All Things 2021 Minnesota Twins In-Season Thread

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I would trade Simmons or Sano for whatever you can get. Probably an A ball prospect, but that's fine.
 

Good article from Ken Rosenthal vis The Athletic on where the Twins are personnel wise. He's of course, very knowledgeable and plugged in.

theathletic.com

Twins struggles, strikeouts rates soar, Rangers' outlook

Plus, tough start for Reds' Luis Castillo; Giants battling injuries; Matt Duffy's priorities; and should Angels rest Shohei Ohtani?
theathletic.com theathletic.com

Rosenthal: Twins’ season not yet lost

More than two months remain until the trade deadline, more than four months remain until the end of the regular season. Reports of the Twins’ demise were premature. Projections of the Twins as sellers were premature. Check back on June 6, after the Twins complete their current 13-game stretch against the Orioles and Royals. Then maybe the picture will be clearer.

Hideous as the Twins were in the first seven weeks, they now have won six of seven, improving to 20-29. They are still 8 1/2 games behind the White Sox in the AL Central, still without injured center fielder Byron Buxton as well as right-hander Kenta Maeda, infielder Luis Arraez and others. But look at it this way: The Twins’ record is better than the Nationals’ 19-31 mark at a similar point in 2019. Which is not to say they will rally in similar fashion to win the World Series. But for just a little bit longer, can we let their season breathe?

The Twins were 5-4, with three of their losses coming in extra innings, when their season took a tumultuous turn. Their game on April 12 against the Red Sox was postponed after the shooting of a Black man, Daunte Wright, in a suburb of Minneapolis. They then had three more postponements from April 17-19 after three players and a staff member tested positive for COVID-19. Seventeen of their first 22 games were played in the afternoon, and often in cold weather, making it difficult for the players to establish a rhythm.

The Twins’ stop-and-start April does not fully excuse their bullpen’s deficiencies, offensive inconsistencies and other failings. And while Buxton was on an MVP trajectory when he went down with a strained right hip on May 7, injuries, too, are only so much of an excuse. Virtually every team is dealing with similar problems at a time when injury-list placements across Major League Baseball are up 30 percent compared to the league’s last full season, 2019.

Still, we’re talking about the AL Central, a division with three clubs in various stages of rebuilding, not the AL East, a division with four postseason contenders. The Tigers’ run differential is the worst in the AL. The Indians just lost right-hander Zach Plesac and designated hitter Franmil Reyes. The Royals recently had an 11-game losing streak. And the White Sox, while leading the AL in run differential, are without two of their best hitters, left fielder Eloy Jiménez and center fielder Luis Robert. They also are managed by Tony La Russa, meaning additional internal turmoil is possible.

Maybe the White Sox are too good to be undone by La Russa drama or their latest physical concerns, hamstring trouble for right-hander Michael Kopech and right fielder Adam Eaton. Maybe the Twins will fail to pound the Orioles and Royals in their next 10 games, going, say, 5-5 instead of 8-2 and forcing their front office to seriously consider selling. Club officials already are taking steps to account for that possibility, making sure they are well-acquainted with the farm systems of potential buyers.

Potential free agents such as designated hitter Nelson Cruz, shortstop Andrelton Simmons, right-hander Michael Pineda and lefty J.A. Happ would be the players the Twins are most likely to move. But the team also could entertain offers for Buxton, right-hander José Berríos and left-hander Taylor Rogers, all of whom are eligible for free agency after the 2022 season and have yet to get serious with the club on contract extensions.

No matter what the Twins do, they are set up well for the future. Outfielders Alex Kirilloff and Trevor Larnach appear quite promising, and club officials are excited about a group of pitching prospects that includes Jhoan Duran, Matt Canterino, Jordan Balazovic, Josh Winder and Chris Vallimont. But first there is a 2021 season to play. For the Twins, it is not over yet.
 


On one hand, it's tempting to feel good for the Royals and White Sox and feel like it's a nice refreshing switch from the Twins and Indians at the top of the division. On the other hand, both of those teams have won a championship since the Twins have.
 


The Twins seriously need to move Sano if anyone will take his contract. The hot streak is clearly over.
 


howeda7 said:
The Twins seriously need to move Sano if anyone will take his contract. The hot streak is clearly over.
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Unfortunately for the Twins, each MLB team employs scouts and analysts that have determined his value is practically nil.
 

Ope3 said:
Unfortunately for the Twins, each MLB team employs scouts and analysts that have determined his value is practically nil.
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I'd give him away. Some team might be convinced enough they can fix him to take the contact. $18 million over 1.5 years is nothing to the Uankees/Dodgers.
 



Nelson Cruz is in a bad slump. I don't see the Twins keeping him after this year.

So, I suppose you could put Sano at DH, or in a DH platoon, and move Kirilloff to 1B full-time.

As noted, every team in the league knows what Sano is - a modern-day Dave Kingman. The question is whether you can live with the low batting average and high strikeout rate in return for the chance that he might get hot and hit 5 or 6 HR in a week.
 

howeda7 said:
I'd give him away. Some team might be convinced enough they can fix him to take the contact. $18 million over 1.5 years is nothing to the Uankees/Dodgers.
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I don't think the salary is "nothing" even to those teams with the luxury tax implications and pandemic restrictions on attendance, plus they may consider the roster spot to be a value itself.
 

Ope3 said:
I don't think the salary is "nothing" even to those teams with the luxury tax implications and pandemic restrictions on attendance, plus they may consider the roster spot to be a value itself.
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It's not nothing. But it's pretty low risk high reward if you can afford it.
 

So the twins had so much outfield depth they let people go the last two seasons. Now in a game in June they have a future first basemen in left, and career minor leaguer who should be a DH in center, and a third string wide show playing right. My how the front office is just too smart for their own good.
 



short ornery norwegian said:
Nelson Cruz is in a bad slump. I don't see the Twins keeping him after this year.

So, I suppose you could put Sano at DH, or in a DH platoon, and move Kirilloff to 1B full-time.

As noted, every team in the league knows what Sano is - a modern-day Dave Kingman. The question is whether you can live with the low batting average and high strikeout rate in return for the chance that he might get hot and hit 5 or 6 HR in a week.
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He will be playing ball in the Dominican along with other Oswaldo Arica by this time next year. Right now he’s a better first baseman than he is a batter.
 

OUCH. Twins Catcher Mitch Garver took a foul ball right in the crotch on Tuesday. Was taken to the hospital with what was described as a "groin contusion."

Later, he posted on social media that he had to have surgery!

so he will likely be out for an extended period.

Now the catching looks like Rortvedt and/or Jeffers with Austidillo as the emergency catcher.
 

short ornery norwegian said:
OUCH. Twins Catcher Mitch Garver took a foul ball right in the crotch on Tuesday. Was taken to the hospital with what was described as a "groin contusion."

Later, he posted on social media that he had to have surgery!

so he will likely be out for an extended period.

Now the catching looks like Rortvedt and/or Jeffers with Austidillo as the emergency catcher.
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Just brutal to watch. I can't imagine what he's going through.

Garver and Refsnyder to the DL (don't impersonate Buxton so closely Rob).

Jeffers and Celestino (sp?) up from AAA
 

howeda7 said:
Just brutal to watch. I can't imagine what he's going through.

Garver and Refsnyder to the DL (don't impersonate Buxton so closely Rob).

Jeffers and Celestino (sp?) up from AAA
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IT time to start making trades. Time to say goodbye to Nelson Cruz, Josh Donaldson, Sano and other. Blow this team up and start over now.
 


gophersfan said:
IT time to start making trades. Time to say goodbye to Nelson Cruz, Josh Donaldson, Sano and other. Blow this team up and start over now.
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Donaldson is not tradeable with that contract, I'm afraid. Neither is Sano most likely. Just cut Sano and Shoemaker. Trade Cruz, Simmons, Pineda, Happ, Robles and Duffy.
 

howeda7 said:
Donaldson is not tradeable with that contract, I'm afraid. Neither is Sano most likely. Just cut Sano and Shoemaker. Trade Cruz, Simmons, Pineda, Happ, Robles and Duffy.
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If there is little indication they can resign him, then Berrios is in a gots to go situation. That's the one true trade "chip" they have that can bring some quality back. I don't see much reason for keeping him for '22.
 

Ope3 said:
If there is little indication they can resign him, then Berrios is in a gots to go situation. That's the one true trade "chip" they have that can bring some quality back. I don't see much reason for keeping him for '22.
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I think they can contend in '22. If not, trade him one year from now. He probably nets you a top 10 and a top 20 prospect now. He probably still nets you a top 10 prospect in 1 year.
 

howeda7 said:
I think they can contend in '22. If not, trade him one year from now. He probably nets you a top 10 and a top 20 prospect now. He probably still nets you a top 10 prospect in 1 year.
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Any ability to contend would take an overhaul of 2/3rds of the pitching staff, both starters and bullpen (even if they kept Berrios). Tall order, just don't see it.

Trading Berrios now to a contender that could get at minimum 2 post season runs with him (assuming labor strife does not wipe out 2022) would substantially increase the potential return to get in position for 2023.
 

Ope3 said:
Any ability to contend would take an overhaul of 2/3rds of the pitching staff, both starters and bullpen (even if they kept Berrios). Tall order, just don't see it.

Trading Berrios now to a contender that could get at minimum 2 post season runs with him (assuming labor strife does not wipe out 2022) would substantially increase the potential return to get in position for 2023.
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You're assuming teams haven't picked up on the fact that every year he has majorly nose-dived at the tail end of the season. And of course, the one good outing he had in the playoffs (2020), he gets prematurely pulled because...Robot Rocco.

I'd be very interested in knowing what the Twins offered and what he thinks he is worth. Is he trying to get $20+/year? I think we often value a player much higher when they're "home grown". He's had 200k's in a year once, the most games he's won in a year is 14, and his career ERA is 4.11. I don't blame a guy for testing the market and trying to get himself paid when he can. But there also something to be said about signing last year at age 26, and being more than set for life.
 

The Twins are not going to eat the last year of Sano's contract, so unless some team is crazy enough to want him, the Twins are on the hook for $9-mill for next year.

Like it or not, Berrios is just about the only commodity the Twins have that might bring a decent return in a trade. Maybe Taylor Rogers. Nelson Cruz is showing his age, so I don't see him bringing any return other than some Class A prospect (or project).
 

Ope3 said:
Any ability to contend would take an overhaul of 2/3rds of the pitching staff, both starters and bullpen (even if they kept Berrios). Tall order, just don't see it.

Trading Berrios now to a contender that could get at minimum 2 post season runs with him (assuming labor strife does not wipe out 2022) would substantially increase the potential return to get in position for 2023.
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A lot of $ coming off the books with Cruz, Simmons, Pineda, Happ, Shoemaker etc. They can certainly afford at least one high-end starter and a decent reliever. Hopefully Belezovic and/or Duran get some starts and can grab one or two of the rotation spots.
 

short ornery norwegian said:
The Twins are not going to eat the last year of Sano's contract, so unless some team is crazy enough to want him, the Twins are on the hook for $9-mill for next year.
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He's literally unplayable right now. What is the point of holding on to him? It's not like he's selling any tickets.
 

short ornery norwegian said:
Like it or not, Berrios is just about the only commodity the Twins have that might bring a decent return in a trade. Maybe Taylor Rogers. Nelson Cruz is showing his age, so I don't see him bringing any return other than some Class A prospect (or project).
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Cruz's overall #'s aren't terrible. Cruz, Pineda and Robles all have some trade value. Happ and Simmons marginally so. None of them will bring a huge haul, but they can get decent return if they package a couple of them.
 

Twins are down 9-0 in the first inning.

Win Twins!!
 


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