The Short-Sighted Twins Ownership is Costing Themselves More Than They Think

[Matthew Taylor]

The Minnesota Twins entered 2024 with all the momentum of a fanbase reignited after years of disappointment. But ownership’s decision to slash payroll to save money in the short term is a costly mistake. In the long run, they’re losing far more than they ever hoped to save.

The Minnesota Twins are coming off their most successful season in nearly two decades. Just last year, the Twins re-signed Carlos Correa to the largest contract in franchise history. That bold move set the tone for a season where they dominated the AL Central, coasting to a nine-game division lead. In the postseason, they finally shed the weight of their 0-18 playoff curse, securing their first playoff win in almost 20 years. It wasn’t just a victory on the field—it was a victory for the fans.

Target Field was electric. The crowds were massive, sold out, and loud. The atmosphere was unlike anything we’ve ever seen. The team’s eventual loss to the defending champion Houston Astros in the ALDS didn’t matter as much as the bigger picture: baseball was back in Minnesota. This team had restored the excitement of an entire fanbase, a group of fans who had been hesitant to fully invest after years of postseason disappointment.

After the season ended, the Twins penned a letter to their fans that captured the sentiment: "Imagine what next season could be." It felt like 2023 was the start of something special. With Byron Buxton locked into a long-term deal, Correa back, Pablo López emerging as an ace, and Royce Lewis blossoming, it seemed like Minnesota baseball was heading into an era of greatness. The state was ready to embrace this team like never before.

Then, just as quickly as the excitement built, ownership decided to undercut it.

In a baffling move, Derek Falvey announced that the front office would be operating under a significantly reduced payroll. The Twins had just reinvigorated their fanbase, put baseball back in the spotlight, and shown a clear path forward—and yet, they decided to cut back. Falvey said in November 2023, "We’ve pushed our payroll to heights that we had never pushed it before with the support, certainly, of ownership. We know there is some natural ebb and flow to that...Will it be where it was last year? I don’t expect that. I expect it less than that."

Sure enough, the Twins slashed more than $30 million off the payroll, citing concerns over the murky television contract situation and other financial pressures. The front office’s hands were tied, unable to add the depth necessary to maintain and build upon the team’s success. Fans, fresh off falling back in love with the Twins, were alienated just a month after the playoff exit.

And we all know how the season turned out. The Twins got off to a nice start, but as injuries and inevitable slumps came, the lack of depth—directly tied to the payroll cut—exposed them. By the end of the season, the team crumbled, missing the playoffs entirely, and the discontent among fans hit new heights.

The root of the problem is simple: the Pohlads treat the Twins like just another business in their portfolio. Joe Pohlad essentially confirmed this when he told The Athletic's Aaron Gleeman, "I view my job as running our business on behalf of this team and our fans." So, instead of capitalizing on the momentum from a thrilling 2023 season, they made a short-sighted decision to cut costs. They thought trimming $30 million off the payroll was the best way to recoup lost revenue.

Here’s the irony: this move will end up costing them far more than they saved.

First, attendance at Target Field dropped in 2024 compared to 2023. How does that happen after the most successful season in years? Simple. Fans don’t want to support a team that ownership won’t invest in, especially when that ownership's lack of investment is partially to blame for poor on-field performance. Second, by missing the playoffs, the Twins forfeited the enormous revenue that comes from postseason baseball—money that easily dwarfs the $30 million they trimmed from the payroll.

Lastly, and most damaging in the long run, they’re losing out on the next generation of fans. Think back to the season that made you a lifelong Twins fan. We all have one—the season that captured our hearts and kept us coming back, year after year. For me, it was 2002. There was something magical about that year, when the Twins made the ALCS and the Metrodome was absolutely rocking. As a nine-year-old, they had me hooked for life. I’m sure many of you have your own version of that season—a time when the energy of the team, the excitement of the games, and the bond with the community sealed the deal.

For so many fans, that moment happens in their formative years, when they’re young and impressionable, searching for something to latch onto. But for the younger generation of potential Twins fans, this season wasn't that year. There was no magic, no momentum, and no reason for them to make that lifelong connection with this team. And if the ownership continues down this path, cutting payroll and letting the team flounder, that magical season may not come around for them at all.

Even worse, this is a self-perpetuating cycle. The payroll cut led to a worse product on the field, which led to fewer fans at the ballpark. Lower attendance means less revenue, and what have the Pohlads shown they’ll do in response? Cut payroll again. It’s short-sighted, damaging, and a disservice to a state that has shown it’s ready to fall in love with this team.

Ownership is saving a medium-sized amount of money now, but they’re losing much, much more in the long run. The Minnesota Twins were primed for investment. This team was ripe to capture a new generation of fans and create something special. Instead, they’ve chosen to chase short-term savings, alienating fans, and halting momentum.

It’s all incredibly disappointing. At this point, all we can hope for is a change of heart from the Pohlads, because if they stay the course, things are only going to get worse.

How do you feel about the ownership’s decisions? Leave a comment below and let’s start the conversation.

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[CRF]

Matthew...you hit the nail right on the head. 

[thelanges5]

Pretty clear that Joe isn’t the reason that the Pohlads are billionaires. Extremely shortsighted decision that cost them in 2024, 2025, and probably beyond. 

[BH67]

An introductory microeconomics course shows that a competitive advantage based on reduced cost more than product improvement is unsustainable. Competitors eventually create more desirable products at costs only slightly higher than the cost-cutter, with demand and revenue shifting toward the better product en masse. And that's the issue with the Twins -- well written, Matthew.

Moreover, current Twins product comparisons with the Padres or Guardians are less significant than those with the Vikings or Timberwolves. Harder to ignore when the evident alternative will be available at your doorstep from now until next June.

[tony&rodney]

46 minutes ago, BH67 said:

An introductory microeconomics course shows that a competitive advantage based on reduced cost more than product improvement is unsustainable. Competitors eventually create more desirable products at costs only slightly higher than the cost-cutter, with demand and revenue shifting toward the better product en masse. And that's the issue with the Twins -- well written, Matthew.

Moreover, current Twins product comparisons with the Padres or Guardians are less significant than those with the Vikings or Timberwolves. Harder to ignore when the evident alternative will be available at your doorstep from now until next June.

Wholeheartedly agree with this take, yet find it worthwhile to add that front office general incompetence was also an important factor in the Twins demise. Falvey had options from last November and he whiffed. There was a real quadrangle of failure between owners, front office, field management, and players all succumbing to earn the final result. 

I'm interested to see how this group moves forward to keep ahead of the White Sox.

[NotAboutWinning]

This ownership group and FO could not have picked a worse time to face-plant. They crushed fan and team morale while the Central Division looks to be more competitive going forward than it has been in years!

[Fire Dan Gladden]

[terrydactyls]

Thank God the White Sox are in the Central Division.  If not, the Twins would looking at last place finishes for the foreseeable future.

[The Great Hambino]

Have you seen Tires on Netflix?  Joe Pohlad is Will

[Mark G]

Joe strikes me as being very young and inexperienced; he hasn't learned the art of whipping up a really good word salad that makes you feel good but tells you nothing.  He just needs to spend a little time around Falvey until he picks up enough pointers to hold his own press conferences again.  😉

As for the business side of things, between him and Dave I am surprised the business is still standing.  Doling  out 3 major contracts tying up between 70 and 80 mil a year, then crying poverty the minute the team needs one more push to get them to the top; will the real Joe Pohlad please stand up?  

[nclahammer]

Bingo el Ringo!  Spot on! 

[tarheeltwinsfan]

3 of the 4 American League teams remaining in the playoffs have salary totals less than the Twins (Cleveland at $106 million; Detroit at $98 million; KC at $122 million). Only the Yankees have a higher payroll of he American League teams remaining in the playoffs at $309 million. If I were the owner of the Twins,  I would be asking this question of Derek Falvey and Thad Levine, Dave St. Peter and Rocco Baldelli: "How did Baltimore at $109 million, Cleveland at $106 million, Kansas City at $123 million, and Detroit at $98 million make the American League playoffs and my Twins with a salary of $130,000,000 did not?". 

[P Meyer]

3 hours ago, tarheeltwinsfan said:

3 of the 4 American League teams remaining in the playoffs have salary totals less than the Twins (Cleveland at $106 million; Detroit at $98 million; KC at $122 million). Only the Yankees have a higher payroll of he American League teams remaining in the playoffs at $309 million. If I were the owner of the Twins,  I would be asking this question of Derek Falvey and Thad Levine, Dave St. Peter and Rocco Baldelli: "How did Baltimore at $109 million, Cleveland at $106 million, Kansas City at $123 million, and Detroit at $98 million make the American League playoffs and my Twins with a salary of $130,000,000 did not?". 

In reality the correct answer to this is that payroll should be fluid. When you have an influx of young talent that is inexpensive and producing, your payroll can be lower. If you begin to have fewer players who are cheap and producing at a high level, your payroll may need to increase. The idea is that you spend to fill in your gaps until you no longer have to.

[BillyBallLives]

3 hours ago, tarheeltwinsfan said:

How did Baltimore at $109 million, Cleveland at $106 million, Kansas City at $123 million, and Detroit at $98 million make the American League playoffs and my Twins with a salary of $130,000,000 did not?". 

A VERY Good question..

37% of the Twins budget was spent on two part-time players. ( Correa/ Buxton)

If you look at the other teams you mentioned, you'll probably see a much better balance on how the money was spent. 

[S Bart]

19 hours ago, tony&rodney said:

Wholeheartedly agree with this take, yet find it worthwhile to add that front office general incompetence was also an important factor in the Twins demise. Falvey had options from last November and he whiffed. There was a real quadrangle of failure between owners, front office, field management, and players all succumbing to earn the final result. 

I'm interested to see how this group moves forward to keep ahead of the White Sox.

Announced today that there will be no more coaching changes. As was stated on Skor North today, the rest of them are buddies...

[S Bart]

56 minutes ago, BillyBallLives said:

A VERY Good question..

37% of the Twins budget was spent on two part-time players. ( Correa/ Buxton)

If you look at the other teams you mentioned, you'll probably see a much better balance on how the money was spent. 

Can they save money and not hire a replacement for Levine? It's a penny in the budget?

Any truth in the rumor that the owner is going to ask for fans to donate money to help hire good players next year? Has a GoFundme page been established?

[KBJ1]

Kc seems to make the most of their young talent when it comes around, the Twins do not.

KC spent money this year and got the pieces they needed, the Twins did not.

Detroit is a complete fluke, yet here they are.

The long term affect is the KC fans suffer through many miserable seasons, but get rewarded when the teams window of opportunity opens.

Twins fans are perpetually teased by good, not great teams and then are continually let down by ownership when the teams window of opportunity arrives.

[LambchoP]

I'm guessing we see more of the same this off-season. They say they're not going to CUT payroll, but with all the raises in arbitration everyone is getting, it will basically leave our payroll in the same place after dumping guys like Kepler, Margot, Farmer and Theilbar. There will be nothing left over to sign new players and ownership will just play up the "all the young talent coming up" card. Trying to convince us fans we don't need to sign any new players. Sad, really sad this team was in a great place coming off the playoff win in 23 :(