2019 Minnesota Twins In-Season Thread

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forever a gopher said:
Average attendance in 2019 has Miami last (under 10k a game!) and Tampa as second to last (13k). Tampa has been in the bottom 3 of average attendance since 2011.

On the radio broadcast during one of the games this weekend, they said the local tv and radio ratings are actually quite good for the Rays. It’s just that nobody goes to watch in person.
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If you live in Tampa, do you really want to spend 45-60 minutes each way to go inside on a nice Spring day? The Marlins is really sad. The stadium is brand new and not hard to get to. I know they haven't been good in recent years, but yikes.
 

howeda7 said:
I'd rather have someone like Madison Bamgardner. But is he enough of an upgrade over Kuechel to justify Nick Gordon/Graderal or some similar package? I'm not sure.
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Gordon I'd be fine with but I wouldn't trade Graterol for a 1/2 season rental.
 

There are a handful of Twins top prospects that will need to be moved to the 40-man next year in order to be protected from the Rule 5 draft. Among those are Graterol, Javier and Duran, plus a handful of others in their top 30 prospects. Now is the time to make a big move.
 
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I don't see Falvey and Levine handing out a 2 or 3-year deal for Kimbrel or Kuechel. If either one of them winds up with the Twins, I suspect it will be on a rent-a-player deal for the rest of the year. If they pitch well, they can go back on the free-agent market and try to get a longer deal. And, if they don't pitch well, the Twins are not on the hook.

I do not want any more "retread" pitcher deals. Terry Ryan got roasted by the fans and media for signing veteran pitchers who were on the back side of their careers.

My gut tells me Falvey and Levine are all about building from the farm system. Any outside players they bring in will be on deals like this year's additions - one-year deals, or one year with an option. Nothing long term. the future of this franchise is in the farm system. player development is the key.
 

GophersInIowa said:
With Keuchel, I think too many people remember his Cy Young year. He isn't the same pitcher anymore. His numbers over the last 3 years are essentially equivalent to what Gibson has done the last 1 1/2 years. He'd be an upgrade to the #5 spot in the rotation, but I don't think he's a top pitcher anymore.

And then I hear a lot about the Twins needed Kimbrel if they want to win the playoffs. He actually hasn't been very good in the playoffs the past few years.
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Sign me up. I'm a big fan.
 



short ornery norwegian said:
I don't see Falvey and Levine handing out a 2 or 3-year deal for Kimbrel or Kuechel. If either one of them winds up with the Twins, I suspect it will be on a rent-a-player deal for the rest of the year. If they pitch well, they can go back on the free-agent market and try to get a longer deal. And, if they don't pitch well, the Twins are not on the hook.

I do not want any more "retread" pitcher deals. Terry Ryan got roasted by the fans and media for signing veteran pitchers who were on the back side of their careers.

My gut tells me Falvey and Levine are all about building from the farm system. Any outside players they bring in will be on deals like this year's additions - one-year deals, or one year with an option. Nothing long term. the future of this franchise is in the farm system. player development is the key.
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Long-term the Twins are, and will be built around their farm system. But years to "go for it" don't come around very often. This is the first one since 2006. That year, he had a great team, but lacked a DH. Jason Tyner was DH'ing often. We could have had Alfonsio Soriano in his prime for Kevin Slowey or Scott Baker. But Terry Ryan wouldn't do it. He was all about hoarding prospects for a tomorrow that never came. It may not have mattered since Liriano got hurt shortly after the trade deadline and then Radke got hurt too. But that was as good a team as we've had since 1991 and we still wouldn't go for it. I hope Falvine are different.

That said, a muti-year deal for Kimbrel makes me nervous. He feels like a Tommy John surgery waiting to happen. Also, relievers in general are so fickle. Look at Addison Reed. Kuechel will at least a #3 or #4 starter for the next 2-3 years.
 





Addison Reed?!?! Dear Lord. Kimbrel is a 7-time All Star and certainly among the best relief pitchers of the decade. Why the hell is Addison f'n Reed's name being brought up?
 

dpodoll68 said:
Addison Reed?!?! Dear Lord. Kimbrel is a 7-time All Star and certainly among the best relief pitchers of the decade. Why the hell is Addison f'n Reed's name being brought up?
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He went from lights out in 2017 to released less than a year and a half later. I wasn't saying he's as good as Kimbrel. Only that multi-year deals for 30-something relievers are a crap shoot, which is part of why he's still available.
 

howeda7 said:
He went from lights out in 2017 to released less than a year and a half later. I wasn't saying he's as good as Kimbrel. Only that multi-year deals for 30-something relievers are a crap shoot, which is part of why he's still available.
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That's why I'm mostly in favor of trading for someone who is pitching well already.
 

GophersInIowa said:
That's why I'm mostly in favor of trading for someone who is pitching well already.
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Reason for optimism? From an article in The Athletic last week, in response to who teams expect to be the most aggressive BUYERS at this year's trade deadline:

>>Two different execs nominated the Twins so vociferously, let’s start with them. Could they sign Craig Kimbrel before they even plow into their midseason trade shopping? “I can guarantee he’s on their shopping list,” one AL exec said. But even if the Twins don’t get that deal done, rival teams expect them to hit the accelerator in the next few weeks to add pitching any way they can. “To say they’ll be active might be an understatement,” another exec said. “No matter where they are in the standings, they’re always in very aggressive midseason mode. Whether they have a chance to win or not, they use that period.”

Not sure what to think about the "they're always in very aggressive midseason mode" but oh well.

I love prospects as much as anyone but at the end of the day, you have to give up something to get something. Even if they didn't end up winning the World Series, it would be worth a few of those so-coveted prospects for this group to get a good postseason push and some postseason taste to build on. I hope they are prudent, but aggressive.
 



Ogee Oglethorpe said:
Reason for optimism? From an article in The Athletic last week, in response to who teams expect to be the most aggressive BUYERS at this year's trade deadline:

>>Two different execs nominated the Twins so vociferously, let’s start with them. Could they sign Craig Kimbrel before they even plow into their midseason trade shopping? “I can guarantee he’s on their shopping list,” one AL exec said. But even if the Twins don’t get that deal done, rival teams expect them to hit the accelerator in the next few weeks to add pitching any way they can. “To say they’ll be active might be an understatement,” another exec said. “No matter where they are in the standings, they’re always in very aggressive midseason mode. Whether they have a chance to win or not, they use that period.”

Not sure what to think about the "they're always in very aggressive midseason mode" but oh well.

I love prospects as much as anyone but at the end of the day, you have to give up something to get something. Even if they didn't end up winning the World Series, it would be worth a few of those so-coveted prospects for this group to get a good postseason push and some postseason taste to build on. I hope they are prudent, but aggressive.
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The farm system is loaded with mid-level prospects. They've done a wonderful job restocking the minors. Some of the guys from last year's trades are doing extremely well. It's easier to make good trades when you have a lot of prospects other teams want.
 

I'm not really in favor of trading for a starter unless they can get an ace, which I don't think will happen. I'd rather sign Keuchel than trade for Bumgarner as Bumgarner hasn't been the same since he injured his shoulder in 2017. Neither are aces anymore.

I'd rather go after bullpen help. Kimbrel would be nice and I'd also like to see them go after Will Smith on San Francisco.
 

Ogee Oglethorpe said:
Reason for optimism? From an article in The Athletic last week, in response to who teams expect to be the most aggressive BUYERS at this year's trade deadline:

>>Two different execs nominated the Twins so vociferously, let’s start with them. Could they sign Craig Kimbrel before they even plow into their midseason trade shopping? “I can guarantee he’s on their shopping list,” one AL exec said. But even if the Twins don’t get that deal done, rival teams expect them to hit the accelerator in the next few weeks to add pitching any way they can. “To say they’ll be active might be an understatement,” another exec said. “No matter where they are in the standings, they’re always in very aggressive midseason mode. Whether they have a chance to win or not, they use that period.”

Not sure what to think about the "they're always in very aggressive midseason mode" but oh well.

I love prospects as much as anyone but at the end of the day, you have to give up something to get something. Even if they didn't end up winning the World Series, it would be worth a few of those so-coveted prospects for this group to get a good postseason push and some postseason taste to build on. I hope they are prudent, but aggressive.
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So far that's been true. In 2017, they thought they were in in on 7/24 and bought. By 7/31 they thought they were out of it and sold. Last year it was all selling. They don't appear to find "sit and do nothing" to be an option at the trade deadline. This is clearly a buy year. They certainly seem to have some excess in the IF and corner OF spots they can trade from.
 

GophersInIowa said:
I just found out Portland is the 25th largest metro area in the country. I didn't realize it was that large.
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Yep- a nice size right now but the influx of Cali’s is getting bothersome


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

STrib: Lucky number 13: Twins take Keoni Cavaco in first round of MLB Draft

The Twins took Keoni Cavaco, a California high school infielder, with the 13th pick in the Major League Baseball draft Monday night.

Cavaco, who turned 18 on Sunday, plays for Eastlake High School in Chula Vista, Calif., and has committed to San Diego State.

"It won't be too hard to turn down San Diego State," he said in a conference call with reporters. "I had my heart set on playing pro ball from the beginning."

Cavaco is a righthanded hitter with speed and a strong arm who plays mostly third base.

"I didn't sleep last night, I was so excited. Getting picked in the first round is probably every kid's dream," Cavaco said. "I have no words to express it. I'm just so excited to start playing pro ball."

The 13th pick is slotted to receive a $4.2 million bonus, and Twins scouting director Sean Johnson said in a conference call the team expects Cavaco, who was ranked 28th by mlb.com, will sign. There is a chance the Twins could get him to sign below the slot level to conserve bonus money for a later round pick. The Twins have a bonus pool of $9,905,800 for the first 10 rounds.

Cavaco is the first Eastlake player to be taken in the first round since Adrián González was the first overall pick by the Florida Marlins in 2000. Cavaco was ranked the No. 1 high school player in the state of California by Perfect Game.

"We think he's a natural leader," Johnson said. "Extremely competitive. Upside is the right word to use here. He's one of the best third basemen I've seen in the high school ranks in my time in scouting."

Johnson said the team got excited about Cavaco last November and had a scout at every one of his high school games.

"We got on him toward the end of the fall," Johnson said. "We did not see him during the summer. He wasn't at the events we usually see. … We went to all of his games this spring to get caught up. Much like Royce Lewis [the first overall pick in the 2017 draft], the more we kept going, the more things we saw that we liked.

"The encouraging thing is the athlete. … He runs close to a 4-flat to first. … He's got a 7 arm [on the 2-8 scouting scale]. He can throw from different angles, and defense comes really natural to him."

http://www.startribune.com/lucky-nu...cavaco-in-first-round-of-mlb-draft/510788322/

Win Twins!!
 

Chip: As front-runners, Twins shouldn't fear risks of making big roster move

The sports world has become obsessed with the use of “window” as a metaphorical evaluation of a team’s readiness to win. Expectations for teams often are viewed through that prism.

We talk about windows of opportunity. Windows to win big. Window open, window closed, window slamming shut. Hey, I’m as guilty as the next person.

In truth, window talk is a nebulous concept because seasons can become so unpredictable with injuries or performances — individually and collectively — that either rise well above or below what seemed reasonable at the outset, and then the entire conversation changes.

Case in point: the Twins.

Their theoretical window looks a lot different now than it did two months ago. If their window had a sign hanging above it, it would read “Go For It.”

That should be the mind-set of Twins personnel bosses Derek Falvey and Thad Levine, who reportedly are interested in signing starter Dallas Keuchel and closer Craig Kimbrel to bolster a team that is on a historic pace. Smart move, if so.

Nothing should prevent them from being aggressive buyers. Certainly not money. Not in this situation, with a team that is playing out of its mind and a fan base that is starting to re-invest emotionally after years of lousy performances.

Occasionally, situations force organizations to adjust or accelerate their business strategy. This is one of those times.

The Twins own the best record in Major League Baseball at 40-18. This isn’t a small sample size. This isn’t just a team getting hot for two weeks. They aren’t a fluke.

The Twins are proving series by series that they should be taken seriously, and legitimately. Maybe they won’t continue to win at this pace all season, but June begins with realistic visions of postseason baseball.

Splashy free-agent signings don’t guarantee intended results, but it’s worth a shot.

http://www.startribune.com/as-front...ar-risks-of-making-big-roster-move/510790022/

Win Twins!!
 

Oregon Gopher said:
Yep- a nice size right now but the influx of Cali’s is getting bothersome
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The California migration/infestation is getting bad everywhere in the western part of the US; they took over Colorado/Denver a long time ago, Nevada is full of them, and they're flowing into Arizona now as well. Both of the neighbors at my vacation home in Flagstaff are retirees from Cali; one couple from San Diego and the other from Carmel. The couple from Carmel said they acted to change their residency to AZ as fast as possible to avoid the CA state income tax for one more year.
 

BleedGopher said:
Chip: As front-runners, Twins shouldn't fear risks of making big roster move

The sports world has become obsessed with the use of “window” as a metaphorical evaluation of a team’s readiness to win. Expectations for teams often are viewed through that prism.

We talk about windows of opportunity. Windows to win big. Window open, window closed, window slamming shut. Hey, I’m as guilty as the next person.

In truth, window talk is a nebulous concept because seasons can become so unpredictable with injuries or performances — individually and collectively — that either rise well above or below what seemed reasonable at the outset, and then the entire conversation changes.

Case in point: the Twins.

Their theoretical window looks a lot different now than it did two months ago. If their window had a sign hanging above it, it would read “Go For It.”

That should be the mind-set of Twins personnel bosses Derek Falvey and Thad Levine, who reportedly are interested in signing starter Dallas Keuchel and closer Craig Kimbrel to bolster a team that is on a historic pace. Smart move, if so.

Nothing should prevent them from being aggressive buyers. Certainly not money. Not in this situation, with a team that is playing out of its mind and a fan base that is starting to re-invest emotionally after years of lousy performances.

Occasionally, situations force organizations to adjust or accelerate their business strategy. This is one of those times.

The Twins own the best record in Major League Baseball at 40-18. This isn’t a small sample size. This isn’t just a team getting hot for two weeks. They aren’t a fluke.

The Twins are proving series by series that they should be taken seriously, and legitimately. Maybe they won’t continue to win at this pace all season, but June begins with realistic visions of postseason baseball.

Splashy free-agent signings don’t guarantee intended results, but it’s worth a shot.

http://www.startribune.com/as-front...ar-risks-of-making-big-roster-move/510790022/

Win Twins!!
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If I'm running the Twins, it's Scherzer or bust. I'd give up multiple prospects. The guy is going strong and, if I recall correctly, still has three more years of team control on his contract. It would be the equivalent of what Houston did when they acquired Verlander--he was the difference maker then and since. This kind of move is what separates the men from the boys.
 

Bad Gopher said:
If I'm running the Twins, it's Scherzer or bust. I'd give up multiple prospects. The guy is going strong and, if I recall correctly, still has three more years of team control on his contract. It would be the equivalent of what Houston did when they acquired Verlander--he was the difference maker then and since. This kind of move is what separates the men from the boys.
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It took a Graterol-type prospect for Houston to get Verlander (along with other lower rated prospects). It would certainly take one of the top 3 for the Twins to get Scherzer.

If Arizona falls too far out of the race in the NL, what about a guy like Greg Holland if they don't land Kimbrel? He's been very good since the Cardinals released him last August. He'd be a 1/2 season rental so he shouldn't cost that much in terms of prospects too.
 
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I like the idea of spending a little more (in prospects) to get someone with 2-3 years left on their contracts since most of our starting pitchers will be free agents at the end of the year.
 

GophersInIowa said:
It took a Graterol-type prospect for Houston to get Verlander (along with other lower rated prospects). It would certainly take one of the top 3 for the Twins to get Scherzer.

If Arizona falls too far out of the race in the NL, what about a guy like Greg Holland if they don't land Kimbrel? He's been very good since the Cardinals released him last August. He'd be a 1/2 season rental so he shouldn't cost that much in terms of prospects too.
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You do have to trade something to get something, for sure. Although Jay Bell turned out to be a pretty good player for a number of years, the Twins wouldn't have won their first championship without Bert. We'd all make that trade again, no question.
 

You can forget about Craig Kimbrel coming to Minnesota. he signing with the Chicago Cubs.

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I'm OK not giving Kimbrel that amount. I'm not sure I'd give that to any reliever. But Parker is cooked. The bullpen is basically Rogers and try to make do. They will have to make a trade or 3.
 

Sid: Byron Buxton's play vital to Twins' success

Of all the pleasant surprises to the start of the Twins’ season, maybe the most important to the long-term plans of the club is the play of center fielder Byron Buxton.

His early hitting statistics are the best of his five-year career, with highs in batting average (.262), on-base percentage (.318) and slugging percentage (.519).

His previous career high in slugging was .430 in 92 games in 2016. His American League-leading 20 doubles in 56 games this season are already better than his previous season high (19 in 2016).

But just as important, Buxton is combining his improved offense with world-class defense.

FanGraphs.com, which studies baseball stats, published an article last month titled “Byron Buxton’s Slow Rise to Stardom.” All the advanced numbers demonstrate Buxton is having a tremendous defensive season. According to Baseball-Reference.com, he is tied for third in the AL in defensive WAR (Wins Above Replacement).

Last season was a rough one for the No. 2 overall pick in the 2012 MLB draft. Migraines and other injuries left him with a .156 batting average and only four RBI and eight runs scored in 28 games.

On top of that, team executives chose not to bring Buxton back up to the Twins in September, despite hitting .272 with 11 doubles, four homers, 14 RBI and 22 runs scored in 35 games at Class AAA Rochester. The word was the team didn’t want to lose a year of club control over his contract, which would have happened had he been called up.

As it stands now, Buxton is under contract through 2021. He’s making $1.75 million this season under his first year of arbitration.

http://www.startribune.com/byron-buxton-s-play-vital-to-twins-success/510894942/

Win Twins!!
 

howeda7 said:
I'm OK not giving Kimbrel that amount. I'm not sure I'd give that to any reliever. But Parker is cooked. The bullpen is basically Rogers and try to make do. They will have to make a trade or 3.
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I'd have taken Kimbrel, but I didn't want him. I'm hoping more managers realize that the dedicated closer needs to go the way of the dodo.
If a guy's your best pitcher in the pen, why save him to the last frame?
 

Twins reportedly offered 2 years but wouldn't go any longer than that. I'm fine with him going to the Cubs.
 

My hope is that they make some sort of package deal to pull a couple of pitchers off of a seller's roster (In order of how likely I think they are):

Stroman/Ken Giles
MadBum/Will Smith
Grienke/Greg Holland
Scherzer/Doolittle
 

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