Athletic Trade Speculation Articles - Jim Bowden

[Steve Lein]

I am honestly flabbergasted that a former GM now writer for The Athletic has put out these two pieces of Twins related nonsense in the past week (paywall, obviously):

1. https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6515156/2025/07/25/mlb-trade-deadline-scenarios-yankees-dodgers/
Twins get: Josue De Paula, Jackson Ferris, Bobby Miller, Jaron Elkins
Dodgers get: Jhoan Duran, Griffin Jax, Willi Castro
"In return, the Twins would land a haul."

(I'm not that sure Bowden understands what a "haul" is. I might take De Paula and Ferris for Jax or Duran, but certainly not all three of them.)

2. https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6518481/2025/07/28/mlb-trade-deadline-scenarios-teams-targets/
Twins proposals are number 19 and 20:

Twins get: C Harry Ford and RHP Logan Evans
Mariners get: Jhoan Duran and Griffin Jax or Willi Castro
"Both teams say yes."

(I can't hit myself in the forehead with my palm hard enough)

Twins get: Bryce Eldridge and Carson Whisenhunt
Giants get: Joe Ryan
"The Giants say no."

(Eldridge: potentially great. But that doesn't make it enough for a top 10 pitcher in baseball with 2+ years of control left)

[Cory Engelhardt]

Agreed on everything. None of those deals actually make all that much sense.

[The Great Hambino]

There really is no valid reason to pay any attention to what Bowden says.  Every article is listicle rage-bait nonsense that assumes small- and mid-market teams exist to feed the elites.  Publishing that Dodgers trade proposal should be a fireable offense in and of itself.

[tony&rodney]

I have never seen a legitimate article by Bowden. His ignorance of the players makes everyone wonder how he ever was employed as a GM of an MLB team. Is it proof of incompetence at the highest levels? I don't know, but certainly his employment as a "writer" is a stain on The Athletic/NYT.

[Brock Beauchamp]

I type up a lot of rumors for a lot of different teams. The Bowden speculation always gives me pause. They are often, in a word, "garbage".

[Road trip]

It's clickbait, nothing more.  And yes, a stain upon the Athletic which normally utilizes pretty strong writers.  

[TNtwins85]

They would be good trades if he just stopped adding all three to every trade. For Duran and Castro… maybe. Probably a lower level lotto ticket or two away but for all three. He’s close just not close enough for a team that really doesn’t have to trade any of them. The Joe Ryan trade is absurd though for sure.

[TheLeviathan]

Bowden is stealing money from The Athletic.

But it is worth pointing out....this dimwit was a professional General Manager.  Which is proof we should never underestimate how stupid another team might behave.

[Steve Lein]

I am fully aware of Jim Bowden's overall nonsense, guys! 🤣 I started writing about baseball when he was actually still a GM...

Anyway, yeah. Every single one of these proposals in each article is universally hated in comments, so I know I'm not putting anything "new" out here. Just wanted to see anyone else's reaction, because my own were very "WTF?!" 🤣

[thelanges5]

He gets too much leeway for being a former GM. He’s riding the **** out of that former role. Maybe there’s a reason he’s a former GM? Clickbait and he usually favors the large market teams. 

[Twins_Fan_in_NJ]

23 hours ago, Cory Engelhardt said:

Agreed on everything. None of those deals actually make all that much sense.

Zero sense. Jim needs to write to get paid. He doesn't need to be smart to get paid.

[Twins_Fan_in_NJ]

3 hours ago, tony&rodney said:

I have never seen a legitimate article by Bowden. His ignorance of the players makes everyone wonder how he ever was employed as a GM of an MLB team. Is it proof of incompetence at the highest levels? I don't know, but certainly his employment as a "writer" is a stain on The Athletic/NYT.

Wait until they hire Falvey...

[Brock Beauchamp]

46 minutes ago, Twins_Fan_in_NJ said:

Wait until they hire Falvey...

I'd love to read Falvey's thoughts on trade values. I'm 99% confident he's far more nuanced and interesting to read than Bowden.

[Vanimal46]

Here’s what he just tweeted 

[The Great Hambino]

45 minutes ago, Vanimal46 said:

Here’s what he just tweeted 

I'm amazed he was able to write something out that long without making it a list

[TheLeviathan]

2 hours ago, thelanges5 said:

He gets too much leeway for being a former GM. He’s riding the **** out of that former role. Maybe there’s a reason he’s a former GM? Clickbait and he usually favors the large market teams. 

He wasn't even a good GM.  And he resigned, in part, because he was accused of skimming money from latin player bonuses.

Horrible, boring, click-baity baseball articles aside....how does this a$$ hat have a job with the New York Times?