What's Left at First Base in Free Agency?

2 hours ago, JD-TWINS said:

There are no $$$ to spend. Right? How is a GM going to sign guys that are getting whisked away with no ability to spend? I agree, after trades are made - there could be some $$ available but being aggressive to trade guys that everyone knows you need to trade quickly to free up $$ isn’t a very good bargaining position. IMO, they need to be patient and figure out who has needs and how they can help fill Twin’s needs. Tough to do, with any good clarity & bargaining power, in December.

I would agree. We also have to remember, even if we don't like it, this FO has never been a player in the first half of the off-season. The exception being signing Jason Castro quickly out of the gate. This one no different, don't expect moves until around February 01 if they do happen.

19 hours ago, 1985Fan said:

Santana just signed with Cleveland for one year @ $12M. 

If they can’t swing a trade for Diaz or some other quality 1B hitter, then let Miranda play there. If they want to platoon, and we know they will whether makes sense or not, then platoon Larnach there. 

FalZoll - lets go get Diaz!

21 hours ago, Brandon27 said:

I let Miranda,lee and julien fight it out to play first cause other probably going play 3rd a day other going be the DH 

Cleveland, Chicago , Kansas City and Detroit are probalby hoping the Twins do that.

Looks like another glass of Gallo wine next summer.

2 hours ago, JD-TWINS said:

I know this probably doesn’t need to be said but Falvey’s job is to build the best club he thinks he can within the budget constraints placed upon him - he has at least a broad plan…….it’s flexible based on what happens, weekly/daily - it’s not his job to make quick moves so the fans feel better.

Going into Spring Training there will be 25 teams that aren’t completely comfortable with how they are constructed - everyone isn’t done making moves nor satisfied with their roster by Christmas………Falvey has to be creative and look for leverage not only to be able to shed payroll to gain flexibility but to get back the right guys that he thinks will help!! Get ready to be patient.

Agreed. There are also a dozen clubs that would love to have the financial resources of the Twins, including Milwaukee and the entire AL Central division. Everyone is doing the same thing except for a few teams.

2 minutes ago, JD-TWINS said:

Yep - I was pretty surprised that Cleveland spent $12M at 1B - not surprised by the player but surprised relative to budget.

Cleveland is still around $45M below Minnesota in payroll, so they figured Santana works as a DH/PH/1B. Kyle Manzardo will get a ton of the time at first base. The Guards still are looking to add an outfielder and could have another $12M to spend. That team is resourceful and always looks both short term and long term.

1 minute ago, stringer bell said:

They sacrificed defense at second base and added defense at first base. Santana will make almost exactly what Naylor would have cost. Maybe they are brilliant or maybe are making dumb decisions. I guess we shall see. 

I think the Guards would suggest that their loss at 2B is made whole by the improvement at 1B strictly for measuring defense. Cleveland is not afraid to make moves and added some pitching in an attempt to improve the 2025 roster. You are correct in positing that we shall see. I'm curious to see  the Guards next move.

The fact that Solano and Gallo have already done a tour of duty with this ballclub is reason enough to remove their names from the list.

Watch Chris Williams catch on fire next year with the Mets as Alonso signs elsewhere and the Twins diddle around with 12 different guys covering 1B in 2025.

Same thing at DH as well.

I really do not see a workable solution on the identified free agent list.

Jeez, am I a Debbie Downer or what?

Lowe from Texas to Washington.

1 hour ago, Althebum82 said:

The fact that Solano and Gallo have already done a tour of duty with this ballclub is reason enough to remove their names from the list.

 

You prefer shooting craps on a wishful thinking gamble.

16 hours ago, William K Johnson said:

Again, tell Larnac and/or Wallner to bring a first baseman's mitt to spring training.

Just let Larnach concentrate on hitting crooked pitches.  And let Wallner deal with the fact that Max Kepler's not going to be around if he decides to lay an egg at the beginning of the season.

Personally the only one I would take a flier on is Rizzo.  The rest I would pass on and do internal fill.  Rizzo is coming off a couple of down years, and could be cooked so I would not invest a lot in him.  However, he was always a good on base guy and we could use that type of veteran leader type guy. 

Twin's Front Office is waiting to hear back from MLB and MLBPA on paying players LESS than the league minimum due to the team's precarious financial condition.  This will impact roster decisions.

On 12/22/2024 at 11:06 PM, JD-TWINS said:

Trading guys later in the offseason to free $$ that can be spent as part of facilitating a trade (being able to pay a guy coming over) at the deadline is a strategy. It’s not popular but maybe effective?

What you write makes sense, at least for this season, with the financial restraints appearing to be real/severe as they seem for the Twins. So yes, that might be more effective. But my main gripe is that the Twins employ this waiting/late strategy every Winter, limited budgets or not, and invariably many of the players who are targeted (okay, perhaps most of those targeted players are ones named on this board, and not necessarily the ones that the front office are pursuing), are snatched up by other teams while the Twins play their usual waiting game. But you are correct in saying that might be the Twins' best strategy this time around. It's not like we are going to outbid any other teams for the better free agents out there. But if we want better players on the roster, at least ones that we didn't develop ourselves, we need to be more pro-active and more creative with deals or free agent signings.