Game7-91

2 years on and still trying to replace the quality durability of a Berrios. There just arent that many SP's that can take it every 5th day and give your team a chance. Maybe Bassitt is closest to that model in this years class. Theres something to be said for those guys who can stabilize the rotation. But they should be paid. Twins just dont seem to want to pay for pitching.

He's La Tortuga v.2, just not as much fun watching run the bases! I have zero idea if they are going to make a serious run at Correa. I am concerned that Lewis gets lost in the shuffle. He would be blocked at SS, and blocked at CF. Where does he play? His athleticism would be wasted in one of the corners. Maybe they are evaluating Lewis's recovery and deciding the injuries are such that he will not function at SS, or CF. I could live with that. Only time would tell if that judgment was right, but I could live with a decision based on their professional judgment. What would be more upsetting would be if Lewis is just odd man out because of circumstance. Twins have invested a great deal in developing and supporting him, we finally had a brief glimpse of his potential last year, and there is undeniable potential. I'd like for Lewis to have his shot, I think he's earned it with his resiliency and the potential he has shown to date. I am hopeful in a way I havent been for a very long time imagining a left sided infield tandem of Lewis and Lee. There is always uncertainty bringing up a new guy. Worked out OK for Houston this year though. And who can predict if fair value will be extracted over the life of a 300 million contract? Falvine is getting paid to figure it out. I hope he/they get it right, whatever direction they go. There will be no shortage of critics opening fire, this one included, if they mess it up.

Twins Trade Gio Urshela to the Los Angeles Angels What are supposed to call this team? California Angels....Anaheim Angels....Anaheim of Los Angeles Angels...Los Angeles Angels ....should there be more specificity, like the Platinum Triangle Neighborhood of Anaheim in the Vicinity of Los Angeles Angels Who Are Not the Dodgers--- IDK, to me, I say LA and think of the Dodgers. Anaheim of LA is like the drunk uncle of the SoCal baseball family nobody wants to talk about. They need an identity.

Thanks Theo, its fascinating to see the tracings 20 years on and realize the dna of that trade still circulates for Twins. And I hated that move, hated it, when it was made....we should have gotten more for aj! Good thing Im not the gm....? Thie info points out , again, that if the Twins develop high quality talent, at some point market rate contracts are required to maintain that talent. Assuming Duran stays healthy and effective, we have about 3 seasons before the trade chatter will start. Question remains open: will Twins ever pay an elite level pitcher market rate contract?

And, the only guy in MLB who is athletic enough to play SS and LF at the same time. Quick, very, very quick....

Sooooooo, youre not supposed to lick clean your Xperience fitness gym locker after each workout? Dang,,........................

"It's something to be lamented, not celebrated." I agree, a real sense of unfulfilled potential, which makes for a weird sense of disappointment even though he provided plenty of highlights and contributed to some good teams. He seems like the kind of player whose problems are more between the ears than swing mechanics. If he can get squared away he can still contribute....Miami needs power. Cleveland too....that would be interesting!

Could see generous opt-outs in particular situations, but they would be the exception to the rule. Guaranteed cash is still king. But for some who are younger, maybe pre-30, and potentially could increase their value over a 2-4 year period, they might be interested. Guess the question might be, if opt-outs are one way to increase the non-cash value of the offer, why not offer annual opt-outs after the first 2 years for shorter overall term? Player has guaranteed higher value on the front end, team has guaranteed performance for 2 years , and if player thinks he can leverage a better deal at that point, more power to him. Would have to be somebody willing to bet on himself in a big way. Theoretically it sounds reasonable, but I suspect in reality it will still be a matter of guaranteed cash carrying the day most of the time. That, and the dreadful no-trade clauses..........but those seem to be the cost of doing business in the high end free agent pool.

Just imagine the pitch counts a lineup starting with Martin, Julien, and Luis Arraez could run up on starters in the majors someday soon. It is fun to imagine an offense that begins with table-setter types. Harder to imagine how all 3 would fit defensively in the same game. But its great to see Martin step-up and Joulien emerge, Twins are developing legit options, and that is nothing but good news !!!

Trevino is the definition of inconsistent. If we're taking him onto the roster in February something has gone terribly wrong. IKF is very interesting, I hadnt read he was on the bubble....gotta believe there is trade value if Yanks are serious about moving him. But if he did pop up in the next few days would have to believe Twins would be interested.

I would love to see them pursue Nimmo, but reports are the Mets will do whatever they need to bring him back. Haniger sounds like he wants to return to Seattle. If not, he'd be a great target. More likely one of Drury or Mancini would more fit the Twins pattern and spending range. Game on in a few days!

Whether its coaching or him, results have to improve. Short leash, even if it means admitting a bad trade. Dont sacrifice a bunch of games trying to prove a point. He gets better or team moves on.

Yep. Maybe time to re-define "save". The guy who pitches out of the 7th inning jam preserving a lead that ultimately holds up....maybe that guy gets the "save" designation. Or the save is just discarded entirely. There are plenty of other ways/stats to identify who performs well in high leverage, and who wets the bed. Sequence BP rotation accordingly......

Agree with Nick this is clearly the emerging model du jour in mlb. Makes me queasy though. On any given day, the pitching is only as good as the weakest link in the chain so to speak. I prefer length from starters, measured more by outs, less by pitch count....i have a hard time accepting 115 pitches every 5th day on average is substantially increasing risk of injury. Besides, protecting starters in this way further exposes BP to ineffectiveness and/or injury. Regardless, this model requires starters effectively pitching at least 2 rotations through the batting order, 18 outs on average minimally, and, absolutely zero weak links in the BP. No Joe Smith's allowed.

This Twins front office hasn't shown any willingness to extend relievers,... I think we're past the point of deferring to this front office's stubborn adherence to a status quo that hasn't gotten the job done. Spot-on Nick. Well written and argued. It's not an overly critical take. Fair to both sides but truthful about the disastrous consequnces of trading RP. The value lost in the intervening 5 years since the trade is irreplaceable, regardless of what happens with Celestino/Alcala. This trade is the poster boy for bad decisions based in rigid ideas about roster and budget distribution. BP's need attention, that is, money-,committment, in this era of mlb. Twins are behind on this. And dare I mention the overall Minnesota budget could actually approach, not match, but get closer, to Houstonian-level budgets?

Rogers is interesting, he's so specialized and limited, but we have seen how effective he potentially is within those limits. Fulmer acquitted himself well here, he would be a fine addition, hard no on May at this point.... I'm with Roger: My hope and heart says they take a serious run at Montero, but my head says we will be picking through some bargain bin leftovers and hoping some of the current roster develops.

Good on these guys??, great to see there are still people trying to make a positive difference.

The Twins enter 2023 much the same as 2022, in competitive rebuild mode. I have them concentrating on developing quality and depth in the pitching side. The headliner move of the offseason is trading Miranda, Sabato, and Varland for Pablo Lopez, who slots in at #2 in the rotation. Maeda begins the season in a swing role, but by mid-season could be stretched into a starting role if injuries arise, especially Mahle. I am very nervous about Mahle, but SWR at AAA will be first up for injuries and single game fills. The Twins finally invest in the BP, signing Montero ( I know, I know, fat chance, but this is dreaming), and Ottavino to add veteran quality depth. Minor league options remain in the wings as a possible BP fill as well. The big sign in FA is Brandon Nimmo, whose flexibility allows him to effectively platoon with Buck and take RF on a regular basis. Larnach begins the year in LF, but Wallner is in the wings at AAA. I decided to begin the season with Kiriloff as DH, but essentially he can platoon 1B with Arraez. If his wrist is still balky in the spring, Wallner could slot into DH, or flyer-type FA signing to fill DH. The Brewers will let Narvaez walk, so we pony up and he joins Jeffers. I also like Jace Peterson's flexibility in the IF, so he signs and covers Polanco's inevitable IL trips, and could give IKF days off in some form of SS rotation. Gordon functions as basically a 5th OF, and more depth for CF. If Celestino falters badly, Wallner waits for a chance to fill. IKF is obtained by trading Kepler, straight up. IKF is a stopgap to Lewis/Lee. Urshela comes back, but is highly tradeable by July if one of Lee/Lewis looks ready for 3B. Ditto IKF. Twins are betting big on a Lee/Lewis combo taking the left side of the infield b 2024. Payroll is at 138M, slightly below budget. Twins could afford to add another 2-3M in salary going into July if needed, potentially another 12-13M if they were to move Urshela. C: Ryan Jeffers ($0.70M) 1B: Luis Arraez ($4.50M) 2B: Jorge Polanco ($7.50M) 3B: Gio Urshela ($9.00M) SS: Kiner-Falefa ($5.00M) LF: Trevor Larnach ($0.70M) CF: Byron Buxton ($15.00M) RF: Brandon Nimmo ($19.00M) DH: Alex Kiriloff ($0.70M) 4th OF: Gilberto Celestino ($0.70M) Utility: Nick Gordon ($0.70M) Utility: Jace Peterson ($3.00M) Backup C: Omar Narvaez ($5.00M) SP1: Sonny Gray ($12.00M) SP2: Tyler Mahle ($8.00M) SP3: Pablo Lopez ($6.00M) SP4: Joe Ryan ($0.70M) SP5: Bailey Ober ($0.70M) RP: Jhoan Duran ($0.70M) RP: Jorge Lopez ($3.00M) RP: Griffin Jax ($0.70M) RP: Jorge Alcala ($1.00M) RP: Caleb Thielbar ($2.00M) RP: Kenta Maeda ($9.00M) RP: Rafael Montero ($9.00M) RP: Adam Ottavino ($5.00M) Payroll is 7.64% under budget

Offer Chief a TD Group Hug. He seems like the touchy-feely type

Totally agreed!!!!

The video was superb, Watching their form cleaning their hands and then setting out that old vat of nacho cheese brought back special memories of the time i got me some of that day(s) old sauce. An explosive experience it was, thought I was s@#!&ing jet fuel the rest of the night. Thanks Volume Services for the memories.

They call that a rebrand? That's no rebrand. A rebranded cap is when the TC logo is replaced by Minnie and Paul, no longer smilingly shaking hands across the river, but instead tatto'd up, wearing black leather and chains, each holding a severed bloody head of a player from the opposing team of the day, while standing on the remains of the uniformed lifeless, headless corpse underfoot. That's right, caps and helmets specific to every other MLB team. And, the new scoreboard offers a special feature of The Taunting Frenchman randomly appearing throughout the game, hurling obscene, deeply offensive personal invective at particular players from the other team. Mock their SO's, BB's and errors, even their HR trots. They'll think twice b4 swinging for the fences again. Hire copywriters dedicated to creating fresh content during every home game in real time. Customers would stick around for the 9th even during blowouts, just to hear and see what comes next. Thats a rebrand. Break with Minnesota nice bs. Lake Wobegone no more! Set a bold, radical new direction. Blaze a new path in leveraging the possibilities of a new scoreboard. Capture der zeitgeist with a dramatic new cap and helmet logo, let the image say all that needs to be said about how serious the new-look Twins will be in 2023 and beyond.

If this roster was better filled out, yes. As it stands now, no, its not worth it. This strikes me as the kind of trade a team on the cusp makes. Twins arent there yet.