no real opportunity cost here. The roster will be the same whether they extend them or not. Saving that money isn't going to bring a premium FA. They'll add a mediocre peice or two, and if doesn't work with this group it'll be another 10-year rebuild. My worry is they string Sano, Buxton, Berrios, etc out through arbitration, and they get close enough to free agency where it's impossible to sign them. Then, best case scenario, they end up trading them for cents on dollar. I still have a hard time believing that this franchise will operate any differently with the dismissal of Ryan. I'd like to think Falvine has the where withal and freedom from ownership to prevent that, but we'll see.

Considering what's available, Lynn would be OK.

Bring him back, by all means. He's doing something right. But, a priority this offseason should be significant time spent discussing philosophy in-game (lineups, bunting, bullpen management, pinch hitting, etc).

Bad mistake by Granite.

Should've had an out at third there.

Well, that'll probably do it.

If they can make it 7-5 after 7 they'll have a shot. Need one in the 7th.

Mauer almost had it...damn.

This is one of the biggest ABs of Mauer's career.

Come on, Sanchez, there are children watching.

Man, it looks like that Judge HR took the will to live from this team.

Nearly 2.5 hours and it's the 4th inning. The way this is going, I hope it's not another 2.5.

Buxton out? Well, it was a great year.