Dear Twins, About That Season Ticket Letter...

[Cody Christie]

Image courtesy of © David Berding-Imagn Images

Dear Derek Falvey, the Pohlad family, and the Minnesota Twins front office,

Thank you for your recent note to season ticket holders. It’s always good to hear directly from leadership in a time like this, when the dust is still settling on one of the most dramatic trade deadlines in franchise history. A dozen moves in 24 hours. The largest contract in team history is gone. A flame-throwing closer sent to a contender. The team’s emotional leader and utility man shipped to the North Side. Ten players out the door. A completely different clubhouse was left behind.

You said this was “a clear and deliberate decision to strengthen the next chapter of championship-caliber baseball.” That sounds noble, and I believe the intention behind the moves was real. But from this seat, it looks less like a “next push” and more like an organizational white flag. After weeks of treading water, the Twins didn’t just pivot to the future. They sprinted toward it, carrying half the roster in their arms.

Let’s be honest: this wasn’t a pivot. It was a purge.

And if we’re talking about reactions, you’re right, we’ve got plenty. You said our response reflects how much we care, and that’s absolutely true. But passion only goes so far when fans are asked to watch stars leave year after year. Carlos Correa, the marquee signing we were told represented a new era, is gone. Jhoan Duran, the face of the bullpen and a guy who could have anchored the back end for years, gone. Fan favorites like Griffin Jax and Willi Castro, who grinded it out daily, gone.

In return, the Twins acquired several names most fans have never heard of and a few fringe contributors who might get a look in September. We understand the logic. These are moves aimed at 2026, maybe even 2027. But that’s a tough sell when fans are still waiting to see the supposed long-term core stay healthy and produce consistently. These are guys like Royce Lewis, Brooks Lee, and Matt Wallner.

You pointed out that this wasn’t “about patchwork or small adjustments,” and we agree. You tore it down to the studs. But after cutting payroll over the last two seasons and backing away from adding at multiple deadlines, the question isn’t just “what’s next?” It’s why should fans still believe you’ll follow through when the time comes to spend again?

You can’t build long-term success if you’re always in transition. This was supposed to be the competitive window. You signed Correa long-term. You extended Pablo López. You told fans this was the team that could break through. And then, two years after winning your first playoff game in nearly two decades, you sold off half the roster and didn’t leave a lot of hope for the future.

The most telling move might be Louis Varland. You dealt a guy who’s under team control, has been a revelation in the bullpen, and was pitching well in July. That’s not a deadline move teams make when they believe they’re retooling. That’s a move you make when you’re starting over.

We want to believe there’s a plan. We want to believe this pipeline you’ve built is going to blossom into a contender. But those are promises we’ve heard before. Fans can only be asked to stay patient so many times before they start looking for something else to do on a summer night.

So, to borrow your own words: this wasn’t about small adjustments. This was about accountability. And now, the Twins’ front office needs to hold itself to the same standard it set for the players it just sent packing.

Twins fans want a championship-caliber product. And we don’t want to wait until 2026 to get a taste of it again.

Sincerely,

A fan who still cares.

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[Patzky]

Many of the moves could be understood or explained if some of the others weren't unexplainable or just plain mean. It's like the slippery slope started and the SELL button got stuck around 4:30. There is one account that says Mr Pohlad not Falvey structured the Correa 'trade'. The trust is gone until the ownership is.

[Brett]

Thanks for writing a more family-friendly version of what many of us feel.

[kenneth frank]

 “a clear and deliberate decision to strengthen the next chapter of championship-caliber baseball.”  I wonder how many times I've heard this teams front office say that these past 65 years. I've never seen the Twins management (rarely have other sports management teams) target and insult a fan base as was done with the Varland trade. It was like throwing salt on an open wound.

[tarheeltwinsfan]

Thanks Cody. Last Thursday was brutal for many of us "older" Twins fans. It reminded me of when the old Washington Senators of the 50's and early 60's were perennial losers.

[Adam Houck]

Highly optimistic thinking it's possible that we only have to wait until 2026 for "championship caliber"

[ziggy]

Thanks Cody. As a Twins fan since they arrived in Bloomington I now feel that hope for a good team is again lost for multiple years. Hope that David can again slay Goliath. But David just traded all of his rocks to Goliath for pebbles. Pebbles that may some day become rocks but will be cheaper non the less.

The wounds of lost hope are still burning and the salve(the supposed overwhelmed by prospects) are no where to be seen except for one, who looks like a deer in the headlights on the MLB field. 

I know it's still early (where have we heard this recently) since the transactions but this really really looks like a penny pinching/sell for parts move and there is no way around it.

 

[mikelink45]

Poor Pohlads - how can they compete when they are only midrange rich among owner

Jim Pohlad

Team: Minnesota Twins

Net worth: $3.6 billion (source)

Inheriting the role after his father Carl's death in 2009, Jim Pohlad has been at the helm of the Minnesota Twins as chairman and part-owner. The Pohlad family, who made their fortune in banking and real estate, purchased the Twins in the 1980s. Under Jim's leadership, the franchise has thrived, achieving a valuation of $1.39 billion by 2023. In November 2022, he passed daily operations to his nephew Joe Pohlad, ensuring the team's future remains in family hands. https://www.ranker.com/list/richest-mlb-owners/david-de-la-riva

Wait a minute - I might need to revise my statement - Bleacher Reports listed the 18 richest owners in Baseball and has Pohlands #4! in 2022   https://sports.yahoo.com/18-richest-mlb-owners-2023-175352774.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAB0Sfy0swP5j-DBKMW2kD_k3VVUYbCSU31aiWlS-H8CWmZG5NlefU4_bXdnovTiBM6syK2zi67ImQMEAYzykIG3QOfYGN192f5wYCtfIqc81TXuloERwGHPMjMGKK7OmmteQ79s5YckyTX5iXRATFyvRv7I2d6ymN_IQw7IssyeM

The list has to be adjusted and they will drop down the list, but not so far that we need to worry about them as the losses of the Twins operations.  If they lose money it is from their public relations and decisions and I thought Calvin Griffith was bad!

 

 

[nclahammer]

Great piece Cody.  Officially downgraded my My Twins season ticket holder status from Choice (my 20 game package for the past 15 years) to the free Starter status.    I get some of the moves, but the Varland trade especially had me shaking my head.  I no longer trust Falvey and certainly not the Pohlads.

[Woof Bronzer]

Pretty clear Falvey's new role is Dave St Peter 2.0.  His job is no longer about baseball, but making the Pohlads richer and carrying water for them in front of fans.

The more I think about the deadline the more convinced I am that the Pohlads aren't selling, but are rather shifting their approach to be a White Sox or As level team with joke payrolls not even trying to win.  

[Vanimal46]

The letter itself was tone deaf, and looked like it was put together by AI. I’m not really mad at Falvey. He was clearly told to sell off everything he can from the Pohlads. 

I hope no one is naive enough to think the money will be re-invested in the team if the Pohlads remain owners this offseason. Nothing else has mattered more than the sale being finalized. 

[Parfigliano]

1 hour ago, Adam Houck said:

Highly optimistic thinking it's possible that we only have to wait until 2026 for "championship caliber"

Delusional thinking.

[Fire Dan Gladden]

Yet another article unloading on the FO. Again: to not hold ownership to a much higher responsibility, both fiscal and decisioning, is not doing justice here.

Everyone will eventially get their wish and Falvey will be gone. Barring a sale, whoever comes in next will have the same if not stricter controls on their decisions. Are we going to rail into them as well?

[Whitey333]

Yes i read the letter as it came to someone I know that has season tickets.  Pure typical Falvey bs.  Then he gets on tv and has the gall to tell us this is best way to build championship team.  He must be a politician incognito .  The dirty smile up front knowing all along he is lying to us through his teeth.  Don't forget Falver is the genius that put this team together in the first place.  Maybe, just maybe if he would have done a better job maybe we wouldn't be in this mess today.  Then again maybe we would have anyway the way through pohlads run this team.  The whole thing sucks.  In any case bith Falvey and Baldelli must go.

[NYCTK]

24 minutes ago, Vanimal46 said:

The letter itself was tone deaf, and looked like it was put together by AI. I’m not really mad at Falvey. He was clearly told to sell off everything he can from the Pohlads. 

I don't think this is clear at all. Before the trade deadline I said here that it would wise to: 

1) trade all expiring contracts that anyone wants (obviously) 

2) try to get a team like the Yankees or Phillies to just take Correa and eat 1/3 of his contract

3) sell 2 of the 3 of Duran, Jax, Stewart 

4) see if anyone would take Topa or even Tonkin

As we saw 1, 2, and 3 all came true and seeing it all unfold it was then, if reporting is accurate, that Jax requested to be traded as well. So that really only leaves Varland as the unexpected trade, and if you take a step back and ignore the human side of him being a Minnesota kid, that trade is completely defensible.

If you were told 6 months ago that Varland would be traded for 2 of another organization's Top 10 prospects we all would have been elated. A run of success in the bullpen doesn't change that for me. 

[MarkTwins]

2026? Its going to be much longer than that. Don't be surprised if Buck and Pablo ask for trade this winter, they didnt sign on for this either. Sounds like they just ran out of time, otherwise Joe Ryan would have been dealt also. Best case scenario is team does get sold and the new owner is aggressive enough to fire Falvey, etc. But a complete redo will take ALOT of time, but unfortunatley thats where we are at.

[miller761]

I have been a loyal Twins fan for over 50 years. When Carl Pohlad bought the Twins from Calvin Griffin he saved us fans from Calvin's cheap ways. Now we are looking for the new owner to save us from the Pohlad's cheap ways.

 

[lukeduke1980]

The tone of the whole thing deadline would be so much different if Varland and maybe Jax would've been kept.  It was like some trades added to try to disguise the salary purge

[jmlease1]

4 hours ago, Vanimal46 said:

The letter itself was tone deaf, and looked like it was put together by AI. I’m not really mad at Falvey. He was clearly told to sell off everything he can from the Pohlads. 

I hope no one is naive enough to think the money will be re-invested in the team if the Pohlads remain owners this offseason. Nothing else has mattered more than the sale being finalized. 

They'd have been better off saying nothing that sending out that drivel. I don't want to beat up too much on the PR department for the team, because they do well at the smaller stuff, which suggests that in the rank and file there are good professionals and all the failure and tone-deafness is coming from the top ranks (mostly ownership). But this was dumb and stupid, and shows little understanding of crisis management, which is what a deadline fire sale IS for a baseball team.

They might have been able to sell this as a re-tolling with some hope for 2026 if they hadn't sold off Varland at the very end; that's the star on top of the tree that topples the whole structure. You could argue (maybe wrongly but it wouldn't be laughable) that the bullpen could be function in 2026 with Varland, Sands, and Topa as being the core to build around...but without a single proven back-end guy? Hardly.

There's absolutely zero hope of re-investment without a team sale. I suspect Gleeman is right that if the Pohlads keep control into the offseason, Ryan and Pablo will also be sold off (maybe Jeffers too) as they grab every dollar they can. Joe Pohlad might like baseball, but he's only nominally in charge, hasn't shown any actual competence, and the rest of the family wants the cash.

Disappointed in Falvey that he was willing to put his name to that pile of crap. Must have a nice golden parachute in place? Because there's zero chance that new ownership is keeping anyone in this regime's senior ranks at this point (maybe some of the senior folks in scouting could survive, the recent drafts have been pretty good).

[Vanimal46]

6 minutes ago, jmlease1 said:

They'd have been better off saying nothing that sending out that drivel. I don't want to beat up too much on the PR department for the team, because they do well at the smaller stuff, which suggests that in the rank and file there are good professionals and all the failure and tone-deafness is coming from the top ranks (mostly ownership). But this was dumb and stupid, and shows little understanding of crisis management, which is what a deadline fire sale IS for a baseball team.

They might have been able to sell this as a re-tolling with some hope for 2026 if they hadn't sold off Varland at the very end; that's the star on top of the tree that topples the whole structure. You could argue (maybe wrongly but it wouldn't be laughable) that the bullpen could be function in 2026 with Varland, Sands, and Topa as being the core to build around...but without a single proven back-end guy? Hardly.

There's absolutely zero hope of re-investment without a team sale. I suspect Gleeman is right that if the Pohlads keep control into the offseason, Ryan and Pablo will also be sold off (maybe Jeffers too) as they grab every dollar they can. Joe Pohlad might like baseball, but he's only nominally in charge, hasn't shown any actual competence, and the rest of the family wants the cash.

Disappointed in Falvey that he was willing to put his name to that pile of crap. Must have a nice golden parachute in place? Because there's zero chance that new ownership is keeping anyone in this regime's senior ranks at this point (maybe some of the senior folks in scouting could survive, the recent drafts have been pretty good).

Well said. I agree with every word you typed. That letter will end up causing more harm than not saying anything at all. Do they really think we’re that dumb to believe that we’re still striving for championship baseball in 2026? Come on man…

The bullpen is going to take at minimum 2 years to rebuild. We will be fortunate to find 1 building block per season as we sift through the pile. 

All we can really hope for now is the Pohlads selling before November. If we have to endure another offseason with the Pohlads it will kill any remaining interest I have in the organization. 

[LA Vikes Fan]

While I agree with a lot of the comments and the sentiments, I guess I start from a different place. This core simply wasn't a group of players in whom to invest or frankly, even keep around. They showed us that last year when going 23-32 in August and September while chasing a playoff berth, losing 25 of their last 37, and they showed us in again in June (9-18) and July (11-13) this year. Minor changes weren't going to be enough. 

Starting there, the only trade that I see as problematic was trading Varland. The rest all made sense - expiring contracts flipped for at least some value for the most part, really good returns on the Duran trade, a good return on Jax who wanted out and is  starting to decline at age 30, and losing Correa who clearly wanted out and wasn't the answer. Varland only makes sense in the context of starting pitching is more valuable than relief pitching and Rojas, the 21 year old leftie starter who just got to AAA (at age 21!), could be more valuable in time but it's a real crapshoot. Varland could have been the replacement closer and been around for another 4 years. Also, the Stewart trade was a little weird although its being painted here in LA as getting an older, injury prone guy for a former top 3 ROY finisher. I guess we all have are own myopic perspective. 

We needed to clean house and reset the roster. The letter is tone deaf at best and frankly pretty stupid, but that doesn't change what I see as the true fact: the Twins as previously constituted were a mediocre team going nowhere and frankly getting pretty old to boot. Now we're a youngish team with younger players getting a shot so at least there's some upside. I guess that's better? Just wish there was a column C we are a good contending team.

[Mike Sixel]

2 minutes ago, LA VIkes Fan said:

While I agree with a lot of the comments and the sentiments, I guess I start from a different place. This core simply wasn't a group of players in whom to invest or frankly, even keep around. They showed us that last year when going 23-32 in August and September while chasing a playoff berth, losing 25 of their last 37, and they showed us in again in June (9-18) and July (11-13) this year. Minor changes weren't going to be enough. 

Starting there, the only trade that I see as problematic was trading Varland. The rest all made sense - expiring contracts flipped for at least some value for the most part, really good returns on the Duran trade, a good return on Jax who wanted out and is  starting to decline at age 30, and losing Correa who clearly wanted out and wasn't the answer. Varland only makes sense in the context of starting pitching is more valuable than relief pitching and Rojas, the 21 year old leftie starter who just got to AAA (at age 21!), could be more valuable in time but it's a real crapshoot. Varland could have been the replacement closer and been around for another 4 years. Also, the Stewart trade was a little weird although its being painted here in LA as getting an older, injury prone guy for a former top 3 ROY finisher. I guess we all have are own myopic perspective. 

We needed to clean house and reset the roster. The letter is tone deaf at best and frankly pretty stupid, but that doesn't change what I see as the true fact: the Twins as previously constituted were a mediocre team going nowhere and frankly getting pretty old to boot. Now we're a youngish team with younger players getting a shot so at least there's some upside. I guess that's better? Just wish there was a column C we are a good contending team.

Well, only 1 player they traded for is getting a shot, and few of the guys from the minors they brought up are young/rookies at all. 

We can like the idea of starting over(ish) and realizing the core wasn't good enough, and not like the execution of the trades.....I really think people are conflating the two things.....the outman trade was unforgivable, imo.

[theBOMisthebomb]

This franchise is stuck in mediocre status or worse for the foreseeable future. It's obvious the fan base cares more about on field results than the owners. What a sad state of affairs. I will keep watching and attending because of my love for the sport. Beyond that, I understand casual fans and even long term dedicated fans jumping ship. 

[Diane]

23 hours ago, tarheeltwinsfan said:

Thanks Cody. Last Thursday was brutal for many of us "older" Twins fans. It reminded me of when the old Washington Senators of the 50's and early 60's were perennial losers.

And for those of us who have been Twins fans since 1961 and are approaching or in our 80's, there isn't that much more time to wait.  I've actually started looking at the Brewers and Cubs as a more stable place to watch.

[Otaknam]

The bigger picture, aside from this failed front office, is the lack of a salary cap in MLB. It’s the “Hunger Games” MLB style, where the rich just get richer by buying the best players at prices most mid market teams cannot pay. Ohtani, Soto, Wheeler, and others are making at least $40 million this year, with Ohtani having a lot of it deferred. This doesn’t excuse the carpet bombing of the roster, however, especially the bullpen. But the big markets have a huge advantage in roster building, and that does create an uneven playing field. 

[tarheeltwinsfan]

7 hours ago, Diane said:

And for those of us who have been Twins fans since 1961 and are approaching or in our 80's, there isn't that much more time to wait.  I've actually started looking at the Brewers and Cubs as a more stable place to watch.

I'm a member of that 80's club. 

[Morland]

Let's not forget the inclusion of Randy Dobnak in the trade along with Paddack. That didn't make baseball sense. It only made sense as a salary dump and it meant that the Twins were going to get a MUCH lesser prospect back from the Tigers. The rumor is that four teams were interested in Paddack. It's clear the reason the Twins traded with Detroit was because they were the only team willing to take Dobnak.

[thelanges5]

Falvey (probably)

” hey Siri, write me a letter to the fans. Apologize for not investing in the team after the 2023 playoffs, right sizing the business, not making our product available on TV sets, and trading 40% of our active roster. Make it sound upbeat, sincere, and focused on the future.”

[thelanges5]

3 minutes ago, thelanges5 said:

Falvey (probably)

” hey Siri, write me a letter to the fans. Apologize for not investing in the team after the 2023 playoffs, right sizing the business, not making our product available on TV sets, and trading 40% of our active roster. Make it sound upbeat, sincere, and focused on the future.”

This is what I got on ChatGPT. 
 

To Our Twins Fans,

 

We owe you honesty. After the thrill of the 2023 playoffs, we didn’t invest in the roster the way you deserved. We made tough calls to right-size our business, we struggled to make Twins baseball accessible on TV, and we traded 40% of our active roster. We know those moves were hard to watch, and we understand the frustration.

 

But these changes weren’t about stepping back — they were about building a stronger future. We’re investing in young talent, reinforcing our farm system, and positioning this franchise to compete for championships for years to come. We’re also working hard to restore broad access to Twins games, so you can cheer us on from the stands, your living room, or anywhere in between.

 

You are the heart of this team. Your passion and loyalty inspire us to be better, and we can’t wait to give you a team that makes you proud — not just this year, but every year.

 

The road to October starts now. Let’s take it together.

 

[Name]

President of Baseball Operations

Minnesota Twins

[The Great Hambino]

1 minute ago, thelanges5 said:

This is what I got on ChatGPT. 
 

To Our Twins Fans,

 

We owe you honesty. After the thrill of the 2023 playoffs, we didn’t invest in the roster the way you deserved. We made tough calls to right-size our business, we struggled to make Twins baseball accessible on TV, and we traded 40% of our active roster. We know those moves were hard to watch, and we understand the frustration.

 

But these changes weren’t about stepping back — they were about building a stronger future. We’re investing in young talent, reinforcing our farm system, and positioning this franchise to compete for championships for years to come. We’re also working hard to restore broad access to Twins games, so you can cheer us on from the stands, your living room, or anywhere in between.

 

You are the heart of this team. Your passion and loyalty inspire us to be better, and we can’t wait to give you a team that makes you proud — not just this year, but every year.

 

The road to October starts now. Let’s take it together.

 

[Name]

President of Baseball Operations

Minnesota Twins

I tell you what, this is more honest and less insulting than the actual letter