Front Page: The Five Stages of Twins Free Agency Grief

[RandBalls Stu]

We go through this every year, regardless of who’s running the team or what the needs are. Yes the needs are always “starting pitching” and “no, really, starting pitching” but that’s not the point. You need skills to deal with the anguish and senselessness of the whole unforgiving enterprise. Understanding what you’re feeling is the first step.DENIAL (Twins fans on Monday): “They’re not really going to stand pat. They’re playing the long game. Those guys know what they’re doing, and they have a plan. They know there are holes to fill, they know the money is there to fill them, and they’ll improve what is already a playoff team into something truly formidable. We just have to be a little bit patient, that’s all.”

 

ANGER (Twins fans right this minute): “WTFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF. They didn’t sign anyone?!? We got a backup catcher and a guy who can’t pitch until May WTFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF. DAMMIT. DAMMIT. I’m going to walk around the block a couple times. Everyone is getting better except for us. No. I refuse to accept this. I’m going to write an angry tweet and/or Facebook post. Punctuation and grammar will not be faithfully observed. WTFFFFFFFFFFFF.”

 

BARGAINING (Twins fans next week): “I don’t understand. I thought they’d land at least one of the marquee pitchers. You thought so too, right? It made all the sense in the world. I have a whiteboard in the garage that lays out all the options quite nicely. I bet if they just looked at it and I laid out how the years and money make sense they’d realize they need to do something. My buddy Hans does math stuff for them, I bet if I sent him an email, he could let Falvey and Levine know, and they’d come over and we could talk about it. I could order pizza. I wonder what toppings they’d like. I’ll ask Hans.”

 

DEPRESSION (Twins fans from roughly Christmas-New Year’s Day): “Welp. Guess that’s what happens when you’re the dumbest guy in Idiot Town. I knew they wouldn’t do anything and I still told myself they would. Stupid, stupid, stupid. Can’t wait for a DoorDash driver to start the wild card game next year. If we even get that far. So dumb. Hate everything. Gonna just drive around the interstate for a while, not really going anywhere. Idiot.”

 

ACCEPTANCE (Twins fans from roughly Jan. 2-pitchers & catchers reporting): “These contracts really are ridiculous. I suppose they’re going to see how the trade market looks and make their move then. I wouldn’t have given (bananas contract from, like, the Padres or Diamondbacks) to Tanner Roark either. Honestly after (whatever horrific way in which the Vikings season ended and/or the sheer hammering ferocity of the latest winter storm) I’m just glad baseball is back soon. Go Twins!”

 

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[MN_ExPat]

OMG, that is one of the funniest things I have read in a long time . TY RandBalls Stu.

[bighat]

Lots of Twins fans out there trying to convince themselves that Devin Smeltzer is the next Rich Hill and Randy Dobnak is the next Matt Cain or whatever.

 

Anything to help ourselves believe that not signing a big name SP was for the best. Because at this point, the Twins aren't getting MadBum or Ryu and deep down we all know it.

[MN_ExPat]

Lots of Twins fans out there trying to convince themselves that Devin Smeltzer is the next Rich Hill and Randy Dobnak is the next Matt Cain or whatever.

 

Anything to help ourselves believe that not signing a big name SP was for the best. Because at this point, the Twins aren't getting MadBum or Ryu and deep down we all know it.

It’s close enough to Christmas for the Depression Stage, so that makes sense. Don’t worry Bighat, I’m here for you .

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

All the MLB front offices were polled, and it was unanimous—the Twins had the best winter meetings!

 

Three years in a row now!

[Tomj14]

It seems impossible for the Twins to be in on so many players and get none, maybe Cruz could count as one.

[jud6312]

I went to stage 3 about 2 hours into free agency. I'll probably remain there until mid-May.

[FritzDahmus]

Too be honest about all this.............nobody ever does anything over the winter or at the trade deadline....except the usual suspects [Yankees, Dodgers, Mets, Red Sox, and an annual exception]. The coastal elites [to borrow a political phrase] make all the noise.

 

It's baseball's market-size problem that the coastal teams don't want fixed. So it won't get fixed.

 

So what....lots of ways to skin a cat. But the Twins should have signed Bundy before the Angels got him. That is the type of pitcher the Twins should look for....and of course bullpen help [veterans ONLY please].

[mikelink45]

 

Too be honest about all this.............nobody ever does anything over the winter or at the trade deadline....except the usual suspects [Yankees, Dodgers, Mets, Red Sox, and an annual exception]. The coastal elites [to borrow a political phrase] make all the noise.

 

It's baseball's market-size problem that the coastal teams don't want fixed. So it won't get fixed.

 

So what....lots of ways to skin a cat. But the Twins should have signed Bundy before the Angels got him. That is the type of pitcher the Twins should look for....and of course bullpen help [veterans ONLY please].

Don't forget Atlanta, White Sox, DC, Angels all made moves too.  Baseball will never get to a point where it forces players to be in franchises they don't want other than the draft and six years of service time.  Let's just hope they do not do away with that. 

[AlwaysinModeration]

This line is pure gold:

 

“whatever horrific way in which the Vikings season ended”

[AlwaysinModeration]

I laughed, I cried.

[Dave The Dastardly]

Ahh, Grasshopper! Would a wise man have a small pebble in his hand and lots of money in his back pocket, or a large rock in his hand and no money in his back pocket?

 

But Master, why would a wise man carry a pebble or a rock around in his hand? Why not put the stone in his other back pocket and leave both hands free?

 

There you go again, kid. Always taking the middle road. No way you're ever going to walk on rice paper.

[nicksaviking]

 

Lots of Twins fans out there trying to convince themselves that Devin Smeltzer is the next Rich Hill and Randy Dobnak is the next Matt Cain or whatever.

 

Anything to help ourselves believe that not signing a big name SP was for the best. Because at this point, the Twins aren't getting MadBum or Ryu and deep down we all know it.

 

Well I don't want MadBum at all, so does that mean I'm in the Bargaining or Acceptance stage?

[USAFChief]

Well I don't want MadBum at all, so does that mean I'm in the Bargaining or Acceptance stage?

yes.

[bighat]

 

Well I don't want MadBum at all, so does that mean I'm in the Bargaining or Acceptance stage?

I don't either, actually. I wanted Wheeler though. And at this point I think MadBum is better than Dobnak. He'd be an improvement over what we have.

[nicksaviking]

It seems like Dodger fans are even more angry than Twins fans. Well, anger per capita is probably equal, but there's way more Dodger fans, so their gross anger is certainly higher.

 

I hope we beat them to the Bargaining stage though because I really want to start making some trades without the Dodgers bidding us up.

[JD Green]

All we ever need is the Ghost of Christmas past, because he is the same one as the Ghost of Christmas present and future.

[SpicyGarvSauce]

 

It seems impossible for the Twins to be in on so many players and get none, maybe Cruz could count as one.

Exactly. There is no way the Twins are supposedly "engaged" on all these guys, and don't land a single one. Their level of "engagement" must be quite different than other teams.

[bighat]

 

 

 

The Twins should have signed Bundy before the Angels got him. That is the type of pitcher the Twins should look for....and of course bullpen help [veterans ONLY please].

The Angels actually traded for Bundy, he wasn't a free agent (I think). Still, at least they were out there wheelin' and dealin'.

 

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

This line is pure gold:

“whatever horrific way in which the Vikings season ended”

This year I am betting on: “Lost a playoff game to a team below .500”—Dallas or Philly

[Battle ur tail off]

 

Exactly. There is no way the Twins are supposedly "engaged" on all these guys, and don't land a single one. Their level of "engagement" must be quite different than other teams.

 

It's not their "engagement". It is the writers who tweet this stuff that make the rumors. Just once, I would like to see the TC media ask the Twins owners and FO some tough questions. Make them squirm a little bit. The mouthpiece apologetic tone in which they are handled is patronizing to life long fans. 

[Yoke]

It's like reading the previews for the next five Sportive podcasts, including the dates.

[TheMatt]

I don't know what you guys were expecting to happen this last week. It was the Winter MEETINGS, not the Winter Signings. (rimshot)

[Darius]

It's not their "engagement". It is the writers who tweet this stuff that make the rumors. Just once, I would like to see the TC media ask the Twins owners and FO some tough questions. Make them squirm a little bit. The mouthpiece apologetic tone in which they are handled is patronizing to life long fans.

If it were left at “patronizing,” that would be a good thing.

 

They openly insult the intelligence of people who think the Twins should spend some money on some good players. It’s insanity. Phil Mackey literally came out and called people “morons,” this week, based on the fact that he himself leaks rumors that they were “in on a guy.”

 

I can tell you this. I was a regular listener the SKOR North Twins show. I won’t listen to another second of it as long as that garbage hack Phil Mackey is in there.

 

Same with the ultimate hack Doogie. He’s a total loser hack (makes things up or rips them off from other people and throws “my sources tell me” or “I’m hearing” onto it, then insults people who call him out). He’s another one that I go out of my way to ensure I don’t provide a red cent, or even a click, to.

[laloesch]

well by the sounds of it, the Dodgers are in heavy discussions with Bumgarner per MLB Trade Rumors Jeff Todd and Conner Byrne. 

 

 

So what's plan B? Smeltzer, Dobnak?

[Number3]

 

This year I am betting on: “Lost a playoff game to a team below .500”—Dallas or Philly

And what did the Vikings do? I am pretty sure signed an over rated free agent named Cousins who has never/will never win a playoff game. The only decent move the Reskins have made in the last almost 2 decades or actually non move by not signing him. Great example of why you don't sign free agents to huge LONG TERM contracts.

[SwainZag]

 

And what did the Vikings do? I am pretty sure signed an over rated free agent named Cousins who has never/will never win a playoff game. The only decent move the Reskins have made in the last almost 2 decades or actually non move by not signing him. Great example of why you don't sign free agents to huge LONG TERM contracts.

 

The NFL and the MLB are very different.  MLB contracts are often times fully guaranteed, where is the NFL contracts are not.  There is also a salary cap in the NFL.  I will not get into a Cousins debate with you because we obviously have different views on that as well.  Cousins is pretty much in the Top 5 of every QB stat across the board this year.  I don't know what else a lot of Viking fans want.  

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

They want a Super Bowl homeboy?

 

[rv78]

Might as well contract MLB to 6 Teams, Yankees, Red Sox, Braves, Phillies, Angels, Dodgers. Have the other teams play in MLB2. They could be considered AAAA.

There is a major problem with $$$ in MLB right now and the only way small market teams can compete is by drafting their own talent. Screw up there and you won't compete for a long time. AND NO, making the playoffs and losing in the 1st round is NOT competing.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

 

Might as well contract MLB to 6 Teams, Yankees, Red Sox, Braves, Phillies, Angels, Dodgers. Have the other teams play in MLB2. They could be considered AAAA.

There is a major problem with $$$ in MLB right now and the only way small market teams can compete is by drafting their own talent. Screw up there and you won't compete for a long time. AND NO, making the playoffs and losing in the 1st round is NOT competing.

Okay, but when was the last time the Yankees or Angels represented the AL in the World Series? It's been a surprisingly big number of teams from between the coasts