The Twins' Collection of Lefty Bats Has Reached the Breaking Point

We just need better hitters period. I don’t care which box they stand in. A lot of talk about running the same guys back next year - I don’t get it. We are a below 500 club for a while now. We need better players not more Larnach, Martin and Bell. I want a legit middle of the order bat or two. For that matter that bat can be at first or third as well. 

2 hours ago, HarmonK03 said:

@milldam I am curious, you put a thumbs down on this comment.  It's a factual statement I feel, so why would you do a thumbs down on this.

If you elicited a reaction, up or down, that's good.  It means your comment mattered.  Only feedback.... and lord knows I'm probably wrong..but . every  comment cannot be about Zoll.  (Actually it can as your opinion is your right not mine)

i do believe The future is so brighter than 3 years ago.  Just opinion

5 minutes ago, Wedman13 said:

If you elicited a reaction, up or down, that's good.  It means your comment mattered.  Only feedback.... and lord knows I'm probably wrong..but . every  comment cannot be about Zoll.  (Actually it can as your opinion is your right not mine)

 

i do believe The future is so brighter than 3 years ago.  Just opinion

Actually my comment was not about Zoll directly, it was in response to a comment that said "most of the people who built this roster are gone".  That is not true and that is not opinion, that is fact.

For your last sentence, I do not have the same belief because nothing substantial has changed in the way they operate.  I want it to be true, but I have to see to believe it.

1 hour ago, Cory Engelhardt said:

I wouldn't at all assume that any of Bell or Larnach or Wallner or Fedko or Mendez or Kendle will be here next season. I guess we'll see if Rodriguez ever gets a chance. And who knows if Roden will stay or if Martin is even the right handed platoon option for someone else.

And maybe Tom wants to throw some money at someone like Randy Arozarena in free agency. I'm not saying that will happen or that he would even sign here, But who knows what 2027 will look like.

All of this to say, who knows what 2027 or after will look like. But I do think Jenkins is a better option than most right now today.

Bell, Larnach and Wallner really can't be back next year.  Especially Bell and Wallner they will just clog the roster with a bat first and their hitting is not elite enough to carry a bat only.

57 minutes ago, Otaknam said:

They want Jenkins to keep playing in 27 if there is a partial season lockout, which does make some sense developmentally. 

They should be planning for baseball in 27, that is the only way you should be operating as an organization.  Plouffe commented on this earlier today and he is correct.  Jenkins should be up here, he is doing everything you ask someone to do to get the shot, he makes the team better now and the future.

But this front office has shown they have no real plan.

59 minutes ago, Wedman13 said:

Every article twists back to the Varland trade.  Fairly sure Louis is doing the writing.  We get it.  Ya like homegrown guys.  Folks were advocating  for Wallner a year ago.  Win some, lose some.  Roden is not 1/2 of the value we got.  Hes not great.
 

our record is better than last year..our system is stronger .and Toronto' sucks ..(I think) 

but nice job getting me to click 🤣🤣

How is our system stronger, Roden is a 4th or 5th outfielder at best, Rojas has potential to be a contributor.  From Philadelphia, it looks like Abel will a contributor, but Mendez is going to have a tough time with the current makeup of the roster as mentioned here.  The catcher Tait has leveled this year, could still make improvements, but he has a first round pick now literally breathing down his neck.

So I am not sure how is stronger unless we use some of these assets to fill holes.

3 minutes ago, Cory Engelhardt said:

Didn't you just answer your own question? Having more assets to use to fills holes means they are stronger overall no?

If they change their philosophy yes, but so far they haven't shown the inclination to use the system to either fill holes in the major leagues or acquire proven position players.

Just now, Cory Engelhardt said:

I agree, they have to show that the words they have been saying this whole season, and arguably showed to a degree this past deadline, aren't meaningless. But that is what Tom has said all season AND what they showed to an extent with the deadline.

So this offseason (if there is baseball in 2027) will be another test that they have to show their words have meaning. 

But really, I do think there are MORE assets in the organization overall right now than there was last year at this time. That's regardless of how they are used or not. That part specifically shows they have more assets, no?

Yes you are correct.  Where I got off track is I don't feel they will be used, so I was trying to have my cake and eat it too by saying the system isn't improved.  I just want them to have a plan and I am not sure they have one and that is my frustration.

1 minute ago, Cory Engelhardt said:

I do agree, historically, trying to trust a Pohlad with what they say has been insanity. It's been an awful lot like the Arrested Development scene where Tobias is telling Lindsay (I'm paraphrasing) that those people delude themselves to think that it will work but it never ever has. But THIS TIME, it might just work."

That's what I feel like when I write this. But even the other day Tom said specifically that he wants to spend in a similar fashion to how the Padres have built their roster. To me that means a LOT of internal extensions, some free agent signings and some external trades using your prospects. 

IF there is some of each of those buckets this offseason, then I'm willing to listen to Tom at his word a little more than historically. But I wouldn't put all my eggs in this basket until he can prove he means what he says.

The other piece is do you trust Zoll to make these decisions, I have made my thoughts known on this.  Can he target the right pieces and set a direction.  That is what I most want is what is the direction.

I have a flex ticket package and starting last year at the trade deadline that is the conversations I have been having with my ticket rep.  Convince me why I should keep investing money in this package, what is the plan.  They have been more enjoyable to watch this year, but what are they doing to build a sustainable competitive team and not just one that sits around .500 year in and year out.

Falvey's parting gift.  Thanks Derek.

11 minutes ago, Cory Engelhardt said:

I don't hate the moves that I would argue Zoll has been in charge of. It's hard for me to judge the front office TOO much for the past offseason when they didn't at that time have a direction on payroll because of Joe Pohlad just being so beyond incompetent that they took him out of baseball operations altogether.

Generally the deadline last year I'm ok with, and even the free agents added this offseason have MOSTLY been ok. And the trade deadline added some good pieces that helped the bullpen and some are even around for next season too, all without giving away really anything for 2026 or 2027. Frankly, my biggest gripe with this past trade deadline was not being forward thinking and moving Larnach when the time was right. But I can see why NOT selling anyone is a different message to the team at that specific moment.

But yeah, that's a good question overall. Let's say Joe wasn't incompetent and/or Tom would have been in place in October 2025 and had a clear plan for what this past offseason would have looked like both in terms of payroll and for not having the team being open for sale. I'd be willing to entertain the idea that at that time the offseason would have added more to the bullpen than they did. But because of Falvey leaving/team up for sale/Joe being "fired" by the Pohlads and being replaced by Tom, there kind of HAS to be context added to the past offseason and how it came together no? And really, I have a hard time putting THAT on Zoll specifically.

None of this is to say that Zoll IS the answer. But most of what has happened since he's been the guy in charge of baseball ops has been good in my opinion. Not great, not otherworldly, but good.

 

How would you describe it?

You are correct in that there seemed to be some uncertainty last offseason.  And Falvey didn't leave until right before spring training which at that the initial direction for the season had been set.  They did have some money to spend, they did sign Bell and Caratini and I would have preferred go towards the bullpen.

To me Joe Pohlad was not in charge of baseball operations, he was basically CEO over everything and Falvey was supposed to be leading the baseball operations on a day to day basis and I think he was.  Yes he got the rug pulled out from under him on the payroll but I am still not sure he allocated the resources given to him wisely, this offseason being one example.

My concern is Zoll has worked for 10 years under Falvey and it sounds like he has basically been his #2 for at least the last 5 years.  There was chatter when Levine left as GM, that he had been kept out of the loop for his final 2 to 3 years and Falvey had been leaning on Zoll.

While Zoll might be his own person, I don't want to take that chance.  I feel like he is going to operate like Falvey 2.0 and there have been plenty examples of that this year,   To be fair he has done a couple of things that feel different.

I want an experienced baseball executive to lead baseball operations something Zoll has never done. I would hope that they would have a fresh set of eyes and say this is working and this isn't and set a direction for the organization based on their experience.

I have mentioned this before, the Timberwolves did it the right way when they hired Tim Connelly, he is not afraid to make moves to better the team and take some chances, but he also has a plan.  That is what I am hoping Tom Pohlad will come to the realization to do and stay out of the way of the professionals,

1 hour ago, HarmonK03 said:

Actually my comment was not about Zoll directly, it was in response to a comment that said "most of the people who built this roster are gone".  That is not true and that is not opinion, that is fact.

For your last sentence, I do not have the same belief because nothing substantial has changed in the way they operate.  I want it to be true, but I have to see to believe it.

Fair.  I tend to put too much stock in prospects (example I think a major fail not to trade Buck / if he agreed) but we'll see how it plays out for the young guys. An opinion is all I got! :)

I'm all for LH hitters but the main point here is that there have been a logjam of them at the cOF position by collecting & hoarding them. Therefore as you stated, the younger ones aren't getting the opportunities & we have no idea in what they are capable of doing, not building their value & know what to do with them, plus delaying players like Jenkins to come up. We are forced to trade young players not knowing (by a long shot) their full potential. IMO. that's poor management.

LH corner outfielders are one thing, but we seem to be trying to corner the market on mediocre, slow, defensively challenged LH corner outfielders.

9 hours ago, TheLeviathan said:

I said it last summer - the sell off wasn't my issue.  The targets of our sell off most certainly were.  We didn't target the right kinds of players in our deals from where I sat.

Other than the Varland-deal-that-shall-not-be-named they appear to have done well last offseason...but this issue was a glaring mistake.

I'll take any chance I can get to flog that one.  I will never forgive them for the Louie thing.  Never.