Twins Talk, But No Action
Posted on July 31st, 2008 – 12:25 PMBy La Velle
Twins GM Bill Smith and his posse of experts spent part of Thursday huddled in a conference room, then gathered in Smith’s office as they tried to swing a deal before the 3 p.m. no-waiver trade deadline. But they came up empty.
Here’s a little of what I’ve picked up since the deadline.
They weren’t as desperate to make a deal as they have been in recent years. but still tried to land right-handed hitting help and bullpen help.
They were willing to take on payroll, therefore they didn’t feel they needed to give up a lot of prospects as well. That explains the lack of a Adrian Beltre deal.
There was a strong desire to keep Scott Baker, Nick Blackburn, Kevin Slowey and Glen Perkins. They feel they have a quartet that will be a force to be reckoned with - until someone gets too expensive to keep, of course.
I wonder who will go in order to make room for Franchise?
Gotta get ready for Bill Smith’s presser at 4:30. I now return you to my earlier posts on this blog…
Received more indications late last night that the Twins want to get Liriano up here ASAP. So stay tuned for a potentially interesting roster adjustment if the Twins don’t make a trade before the 3 p.m. non-waiver deadline.
And there was a report yesterday about the Twins asking about Rich Aurilia. I was told last night that it was more the other way around, with the Giants dangling him.
The Giants had one of their top scouts at yesterday’s game. Boof Bonser is a former Giants first-round draft pick. Hmmmm. I’m not putting a Bonser-for-Aurilia swap together, but maybe there could be someone else or a minor leaguer involved.
Was told last night that there was a, `little bit,’ of a market for Bonser, who’s 26 and still has upside. He was an out away from a solid outing last night but couldn’t get Paul Konerko out.
12:43 update: Griffey in the AL Central, can’t believe it.
Now there are reports on what we heard a couple days ago - that reliever J.J. Putz is availale. Also talked to a scout who warned, `buyer beware,’ on Putz because of his elbow.
Just read about Annibal Sanchez being activated from the DL. Wow. Forgot about him. This has nothing to do about a trade, by the way. I just remember the no-hitter he threw.
1:09 update: The San Francisco Chronicle suggests that Jose Castillo is the player the Twins are interested in.
2:00 update: Just got off the phone with minor league director Jim Rantz. Luke Hughes is being promoted to Class AAA Rochester. Shooter Hunt starts tonight for Beloit. And Liriano is scheduled to start at Rochester on Friday, but we’ll see.
533 Responses to "Twins Talk, But No Action"
Two and a half hours left.
Assuming Manny goes, everyone but the Twins are dealing and improving.
Figures, Twins sitting on their hands once again.
Aurilia would be a nice addition, and him for Bonser would be a very good deal.
Most of the ESPN guys agreed that the Griffey deal doesn’t help the White Sox very much…
Patience, everyone. Remember, it’s better to make no deal than it is to make a bad deal.
romer, i wouldnt say that the red sox are improving if they trade manny.
Griffey deal is a joke. He can’t play CF and isn’t a big bat anymore. Not unless you all think Kubel is a really big bat.
Looks like the Manny deal is dead. The Marlins asked for $9 million. The big hurdle of the Pirates agreeing on the prospects was clear, but Flordia messed it up.
boof for betemit not aguilera and get rid of lamb somehow please everette to
Joe, if Manny doesn’t feel like playing, he won’t play very good. Anything halfway decent would be an improvement over that situation.
The Griffey deal just makes the Sox an even older team.
Consider the Griffey move as a Don-Baylor+ move. They don’t have to play him everyday in the OF.
Slight improvement with a chance at significant improvement. Plus a clutch pinch hitter come playoff time.
11 games over .500 and a game and a half out…why make a dea? Liriano is on the way up in a day or so. Why worry about what others are doing? Before the season started we looked comparetivley bad on paper. All the White Sox did is add another home run hitter. That’s what the Sox do, hit homers. They live and die by the home run. The Twins have the ability to create big rallies out of nothing and that will go a long way in winning games over a long season. This team is fine as it is.
I don’t think Boof-for-Aurilia would be classified as “mortgaging the future” or “its better to make no deal than to make a bad deal”. Aurilia may not be great, but he beats Everett, Howie Clark, or Macri as the extra infielder that will be on the roster. No excuse not to do it if Boof-for-Aurilia can be done.
Plus, the Griffey deal will put second thoughts in the minds of Twins players (if Smith makes no moves at all).
The annual Castillo Bewitching Day has arrived.
Only 2+ hours left.
If Manny went it would be Addition by Subtraction at this point,but The RedSox and Manny have kissed and made up before.Probably will again.
Sounds like the White Sox are going to try Griff in center,move Swisher to first,with Paulie the odd man out.Griffey can’t play center any more,but even his declining bat is better than Konerko’s at this point.
Twins best hope is for a last minute deal for Beltre and hope Seattle has to settle for less than they want.My guess is nothing major will happen on the Twins front.Maybe BS will surprise us.
Why are the twins not talking about adding Adam Dunn? Solving our DH problem should be a top concern for this team. If we want to compete against the East or the West another bat is necessary. The guy is going to hit another 20 homeruns this season, why not go for him?
romer
I completely disagree with you about putting doubts. Last year at this time players were asking for a trade to be made. This year guys like Nathan haved stated that they are okay with sticking with what they have.
Also, trading Manny just because he isn’t happy for the 311th time in Boston would be a huge mistake for the Red Sox. Jason Bay is not anywhere close to the cailber hitter Manny is. Every GM in the AL is praying that the Red Sox make that deal.
“11 games over .500 and a game and a half out…why make a deal?”
Casilla: out. Cuddyer: still out. Nick Punto: still Nick Punto. White Sox: still a better team than the Twins
That’s why you make a deal. Nothing that compromises 2010 in a big way, but they need to get some help to hang with the Sox.
Jack, yes lets add another Left handed hitter who can’t hit LHP. Exactly what this team needs.
If the Twins do nothing, they’re better off than many of their trading competitors. Most of these moves don’t look like they’ll pay off much. Farnsworth? Griffey? Washburn or Byrd? Bleh.
No manager plays the hand he’s dealt better than Ron Gardenhire. We’re not supposed to be 11 games over .500 and in second place. Bringing in “help” disrupts a good chemistry. The Twins make adjustments within and it most often works. Whatever we get from the outside isn’t that much help.
Any news about Grundzelanik (spelling)? Can he hit lefties?
A deal for Aurilia would at least let the Twins bury the moldering remains of Craig Monroe’s career out behind the tool shed.
But it has the same disappointing feeling as picking up Phil Nevin before the waiver deadline, or getting socks for Christmas.
Grudz is a good a possibly very cheap option to get at 2nd base. Yes he can hit lefties…I am hoping that is the deal that happens personally. HE can also fill that 2 hole spot nicely.
Let’s all cross our fingers and hope Seattle’s replacement GM relents and trades Beltre for a more reasonable package.
Rotoworld is reporting that the White Sox are close to acquiring John Lannan from the Nationals.
Shaitan-
Grudz.. is hitting .395 against lefties this year, .459 OBP, .523 slugging, .982 OPS
I would be so happy if we could get Beltre for a lower price…
Steve, agree. The new acquisition gets the notoriety and the present players feel like “What am I, chop liver?”
But I like the Griffey trade because of clubhouse presence, what ever that is.
No big difference making moves are coming down. After trading away Garza and Santana, Bill Smith has nothing much to offer. He has to save the rest of the pitchers, except for Livan.
Mudcat and Steve . . .
Doesn’t the addition of a new player (even though it displaces an existing player) help team morale as a move shows the owners commitment to winning?
I know that most fans view action as a positive . . .
Wise fans know that the Twins will not make any significant moves to enrich the team. They will sell the fans on that bum Cuddyer coming back to the lineup and bringing up Liriano. They will spend no more money and the team will unquetionably fall down in the standings as the big WSox scoring machine tramples them. The cellar doormat is out to welcome the Twinies.
“A deal for Aurilia would at least let the Twins bury the moldering remains of Craig Monroe’s career out behind the tool shed.
But it has the same disappointing feeling as picking up Phil Nevin before the waiver deadline, or getting socks for Christmas.”
Ha-ha. Funny post, and true. Aurilia, however, is much better than Nevin.
Boof for Manny! If the Sox are down, I am down.
Thanks for the updated LENIII.
Minor spelling note: It’s Aníbal and not Annibal. I don’t think he would want to be confused for a girl…
All the negative posts are getting funnier as they get more extreme. Wally’s post was very good and very funny.
You gotta love how Terry Ryan and company have turned the Twins into perennial contenders by focusing on the farm system, but at some point, during some year, shouldn’t they roll the dice (like the Brewers have) and go for it?
I’m not talking about adding a Nevin or Boone or Aurilla, but getting that big 3B bat. Or that big bullpen arm.
Got to love some of these posts. As if some people here think the Twins could nab Adam Dunn for Mike Lamb and Boof Bonser. Most fans don’t seem to realize this isn’t a video game where you can turn fair trades off.
“No manager plays the hand he’s dealt better than Ron Gardenhire”
Yeah, I think I read that in Forbes magazine, right after the article that named Kevin McHale the best GM in any professional sport.
The bizarre love affairs with ineffective veterans, the massive 2007 over-reliance on Neshek and Guerrier, the Gumplike in-game tactics…
He’s not a bad manager, but the idea that Gardenhire pulls off managerial miracles every season is fawning beat writer propaganda that just gets repeated by lazy national sports media.
What happened to Grudzielanek, lets get him! he will probably come cheap!
SF SD T F:
I’m with you 100%
The Twins are alway one player away from being really good. But they will never obtain the necessary key players when the have the opportunity. Pohlad’s habitual thriftiness will cost the team first place.
“Aurilia, however, is much better than Nevin.”
Yeah, that’s true. And he’s pretty good against lefties. Just lacks the name brand appeal of the other deals. Too bad they didn’t go after him 2 months ago.
Jose Castillo!?
He is Punto-like. Harris has more pop than Castillo. I doubt that the Twins are interested in him. I’d buy it, if it said that they were interested in Ivan Ochoa, but Jose Castillo… no way
38 year old Griffey and his .247 AVG….. The Twins should be happy the White Sox will have Griffey in CF and Konerko heading to the bench. Barring a stupid trade by Smith, the Twins should soon be passing the Whities.
Trade Boof for anyone, move Livan to his spot in the pen, bring up Liriano and we’re much, much improved for the stretch. No more automatic losses every fifth game.
It kinda sucks that Terry Ryan is still influencing the decisions. He is great, as far as scouting and developing talent, but he is too conservative and never made a gutsy blockbuster deal. Sure we got Stewart for Kielty, but that year Kielty was already splitting at bats with Mohr, so it was a no brainer.
I’ve maintained all season that we have the right people and they are performing - go with what we have.
That said, move Livan down and Lariano up. We need to get a replacement for Casilla - no starting player looses his position, and Twins need to fill the gap left by Casillas injury.
A move here gets support from players and fans - (increased ticket sales!)
Boy, the Twins are sure good at obtaining players who are mediocre. It makes you wonder why they bother to do anything at all. Their acquisitions can be best characterized as inconsequencial and of no value to improving the team.
boof for betemit
With the Twins and Yankees both in the WC hunt, I don’t know if this is a move either would want to make.
It’s likely the same reason that Hawkins isn’t here. (Especially when the Yanks face the Twins coming up)
As far as Pudge from Detroit…is Detroit honestly still in it? They’re about as bipolar as the Twins when it comes to pitching and offense.
“The San Francisco Chronicle suggests that Jose Castillo is the player the Twins are interested in.”
If Gardenhire is lonely for a sub-mediocre third baseman, can’t we just bring in Tony Batista to sit next to him on the bench and talk endlessly about how OBP is over-rated and how much Punto hustles?
If we would still have Garza, other teams would just demand him in a trade regardless and we would not get anywhere anyways. So now they are demanding the likes of Slowey, Perk, etc. whom I think 1 of the 3 would be expendable to get Beltre.
As much as I get a bad feeling in my stomach every time Boof comes into the game nowadays, I’ve got a different bad feeling that if we trade him, he’ll end up Garza-ing us. Giants would make that less of an issue, but I stil have a feeling he’s got some good pitching in front of him, just maybe not with us.
Doesn’t the “real” action heat up after the deadline, when teams put players on waivers, etc?? I have no idea how that works. Can someone offer any info?? And how teams factor that into the expanding roster?
I know that most fans view action as a positive . . .
Boy, you haven’t been around these parts very long have you.
The idea around here is that there’s one or two guys that would be silver bullets.
Anybody else (especially somebody that someone hasn’t heard of) is just trash by comparison.
It’s honestly why I want to see the Beltre deal go through. Because I’m curious to see the reaction if the Savior comes in but causes a gap elsewhere.
reports are boof is going to jenny craig.
Rotrhed,
the expanding roster takes place Sept. 1. To be able for a call up a player needs to be in the 40 man roster. Currently the Twins’ 40 man roster is a disaster that will hopefully get adjusted soon.
Boof should gain 30 lbs again and he will be able to give us a solid 5 innings at least. The whole losing weight thing is what it is.. He needs to put it back on and eat what he likes.
“It kinda sucks that Terry Ryan is still influencing the decisions.”
Yup, him and Smith are huddling right now. Strength in numbers.
Twig,
You are right, Aurilio has no brand name appeal, but he hits LHP. They could use that bat. The Twins right hand hitters have mostly stunk against LHP. Surprisingly, Span, Mauer and Morneau, have hit them well.
Trade Bonser for Aurillia or Castillo without a doubt. Designate Lamb for assignment. Bonser has no shot of being a starter for us in the near future and he is not reliable in the bullpen. I would toss one of those pitchers we have in AAA or AA for a solid relief pitcher. I doubt the Beltre or Roberts trades are gonna happen, howver they would be nice to have on the team. BUT PLEASE…Don’t trade Slowey!
Look, a big move isn’t going to happen, but Aurilla gives us a RH infield bat and he has some versatility in the field. Also, he would bump Adam Everett off the bench, which would be great.
Liriano is coming up, it’s only matter of when and in what role. I’m hoping it’s as a starter and that he’s up for this weekend, but if it’s in the bullpen (to prove himself in the majors again) then so be it. Starting him in the bullpen and moving him to the rotation in ‘06 didn’t seem to hurt him then, did it?
I am worried about the Griffey deal. There is a message there. Watch the Sox win tonight and we end up 2 1/2 out and right where we started. Better than 4 1/2 though. Hope I’m wrong.
hes not pitching well for us cause we wont let him eat what he usually eats before games. assortments of ding dongs and ho hos…….except he throws ding dongs to hitters and now were selling him like a hoe hoe. lol
Official Decree: Whoever happens to be brought in at the deadline will be assigned the nickname “White Knight”. If that’s sarcastic or not will be left up to the player’s preformance.
Yes, this includes Liriano.
I’ll take Castillo or Aurilia over Bonser. No matter what either has to offer.
Kubel, Cuddyer, and Slowey for Matt Holliday, put him in right field and have a line up that goes Mauer, Holliday, and Morneau 2,3,4. Ridiculous and Colorado would probably jump on it.
Mudcat, maybe we get lucky and Griffey pulls a muscle while being rushed to the airport in Cinncy.
Mudcat, it could happen but Baker on the hill always makes me feel confident in a win.
Griffey deal: Yawwwn!
I’d rather take a AA prospect or something for Bonser than Jose Castillo… ugh…
Thrylos-
What about between now and Sep 1. What happens to all the players currently being discussed and on the bubble. Would teams waiver any of them, or do they just hold out ’til Sept 1? Is there opportunity to pick anyone up post the trading deadline, or are we basiclly done at the deadline?
Jose Castillo? You have got to be joking.
He’s Brenden Harris with dark skin.
Sign Terry Steinbach and Marty Cordova
Ridiculous and Colorado would probably jump on it.
They’d probably hesitate when they were reminded that Cuddy’s on the DL.
Jose Castillo????????????????????
What could they possible want with him?
Another Harris is better than Bonser and his 8.00+ ERA. Plus, he can’t be worse hitter than Everett.
The White Sox trading for Griffey is barely a ripple in the big picture. Griffey has been living off of reputation for the last 2 or 3 years. He is way past his prime and is not a big upgrade over Konerko.
Does Sal Butera have another son we could trade for?
or are we basiclly done at the deadline?
Depending on who you ask, and when, the Twins have been done at least 4-5 times during the 2008 season.
1) When Hunter, Silva and Santana left.
2) When they were swept in four games by Chicago.
3) When they were swept in Boston.
4) When they were swept in New York.
5) After last night’s loss.
I’m sure I’m missing some.
Castillo is a worthless sub .700 OPS hitter..
Oh yea, thats why we want him.
I meant “done” with acquisitions. Thanks, tho…
reports say that bonser is hungry for some mexican food. so castillo is getting brought in so boof can eat him!
Aurillia is washed up and has proven that he can’t play in the AL. He would be a horrible pick up. HOrrible! I also think it’s funny that LENIII “Received more indications late last night that the Twins want to get Liriano up here ASAP.” If they wanted to bring him up ASAP they would have brought him up last weekend, if not sooner. I don’t understand not bringing up your best player to participate in the biggest series of the year. It’s a joke. At this point, unless we’re willing to make a big splash, just do nothing. It’s better than trading for a guy like Aurillia or Castillo.
Get Matt Holliday!!! Build for the future with two MVP’s!!
Rotrhed,
after Aug 1, teams pass most of their players through waivers. If they get claimed, they try to work a trade with the team that claimed them or they are pulling them back. Teams are free to trade any players who have cleared waivers. A lot of these trades involve players to be named later (usually after the season is over) who are usually minor leaguers.
Here is a question: Any scouts in Rochester or New Britain these days?
“I completely disagree with you about putting doubts.”
Yes, Bart Simpson, there aren’t any premier players about to get pissed if BS does nothing.
But all Twins rivals are getting enthused with new blood for the stretch. And the young Twins players (leave Nathan out of it) will only sit in envy as the HR-hitting needs-filled rivals race for the championships.
It’s bound to happen.
Jose Castillo would be a good trade for Boof Bonser. See if they can’t get rid of Everett too somehow. Maybe they can trade Everett for a box of steaks or something….
The fun part of waivers is that usually teams just throw all kinds of guys out there to mask what they’re trying to do.
For example, weren’t guys like Ortiz, Morneau, and others out there last year?
Thrylos -
That is what I was wondering. Thanks!
So have we as a fan base decide that Liriano WON’T be the difference maker anymore?
thrylos-
i was also wondering….do you like head? i would reeeealy like to give you head right now
Place Juan Castro and Tony Batista in blender. Place on high speed. Creates one serving of Jose Castillo. Mmmmm….tastes just as bad.
reports say that bonser is hungry for some mexican food. so castillo is getting brought in so boof can eat him!
I’m still laughing about that one!
Why do the Twins do this every year? Good teams make trades to make themselves better. Maybe the Pohlad family need to sell the Twins finally, since they think that prospects win Championships.
Bring up Liriano is like making a trade.
Getting rid of Bonser is like making a trade.
Cuddyer coming back is like making a trade (if he produces).
Judging from Rotrhed’s 1:40pm post, I’d wager the imitators have arrived.
Hooray. Trade hype AND trolls!
“Place Juan Castro and Tony Batista in blender. Place on high speed. Creates one serving of Jose Castillo. Mmmmm….tastes just as bad.”
You guys are on a roll today. Let me guess, you’e been up since lat night hitting the refresh button!?!? 
Piss and moan, complain and whine. That’s what we do, but seriously, am I the only one that does NOT want to make a worthless trade just for the sake of making a move.
The Sox traded for Griffey. Great, congrats. They just went from a low average, all homer team to an older version of themselves. Griff is an upgrade over Konerko (assuming Swish moves to 1st) but not a “big” splash.
Tigers get Farnsworth. Fantastic. Another worthless arm in the worst bullpen in the AL Central. Congrats.
Twins. Young and solid, yet underwhelming. Good pitching, timely hitting. I’d take a 2B or a 3B, but it’s not completely necessary. The only move I really want is Liriano up and Livan out. Probably would take a Boof trade to happen that way. However, I see Cuddy coming back as a plus. He will be a solid RH bat. He can take over for Monroe’s spot on the Bench. They can rotate outfielders.
So based on that. If they do trade, make it Boof and Monroe, but no need to trade Span or any of our pitchers. It would just be dumb.
I usually hide during these trade talk discussions, because all it does is bring out negativity and whining about the FO. Not for me. I’ll trust the powers that brought 4 AL Central titles.
Thanks for high-jacking my username, a$$hole. That’s the one thing I hate about this site — more than it’s share of children…
circus act at the dome: boof the always hungry catholic priest v.s the little innocent mexican boy castillo..who wins? stay tuned
Well said roto.
“However, I see Cuddy coming back as a plus. He will be a solid RH bat. He can take over for Monroe’s spot on the Bench”
Sure, because why would you not want one of the two or three worst-hitting center fielders in the lineup every day?
“So have we as a fan base decide that Liriano WON’T be the difference maker anymore?”
Not me. Liriano is the risk. He replaces Perkins after Perkins is traded for Beltre.
“but at some point, during some year, shouldn’t they roll the dice (like the Brewers have) and go for it?”
How is it working out for the Brewers?
You don’t want JJ Putz.
am I the only one that does NOT want to make a worthless trade just for the sake of making a move.
Nope. I’m with you on that one. The Twins went out looking for a guy like Beltre, Atkins, or Roberts.
If they aren’t able to land a guy like that, they’re stupid to “settle” for somebody else for the soul purpose of trying and appeasing fans.
3B, 2B/#2, BP…those are the three holes. Get Liriano up here to solidfy the bullpen and drop Bass to make room for Livan in the pen.
If Liriano is the White Knight everybody here believes he will be, they don’t NEED a new pitcher. Livan is better than Bass and Boof apparently has fans in Texas (that could mean Korecky)
But like I keep saying….the Twins are hunting, and EVERYBODY wants the same thing. Which means if they make the deal, they’re only going to be able to make the ONE deal.
That’s why I think they should still focus on 3B.
I don’t think Liriano will be the difference maker unless he can play third and mash lefthanders.
Gendo, I’ve heard he can mash potatoes.
And can do the twist.
I guess I could clarify what I meant by Cuddy. I didn’t want my post to get too long.
Basically we can rotate our OF. Young, Span, Go Go, and Cuddy.
Since there’s no room for Monroe in this situation, his spot on the bench is taken. By whichever one doesn’t start.
Then on days you face a lefty. Cuddy is the DH. On days you face a righty or every few days, you DH Kubel and put Span in CF.
This way the guys stay fresh and you play the matchups.
“I’ve heard he can mash potatoes.
And can do the twist.”
But nobody “likes it like this”
Aaron K, Dunn has hit lefties at an .842 OPS for his career and an .844 OPS this season. I wouldn’t say that he can’t hit lefties.
Roto,
I think most ML players would agree that only playing 3-4 games per week, despite maybe keeping you fresh, also throws off your rhythm and is more detrimental than anything in terms your approach at the plate.
Seems like a lot of guys really struggle when they aren’t getting regular playing time. Maybe that’s just some peoples’ perception of it, but I think there’s something to it.
I’d rather see the Twins have a set OF and DH. Hell, put Span at 2B and see what he can do, haha. Ok, maybe not…
“The Twins make adjustments within and it most often works. Whatever we get from the outside isn’t that much help.”
I gotta comment on this one. Young, Gomez, Buscher, Everett, Punto, Harris, Casilla, Nathan were all acquired in trades or as FAs. The only places where they are built from inside are starting pitching, M&M, Kubel and Cuddeyer. It is a MYTH that this team was built from players this team drafted.
Please do something Twins.
Gomez absolutely HAS to go to the bench once Cuddyer returns. Span moves to center and continues to lead off. Screw Gomez’s “confidence” at this point. This isn’t little league.
Luke Hughes to AAA - expect to see him this year. Soon, if Buscher struggles, otherwise Sept 1.
Better no trade than a bad trade. In order to make the kind of trades the Twins would have to make to fix all the “problems” they’d have to tear the team apart. Not worth it.
Morneau was pretty clear that he wants more help, but that it isn’t the Twins way. Of course players are mostly saying they don’t feel they need help. Why would any player bother saying that with this team? The last two to say that are Hunter and Santana…..so if you want to stay a Twin (and a Twins’ fan), you just realize no buying will be done, and live with it (even if it frustrates you to always play for next year).
I’d be plenty happy sending an A baller to the Royals for Grudz. If Casilla is going to be back soon then scrap that and look for a decent set up guy.
I think he’ll be a September callup if he does well…
what the hell is a jose castilla …you have to be kidding me…thats who they are after now…??? pass me some vicodin please
Surprised we haven’t seen any more relievers dealt today.
None of these rumors sound enticing what so ever…Except for Holliday which is not happening! Why don’t we offer one of the young arms for Brian Roberts and next year move Casilla to short.
Nothing is really going on anywhere.
I think it’s clear that some of these young players need breaks throughout the year. Gogo, Young, Span will need a break too eventually. I like the OF rotation. We need a righty at 3rd or another middle IF.
it is a MYTH that this team was built from players this team drafted.
Yes, but it’s not just the players this team has drafted, it’s the deals we’ve made to bring in, often, low level prospects who really pan out (liriano was in A ball I believe when we got him, Casilla was A or AA).
Very rarely have the twins made a deal to bring in major league ready talent (Nathan, Young/Harris) - often times we’ve traded guys for prospects, and have done a *#(@ good job making sure those prospects will make it to the majors.
Twig, with the exception of your cliche-ridden “let’s not compromise 2010″ garbage (why 2010? Because the new ballpark opens? And then what? That’s supposed to change everything?), you are a brilliant analyst. The Gardy stuff is too good. FINALLY, someone takes the puffy little troll to task.
Griffey is like 60 years old, I’m not worried about him, plus having him in center might be a liability for the White Sox. Come on Twins, get a 3B and get Liriano up here. Oh yeah, and trade/cut Livan!
Sounds like nothing is going on here….guess we’ll wait for the lineups and go from there!
I don’t think they need to make a trade just to make a trade, but if one makes sense, why not? We keep hearing build for 2010, but who’s to say our young players continue to get better? Or that we won’t have key injuries? I say if you have a chance to make a trade and it doesn’t kill your pitching depth or farm system, go for it. Of course, we don’t really have the minor league depth we’ve had in the past so it might all be moot.
Dan-O,
I’m surprised we haven’t seen more people dealt, period.
And Scott,
As for Gomez, he’s not going to the bench. In fact, he’s 5 for his last 7. That was enough for people to be calling Denard Span the “savior” the Twins needed when he was called up, if I recall…
Span Man, that makes too much sense, why would they do that?
Twinsbaseball.com headline:
“Livan Hernandez was hit hard by the White Sox on Wednesday”
That should be amended to: “Livan Hernandez was hit hard by the _______ on _____day”
“How is it working out for the Brewers?”
Pretty well actually, Sabathia has been mostly lights out and they were 11-5 until they ran into a hot Cubs team. Even still they are in the lead and favored for the wild card and once they get there with two legitimate aces in C.C. and Sheets anything can happen.
Bay to the Rays (on mlbtraderumors). Thank god we didn’t implode the team for him like some columnist thought we should do.
So the Twins deal Perkins as part of a trade for Beltre and THEN find out that Liriano is an improvement over his April self, but far from being the phenom he was in ‘06. Which I think will be the case, then what? Do NOT deal one of the young pitchers currently in the rotation.
Rays get Jason Bay
Jason Bay goes to Tampa Bay… seems fitting. There goes Howard’s dream scenario. Not that I thought it was possible anyway…
A source told MLB.com that the Rays will get Jason Bay from the Pirates for Reid Brignac and Jeff Niemann.
That’s a great move for the Rays…
I think that means Doug Mientkiewicz will bat third for them for the balance of the season.
I heard somewhere that Jason Bay is going to the Rays.
Castillo from the Giants does nothing for me…career .256 hitter or something…no better than Harris at anything.
Good to hear Hughes is up and it’ll be good to see Shooters game at the new level.
Wow, Rays steal Bay away from underneath Boston. That’s a first.
I like it.
say is Bay going to the Rays?
Jerry,
Then you still have an improved rotation and a gold glove, slugging third baseman for the remainder of this season as well as 2009.
Everyone says we can’t sacrifice much to win this year… Bringing in Beltre gives him to us for 2009 as well, when our young players are supposedly more developed.
2009 Twins:
C- Mauer
1B- Morneau
2B- Casilla
SS- Harris
3B- Beltre
LF- Young/Span
CF- Gomez/Span
RF- Cuddyer/Span
DH- Kubel
Rotation:
Liriano
Baker
Slowey
Blackburn
FA or Duensing perhaps
Doesn’t seem bad to me… plus it gives us an outside chance in 2008.
I’m all for Beltre, depending on what they ask for beyond one of the starters. If it’s not someone like Luke Hughes, I say go for it…
jason-
didnt dougie bat 3rd for us most of the time he was here?
I think I heard Bay to the Rays
I’ll wait until more people report the Rays thing. ESPN is just saying the trade is still alive.
Did Bay just go to the Rays?
question.. Freddy Garcia is a free agent isn’t he still better then Livan right now? just a thought
I predict the demise of the Rays. Bay will do to the Rays what he did to the Pirates.
yes he is Fire! yes he is….if he is ready to pitch
Well, let me be the first to issue the official statement before you hear it from Bill Smith:
“We feel we have a solid club right now. We feel we can win with what we have. We’re very excited about this stretch run.”
MLB is reporting that Jason Bay is going to the Rays…one lest RH Bat on the market.
Has there been any talk of moving Cuddyer back to 3rd (he played there when he first came up, right)? That way you leave our OF as is, and if Cuddy starts hitting again, fill our need at 3B. Also, what happened to Macri? I’d much rather have startin at 2B/SS then Everett…
Tigers season pretty much over after their loss today….another whiff by Joe C.
There has been alot of talk of moving Cuddy back to third. It just so happens all the talk has been on these blogs and makes as much sense now as when it started, which is to say 0.
Thanks JD! You’re only the 27th guy to report on the Jason Bay deal.
“…hang with the White Sox….” “…big WSox hitting machine….” Huh? Didn’t our guys make up ground over the last three days? Earn, at worst, a split?” Record the only shut out in the three games? Score 16 runs to the Sox’s 13? Isn’t our “ace” going to the mound tonight? Don’t we have some kid in the minors…starts with an L…who’s been throwing lights out?
There aren’t many major league players who are worse than Jose Castillo. If the Giants are showcasing Castillo at 2B for the Twins, that is so pathetic. The Pirates didn’t want him, the Giants don’t want him. How can the Twins want that guy? That story must be wrong.
Steve from Fridley,
Are you saying Gomez won’t be moved to the bench because you don’t think he should, or because the Twins simply won’t do that? I agree with the latter because Gardenhire is absolutely obsessed with giving Gomez as much playing time as possible. Funny then that Mauer sits every fifth day and always against lefites, who he’s hitting at like a .930 OPS this year.
MLB Trade Rumors is reporting that Jason Bay has been traded to the Tampa Rays for minor league prospects.
Scott,
I’m saying he won’t because Gardenhire and the Twins won’t do it. But I’m also a Gomez fan, and he’s showing signs of turning it back on. Young hitters like that are very streaky. We’ll see how he hits tonight.
Mauer sits every fifth day because he’s a catcher. Almost every catcher in MLB sits at least once a week. He also doesn’t always sit against LHP. He’s in there all the time against them. He’s hitting LHP better than anyone on the team.
Gardenhire doesn’t sit Mauer vs. lefties unless they coincidentally come on his day off.
Here are my comments.
http://smilincarl.mlblogs.com/archives/2008/07/the_minnesota_twins_small_mark.html
Young, Lamb and Hernandez for Adam Dunn. Get rid of “Gas Can” Hernandez and Meek as a Lamb in one fell swoop. Move Span to left field and platoon Kubel and Cuddyer in right with Dunn the right handed DH.
Why doesnt moving Cuddy to 3rd make sense? I know he’s great in RF, but Span has been doing fine.
Get the wine and cheese ready folks cuz this is just about over.
Twelve minutes to go by my clock.
Looks like nothing happens… As everyone else has said though: No trade is much better than a bad trade.
The Twins will make no trades before the deadline. Not to say they may make a trade later. 42,000 fams show up to the dome and no trades to help this team out. Sad.
Won’t work though, Bill Smith is thinking about signing Marty Cordova as a free agent. “We don’t believe in signing anyone in their prime,” Smith said, “we only go after guys like Boone, Nevin, Lamb, Monroe, Everett and Hernandez who are either never weres or way past any prime they may have had.”
Span in right field isn’t nearly as good as Cuddyer. He covers more ground, but also doesn’t have nearly as strong of an arm, and isn’t really accustomed to playing RF there. He’s made a few bonehead plays in right to go along with his webgems, but no one seems to remember those… go figure.
Jason Bay Traded To Rays?
By Tim Dierkes [July 31 at 2:43pm CST]
2:43pm: MLB.com’s Jonathan Mayo says there is no done deal - the Rays might not make Brignac available.
the rays traded a top 30 and top 90 prospect for bay we have no top 100 prospects. makes it much harder to trade when your prospects are not that highly rated. so much for our vaunted minor league system.
Isn’t true that all four of our young starters have been shut down for at one game due to injuries this year? Add Liriano to the mix. Subtract Livan and Bonser via trade or firing squad, and then tell me why it’s such a good idea to trade any of the starters for a position player, Beltre included, that will never again make an All-Star team, who is overpaid, and who won’t help this team get to the playoffs this year. The Twins have several deficiencies, not just one. Count me among the few that think the FO knows what it’s doing by unblogging the blogs and making rational decisions.
Word on the street is that Bay went to the Rays!! Wow… 
Gardy is a good manager, but this DHing of Redmond while Mauer catches and thus has to take a day off is COMPLETELY RIDICULOUS. Joe Sheehan (I think it was) said at the beginning of the year that if Gardenhire did that again this year, he would throw his laptop out the window. He must have to buy a new one.
“Place Juan Castro and Tony Batista in blender. Place on high speed. Creates one serving of Jose Castillo. Mmmmm….tastes just as bad.”
Excellent. And the Castro component makes the finished product 50% less fattening than straight-up Batista, right?
Still love The Onion’s take on the Twins’ parting ways with Tony:
“Twins release Tony Batista back into wild”
adam dunn to twins, mlb.com
Hilarious, Jack…
The FO thinks finishing in second place this year will be a call for champagne. Don’t worry, over the winter Bill Smith will compile a list of over the hill players who no one else wants and we can get cheaply and sign 3 or 4 of them to take the places of Monroe, Everett, Lamb and Hernandez.
dont have confirmations. but my friend told me he heard we just traded boof to texas. does anyone know anything? he better not be screwing with me.
Grudzy would have been a good addition, but not the most needed. There is no reason to not go after Beltre as long as you don’t trade any pitcher on the Twins roster other than Boof or Livan plus three players (Buscher/Kubel, Pridie, Plouffe) and or a Manship or Mulvey or Humber.
Ridiculous.
I do not believe that there is no one available that would make the Twins a better team. We have plenty of young pitching to trade plus Monroe.
I knew this would happen.
Boof was traded to Texas for Hamilton
The Twins just got Phil Nevin! Oh, sorry, that was a 2006 blockbuster trade.
Coyote,
Who would give up something to help the Twins for Craig Monroe?
Sometimes I wonder how people think trading works…
Smith: “We’ll give you Craig Monroe, APhil Humber, Mike Lamb, and Adam Everett for Adrian Beltre.”
Pelukolododoaoaosoosososos (Can’t remember how to spell the name obviously):”DEAL!”
No.
Trade deadline has passed, and while the Tigers and Sox made an effort to get better, apparently the Twins are not interested in staying competitive with those teams…
Looking back at old posts, how can everyone be so sure that Liriano will come up here and just be lights out like everyone’s predicting?
I guess we wait until the dust settles, and see if the truth comes out about exactly who was offered for what. Untill then, people are criticizing the FO without justification. That would be a surprising thing.
Lala72-
Brilliant analyst? Looks like I overshot. I was just aiming for borderline competence.
Seriously, thanks, but I think knocking Gardenhire falls under the heading of either ‘preaching to the choir’ or ‘preaching to a bunch of drunk, angry bikers whose row of 20 cycles you’ve just knocked over with your Volvo’.
By this point there are probably very few people reading comments about Gardy and stroking their chins thoughtfully, saying something like “Hmmm…more fascinating opinions that I shall incorporate into my ever-evolving, even-handed thoughts on Ron Gardenhire”.
As for the 2010 target, it’s admittedly part concession to the popular mantra, but also a gut feeling that it will take the youngsters another full season before they get their act together.
Gomez, for example, looks to me to be about 10 more strikeouts short of needing a guide dog at the plate. And Delmon Young’s routes on fly balls would make Magellan envious.
You guys that think Gardy is a good manager kill me. His blowing off at the agent and Liriano last week when they questioned why Liriano had not been called up, and then starting Livan last night when the Twins finally had a chance to go into first place is absolutely inexcusable or he has absolutely no voice in the organization.
I almost puked last week when after one of the blowouts by the Yankees, he said you have to remember those guys are professional hitters. As long as he keeps making excuses, the Twins will keep getting swept by the Red Sox and the Yankees when they go out East.
Monroe could be part of a package. By the way, why don’t you explain to all of us how trading works.
Adam, Yes because by making no deal that means the Twins made no effort to get better.
“There will be no moves.”
The sun ain’t gonna shine anymore
The moon ain’t gonna rise in the sky
Tears are always clouding your eyes
When you’re without love
Lonely
Without you
Baby
Oh, I need you
I can’t go on
Emptiness is the place you’re in
Nothing to lose, but no more to win
The sun ain’t gonna shine anymore
The moon ain’t gonna rise in the sky
Tears are always clouding your eyes…..
“apparently the Twins are not interested in staying competitive with those teams…”
Yeah no $*&#. This is getting old year after year. I don’t blame Bill Smith as much as I do the cheap-a$$ Pohlads, who have been doing this long before Bill Smith.
I used to be among those sports fans that hated the Yankees for simply going out and “buying” their talent. Looking back, I wish our ownership would try it sometime. If they’re not in this game to win, what are they here for?
There is no reason to not go after Beltre as long as you don’t trade any pitcher on the Twins roster other than Boof or Livan plus three players (Buscher/Kubel, Pridie, Plouffe) and or a Manship or Mulvey or Humber.
I literally did not understand this sentence. If you are offering this garbage for Beltre why would they accept it?
I would have sold high on Blackburn, I don’t think he’s got the stuff to keep up his current success.
Haven’t seen anything on Boof, but if he was traded, it wasn’t for much…
Well? Anything? It’s after the deadline now.
I think the Griffey deal may have been the dumbest move the ChiSox have made since bringing in Roberto Alomar the second time. It makes their already mediocre defense even worse and gives them a declining, injury-prone aging veteran. I’d rather have the Twins stand pat than make a deal like that. Oh, and Castillo would fit in perfectly for the Twins. Low OBP, mediocre power, but cheap!
sane, I got enough deja vu happening without reading your double posts.
“Gardy is a good manager, but this DHing of Redmond while Mauer catches and thus has to take a day off is COMPLETELY RIDICULOUS.”
That’s the magic of Gardenhire.
Even his biggest detractors have to admit that he does some things well (not abusing starters, keeping bench players involved, making each ejection memorable, etc.)
And even the biggest Gardenhire fans all have at least one thing that he does that makes them completely crazy.
“Gomez, for example, looks to me to be about 10 more strikeouts short of needing a guide dog at the plate”
As the texters say, LOL
Coyote,
Simple: You want something good, you give something good.
You’re about two weeks too late to be on the “Let’s trade Livan, Boof, Lamb, Everett, and Monroe for a third baseman and a setup guy” train.
Adding Monroe and his nearly $4MM salary would do nothing more than weigh down any package’s value. I don’t even believe the reports that the Rays had mild interest in him.
I like Craig Monroe’s intensity, and I was hoping he’d rediscover his 2006 form here with the Twins, but he’s been pretty terrible. I feel bad for the guy, but a good attitude and a desire to win doesn’t translate into trade value.
mcheese, that was a possibility. Even with the deadline passed, there can still be news that trickles in.
I am thoroughly enjoying listening to Bob Ueker tell the Brewer fans not to panic, that the season isn’t over…
Umm, excuse me Bob, you just lost 4 straight at home to the first place team and find yourselves 5 games out with the Cardinals right there with you…guess what, season’s over!
Long live 1982, Brewer’s fans!
All Wisconsin needs is Favre to be traded away to put a historic cap on this day for 2008.
Like true Twins fashion, nothing happened. It would have been nice to have a new player to cheer for…
Dan says:
July 31st, 2008 at 3:03 pm
Looking back at old posts, how can everyone be so sure that Liriano will come up here and just be lights out like everyone’s predicting?
No, it’s very obvious that Liriano will be better than fatty Hernandez and his fat 5.5 ERA.
Well, unless there’s something that hasn’t been released yet, we sat on our hands. Punto in the two-hole is going to derail this offense.
What goes on in the minds of the Twins’ front office staff?
“I would have sold high on Blackburn,…”
Blackburn, Perkins, whatever.
SOMEthing!!
I guess we wait until the dust settles, and see if the truth comes out about exactly who was offered for what. Untill then, people are criticizing the FO without justification. That would be a surprising thing.
We were told by LaVelle what the M’s were asking for Beltre. In essence, we decided to hold on to anything and everything we had that was of current MLB value.
This is the exact reason Hunter wanted out (I was happy to see him go, but point taken). Every year the Twins stand pat, hope their kids can get it done. Sometimes it works and we make the playoffs, but those same kids with upside are then in their first postseason atmosphere.
The Twins front office is getting far too predictable. I was hoping Billy Smith would be a tad more aggressive. Apparently Terry Ryan is still at the helm.
I just don’t see how you can say Liriano will be so much better than any of our current starters. OK Livan has been paid a lot just to give the Indians and Sox batting practice, but you know that with his contract Livan isn’t going to the pen or anywhere else.
None of the other starters have played poor enough to warrant a pull from the rotation.
romer,
Sorry!
I was going for the max audience for my singing.
I need the exposure.
There’s no chance Griffey will be with the White Sox in time to play tonight will there be?
If so, I’m buying tickets…
“row of 20 cycles you’ve just knocked over with your Volvo’.”
Twig,
Don’t you hate when that happens?
To bad Chris Simon wasn’t available!
Carl Pohlad is getting old and his judgment is fading. Can’t he appoint someone as his power of attorney who will shell out some of his fortune to get us further into the postseason?
The guy’s like 99 years old what is he saving all of his money for?
I spent all day checking to see if the Twins were going to make a move — and of course, they didn’t. Wishfull thinking with this team never pays off.
for all you people who think the twins are just great and how wonderful it is to stand pat…that is why the twins do nothing, the public is either indifferernt or actually supports the complacency. put a cork in this season.
Nice… And my friends all think I am crazy for being both a Twins and Cubs fan? The Cubs may not win the big one ever, BUT they at the minimum TRY to win!! And don’t ginne this Big market small market BS. Pohlad has PLENTY of $$$ and all he cares about is making a profit and since we ’sotans are filling his dome and soon his new ballpark every night he only cares about the Twins being good enough so that he make a profit. No moves today seriously? makes me sick and I can’t wait to hear the GM come out and say how, “We have a solid team”, “This team will be great in the coming years..” etc; This could’ve been the year now and instead I guess not… It will be interesting to see how the team reacts to ownership not putting them in a position to win. Thanks Pohlad… Go Cubs!!!!
Manny to Dodgers and Bay to Red Sox per MLB.com
Wow, Manny just dealt to the Dodgers in a three-team deal. They’ll get Jason Bay from the Pirates.
Mullen-
Seems like all of our sports are like that. Except for the T-Wolves lately, Minnesota seems to be the land of of upper-level mediocrity. We field teams that are capable of making a run and possibly losing first round of the playoffs. Because of this history I still have to check the internet every day to make sure the Vikes still have Jared Allen, since it seems so unreal for a MN franchise to do that.
>“row of 20 cycles you’ve just knocked over with your Volvo’.”
>Twig,
>Don’t you hate when that happens?
That, and when I accidentally select the one Yanni song on the biker bar jukebox.
All you can do is ditch the sweater around your neck to lighten your load, run fast until they corner you, and then strategically wet yourself just as the first guy is about to grab you. Nobody wants to be anywhere near a grown man with potty pants.
And yes, I’ve tested this technique in the field. Works almost every time. Except in Wisconsin. Everyone there already smells like urine.
Just kidding, Wisconsin. You really smell like cheese! Delicious, friendly cheese…
“I was going for the max audience for my singing.”
Okay sane. I’m a music man. Go for it.
Bill Smith hates us.
manny to LA
“Bill Smith hates us.”
I hate to blame Mr. Smith when the cheapskate owners had his hands tied.
Pohlad family: “Alright Billy, we gave you this job and here’s what you need to do to keep it: No trades this year. We just signed Morneau, Cuddyer, and Nathan, plus we put that new addition on the garage. So we can’t afford to reward the fans this year. What you WILL do is go on TV and tell everyone how you expect to compete with the current team and you like what you have.”
The minute I read Bill Smith and Terry Ryan were in the same room together all day today, I knew nothing was going to happen. Yet I sat all day on the computer waiting for a Twins trade. They let us down again. I am a huge Twins fans and this team is not playoff calibur. Let’s hope they can at least stay competitive to give us some false hope for the rest of the year
I don’t know what’s more disturbing: the fact that it appears the Twins aren’t doing ANYTHING or the fact that we haven’t heard a peep from the Strib reporters on this blog.
The Twins fans are skunked again by the GM Smith. You see, it doesn’t matter how many games the Twins win as long as the organization is making money. Smith is Pohlad’s puppet boy and his job is to b.s. the fans into thinking he is trying to improve the team by finding quality players to trade for. Somehow, he never seems to find them.
BS and TR together = zzzzzzzzzzzzz….
What really frustrates me too is to hear guys like Ozzie Guillen say “The Twins play ball right, and they find a way to win every year.”
Win what? I love the Twins, this year has been a crazy exciting rollercoaster, and yes they do well given what they have. Why is the FO content with that. That whole “finding a way to win with what they have” only lasts so long. Draggin the fanbase along with records slightly above .500 for 5-6 years is fun to watch but no reward when we can’t advance. They need to do something to take it to the next level. Which is why I’m afraid for the new stadium. Everyone says that’s when we’ll make the big deals and contend, but with this ownership, can you be sure?
Kinda thought LaVelle or Joe would have an upated by now that said nothing did happen….which they could have written last night and rested all day today….
This is so lame, no updates for the last 2 hours. I like La Velle, but if this was the hockey trading deadline Russo would have an update every 15 minutes. Just goes to show that Russo is the most plugged in writer the strib has and both baseball writers are lacking in that regard.
I’m disappointed, as well.
So we get Liriano in the rotation asap. That should help.
And if we get the June version of Cuddyer (.291 BA and high .800s OPS) instead of the May version (.212 BA and mid .500s OPS), that’ll help some, too (more than Griffey will help the BitchSox, imo).
Watch the waiver wire and see if something can still be done post non-waiver deadline.
On Jason Bay: It’ll be interesting to see if he shines now that he’s on a team that actually matters for the first time in his career
On Manny: Dodgers should win the division as a result of this deal; will be interesting to see how Joe Torre deals with “Manny being Manny”
On Strib bloggers: An update, please? If there’s nothing…tell us there’s nothing!
On Twins (assuming no deal): White Sox acquire Griffey, we do nothing to shore up middle infield…disappointing if you’re a Twins fan…not to say the current roster can’t get it done, but don’t tell us you were okay with standing pat from the git-go…
LaValle = zzzzzzzzzzzzzz
I am still holding out hope that MAYBE some sort of deal was made and that is why nothing has been updated! PLEASE tell me you did something to show us you want to win.
Whats the status on the whole Brian Roberts Nick Blackburn deal?
Maybe the paperwork is not finished at the MLB office for our ‘big deal’ of acquiring Rich Aurilia. That could be the delay of announcing anything. LOL
I know that this team probably isn’t going to do much now that Casilla is out for the year - WHAT???
This team is so close to being a legit contender in the AL and we have the same fearing front office. We are so afraid that we might make a Liriano/Boof/Nathan deal on the wrong end that we won’t make any significant deal.
This may be out of left field (punn intended) but what about a couple of prospects & delmon young for jason bay? How come we were never in the discussion for him. Delmon is clearly not the player we thought we were trading for. What a great way to get out of that ugly trade… Get a great outfielder who would slip right in the 5 hole.
Another thought on 3B… I get that the Mariners were asking too much… It’s kind a like I have my townhome listed for $198k but I know it wont sell for more than $165… but … what if someone does over pay? But is there nothing the Twins could do there? Nothing? Nothing against Bushman but he isn’t even Corey Koskie - Speaking of Koskie… Anybody called him lately… I would take that wobbly headed guy playing the last 60 or so games at 3B over Bushman - What? Too soon?
Dan, if you wanted the FO to “take the team to the next level”, then they should of got rid of Johan Santana years ago. Face it, he just isn’t the big-time, playoff stopper that the team needed to go all the way. Sure, without him the Twins would never have gotten into the playoffs, but, according to you that isn’t good enough.
If Liriano makes his start tomorrow for AAA, I may not pay attention the rest of the year. Why should I give money to a team that isn’t interested in winning?
I just love seeing ticket prices rise, and now getting charged for “premium games” AKA games against teams who are willing to do what it takes to win.
If the Pohlads can raise the ticket prices they can feel free to raise the talent a little too.
**Whoever posted about this current team being able to get it done, you’re right, I love my team, they can do it, but everybody could use a little help and so could they.
Year in and year out the Twins sit back and do absolutely nothing at the deadline to help themselves for a post season run. The Twins do have some good players in their lineup, but there are too many injuries to believe that they can go on with the guys that have. The other contenders in the division added players. It’s true that neither move was huge, but Griffey is a big name and the Tigers took care of their bullpen problem while the Twins did nothing. I understand that Liriano is coming back, but that only makes a difference once every five games. The Twins needed a bat and got nothing. Although, for any Twins fan worth their weight in salt, this comes as no surprise…just another disappointment.
Nationals just signed Guzman to an extension, right? So why did they trade for the Yankee’s Alberto Gonzalez? Purely for utility backup?
Every year it is the same lame a$$ excuse. We have a team that can compete. BS…..this team will not make the playoffs without some help! I am sick of hearing that from the GM’s
Mr. Walter Johnson (if that’s your real name
I’m confused by your post…can’t really tell if you mean you don’t think Santana is a big-game pitcher or not…not sure how getting rid of him gets the team to the next level.
Does anyone know when Gardy in going to put Punto in the rotation? I heard he has alot of potential and can pitch batting practice with either arm. Gardy is very high on Punto’s ability to be a starting pitcher down the stretch. He also reasons that Punto in the rotation will allow Liriano to get more work in at Rochester and improve enough to be brought up to the team next year. Gardy pitches batting practice sometimes, but he is getting old. He noticed Punto’s canon like arm when Punto spelled him in Cleveland during the last road trip. Gardy’s keen eye for talent may get the team alot of wins in the division race. I’ve never seen anyone who could pitch with either arm, except on t.v. in highlites of a college game. Punto is amazing. There is no more versatile player in all of baseball. Once he is given a chance to pitch regularly in the rotation, the Twins may end up in first place after all.
Well, there you have it….the big nothing.
They were preaching the same line about Garza in past years and funny, they still ended up parting ways with him.
I’m not saying give ANYTHING up, but gee…these guys aren’t all going to be All-Stars, you have to take a chance at some point, right?
“Nationals just signed Guzman to an extension, right? So why did they trade for the Yankee’s Alberto Gonzalez? Purely for utility backup?”
Guzman is hurt. The Nats need a solid backup if they want to lose 98 games instead of 100.
Every year it is the same lame a$$ excuse. We tried but came up short. BS…..I planned on going to a game this weekend to check out a new player we traded for, now I am going to stay home and porbably not even watch it on t.v.
So, this was supposed to be a rebuilding year from what we were told. Or at least a non-contention year. But guess what? It is. Live for the now! If you are in it, get the help you need to move on or you will end up like EVERY OTHER YEAR we have made the playoffs since 1991. Basically one and done. Look what happened when we played the Yanks and Bo Sox recently. Straight up ass whoopin! Do they really think that might change if they do make the postseason? C’mon. Get out of your little wonderland and play with the big boys!
Correction. ESPN is reporting Manny went to the Dodgers in a 3 team deal and Bay went to the Red Sox not the Rays.
Stan-
I have no idea what to say to your posting. May God have mercy on your soul.
Thanks, Twig… I guess I missed the Guzman injury. Appreciate it.
In response to adam, I would not trade Delmon Young at this point. The kid is 22 years old and he’s hitting for good average. I believe it’s the offensive beliefs of the Twins, not Delmon Young’s fault that he isn’t hitting homers. He could very easily be an every year All-star.
Has anyone else noticed that Cuddyer isn’t listed on the depth chart or the DL on the Twins official website???
Why are they having a press conference? To announce that once again they have done nothing to help this team stay in contention? Maybe it isn’t all Bill Smith’s fault. Perhaps Pohlad won’t spring for a cell phone for the guy.
Well, this is a bummer. Little bit like waking up Christmas morning and no presents under the tree.
So, we’ll see if Liriano can be a difference maker in the rotation. They’ll need even better pitching now with Casilla gone.
i guess they will make a trade if they call liriano up but still this is dissapointing. love the twins but hate their f.o.
I just found in a little corner of ESPN.com, they’re going to do a segment on Baseball Tonight where they grade the winners and losers of the moves the contending teams made.
To save time, money, and man-hours, instead of putting the Twins in the “trading deadline losers” column and talking about them, they’re just going to dig up and play old footage from when they didn’t make a move in 2007…and 2006…and 2005…and 2004…
i think it will be reasoned that getting everett back, cuddy back soon and maybe tolbert in a month and possibly liriano (if livan every has a bad outing or two) those are all like making a big trade to help the team. “there just wasn’t anything out there that made sense for the long term” and “our minor league system is so bad right now we didn’t have anything to trade that other teams wanted”….opps shouldn’t have said the last part.
Stan hits it right on the head…why in the world is Nick Punto so highly regarded? Sure, he’s doing alright this year, but does anyone remember the playing time he got last year while hitting barely over the Mendoza line?
I’m not as bothered by this as some are. The big names traded were all OF’s, something we have plenty of. We need a good RH 3B, a 2B and a solid setup guy. The only one that seems to have been on the market in that category was Beltre and Seattle has an interim GM seems too scared to make a trade right now unless it was lopsided in the Seattle’s favor.
The Twins ARE NOT 1 player away from a World Series title, so why the heck should they go after someone? Oh wow let’s go win another division title and get bounced in the 1st round….what fun is that?
Everyone knew goin into the year we were building towards 2010 and beyond, what has changed? Yes seeing a Beltre in a Twins uniform would have been nice, but he certainly wasn’t going to make us a contender or anything, especially if we had to trade a starter to get him.
Now if we would have brought up Lirino…traded for Roberts/Beltre/Fuentes together then i would feel differently, but there’s no point in getting 1 of them when it still wouldn’t help us get to the ultimate goal of a WS.
If Livan starts another game for the Twins, I’m wearing an Angels jersey when they play out here in August. If they’re going to sit around at the deadline yet again, they better replace LIVAN with Liriano.
Sending any other one of these starters that the FO loves too much to part with would be absolutely unacceptable.
and 2003…and 2002…and 2001..and 2000…and 1999…
Well, my low expectations have been met for another year!
But I’ll give my favorite club another chance. All they have to do is not let Livan near a pitching mound. That’s not to much to ask for the extra sales tax I’m paying to the club for the new stadium.
I REALLY hope LEN was joking when he wondered who the Twins would remove from the rotation in order to make room for Liriano. I REALLY hope he was kidding.
I will never get this teams fascination with washed-up, over-the-hill, fat and inept low-budget veterans.
The guy provides no leadership at this point. That’s a myth. The guys have Baker and they have a pitching coach.
Release Livan and let’s move on already.
their not going to give young up bafoons. their outfield is set they wont trade gomez or young because they got them in trades the front office doesnt want to look bad. and how could u trade span he’s done so well the only guy thats available for trade was kubel.
So when Cuddyer comes back in a month and plays 6 games before going right back on the DL, what situation are the Twins in? Plus, where do you find room for Cuddy now? Outfield looks pretty full to me.
Look, this is a disappointing day for Twins fans.
We’re 1.5 games out and yet the message is clear:
A) Our current mix of talent is so awesome that there’s no reason to part with any of it
AND
B) We’re good enough with what we have and don’t need any upgrades.
Every single soul on this blog knows that both statements are asinine. I agree with Reusse, they needed to add a piece. If LNP bats second for us from now until mid-September, it’s just not going to happen this year.
And I don’t mean for this to be an excuse for us to start ripping on Punto, this is the organization’s fault, not Punto’s. I will cheer hard but it would’ve been nice to have added a glimmer of hope to what could easily become a sputtering lineup once again now that Lexi appears to be lost for a long time. That, and sooner or later, the lack of a 5-hitter is going to hurt, too.
Yet nothing was addressed…and the names thrown out there by La Velle this morning are enough to make Twins fans throw up. White Sox got Griffey and we were fishing for names like Jose Castilla and Rich Auriela. Seriously, why not just ask the Pirates for Louis Rivas.
Let’s hope we get the win tonight to keep this thing going…the Cubs basically ended Milwaukee’s season today by making what could’ve been a 3 game lead a 5 game lead with the win…at this stage in the game, a head-to-head with the first place team is huge…not a must-win, but it would help ease the pain Twins fans are feeling at this moment.
Did I miss the answer to< “What is so wrong with Cuddy at third?” At least he brings a bat to the plate.
You think Mauer will ever get sick of not being surrounded by enough talent to go further in the playoffs and bolt for some team that will?
Look again Chad, it shows he is still on the 40 man roster. Casiila doesn’t show up the depth chart either and he is on the DL. Interesting that Matt Macri still shows up on the depth chart though and is not on the active roster.
“There was a strong desire to keep Scott Baker, Nick Blackburn, Kevin Slowey and Glen Perkins. They feel they have a quartet that will be a force to be reckoned with”
If any of those guys wind up in the bullpen, Smith should be castrated.
Kubel was available for a trade? I think you are joking…. The Twins trade him and Bill Smith is a baffoon….. not that he isn’t already….. You don’t trade Kubel because he is one of the few power threats in the lineup and he is making little money, while he has little value….. i think the Twins would of traded Cuddyer or Span if the right deal was available…..
Right you are, stan. There’s nobody more versatile than Punto.
In the offseason the Nickster codes software that helps utility companies optimize the placement of wind turbines. He also co-pilots missionary relief planes in developing nations.
And last offseason Punto began working out as a sled dog. Word is that he’s already an Iditarod-caliber substitute for any position except lead dog.
I find it amazing that people still complain year after year. They spend half of July commenting that the Twins won’t do anything because they never do…then July 31st hits and suddenly everybody’s all surprised there wasn’t a trade.
Hey, let’s trade Perkins, and then let’s also complain every 5th day with Livan on the mound.
This team makes me sick. Atleast make it look you care about winning. I guess Pat Borders wasn’t available? There payroll is nothing and they don’t have a left side of the infield. You worry about this season now. You worry about next year, next year. Until this team goes outside the organizatio for some help they cannot and will not win a World Series. Here is to hopeing we make a run at Joe Crede in the off season. (Fat Chance)
sorry to sound like a prick but the twins will never be close to winning a world series because of the f.o. we have a good team this year but the f.o. will never spend money to get a decent player so we will always have missing pieces.
Griffey? Why would the Twins want a washed-up overpaid OF?
Maybe th FO realizes that they are not 1 right handed bat away from winning a world series nad that is why they did not want to give up a good young pitching core, now if you add Liriano to the mix and he pitches as well as he has lately in the minors we will have 5 good young starters. I think that Casilla getting hurt hand cuffed the Twins in making trades, also it’s not like the Twins have the top end prospects to trade. We were going to get much of anything for Boof,Lamb,Livan,Bass or Monroe that is just the way it is. A lot of teams talked to seattle about different players and all the teams said Seattle was asking for to much, like I siad the other day it takes 2 teams to make a trade. Alot of bloggers seem to want to make trade but do not think the Twins should have to give anything up to get what they want. Want Beltre give us a starting pitcher and Span and we’ll do it…..no thank you.
Anyone else bringing a Liriano sign to the game tonight?
I was quite happy that I got to participate in the brief (and unfortunately fairly faint/quiet) “LI-RI-A-NO!” clap, clap, clap-clap-clap chant that happened after Quentin’s 3-run double at last night’s game (aside from the fact that it put the Twins down 5-0 of course).
Help me come up with something clever for the Liriano sign.
I would agree with you T, except the injury to Casilla changes everything….like Reusse said, suddenly there is a NEED, not a want.
Kubel does not have much power. He just looks like it because he’s on the Twins. Put him on a decently powerful team and he’d be worthless.
I’d like to know why they didn’t go after a guy like Grudzy or Aurilia. You would think that either one could have been had for a reasonable price, and both hit lefties.
Coyotetom, do you remember the troubles Cuddyer had at the plate when he was at 3b? Remember when he had the monster year the next year in RF and said it was all because of how comfortable he was in the OF and how uncomfortable he had been on the IF? That’s whats so wrong with Cuddy at third.
You think Mauer will ever get sick of not being surrounded by enough talent to go further in the playoffs and bolt for some team that will?
Are you saying that with Mauer’s height, he’s too tall he doesn’t see guys like Casilla, Young, Morneau, Nathan, Baker, Liriano…etc
Bill Smith is announcing at the press conference that the stick of Big Red he obtained in a trade with Terry Ryan for juicy fruit is being sent to AAA in hopes that it will be called up in Sept.
BTW: There’s no mystery, whatsever, to how the Twins will make room for Liriano. They’ll send Bass back to Rochester and move Lamo Livan to the bullpen. They don’t have the guts to do anything else. In fact, they probably all “huddle around Bill Smith’s desk” and cry after they do it.
Would it take much to get Bert Blyleven out of the pressbox? He’s probably still got it and we know he’s in game shape because he throws to Ron Coomer after every game.
thought maybe the twins would trade livan/boof to NY or texas/SF but nothing happened all i wanted was a right handed 3b like betemit/aguilerra/jose castillo but the twins always disapoint me all i asked was to get rid of livan boof everette and lamb but they couldnt get rid of one of them
Dan, Kubel is exactly AL average for DH’s in terms of OPS. He’s not worthless, he’s average.
Yeah Probably just a glitch, I noticed he was on the roster but why not the depth chart?
I would agree with you T, except the injury to Casilla changes everything….like Reusse said, suddenly there is a NEED, not a want.
That’s all well and good, but what good 2nd basemen were available? I hadn’t heard of any.
too much huddling, not enough calling
well, at least they didn’t give up draft choices for Chris Simon
“BTW: There’s no mystery, whatsever, to how the Twins will make room for Liriano. They’ll send Bass back to Rochester and move Lamo Livan to the bullpen. They don’t have the guts to do anything else. In fact, they probably all “huddle around Bill Smith’s desk” and cry after they do it.”
Perfectly said. The Twins will have Boof and Livan in the ‘pen doing absolutely nothing. We might as well welcome Ramon Ortiz back and have him sit down there with him. The Twins have bullpen problems but will only make them worse by doing that exact move.
OK Kubel’s not worthless, but he’s not what we need hitting behind Morneau. I really don’t think teams think twice about walking Morneau because they’ll face Kubel next. I like Kubel, I think he plays hard, but he’s never lived up to what others said he’d be.
Maybe if the Twins played Kubel eveyday he would have better numbers. The Twins are the only team I can think of that for years goes out of its way to play 2-4 different players every couple of games. Baseball is a game of streaks and a player will have a hard time finding a groove playing 2 days being off 2 days etc…
In this case the “best deal” was no deal. Deal with it!
The Twins have six or seven gems in Mauer, Morneau, Casilla, Gomez, Span, Young and Tolbert as position players. They need to add a gem whenever they get the opportunity. They missed some opportunities with Beltre and Bay. But if the Twins are not going to acquire top players, they should not trade at all. They may be better off waiting until guys like Valencia and Hughes get to the majors, which could be next season or 2010 at the latest. Valencia is no doubt the future third baseman for the Twins, and Hughes will be the future second baseman. Casilla and Tolbert are both excellent shortstops. Both Valencia and Hughes have some power and both are right handed hitters. Here’s a look at a very good lineup that combined with the young pitchers already in the organization could be world champions.
Young Gomez Span
Casilla Hughes
Tolbert
Valencia Morneau
Mauer
Disappointing, but not surprising. I’m not going to pretend to know what was on the table, but one of these years we’ve gotta take a chance. Now, there is one move that would make the team instantly better and is obvious to everyone except, apparently, the Twins - replace Livan with Liriano. How much better I don’t know but it certainly can’t get any worse.
Let’s see, teams in the AL that at least tried to improve themselves in the last couple of days through trades…Yankees, Red Sox, Tigers, White Sox and Angels.
Hey! Look on the bright side, the team salary was so low already there was no need to salary dump!
This team is doomed. Nick Punto can not serve as an every day player; he is a nice utility player, but not an every day player batting second. I suspect the Twins go sub .500 for the remainder of the season.
Hughes has pretty much been relegated to the OF, because of his defense. So, add him to the list of OFers, ’cause, you know, it is better to have 6 OFers than 1 3B/SS/2B.
Twins faithful, I propose an idea to get us a big-name free agent for a playoff push next year- the end of dollar dome dogs on Wednesday nights.
Sure, those hot dogs can’t be beat, but the money they’ll save by not selling them for $1 can be used to get the talent required!!
It’s very drastic, but if Pohlad won’t spend the money he already has, we’ll have to pay full price for hot dogs so he has more to spend.
Know not making a trade is one thing that pisses me off… but if the Twins take one of the 4 GOOD starters and moves one of them to the bullpen to make room for liriano INSTEAD of dumping Livan… That would be completly unacceptable. WAY TO GO SMITH. Probably the only contending team not to make a trade. Unbelievable.
I’m almost surprised the Twins didn’t offer the game used balls from last night’s game to the Pirates for Rivas and Mientkiewicz. That’s the sort of blockbuster I would’ve expected. PS - is Bret Boone still available?
heh, good one Dan. I bet they double their profits on those nights.
Have no fear Twins fans. Tonight, in a game of supreme importance, the Twins are marching out both Punto and Everett.
Punto is batting a resounding .172 since the All Star break, with 0 RBIs and 0 extra base hits. But we’re SOLID up the middle and definitely no reason to make a trade.
Dan,
2003 the Twins got Shannon Stewart. Plus I would count the Rick Reed trade (2001?), as much as he pretty much stunk.
Ozzie Guillen may call the Twins the “piranhas,” but because of our cheap owners, these piranhas shop at the dollar store.
What did these teams get lets see.
Yankees 2 old has beens (Sexton & Pudge) and 2 good young players
Detroit 1 so-so reliever
White Sox Old shell of himself Griffy jr
Red Sox Bay very good LF but cost them 1 of the best RBI guys in baseball History.
Hey look at it this way, we have middle infielders who can hit .320…combined. Ridiculous.
T: As much as you hate everthing said on here maybe you should not read it. Go somewhere else that has people as smart as you are.
And Punto is back ready to carry this team playing wherever Gardy wants him to play and at a very high level. He’s as valuable to this team as Morneau is!
The 4:30 presser today is not to announce trades or discuss the lack there of. It’s a formal request by Billy Smith to no longer be called Billy. Also to inform fans that ticket prices will go up as the payroll continues to fall……Overheard…Mike Lamb hit one out of the infield last night in batting practice.
You’re right Shaun, they did accidentally make 2 or 3 decent moves in the last decade that helped them.
Of course, some teams make 2-3 decent moves a season, so that leaves us playing catch-up.
Jasonk
I think you are drinking the Kool-Aid. I know the “experts” have high expectations and I get that he is young, but you can see the power that he clearly doesn’t have. He has good gap power and is a good hitter, but do you really think the Rays would give him away for a MAYBE pitching prospect (I mean I love Garza but he hadn’t done anything before this year) and Bartlett if they didn’t believe the hype…. Are you saying that you wouldn’t trade Bay for Delmon? You’re straight crazy if that is the case.
Reduntant anyway, the Twins wouldn’t make that kind of deal
The White Sox move as fantastic simply because it gets Konerko out of the lineup. Right there, that’s an improvement.
At this point, I’d run Bremmer out there if it got Everett or Punto out.
“Mike Lamb hit one out of the infield last night in batting practice.”
First Rincon, now Mike Lamb is juicing?
Finally the part of the trade deadline that I have been waiting for: All of the fantasy baseball GM’s complaining about no trades, when they were able to make a huge deal in their No Life Fantasy League. get over it! The Twins have a business model that they stick to, and it has been rather successful. Or should we go back to the glory days of 1993-2000? As is generally the case, all of the trade rumors led to a few deals involving the usual teams.
Can Punto play all 8 defensive positions? Just him and Livan…that’s probably the answer.
A. Great post, it says it all… Punto and Everett for the rest of the season; the team is doomed! F-bomb better be perfect, becasue he won’t get much run support.
To those folks who are telling us that management didn’t make a move because they know they’re not a contender … that is exactly the opposite of the “Bill” of goods the front office sold us in the off-season. You remember, right after Hunter and Santana departed and they told us the Delmon Young trade was made to stay competitive? Remember those days? Quite simply, you can’t have it both ways. Either you try to win or you don’t. I happen to believe there’s enough minor league pitching to have sprung some sort of deal. I don’t believe in “fantasy baseball” trades where we give up junk and get Beltre in return, but this team has definite areas of weakness that did not get addressed. Either you are a contender or you aren’t, and fans deserve the truth.
Figures… Cheap Bastards
Who did the Rays, Cardinals, Phillies, Rangers, Mets, and Diamondbacks add to their playoff-contending rosters?
LaVelle, they said they were willing to take on payroll and you believed them?
Tolbert is a “gem” as a position player? What are his major league stats? Is he even on the 25 man roster?
Ah “competitive”. There’s that word again.
You realize a team can be “competitive” and still not be a “contender” right?
I was hoping that at least some smaller deals (Bass/Everrett/Monroe/Bonser/Lamb each for a non-prospect) would have materialized to result in an addition through subtraction situation by bringing up Liriano, Korecky, Ruiz; It didn’t happen. Still a lot of these people will pass waivers and hopefully something will happen in August. Now Bass will probably DFA’d with Perkins moving to the pen and Liriano up.
Good to see Hughes up in AAA, btw.
Adam - If they could’ve traded Delmon for Bay straight up, I would’ve gone for it. I’m not saying Delmon is the next 40 HR hitter, but this kid has potential. I just wish the Twins would add “driving the ball” to their offense. (See Ortiz, David) Even Morneau could bolster his stats with a different approach.
Ha! The Twins “didn’t feel like a trade was necessary this year”? Maybe so, but they did the exact same crap they do every year at the trade deadline.
I’m not a Gardenhire fan at all, his teams are so much less disciplined than Tom Kelly’s, but Gardy has to be a little frustrated right now. He probably made up an “emergency” lineup card this morning, just in case the Twins didn’t make a trade, and now he’s gotta use it.
“competitive” = .500 record
“contender” = less than 5 games away from division lead
Al, great model… barely make the playoffs with smoke and mirrors (mostly due to other teams in the division being terrible); and then get pummeled by the Red Sox, Yanks, A’s or Angels… Gotta love it!
Al you’re right. We should be satisfied with a starting lineup that includes Punto and Everett. And we should be ecstatic about a bench that includes Lamb, Monroe and Buscher. And furthermore, we should be THRILLED about a bullpen that includes Bonser and Bass.
With this roster, if any team jumps out to an early 3+ lead against us, we can count on our long/middle relief to extend the opposing team’s lead by 3 - 5 runs (a la last night). And of course we can count on our bats not being able to catch us up in the late innings.
Yeah, recipe for success.
As much as you hate everthing said on here maybe you should not read it.
I don’t know if you pay attention to it…but there’s actually some pretty good commenters out there between the bile and Bathroom Caulk jokes.
Dan,
I heard that Craig Monroe spit some sunflower seeds sitting on the bench onto the 3rd base coaches’ box last night. I think he is juicing.
Young will make them stay Competitive….last I check we are 1 1/2 games out of 1st place…but I guess that means we are not Competitive.
I do not Recall the Twins saying we would win the world series.
imagine that another trade deadline another one with no Twins trades
LOL AL, buisness model? The same one that has produced just won playoff series win this decade? At some point you have to try and win.
So bitter. So very bitter.
Like I said elsewhere: If you’re lusting after a trade, the Twins are going to disappoint. You might as well be looking for an Amish swingers club.
\I crack me up
thrylos: You’ve pretty much got it. Bill Smith planned this year to field a competitive ball club. Which is why he felt it okay to use Lamb and Everett to hold down the fort while somebody in AAA decided to step it up.
Everett went away when Casilla/Harris/Punto stepped it up. Lamb went away when Buscher stepped it up.
But the Twins are in a tight spot with contracts this season. Like I’ve said before, the Twins being in contention this year caught EVERYBODY by surprise.
Shaun,
Craig Monroe can juice all he wants, it won’t affect his strikeouts at all.
same crap different year I am a die hard twins fan but they can only build for the future for so long. sometime if they really want to win they need to make a trade once in a while. I think they are distant to be average team as long as they have this ownership that cares more about money then if the team wins. They do a great job of developing players but with alexis injury they needed to add to this team and they still need a 3b with pop but like anything they wont give up any prospects they are prospects for a reason they might be good.
I’m available
“I wonder who will go in order to make room for Franchise?”
Er… how about the worst starting pitcher in the Majors? Livan hurts this club every time he takes the mound. Throw him in the pen and DFA Bass.
T: Just because we were caught by surprise, are you saying we shouldn’t capitalize on it? Oh, sorry, I forgot we’re only playing for the future.
I can think of a lot of fans of other teams that would be happy to have made the playoffs as much as the Twins have this decade. It’s easy to say hey lets have 130 million dollor pay roll so we can try to win the world series everyear when it’s not your money.
Brett Boone says:
July 31st, 2008 at 4:44 pm
I’m available
———————————–
Stop it Brett you’re scaring me, they just might go after you.
I’d love someone to post our record when the opposing team gets out to a 4+ run lead within the first 3 innings.
Once we turn that ball over to our long relief, there’s no chance to even get back in the game.
I know I’m cynical, but why should the Twins make a move? The #1 stat you need to know is 42,000 people were at the Dome last night.
“Perkins moving to the pen and Liriano up.”
At least someone gets it. Livan haters won’t like it and LEN can insinuate all he wants, but I’d wager Livan does not leave the rotation.
I understand that this team is a surprise and that the Twins weren’t supposed to compete this far into the season…but neither were the Marlins. And the Marlins certainly did what they could to add a little pop to their lineup. Neither were the White Sox, and they added players. The ASTROS did more at the deadline than the Twins. They’re 9 1/2 out, and they still made moves.
forget the Bay trade for a second. Look at the Manny trade from the LA prospective:
LA gets: Manny + $7 mil for Andy LaRoche and Bryan Morris
would anyone whine if the Twins got Manny + $7 mill for Hughes/Macri and Manship/DeVries for the stretch run?
I have a question for all of you who are pissed off right now. Lets say we traded Perkins or Slowey to Seattle and we waived Livan and sent Boof packing to San Fran. Who would your 5 starting pitchers be?
i hope the press conference is for b.s resignation as it should be - but im sure he will spin all his b.s. for not making a deal..i can hear it from here and it still stinks……
Smith and Ryan, otherwise known as dumb and dumber, could not come up with any way to improve the team before the trade deadline. The Twins are only twelve games out of the cellar. They may end up their by the end of the seaons. Who is dumber, Ryan or Smith, take your pick.
Wow, now that the deadline passed…for all the talk of how terrible this team is, you guys sure we were just one bat away?
“Also to inform fans that ticket prices will go up as the payroll continues to fall……”
Great line. I’ll add it to my personal list of favorites.
Of course Livan won’t leave the rotation. This team sets up these ridiculous “intangible” arguments: “He’s a leader in the clubhouse”, “He has a positive effect on our young starters”, blah blah freaking blah.
How is one ever supposed to logically engage in this nonsense?
Exactly-Marlins are accidentally winning but they seem to like it so they’re going with it. The Rockies accidentally won a bunch last year and made the WS. Anything can happen in those divisional and championship series, and I wish we would’ve done something to get there.
Everyone complaining about Everett,Lamb,Bonser, etc…expects some other team to take them off the Twins hands for Bay or Beltre or the like. Again , not fantasy baseball where you make trades over a Pabst.
Somehow, both Smith and Ryan could take first place in a Twins stupid contest.
I know this season has been a complete surprise but teams should be flexible in their thinking. Now, the team may have had more holes than could be fixed thru trade. And it’s not like the minor league system is brimming with top prospects. However, as mentioned before, at some point, you have to stop playing for the future. Who knows - this might be the best year the Twins have in some time. Maybe they don’t hit as well with RISP (likely), maybe they have key injuries, maybe guys don’t develop like we all hope. You’ve gotta take a shot when you’re close. My take.
jason k..
you seem to be scrambling a bit… delmon isn’t even close to the same thing as ortiz… ortiz always had tremendous bat speed and punished fastballs, his problem was he couldn’t pull inside fastballs… He learned to hit them in Boston though ; sometimes thing click…
In addition, Delmon is a joke of an outfielder. I get it, he has a plus arm but he is a clumsy runner when he has to change directions or adjust. He needs to make great strides the rest of this season and this off-season to improve all of these things that he has been so reluctant to work on with Twins staff… Delmon, you’re dad isn’t helping!!!
Maybe we just need to send Livan packing to save on postgame buffet costs…would that allow us to sign a legit free agent in the offseason?
Anything can happen in those divisional and championship series
Unfortunately, the current Twins field staff has proven that they cannot go far in the post season…
Anyone else think this is funny?
My wife and I have tickets to tomorrow night’s game. One one ticket is Joe Mauer, possibly the face of the franchise. On the other ticket is-Ron Gardenhire?
RON GARDENHIRE?
You know your team lacks star power when Ron Gardenhire is featured on your tickets.
Unconfirmed report here: I did hear Bill Smith did make a trade involving twiddling his thumbs from forward to backward.
I’d love someone to post our record when the opposing team gets out to a 4+ run lead within the first 3 innings.
I’d love to see how it compares to the rest of baseball.
thrylos: Is Macri really as good a prospect as LaRoche? If that were the case, why not call him up to play 3rd?
Al, no one thinks other teams will take them, at least not most of us. We do think the Twins have better options in their own system (at least some of us do). And, if your league drinks Pabst, sorry to hear that….
his problem was he couldn’t pull inside fastballs… He learned to hit them in Boston though
Reality check, please:
Ortiz always wanted to pull inside fastballs.
Kelly, Gardy and Ullger made him try to kick them to the opposite field. One he was freed from that mentality, he thrived.
Let’s judge Bill Smith’s tenure as GM:
FA signings - Deserves an F.
* Lamb, Everett, Monroe, Livan
Off-season trades - Deserves a B-.
*Garza/Young (with Harris and others included)
Mid-season trades - Deserves a C-.
*None
Internal Moves - Deserves an F (but of course this can change).
*Liriano sits in AAA
What does this average out to, a D+?
Can anyone think of anything I left off?
Someone said Macri=LaRoche? I missed that. Wow. LaRoche is a potential All Star according to many who follow the minor leagues. Wow.
Your not actually comparing LaRoche/Morris to Hughes/Macri are you?
And this trade does not happen with out Bay.
I’m going to the game tonight with a sign… “At least we didn’t lose/give away our 2B again… oh wait…”
I think it might have been Bill Smith who got rid of the gian milk jug in right field, that was also a bad move.
It appears to me that the Twins’ success comes in spit of Twins’ management.
A, is that looking at 2008 from the beginning of the season when it was the end of the world and the Twins would never be above .500 again…or is that taking hindsight into account that Casilla and Span would EXPLODE like they have and the young rotation wouldn’t get pounded like we all expected?
A., you forgot Santana for Gomez, Guerra, and two guys who will never crack the Twins major league roster.
*in spite that is.
T,
Macri should be up instead of Lamb/Everett/Punto.
I don’t think that he is a better prospect than LaRoche per se but he does have better numbers than him at the major league level…
“his problem was he couldn’t pull inside fastballs… He learned to hit them in Boston though”
Ortiz was told to go the opposite way in Minny…he’s said that more than once in tv and magazine interviews. I believe his one quote was something like “I was going the other way in BP one day, and they asked me what I was doing? They told me to pull the ball and hit homeruns.” I don’t think you can “learn” how to hit inside fastballs overnight like that.
“in spit of Twins’ management.”
In SPIT of their management? So the FO spits on the sidewalk and that brings success?
Sorry, I know it’s a typo, couldn’t resist.
I think you’re right, they are winning this year at no fault of the management.
Can anyone think of anything I left off?
I think we grade on a curve here. tWINs.
A you forgot in internal moves Span-Casilla so I think that grade goes up.
T: I’ll say it again, the success of the Twins is in spite of the moves of Ryan/Smith.
thrylos, you have got to be kidding. You are basing that on a TINY sample size. LaRoche is an A+ prospect, Macri is a nice utility guy.
Just think if the Twins has a smart Manager and a smart GM like some of the other teams. They would be much more competitive and the fans would have more to root for. I’m starting to dislike the Twins organization’s style of ditching their best players to save money and penny pinching the roster and just having an almost good enough team every year to keep the suckers buying tickets.
David: Fair enough, but those are more a resultant of injuries than anything. The FO had to do something.
David, they only brought up Casilla after 3 other guys got hurt (or was it 4). It’s not like they believed in him.
A: It seems like the Twins success comes in spite of the FO, the coaching staff, and about 90% of the roster (anybody not named Morneau, Span, Baker, Nathan)
Wait, Nathan doesn’t count. Lazy jerk never pitches more than one inning.
mike,
I am not comparing them. Really. I was trying to find equivalences in the Twins’ organization. On the other hand, if LaRoche was such a stud, why would the Dodgers trade for Casey Blake?
maybe their keeping a deal a secret or something whats the need for a press conference if they didnt make a deal? and yes the front office is a damn joke
I like the non move. And don’t feel let down one bit.
You can be competitive loosing 7-6
Twins really need a setup guy
Liriano needs to replace Livan in the rotation now that it looks like he won’t be traded. (I think he was on the block…No facts just a hunch due to the rocking the boat incident much like Garza’s last year but with more drama)
Kubel has as many RBI as Beltre in 100 less AB and only 5 less HR’s.
(3B D hasn’t cost the Twins any games)
This blog is always good for laughs.
The High watermark of optimism for this site is “Chicken Little is crushed above us…”
Regards,
Off to the Nat’s/Phillies game. Her Ladyship and Agency are being wined & dined by MASN (Mid-Atlantic Sports Network)…interesting to see life in a/from skybox.
at least i dont have to live with the fact that i got outfoxed again by ken williams…thats bills smiths deal alone
congratulations bill smith, youre a loser again…..
Casilla would’ve been with the big club had he not had such a disasterous 2007.
Remember? Everybody retroactively hated the Castillo trade because Casilla wasn’t able to step into the role like the Twins FO thought.
Because their manager likes veterans more than young guys. And, some had soured on him in the organization, according to rumors.
But, he was the key piece in acquiring Bay. Rob Neyer says the trade hinges nearly 100% on LaRoche being the All Star many think he can be.
“TwinsGM says” and “Dan” those were awesome posts.
I love the twins first and foremost. I seriously started following the Cubs because they were the cloest outdoor ballpark to Mpls that was not a Cheesehead team. I tell ya I will not at all be surprised when the Twins put no money into players after the new ballpark opens. Yes, yes the owners and media tell us that is all “rebuilding” so that we can make more revenue and thus get better players, etc; but more and more this new ball park deal and subsequent inaction by the owndership to get some names in here smell ALOT like the Pittsburgh model of building a ball park. Someone ask those fans how nice it’s been since they got a new ball park in Pittsburgh and were promised better players once they opened…. The Pohlads make me sick…
A so we have to give them credit for doing the right moves there.
thrylos: I’d wager LaRoche was further away from breaking through with the Dodgers than he would be with the Marlins or Pirates.
Am I reading a fan blog of a team 11 games over .500? Remind me!
You guys are tearing up a team that has no business doing as well as it is. A bunch of Monday morning managers with impossible ideas and idiotic commentary.
You guys would be great on political blogs.
thrylos98,
“Ortiz always wanted to pull inside fastballs.
Kelly, Gardy and Ullger made him try to kick them to the opposite field”
I doubt very much that he was told to hit INSIDE FASTBALLS to left field.
If you have a link documenting THAT, I would very much like to read it.
I really don’t think that was the pitch that he (or anyone) was instructed to oppo.
If so, the Twins should be sued for malpractice!
I just feel like sitting around and playing for the future every year is BS. The Twins could have another WS banner if they would make a move. Last year the players even came out and said it was disheartening. When is the future coming? I’d sure like to know because they’ve been planning for it for years.
Just got back to the office and haven’t had time to read posts. However, I just want to say I’m disappointed. Disappointed in myself that I am disappointed the Twins did nothing. When will I ever learn? How did I manage to get my hopes up again? I’m so stupid.
Too bad the Twins have such a stupid General Manager and Team Manager. Gardenhire and Smith are holding back the Twins ability to win. I don’t think either one of them is smart enough to work as ballpark hot dog vendors. But they probably would be competitive in a hot dog eating contest. Maybe Pohlad could make more money for himself by marketing them as macots as the Twin fat boys.
“The Pohlads make me sick”
I guess they should be easier to track down than the peppers from Mexico. tWINs.
What was the press conference like? “We were willing to spend the money. Teams just wanted too much. We can compete with what we have. The young guys are really coming around and can carry us. We couldn’t give up our young aces, they will be the future of this franchise.” Did I miss anything else, or are we just going to take the rest of the season one game at a time?
check out the SI story with Terry Ryan on the trade deadline - http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/baseball/mlb/07/31/aschburner.ryan/index.html?eref=T1
“I’m so stupid.”
According to this thread you might want to become a baseball executive.
Terry says the payroll is $20MM lower this year than last….good thing they raised prices….I skimmed it, gotta go to mom’s for dinner.
sane,
I do
Ortiz ‘wrote’ a book with Tony Massarotti (Big Papi: My Story of Big Dreams and Big Hits) last year. Have a go at it. Easy 2-3 hours read.
Angry Vet says:
“You guys are tearing up a team that has no business doing as well as it is. A bunch of Monday morning managers with impossible ideas and idiotic commentary.”
It’s BECAUSE the team has no business doing as well as it has that makes me so angry that they stood still at the deadline. I have a feeling most others feel that way, too. Honestly, this team probably shouldn’t be where they are now. With recent injuries, and the fact that this team “has no business” doing as well as it has, the Twins have the perfect reason to add a piece. They’re keeping it together (barely at points) with what they have, and probably won’t be able to for the next two months. That’s why I’m disappointed they didn’t try to add a missing piece.
I’m looking forward to the next few years when 2/5 of Baker/Blackburn/Perkins/Slowey/Liriano are traded for career minor leaguers or sign during FA because the Twins can’t afford them anymore.
I’m sure by that time we’ll have 2-3 WS titles to our name because the Twins didn’t “mortgage their future”.
I guess I was wrong when I thought Terry Ryan’s reign of terror had ended.
I was really hoping BS would not be a TR clone.
How’s the Vikes training camp going?
You guys stop picking on Gardy and Billy. They are nice people who try to help the minnesota baseball players. i hope they help the team win. Twins can be a good team if they play good. the twins have good player and a good team because they try hard. Gardy has a beard that make him look thinner and stronger than he is. Mr sSmith talkes for the Polad family to help them with the public. I think the twins are good. garyd and billy smith are not stupid, must just be slow thinkers.
if jesus can turn water into whine then smith can turn lamb and monroe into beltre. this teams a joke and will never compete because smith has been playing for the future since he got here. how many imes has he passed on opportunities through the years!!! he needs to be fired before he further ruins this team!
Go Twins, beat the White Sox !!!!!!!
Kay,
the Vikes are having a scrimmage with KC today. Allen is skipping it because of bad blood. Looks like (unlike the Twins) they are going to pull the plug and Favre will be their starting QB before Monday.
Yes, Jason, yes. Nobody thought we’d be in the thick of things at trading deadline. We accepted that the Twins dropped payroll and were waiting for the new ballpark. But wait. What happened? They are competing. They have a chance! Maybe just one more piece of the puzzle and we go from having that 7th chance to take over the White Sox, to actually taking over the White Sox and never looking back. But no. We are already competing, which will sell seats. Why spend any more money at all? There is no joy for the owners in hanging banners. There is only joy in counting money. They open their wallets on the fan favorites, but never enough to get over the hump.
smith can turn lamb and monroe into beltre
nobody would expect that…
I was hoping that Smith would turn Lamb and Monroe into Macri and Ruiz and some low level prospects.
Go Twins, beat the White Sox !!!!!!!
I second that. I’d like a hold-pat team to tame a team trading for a “Hall of Famer”. tWINs.
Bert Blyleven seems to have the mentality of a thirteen year old child. How in the world did the Twins organization ever come up with him as a television announcer. He is actually a serious embarrassment to Minnesota and the Twins organization, but they are not aware of it.
Let’s see, which would I rather have? Four pitchers that are just learning how to win in the major leagues, and competing for 1st until about the 3rd week of August. Or trading a potential future star for a division title and possible world series run this year? Screw it! I’m living for today and making a trade! Oops, never mind. The Pohlad’s just had me executed…..
thrylos98,
If that book says, that Ortiz was coached to oppo inside fastballs, then Big Sloppy lost something in translation to his ghost writer (Tony Massarotti)
The only possible way that inside fastballs can be hit to the opposite field is to get FAR from the plate so that an inside fastball becomes “outside fastball” to the hitter.
Otherwise there is NO WAY!
To coach or teach that technique on inside fastballs is a silent request to get fired!
T - I’m all for different opinions but do you have to be such a sarcastic smart ass when you “debate”? I get it - you’re the smartest most rational person in here. For the record, my opinion of the organization has been the same for years - good at developing and getting the most out of many players, good at signing our own, horrible at FA signing and far too conservative for my liking. But that’s just my take and I respect differing opinions.
What’s everyone so bent out of shape about?
The Dodgers got Manny, the White Sox got Ken, and the Twins got Dick.
“thirteen year old child”
I’d say even less then that as I appreciate the “kid announcers” on Sundays, who give the introductions a little umph and spirit. Bert can circle me and run circles around most other announcers I’ve listened to. I guess it’s a matter of taste. tWINs.
Would anyone really mind if they send Everett (for real this time) and Lamb packing to bring up some prospects? Macri could sit the bench every single game just as well as Lamb.
I like ol’ Bert. He gives the broadcast a little life sometimes. I just sit back and listen for when he makes another off the wall comment.
“The Pohlad’s just had me executed”
It sounds like a grave situation. tWINs.
The Twins have announced that they are part of a record-setting seven-team-trade.
The Twins will give up Boof, Bass, Livan, Punto, Everett, Lamb and Monroe.
The Twins will receive Guardado, Lohse, Silva, Rivas, Guzzy, Mient and AJ.
The new team will play tomorrow in their throw-back uniforms………..if they kept them.
Once again Pohlad does nothing to improve the team. How could he? He’s spends all his time counting his billions with one foot in the grave and his brilliant son Jim is off wasting millions more making H-O-M-O- movies. The latest should be a sequel called Brokeback Twins.
Booooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!! Hissssssss!!!!!!!! Booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Pllacks, I mean Poh-lads sure make me all warm and fuzzy - - NOT!!!!!!!!
Bet we’d could’ve gotten Beltre (or Manny and loads of cash) or (inserlt right hand bat here) for Santana now… and also two-thirds of a season (or 5 more wins) with Johan pitching. That’d be 3 1/2 games in first place. Of course, then we wouldn’t have our 9 hole filled!
Is this really a surprise?
Weird times, folks - just weird - it’s all upside down and priorities all truly screwed UP
sane,
To coach or teach that technique on inside fastballs is a silent request to get fired!
I couldn’t agree with you more.
If you have access to old film, please check out Ortiz’ batting stance while with the Twins and while with the Sox. The only possible way to potentially hit an inside strike to the opposite field is if you are practically standing on the far line of the batter’s box. That’s where Ortiz was standing in 2002 and his stance was much more vertical than now. I am sure that there is film someplace at least from the post season… In Boston, they taught him to be more horizontal and stand closer to the inside in his all familiar stance now…
I’ve been arguing that Gardy and Co. are quacks as far as capability to teach power hitting goes, for years…
Unreal, typical twins just sit there with their finger up there butts and got nothing done. I’m sure that they will find some way to bring in a guy who is batting 250.. and has 5 home runs, and for some reason Bill smith will think that guy is god. Then a season goes buy and the guy the twins got is batting 220 with a homer or two and is known as a waste of time and money…. Oh wait that’s right the twins dont spend money, that’s why they wont win a world series . Bull Crap
“counting his billions with one foot in the grave”
Sounds like he has his mind to be able to count and his balance in order to remain upright…things must be going better than I thought.
The Mets can barely give Johan the run support he needs…do you think the Twins would actually be able to for once?
Pohlad is hell bent on getting into heaven with a billion and the one dollar he saved today by not making a trade. Rich prick…
This is pathetic. At the NHL trading deadline Russo was posting every half hour at least. Nothing here since 12:25 Lavelle? C’mon. Guess we’ll have to go to another Web site for our Twins info…
Once again nothing gets done! I tell you what LaValle I would start looking for a new team to cover, Twins again do NOTHIZNG to make the club better. Question from me is this, why is Hernandez still a Twin? Better yet why is he still in the rotation? Liriano was ready at the all star break and we continue to pitch him in AAA. Things better chance in a hurry or we might slip out of the race.
Smith and Polad need to move on, get us a guy that is willing to make the Twins better.
In response to “Assuming Manny goes, everyone but the Twins are dealing and improving.”
Is Boston better after dealing Manny? Were the Vikings better after dealing Randy Moss?
Lavelle is too busy eating a 10 course meal to give a hoot about what we think.
” just sit there with their finger up there butts and got (Bull Crap)”
A little juxtaposition here but I thought it smelled a little better. tWINs.
At least we are getting Farve and don’t have to watch T-Joke this year…
A. you were being generous with your offseason trades. Don’t forget the only ting they got in return for Santana is a guy who’s second in the league in strikouts, has one of the worst OBP, and altogether looks overmatched in the big leagues.
BTW, does anyone else think Bill Smith and Fran Foley are the same guy?
Hahahahaaahahahaha
Maybe the Twins could offer Livan $20 mil to retire?
Wilf spends $ + makes moves to improve team = no new stadium.
Pohlad, et al. do not spend $ + NEVER make moves to improve team + give fans bullshit excuses why they didn’t make moves to improve team = brand new, taxpayer-paid stadium.
Go figure.
This GM Bill Smith is a joke. i have a infinate amount of reasons for coming to this conclusion..
Minnytown says:
July 31st, 2008 at 5:32 pm
This is pathetic. At the NHL trading deadline Russo was posting every half hour at least. Nothing here since 12:25 Lavelle? C’mon. Guess we’ll have to go to another Web site for our Twins info…
nope…you are pathetic, you clearly didn’t even read the blog…it was updated well after the 3 pm trade deadline passed…use your eyes before you call someone out
Gardenhire reminds me of the college basketball coach who could always get his players to play better than expected and yet could never get beyond 16-12 because he couldn’t properly evaluate talent, he played favorites to the detriment of the team and during cruch time he never could figure things out and so his record in big games is horrendous.
they weren’t “as desperate” to make a deal as they have been in other years? you mean those other years when they also did nothing? ok, great….
I’ll admit that I’m disappointed the Twins didn’t make a deal, but I do like the young players were have here. However, starting with Punto and Everett up the middle is not my idea of a competitive ball club.
The Associated Press is announcing that the Minnesota Twins have signed Brett Favre to a one year contract worth 3.5 million and in return surrendered its first round draft picks in the MLB draft in 2009, 2010 and 2011. When asked if Favre even played baseball, Smith just shrugged and said “Terry told me he looked good in a uniform. He met all my criteria, he was beyond his prime, no other baseball team wanted him and it will keep fans from checking out how crappy a job I have been doing as GM this past year.”
Twins fan since ‘61 says:
July 31st, 2008 at 5:48 pm
The Associated Press is announcing that the Minnesota Twins have signed Brett Favre to a one year contract worth 3.5 million and in return surrendered its first round draft picks in the MLB draft in 2009, 2010 and 2011. When asked if Favre even played baseball, Smith just shrugged and said “Terry told me he looked good in a uniform. He met all my criteria, he was beyond his prime, no other baseball team wanted him and it will keep fans from checking out how crappy a job I have been doing as GM this past year.”
I love it.
If you step back and look at the big picture, let’s not call the Twins in anyway inept compared to our division rivals. Even if you go back 25 years, the Twins still have more World Championships than the rest of them, and in the last 10 years they have won the most division titles under the same current ownership. If you decide to give up prospects you have to be committed to making a run at the WS.
Although it would never be stated publicly, the starting rotation IS in a rebuilding mode. They just happen to be overachieving and are probably a little ahead of schedule which is very good news. Calling out the FO for being unwilling to sacrifice depth for a player who will bring a temporary contribution to a team that might make the playoffs, but has a very slim chance beyond that is a little short-sighted.
In my opinion, the FO has always been very astute, but in a culture of NOW it’s very difficult to please the masses when you are asked to work within a budget.
Maybe I’m wrong, but time will tell how this group handles the 18 of 24 road game stretch coming up, and beyond that, how the arms hold up on this talented young SR. Even when Liriano comes back, I still wouldn’t put this group as a WS contender, even if they did bring in a hired gun, but the future is definitely looking good…
“You guys are tearing up a team that has no business doing as well as it is. A bunch of Monday morning managers with impossible ideas and idiotic commentary.”
I disagree. There are two potential Hall of Famers in the lineup. Have you noticed? Listen to what Ozzie said the other day r.e. Jason. They have every business contending, every year.
Jemmack,
how do you figure a guy like Beltre or Bay would not have made the club better? Beltre is not old and can be a guy that would have been our starting 3rd baseman for the next 5 to 7 years. The entire problem I have with the Twins is Carl Polad! The bastard wont spend a dime even if the other club paid the rest of the players contract. Polad gets a new ball park and for what? We have to suffer and watch a team do NOTHING in free agency once again!
Good points jemmack. The Twins are built around pitching and defense. Pitching depth is critical. They have it now. And I agree that they do not look like WS contenders. Playoff contenders, for now, but not WS contenders. I want a WS caliber team. And nothing mentioned in the past few days would have brought them to that elite level. Pitching talent, quality defense, especially up the middle of the field, and quality at-bats up and down the order. The problem with a lot of power hitters is that they are also rally-killers. Strike outs and DP’s…Twins rely on contact, speed, and taking advantage of defensive errors from the other side to succeed offensively. Unless they are going to change their entire offensive philosophy, there really arent any one-answer fixes out there. Beltre would have been nice, Howard’s thing earlier on trading for Bay…that would have been great. But I’m not disappointed either. The Twins are who they are. And in my view, that means finding out how good these SP’s will be in the stretch, and who among them should continue with the team, and who among them could be trade-bait over the winter (when the potential for better matches exist). It was exciting to think of new blood energizing the team, but I’m ready to move on. Bring up Liriano, lets get the WS tonight with Baker, and lets see who can put it together better the last 2 months…us or CWS. It will still be fun to watch!
Happy campers one and all. Look guys I to am upset about our team staying out making any attempt to help this team. Just remember this as the season moves forward.BS said”we do not have any glaring problems” Need I say more? Now, just look at the Pirates, they made a trade before the deadline and they make trades at the winter meetings, but has anyone of you noticed, that no matter how many trades they make they are still in last placed! so how would you like to be a Pirates fan? So far they have not done it right, but they keep trying, which is more than our Twins mgt does…..
was there or was there not a press conference at 4:30 …can anyone tell me what the hell that was all about or was there none…..lavelle where the hell are you ….out feeding with bill smith???
Guess nobody else felt like Lamb,Everett,the Boof,Bass or Monroe has much value either!At AAA,is Luke Hughes but he might not even have arrived yet! Guess he and Liriano can comiserate now about all the,[ahem]talent blocking their path!Veritible mountain of something or other in their way!
How about this one? Pay Livan the rest of his salary this year to become the assistant pitching coach. With his “retirement” a spot is opened for Franchise to move up. Twins were willing to take on salary to paying Livan to retire wouldn’t be such a bad move.
Twins were willing to take on salary SO paying Livan to retire wouldn’t be such a bad move.
Why not? Livan is washed up but has a way with young pitchers.
Gritts
No… Anderson does not need any help, especially doesnt need help from a washed up pitcher who doesn’t know English.
Check out Joe C.’s blog for good news about Casilla….
The Twins are built around pitching and defense.
Not really. The Twins are 5th in the league in runs scored and 8th in runs allowed. Despite all the complaining about Livan, their offense wasn’t much better. The Twins only scored 3 runs last night and 2 of those were in ninth inning.
Unless someone gets hurt, its not unlikely we won’t see Liriano until September.
Tyler,
Agree on your first point - Andy doesn’t need help. However, a bilingual coach would be a great asset on this team. And, the pitchers themselves have said how good it is to have Livan’s advice.
This may have been posted already, I quit reading 1/4th of the way down…what about holding out a week and seeing the re-eval of Cassila’s thumb? If he’s out for the year, try to pull off a deal w/ the Royals for Grudzilanek (sp?). I honestly would not mind giving up Boof for Grudzilanek, a deal that may make sense for the Roayls as well as the Twins. Get a good guy, good chemistry, hit’s lefties, plays good 2B D. Interested to hear the responses…
Boof would have to pass waivers - he’d never make it through…
GMTA Senor Gritts….I’ve also been thinking that bilingual Livan, who seems to command the respect of the “younglings”, would be a fine addition to the coaching staff! With all the golf courses in MN perhaps he would go for it!
Obviously the deal for scenario above would have to be via the waiver-wire, sorry forgot to put that in my original post
theres no rush to bring liriano up now…besides hes thrown too many innings in AAA anyway ……no sense in wasting him this year…
While I am disappointed that the Twins did not acquire any substantial players at the deadline (again), it is quite apparent that the Twins are a good second tier team in the American League, but cannot and will not contend with New York, Boston, and especially Anaheim this season, with or without Liriano. With the White Sox picking up Griffey, they will be improved as well. The biggest move the Twins can make in the offseason is to teach their players how to slide (and when to slide) so they don’t tear up their fingers and hands. It’s been posted before - watch how Justin Morneau holds his gloves when running the bases so his hands are closed. A powerful homerun hitter in his prime as a DH (no offense to Kubel) would be helpful too. Go Twins.
Alas NMViking,
Perhaps we are the only ones who see this wisdom. You don’t have to trade Livan. He’s said he wants to stay with the Twins because he likes the organization and he must surely know he’s washed up as a major league pitcher. Let him share his wisdom, be part of the organization, get paid, and help the team to bring up Franchise.
So what did BS say at his press conference? Did he even show up?
When this franchise decides it wants to be contenders, not pretenders, maybe the fan base its steadily pissing off and losing might take notice.
Can’t make a move, in the event you’ll lose your “potential”?
The potential you have is, you sit on your wallet, make no moves while other teams improve, and you sit on yours.
Pohlad-itis-the contractability factor… fly-over land fans don’t deserve anything other than a “B” product, is what you convey.
Thanks Twin Managemnt-2010 stadium my arse-you’re penny pinchers, as usual. It may be fitting you’ll be next to a garbage burner.
Agree better to do nothing that is stupid than screw up a good thing, but WHEN IS THE FUTURE??? WHY CAN’T WE GO OUT AND COMPETE NOW WHEN WE ARE IN THE RACE???
Yeah we score runs, but we needed someone who is a power hitter and maybe add a reliever to the mix. Once again we have to watch a one and done team struggle to become an elite team having to face those “big market” powers. I am SO sick of that argument. We have the $$. We just don’t have the cojones. See you next season…
Many of you have typed “they clearly are not WS contenders”. How do you expect them to become WS contenders?
You yourselves have said their is no imminent help in the minors (or it could have been traded for value).
You have said they should not trade any of their pitching depth.
We all know they will not sign any FA that is in his prime.
How do you expect them to get better?
btw, I really like the work La Velle and Joe do in general, but the lack of updates during the day was pretty weak.
Wat to stand pat, Billy Smith. No need to try and force something, and hurt the team. Great team just the way it is!
mike,
“How do you expect them to get better?”
By developing their young players and prospects.
They have a young rotation, a young OF (they’re ONLY 22!!!), two young all-stars and a young (average age) roster.
Maturity and learning to play the game comes with experience and that is where improvement comes from.
A large number of trades (good and bad) should cancel themselves out. Any team which makes ALL good trades is defying the law of averages.
Development, on the other hand, almost always leads to improvement.
Way to go out and get some bats Billy! We have now scored in 1 of the last 16 innings. Hey, who needs power hitters, we have Everett, Punto, Lamb, Buscher, Monroe, Young, Harris, Gomez. Power deluxe!
Excuse me while I throw up…
These pitchers really do look untradable and we didn’t need any infield help, we have Adam Everett all ready for a second half surge. Thanks Billy your a genius.
Sane, that was Cleveland’s theory last year. How’d that work out this year? Injuries happen. Slumps happen. When you are cheap, you need to strike when the iron is hot. They are 1.5 games out of being in the post season. They may or may not be there next year. Heck, even if they are, they won’t make a trade to get better. This is 8/9 years in this decade, many of which they’ve been close to very, very good. They’ve never played to win NOW. And, they’ve never won it all. That is not a coincidence I don’t think.
Are you saying that KC will be better next year (they are young, they must get better)? What about Cleveland, they’ve gotten younger, so they must be better next year too, right?
Is Young better this year than last year? There is no guarantee anyone will be better next year. That’s why, when you have a chance, you take it by the horns (I’m Mr. Cliche tonight). Because, you just don’t know what next year will hold.
Also, the opinion of this board is that they don’t have any prospects that are close, that’s why we couldn’t successfully trade for a current player using our prospects.
MVP. MVP. MVP.
My guess is they play Cuddy at second.
Justin Morneau=MVP
It is discouraging to not bring in any bats before the trade deadline and then put a squad on the field that consists of Everett, Punto, and Harris (although Harris does have 2 doubles tonight).
Adam Everett has NO business starting. He should only be a defensive sub late in the game. Jesus!
The trade “deadline” isn’t such a deadline, you guys. There are still waiver-clearing deals that can be made. It really is sort of an arbitrary “deadline.” I still don’t understand how Grudzy wasn’t acquired somehow, though. That was the MINIMAL trade to be made, simply because he would make the 2 spot in the batting order worth something as opposed to Nick Punto there. No offense to Punto, but the 8 or 9 spot is where he belongs.
i have a very hard time believing that some package involving Buscher or Kubel plus Livan or Boof plus Pridie, Manship, Mulvey, Plouffe, etc. in some combination wouldn’t be enticing to a number of teams (Seattle and Baltimore come to mind!). There is ZERO reason to worry so much about depleting the farm system because SO many of the Twins players are young anyway–there is no need to call people up left and right next year or the years after.
this is great…
Twins didn’t make a deal?? SHOCKING!!! Seriously, a lot of people are saying that the Griffey Jr trade was good for Chicago. How about Barry Bonds for the Twins. I don’t want to hear about this bad influence crap either, as Livan is a good influence on the pitching staff and everyone wants him gone!! He’s FREE, so no prospects to give up. Salary would be minimal. He would want to audition for next year so I would think he would want to do and say all the right things. You want somebody to protect Justin, well there you go!! I know a lot of you are happy with Lamb instead of Bonds, I’M NOT!!!
Jason Kubel=MVP
wondering why we have to insert the .170 hitting everett as soon as he is called up. what happened to playing buscher every day considering he is hitting .300+ with punto and harris? such a downgrade.
Just got here … looks like the sky was falling 20 minutes ago according to some …
If you just got here, how do you know?
I’ll be happier if the Twins don’t make a deal, If they did, it would involve taking on a bad contract.. which will mean we won’t be able to keep some of our young developing players down the line. Sometimes the best deals are the ones you don’t make!
there it goes… we need a setup man.. and now its down to 1 run
Gah, come one Guerrier!
DAVE—-BONDS would cost ZIP!!
alright good job to at least hold them off guerrier… good strikeout… u scared me there
But Dave, that seems to be the story every year. We are continuously playing for the future. It never gets here.
After years of being “pretender contenders” I am convinced that Twins management would actually prefer to just contend with “homegrown” players than put the pressure on themselves to win by picking up marquee players. If they stick with the homegrown guys, they can always get compliments by being a pretty good team in a small market. As soon as they pick up a big name, they lose their excuse for not winning in the playoffs.
“If you just got here, how do you know?”
Looking at previous posts …
Everett is the worst player EVER in a Twins uniform. We have a big need in the bullpen so why not Lariano in the pen? He could be a one or two inning shut down guy. Makes perfect sense to me. They can’t afford to start him cause thier bullpen is crap.
“Everett is the worst player EVER in a Twins uniform.”
I’d put Rich Becker and Terry Felton #1 and #2.
We need Liriano for the 8th inning!!!!
Looks like the “New Look” White Sox with Swisher at first is already paying them dividends!!!
All right Punto bashers let’s hear it!!!
Liriano will be in the rotation by the weekend, it sounds like he wont make his start tomorrow in AAA. Hernandez will be released. Thanks to Smith on FINALLY doing whats right.
I gotta believe that if Konerko would have been playing first and Swisher in center field, that would have been a 1-2-3 inning. Excellent!!
What worse:
Being Boon Logan in the 8th right now or living for the rest of your life with the name Boon? Tough call.
Good point here by Bert - can anyone ever recall a left handed pitcher int. walking a left handed batter?
9-6 Twins bottom of the 8th.
10-6 Twins. Young gets an rbi. Game is broken wide open.
Jason where did you get the info about Hernandez release or is that just your prediction?
It was posted on the site here.
holy shit you people are a bunch of dumb fuckers. go kill yourselves.
Josh must be a white soxs fan.
