NEWS: Pohlad Family Will Remain Principal Owners of Twins, with New Limited Partners Coming Aboard

[NYCTK]

1 minute ago, strumdatjag said:

Didn’t Bill Gates grow up with a wealthy father?  Whatever you say, you can’t call him “mediocre” for being the guiding force behind Microsoft  

Wrestling’s Vince McMahon Jr is far from mediocre.   He’s an arrogant jerk but can’t be called mediocre.  

Gloria Vanderbilt was the offspring of an extremely rich family, and spawned a fashion empire - not mediocre. 

In Baseball, look at the Toronto Blue Jays for much better than mediocre sons of wealthy baseball player fathers: Vlad Jr and Bo Bichette.  And by the way, what about Bobby Witt Jr.?  Can’t call him mediocre  

Local athlete Antoine Winfield Jr (I suspect his Vikings dad stashed away more than a few bucks?)  

President Trump had a wealthy father.  But whatever you think of him (positively or negatively), people usually have him on one extreme or the  other.  So, he’s certainly not mediocre.    

I could keep going.   But notice I stayed away from the arrogant part.  
 

President Trump is actually extremely mediocre and that's evident if you've ever heard him talk about anything, ever.

Congrats to him for being born on 3rd and convincing a bunch of marks that he's the all time career leader in triples. He definitely has a skill. 

McMahon and he do however propose an interesting wrinkle in the soft rule. 2nd Gen from rich, successful fathers with severe daddy issues turn out to be much more evil than their fathers were. They need to stick it to their father, level up their success, and become literally the worst humans imaginable. 

[Aggies7]

Can we not with the politics ?

[Battle ur tail off]

1 hour ago, Musk21 said:

Joe Pohlad interview: https://www.startribune.com/minnesota-twins-sale-pohlad-family/601454378

- "It’s my job and this new ownership group’s new job to do everything we can to set this organization up for success, hopefully in the short- and long-term both.

- Pohlad declined to reveal the identity of his new partners — in both cases, they are groups of investors, not a single buyer — beyond saying that one is made up of Minnesotans, the other a family based on the East Coast.

- The trades had little to do with saving money, he said, and were not ordered by ownership. “Those were truly primarily baseball decisions,” Pohlad said. “It certainly set us up for more [financial] flexibility, but they were primarily baseball decisions.”

He's a lying sleazy prick. Just tell the truth for once. 

This kind of stuff is what makes people mad.

[jaimedude]

The fresh innovative idea is to get rid of Joe Pohlad and bring in a managing partner that has media savy, marketing experience and a good judge of baseball leadership. I would take Jim back temporarily  in a heart beat if it meant Joe was out. Maybe Joe is good at stadium operations but he sucks as face of franchise leadership guy. He really sucks at the media relations stuff. Jim, he at least understands baseball and building with competent management. Say what  you will about Ron Gardenhire and Terry Ryan, they were good at developing players, and having good scouts and leadership. This current regime couldn't hold a candle. I was bored and thought stale, but you sometimes you don't know how good you had it until poor leadership and drafting shows up. 

[thelanges5]

38 minutes ago, RaoulDuke said:

If it is them, there is not "significant limited partnership" money between any mix of them.  A couple of them might have 100+ million in the bank. 

So they come on board as a goodwill move to the fan base to basically pay off the Pohlad's debt and keep them in charge.  While I would like the see them involved in some way, that seems like another kick in the nuts.

“significant limited” is an oxymoron like jumbo shrimp or living dead

[howeda7]

5 minutes ago, Aggies7 said:

I’ve got an idea. Stop the bulk pitching philosophy immediately 😂

Let's start with firing Falvey, since it's his philosophy. 

[kasotamatt]

"We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope."

ME: "It's getting harder, Dr. King. Have you met the Pohlads?"

[Western SD Fan]

Here is why this is a worse gut punch than even the threat of contraction nearly 25 years ago:

The 2001 season was a surprising rebirth for the Twins as a youth movement made a surprising run for 2nd place finish in the division and flirted with winning the division for a little while.  They just drafted Joe Mauer, who would become the future face of the franchise.  Once the contraction plan was defeated, it came down to supplementing an emerging young core to develop a playoff team.

Compare to 2025.  They just blew up the team that the FO created to make a playoff run.  The youth movement is so disjointed because none of these players have really played together coming up through the minors like the 2001 team.  The FO obsession with bringing in fringe veterans to soak up spots that should have been used by our prospects to let them sink, swim, or identify that they should be traded for players that could have complimented any potential playoff run.  

The 2001 team developed a permanent chip on their shoulder to prove the Pohlads, MLB, and everyone else that they deserved to exist and gave some exciting years and provided hope of a way out of a dark chapter in Twins history.  Fans, legislators, and eventually a judge, led the charge in saving the Twins from their fateful demise.

The 2025 team has created fan interest that has cratered into near apathy.  I do fully expect them to trade Lopez and Ryan in the offseason.  But all of the decisions make sense now that they were pulling the team off the market.  They re-upped Baldelli, gave Falvey all power over baseball operations. sold the entire team off to slash payroll, and now just ride this out through at least the lockout to see if a new CBA will make them more profitable.  As it currently stands, the only hope many of fans had left was that the team was up for sale.  Now that hope is gone.

One final comment being the contrarian on why I think owning the TB Rays will be more exciting than the Twins at the current moment.  Sure, the Rays are currently playing at a bad stadium until their equally bad stadium (Tropicana Field) is repaired and they can return to there.  A new Rays owner will have the goodwill necessary to try to revitalize the franchise.  They can negotiate with Tampa on the Ybor City site, which may include new weapon that owners crave now:  developable real estate outside the stadium complex.  This real estate, when properly developed, will be worth more than the team itself and maybe even help fund the team.  One of the main complaints about attendance in the TB area has always been that the team is in St. Petersburg, not Tampa proper.  So a team that should have better attendance in Tampa, a new ownership in place, and a proper complex similar to Battery Park in Atlanta, it's not hard to see that there is a brighter future in Tampa than Minnesota.  Just think if the revenues come in and a new owner is willing to raise payroll by $15-30 million, in Tampa, you'd think they hit the lottery.

[jaimedude]

Rocco has been here 7 years, and only once has this team even looked like a contender. I mean what young players have improved under him and the coaching staff? I will hang up and listen. 

[tony&rodney]

9 minutes ago, howeda7 said:

Contract law still exists. The Twins lease is pretty iron clad. Plus what motive does a Minnesota judge have to allow such a thing? You're reaching. 

Really? We also still have a 1st Amendment, 14th Amendment, and so forth. These are all clearly pliable. I'm not reaching. I do not believe for a second that the Twins will move but power and money  make the law when it's needed. Money will keep the Twins in Minnesota.

[Parfigliano]

2 hours ago, IndyTwinsFan said:

I suspect that both Falvey and Rocco will now be around for as long as they want to stay.

While I don't wish ill will towards either of them, neither one are what I would consider as astute, in a baseball sense, when it comes to team building and overall team management.  But, it appears as though we'll need to suffer having them around the franchise for sometime to come.

A real mule kick to the gut this news is for any diehard Twins fan (like I am)!

I wish ill will to Rocco and the FO as in I want them fired.

[howeda7]

6 minutes ago, tony&rodney said:

Really? We also still have a 1st Amendment, 14th Amendment, and so forth. These are all clearly pliable. I'm not reaching. I do not believe for a second that the Twins will move but power and money  make the law when it's needed. Money will keep the Twins in Minnesota.

This is not a Constitutional issue. It's a very straight forward black and white lease with an end date and strict provisions and penalties for breaking it. And the other parties are the state of Minnesota and Hennepin county. I don't think the Pohlad's have some massive power advantage in this matter.

[NYCTK]

1 minute ago, tony&rodney said:

Really? We also still have a 1st Amendment, 14th Amendment, and so forth. These are all clearly pliable. I'm not reaching. I do not believe for a second that the Twins will move but power and money  make the law when it's needed. Money will keep the Twins in Minnesota.

When has a billionaire ever been able to get away with breaking the law. Give me one example! 

[NYCTK]

Just now, howeda7 said:

This is not a Constitutional issue. It's a very straight forward black and white lease with an end date and strict provisions and penalties for breaking it.

You're still living in 2014. This is 2025 and we live in a kleptocracy. Rules are only meant for the poor these days, not the wealthy. 

[Parfigliano]

1 hour ago, Peter said:

With 2 other groups involved twins will be ok as they will make sure to be competitive and contend for championships going forward. It’s all going to work out! We have 2nd best farm system and these guys are going to be great!!! Can’t wait to see them playing for twins next year to 3 years and bring home another World Series championship!!!

This from the guy who swears the universe is ending after a 1 run loss.

[jaimedude]

Today's announcement by Pohlads is like being in Purgatory of bad baseball. Means the next two years will be a lot like 2024 and 2025 with 1990's style horrible pitching and 90 loss teams seems inevitable. Means we are stuck watching these wretched bulk bullpen games.  Seems like there is no current plan for optimism. 2027 seems likely a lock out year. 

[howeda7]

Just now, NYCTK said:

You're still living in 2014. This is 2025 and we live in a kleptocracy. Rules are only meant for the poor these days, not the wealthy. 

This isn't Carl Pohlad against some poor farmer widow trying to save her farm from foreclosure. I'm sure he won all of those.

[howeda7]

1 minute ago, jaimedude said:

Today's announcement by Pohlads is like being in Purgatory of bad baseball. Means the next two years will be a lot like 2024 and 2025 with 1990's style horrible pitching and 90 loss teams seems inevitable. 

Except Tom Kelly could manage circles around Rocco....

[blindeke]

Pinching pennies and having no bottom when it comes to squeezing profit out of this community asset until the very end. 

[Parfigliano]

1 hour ago, Five minute major said:

They never intended to sell.  

I think you're right.

[PuckettProtector]

**** this.  

[jaimedude]

It was all a sham. Even if the Pohlad family ownership  hates Twins fans, an MLB franchise is a valuable asset to own. 

[thelanges5]

So we’re the AL version of the Pirates now?

[Aggies7]

Just now, thelanges5 said:

So we’re the AL version of the Pirates now?

Have been for a bit

[Parfigliano]

1 hour ago, Musk21 said:

Joe Pohlad interview: https://www.startribune.com/minnesota-twins-sale-pohlad-family/601454378

- "It’s my job and this new ownership group’s new job to do everything we can to set this organization up for success, hopefully in the short- and long-term both.

- Pohlad declined to reveal the identity of his new partners — in both cases, they are groups of investors, not a single buyer — beyond saying that one is made up of Minnesotans, the other a family based on the East Coast.

- The trades had little to do with saving money, he said, and were not ordered by ownership. “Those were truly primarily baseball decisions,” Pohlad said. “It certainly set us up for more [financial] flexibility, but they were primarily baseball decisions.”

I don't believe you Joe.

[The Great Hambino]

1 minute ago, howeda7 said:

They still have linear distribution on most of the same places Bally's is (Comcast/DirecTV etc.), so it could get worse. There is large uncertainty if MLB is going to be able to get enough teams on board to take the full rights to Amazon/Netflix etc. That will likely raise/equalize the media $$ but it might not happen.

My understanding is that those linear relationships are for much lower amounts than what had been in place with Bally's, so they're not moving the needle much one way or the other. 

Getting packaged together with centralized revenue certainly would help, but like you said, it's to be seen if they can get enough teams to make it viable.  On top of that, how easy is it going to be shopping MLB media rights in the aftermath of a work stoppage?  No wonder they couldn't find a buyer at their number

[NYCTK]

11 minutes ago, howeda7 said:

This isn't Carl Pohlad against some poor farmer widow trying to save her farm from foreclosure. I'm sure he won all of those.

I don't think the Twins are at risk of moving, but I wouldn't put any faith in the legal system to be the reason why. 

They will remain in Minnesota because it's the best for capital. 

[Road trip]

1 hour ago, USAFChief said:

Norm Green. 

Maybe Red Green?  The team will be held together with duct tape going forward.  This certainly was Black Wednesday..

[howeda7]

8 minutes ago, The Great Hambino said:

My understanding is that those linear relationships are for much lower amounts than what had been in place with Bally's, so they're not moving the needle much one way or the other. 

Getting packaged together with centralized revenue certainly would help, but like you said, it's to be seen if they can get enough teams to make it viable.  On top of that, how easy is it going to be shopping MLB media rights in the aftermath of a work stoppage?  No wonder they couldn't find a buyer at their number

MLB negotiated for all the teams it's doing production for, so it's probably not a complete collapse from what they paid Bally's. But I'm guessing they went from $54 million in 2023 to $44 million in 2024, so around $30 million in local TV this year. If it wasn't a multi-year deal, they might get another haircut next year.

My suspicion on the long-term is that the Yankees/Dodgers/Red Sox/Cubs will balk at the Amazon proposal and it will significantly hurt the $$ the other 26 clubs can get, even if they eventually go that route. I have no faith in Manfred to strong-arm them into it.

[Aggies7]

I wonder what the effort will be like for tonight’s game, especially with Ryan starting.