The Twins' Ownership Sale Could Reshape the Team's Future—But Only if the Front Office Avoids Short-Sighted Moves

[GM-WannaB]

The Minnesota Twins are at a turning point. The Pohlad family’s decision to sell the team comes during an offseason of financial uncertainty. Reduced revenue streams from local broadcast rights and an anticipated payroll reduction leave the front office with limited resources and significant challenges. Against this backdrop, the temptation to "go for it" in 2025 by patching roster holes with short-term fixes looms large. But would that approach truly serve the team’s future?

History has shown the dangers of short-sighted decision-making in baseball. Teams chasing marginal playoff berths with limited resources often find themselves stuck in a cycle of mediocrity, burdened by expensive contracts and depleted farm systems. For the Twins, this path could lead to a costly 2025 campaign that yields little payoff and leaves the franchise in an even weaker position by 2028.

Imagine this scenario: The Twins trade away pieces like Christian Vazquez, Chris Paddack and Willi Castro to acquire short-term solutions for 2025. They sign a mid-tier free agent whose best days are behind him, hoping for a playoff push. Arbitration costs for young players rise, while injuries or underperformance sink the season. By the time 2028 arrives, the roster is aging and expensive, and the farm system is weaker in order to offload expensive contracts. The team faces a full-scale rebuild, starting from scratch while division rivals surge ahead.

But there’s another path—one that requires patience, vision, and the courage to prioritize the long game. By embracing a dynasty-building mindset, the Twins could focus on strengthening their foundation instead of chasing fleeting success. Players like Royce Lewis and Brooks Lee represent a strong core, and trading veterans like Pablo López for high-upside prospects could fill key gaps at catcher and first base. While 2025 might not deliver a playoff berth, the team would position itself to emerge as a powerhouse within two to three years.

Picture the alternative future. By 2028, the Twins boast a roster filled with young, controllable talent at key positions. A new owner, inspired by a revitalized team and a supportive fanbase, invests in marquee free agents to push the team over the top. The result? Not just a playoff contender, but a perennial powerhouse capable of deep postseason runs year after year.

The decisions the Twins make this offseason will define which of these futures comes to pass. While the lure of a 2025 playoff chase may be strong, the smarter move is to think beyond the immediate. A patient, deliberate approach can secure the team’s long-term success, ensuring the next era of Twins baseball is one of sustained excellence rather than fleeting glory.

This isn’t just a choice about 2025—it’s a choice about who the Twins will be in 2026-2030. The question for the front office is clear: Will they take the hard road to greatness or the easy road to mediocrity?

What do you think? Should the Twins prioritize the future or push for short-term success? Let’s hear your vision for the team’s path forward.

 

[Brock Beauchamp]

I refuse to believe rebuilding is the correct answer when the team could have new owners as quickly as tomorrow.

If this team had just its 2023 budget again, they're more than marginal contenders.

[Jocko87]

If there was ever an offseason to tune out, this is it.  Nothing important will be leaked and we will know it when it happens.

[RpR]

On 12/8/2024 at 8:45 PM, GM-WannaB said:

The Minnesota Twins are at a turning point. The Pohlad family’s decision to sell the team comes during an offseason of financial uncertainty. Reduced revenue streams from local broadcast rights and an anticipated payroll reduction leave the front office with limited resources and significant challenges. Against this backdrop, the temptation to "go for it" in 2025 by patching roster holes with short-term fixes looms large. But would that approach truly serve the team’s future?

History has shown the dangers of short-sighted decision-making in baseball. Teams chasing marginal playoff berths with limited resources often find themselves stuck in a cycle of mediocrity, burdened by expensive contracts and depleted farm systems. For the Twins, this path could lead to a costly 2025 campaign that yields little payoff and leaves the franchise in an even weaker position by 2028.

Imagine this scenario: The Twins trade away pieces like Christian Vazquez, Chris Paddack and Willi Castro to acquire short-term solutions for 2025. They sign a mid-tier free agent whose best days are behind him, hoping for a playoff push. Arbitration costs for young players rise, while injuries or underperformance sink the season. By the time 2028 arrives, the roster is aging and expensive, and the farm system is weaker in order to offload expensive contracts. The team faces a full-scale rebuild, starting from scratch while division rivals surge ahead.

But there’s another path—one that requires patience, vision, and the courage to prioritize the long game. By embracing a dynasty-building mindset, the Twins could focus on strengthening their foundation instead of chasing fleeting success. Players like Royce Lewis and Brooks Lee represent a strong core, and trading veterans like Pablo López for high-upside prospects could fill key gaps at catcher and first base. While 2025 might not deliver a playoff berth, the team would position itself to emerge as a powerhouse within two to three years.

Picture the alternative future. By 2028, the Twins boast a roster filled with young, controllable talent at key positions. A new owner, inspired by a revitalized team and a supportive fanbase, invests in marquee free agents to push the team over the top. The result? Not just a playoff contender, but a perennial powerhouse capable of deep postseason runs year after year.

The decisions the Twins make this offseason will define which of these futures comes to pass. While the lure of a 2025 playoff chase may be strong, the smarter move is to think beyond the immediate. A patient, deliberate approach can secure the team’s long-term success, ensuring the next era of Twins baseball is one of sustained excellence rather than fleeting glory.

This isn’t just a choice about 2025—it’s a choice about who the Twins will be in 2026-2030. The question for the front office is clear: Will they take the hard road to greatness or the easy road to mediocrity?

What do you think? Should the Twins prioritize the future or push for short-term success? Let’s hear your vision for the team’s path forward.

 

How many years of mediocrity do you think Twins fans will tolerate; Calvin found out not very many.

[Vanimal46]

6 hours ago, Jocko87 said:

If there was ever an offseason to tune out, this is it.  Nothing important will be leaked and we will know it when it happens.

Already ahead of you. I’m not going to put a second of thought into trade proposals this winter because why would I know how other teams view our players? Fruitless exercise if you ask me. The last 2 offseasons the FO has told us nothings going to happen. Not what Twins Daily wants to hear and report, but it’s true. 

[tony&rodney]

3 minutes ago, Vanimal46 said:

The last 2 offseasons the FO has told us nothings going to happen. Not what Twins Daily wants to hear and report, but it’s true. 

Could be, could be true. This is a make or break career season for F & S in MLB. Don't worry about them though, corporate consultant markets are booming.

The Minnesota Twins and some of us will still be around though even if 2025 crashes, and on into the future too.

[chpettit19]

19 hours ago, tony&rodney said:

Could be, could be true. This is a make or break career season for F & S in MLB. Don't worry about them though, corporate consultant markets are booming.

The Minnesota Twins and some of us will still be around though even if 2025 crashes, and on into the future too.

This is absolutely not a make or break year for Falvey's career in baseball. He'd get another job in an instant if he was fired here. The Twins front office is regularly voted amongst the top 10 in baseball in anonymous executive polls. He's very well regarded.

[Mike Sixel]

3 minutes ago, chpettit19 said:

This is absolutely not a make or break year for Falvey's career in baseball. He'd get another job in an instant if he was fired here. The Twins front office is regularly voted amongst the top 10 in baseball in anonymous executive polls. He's very well regarded.

agreed.

[thelanges5]

Love to see them emphasize winning now. Of course that’s what I want as a fan, but I also think it would increase the value to any potential buyer.  
 

Unfortunately, the Pohlads are right-sizing the business, and looking to extract money from their franchise in the short term.

[tony&rodney]

2 hours ago, chpettit19 said:

This is absolutely not a make or break year for Falvey's career in baseball. He'd get another job in an instant if he was fired here. The Twins front office is regularly voted amongst the top 10 in baseball in anonymous executive polls. He's very well regarded.

We disagree on Falvey.

[tony&rodney]

On 12/10/2024 at 3:33 PM, RpR said:

How many years of mediocrity do you think Twins fans will tolerate; Calvin found out not very many.

In a fashion this was covered by an article in the past that questioned how many people were diehard Twins fans. The Twins had among the top attendance and payroll numbers at times in the 1960s. However, free agency and modern media changed the financial realities. Calvin carried numerous family members and eventually could not compete with corporate entities.

The Vikings and North Stars/Wild are well supported even when their teams are mediocre. Even the Timberwolves have been supported reasonable well considering their woeful history. Baseball in Minnesota is just not that important to very many people. The Twin Cities area is large enough for the team to draw 20,000 fans per game but they don't push above 30,000 unless they are winning with good teams. If the Twins go into a spin, the attendance could easily fall below 20,000 per game. 

Twins Daily is a baseball site. I wonder what a poll would show (of readers/members regarding their specific order of loyalties towards the Twins) when faced with choosing between the Vikings, Wild, Wolves, and Twins. I'm guessing it would be in the order of the last sentence. This reality forces the Twins to work for the money.

[RpR]

1 hour ago, tony&rodney said:

In a fashion this was covered by an article in the past that questioned how many people were diehard Twins fans. The Twins had among the top attendance and payroll numbers at times in the 1960s. However, free agency and modern media changed the financial realities. Calvin carried numerous family members and eventually could not compete with corporate entities.

The Vikings and North Stars/Wild are well supported even when their teams are mediocre. Even the Timberwolves have been supported reasonable well considering their woeful history. Baseball in Minnesota is just not that important to very many people. The Twin Cities area is large enough for the team to draw 20,000 fans per game but they don't push above 30,000 unless they are winning with good teams. If the Twins go into a spin, the attendance could easily fall below 20,000 per game. 

Twins Daily is a baseball site. I wonder what a poll would show (of readers/members regarding their specific order of loyalties towards the Twins) when faced with choosing between the Vikings, Wild, Wolves, and Twins. I'm guessing it would be in the order of the last sentence. This reality forces the Twins to work for the money.

I agree with what you said.

A main problem, ever since Bud Grant made the Vikings more than just another team, is the Minn. new channels give the Twins the least amount of time on air.

They babble on about the Vikings 12 months a year, and now it has become the same thing for the Wolves and the North Stars, oops I mean the Wild.

Max on , up here, WCCO, is the absolute worst, it seems he talks about the Twins only if he has to.

I watched part of two Vikings games this year, because they might do well, post season, but mostly because Cousins is gone; I have not watched a hockey game in 40 years, and I do not watch basketball at all. -- (Way back, before Minn. had a pro team, and I would on occasion turn a game, on fifty some years ago, I discovered no reason to watch more than the last five minutes.)

 

 

[nicksaviking]

22 hours ago, chpettit19 said:

This is absolutely not a make or break year for Falvey's career in baseball. He'd get another job in an instant if he was fired here. The Twins front office is regularly voted amongst the top 10 in baseball in anonymous executive polls. He's very well regarded.

I agree, but that's why I didn't like him getting this new role. Is his path to future employment, specifically here in MN, going to be based more on on-field success, or prudent financial management? 

With his prior position, I'd have said absolutely the first, now I'm concerned it's leaning toward the second one.

[nicksaviking]

As for the original post, I don't think there's any 'going for it' this year. They aren't raising payroll and I can't imagine anyone is under the illusion that a low budget free agent will make this team a contender.

Stripping the team to the studs (or non-studs in athlete terms) to make the cashflow attractive to new owners is my main concern.

[ashbury]

5 hours ago, tony&rodney said:

The Twins had among the top attendance and payroll numbers at times in the 1960s. However, free agency and modern media changed the financial realities.

For the first decade after the move from Washington, the team was reliably in the top 10 of attendance in the majors and often in the top 5 - never quite #1 but topping out at #3 in 1963.  (The late-1950s Senators had been routinely last in the majors or close to it.)  By 1971 the Twins' attendance had begun to decline badly, finishing in the bottom half of the majors from that year forward and nudging the very bottom repeatedly, hitting dead last 1980-82.  Since  Flood v. Kuhn Supreme Court didn't happen until 1972 and the new CBA took effect in 1976, something other than free agency triggered the franchise's problems (though arguably it contributed to further losses, and Calvin loved to point the finger at it, only making matters worse).  Things turned around some when the Dome was opened, but got truly better only when a strong and charismatic roster of players showed up.  I don't know exactly what you have in mind for "modern media".  But my interpretation is that the Twins had a strong fan base as long as the team was winning - which is kind of the opposite of my idea of a "good baseball town" that will come out and support the team through thick and thin.

[nicksaviking]

1 hour ago, ashbury said:

 But my interpretation is that the Twins had a strong fan base as long as the team was winning - which is kind of the opposite of my idea of a "good baseball town" that will come out and support the team through thick and thin.

Right, the team might want to start by not stinking up the joint in April. Having a good team may not be as compelling as the illusion of having a good team. When you don't start winning until June, I'm guessing you'll have enough casual fans that have forgotten about you by then.

Also, being on actual TVs in more homes is probably a better advertisement for going to the games than a DQ hat night giveaway.

[tony&rodney]

2 minutes ago, ashbury said:

I don't know exactly what you have in mind for "modern media".  But my interpretation is that the Twins had a strong fan base

The facts are that Calvin struggled to juggle his money in the early 1970s. He was never a rich man in the sense of the average owner today. He was a different dude. You could sit down and talk baseball with him for an hour. 

The Vikings and the NFL solidified their TV contracts and began to become hugely popular around the same time as the Twins teams declined (early 1970s). The North Stars were a hot ticket in the state of hockey. There were a few teams that kindled a flame in fans and the 1987 & 1991 teams brought out big crowds, for sure. Thereafter, attendance declined and I think it is not unfair to suggest that the Twins are 3rd or 4th in popularity among professional sports in Minnesota. 

I reread your comment 

10 minutes ago, ashbury said:

But my interpretation is that the Twins had a strong fan base as long as the team was winning - which is kind of the opposite of my idea of a "good baseball town" that will come out and support the team through thick and thin.

I think we are saying the same thing. Minnesota loves football, hockey, and basketball before baseball. 

What I was getting at with "media" was that the local folks dote on the Vikings and the Twins have had a rough go getting decent TV money and a like amount of exposure. It is certainly possible that this is because the Twins do not do well managing their product. I'll leave that to the experts.

[tony&rodney]

10 minutes ago, nicksaviking said:

Right, the team might want to start by not stinking up the joint in April. Have a good team may not be as compelling as the illusion of having a good team. When you don't start winning until June, I'm guessing you'll have enough casual fans that have forgotten about you by then.

Also, being on actual TVs in more homes is probably a better advertisement for going to the games than a DQ hat night giveaway.

These are both legitimate points.

There is another factor too. I absolutely love Target Field and know it is fit into a tiny piece of land, but some type of Dome that disappeared when pulled back would have been a huge plus. The facility could have been used much more often and people would know that it would not be crazy in April or October (although recently our Octobers have been beautiful). Alas, it would have cost twice as much. I'm not loving games when the temperatures are cold.

[NYCTK]

3 hours ago, RpR said:

A main problem, ever since Bud Grant made the Vikings more than just another team, is the Minn. new channels give the Twins the least amount of time on air.

They babble on about the Vikings 12 months a year, and now it has become the same thing for the Wolves and the North Stars, oops I mean the Wild.

The only thing to talk about with the Twins the last fifteen years (with the exception of Bomba Sqaud) was how mediocre they are and how hampered they are by the poorly operated organization. People talk about what people care about. No one cares about the Twins because of the Twins. 

Now, I love that sort of catty discussion but I'm guessing it doesn't really sell ads outside the NFL discussions, because the NFL is king. 

[RpR]

T

51 minutes ago, NYCTK said:

The only thing to talk about with the Twins the last fifteen years (with the exception of Bomba Sqaud) was how mediocre they are and how hampered they are by the poorly operated organization. People talk about what people care about. No one cares about the Twins because of the Twins. 

Now, I love that sort of catty discussion but I'm guessing it doesn't really sell ads outside the NFL discussions, because the NFL is king. 

The Viking the last 15 years have been no better than the Twins, their post season has been lost, lost, lost, lost.

Their only success was in 1969, the won the NFL championship.

Since 2009, they have had 7 third or fourth of 4.

Your analogy does not work.

[RpR]

1 hour ago, tony&rodney said:

These are both legitimate points.

There is another factor too. I absolutely love Target Field and know it is fit into a tiny piece of land, but some type of Dome that disappeared when pulled back would have been a huge plus. The facility could have been used much more often and people would know that it would not be crazy in April or October (although recently our Octobers have been beautiful). Alas, it would have cost twice as much. I'm not loving games when the temperatures are cold.

Hmmm, and how many more tens of millions would the State of Minn. been liable for.

Blaming weather is a poor excuse.

It seems sporting fans have wussied out in the past 50 years, football used to fill stadiums in truly frigid weather.

[NYCTK]

32 minutes ago, RpR said:

T

The Viking the last 15 years have been no better than the Twins, their post season has been lost, lost, lost, lost.

Their only success was in 1969, the won the NFL championship.

Since 2009, they have had 7 third or fourth of 4.

Your analogy does not work.

I mean...I stated in that very post that the NFL is top dog and inferred they're not subject to the same rules. 

And even so, the Vikings have still been more successful than the Twins in that time frame. 

[nicksaviking]

1 hour ago, tony&rodney said:

These are both legitimate points.

There is another factor too. I absolutely love Target Field and know it is fit into a tiny piece of land, but some type of Dome that disappeared when pulled back would have been a huge plus. The facility could have been used much more often and people would know that it would not be crazy in April or October (although recently our Octobers have been beautiful). Alas, it would have cost twice as much. I'm not loving games when the temperatures are cold.

At the time they said they couldn't have a retraceable roof because there wasn't room due to the Hennepin incinerator that sits north of the site.

The plan is to decommission that incinerator now, still, I'd guess there'd be little apatite to spend money retrofitting the stadium and adding that feature now.

[tony&rodney]

49 minutes ago, RpR said:

Hmmm, and how many more tens of millions would the State of Minn. been liable for.

Blaming weather is a poor excuse.

It seems sporting fans have wussied out in the past 50 years, football used to fill stadiums in truly frigid weather.

Ah, football and baseball are different sports. Have you ever stood in sleet during a baseball game at 30 degrees F? I hope you were smart enough to stay home.

[RpR]

41 minutes ago, tony&rodney said:

Ah, football and baseball are different sports. Have you ever stood in sleet during a baseball game at 30 degrees F? I hope you were smart enough to stay home.

Baseball does not play in sleet at 30, or 40,  degrees, period, I had been at the old Met. to football games in single digit weather, but then, I have , for a living, laid sod in the rain, and while snowing.