Giving up draft picks! That has nothing to do with not signing Kuechel or Kimbrel. Draft picks in baseball ain’t worth squat. The Pohlads decide if the team can spend more to get more.
Actually it’s a big reason why no one has signed them yet. Wait a month and sign them without losing a draft pick or sign them and lose one….Pretty simple equation there. Whether or not draft picks work out or not, they aren’t going to give one up if they don’t have to.
I know I know….as much of a crapshoot it is, you would think these organizations would just do it to beat out teams that are waiting until after the draft. I also read that anyone signing free agents prior to the draft forfeits 500k of their international bonuses.
You’re both right though. I agree that the #1 and possibly only reason they aren’t signed is because of the draft pick you’d have to give up. But then the flip side is eyeguy’s view that draft picks aren’t always that valuable, which I’m actually behind 100%. Look at the Twins, they’ve been accumulating them or really low-ball players for years when they give up their good, established players. That’s the reason behind my comment on the previous page, the Twins got fleeced in some trades last year and now Escobar is NL Player of the week. Obviously every single player was a draft pick at some point, so some will work out, but the model of trading legit, established players for picks sucks. Ownership typically cloaks it as if it’s some great scheme full of smart people but it’s really just getting rid if players with higher contracts for people that cost nothing. Do it for 10 years like the Twins and your organization makes a lot of money.
Giving up draft picks! That has nothing to do with not signing Kuechel or Kimbrel. Draft picks in baseball ain’t worth squat. The Pohlads decide if the team can spend more to get more.
Not true. Every year, as these salaries for ‘star’ players grow ridiculously higher and higher, the value of a cost-controlled young player grows as well.
A draft pick is controlled by a MLB team for 6 years of “service time”, not including minor league play, before they hit free agency. Up until then, salaries are controlled by arbitrators, who are pretty fair compared to the salaries requested by Scott Boras and similar agents. For example, Eddie Rosario is making 4 million this year and having a far better year than Bryce Harper, who is making somewhere in the upper-20-million range now that he was granted free agency.
You can believe what you want but the Pohlads run this team as just another business. When Carl was alive, he cared about winning but his kids give zero $hits. There is no salary caps in baseball and that is why the “big” market teams are usually playing meaningful games in the fall and the Twins are preparing for next year ever year. While I’m not saying to start throwing money at guys like Harper, the Twins will never sign star free agents nor will they try to add one at the deadline to help make a run because it’s going to eat into profits.
It was encouraging to see them sign guys like Cruz, Cron and Schoop. Those are not typical Twins signings. While other teams sign solid players, Twins sign guys like Bungho Park!
Thank you Toronto.
This has been a fun season to follow. Mothers day I bought the wife and son and I tickets on the first base line down on the field
Thank you Toronto.
Total domination
The team is finally beating teams that they are expected to beat. Very refreshing. Sure hope Odorizzi and Perez can keep it going.
Interesting article:
I’d consider trading a prospect and/or extra catcher (Castro)… and yes Sano – for some legit arms. Moronta is legit from what I’ve seen and would be under club control for a long time (a Twins favorite attribute).
I’m glad I never removed my lawn chair from Nicollet! I never got to use it for the Vikings, but let’s go Twins!
Interesting article:
I’d consider trading a prospect and/or extra catcher (Castro)… and yes Sano – for some legit arms. Moronta is legit from what I’ve seen and would be under club control for a long time (a Twins favorite attribute).
I’m totally ok with trading any of the names you mentioned here, I wouldn’t want Samardzija. Bumgarner maybe. I think it’s funny that this article says, don’t let Bumgarner’s stats fool you yet that’s all they talk about with Keuchel. Not mention Bumgarner hasn’t pitched over 130 innings in each of the last two seasons. I’m not saying either one would be better than the other I just find it funny.
Overall Bumgarner is probably the better pitcher (over Keuchel), but I’m not sure at this point in time they are much different and I think I’d rather take the chance on Keuchel and keep my top prospects.
Bum in a New York minute.
Twins are looking GOOD! Haven’t enjoyed watching baseball this much in years. Will be taking a day off work and taking my son to a day game as soon as school is out.
Amazing how enjoyable it is watching baseball without the dead weight at 1st constricting the payroll….it’s going to be a fun ride! I just hope that they at least try to improve instead of lie, if this team is in a good position come July.
1/4 the way through the season and still in first place. Starting pitching has been better than expected. Relief pitching is a hold your breath exercise. Hitters are pounding the ball but their averages are disappointing. Defense seems better.
Fat kid is back and hit 7th last night. 2-5, about all we can expect. Buxton is having a decent year so far.
All the number crunchers will earn their money now filling out the line-up card.
Relief pitching is a hold your breath exercise.
x2 I think that will be their downfall unless they do something drastic in the near future.
With Addison Reed being let go the only remaining free agent of Falveys first free agent class is Pineda.
Fat kid hasn’t been fat all year.
Unreal how the team is playing. For many of them this is their first year together and they look like they’re clicking real well.
Hoping they go after some help for the bullpen since they have the money to do it.
Fat kid is still fat. I learned years ago just buy larger fitting clothes as I put on pounds.
If the fat kid can hit 1 homerun for every 3 times he strikes out maybe i’ll leave him alone. Maybe. 
Bases loaded… no outs… sano swinging at ball’s and strikes out. My 5th and 6th grade team has better discipline than him at the plate.
Then strikes out on a ball in the dirt in the next at bat…
Bases loaded… no outs… sano swinging at ball’s and strikes out. My 5th and 6th grade team has better discipline than him at the plate.
do your 5th and 6th graders see 95mph fastballs and filthy sliders mixed in with 80mph change ups and curve balls? can we let Sano get his other foot into the batters box before you rip him? I know you are hurt by not seeing Joe Manure slapping those singles to left but its been like a handful of at bats only.
Well… I clicked in here to compliment Sano on the first 2 at bats and see i hurt someone’s feelings by criticizing him… all I can say is have watched most of the twins games or listened to them on the radio. I have seen him have horrible plate discipline for most of his career… on the few and too far between stretches that he locks in and gets patient, he is an absolute nightmare to opposing pitchers. I only wish he showed that more often then not.
I’ve always said if you spot Berrios a 14-run lead, he’ll do the rest.
I am so glad the slap to the opposite field pitch to contact era is over! About time we start the drive the ball era!
HOW ABOUT THOSE TWINS!!!!
Nice come from behind win last night, you just can’t count them out of any game with the power and clutch hitting they have. Sano won the game the other night and how about the rookie Arraez!?! He’s 7 for 12 in the big leagues with his first homer last night, he also made a sweet play at 3rd to end the game.
I’m impressed Arraez hasn’t struck out yet!
It will be interesting to see how Arraez develops, he’s definitely got great contact skills. He hit for a high average in the minors, but with basically zero power at all.
Great game last night. Arraez looked great, great game from Gonzalez. Pineda pitched alright but got lucky with a few of those warning track fly balls.
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