So Far, Tom Pohlad Feels Like a Change for the Better

[JADBP]

3 hours ago, Jim H said:

If Tom Pohlad was responsible for Falvey leaving, that would be a positive from m point of view. Other than setting the budget and picking top management, usually the less involvement in the operation of a sports franchise by the owners as possible, is better for the success of the franchise.

REALLY?  Do you think there was any scenario where Tom was not directly involved with Falvey leaving?  It was so obvious that the value of the Twins has gone backwards over the last few years (running up $500 million in debt!).  There was no way on this big Earth that Tom was not going to push out Falvey.  He just did it in a professional, respectful way, letting Falvey "resign."

[mikelink45]

Sorry - he has done nothing right or wrong.  He did not put this team together, but what he can do is step up if we make it to contention or shape the future if we don't.  Let's talk about Tom next year. 

[nicksaviking]

7 hours ago, Richie the Rally Goat said:

Evidence?

edit: found the source

 

Jim being a CPA really clarifies the root cause of the Pohlad Pocket Protector brigade, jeepers!

Yeah, it seemed when Joe was running things initially he was excited to be playing with a new toy. He wanted to spend money and rebuild the roster. So when Joe was riding high at the Twins 30-year peak as as King Pohlad because the team finally won a playoff series and fan interest was high, I found it highly unlikely that the guy who still had champagne in his hair was actually the one who pulled the plug on spending and being competitive. That really felt like it came down from whomever was actually holding Joe's leash.

[nicksaviking]

38 minutes ago, mikelink45 said:

Sorry - he has done nothing right or wrong.  He did not put this team together, but what he can do is step up if we make it to contention or shape the future if we don't.  Let's talk about Tom next year. 

I'm not giving any owners credit unless they start flexing with the payroll.

If the Twins are better this year, the reason and the solution for next time the franchise is in a funk seems obvious; just fire the stinking manager. Might not be his fault, he might be the greatest human who ever walked the planet. But a fresh voice in a stale room should always be the first step.

Outside of Billy Gardner, it's basically been a guaranteed 10 win improvement every time.

[Richie the Rally Goat]

1 hour ago, JADBP said:

REALLY?  Do you think there was any scenario where Tom was not directly involved with Falvey leaving?  It was so obvious that the value of the Twins has gone backwards over the last few years (running up $500 million in debt!).  There was no way on this big Earth that Tom was not going to push out Falvey.  He just did it in a professional, respectful way, letting Falvey "resign."

Falvey would have ran up deficits of $50m per year every year and not paid any interest or principle. He would have been fired in 2018. There’s no way the Pohlads would have let it go like that. I bet they ran up that much in 2020 because they didn’t have gate and concession revenue.

Most of that debt had to be from opening Target field prior to 2010, and in 2020 paying all of the employees and minor leaguers with only TV revenue for a very short season.

In 2020 Falvey was not the business guy, that was St Peter, and I guarantee that the Pohlads signed off on it, maybe pushed it.

In 2010 Falvey was not a part of the Twins.

That debt isn’t revolving line of credit, it’s long term debt.

however, Agreed, Tom absolutely had something to do with Falvey leaving.

[nicksaviking]

51 minutes ago, Richie the Rally Goat said:

Falvey would have ran up deficits of $50m per year every year and not paid any interest or principle. He would have been fired in 2018. There’s no way the Pohlads would have let it go like that. I bet they ran up that much in 2020 because they didn’t have gate and concession revenue.

Most of that debt had to be from opening Target field prior to 2010, and in 2020 paying all of the employees and minor leaguers with only TV revenue for a very short season.

In 2020 Falvey was not the business guy, that was St Peter, and I guarantee that the Pohlads signed off on it, maybe pushed it.

In 2010 Falvey was not a part of the Twins.

That debt isn’t revolving line of credit, it’s long term debt.

however, Agreed, Tom absolutely had something to do with Falvey leaving.

I agree Falvey had zero to do with the debt. But no other team has reported losses even a fraction of this. So I'm beyond confident that the 500M in debt was due to Minnesota Twins LLC holding a K1 ownership percentage for the Pohlad's real estate and car dealership businesses. This way they could allocate the losses (but also allocate earnings for other K1 holders) onto the franchise and try to pawn them off onto a prospective buyer for the team.

[Richie the Rally Goat]

1 hour ago, nicksaviking said:

I agree Falvey had zero to do with the debt. But no other team has reported losses even a fraction of this. So I'm beyond confident that the 500M in debt was due to Minnesota Twins LLC holding a K1 ownership percentage for the Pohlad's real estate and car dealership businesses. This way they could allocate the losses (but also allocate earnings for other K1 holders) onto the franchise and try to pawn them off onto a prospective buyer for the team.

This is essentially what 3M did with Imation and Solventum spinoffs but publicly traded instead of private, so different technical mechanisms.

[Yoke]

Ownership is doing a lot of positive things, and pushing things in the right direction, which I appreciate.

 

I also don’t trust them. It’s like when my kids clean their room without me asking. It always feels a little suspicious.

[JADBP]

4 hours ago, nicksaviking said:

I agree Falvey had zero to do with the debt. But no other team has reported losses even a fraction of this. So I'm beyond confident that the 500M in debt was due to Minnesota Twins LLC holding a K1 ownership percentage for the Pohlad's real estate and car dealership businesses. This way they could allocate the losses (but also allocate earnings for other K1 holders) onto the franchise and try to pawn them off onto a prospective buyer for the team.

I agree the K-1 pass through makes sense and is a great, and legal, way to share P&L’s across entities.  I suspect the Pohlads did this for tax reasons but applied loans only to the Twins—thereby reducing their tax liabilities without burdening their other entities  

 But then how do they untangle this for investors?  I am sure they would want their share of profits?  
 

Maybe the investors invested just to profit in a future team sale, but then I would expect they would take a substantial hit in equity.  Less equity for their $$.  And the Pohlads were able to reduce a lot of debt without burdening their someone else’s money—again without affecting their other entities. 

[bean5302]

14 hours ago, nicksaviking said:

Yeah, it seemed when Joe was running things initially he was excited to be playing with a new toy. He wanted to spend money and rebuild the roster. So when Joe was riding high at the Twins 30-year peak as as King Pohlad because the team finally won a playoff series and fan interest was high, I found it highly unlikely that the guy who still had champagne in his hair was actually the one who pulled the plug on spending and being competitive. That really felt like it came down from whomever was actually holding Joe's leash.

I never got the impression Joe thought the Twins were a toy. I think he was was just ill-prepared to handle the role. I know this sounds rough, but I have him pegged as a nepo-baby. He was supposed to be a marketing expert and he was suited to replace Dave St. Peter on paper. The issue is Joe's ideas seemed to fall really flat with the fan base, and he wasn't nearly polished enough for public communications. On top of that, I think he wasn't skilled enough to grasp the business side of things.

End result is you get bad redesigns, poor connection with the market audience for promotions, and public gaffes in statements to the media.

It feels to me like Joe was unable to accept his own shortfalls and blamed the fans for his missteps like a true nepo-baby experiencing failure and accountability for the first time.

Tough read on the situation, but exactly how I feel about it.

[darin617]

The team will not be sold until the potential lockout is resolved this offseason. 

[Charleo]

On 4/14/2026 at 10:30 AM, bunsen82 said:

 

That this team has done well is no reflection on whether Tom is good or not.  

 

This.  There's a reason this team is first in the AL and has terrible attendance.  No one wants to (or should) give their money to this guy or anyone in his family.   The team is doing well due to some great young pitching, timely hitting, etc.  Not because Tom is around more.  I love the Twins, but I'll be watching them in Milwaukee this year.   A $2 can of watery beer doesn't make up for gutting the team and basically running it back with what's left over.   Sell. The. Team.