BREAKING: Twins Sign First Baseman Josh Bell to One-Year Deal

[tony&rodney]

1 minute ago, NYCTK said:

They do. They're just run by someone that's really bad at his job and the guys he's signed have become massive albatrosses and were traded away. 

That's basically been his job each of the last many seasons. Start the year with a bad team, do just well enough to get traded to a wild card competitive team. The fact that this is his 7th team in 7 years just shows the Twins are anything but unique in hiring a player like Josh Bell. 

The 2026 Twins suck and the talent brought in is kind of irrelevant. The deal is fine, and is paying about $4 million for 4 months of baseball, filling a hole and 1-2 middling prospects come August. 

This signing and the reality is just too depressing for a longtime Twins fan. I saw the last two years as equal to the worst baseball in Twins history. So I tried to keep hopeful for change. 

Jow Mauer was a long term signing. Byron Buxton was a value long term signing. Correa and others were short term signings. The current front office has had more financial resources than any other team in their division and done a poor job in my opinion. 

I get tired of being negative and make futile attempts to suggest positive change that we all know will never happen. The time has come to just back off and give up .... at least for quite a while.

An earlier comment you made about other markets/ teams / fans (one or more) seeing Lewis as way less than many on Twins Daily was interesting to me. It also begged the question - Are the values associated with any of the Twins assets vastly overrated including their minor league organization? Perhaps this is why the Twins cannot complete any trades. .... none of the players have much value. One thing is certainly true regarding that thought. We all have zero actual knowledge of that. I could ask a few people but it would be rude. No value for trading does make it tough to improve the team if that is a thing. 

Enough. I'm out.

[Brandon]

Bell is a Boras client and Jeffers is a Boras client and we need a Jeffers extension.  I'm sure it helps having a good working relationship with Boras,  now let's get him locked up.  

Bell and Nathaniel Lowe were my two favorites.  Now we can focus on pen.  Or a backup SS.

Who are the top reliever targets?

[mnfireman]

7 minutes ago, DJL44 said:

If they let Jeffers walk because they spent $7M on Josh Bell I will be disappointed.

Bell's signing has no effect on Jeffers walking, he's not a FA until after this season...

[SteveLV]

2 minutes ago, Brandon said:

Bell is a Boras client and Jeffers is a Boras client and we need a Jeffers extension.  I'm sure it helps having a good working relationship with Boras,  now let's get him locked up.  

Bell and Nathaniel Lowe were my two favorites.  Now we can focus on pen.  Or a backup SS.

Who are the top reliever targets?

They have already signed with good teams.

[Brandon]

1 minute ago, SteveLV said:

They have already signed with good teams.

Corrected:  who are our top reliever targets?  There is a difference.

[bunsen82]

9 minutes ago, tony&rodney said:

This signing and the reality is just too depressing for a longtime Twins fan. I saw the last two years as equal to the worst baseball in Twins history. So I tried to keep hopeful for change. 

Jow Mauer was a long term signing. Byron Buxton was a value long term signing. Correa and others were short term signings. The current front office has had more financial resources than any other team in their division and done a poor job in my opinion. 

I get tired of being negative and make futile attempts to suggest positive change that we all know will never happen. The time has come to just back off and give up .... at least for quite a while.

An earlier comment you made about other markets/ teams / fans (one or more) seeing Lewis as way less than many on Twins Daily was interesting to me. It also begged the question - Are the values associated with any of the Twins assets vastly overrated including their minor league organization? Perhaps this is why the Twins cannot complete any trades. .... none of the players have much value. One thing is certainly true regarding that thought. We all have zero actual knowledge of that. I could ask a few people but it would be rude. No value for trading does make it tough to improve the team if that is a thing. 

Enough. I'm out.

Tony,  its fine being frustrated with the situation.  Most of us get it.   When we aren't truly competing - it feels sometimes like a fruitless exercise.  The only way we can compete is by hitting on the drafts.  Its why I was ok with tanking this year.  We definitely need some of these prospects to pan out.  If Culpepper, Jenkins and Rodriguez all pan out,  then our future looks much more promising,  Especially with what appears to be a pretty good crop of pitching coming up through the minors.   We are most likely wasting some of the value from Ryan and Lopez and or Buxton in a trade.   At this point I am ok with that.  

[umterp23]

Switch hitting power hitter. Last year vs lefties his avg was .151 with 4 HR’s. Last three years hit 22, 19 and 22 hr total ( vs lefties, 4, 6, 8 over same period -‘25, ‘24, ‘23). Power hitter that avg 19 hrs a year, is that the new metric for power? He is more DH than 1st basemen. But hey, we can say we spent money now in off season via FA. Not great spend though

[DJL44]

5 minutes ago, mnfireman said:

Bell's signing has no effect on Jeffers walking, he's not a FA until after this season...

Which means their only chance at extending his contract is this winter. After this season they will not have any leverage and Jeffers can go elsewhere. An extra $2M for a signing bonus in this budget year could make a huge difference in extending Jeffers contract.

[Mike Sixel]

Not a fan at all. What's the plan? Because there doesn't seem to be one. Dude was terrible 2.5 years and really good for half a year, in the last three years. For a team on a budget, you can't spend money on replacement level guys. Can't wait until falvey is gone.

[NYCTK]

15 minutes ago, tony&rodney said:

An earlier comment you made about other markets/ teams / fans (one or more) seeing Lewis as way less than many on Twins Daily was interesting to me. It also begged the question - Are the values associated with any of the Twins assets vastly overrated including their minor league organization? Perhaps this is why the Twins cannot complete any trades. .... none of the players have much value. One thing is certainly true regarding that thought. We all have zero actual knowledge of that. I could ask a few people but it would be rude. No value for trading does make it tough to improve the team if that is a thing. 

Enough. I'm out.

Yes, but that's not unique to Twins fans. But it's not universal. And tends not to be the best players, but the second or third tier.

I feel like Twins fans do overrate Joe Ryan a little bit, but not by orders of magnitude. The talk of refusing to trade him for anyone short of Nolan McLean is either overrating Ryan's value or underrating the value of a prospect of McLean's caliber (or maybe just overrating the talent on the 2026 Twins). But most people here are much more realistic about his value and for the most part the packages I've seen here have been reasonable.

The prospects are overrated, but again, not unique to Twins fans, or fans here. Walker Jenkins is pretty appropriately rated, but nearly every other prospect is being held to too high of expectations. Which is how so many fans become disillusioned with players like Miranda and Julien. Those two were always likely to be busts. I'm worried about how Culpepper will be treated when he comes up and likely doesn't prove to be an all star caliber SS. 

[amjgt]

What this thread shows me is that there is a certain faction of people on here who will find a reason to complain about any move the Twins make. 

Part of me understands the frustration they've built up over the last few year, but most of me just wonders why they continue to bother with a team that brings them so much anger. 

[mnfireman]

9 minutes ago, tony&rodney said:

Jow Mauer was a long term signing. Byron Buxton was a value long term signing. Correa and others were short term signings.

Correa's contract was 6 years, with 4 vesting options, all very reachable. That is not a short-term signing.

That being said, the FO generally doesn't give long-term contracts, preferring extensions or letting players hit FA after their arb years, only trying to get return on players that will be out of their price range once they hit FA and still have current value.

 

[umterp23]

11 minutes ago, mnfireman said:

Bell's signing has no effect on Jeffers walking, he's not a FA until after this season...

Definitely agree with that statement. Why would Jeffers sign an extension after the blowup, at deadline, no real competitive window now and most likely more deadline sale this coming season. I’m sure I wouldn’t be signing anything now if I was him regardless of who my agent is. Guys want opportunities to win championships, don’t see that window for twins currently. I’d like for him to stay but last summer selling 10 guys off has to hurt your belief in being competitive

[bunsen82]

6 minutes ago, Brandon said:

Corrected:  who are our top reliever targets?  There is a difference.

1 of Coulombe, Thielber, or Taylor Rogers

Then best righthander you can get,  Maybe a Chris Martin, Fairbanks if only utilize in when temps are warmer.  Hunter Harvey is coming off of an injury.  Robertson scares me.  Weaver had good stats in the Yankees bandbox.  Dominguez has a little bit of closing experience.   With Jansen getting signed by the tigers,  at this point we aren't getting a legit closer unless we are grabbing 1 well past their prime.  Only think would be if we were to trade for someone.   

[DJL44]

6 minutes ago, amjgt said:

What this thread shows me is that there is a certain faction of people on here who will find a reason to complain about any move the Twins make. 

Part of me understands the frustration they've built up over the last few year, but most of me just wonders why they continue to bother with a team that brings them so much anger. 

I was really happy when they signed Bader - they identified a need (outfield defense) and filled it with the best available option at a reduced cost. In this case they identified a need (slugging first baseman) and filled it with one of the lesser options at a higher cost.

If the Twins had entered the offseason with Josh Bell signed to a 1 year, $7M contract for 2026 I would have recommended they trade him to free up the cash.

[Road trip]

1 hour ago, bunsen82 said:

He loses touch of his fingers in cold temps.  Loses almost complete control in those environments.  Plus if it flares it sticks around for a while potentially.  Having a wife with raynauds it no fun.  Excrutiating in cold temps 30-40 degrees and sub temps.  

Raynaud's (pronounced "ray-NOZ") is a condition where small arteries, usually in fingers and toes, spasm in response to cold or stress, causing them to turn white, then blue, and finally red as blood flow returns, often with pain, numbness, or tingling. 

Thanks for the information... and that sounds bad.

It also makes me wonder why apparently both Bell and Twins management felt they were a good match.  Is there any MLB ballpark that is colder than Target Field in April?  

[KirbyDome89]

3 hours ago, Vanimal46 said:

The sad thing is we haven’t developed a single 1B prospect in 4 years so we need to keep going back to this type of signing. 

This is the Falvey special. Slow, slightly above average bat with no defensive ability. 

Relative to the league maybe, but he's bottom third for 1B and DH. 

[mnfireman]

1 minute ago, KirbyDome89 said:

Relative to the league maybe, but he's bottom third for 1B and DH. 

Technically the last two 1B signings won a GG that season...

[Woof Bronzer]

52 minutes ago, mnfireman said:

Yet TD is willing to hand Clemens the 1B job based on his performance in May '25. Bell had an OPS+ of 110 last season, a 107 wRC+ and is a switch-hitter, Clemens had an OPS+ of 96, and a wRC+ of 98 and is a left-handed bat that does not hit LHP. I'm not defending the Bell signing, I'm stating that it is not the end of the world.

Yeah I'm not a fan of Clemens at all, he's a utility player at best but some here are desperate to turn him into a legitimate talent.  Serious "contenders" do not platoon replacement level players like Bell/Clemens at a premium offensive position.

[IndianaTwin]

6 minutes ago, Road trip said:

Thanks for the information... and that sounds bad.

It also makes me wonder why apparently both Bell and Twins management felt they were a good match.  Is there any MLB ballpark that is colder than Target Field in April?  

This was a new condition for me as well. I think the Reynaud's reference was not to Bell, but to someone suggesting reliever Pete Fairbanks. 

And my Googling tells me that Brandon Woodruff also deals with it, with may be part of why he (unexpectedly to a fair number of people) accepted the Qualifying Offer to stay with the domed Brewers. 

[Gamblerssoftball]

1 hour ago, bunsen82 said:

He loses touch of his fingers in cold temps.  Loses almost complete control in those environments.  Plus if it flares it sticks around for a while potentially.  Having a wife with raynauds it no fun.  Excrutiating in cold temps 30-40 degrees and sub temps.  

Raynaud's (pronounced "ray-NOZ") is a condition where small arteries, usually in fingers and toes, spasm in response to cold or stress, causing them to turn white, then blue, and finally red as blood flow returns, often with pain, numbness, or tingling. 

My wife has it as well. Which is why we are in Arizona from November through March. She gets relief and I get to play senior softball all winter. Win win!

[DJL44]

20 minutes ago, Brandon said:

Corrected:  who are our top reliever targets?  There is a difference.

Would Chris Paddack be interested in the closer role?

[bunsen82]

10 minutes ago, Road trip said:

Thanks for the information... and that sounds bad.

It also makes me wonder why apparently both Bell and Twins management felt they were a good match.  Is there any MLB ballpark that is colder than Target Field in April?  

That is in regards to Fairbanks - the closer for Tampa Bay last year.  

[bunsen82]

2 minutes ago, DJL44 said:

Would Chris Paddack be interested in the closer role?

After torching the Twins on his way out I would say its doubtful from both sides.  If the Twins have the highest offer I am sure he would sign.  His stats . . .just aren't that good.  In his short sample size for 2023 he looked good in the bullpen.  

[LastOnePicked]

13 minutes ago, Road trip said:

Raynaud's (pronounced "ray-NOZ") is a condition where small arteries, usually in fingers and toes, spasm in response to cold or stress, causing them to turn white, then blue, and finally red as blood flow returns, often with pain, numbness, or tingling.

Isn't this how most Twins respond to every trip to Yankee Stadium?

[Brandon]

I don't get all the negativity,  Lowe is maybe 30 OPS points better than Bell and better defender.  How much more value is that?  What else could the Twins do?  It's a one year contract.  If you're not happy then focus on the prospect we can get for him at the trade deadline.  Based on that article of 15 options at 1B, Bell is in the top 3.  He is basically Cuddyer with a lower average.  

[KirbyDome89]

26 minutes ago, amjgt said:

What this thread shows me is that there is a certain faction of people on here who will find a reason to complain about any move the Twins make. 

Part of me understands the frustration they've built up over the last few year, but most of me just wonders why they continue to bother with a team that brings them so much anger. 

The Twins just spent nearly half of their very limited offseason budget on a replacement level player who is an absolute butcher at 1B and will most likely clog up the DH spot on a roster that currently has at least 3 other guys best suited for the DH role. I mean, maybe there's reason to complain here....

[KirbyDome89]

3 hours ago, Twins_Fan_in_NJ said:

Similar to the Carlos Santana signing in 2024 - won't overwhelm anyone but he's 'someone' and beats the alternative of putting Kody Clemens at 1B on a daily basis.

Now add 2-3 arms to the bullpen and we might see a small sliver of optimism.

Clemens will still be at first on a daily basis. He's at worst the strong side of a poor platoon. If Bell is completely cooked defensively Clemens still has 1B to himself, at least for the moment. 

[KirbyDome89]

2 hours ago, Woof Bronzer said:

This is the kind of move that a mid market team absolutely cannot make and be seriously competitive.  You don't pay $7m for a replacement level player.  You play a replacement level player you already have on your payroll.  

If the Twins truly want to compete, they have to find about 25 wins from the team they ended 2025 with.  Spending maybe half of your free agent budget to buy 0 wins on a 1 year rental is a really, really poor decision.  

Reason #12,523 why the 2026 Twins will not compete for anything other than 4th place in the Central.  

This should be pinned. 

[Chembry]

1 hour ago, LastOnePicked said:

Why on Earth would we trade Wallner? If we're selling low on promising younger talent and replacing them with aging free agent and waiver claim veterans, something is terribly wrong.

We need a chance to see how struggling players we've developed can perform under a new manager.

I agree...would much rather trade Larnach.  I want Wallner as the primary DH.  But I don't see a scenario where the Twins carry both Larnach and Wallner in to 2026.  Like I said, the Twins need to make a decision.  I would rather Larnach be traded.