Mapping the Minnesota Twins' Future Payroll

[terrydactyls]

43 minutes ago, Cris E said:

So how will that work with the lockout? 

With no owners and a significant number of players exterminated, there will no need for a lockout.

[Rosterman]

Right now, the Twins are the prime example of why there shouldn't be a minimum payroll. They have players on the lower end, but who will become expensive.

If a salary cap was indeed in place, as well as a team minimum, the winners would be those guys willing to get overpaid for a single year contract. WHich we might see more and more of.

Teams would develop players, but then you job in a Ryan Jeffers at $20m for a season as the young catcher developes, or overpay a Josh Bell to be a bench bat, or spend $10m on a savvy bullpen arm, just to meet the lowend rquirement/ Throwing away $50-60 million, as would be the Twins case this season, on short term plugs while the minor leagues develop. With hopes that any additional payroll space will be available come free agency days for the youngsters who will be expensive in 4-5 seasons.

 

[Riverbrian]

12 minutes ago, Rosterman said:

Right now, the Twins are the prime example of why there shouldn't be a minimum payroll. They have players on the lower end, but who will become expensive.

If a salary cap was indeed in place, as well as a team minimum, the winners would be those guys willing to get overpaid for a single year contract. WHich we might see more and more of.

Teams would develop players, but then you job in a Ryan Jeffers at $20m for a season as the young catcher developes, or overpay a Josh Bell to be a bench bat, or spend $10m on a savvy bullpen arm, just to meet the lowend rquirement/ Throwing away $50-60 million, as would be the Twins case this season, on short term plugs while the minor leagues develop. With hopes that any additional payroll space will be available come free agency days for the youngsters who will be expensive in 4-5 seasons.

 

You are absolutely right. This will most likely result in overpays to just reach the minimum.

There will be teams that will just want to clear that minimum by as little as they can. The A listers will not be available to them, they won't want to sign if you went for them, they will have choices and there isn't enough A listers to go around so you fish in the same pool. 

The only solution would be to add money to the contracts of B the listers to stay compliant. 

[Rufus]

4 of the 5 teams still in the running for the WS are low payroll teams.  3 of those teams have a lower payroll than the Twins. Proving that the idea of a salary cap and salary floor is just a lazy mans way of thinking a team can win. Sure the Dodgers are a big payroll team but they also consistently have a top 5 Farm System.  Instead of going out and throwing money at aging free agents to raise the payroll. The Twins should focus more money on scouting, drafting and player development.  Like anything else it takes smart management, hard work, beating the bushes for players to develop instead of just throwing money at players other teams have let go. 

[Riverbrian]

32 minutes ago, Rufus said:

The Twins should focus more money on scouting, drafting and player development.

Great post

For the past decade. We have had a top ten ranked farm system year after year.

Having a top ranked farm system for a decade running doesn't mean much because it hasn't really born fruit in over a decade. 

Other teams have oranges and blueberries on the table. 

Strip mined left handed hitters with no trade value despite being successful at the limited role we trained him to be. That's our success story. 

You reap what you sow. 

 

 

[Rufus]

40 minutes ago, Riverbrian said:

Great post

For the past decade. We have had a top ten ranked farm system year after year.

Having a top ranked farm system for a decade running doesn't mean much because it hasn't really born fruit in over a decade. 

Other teams have oranges and blueberries on the table. 

Strip mined left handed hitters with no trade value despite being successful at the limited role we trained him to be. That's our success story. 

You reap what you sow. 

 

 

Obviously like I said in my post it takes smart baseball minds, with hat innate ability to find the diamonds in the rough.  Scouts that can best the bushes and find value not only in the first couple of rounds but on the second and third day of the draft and then developing those players once you have them.