If You Had $92 million

[caninatl04]

While watching star after star coming to bat against the Twins, I checked the opening day salaries for the 30 MLB teams.  The Bosox were essentially $200 million ($199.8), while the Twins were at $108 million.

 

This could lead to at least five threads, but for purposes of this conversation, I'd like to DEFER the following:

 

1. Yes, but, the Twins will have a number of large contracts upcoming (as will every other team, including the Bosox, like Benentendi)
2. Will ownership ever spend enough?
3. And, to continue a rant, 20% of the $108 is tied up in two pitchers who will never contribute
4. One always overpays for free agents.

Deferring those conversations (but others are welcome to take up those torches), I ask a fantasy question: 

 

How could the Twins spend $92 million?

 

By the way, if ten teams make it to the playoffs each year, the 9th (Nationals) and 10th (Orioles) in payroll are both around $165 million, so one can limit your budget to a mere $57 million.

 

http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/heres-every-mlb-teams-opening-day-payroll-for-2017/

[Otto von Ballpark]

Pablo Sandoval?

[amjgt]

Cubans!!!!!

[GP830]

I'd go sign 4 pitchers who will earn 23mm each. That'll do it.

[wsnydes]

 

Cubans!!!!!

Cigars or players?  

 

I'd be tempted to split it and get both.

[ETownFan]

How about the buying all the contracts from the Tampa Bay Rays or Milwaukee Brewers?

($78 million and $70 million, respectively)

 

[GCTF]

Joe Mauer extension

[spinowner]

 

I'd go sign 4 pitchers who will earn 23mm each. That'll do it.

Which 4?

[jharaldson]

I would spend the $92 million on the international draft.  A lot of people think that the international cap is "hard" but from what I have found the penalty is not that severe:

 

“Under terms of the new CBA between MLB and its Players' Association, MLB can impose what amounts to a "death penalty" on teams caught exceeding the now iron-clad bonus limits, according to Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports. MLB will be allowed to take away up to 50 percent of a team's international bonus pool money through 2021 - when the CBA expires - should the limit be exceeded.”

 

https://www.thescore.com/mlb/news/1171727-report-cba-has-death-penalty-for-teams-exceeding-international-cap

 

The Twins would still get to spend $2.5 million a year over the next 3 years giving them a total international investment of $99.5 million vs the $20 million that rule following would give them.  

[spinowner]

 

I would spend the $92 million on the international draft.  A lot of people think that the international cap is "hard" but from what I have found the penalty is not that severe:

 

“Under terms of the new CBA between MLB and its Players' Association, MLB can impose what amounts to a "death penalty" on teams caught exceeding the now iron-clad bonus limits, according to Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports. MLB will be allowed to take away up to 50 percent of a team's international bonus pool money through 2021 - when the CBA expires - should the limit be exceeded.”

 

https://www.thescore.com/mlb/news/1171727-report-cba-has-death-penalty-for-teams-exceeding-international-cap

 

The Twins would still get to spend $2.5 million a year over the next 3 years giving them a total international investment of $99.5 million vs the $20 million that rule following would give them.  

Very interesting thought, but keep in mind it's difficult to make a good selection on an 18 year old US citizen. Making a good decision on a 16 year old Dominican (or Venezuelan or wherever) is no easier.

[jharaldson]

 

Very interesting thought, but keep in mind it's difficult to make a good selection on an 18 year old US citizen. Making a good decision on a 16 year old Dominican (or Venezuelan or wherever) is no easier.

 

Agreed but I think I would have better odds if I could pick 10 of the top 30 available instead of 1 or 2.  Also, it would allow the Twins to submit a significantly higher offer for Otani:

 

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2016/12/07/baseball/japanese-baseball/mlbs-rule-change-affect-otani/#.WVLagGjysvg

[KirbyDome89]

For sure extend Hector Santiago....he had a couple good starts in April right? With what's left over the Twins could probably sign to a minor league deal every single FA pitcher that is a question mark or can't latch on anywhere else and continue the carousel that is the pitching staff. 

[mikecgrimes]

 

I'd go sign 4 pitchers who will earn 23mm each. That'll do it.

 

23 million doesn't go nearly as far as it did just a few years ago.  You would be much better off signing a starter for 35 to 40 million if somehow a top 5 pitcher came available and the remaining 50+ million elsewhere. 

[Pardon My Dinger]

92 million tacos. 

[Otto von Ballpark]

Could we buy the Marlins? $92 million is probably more cash than Bush, Romney, or Jeter is putting up.

[Otto von Ballpark]

92 million tacos.

If we do it on Taco Tuesday, we may be able to get even more!

[Otto von Ballpark]

I won't quote it or embed it, but here's another option. (Warning: mild crudity)

 

[Darius]

Will ownership ever spend enough? Not a chance.

 

And by "enough," I'm assuming that means what they "should." Which is no more than a reasonable person would expect a professional baseball team that makes honest, routine attempts at winning to spend.

[Darius]

I'd go sign 4 pitchers who will earn 23mm each. That'll do it.

I'm not sure if this is an insinuation that no pitcher is worth that much, and it absolutely won't work? The Cardinals, Giants, Red Sox, and Yankees, who have basically dominated The World Series the past 20 years, all pay for pitching.

 

Even the the other teams you'll see on the list: D-Backs, Angels, Marlins, Phillies, etc had big salary pitchers in their rotation. The Royals, who have become the shining example of why no team should ever spend money, had Cueto.

[Rosterman]

Now that is a question. 10 players better than you have now for $10 mill a crack. Consider the Santiago money. Heck, how much would you have if you did manage to tradeoff Hughes. And come 2019 we will probably have sooo much more with Hughes, Santana, Mauer and others gone. Heck, I would give a raise to Brian Dozier.

 

The absurdity of baseball. Even with all the payroll on the DL, the Twins are managing, somehow, and making believers of ownership that they DON'T (WILL NEVER) have to overspend.

 

Sigh, Big Sigh!

[Monkeypaws]

92 million dollars: sigh, you could fund a great non-profit out of that.

 

Harmon Killebrew sold cars in the off-season. 

 

Mad times I say, like the 14 million the Twinks laid out on unproven amateur baseball players.

 

The clock is ticking to where this will no longer be sustainable.

 

This moment of doom and gloom has been brought to you by Chevrolet, Budweiser, and Kentucky Fried Chicken 

[AZTwin]

I'd improve my pitching:

 

SP Chris Sale $9m

SP Corey Kluber $4.5M

SP Max Scherzer $15M

SP Ervin Santana

SP Jose Berrios

 

Add in a couple relievers

 

RP Craig Kimberl $11M

RP Andrew miller $9M

RP Kenley Janson $10M

RP Zach Britton $3.5M

 

Add in some batters

 

OF Bryce Harper $14M

OF Mike Trout $15M

1B Paul Goldschmidt $1M

[AZTwin]

I'd improve my pitching:

 

SP Chris Sale $9m

SP Corey Kluber $4.5M

SP Max Scherzer $15M

SP Ervin Santana

SP Jose Berrios

 

Add in a couple relievers

 

RP Craig Kimberl $11M

RP Andrew miller $9M

RP Kenley Janson $10M

RP Zach Britton $3.5M

 

Add in some batters

 

OF Bryce Harper $14M

OF Mike Trout $15M

1B Paul Goldschmidt $1M

My new team would be as follows:

 

SP Scherzer

SP Kluber

SP Sale

SP Santana

SP Berrios

 

RP kimbrel

RP Britton

RP miller

RP Mieja

RP Booshers

RP kintzler

CP JansAn

 

1B Goldschmidt

2B Dozier

3B Sano

SS polanco

DH Mauer

OF Harper

OF Trout

OF Kepler

C. Castro

 

Bench: Buxton, Rosario, Escobar, Gimenez

[GP830]

 

I'm not sure if this is an insinuation that no pitcher is worth that much, and it absolutely won't work? The Cardinals, Giants, Red Sox, and Yankees, who have basically dominated The World Series the past 20 years, all pay for pitching.

Even the the other teams you'll see on the list: D-Backs, Angels, Marlins, Phillies, etc had big salary pitchers in their rotation.

No! My insinuation is that we need pitchers who make a difference, just like all of those teams. 

 

But I was also being irreverent.

[old nurse]

 

While watching star after star coming to bat against the Twins, I checked the opening day salaries for the 30 MLB teams.  The Bosox were essentially $200 million ($199.8), while the Twins were at $108 million.

 

This could lead to at least five threads, but for purposes of this conversation, I'd like to DEFER the following:

 

1. Yes, but, the Twins will have a number of large contracts upcoming (as will every other team, including the Bosox, like Benentendi)
2. Will ownership ever spend enough?
3. And, to continue a rant, 20% of the $108 is tied up in two pitchers who will never contribute
4. One always overpays for free agents.

Deferring those conversations (but others are welcome to take up those torches), I ask a fantasy question: 

 

How could the Twins spend $92 million?

 

By the way, if ten teams make it to the playoffs each year, the 9th (Nationals) and 10th (Orioles) in payroll are both around $165 million, so one can limit your budget to a mere $57 million.

 

http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/heres-every-mlb-teams-opening-day-payroll-for-2017/

Where is the revenue going to come from? The limiting factor to spending is revenue. With the 200 million more in revenue Boston can spend a lot more.

[Taildragger8791]

 

Where is the revenue going to come from? The limiting factor to spending is revenue. With the 200 million more in revenue Boston can spend a lot more.

 

You could start by fielding a competitive team that packs the stands instead of leaving them half empty, and then negotiating a competitive TV deal when it comes due in 2023.

That's probably $75 million in revenue right there.

[Mr. Brooks]

I'd buy you a fur coat.

(But not a real fur coat, that's cruel.)

[Dr. Evil]

Pack the clubhouse with energy drinks. Nos and Monster Energy in bulk before every game!!!!

[DaveW]

I'd sign 92 "veteran" pitchers who haven't been effective in years.

[tarheeltwinsfan]

Construct a retractable roof for Target Field. That was so very short-sighted to fail to do this. It would pay for itself when folks know that they will definitely get to see a ball game after traveling from the Dakotas, Wisconsin, Idaho, or the far reaches of southern Minnesota. The Twins are a regional team. I'm a huge Twins fan and have traveled to Minneapolis from North Carolina for some games at the Metro Dome, but I'm not going to fly to Minneapolis, book a room and buy tickets where there is a chance the dad-gum game will be rained out, especially in April, October or early November. Plus we wouldn't have to play any more make-up double hitters where the Twins starting pitcher is "Johnny Twenty-six".