Twins

[dutchboy]

Yes Archer is gone. I just used him as a example for this past year.

[Gunner55]

Urshela got $6.55 mil last year & with the season he had he should get a nice raise by going to arbitration. Miranda's rookie deal is for $700k/yr so they can save $6+ mil & have at least 2 more years of control of a guy that improved a bunch at the plate this season. I also read recently where the Angels are talking about Urshela possibly being their everyday SS as they have Rendon at 3rd. He is in the middle of $245 mil/7 year deal but has struggled to stay healthy the last 2.

[dutchboy]

These are just my opinion. I think they absolutely gave him away. In essence the kid they got is no more than a draft pick. Unless the plan is Arreaz at 1st most of the time I see no point in this other than the cash. I guess we will need to see what the roster looks like on opening day but so far I'm not impressed. You can pile all the cash you want but if you don't get a stud pitcher to sign here (which they won't) or a stud infielder (better chance) then where are ya?

[KEN W]

New Twins Executive. Jim Pohlad's nephew Joe taking over day to day operations.

[dutchboy]

I saw that on the baseball network. I don't see any changes on how Pohlad business is done.

[Steve-o]

Part of me is glad they don't overpay for every free agent on the open market.  Its kinda like buying 10 lottery tickets instead of one.  Yeah, your chances of winning are higher, but not 10 times higher.  A Top 5 payroll might get you to the playoffs more often, but in practice it hasn't translate to World Series dynasties.

The one change I'd like to see them make is A) figure out how to evaluate and develop pitching talent.  I'd like to see them be Top 5 in that department.  And B) when they develop an "ace" starter or reliever, pay them the market value to keep them. 

The Twins can't (or won't) spend as much money as the need to fill the holes, so if they're not going to spend financial capital to get the team over the hump, they need to build equity in player personnel to gain leverage.  What is it that every team does not have enough of?  Pitching.  I would think the best way for a "small market" team to maintain sustainable excellence would be to develop more top-flight pitchers than they need.  Keep the ones you want, trade the prospects to fill other holes.

Yeah, easier said than done, but if the current talent scouts and coaches aren't developing enough pitchers, I think they have to get better in this area.

[Gunner55]

  That small market team in the AL East from Florida seems to do as good of job of drafting & developing young arms as anybody in MLB IMO. I wonder what they do differently?

[KEN W]

Well.....the big free agent signings are going to start with the winter meetings ending.
Top Free Agent.....Aaron Judge. Where will he sign. The Yankees supposedly have offered $300 million over 8 years. And have said they will go higher in a bidding war. That's A LOT of Dough. Guess is the Giants could get him. He's from the San Fran area. And they have the money to get him.

Twins have no chance at any of the top players. But then we didn't think they could get Correa either.

[dutchboy]

deGrom just signed 5 years $185 with Texas. Twinks I think were runners-up at $3 million per for 3 years plus incentives.

They were O so close.   

[LPS]

Between these sports figures and CEO's getting these gluttonous amounts of money no wonder the we are in such financial trouble.  Hospitals are running a hundred million in the red each year and the CEOs are getting 140 million a year.  What is wrong with that.  How about paying them and these players tops of 10 million a year. 

[dutchboy]

Pro sports teams are selling for BILLIONS these days. Healthcare mergers are a yearly occurrence. Don't for one second think anybody is losing any money. Remember the old adage........"figures don't lie if liars don't figure."

[KEN W]

A source with knowledge of the situation says that Arraez is available if the trade helps Minnesota's pitching staff. Dan Hayes of The Athletic was the first to report about Arraez being available, saying the Twins "have discussed trading" Arraez as part of their "constant search for top-tier pitching."

Don't think fans would like this.

[Steve-o]

I would think that everyone is always on the table for trades (as long as there are no-trade clauses).

I don't want to see him go either, but it is easier (for the Twins at least) to draft/develop position players than it is for them to develop top pitchers.  I just hate to see them get the short end of the stick so often when they trade for pitching.

[dutchboy]

Tis the season for all the click & comment guys to toss out every conceivable player option with no regard for being right.

[Steve-o]

Tis the season for all the click & comment guys to toss out every conceivable player option with no regard for being right.

yeah, yer right...  typical non-story story.

[Steve-o]

Twins lose 3 players to waivers, 2 others cut from roster

The Twins lost three players on the waiver wire Tuesday.

Outfielder Jake Cave was claimed by the Orioles, infielder Jermaine Palacios was claimed by the Tigers, and catcher Caleb Hamilton was claimed by the Red Sox. The Twins also removed two pitchers from the 40-man roster: Devin Smeltzer and Jhon Romero.

Cave, 29, played in 54 games this season and slashed .213/.260/.384 with five homers, three triples, seven doubles and 20 RBIs.

Smeltzer was a starter in 12 of his 15 appearances this season. The 27-year-old lefty posted a 3.71 ERA in 70 1/3 innings.

Palacios played in 30 games at the big-league level and hit .143.

Hamilton hit .056 in 23 plate appearances with the Twins.

[dutchboy]

Cave signed with the Phillies.

[LPS]

We liked Cave. 

[Steve-o]

We liked Cave.

He would have fit in well when the Twins featured "The Paranas"

[KEN W]

Twins sign catcher Christian Vasquez to 3 year.....$30 million contract. Needed to after letting Gary Sanchez go.

[Gunner55]

  Didn't know they let Sanchez go, kind of figured they would though.

[Steve-o]

A couple of the websites I checked had Vasquez ranked 2nd among free agent catchers. 

[dutchboy]

I dunno...we paid $10 million and Cleveland signs Zunino for $6 million. It will be interesting to see the stats of both if they both stay healthy.

[Gunner55]

Got me curious, so I gave it a look & Vasquez is a career .260 hitter, Zunino's career avg is .200. Thought there was an age difference too but there's not, 32 & 31, respectively.

[KEN W]

Carlos Correa signs with the Giants for $350M for 13 years.

Too much money. Royce Lewis will be better when he gets on the field.

[dutchboy]

Lewis might be a nice player but he won't be nearly as good as Correa, much cheaper but not as good.

[Gunner55]

Correa will be 41 when that contract is done, that's a lot of $, 26.9 mil/yr, for a 40+ y/o SS.

[Steve-o]

The giants must be willing to eat the back end of that deal.

[Gunner55]

 Now that the fat kid is gone, I wonder who db will have to throw darts at this season?  https://sports.yahoo.com/joey-gallo-twins-reportedly-agree-000346665.html  Kind of surprised that him or Ken haven't already mentioned this move.

[Steve-o]

Now that the fat kid is gone, I wonder who db will have to throw darts at this season?  https://sports.yahoo.com/joey-gallo-twins-reportedly-agree-000346665.html  Kind of surprised that him or Ken haven't already mentioned this move.

A two-time All-Star with Texas, Gallo looked lost at the plate last year with the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers, who acquired him at the Aug. 2 trade deadline. He hit .160 with 19 homers and 47 RBIs, striking out 163 times in 350 at-bats.

Gallo has finished with a batting average under .200 in three straight seasons, striking out 455 times in 1,041 at-bats while batting .183 with 67 homers and 150 RBIs.

$10M seems a steep price to pay for 22 homers / year.      Just sayin...