Article: Top '13 Stories: #3 - Twins Spend On Free Agents

[bird]

Mod hat off:

It seems to me if one is advocating a strategy that precludes "signing players that might get us to 500," that is by definition "punting the season," no?

 

No. Signing a player to a longer-term contract (think Garza) where the immediate benefit might be enough wins to get you to .500 this season would be fine IF the probability wasn't high that the same player and contract would restrict your ability to contend two seasons later. I doubt there's a single commentor in our group that wouldn't advocate a strategy of "signing players that might get us to 500" if there was an absence of a future negative consequence, no?

[Guest USAFChief]

"Punting the season" for no reason.

 

"Punting the season" to increase the chances of competing in future seasons.

 

Both equal "punting the season."

[Craig Arko]

Fez on : Glad we already played 2014 and know the results. Fezzes are cool!

 

Fez off: Oh, wait, you mean pitchers and catchers haven't even reported yet?

[Major League Ready]

"Punting the season" for no reason.

 

"Punting the season" to increase the chances of competing in future seasons.

 

Both equal "punting the season."

 

There are very good reasons and they have all been given many times.

 

Drew and Morales have little or nothing to do with rebuilding. They very likely would not be here when this team is ready to contend. The picks they give up yield prospects like Berrios, Eades, Turner, Gonsalves, etc. Taijuan Walker was selected with the 43^rd pick. So, while it is true that a pick in the low 40s is far from a sure thing, that pick has far better odds of contributing to the future than Stephen Drew for example. Morales has even less value.

 

In addition, signing some free agents (like drew) likely leads to selling low on a player who could become a much more valuable asset. (like Florimon)

 

Then, we have the money. It is easy to ignore the cost when it is not your money. I can see expecting them to keep Mauer or others in the future. I can see expecting them to spend on FAs when the core has been developed and the FA in question is a piece we know is key to contending. However, the premise that the organization should spend $20M+/yr for 1-2 wins (and give up draftpicks) because they can or because the stadium was subsidized is unrealistic and unfair. If the team was given to the posters at TD (for free) and we voted on such expenditures, it would become an entirely different story if it were our money even if it were given to us. What we should expect is for them to remember the good profit years and spend aggressively when the team is contending. I don’t think that is nearly as farfetched as some might think.

[Mike Sixel]

If they had signed good players to long term deals 2 years ago, and been better, then signed a good player or two to long term deals last year, and been better, they'd be closer to a .500 team. Then there would be no "they are not close" reason not to try to win this year. But, since they refuse to do this, they are not really getting any closer.

 

I guess, to me, not trying to get better than .500 is punting the season. We clearly disagree on this point.

 

For my long treatise, you convinced me, I was wrong. They aren't close. So now I want them to go out and get close.

 

If I was a multi billionaire, I'd be giving my money away to charity and trying to win baseball games, not trying to milk the baseball team for more profit. Assuming things about other posters' values is probably not a good idea, MLR.

[ND-Fan]

I think the ownership has changed direction of Twins on Free agency its because they want to keep Twins Brand from further declining lessening its value. I have been thinking how soon is it before the Twins are renegotiating their Tv contract. I don't know but I thinking its coming up again so they need to have team people are willing to watch again and have interest in. I know there ratings have been sinking like their attendance has. It will be difficult to sign big tv contract if ratings and Twins Brand continue to decline. TV won't be willing to pay bigger contract if this happening and this would put Twins in poor revenue side compared to a lot of other baseball franchises. They need the Twins to start winning now not in three or four years to keep up their revenue stream and so adding free agents are not going to cost the Twins that much compared to what they could loose in net profits. I am sure baseball side of twins management this is eye awaking experience from operating on cheap since Twins came to Minnesota to now becoming player in Free Agency. I also think Twins ownership also has been trying to put in place a system where they are in contention year in year out without having to spend big dollars by developing steady stream of talent to major league level. By doing this they can be most cost effective and still generating high revenue streams into the team. With only adding Free Agent when need occurs because of injury or poor development in certain position. I think Twins have had major learning curve when coming to Target Field its changed how they have to do business. Also type of players they need are different than what they had a dome. Target field is nice place to watch and is more traditional place of baseball but the dome offered Minnesota the most home field advantage of major league baseball. It got good teams off their game and made our players better in that we could get buy with weaker hitters who if they new how slap and use the field to their advantage improved their numbers. It also rewarded our teams that worked on defense and learned to play their with better than normal numbers. I think this added 7 to 10 wins a year and if you had 75 to 80 win club this would put at 85 to 90 wins a year putting you contention. So Twins fans should never be down on dome as much they were it was one Major leagues biggest home field advantages and if maximized could lead you to playoffs.