3 Reasons Why the Twins Are a More Attractive Buy Than the White Sox

[Cody Christie]

Two AL Central rivals, the Twins and White Sox, are searching for new ownership. Here’s why the Twins are a more attractive buy than their counterparts from the southside of Chicago. 

 

Image courtesy of Flickr/Jen Gallardo

With the 2024 MLB season in the rearview mirror, two iconic AL Central franchises find themselves at a crossroads. Both the Minnesota Twins and Chicago White Sox have been put up for sale. For potential buyers, these teams offer the allure of owning a big-league team with a storied history. However, regarding which team is the more attractive option, the Twins clearly have the upper hand over their division rivals. From a better big-league roster to a top-tier farm system and a world-class ballpark, the Twins are positioned to offer a significantly more promising investment.

1. A Superior Major League Roster
The Twins finished the 2024 season on a disappointing note, but even in a down year, their roster is much closer to contention than the White Sox's. The Twins boast a strong core of established veterans and emerging stars. Players like Carlos Correa and Byron Buxton have proven they can be elite when healthy. Meanwhile, Pablo López, Bailey Ober, and Joe Ryan are three of the AL’s top starting pitchers. Jhoan Duran and Griffin Jax are two of the best late-innings relievers, giving the Twins top-end talent at critical positions.

Contrast this with the White Sox, a team in a tailspin since their ill-fated rebuild began to unravel, including a record-breaking 121 losses last season. While Chicago still features big names like Luis Robert Jr., the roster lacks depth, cohesion, and a sense of direction. There's also no clear core, with key players like Yoán Moncada struggling to meet expectations. Chicago's front office has consistently failed to develop talent or make shrewd acquisitions to bolster their lineup, which means a potential buyer is looking at a longer and more expensive rebuild compared to the Twins.

2. Farm System: A Clear Edge for Minnesota
The Twins have one of baseball’s best farm systems and are far ahead of the White Sox. Minnesota's minor league pipeline offers a range of exciting prospects, led by names like Walker Jenkins, Emmanuel Rodriguez, and David Festa. The Twins have consistently churned out solid contributors from their farm system, as evidenced by the recent success of players like Royce Lewis and Matt Wallner. Even with the likely departure of some veterans, these young players provide optimism that the team can quickly reload.

The White Sox, on the other hand, are in a much more precarious position. Their farm system ranks near the middle of the league, a byproduct of poor drafting and development and failed trades. While prospects like Colson Montgomery and Noah Schultz provide some glimmers of hope, the depth isn’t there. A buyer taking over the White Sox would have to invest heavily in rebuilding the player development pipeline, something the Twins have already done successfully.

Minnesota's scouting and development system has proven adaptable, even as MLB trends evolve. The ability to identify international talent (think Emmanuel Rodriguez) and develop high-upside draft picks has made their farm system more reliable, setting them up for sustained success. In contrast, Chicago’s system remains the poster child of inconsistent player development.

3. Target Field vs. Guaranteed Rate Field
Perhaps the most visible reason the Twins are a more attractive buy than the White Sox is the ballpark experience. Target Field, nestled in downtown Minneapolis, is regarded as one of the finest stadiums in Major League Baseball. Since its opening in 2010, it has received accolades for its fan-friendly design, sightlines, and incorporation of local culture and aesthetics. It's a ballpark that continues to be updated, even when the team isn’t contending, offering a lively atmosphere with excellent amenities.

On the south side of Chicago, Guaranteed Rate Field has undergone several renovations but feels outdated and lacks the same charm or appeal. Its suburban location means the ballpark experience often lacks the energy of urban stadiums like Target Field. Fan attendance has steadily declined, and the overall ballpark experience is often cited as why fans may be hesitant to return, even in good years.

When prospective buyers look at these two franchises, they’ll recognize that Target Field provides a superior fan experience, which can help bring fans to the ballpark when the team is in contention. The Twins’ ownership has invested in making the ballpark an essential part of the team's identity, while the White Sox have struggled to create a comparable experience.

Both the Twins and White Sox present intriguing opportunities for a prospective buyer looking to break into Major League Baseball ownership. But the Twins clearly offer a better immediate return on investment. They have a stronger major league roster that can compete in 2025 and beyond, a deeper farm system that provides a sustainable future, and one of the most beloved ballparks in the game.

While the White Sox may be a bigger market team, the challenges facing their roster and organization mean a much longer path back to relevance. In contrast, a well-managed Twins team could quickly return to playoff contention. For buyers who want both a profitable investment and a team with a clear road to success, Minnesota is the better option, hands down.

Do you think the Twins are more attractive to potential buyers? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. 

 

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[thelanges5]

Can we start a Twins Daily GoFundMe to buy the Twins?

[Cory Engelhardt]

The stadium is a big one, but having a strong farm system is certainly a bonus. 

 

[CRF]

I don't think there's any doubt that the Twins are a more attractive buy....now let's hope we find a buyer that wants to prioritize the team and get to the next level!

[tony&rodney]

One would think that Chicago, with its large market, would have more long term potential for financial gain. Chicago is a rambunctious sports town and there is a ton of money to support any team.

I do agree that the Twins have a better roster, milb system, and stadium. I don't mind the South Side park at all but Target Field is really quite a nice place. 

What is the price for each team would be a big factor in who finds either an attractive investment. It seems like the high prices today make buying a professional team a hobby or splurge, which is easy enough for the wealthiest of people. I imagine Bezos would hardly flinch at paying $1.5 billion for a team and not care if the team made or lost money. Then again, business folks are in the habit of making sound monetary decisions most of their life. I guess one could say that buying a sports franchise could be akin to purchasing an island, ranch, or other seemingly senseless expenditure. I doubt we will see Warren Buffett cast an eye towards sports. 

[Squirrel]

On 10/17/2024 at 8:03 AM, Cody Christie said:

On the south side of Chicago, Guaranteed Rate Field has undergone several renovations but feels outdated and lacks the same charm or appeal. Its suburban location means the ballpark experience often lacks the energy of urban stadiums like Target Field. Fan attendance has steadily declined, and the overall ballpark experience is often cited as why fans may be hesitant to return, even in good years.

Guaranteed rate is not suburban. Not even close. It's just not downtown. That said, Target Field is a WAY better stadium. Still, I would prefer Guaranteed Rate over Wrigley. 

[DJL44]

24 minutes ago, tony&rodney said:

I doubt we will see Warren Buffett cast an eye towards sports. 

Warren Buffet owns a piece of the Braves and previously owned 25% of the Omaha minor league team.

[bean5302]

The White Sox are the dramatically more attractive team to purchase. It's not even close. Bigger market currently, expiring stadium deal, enormous room for revenue growth.

Prospective baseball franchise owners are looking for a few things.
1) Prestige in general. Any MLB team grants this.
2) Financial growth potential for the investment.
3) Flexibility to explore options for returns on investment.

Things prospective baseball franchise owners do not care about.
1) Farm system rankings
2) Front office construction
3) How good the team is or is expected to be next year.
4) Roster, apart from long term contracts which are major liabilities

The White Sox are going to get a new stadium soon, and the stadium does not have to be in Chicago. Wherever that stadium goes, billions and billions of dollars will be made in the surrounding real estate. A prospective owner looking to bring MLB to their city wouldn't even be interested in the Twins, who aren't going anywhere for 15 years. There's also much more potential revenue in Chicago than Minneapolis. It's a dramatically larger and more prestigious market in every conceivable way.

White Sox = a franchise with bottomed out value, with dramatically more revenue growth potential, with dramatically more profit potential, with a more prestigious market, with a new stadium almost certainly coming, which can also be potentially moved to a new market in the near future.

This article is written as if a TwinsDaily reader/contributor or general baseball fan is shopping to buy an MLB franchise with the hopes of winning a World Series in 2025 or 2026.

[tony&rodney]

1 hour ago, DJL44 said:

Warren Buffet owns a piece of the Braves and previously owned 25% of the Omaha minor league team.

Should have been specific about new purchases. I was aware of his former buy ins at decent prices.

[Ryan_K]

White Sox are easily more attractive, not stuck in a lease so a) they can relocate b) Chicago much larger market for local revenue. Either way WS have path to local development opportunities that twins don't.

 

other factors mentioned are transitory: farm, MLB roster nothing sticky about either one of those

[DJL44]

1 hour ago, bean5302 said:

The White Sox are the dramatically more attractive team to purchase. It's not even close. Bigger market currently, expiring stadium deal, enormous room for revenue growth.

Prospective baseball franchise owners are looking for a few things.
1) Prestige in general. Any MLB team grants this.
2) Financial growth potential for the investment.
3) Flexibility to explore options for returns on investment.

#2 and #3 usually boil down to additional real estate that the team can develop around the stadium. The Pohlads already developed the real estate around Target Field. 

Meanwhile...

Renderings of Related Midwest’s The 78, White Sox Stadium (therealdeal.com)

[TwinsDr2021]

The only thing that might make the Twins more attractive is the Price tag, that is it, the rest of the things are homers being homers.

[sweetmusicviola16]

If I was a billionare, which I'm not, and had the money and desire for an MLB team I'm buying the White Sox and it's not even close. White Sox are a disaster due to present owner. The only reason I buy the Twins is if I miss on CWS or I have close ties to MSP. If you have the money you don't pass on the 3rd biggest market in the US. Not for Minneapolis. You take it in the shorts on the field for 3-4 years and build the team up to your standards. The White Sox should be the dominate team in the division and have the longterm potential to be that. The Central division teams should actually be nervous about the Sox being run by a competent management/ownership. 2024 is over. But the Royals of all teams showed how fast you can turn it around in just one or two seasons. CWS all the way, even though I can't stand them.

[Brandon]

The big negative for prospective Twins buyers is the large number of competing local teams for the sports dollars.  Wild, Timberwolves, Vikings, U of M., Saint Paul Saints, Lynx, ….

[Squirrel]

3 hours ago, bean5302 said:

The White Sox are going to get a new stadium soon, and the stadium does not have to be in Chicago. Wherever that stadium goes, billions and billions of dollars will be made in the surrounding real estate. A prospective owner looking to bring MLB to their city wouldn't even be interested in the Twins, who aren't going anywhere for 15 years. There's also much more potential revenue in Chicago than Minneapolis. It's a dramatically larger and more prestigious market in every conceivable way.

The stadium does not have to be in Chicago ... yet, there's so much more potential revenue in Chicago? Which is it? Are they leaving Chicago for a new stadium, or staying because of the potential revenue?

The White Sox will either have to get a stadium in the suburbs, funded by that suburb, or they will be sold and moved to another state. They will not get a new stadium in the city unless the owners finance it themselves with a partner. They are trying to get something, in my neighborhood in fact, but it's not going to happen. The fan base for the White Sox has waned greatly in recent years and there would have to be something dramatic done to win them back, if they stay here. They are pretty much dead last behind all the other professional sports teams here, including soccer and wnba. 

[Squirrel]

1 hour ago, DJL44 said:

#2 and #3 usually boil down to additional real estate that the team can develop around the stadium. The Pohlads already developed the real estate around Target Field. 

Meanwhile...

Renderings of Related Midwest’s The 78, White Sox Stadium (therealdeal.com)

Let me tell you about Related Midwest ... they've had that parcel for a very long time. Cleared it out, got a road built through the middle of it, then have done nothing with it. One of (their only) anchor, backed out of building there. They don't know what to do with it. It's been sitting dead for a long time with no plan. Reinsdorf wants the city to build a stadium there so that he and the developers can then make a **** ton of money developing the rest of that parcel. So they worked together to build a 'mock up' of how the stadium might fit there. The city has given them NO INDICATION of supporting this, none. They want the city to build it so they can make money on the rest of the land. It's not going to happen. Seriously. Not happening. Reinsdorf and the White Sox still owe the city a ton of money in bonds for Guaranteed Rate. And the way the fanbase thinks of the team right now, if Reinsdorf sells, it's likely the team will be moved elsewhere. Unless MLB blocks that. The city has no money for this and the city will not support this. If a stadium gets built there, Reinsdorf and Related Midwest will need to find private financing.

[bean5302]

39 minutes ago, Squirrel said:

The stadium does not have to be in Chicago ... yet, there's so much more potential revenue in Chicago? Which is it? Are they leaving Chicago for a new stadium, or staying because of the potential revenue?

The White Sox will either have to get a stadium in the suburbs, funded by that suburb, or they will be sold and moved to another state. They will not get a new stadium in the city unless the owners finance it themselves with a partner. They are trying to get something, in my neighborhood in fact, but it's not going to happen. The fan base for the White Sox has waned greatly in recent years and there would have to be something dramatic done to win them back, if they stay here. They are pretty much dead last behind all the other professional sports teams here, including soccer and wnba. 

It's both. For a buyer not necessarily interested in moving the team, they'll get a new stadium soon. For a buyer who is interested in moving the team, they'll be able to justify the move. Chicago will not let the White Sox leave town without serious efforts to retain them, regardless of whether or not a new stadium is a popular idea currently.

[Squirrel]

25 minutes ago, bean5302 said:

It's both. For a buyer not necessarily interested in moving the team, they'll get a new stadium soon. For a buyer who is interested in moving the team, they'll be able to justify the move. Chicago will not let the White Sox leave town without serious efforts to retain them, regardless of whether or not a new stadium is a popular idea currently.

They will not get a new stadium that the city and state pay for. That has already been made abundantly clear to them. The city does not have money for that. If they build a new stadium, it will need to be  privately financed. And the city of late has been rather indifferent about the Sox. Take any survey and the Sox are dead last among people out of all the professional sports teams in Chicago.

[Dave Borton]

I see WSox selling at fire-sale price. Reinsdorf has bled it dry, with the club striking the MLB record for worst team ever and sitting in the bottom 1/3 of prospect rankings.

Nashville? 1st Horizon can't be expanded beyond its 10,000 capacity. Room for stadium downtown near where NFL plays.

Move it.
 

[bean5302]

30 minutes ago, Squirrel said:

They will not get a new stadium that the city and state pay for. That has already been made abundantly clear to them. The city does not have money for that. If they build a new stadium, it will need to be  privately financed. And the city of late has been rather indifferent about the Sox. Take any survey and the Sox are dead last among people out of all the professional sports teams in Chicago.

Then they'll move the team because another location will give them a new stadium. Doesn't matter to me.

[The Great Hambino]

40 minutes ago, Squirrel said:

They will not get a new stadium that the city and state pay for. That has already been made abundantly clear to them. The city does not have money for that. If they build a new stadium, it will need to be  privately financed. And the city of late has been rather indifferent about the Sox. Take any survey and the Sox are dead last among people out of all the professional sports teams in Chicago.

They might not get one now, but these things change.   The threat of relocation has gotten many cities to build stadiums that they previously had no appetite for.  How many NFL stadiums were funded by the boogeyman called Los Angeles during the city's period without a team?  Leadership also changes.  All it takes is the right mayor/county commissioner/governor/city council getting greased at the right time to push a stadium funding bill through - sometimes against the will of the public.  And citywide indifference didn't prevent St Pete from putting up another monument to public inefficiency in a spot no one wanted.  Can the Sox get public funding for a new stadium right now?  No.  But the relocation threat is very abstract and distant right now.  Let's see what happens when a new ownership group has a deal outlined with Nashville ready to go.

And that is one of the things that makes the White Sox franchise more attractive to a potential buyer than the Twins:  multiple potential avenues for that sweet sweet public money. 

[USNMCPO]

I seem to remember reading that Reinsdorf only owns 19% of the WS but even at that, he is the majority owner. That means a whole bunch of folks own a little piece of the team. Billionaires (as if I know anything about them) don't seem to be fond of owning a little bit of something. They want the whole enchilada or at least over 50% control. That puts a lot of strain on making a deal.

[Squirrel]

26 minutes ago, The Great Hambino said:

They might not get one now, but these things change.   The threat of relocation has gotten many cities to build stadiums that they previously had no appetite for.  How many NFL stadiums were funded by the boogeyman called Los Angeles during the city's period without a team?  Leadership also changes.  All it takes is the right mayor/county commissioner/governor/city council getting greased at the right time to push a stadium funding bill through - sometimes against the will of the public.  And citywide indifference didn't prevent St Pete from putting up another monument to public inefficiency in a spot no one wanted.  Can the Sox get public funding for a new stadium right now?  No.  But the relocation threat is very abstract and distant right now.  Let's see what happens when a new ownership group has a deal outlined with Nashville ready to go.

And that is one of the things that makes the White Sox franchise more attractive to a potential buyer than the Twins:  multiple potential avenues for that sweet sweet public money. 

The Sox do not have public support. Most of the fans nowadays are ready to say ‘buh bye’ because Reinsdorf has killed virtually all of their fan base. I have lived here a long time and I haven’t seen their fandom any lower. They are the least popular pro sports team in all of Chicago, including soccer and the wnba. There won’t be much outrage if they leave, so there is no leverage to hold over anyone with the threat of moving. Say hello to the Nashville Sox.

[Squirrel]

55 minutes ago, bean5302 said:

Then they'll move the team because another location will give them a new stadium. Doesn't matter to me.

That is my prediction of what will happen.

[The Great Hambino]

26 minutes ago, Squirrel said:

The Sox do not have public support. Most of the fans nowadays are ready to say ‘buh bye’ because Reinsdorf has killed virtually all of their fan base. I have lived here a long time and I haven’t seen their fandom any lower. They are the least popular pro sports team in all of Chicago, including soccer and the wnba. There won’t be much outrage if they leave, so there is no leverage to hold over anyone with the threat of moving. Say hello to the Nashville Sox.

And that very well may hold true facing direct threat of relocation.  If I had to bet, I'd say Nashville Sox is more likely than a new Chicago stadium (unless MLB's expansion timeline is quicker than a Sox sale, but that's a discussion for another day).  I'm just saying, historically, communities have blinked in the relocation staring contest.  Chicago hasn't had to face that yet.

But the main point is there's a much easier path to heavily-subsidized commercial real estate development with their franchise (wherever it may come from), which makes them more attractive to a potential buyer than the Twins

[LyleCole]

Except the local revenue value of Chicago is worth much more than the Twins.  Local sports revenues in Minnesota are small relative to their market size.

[Jocko87]

The only factor the Twins have over the White Sox is the buyer having an affinity for the Twins and maybe a lower price.

The roster and farm system matter very little.  We aren't buying for today.

If you look at it from a value add standpoint,  which you should, the Pale Hose are like buying a tear down on Park Avenue. The Twins are good bones on Marvin Gardens.

The White Sox announcement hurts the Twins, probably.

[DJL44]

16 hours ago, Squirrel said:

The city has given them NO INDICATION of supporting this, none. They want the city to build it so they can make money on the rest of the land. It's not going to happen. Seriously. Not happening. 

Sounds like they haven't made the right campaign donations.

[DJL44]

14 hours ago, USNMCPO said:

I seem to remember reading that Reinsdorf only owns 19% of the WS but even at that, he is the majority owner. That means a whole bunch of folks own a little piece of the team. Billionaires (as if I know anything about them) don't seem to be fond of owning a little bit of something. They want the whole enchilada or at least over 50% control. That puts a lot of strain on making a deal.

Counterpoint - what other MLB team offers a controlling interest for just 19% of the purchase price?

[mluebker]

17 hours ago, Squirrel said:

The stadium does not have to be in Chicago ... yet, there's so much more potential revenue in Chicago? Which is it? Are they leaving Chicago for a new stadium, or staying because of the potential revenue?

A new White Sox stadium near the intersections of major highways west of the city and close to a Metra line could draw from the city, the western and southern suburbs, and even southern Wisconsin. And that’s still considered the Chicago media market and metro area, so the potential revenue still would be there.

A similar case probably could be made for northern Indiana.