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You know how people sometimes say, "What a time to be alive"? This is not one of those exciting times. What a time it isn't.
Baseball Apathy
This is the least I’ve thought about baseball in an offseason. I think some combination of classist team spending and Minnesota’s announced vow of abstemiousness has neutered my usual excitement. I’m not thrilled. Nor am I jazzed. I’m looking forward to the season’s start, but only because of a basic enjoyment of Twins baseball—not because they’ve done anything to spark an anxious anticipation.
Football has most of my attention these days. I’m watching the college football national championship game while writing this—go Washington; please make this age well [Ed. note: Welp. What a time it isn't.]—while reading Fran Tarkenton’s autobiography, co-written by Jim Klobuchar.
I know the Twins will do something before the season starts. They always do. And offseason splashiness is poorly correlated with actual, real success the following season; there’s just something so lame about the whole thing. Following up one of the most exciting seasons in recent history by losing the man who finished second in the AL Cy Young vote, while declaring that the already unimpressive payroll will decrease, sucks the life out of a fan. It’s a gut punch to those who care, even if the reasons are legitimate.
I don’t know. Maybe it’s healthy to carry your mind elsewhere when the season is on hold. I do think, though, that people tend to underrate a lack of moves, equating them to actively going backward. This isn’t the case. The Twins are already set up well, with a solid all-around offense lacking a significant hole, and they have a starting rotation that is both experienced and still relatively young. Bailey Ober is the oldest starter at 28 years of age. (Who would have guessed he was the oldest?) They could use another starter, because I don’t trust Chris Paddack to last an entire season, but there are far, far worse pitching situations in MLB.
So, yeah, here we are: I’m sad at the lack of moves, but I think the team is already set up pretty well. Hypocritical? Maybe. I guess that’s the difference between rationality and emotional thoughts.
What to do with Trevor Larnach?
After three years, I don’t think we are any closer to knowing whether Larnach is a long-term solution. He’s been perfectly okay, but okay doesn’t cut it for a guy of his prospect pedigree. He needed to prove something in 2023, and all we saw were variations of a similar mediocre theme. With Matt Wallner firmly established, have we seen the end of Larnach as a Twin? Wallner proved more in 200 at-bats than Larnach has in three seasons. I’d say to package him in a trade, but I don’t think he has much value now.
Oh, and here’s a fun thing I found the other day:
- Player 1: .222/.315/.385
- Player 2: .240/.303/.429
Player 1 is Larnach; player 2 is Oswaldo Arcia. Also, did you know Arcia is still only 32?
Still, I have this nagging feeling that he’ll Luke Raley it and break out with a team like the Rays. I guess there’s no downside to keeping him around for one more year. It’s just a shame that it looks like he’s only an ancillary depth piece, not the potential middle-of-the-order thumper he should have been. Hunter McCall will have a good breakdown piece on Larnach on the site tomorrow, though, so check back then for some detailed looks at his key areas of needed improvement.
And, those are my two thoughts of the day. How do you feel about Minnesota’s spending malaise? Do you think Larnach can still contribute to the Twins? Leave a comment and start the discussion, on these or other topics.
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