tony&rodney’s 2026 Payroll Blueprint: A Pohlad Savings Plan

[tony&rodney]

Third and last/biggest swing: improbable darts:

B. Lee, R. Lewis, E. Rodriguez, M. Wallner,  K. Rojas, and 2 players from minors (R, DSL) for Jared Jones and Konnor Griffin.                           

J. Ryan, A. Roden, C. Soto for Max Clark.            

B. Ober, M. Houston for Harry Ford.                      

B. Buxton, P. Lopez for Carson Benge, Nolan McLean.                                                                   

Sign free agent Pete Fairbanks for 2/$20M.        

Sign free agent Caleb Thielbar for 2/$6.

Youth gets on the job training and the organization earns money. 

What will the Twins do?

• C: Ryan Jeffers ($6.60M)
• 1B: Kody Clemens ($0.80M)
• 2B: Luke Keaschall ($0.80M)
• 3B: Kaelen Culpepper ($0.80M)
• SS: Konnor Griffin ($0.80M)
• LF: Walker Jenkins ($0.80M)
• CF: Max Clark ($0.80M)
• RF: Carson Benge ($0.80M)
• DH: Gabriel Gonzalez ($0.80M)
• 4th OF: Austin Martin ($0.80M)
• Utility: Edouard Julien ($0.80M)
• Utility: Kyler Fedko ($0.80M)
• Backup C: Harry Ford ($0.80M)
• POS: Add Dead Money Here ($0.00M)
• SP1: Taj Bradley ($0.80M)
• SP2: Jared Jones ($0.80M)
• SP3: Nolan McLean ($0.80M)
• SP4: Simeon Woods Richardson ($0.80M)
• SP5: Zebby Matthews ($0.80M)
• RP: David Festa ($0.80M)
• RP: Connor Prielipp ($0.80M)
• RP: Cole Sands ($1.30M)
• RP: Kody Funderburk ($0.80M)
• RP: Mick Abel ($0.80M)
• RP: Caleb Thielbar ($3.50M)
• RP: Marco Raya ($0.80M)
• RP: Pete Fairbanks ($11.00M)
• POS: Add Dead Money Here ($0.00M)

Payroll is 63.64% under budget

[FlyingFinn]

If you are going to rebuild, then do it. Don't go half way.

[Chembry]

That is definitely going young!

[tony&rodney]

5 hours ago, Chembry said:

That is definitely going young!

It's not that I don't appreciate or even like veteran players. The Twins have just not been a very interesting team to watch these last few years. Numerous people cling to a player's best brief periods of playing baseball as something that will morph into a year long reality. The number of articles and comments that rely solely on 'if only' is an avalanche of optimism. While I try to see the best in every player I'm cognizant of the mediocrity. Edouard Julien has had his moments as a key member of the Twins squad but is often the focus or aim of derogatory comments that somehow are not assigned to a dozen other players. Thus I'm ready for a new slate. The reality is not 0% but it is as close to 0% as one can measure for the type of moves I recorded. There has been a slow shift within the articles and in the comments accepting a return of the roster we saw in September. The hope then shifts to all of the prospects having spectacular rookie seasons. As long as we are going full Polyanna, I brought in a half dozen guys with considerably higher ceilings. It's all good.

[Chembry]

1 minute ago, tony&rodney said:

It's not that I don't appreciate or even like veteran players. The Twins have just not been a very interesting team to watch these last few years. Numerous people cling to a player's best brief periods of playing baseball as something that will morph into a year long reality. The number of articles and comments that rely solely on 'if only' is an avalanche of optimism. While I try to see the best in every player I'm cognizant of the mediocrity. Edouard Julien has had his moments as a key member of the Twins squad but is often the focus or aim of derogatory comments that somehow are not assigned to a dozen other players. Thus I'm ready for a new slate. The reality is not 0% but it is as close to 0% as one can measure for the type of moves I recorded. There has been a slow shift within the articles and in the comments accepting a return of the roster we saw in September. The hope then shifts to all of the prospects having spectacular rookie seasons. As long as we are going full Polyanna, I brought in a half dozen guys with considerably higher ceilings. It's all good.

I agree with most of what you said.  Personally, I want to see change.  I don't want to see the same roster we ran out in Aug/Sep.  Young isn't necessarily bad.  I think the roster you constructed has the chance to be very good in a few years.

I was planning on doing another roster construction trading Ryan to the Mets for Benge, Williams, and Clifford.  Williams could be swapped with Sproat or Tong, but you get the idea.  In my opinion, the worst thing the FO can do is stand pat.  I want to see them make an effort to address the roster and try to improve. Whether that through trade or free agency.  I have my doubts it will be through free agency, so that would need to occur through trade.  

[tony&rodney]

1 minute ago, Chembry said:

I agree with most of what you said.  Personally, I want to see change.  I don't want to see the same roster we ran out in Aug/Sep.  Young isn't necessarily bad.  I think the roster you constructed has the chance to be very good in a few years.

I was planning on doing another roster construction trading Ryan to the Mets for Benge, Williams, and Clifford.  Williams could be swapped with Sproat or Tong, but you get the idea.  In my opinion, the worst thing the FO can do is stand pat.  I want to see them make an effort to address the roster and try to improve. Whether that through trade or free agency.  I have my doubts it will be through free agency, so that would need to occur through trade.  

The GM Tool was decently popular for discussion in its first go around. It bombed last year and has this year as well. Some people get edgy with thoughts that do not align with their own. Personally, I'm just interested in the conversations. I accept that fans have zero input or knowledge of the roster construction process, so every crazy idea is mol the same. 

The payroll, apparently, remains the defining characteristic for a roster build. Thus, I built 3 teams, one was about $100M, one $130M, and this last one was $50M. The idea that the Twins cannot play in the free agent market is false if the budget is at or above $110M. There are options and many people have suggested reasonable ideas.

I wonder if Falvey is a prisoner of his own mind. How much does he cling to past decisions? Can Falvey move on from his 'boys'? When I look at the Twins position side of the roster I see one player with too little record to judge properly in Luke Keaschall and one talented player in Byron Buxton. This means that change needs to occur, in my opinion.

The trades I suggested have close to zero chance. In fact I doubt any conversations even occur. The trade with Pittsburgh is frantic and requires the Pirates to give up on the failures they currently roster. I would even add a potential star like Dasan Hill if such a reality existed. The Detroit trade makes sense if the Tigers are aiming high in 2026. Teams do not trade high level prospects often but when the flag is possible it makes sense. I would add a lower level player to push that trade as well. The other trades make sense. The Mets might balk at the cost but they have a window now. 

In any event these are simply mindless exercises because I finished cutting and splitting the wood; I have time.

[ashbury]

When I play Out of the Park, it's sometimes a lot of fun to try an off-season like this.  Sometimes it crashes and burns, sometimes it works out.

Congrats on a video game experience. 😀

[tony&rodney]

30 minutes ago, ashbury said:

When I play Out of the Park, it's sometimes a lot of fun to try an off-season like this.  Sometimes it crashes and burns, sometimes it works out.

Congrats on a video game experience. 😀

Don't know that game, but thanks. The $50M Pohlad Savings Plan seemed as likely as any others, but it is off the wall. Front office decisions seem so rooted in "IF" that honest appraisals of rosters may be uncommon. If Edouard Julien hits 20 HR, OPS above .800, and has a .350 OBP ...... That if gets extended to every player.

I'm all aboard if all the Twins play full seasons of their best two week stretches in their career. If that happens.

[MGX]

40 minutes ago, ashbury said:

When I play Out of the Park, it's sometimes a lot of fun to try an off-season like this.  Sometimes it crashes and burns, sometimes it works out.

Congrats on a video game experience. 😀

I've played OOTP, but have been in Strat-o-matic leagues for many years & made some good friends who also enjoy Baseball.

[tony&rodney]

Did you pull off any wild trades such as I have proposed? Or did you play with the same roster every year?

[MGX]

34 minutes ago, tony&rodney said:

Did you pull off any wild trades such as I have proposed? Or did you play with the same roster every year?

I make a lot of trades, keeps it interesting.

[SF Twins Fan]

I would like for the Twins to make all of these moves but especially a move to trade with the Mets top prospects.  They have either already made it to the MLB or are in AA or AAA. 

Getting Max Clark would also be very interesting!  I don't think I'd put him directly into the MLB lineup but he'd likely be in AAA and could be ready by midseason.  

[tony&rodney]

27 minutes ago, SF Twins Fan said:

I would like for the Twins to make all of these moves but especially a move to trade with the Mets top prospects.  They have either already made it to the MLB or are in AA or AAA. 

Getting Max Clark would also be very interesting!  I don't think I'd put him directly into the MLB lineup but he'd likely be in AAA and could be ready by midseason.  

I guess the real question is whether it is possible to offer enough to pry away some of these talented players. My thoughts were primarily hoping to escape from the mediocrity that the Twins front office has gathered for the position side of the rosters.

There might just be a tipping point where an offer tantalizes an organization enough that the combination of decent quality, some MLB experience, and quantity justifies completing a transaction. In the case of both Griffin and Clark, they may need more time in the minor leagues but their ceilings. are unique enough to make those offers. Detroit should be making an all out effort to win in 2026. I don't see them trading Skubal because they would be returning to a mild rebuild after years of losing. Pittsburgh? Who knows. Harry Ford is available and the Twins should make an offer now. 

[SF Twins Fan]

15 hours ago, tony&rodney said:

I guess the real question is whether it is possible to offer enough to pry away some of these talented players. My thoughts were primarily hoping to escape from the mediocrity that the Twins front office has gathered for the position side of the rosters.

There might just be a tipping point where an offer tantalizes an organization enough that the combination of decent quality, some MLB experience, and quantity justifies completing a transaction. In the case of both Griffin and Clark, they may need more time in the minor leagues but their ceilings. are unique enough to make those offers. Detroit should be making an all out effort to win in 2026. I don't see them trading Skubal because they would be returning to a mild rebuild after years of losing. Pittsburgh? Who knows. Harry Ford is available and the Twins should make an offer now. 

The Twins basically went scorched earth at the trade deadline. With Joe Ryan and Pablo Lopez only being under team control for 2 years, Jeffers for 1, they might as well finish the job. And if those three players get moved then they need to trade Buxton as well. He’s probably at peak value right now based on how he performed this past season.  Add in the fact that the 2027 season might be washed out by a strike the front office should go young and aim for quality over quantity.

[tony&rodney]

1 minute ago, SF Twins Fan said:

The Twins basically went scorched earth at the trade deadline. With Joe Ryan and Pablo Lopez only being under team control for 2 years, Jeffers for 1, they might as well finish the job. And if those three players get moved then they need to trade Buxton as well. He’s probably at peak value right now based on how he performed this past season.  Add in the fact that the 2027 season might be washed out by a strike the front office should go young and aim for quality over quantity.

The Pohlad Savings Plan was predicated on the woeful state of the current roster based on their performance after the All Star Game last season. The sale in July shredded the bullpen and exposed the weak offense. I don't see any of Lopez, Ryan, or Jeffers resigning at market value with the Twins, thus the trades. Buxton is collateral damage and with high value gets traded to a contender.

The CBA does not factor into the equation at all for me. I don't believe there will be a lockout of any consequence, maybe two weeks lost in April of 2027. Only a few teams lose money. The owners are making money. Fans want a salary cap but that is a totally different discussion and parity is not the owners' concern, making money is their hobby. 

Definitely quality over quantity. I don't believe the July trades were a disaster but clearly they were done very quickly due to a directive of some sort. The front office has now had two months since the season ended and four months since the July trades to pore over every organization's players and evaluate the needs of their own team.