All Things 2022-2023 Minnesota Twins Off-Season Thread

[GophersInIowa]

Hopefully Polanco-

Pablo López Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More | Baseball-Reference.com

Check out the latest Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More of Pablo López. Get info about his position, age, height, weight, draft status, bats, throws, school and more on Baseball-reference.com

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I don't know why but I thought Lopez was older than 26. Was thinking he was closer to 30. He's under team control for 3 more seasons.

 

[TruthSeeker]

Lopez isn't the answer, unless he takes a leap forward.

He's solid, but he's not the difference maker they need.

 

[howeda7]

more Twitter stuff: possible trade for pitching.....

Ted Schwerz - who does stuff for Twins Daily - says
#MNTwins are engaged in discussions with #Marlins regarding Pablo Lopez. has had around a 9.0 K/9 and solid FIP numbers the last 3 years.

Discussions have surrounded a prominent infielder for the Twins. Would not be a 1-for-1 deal either.

as to the 'prominent infielder,' could be Arraez or possibly Polanco. (that's guessing on my part)

If they trade Arreaz for him I will be ill. It's the Marlins. They will take prospects. Or just take $$ and sign Rodon. Polanco is slightly easier to stomach because he's no longer cheap and is a FA in 2 years, but I still don't want to trade any current starter not named Kepler for pitching unless it's an actual ace. This guy isn't that.

 

[howeda7]

Lopez isn't the answer, unless he takes a leap forward.

He's solid, but he's not the difference maker they need.

He's fine. I'll take him. But he's not really any better than Gray, Ryan or Mahle when healthy.

 

[Gopher_In_NYC]

Lopez isn't the answer, unless he takes a leap forward.

He's solid, but he's not the difference maker they need.

Need to be realistic?

They’re not going to get Rodon, lots of big boys interested in him and he can sit and wait as the offers get higher, as he’s clearly the best remaining SP.

 

[Gopher_In_NYC]

Well the chances of landing Correa just went way down.

Interesting comment about SD’s starting 8 position players; 6 of them were drafted as or professionally played SS - athletes everywhere and their D should be fun to watch. MLB guys think Tatis will end up in LF.

 

[GophersInIowa]

Interesting comment about SD’s starting 8 position players; 6 of them were drafted as or professionally played SS - athletes everywhere and their D should be fun to watch. MLB guys think Tatis will end up in LF.

The Twins have drafted a lot of SS the past few drafts. It makes sense. Kinda like recruiting athletic high school QBs like Tyler Johnson and Maxx Williams.

 

[Gopher_In_NYC]

The Twins have drafted a lot of SS the past few drafts. It makes sense. Kinda like recruiting athletic high school QBs like Tyler Johnson and Maxx Williams.

I’m excited for baseball even though the Twins seem poised to disappoint us; at this point, I’d take Swanson instead of Correra if we can sign another legit FA.

If this is what we end up to start the season, it will be very disappointing -

Kyle Farmer Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More | Baseball-Reference.com

Check out the latest Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More of Kyle Farmer. Get info about his position, age, height, weight, draft status, bats, throws, school and more on Baseball-reference.com

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[Gopher_In_NYC]

@tikited

The Dodgers signed Jason Heyward to a minor league contract!

 

[tikited]

@tikited

The Dodgers signed Jason Heyward to a minor league contract!

Pop the champagne!

 

[From the Parkinglot]

The twins off-season has been so boring we are not even hearing about the guys they just missed out on.

 

[From the Parkinglot]

If they trade Arreaz for him I will be ill. It's the Marlins. They will take prospects. Or just take $$ and sign Rodon. Polanco is slightly easier to stomach because he's no longer cheap and is a FA in 2 years, but I still don't want to trade any current starter not named Kepler for pitching unless it's an actual ace. This guy isn't that.

I think you are overvaluing Arreaz. He’s a fine player but he doesn’t have a real defensive position. Yes he won the batting title, but not sure that means what it used to 20 years ago.

 

[howeda7]

I think you are overvaluing Arreaz. He’s a fine player but he doesn’t have a real defensive position. Yes he won the batting title, but not sure that means what it used to 20 years ago.

Maybe but then there's no reason to trade him. Even to get Lopez, it will take Arreaz + Josh Winder + more. Pass.

 

[Bob_Loblaw]

I am not opposed to trading Arreaz for a good pitcher, but with how we handle starting pitchers, trading him (and prospect(s)) for an average pitcher seems insane.

 

[short ornery norwegian]

If you really want an "ace" pitcher - 3 ways to do it.

1. draft and develop your own ace
2. sign as free agent for huge contract
3. trade some of your best prospects or established players to another team

#1 is the Holy Grail of pitching, but the Twins have struggled to draft and develop a #3 or #4 starter, let alone an ace.

#2 - barring some seismic shift in Twins' management philosophy, they are not going to go out and hand some pitcher a $40-Million AAV contract.

#3 - this is possible, but the cost will be very high and fans will complain that the Twins gave up too much, or gave up the "wrong" players. But - no team is going to give up an ace without getting a lot of value in return. this gets us to what I like to call the "idiot trade" - the kind of trades that fans propose, but they only work if the GM of the other team is an idiot.

 

[Gopher_In_NYC]

If you really want an "ace" pitcher - 3 ways to do it.

1. draft and develop your own ace
2. sign as free agent for huge contract
3. trade some of your best prospects or established players to another team

#1 is the Holy Grail of pitching, but the Twins have struggled to draft and develop a #3 or #4 starter, let alone an ace.

#2 - barring some seismic shift in Twins' management philosophy, they are not going to go out and hand some pitcher a $40-Million AAV contract.

#3 - this is possible, but the cost will be very high and fans will complain that the Twins gave up too much, or gave up the "wrong" players. But - no team is going to give up an ace without getting a lot of value in return. this gets us to what I like to call the "idiot trade" - the kind of trades that fans propose, but they only work if the GM of the other team is an idiot.

I think Ryan has a chance to develop into. #1 ala Brad Radke. He had a chance to make the All Star team before he got COVID and he seems much more a pitcher than a thrower. -13-8 with a 3.55 ERA nudes well.

 

[howeda7]

I think Ryan has a chance to develop into. #1 ala Brad Radke. He had a chance to make the All Star team before he got COVID and he seems much more a pitcher than a thrower. -13-8 with a 3.55 ERA nudes well.

I agree. Plus they have 5 capable starters already and not terrible 6-8 options (Winder, Woods-Richardson, Varland). I really don't understand the idea of trading Arreaz for pitching at all. Or even gutting the prospect pool for someone like Lopez. How much better is he than what we already have?

This team needs offense and bullpen a lot more than it needs another "high upside" #3 starter. But the 87 pitching analyst nerds in the front office are convinced they have some secret sauce to getting the most out of other team's starters even though they have shown zero evidence of getting it out of their own.

 

[Gopher_In_NYC]

I agree. Plus they have 5 capable starters already and not terrible 6-8 options (Winder, Woods-Richardson, Varland). I really don't understand the idea of trading Arreaz for pitching at all. Or even gutting the prospect pool for someone like Lopez. How much better is he than what we already have?

This team needs offense and bullpen a lot more than it needs another "high upside" #3 starter. But the 87 pitching analyst nerds in the front office are convinced they have some secret sauce to getting the most out of other team's starters even though they have shown zero evidence of getting it out of their own.

I’d much rather get a right hand hitting corner outfielder

 

[GophersInIowa]

If you really want an "ace" pitcher - 3 ways to do it.

1. draft and develop your own ace
2. sign as free agent for huge contract
3. trade some of your best prospects or established players to another team

#1 is the Holy Grail of pitching, but the Twins have struggled to draft and develop a #3 or #4 starter, let alone an ace.

#2 - barring some seismic shift in Twins' management philosophy, they are not going to go out and hand some pitcher a $40-Million AAV contract.

#3 - this is possible, but the cost will be very high and fans will complain that the Twins gave up too much, or gave up the "wrong" players. But - no team is going to give up an ace without getting a lot of value in return. this gets us to what I like to call the "idiot trade" - the kind of trades that fans propose, but they only work if the GM of the other team is an idiot.

1 and 3 are really the only options. 2 is extremely hard even if they are willing. An ace starting pitcher is almost never going to want to come to Minnesota. They'd most likely have to vastly pay more than anyone else.

 

[short ornery norwegian]

I think Ryan has a chance to develop into. #1 ala Brad Radke. He had a chance to make the All Star team before he got COVID and he seems much more a pitcher than a thrower. -13-8 with a 3.55 ERA nudes well.

I like Ryan, but he is not an "ace" on a World Series caliber team. #2 maybe. For that matter, Radke was not an "ace" in the true sense of the word. solid, but not a Cy Young contender.

and if you don't have a true ace, then you need to have a lights-out bullpen from top to bottom. Duran can't do it by himself. have to get the cannon fodder out of the pen and bring in more high-quality arms.

 

[Ope3]

I like Ryan, but he is not an "ace" on a World Series caliber team. #2 maybe. For that matter, Radke was not an "ace" in the true sense of the word. solid, but not a Cy Young contender.

and if you don't have a true ace, then you need to have a lights-out bullpen from top to bottom. Duran can't do it by himself. have to get the cannon fodder out of the pen and bring in more high-quality arms.

Radke did finish 3rd in 1997 AL Cy Young voting behind Randy Johnson & Roger Clemens.

He went 20-10 on a below average team. Other than a couple of Viola & Santana years, an elite Twins performance as any in my lifetime.

 

[GophersInIowa]

 

[TruthSeeker]

Radke did finish 3rd in 1997 AL Cy Young voting behind Randy Johnson & Roger Clemens.

He went 20-10 on a below average team. Other than a couple of Viola & Santana years, an elite Twins performance as any in my lifetime.

The only 2 pitchers who would be good enough to start Game 1 in the World Series on a contender in the last 20 years are Santana and rookie caliber Liriano.

 

[Gopher_In_NYC]

I like Ryan, but he is not an "ace" on a World Series caliber team. #2 maybe. For that matter, Radke was not an "ace" in the true sense of the word. solid, but not a Cy Young contender.

and if you don't have a true ace, then you need to have a lights-out bullpen from top to bottom. Duran can't do it by himself. have to get the cannon fodder out of the pen and bring in more high-quality arms.

Understand your post, however based on your three scenarios, this seems most likely with Ryan the best candidate to fill that role.

Maddox and Glavine were aces in the finesse mode; to me , what matters is the results and dothey provide quality starts most of the time. You gotta roll with what you got.

 

[Ope3]

The only 2 pitchers who would be good enough to start Game 1 in the World Series on a contender in the last 20 years are Santana and rookie caliber Liriano.

For the heck of it I looked up Twins AllStars for Starting Pitchers. In the last 20 years, other than than (Johan) Santana & Liriano, it's not a long list.

Ervin Santana
Jose Berrios (X2)
Jake Odorizzi

Eric Milton & Joe Mays made it in 2001, just before their run of Playoff appearances began this century.

 

[golfing18now]

So the Mets just signed Kodai Senga for $75 million over 5 years and now have a projected 2023 payroll of $334.68 million. The more eye-popping number is they face a tax penalty of $104.85 million. Wow.

 

[Gopher_In_NYC]

So the Mets just signed Kodai Senga for $75 million over 5 years and now have a projected 2023 payroll of $334.68 million. The more eye-popping number is they face a tax penalty of $104.85 million. Wow.

It helps when you’re worth 16 Billion; when he bought the Mets, he said his goal was to win the WS in Five years - this is year 3.

Pohlad’s are tied for 8th at 3.8 Billion

MLB richest team owners in the U.S. 2024 | Statista

Which MLB franchise has the richest owner? Following his purchase of the New York Mets, Steven A. Cohen became the richest owner in Major League Baseball.

www.statista.com

 

[GopherWeatherGuy]

The Twins definitely need more pitching, but I'm surprised about how focused everyone is on that. Right now I think next year's rotation looks better than it has in a long time.

Hitting is a far bigger concern for me. This current lineup stinks. Even if they figure out how to re-sign Correa. It's completely reliant on players staying healthy who haven't stayed healthy, and prospects who haven't proven anything at the MLB level.

 

[GophersInIowa]

The Twins definitely need more pitching, but I'm surprised about how focused everyone is on that. Right now I think next year's rotation looks better than it has in a long time.

Hitting is a far bigger concern for me. This current lineup stinks. Even if they figure out how to re-sign Correa. It's completely reliant on players staying healthy who haven't stayed healthy, and prospects who haven't proven anything at the MLB level.

Maeda is key. If he gets back to his old self, the starting staff has a chance to be pretty good.

 

[howeda7]

The Twins definitely need more pitching, but I'm surprised about how focused everyone is on that. Right now I think next year's rotation looks better than it has in a long time.

Hitting is a far bigger concern for me. This current lineup stinks. Even if they figure out how to re-sign Correa. It's completely reliant on players staying healthy who haven't stayed healthy, and prospects who haven't proven anything at the MLB level.

I was definitely more interested in Jose Abreu then Rodon etc. And it's another reason I hate letting Urshella go for nothing. For all the "log jam" in the infield, who's the DH on this team? You could easily have had Urshella at 3B and Arreaz/Miranda at 1B/DH