2018 Minnesota Twins In-Season Thread

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Reusse: Just maybe the Twins are better off not spending any money

This decade provides rugged competition for a most disappointing Twins season, and the current one is remindful of 2011. That melodrama came out of nowhere after a decade (2001-10) when the Twins won six division titles, had nine winning seasons and averaged 89 victories.

The Twins of 2011 were ravaged by injuries, terrible personnel decisions and an astounding 19-50 collapse to conclude the schedule.

That was the first of four years of utter ineptitude, and then came 83-79 in 2015 and a mild threat to win the AL’s second wild card. This was followed by 59-103 in 2016 (the worst season in team history) and then a rebound to 85-77 that secured the second wild card in 2017.

It was only two more wins — 85 rather than 83 — but the Twins of 2017 did not seem to be the pieced-together long shot of two years earlier. There appeared to be a competitive foundation for 2018, and then the front office added pitchers Lance Lynn, Jake Odorizzi, Fernando Rodney, Addison Reed and Zach Duke and designated hitter Logan Morrison.

Back in 2011, the Twins were coming off 94 wins and pushed the payroll to a team record $113.2 million. A more accurate number would have been $118.5 million, since the Twins also paid a $5.3 million posting fee to bring in regrettable infielder Tsuyoshi Nishioka from Japan.

Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau were injured. Delmon Young — coming off 21 home runs and 112 RBI — was injured, inept and then traded. The final record was 63-99 and Bill Smith was fired as general manager.

Our new-age baseball boss, Derek Falvey, blew past that previous high payroll to $128 million to open this season. Phil Hughes ($13.5 million) was cast away, Erv Santana ($13.2 million) is still rehabbing and Jason Castro ($8 million) is out for the season — to name a few bigger-buck items.

Miguel Sano is in Class A trying to again look like a ballplayer, Byron Buxton is in Class AAA trying to find a workable swing, and the Twins are ready for a “we’ll listen to any offer,” trade-deadline sale.

And we now have a Twins pattern in this failed decade: Record payrolls lead to lousy records.

http://www.startribune.com/just-maybe-the-twins-are-better-off-not-spending-any-money/487577121/

Win Twins!!
 

La Velle E. Neal's Sunday Insider: Will trade speculation disrupt Twins in July?

July baseball can be an exciting time for some teams, trying times for others — and noisy for both.

If a team is in contention, or even on the fringe of it, trade talk can excite a clubhouse. That’s good noise. Players want to track rumors about who is joining the playoff cause.

If you’re the Twins — after the front office has indicated its intention to sell and regroup for 2019 — trade deadline anxiety could sweep through the clubhouse.

The Twins ability to focus will be tested this month as several players are sure to see their names mentioned as trade targets, and possibly dealt.

Second baseman Brian Dozier, who said during spring training that he didn’t “want to become a trade show” can’t avoid that now.

“As far as all the stuff that is coming up, we’re not playing our best baseball coming up to what possibly could happen with moves,” Dozier said. “Bad timing again.”

Dozier, Eduardo Escobar, Zach Duke, Kyle Gibson, Fernando Rodney and Lance Lynn are among Twins who could attract varying levels of interest from contenders before the July 31 nonwaiver trade deadline. It’s an indictment of a team that expected to be successful this season but has been inconsistent. Injuries, and a PED suspension handed to Jorge Polanco, have kept their best lineup off the field. But the hole they have dug themselves — they are 11½ out of first place in the AL Central — looks too deep to get out of.

The situation could be fluid over the next few weeks, and Twins players might want to stock up on earplugs.

“You’ve got to try to focus on what’s going on in the locker room,” said Gibson, whose start on Tuesday against Milwaukee was watched by a scout from the Yankees. “You have enough to worry about in here.”

http://www.startribune.com/la-velle...-speculation-disrupt-twins-in-july/487515731/

Win Twins!!
 

BleedGopher said:
Reusse: Just maybe the Twins are better off not spending any money

The Twins of 2011 were ravaged by injuries, terrible personnel decisions and an astounding 19-50 collapse to conclude the schedule.

Back in 2011, the Twins were coming off 94 wins and pushed the payroll to a team record $113.2 million. A more accurate number would have been $118.5 million, since the Twins also paid a $5.3 million posting fee to bring in regrettable infielder Tsuyoshi Nishioka from Japan.

Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau were injured. Delmon Young — coming off 21 home runs and 112 RBI — was injured, inept and then traded. The final record was 63-99 and Bill Smith was fired as general manager.

Our new-age baseball boss, Derek Falvey, blew past that previous high payroll to $128 million to open this season. Phil Hughes ($13.5 million) was cast away, Erv Santana ($13.2 million) is still rehabbing and Jason Castro ($8 million) is out for the season — to name a few bigger-buck items.

Miguel Sano is in Class A trying to again look like a ballplayer, Byron Buxton is in Class AAA trying to find a workable swing, and the Twins are ready for a “we’ll listen to any offer,” trade-deadline sale.

And we now have a Twins pattern in this failed decade: Record payrolls lead to lousy records.

http://www.startribune.com/just-maybe-the-twins-are-better-off-not-spending-any-money/487577121/

Win Twins!!
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Not sure where we would be if Reusse wasn’t here to tell us all how disappointing the Twins have been. This piece took a serious amount of effort and stretched his journalist talents to their very limit, no doubt about it.
 

Shama: Twins’ Molitor Likely Safe for Now

The Twins haven’t historically made a habit of firing managers during the season, but that doesn’t stop speculation Paul Molitor’s job could be in jeopardy.

The Twins were predicted to contend for the Central Division title before the season started. Injuries and player performances below expectation have resulted in the team being 10.5 games out of first place as of today and 16 games out of a wild card spot. The club’s 38-48 record puts Minnesota 10 games under .500. The team has lost 10 of its last 16 games, although most recently the club has won three consecutive home games against the Orioles, who have the worst record in the American League at 24-64.

A friend of Molitor who has spent part of his professional career working in the business side of baseball said it’s been an unfortunate first half of the season and he hopes the manager is not “a casualty of it.” Molitor managed the Twins two years ago when they lost 103 games. But last season Minnesota finished with a surprising winning record and earned a wild card spot in the playoffs. “I don’t think he got stupid since last year,” Molitor’s friend said.

Molitor was named the 2017 American League Manager of the Year. He is known for his baseball intellect and steady manner. From the outside he looks like a manager most players would prefer to play for. “He’s a great ambassador for the organization,” the source said. “He’s a world-class guy. I would hate to see anything happen with Paul.”

Sometimes change occurs and it’s not an indictment of the people in charge. Management can decide it’s prudent to have a new leadership voice in the clubhouse. The Twins organization, though, is known for its loyalty and didn’t terminate Ron Gardenhire during seasons when he lost 99, 96 and 92 games. Gardenhire was, however, removed as Twins manager after the 2014 season and following four consecutive years of mostly disappointing results.

http://shamasportsheadliners.com/

Win Twins!!
 


I think the Twins should try to schedule the Orioles more often in the future.
 

BleedGopher said:
Shama: Twins’ Molitor Likely Safe for Now

The Twins haven’t historically made a habit of firing managers during the season, but that doesn’t stop speculation Paul Molitor’s job could be in jeopardy.

The Twins were predicted to contend for the Central Division title before the season started. Injuries and player performances below expectation have resulted in the team being 10.5 games out of first place as of today and 16 games out of a wild card spot. The club’s 38-48 record puts Minnesota 10 games under .500. The team has lost 10 of its last 16 games, although most recently the club has won three consecutive home games against the Orioles, who have the worst record in the American League at 24-64.

A friend of Molitor who has spent part of his professional career working in the business side of baseball said it’s been an unfortunate first half of the season and he hopes the manager is not “a casualty of it.” Molitor managed the Twins two years ago when they lost 103 games. But last season Minnesota finished with a surprising winning record and earned a wild card spot in the playoffs. “I don’t think he got stupid since last year,” Molitor’s friend said.

Molitor was named the 2017 American League Manager of the Year. He is known for his baseball intellect and steady manner. From the outside he looks like a manager most players would prefer to play for. “He’s a great ambassador for the organization,” the source said. “He’s a world-class guy. I would hate to see anything happen with Paul.”

Sometimes change occurs and it’s not an indictment of the people in charge. Management can decide it’s prudent to have a new leadership voice in the clubhouse. The Twins organization, though, is known for its loyalty and didn’t terminate Ron Gardenhire during seasons when he lost 99, 96 and 92 games. Gardenhire was, however, removed as Twins manager after the 2014 season and following four consecutive years of mostly disappointing results.

http://shamasportsheadliners.com/

Win Twins!!
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“I don’t think he got stupid since last year" is right up there with "the coach [manager] can't be out there making the plays for the players" when it comes to excuse making for coaches who don't get the job done.

You have to put the record aside, because it was almost certain that the team would take a step back this year after almost everything went right for them last year. The questions are 1) is he managing the team well and making sound decisions, and 2) is he working well within the structure of the organization? Strong cases can be made that the answer is no to both questions. I won't rehash the posts people have made about #1. When it comes to #2, he doesn't seem to be a good fit to Falvey and Levine, and there continues to be signs of tension if not friction between them.

So far, Molitor follows the example of previous hall-of-fame players who've tried their hand at managing: anywhere from fair to good but far short of great. As always, the best coaches and managers tend to come from the ranks of the scrubs. I continue to be amazed that a Paul Molitor team is so bad at base running. (Cue the part about him not being able to run the bases for them. Obviously there's some sort of gap when it comes to him teaching and the lessons being assimilated.)
 


The Royals are also pretty fun to crush. The moment they pulled the starter, the game was over.

Fernando Rodney is growing on me.
Attended last night, very few people there on a nice night for outdoor baseball.
 



saintpaulguy said:
Attended last night, very few people there on a nice night for outdoor baseball.
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Maybe if the games didn't take 3 1/2 hours and the team wasn't manic, there would be more folks there. They have got to do something about the pace of the games - it's unbearable, and I am a huge fan.

I wish this team would figure out if it's any good or not. Buxton and Sano have really killed us this year. And Dozier and E. Santana.
 

GopherJake said:
Maybe if the games didn't take 3 1/2 hours and the team wasn't manic, there would be more folks there. They have got to do something about the pace of the games - it's unbearable, and I am a huge fan.

I wish this team would figure out if it's any good or not. Buxton and Sano have really killed us this year. And Dozier and E. Santana.
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I could see Buxton coming back to play well in the second half. Not sure about Santana or Sano at this point. Dozier is becoming Dan Uggla 2.0
 

Dozier needs a new steroid guy. Or if he got a new one for the season he needs to get last years guy back.
 

bottlebass said:
Dozier needs a new steroid guy. Or if he got a new one for the season he needs to get last years guy back.
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Dozier is pull heavy and needs the ball in the right spots. My guess is teams have finally figured him out. I havent watched enough to know for certain....
 



JimmyJamesMD said:
Dozier is pull heavy and needs the ball in the right spots. My guess is teams have finally figured him out. I havent watched enough to know for certain....
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I agree he's pull heavy but when you watch him this year vs last he's flat out missing every pitch that was in his wheel house last year.
 



GopherJake said:
Maybe if the games didn't take 3 1/2 hours and the team wasn't manic, there would be more folks there. They have got to do something about the pace of the games - it's unbearable, and I am a huge fan.

I wish this team would figure out if it's any good or not. Buxton and Sano have really killed us this year. And Dozier and E. Santana.
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The last seven games have averaged just 2 hours and 50 minutes. They've moved along pretty quickly lately. It seems like most of the long games are against the really good teams (Yankees, Red Sox, Cubs).
 

Sid: Twins GM Thad Levine: Team will look at all trade options, including not making any

The Twins moved to 6-1 during an 11-game homestead following a 8-5 victory over the Kansas City Royals at Target Field on Wednesday. Twins General Manager Thad Levine said this kind of streak is what the team needed, something the team hasn’t done since winning seven of eight games in early May.

“I think we have been waiting for the team to go on a run and I think we’re starting to see some things turn around, which is great,” Levine said. “I think it’s coinciding with some guys getting healthy, but we’ve gotten good starting pitching in this homestand and it has been very encouraging.”

Over the past seven games, the Twins have averaged 5.9 runs per game while hitting .306 as a team. That’s compared to averaging 4.2 runs per game and hitting a collective .236 through the first 83 games of the season.

On the mound they’ve posted a 3.29 ERA over 63 innings while striking out 58 and walking 14.

Brian Dozier, whose name is once again surfacing in trade rumors, provided the big hit Wednesday with a two-run homer in the sixth inning that increased the Twins’ lead from 5-4 to 7-4. He also drove in a run in the fourth inning on an infield single. Logan Morrison hit a solo homer later in the sixth inning to secure the victory.

“It put the game out of reach and I think that is something that is huge,” Levine said of the two homers. “We haven’t necessarily been able to do that. We’ve left the other team hanging around and then they have struck late in the game. This game. [Dozier and Morrison] stepped up and really put the game out of reach.”

When asked if this means the team might not trade some of their star players, such as Dozier and Eduardo Escobar, Levine said everything remains possible.

“I’d say if we keep winning six out of seven games, we probably would not [make a trade],” Levine said. “But we’re going to continue to evaluate the team. We’re going to continue to evaluate each and every outing and we’re going to try to be as patient as we can be. But we’re also going to keep in tune with the timing of the market.

“Nothing has really happened so far. But we are going to time the market as well as continue to monitor the club.”

http://www.startribune.com/twins-gm...e-options-including-not-making-any/487948031/

Win Twins!!
 

Am I missing something? Why the hell would we trade Escobar, instead of signing him to a contract extension?
 

GopherJake said:
Am I missing something? Why the hell would we trade Escobar, instead of signing him to a contract extension?
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My thoughts exactly. Besides what he's doing on the field and that he's obviously entering his prime, he's a glue guy off the field. Everyone loves him and follows him. He reminds me of David Ortiz in that respect.
 

Bad Gopher said:
My thoughts exactly. Besides what he's doing on the field and that he's obviously entering his prime, he's a glue guy off the field. Everyone loves him and follows him. He reminds me of David Ortiz in that respect.
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Fire sale! Lots of money coming off the books, they should be able to afford him next year.
 

GopherJake said:
Am I missing something? Why the hell would we trade Escobar, instead of signing him to a contract extension?
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Escobar may want to explore free agency. Or even if he wants to resign with the Twins, he may want to wait until after the season because he possibly could get more after a very good full season as opposed to a good half season. I hope they are able to resign him, I've always really liked him. But if they know there won't be any negotiations until after the season, I would try to trade him so they get a prospect or two for him. Then try resigning him this offseason.

The worst thing will be if the Twins are sitting 6-8 games out of first at the trade deadline. Kinda in no mans land. Not close enough to say they're right there but not far enough out that they can confidently throw in the towel. Will be interesting how it plays out. I have heard a few people say there will probably be more teams selling than buying this year. Might not be a lot of opportunities to make trades.
 

If Dozier does not get traded and the Twins are 6-8 out near the deadline I hope he doesn’t complain again about the front office not making any moves.
 

GophersInIowa said:
Escobar may want to explore free agency. Or even if he wants to resign with the Twins, he may want to wait until after the season because he possibly could get more after a very good full season as opposed to a good half season. I hope they are able to resign him, I've always really liked him. But if they know there won't be any negotiations until after the season, I would try to trade him so they get a prospect or two for him. Then try resigning him this offseason.

The worst thing will be if the Twins are sitting 6-8 games out of first at the trade deadline. Kinda in no mans land. Not close enough to say they're right there but not far enough out that they can confidently throw in the towel. Will be interesting how it plays out. I have heard a few people say there will probably be more teams selling than buying this year. Might not be a lot of opportunities to make trades.
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They should trade Lynn and Dozier regardless, unless they are within like 3-4, because Santana and Nick Gordon are not big drop-offs. I would offer Escobar a 3 year extension in the $10-12 million per year range. If he won't accept that, then trade him.
 

howeda7 said:
They should trade Lynn and Dozier regardless, unless they are within like 3-4, because Santana and Nick Gordon are not big drop-offs. I would offer Escobar a 3 year extension in the $10-12 million per year range. If he won't accept that, then trade him.
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Nick Gordon is batting .236 with 2 homeruns in 45 games at Rochester.
 

GopherJake said:
Nick Gordon is batting .236 with 2 homeruns in 45 games at Rochester.
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Yeah it would probably be a drop off at 2B but I'd still like Gordon to get his feet wet this year if they think he will take over full time next year.
 

GopherJake said:
Nick Gordon is batting .236 with 2 homeruns in 45 games at Rochester.
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That's no worse than Dozier as far as BA. And he was raking at AA. Plus Adrianza or Astudillo could also fill in there.
 

As far as Escobar - Twins could do exactly what they did with Rick Aguilera. In '95, they traded Aguilera to the Red Sox in a mid-season deal. at the end of the year, Aguilera became a free agent, and he signed with........the MN Twins. So, they picked up a prospect or two, and signed him back after the season. Twins could do the same with Escobar this season. Officially, they can't make any promise to re-sign him after the season, but they could have a "nudge, nudge, wink, wink" arrangement.
 

short ornery norwegian said:
As far as Escobar - Twins could do exactly what they did with Rick Aguilera. In '95, they traded Aguilera to the Red Sox in a mid-season deal. at the end of the year, Aguilera became a free agent, and he signed with........the MN Twins. So, they picked up a prospect or two, and signed him back after the season. Twins could do the same with Escobar this season. Officially, they can't make any promise to re-sign him after the season, but they could have a "nudge, nudge, wink, wink" arrangement.
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In a perfect world, sure. In reality, this rarely happens. The Twins did it with Aggie, but have never done it since in 23 years, IIRC. The reality is that if you trade him, there's probably a 95% chance he's not on your team next year. They already have tradeable assets in Dozier, Lynn, Rodney, Duke and possibly Mauer and Morrison. They can get plenty of prospects without trading Escobar.
 

A very nice win tonight. I was there and Gibby pitched great. Got out of a couple jams nicely. And Molly left him in to pitch the 8th, even though he sat at 100 pitches entering the inning. Unfortunately, his arm fell off during his 113th and final pitch, so he’s questionable for his next start. Rosario insurance two run bomb. Bounced 2.05 ERA Snell after 4 and nearly 100 pitches.

Win three more in a row, please.
 

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