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Twins off-season - 10/20/2023 4:12:29 PM

TJSweens

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Who do we keep? Who do we dump? Who is trade bait?

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RE: Twins off-season - 10/20/2023 8:43:59 PM

TJSweens

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Here is what we know the Twins have coming back for starting pitchers.

Pablo Lopez. Top of the rotation pitcher. Pitched well in big games, especially smoking the Asstros. It's great to have a big strikeout guy leading the rotation. The main question is if he can avoid the couple of multi-game stretches where he got smacked last year. If he maintains consistency with the sweeper he started throwing last year, he could be in the Cy Young conversation.

Joe Ryan. Last year was a tale of two seasons. Ryan was going great and making a case for the All Star Game through his shutout of Boston. At that point he was 8- 4 with a 2.98 ERA and averaging over a strikeout per inning, while allowing 8 HR in 15 games. He apparently tweaked his groin while warming up for his next start against the Braves and went through a series of starts where he either got crushed or ran up high pitch counts by the 5th inning. The Twins finally put him on the IL on August 3. By then his ERA had ballooned to 4.06. It would peak at 4.43 after his first game back. He was a little better the rest of the way and even got his ERA back under 4 before Colorado destroyed in the last game. He gave up 24 of his 32 HR in those games.

Bailey Ober. The Twins wasted his early starts in AAA before bringing him up and watching him pitch lights out. He unfortunately wore down late as his combined 167 IP was way beyond anything he had done before. He didn't have it in game 1 against Houston.

Chris Paddack. The skeptic in me was pleasently surprised with the way Paddack performed after TJ. He was really effective and had the big heat coming out of the pen. The question is whether he has the secondary pitches and consistent command to transition back to starting.

Louie Varland. Hit and miss as a starter. The Twins liked him a lot out of the pen late in the year, but I doubt they are ready to pull the plug on him as a starter yet.

The Twins have an all star, two pitchers who have proven a lot, yet still have questions, one guy coming back from his second TJ and a prospect who looks to be a mid rotation guy at best. They need someone to slot behind Lopez and ahead of Ryan and Ober. I would really like to see them bring back Sonny Gray. The problem is that Gray will be in the top three or four FA starting pitchers. There will be a lot of competition for him. The other problem is that Gray will turn 34 in a couple of weeks and knows he is likely looking at his last opportunity to score a big contract. I don't know how hard the Twins will compete for Gray or if they will go down the list and sign someone who would likely slot in behind Ryan and Ober.

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RE: Twins off-season - 10/20/2023 10:33:13 PM 1 votes

twinsfan

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Tyler Duffey had some pretty good numbers with the Iowa Cubs this season. I'd bring him back to compete for a bullpen spot with the Twins.

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RE: Twins off-season - 10/21/2023 5:25:09 PM

bstinger

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Dan Serafini arrested for murder.

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RE: Twins off-season - 10/22/2023 2:03:25 PM

twinsfan

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quote:

ORIGINAL: bstinger

Dan Serafini arrested for murder.

What?!??!?

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“We are an unserious nation that's in serious $hit.”

-Me

Post #: 5

RE: Twins off-season - 10/22/2023 2:09:15 PM

twinsfan

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quote:

ORIGINAL: bstinger

Dan Serafini arrested for murder.

He's one of my secret weapons in Sammy Sosa High Hest Baseball. Not sure I can ever turn to him again.

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“We are an unserious nation that's in serious $hit.”

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Post #: 6

RE: Twins off-season - 10/22/2023 5:30:41 PM

bstinger

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quote:

ORIGINAL: TJSweens

Who do we keep? Who do we dump? Who is trade bait?

I don't have all the answers but here's a few things I do.

Offer Gray a reasonable amount at 2yrs but I assume he goes elsewhere. I think Rocco rubs him the wrong way.

I pick up the options for Kepler and Polanco and trade them. They will be marketable assets for the price.

I try to resign Taylor for CF or pick up a RH CF in FA or one of the trades.

I'd love to trade Vazquez for a LH C and platoon him with Jeffers.

I'd like a good hitting RH corner OF to platoon with Larnach and Wallner.

I won't do the pitching staff now, but here would my goal for the 13 position players

C - Jeffers, LH Catcher
1B- Kiriloff
2B- Julien
SS- Correa
3B- Lewis
LF- Larnach or Wallner
CF- Taylor or FA or Trade
RF- Wallner or Larnach
Utility - Farmer
Super Utility - Castro
Corner OF RH Platoon - TBD
BU LH CF - TBD
DH would come from the rotation of above players getting a day off in the field.

< Message edited by bstinger -- 10/22/2023 5:33:29 PM >

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RE: Twins off-season - 10/22/2023 5:47:47 PM

Mister Ed

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quote:

1B- Kiriloff

lots of good in that plan
Kirilloff labrum tear is not a good thing. I don't count on much w/him.

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RE: Twins off-season - 10/22/2023 6:32:34 PM

TJSweens

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Kepler's option will be picked up and he will be kept. That is the closest thing to a guarantee in the OF next year.

I wouldn't bring Tucker back to be the CF. I like his defense, but even in career year at the plate, his OPS was 30 points below league average.

Kirilloff? He is very stealthily becoming as big of injury issue as Buxton.

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RE: Twins off-season - 10/23/2023 7:49:52 AM

bstinger

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Obviously the Kiriloff choice depends on his health to which I have no inside knowledge of.

He he won't be able to go we'll need to find someone else, I don't think there are a lot of great choices there in our system right now but most of you know more than I do about our minor leagues.

Seems to me we are deep in middle infielders and corner outfielders. Weak at CF, 1B, C. Could use another SP to slot between Pablo and Joe assuming Gray isn't back,

Where to Brooks Lee and Austin Martin fit in?

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Post #: 10

RE: Twins off-season - 10/23/2023 8:54:00 AM

Trekgeekscott

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quote:

ORIGINAL: bstinger

Obviously the Kiriloff choice depends on his health to which I have no inside knowledge of.

He he won't be able to go we'll need to find someone else, I don't think there are a lot of great choices there in our system right now but most of you know more than I do about our minor leagues.

Seems to me we are deep in middle infielders and corner outfielders. Weak at CF, 1B, C. Could use another SP to slot between Pablo and Joe assuming Gray isn't back,

Where to Brooks Lee and Austin Martin fit in?

They started experimenting with Julien at 1B. Bring back Gordon and bring up Lee and Farmer is still here 2B covered. Lewis at 3B. I think the Twins pick up Polanco and Keplers options and trade them both for pitching.

Martin will probably go to the OF.

So much more but no time to actually provide my expert - translated to pulled right out of my ass - opinions

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RE: Twins off-season - 10/23/2023 9:33:17 AM

twinsfan

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Trading Polanco is a bad idea. I wouldn't trade Kepler either because nobody in the organization can play RF nearly as well as he can.

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Post #: 12

RE: Twins off-season - 10/23/2023 9:52:38 AM

Phil Riewer

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quote:

ORIGINAL: twinsfan
Trading Polanco is a bad idea. I wouldn't trade Kepler either because nobody in the organization can play RF nearly as well as he can.

Matters what they can get for them....They both are on the other side of 30.

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RE: Twins off-season - 10/23/2023 9:53:09 AM

Trekgeekscott

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quote:

ORIGINAL: twinsfan

Trading Polanco is a bad idea. I wouldn't trade Kepler either because nobody in the organization can play RF nearly as well as he can.

You trade the guys that can get you the most while still having options to replace them.

Kepler played very good defense true. but we have Wallner, Larnach and a couple others coming soon that can play there.

Polanco has a history of good play, but defense is not his biggest strength. Again, we have options to replace him already here AND coming soon. These are positions of strength, that is where you trade from to fill weaker positions.

Pitching is the name of the game. We need more pitching (you can never have enough). Right now our rotation has Lopez, Ryan, Paddack and Ober. I would love to get Gray back but that seems unlikely. That means we need to acquire another rotation arm. We won't likely do that on the open market as that gets too pricey, so we get a good young pitchers with a couple few years of control left or someone we can re-sign relatively cheap to an extension (Like we did with Pablo)

I like Kepler and his Defense and his second half resurgence was a big boon to getting us to the playoffs and winning a series there...but he's been floundering at the plate prior to that for a couple years and now, with this resurgence, he's at the highest trade value he will be going forward, so now is the time to move on, especially when you have other options already here AND coming soon.

Polanco's injury history is relatively recent and when he's healthy he's been pretty good. But we have a logjam of infielders already here or coming soon, Moving him now he is valuable.

I'd love to keep both, but these are our most tradeable and replaceable commodities on the team right now. And we have needs elsewhere.

< Message edited by Trekgeekscott -- 10/23/2023 9:54:32 AM >

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RE: Twins off-season - 10/23/2023 10:19:15 AM

bstinger

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quote:

ORIGINAL: twinsfan

Trading Polanco is a bad idea. I wouldn't trade Kepler either because nobody in the organization can play RF nearly as well as he can.

Next year will be their last as a Twin one way or another, might as well get an asset back, we have depth ready to play in both positions.

_____________________________

"You guys are true athletes!"

--twinsfan

Post #: 15

RE: Twins off-season - 10/23/2023 11:12:59 AM

twinsfan

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quote:

ORIGINAL: bstinger

quote:

ORIGINAL: twinsfan

Trading Polanco is a bad idea. I wouldn't trade Kepler either because nobody in the organization can play RF nearly as well as he can.

Next year will be their last as a Twin one way or another, might as well get an asset back, we have depth ready to play in both positions.

Robin Yount spent his entire career with the Brewers.

_____________________________

“We are an unserious nation that's in serious $hit.”

-Me

Post #: 16

RE: Twins off-season - 10/23/2023 12:13:00 PM

bstinger

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quote:

ORIGINAL: twinsfan

quote:

ORIGINAL: bstinger

quote:

ORIGINAL: twinsfan

Trading Polanco is a bad idea. I wouldn't trade Kepler either because nobody in the organization can play RF nearly as well as he can.

Next year will be their last as a Twin one way or another, might as well get an asset back, we have depth ready to play in both positions.

Robin Yount spent his entire career with the Brewers.

Soooo.....

_____________________________

"You guys are true athletes!"

--twinsfan

Post #: 17

RE: Twins off-season - 10/23/2023 12:13:16 PM

Trekgeekscott

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quote:

ORIGINAL: twinsfan

quote:

ORIGINAL: bstinger

quote:

ORIGINAL: twinsfan

Trading Polanco is a bad idea. I wouldn't trade Kepler either because nobody in the organization can play RF nearly as well as he can.

Next year will be their last as a Twin one way or another, might as well get an asset back, we have depth ready to play in both positions.

Robin Yount spent his entire career with the Brewers.

Robin Yount is a hall of famer. And his teammate Paul Molitor didn't play his entire career in Milwaukee.

Comparing Polanco and Kepler, who are not HOFers at this point and probably never will be, to Yount is ridiculous,

We can add pitching that can help us win MORE by making trades. You don't trade fan favorites like Yount. You DO trade good players like Polanco and Kepler.

_____________________________

“There is no hate like Christian love.”

Post #: 18

RE: Twins off-season - 10/23/2023 12:38:33 PM

twinsfan

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Trekgeekscott

quote:

ORIGINAL: twinsfan

quote:

ORIGINAL: bstinger

quote:

ORIGINAL: twinsfan

Trading Polanco is a bad idea. I wouldn't trade Kepler either because nobody in the organization can play RF nearly as well as he can.

Next year will be their last as a Twin one way or another, might as well get an asset back, we have depth ready to play in both positions.

Robin Yount spent his entire career with the Brewers.

Robin Yount is a hall of famer. And his teammate Paul Molitor didn't play his entire career in Milwaukee.

Comparing Polanco and Kepler, who are not HOFers at this point and probably never will be, to Yount is ridiculous,

We can add pitching that can help us win MORE by making trades. You don't trade fan favorites like Yount. You DO trade good players like Polanco and Kepler.

At least you understood my point!

_____________________________

“We are an unserious nation that's in serious $hit.”

-Me

Post #: 19

RE: Twins off-season - 10/23/2023 4:30:13 PM

Phil Riewer

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Joined: 8/24/2007
From: MN
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quote:

ORIGINAL: twinsfan

quote:

ORIGINAL: Trekgeekscott

quote:

ORIGINAL: twinsfan

quote:

ORIGINAL: bstinger

quote:

ORIGINAL: twinsfan

Trading Polanco is a bad idea. I wouldn't trade Kepler either because nobody in the organization can play RF nearly as well as he can.

Next year will be their last as a Twin one way or another, might as well get an asset back, we have depth ready to play in both positions.

Robin Yount spent his entire career with the Brewers.

Robin Yount is a hall of famer. And his teammate Paul Molitor didn't play his entire career in Milwaukee.

Comparing Polanco and Kepler, who are not HOFers at this point and probably never will be, to Yount is ridiculous,

We can add pitching that can help us win MORE by making trades. You don't trade fan favorites like Yount. You DO trade good players like Polanco and Kepler.

At least you understood my point!

There is a reason that Falvey will trade Polanco or Kepler....he drafts bats and trades for pitchers.
I hate to see it but I see us trading away Polanco, Kepler, and Farmer. We have other bats almost ready. Lee, Larnach, Martin, and Severino.
I also see us trying to resign Mahle. Twins way.

_____________________________

SSG Riewer, Greg A Co 2/136 CAB
KIA 23 March 2007 Habbaniyah Iraq

Post #: 20

RE: Twins off-season - 10/26/2023 11:07:00 AM

twinsfan

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Trekkie, who were you rooting for in these playoffs and why? Who do you want to win the WS?

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“We are an unserious nation that's in serious $hit.”

-Me

Post #: 21

RE: Twins off-season - 10/27/2023 8:18:03 AM

Trekgeekscott

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quote:

ORIGINAL: twinsfan

Trekkie, who were you rooting for in these playoffs and why? Who do you want to win the WS?

When the playoffs started, The Minnesota Twins...for obvious reasons.

Once they were eliminated, in the AL I wanted the Rangers, Rays Orioles and Blue Jays in that order...Astros needed to go. The only way I could be happier with who is going in the AL is if it were my Twins. Reason for Rangers, Never won a world series. Rays haven't either. Orioles have not seen a ring since 1983 or so. Blue Jays 93...Astros just won last year.,

NL. I would have been fine with Brewers first. Diamondbacks were the upstart underdog team that nobody gave a chance to and Marlins too...so I liked them too. The other teams. Dodgers, Braves, Phillies, have all won more recently and have been there frequently between them over the past half decade. Brewers never won a title...Diamondbacks last in 2001 IIRC and Marlins 2003 or so.

Only the Brewers would have made me happier on this one.

Once it got to the LCS series I was convinced we were going to have a rematch of last year's WS.

I am happy with Rangers/DBacks. as for who i want to win. I honestly couldn't care less. but if I had to choose, I would pick the Rangers right now because they've never had a ring in franchise history.

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Post #: 22

RE: Twins off-season - 10/27/2023 9:46:07 AM

TJSweens

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Joined: 7/16/2007
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quote:

ORIGINAL: Phil Riewer

quote:

ORIGINAL: twinsfan

quote:

ORIGINAL: Trekgeekscott

quote:

ORIGINAL: twinsfan

quote:

ORIGINAL: bstinger

quote:

ORIGINAL: twinsfan

Trading Polanco is a bad idea. I wouldn't trade Kepler either because nobody in the organization can play RF nearly as well as he can.

Next year will be their last as a Twin one way or another, might as well get an asset back, we have depth ready to play in both positions.

Robin Yount spent his entire career with the Brewers.

Robin Yount is a hall of famer. And his teammate Paul Molitor didn't play his entire career in Milwaukee.

Comparing Polanco and Kepler, who are not HOFers at this point and probably never will be, to Yount is ridiculous,

We can add pitching that can help us win MORE by making trades. You don't trade fan favorites like Yount. You DO trade good players like Polanco and Kepler.

At least you understood my point!

There is a reason that Falvey will trade Polanco or Kepler....he drafts bats and trades for pitchers.
I hate to see it but I see us trading away Polanco, Kepler, and Farmer. We have other bats almost ready. Lee, Larnach, Martin, and Severino.
I also see us trying to resign Mahle. Twins way.

Lee looks promising. The jury is way out on the other three. Last time up Larnach still couldn't hit a major league breaking ball to save his soul. He was on pace to strike out over 200 times in a full season. His strikeouts weren't much better in AAA. Severino only has 36 games in AAA and hit .233 with a boat load of strikeouts. Martin had a great month of August and fell off a cliff in September.

Lee might force the issue with someone like Polanco (more likely Farmer), but Kepler being our RF next year is a lock.

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"The eternal fate of the noble and enlightened: to be brutally crushed by the armed and dumb."

Post #: 23

RE: Twins off-season - 10/27/2023 8:36:03 PM

twinsfan

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Trekgeekscott

quote:

ORIGINAL: twinsfan

Trekkie, who were you rooting for in these playoffs and why? Who do you want to win the WS?

When the playoffs started, The Minnesota Twins...for obvious reasons.

Once they were eliminated, in the AL I wanted the Rangers, Rays Orioles and Blue Jays in that order...Astros needed to go. The only way I could be happier with who is going in the AL is if it were my Twins. Reason for Rangers, Never won a world series. Rays haven't either. Orioles have not seen a ring since 1983 or so. Blue Jays 93...Astros just won last year.,

NL. I would have been fine with Brewers first. Diamondbacks were the upstart underdog team that nobody gave a chance to and Marlins too...so I liked them too. The other teams. Dodgers, Braves, Phillies, have all won more recently and have been there frequently between them over the past half decade. Brewers never won a title...Diamondbacks last in 2001 IIRC and Marlins 2003 or so.

Only the Brewers would have made me happier on this one.

Once it got to the LCS series I was convinced we were going to have a rematch of last year's WS.

I am happy with Rangers/DBacks. as for who i want to win. I honestly couldn't care less. but if I had to choose, I would pick the Rangers right now because they've never had a ring in franchise history.

We are on the same page.

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“We are an unserious nation that's in serious $hit.”

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Post #: 24

RE: Twins off-season - 10/28/2023 7:30:27 AM

TJSweens

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I hate the state of Texas with every fiber of my being.

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Post #: 25