The twins can try to sign any pitcher that want. Two things go against them.
I agree. Attendance was brutal this year. TV ratings were brutal. They're stuck with the awful Bally Sports situation for awhile. If they trade Buxton Target Field will be a ghost town. They said they needed it to keep star players. The only one they've kept is Mauer. Time to make Buxton #2.
Trade.
Why? You won't get some fantastic haul. A similar return to Berrios. Not worth it.
I'd trade him because you get some young talent, save the money for somewhere else(I'm sort of laughing saying they'd spend money), and the guy is made of glass. A big market would give up a ton to get him.
The thing is, there isn't really "a lot". They have a solid corp of position players and the bullpen as is, with a healthy Taylor Rodgers swapped for Colome is at least solid.
That's an amazing haul for a guy who doesn't play. They'd be stealing.
Even this year, he had the 2nd highest WAR on the team while playing about 60 games. If his injuries were something chronic and recurring I'd agree, but they're random and often bad luck. They'll never get a player of his caliber in FA. Sign a fair deal and pray for luck.
This kind of thing happens fairly often (not with guys who put in that many years of course). If they were in contention I don't think anyone would care. But in a lost season it does seem pretty stupid and cruel. Especially since they had weeks to rectify it and call him back up.
Mr. Glass for some top prospects would be tremendous.
There's no labor agreement now, I don't even know if trading him is an option. If service time for free agency is reduced, no idea how that will impact Buxton or others with similar roster time.
I admire your optimism that there will even be an MLB Season next year. If they are playing by what would be the All Star Break, I'd take it in a heartbeat.
No one is going to argue that starting pitching is number one, two, three, etc. on the "to-do list". They have decisions to make at SS. Polanco back there? Lewis/Martin ready? Do they try and trade a guy like Kepler? Rocco is not going anywhere (BOO!), but is there some sort of shakeup in the coaching staff.
Attendance and ratings for baseball were atrocious this year. More people watched NASCAR than baseball, or so I had read somewhere. NASCAR. For real. The All-Star game woke move no doubt turned a lot of people off. For the first time in probably 30 years, I did not watch a game. Uggghhh. MLB needs to take a hard look at the current state of things and do something.
It'll be terrible. The players have been getting jobbed on money for a decade. The new era of free agency, length of team control, soft salary cap, and service time manipulation is killing the players. MLB revenue has increased dramatically since A-Rod's big contract. Player pay hasn't.
Polanco at SS and Arreaz at 2B is fine. I know some disagree. But with all the shifting the value of a great defensive SS is lessened IMO.
Zero sympathy for the owners. Only sympathy for the players.
Your stance is acceptable. Siding with the owners is never acceptable. Only idiots are for that, unless you're an owner.
I'm not optimistic. The only thing that might prod movement is the massive decline in TV ratings attendance this year. Both sides should realize that their sport is not in good shape. But the players likely aren't too moved by what might happen in 5-10 years.
So Target Field is a ghost town when he doesn't play 2/3 of the season every season?