I've Got a Bad Feeling About This

[RandBalls Stu]

Image courtesy of Flickr/Joanne C. Sullivan

Apologies in advance for stepping out from behind my satirical remove. But the situation demands it.

Guys, I think the Twins might be pretty bad this year.

Prior to spring training, 75 wins seemed about right. That isn't good, by any stretch of the imagination. But they had enough starting pitching to get from here to respectability, especially in a bad division. Enough things break right, they could sniff .500, and if they finally get some breakout performances from the kids (I'm one of the TD writers old enough to remember when Kirby Puckett started hitting for power), one could dare to dream of a playoff berth.

Dream in one hand and [REDACTED] in the other, and see which one fills up first.

Pablo López is out. David Festa is hurt. Joe Ryan has back trouble. Bailey Ober already had to hit reset. That's 80% of the rotation! The good part of the team! The depth has gone from enviable to Andrew Morris and ten Hail Marys.

The lineup is...man, I don't know. Can anyone but Byron Buxton play defense? And are Josh Bell and Victor Caratini enough to fix the inconsistent offense of last year? I desperately want to be wrong. I want Brooks Lee to live up to his potential. I want Royce Lewis to be Royce Lewis again. I think it's foolish to expect that to happen.

To be honest, the least of my concerns is the bullpen. Yes, the completely decimated one from last year with three reclamation projects as the causes for quote-unquote "hope". I like how Aaron put it over at The Athletic:

Quote

(B)ullpen performance can be the trickiest part of any team to predict, and quality relievers often materialize and vanish without warning...

There is zero reason to expect the bullpen to be good (and to be clear, Aaron doesn't), but bullpens are weird like hockey goalies are weird. No one knows how they work or what makes them tick; you just hope you fall into a decent one. Of all the things I can muster optimism about today regarding Your Minnesota Twins, it's that the bullpen might be OK—because sometimes that just happens. In the name of Tony Fiore, let it be so.

Finally, I know spring training records are meaningless. But the 4-8 record as of Thursday morning is earned. It seems about right for what they're putting out there every afternoon. And it doesn't look a whole lot different from what they're going to put out there when the games start counting.

I want to be wrong. As I put this in the publication queue, they are beating the living hell out of the New York Yankees, of all teams. [Ed. note: They held on to win a nailbiter, 15-0.] I would love nothing more than to have everyone reading this throwing it in my face come September's pennant race.

That said, if the worst comes to pass, tickets, hot dogs, and beers will be pretty cheap this summer. See you at the yard.

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[CRF]

Unfortunately...75 wins might be a little too optimistic.

[SteveLV]

The chances this team wins 75 games this year is probably, realistically, about 15%.

Vegas has them at 72.5, only above the Angels, Rockies, Nationals, White Sox and Cardinals.

I think I would take the Under on that total, but 72-90 seems about right, 18 games below .500.

This team simply isn't good, despite Tom's statements about competitiveness.

[BobAzar]

A little disappointed there wasnt a star wars reference.

[LastOnePicked]

I'm not mad that it's going to be a bad year - I expected that. I'm mad that it's not a productively bad year. Halting the roster fire sale and the team sale are going to turn out to be two of the most damaging decisions in recent franchise history. The first means that they let future value slip away for nothing. The second means that fans will stay away even if they somehow start to become competitive again in 2028 or 2029.

[The Great Hambino]

I don't know how we ended up in a spot where three weeks before the season, my most tangible source of optimism for this year is Alan Roden (fudging a bit cuz it's really probably Abel at least as a 1A-1B type deal, but I'm trying to make a point here). 

I did not have that on my Twingo card

[LewFordLives]

"But the 4-8 record as of Thursday morning is earned. It seems about right for what they're putting out there every afternoon. And it doesn't look a whole lot different from what they're going to put out there when the games start counting."

Agreed. The early start of spring training is usually about getting a look at guys who might be depth pieces. Some will stay and some will be let go. However, the guys they've been running out there these first couple weeks will probably be expected to be regular contributors. Scary.

[thelanges5]

Only the Rockies had a worse record than the twins in the second half of 2025. As mentioned in the article, the only changes have been Bell and Caratini. Hard to imagine a scenario where we aren’t selling again at the trade deadline.

[Brandon]

Spring training is when players try stuff they wouldn't try in the regular season.  Spring training records are meaningless.  How many times have we seen a player kick ass in spring only to flounder starting day one of the regular season?  Or a veteran have a bad spring only to start the season on 🔥 fire.  The good news is we still gotta play the games.  

This will be a productive season cause so many prospects are ready for an opportunity meaning the Twins will be cycling through prospects throughout the year more than suspects.  

I see a path for the Twins to have a winning team and a path for 65 wins.  And the only way to find out is to watch the season unfold with an ice çold brew and dome dog.

[ashbury]

Hilarious satire.  We're all going to look back on this with laughter during the World Series Championship parade.

[CRF]

1 hour ago, ashbury said:

Hilarious satire.  We're all going to look back on this with laughter during the World Series Championship parade.

Here's to hoping we ALL live that long!

[Jim H]

I have no idea what record the Twins might achieve this year. I have also decided I won't worry about that. What I want to see is a pursuit or path that will lead, eventually to something better than aimless wanderlings of what the Twins leadership has been doing for the last few years.

I am tired of the overarching pursuit of versatility that puts people in their 4th best defensive position to create a very marginal platoon advantage that vanishes in the 4th inning when the other team changes the pitcher. I hate the  large collection of players whose best position. is dh. I dislike seeing young players not being put in good position to succeed when promoted to the majors.

I could give examples of what I think the Twins should be doing. But all I want to see is the Twins to move toward practices that will make the team more watchable and will lead to a team that has a better chance of becoming a championship contender.

[RpR]

It is  new season with quite a different cast this year.  Spring Training is showing who may be OK and who may go back to AAA or be seeing his career go pfft.

If one is a baseball fan, that one will watch games all season and deal with what comes; if one is a here today gone tomorrow sports watcher, that one will move on.

Que sera, sera.

[Vanimal46]

30% of total payroll is paid out to 2 players who won't play a single inning for the Twins this year. Yeah, it's probably not gonna go well.

I'm a sucker for opening day so I'll be tuned in and ready to go. If this team is not winning, and more importantly, still playing their boring style of baseball, they won't be on my TV much this summer. 

[awmonahan]

But the promotions will be sick! I, for one, can't wait for Plasma Donation Night! If enough of us pitch in, we might get a right-handed reliever next year!

[Sjoski]

3 hours ago, Vanimal46 said:

30% of total payroll is paid out to 2 players who won't play a single inning for the Twins this year.

Inconceivable!!! But legit! 

1/3 of budget to 8% of personal that is guaranteed to provide 0% impact = another lost, useless,  meaningless season not to support in any way possible. 

 

[RpR]

10 minutes ago, Sjoski said:

Inconceivable!!! But legit! 

1/3 of budget to 8% of personal that is guaranteed to provide 0% impact = another lost, useless,  meaningless season not to support in any way possible. 

 

Then do not. Others will.

[Richie the Rally Goat]

9 hours ago, SteveLV said:

The chances this team wins 75 games this year is probably, realistically, about 15%.

Vegas has them at 72.5, only above the Angels, Rockies, Nationals, White Sox and Cardinals.

I think I would take the Under on that total, but 72-90 seems about right, 18 games below .500.

This team simply isn't good, despite Tom's statements about competitiveness.

You can look me in the eye with a straight face and tell me you think this team is two games better than last year that had C4 and a good bullpen until 8/1?

[Patzky]

Seeing Buxton get plunked tonight with the sacks full didn't help matters. He's remained in the game for now

[twinstalker]

I know you're a smart guy.  You thought this team had a decent chance of...exactly what?

[sampleSizeOfOne]

1 hour ago, Patzky said:

Seeing Buxton get plunked tonight with the sacks full didn't help matters. He's remained in the game for now

An RBI?

How unusual.

[SteveLV]

Richie the Goat, I posted that I would bet the under at 72 wins, so, apparently, we agree.

[singlesoverwalks]

It's like the mid-'90s, except we didn't win the World Series in the last five years. 

[sampleSizeOfOne]

On 3/6/2026 at 9:16 AM, BobAzar said:

A little disappointed there wasnt a star wars reference.

Nah, just an ordinary bad feeling.

It's just Spring Training. Alderaan's gotta be there somewhere. Otherwise we wouldn'a scheduled a road game there.