Thread: Article: MLB Payroll By The Numbers

I have zero issue with the cut in OF salaries, as Willingam is better than Cuddeyer and cost less, and Kubel is somewhat replacable. It's the lack of spending on the INF and the pitching that convinces me nothing has changed in Ryan's approach from his previous tenure.



Concur. Unless you take the Willingham-over-Cuddyer savings, et al, and invest it elsewhere, you're just padding the Pohlad's bottom line. If that's the objective, I object. And it's pretty obvious that's the objective.

Originally Posted by mike wants wins

Willingham is their largest FA contract ever. They have never traded for or signed a big time, legit player, in his prime earning years to a bigger contract than that, and that's the only 1 I can even think of. Why would you expect them to sign a legit MLB starter for big money next year, given over 40 years of history suggesting otherwise? Does anyone think that is Terry Ryan's approach?

I have zero issue with the cut in OF salaries, as Willingam is better than Cuddeyer and cost less, and Kubel is somewhat replacable. It's the lack of spending on the INF and the pitching that convinces me nothing has changed in Ryan's approach from his previous tenure.

And, there was plenty of money to sign better pitchers than Marquis this year, they just didn't. There was money to have a better bullpen, and they didn't.

First of all, I don't think I said I expected them to sign anyone for big money. I do think they'll sign a free agent pitcher for reasonably big money this offseason, for a few reasons.

1) Our starting pitching is notably weak, and I don't think it is possible to fill from within in 2013. Perhaps Hendriks and Gibson (assuming a full recovery) are in the rotation in 2013. Perhaps they offer Pavano a one year deal with a club option. Blackburn, assuming he is healthy makes 4. I think they grab a FA to round out the 5th spot (not the 5th starter).

2) The FA market should have more quality starters this coming offseason compared to last offseason. If you took the FA's from last offseason and listed the (very subjective) top 10, you might have found: Kuroda, Buehrle, Wilson, Bedard, Colon, Harang, Tomko, Francis, Willis, and our very own Marquis. If you look at potential FA's for this coming offseason, you have these guys: Cain, Greinke, Hamels, Lewis, Marcum, McCarthy, Anibel Sanchez - there are others as well with options that may or may not be used: De La Rosa, Floyd, Haren, Hudson, Myers, Ervin Santana, Shields, and others. Other than the Kuroda, Buehrle, and Wilson, I'd much rather take ANY of this coming offseason's potential FA's over those from this last offseason's. There are other FA starters too for next year that would be equivalent or better than those from this last offseason (Correia, Guthrie, Lowe, Matsuzaka, etc.). It is a good market for buyers this coming offseason. I think the Twins will be in on it. Atypical from their previous ways, but I think they are in an atypical situation as far as the arms go. I don't think they'll be offering any 5-6 year deals, but a 3-4 year deal is not far-fetched for the higher end guys on this list (I don't think).

I think the plan right now has to be for 2014 and 2015, and the anchor arm for those teams should be available this offseason. Maybe you're right and they don't do anything. But I think they will.

Originally Posted by mike wants wins

Willingham is their largest FA contract ever. They have never traded for or signed a big time, legit player, in his prime earning years to a bigger contract than that, and that's the only 1 I can even think of. Why would you expect them to sign a legit MLB starter for big money next year, given over 40 years of history suggesting otherwise? Does anyone think that is Terry Ryan's approach?

Before they signed Mauer for 8 years $180M the Twins had never signed anyone to a long-term, high dollar contract...but then they did. So just because they haven't signed a big FA starter in the past doesn't mean they won't.

Originally Posted by scottz

1) Our starting pitching is notably weak, and I don't think it is possible to fill from within in 2013. Perhaps Hendriks and Gibson (assuming a full recovery) are in the rotation in 2013. Perhaps they offer Pavano a one year deal with a club option. Blackburn, assuming he is healthy makes 4. I think they grab a FA to round out the 5th spot (not the 5th starter).

I think the plan right now has to be for 2014 and 2015, and the anchor arm for those teams should be available this offseason. Maybe you're right and they don't do anything. But I think they will.

I think you're right that the starting rotation is weak and they should address it from a very strong (as of now) free agent class. However, Terry Ryan indicated before the season began that he thought our starters were the strength of the team. If he felt that way going into 2012, I'm not sure he'll change his mind going into 2013. I hope I'm wrong, but how the Twins evaluate pitchers is pretty different than how many of us do and it really wouldn't be surprising to see them go bottom fishing for another guy like Marquis again. One thing to keep in mind that the fact there are going to be a large number of FAs mean that those teams are also going to have rotation spots to fill, so the market might not be as great as we think since there will also be more buyers.