Front Page: Twins Can Spend Themselves Into Uncharted Territory

[ashbury]

Pretty sure it's in his binders, somewhere...

I'm 100% sure of that. I still don't think he shares the info widely. Probably only in heavily redacted form even to his clients. Only what he chooses to, to us fans.

 

We can go off recent history and have a pretty good idea that whoever offers the most money wins the bid.

We get snippets, as you suggested, but it's not in the teams' collective interest to paint a clear picture. Neither if they were the high bidder and got snubbed, nor if they were second highest and "missed it by that much." None of these scenarios or a similar one is positive PR.

 

it's only fitting, since none of the sides doing the negotiations offers transparency to any of the others. "This offer isn't going to get it done - I am expecting a higher offer than that this afternoon - but I can present your offer to my client and see what he says. I suggest you add that extra year, though." "We have a couple of other players in mind, if your client is really firm about that additional year." Etc etc yadda yadda.

 

So I retain serious doubts we fans have enough information to know these things. The teams themselves may not know whether they were second or third or whatever, though they at least can compare the particulars of their own offer to what got accepted.

 

I was responding mostly to the utter certainty - probably that word "Period" is what pushed past my inertia and prompted me to reply.

[Battle ur tail off]

 

I think this misses the point. Cole and Strassburg will get the money they want wherever they go. It would require stupid money for us to outbid the competition. This FO isn't going to do that. 

 

I hope they are going hard after Wheeler and either Bungarner or Hamels. There, contract structure or dollars might swing the decision. AND we have a good story to tell of a young team on the rise with an open window that's likely to stay open for at least 2-3 years. Let the big boys fight over Cole and Strasburg and try to get these guys early in the process before the Yankees, Dodgers, etc. turn their attention to the second level. I'm reading that Atlanta - similar team, similar finances - is already going heard after both Wheeler and Bumgarner. I think its a great strategy to be early in on the second tier.

 

BTW, I'm less excited about Ryu. I live in LA and Ryu is very inconsistent, injury prone and already 33. He's not a good place to spend $100m over 4-5 years. I think someone will give him close to that. I hope it isn't the Twins.  

 

How does it miss the point though? My point is that, if you are top bidder, you will get them signed more than 75% of the time. I don't believe in this player or that player would take less money to be on the coast, etc. 

 

I'm fine with what you suggested by the way. Getting on that second tier early is probably the smartest play. There is realistically very little chance the Twins come away with Cole or Strasburg. They just won't commit the type of money needed to get them here. Make good offers to the best of the rest and let's get them before the Yankees or someone throws stupid money at them. 

 

I'm also with you on Ryu. Don't want him unless he would sign a 1-2 year deal, which he wont.