Twins Offseason Status Update: One Month To Go

here in Rochester we welcome Toby Gardenhire as our 45th manager of the Red Wings. Toby played here several years ago and even coached under Mike Quade for half a season. Glad to have him aboard. He will be a welcome replacement for cardboard cutout Joel Skinner, who left no footprint on the team or the city.

The entire coaching staff has been replaced and honestly, I don't recognize a single name. But I embrace the changes.

Toby is 37...and will bring lots of energy to the Wings. (While we all hold out hope that someday Tommy Watkins manages us...we are happy for him in Minnesota...he was, and is wildly popular in Rochester)

Can anyone give me a good reason, even from the Pohlad's perspective, why you don't just give Berrios the money he is asking for? Precedent?

 

I really can't figure out the Twins' angle here except keeping the pocket change.

They may just do that. It could be they are trying for a long term deal and if that falls apart then just give him his number. We just don't know.

I don't understand all the teeth mashing over what the Twins offerred Berrios.  Is it not true that both their offer and the player's request are done without knowing the other sides number?  If true, the fact that the Twins $4.025mm and Berrios $4.4mm are so close means that both sides were looking at the situation thru similar glasses.  There is a process and both are following it.  Seeing they are so very close there is almost no likliehood they will actually go to arbitration.  Everyone just needs to chill untill they play out the process of exploring a long-term extension and/or settle on a number for next year that is somewhere between the two numbers we see today.

As for the 2020 opening day payroll, it will be higher.  Someone will be added for the infield at a salary higher than Wade's $0.6mm.  Also, the article I read in the Strib that talked about Sano's contract being front loaded with a signing bonus also stated it contained significant incentives (significant is my word as I don't remember the exact words used, however, that's the feeling I got from reading it).

I think it's telling that the Berrios case is about $.5m, yet many people are saying "what's another $10m to Donaldson?" It might feel like play money to us, but it's very real.

I also expect it to be resolved, unless the Twins front office wants another arbitration case to set precedent.

If you the Twins don't sign Berrios with a long term contract it will be another kick in the nuts to us fans.

I don't think people are bothered by the Twins' initial offer so much as the fact that they wouldn't simply accept Berrios's number and call it a day. I get that the front office finds it important to stand their ground in these cases, to keep precedents in place for the future, but this seems like an instance where it makes sense to deviate from that philosophy. Keeping him happy is just too critical. 

Having said that, perhaps this is part of a negotiation tactic for hammering out a long-term deal. Now, the Twins can give the appearance that they're "giving" something by pushing JB's salary to $4.4 or higher in the first year.

I will note though that the likelihood of an arbitration hearing is much higher than you allude. Teams generally follow the "file and trial" approach now, so unless an extension is reached, it's highly probable his case will go before a panel. And that's just far from ideal. 

In that I no longer follow all this like I used to, Nick, I don't understand all the concern with the Twins as you say, just accepting Berrios' $4.4mm number and calling it a day.  That isn't how it works, is it?

I may be wrong, but I suspect there were discussions between both sides for either an extension or a one year deal.  That wasn't finalized, so they both put their numbers in to the league sometime Friday afternoon...that's when they would have submitted, right?  So the Twins wouldn't have learned what Berrios number was until after their submission, correct?  Assuming they have an interest in a long term extension, it doesn't make sense to call his agent later Friday evening to accept the $4.4mm.  They have the better part of the month to do that and are able to do so at any time.  I guess I don't see the fire everyone seems to be concerned with. I view it more like the pilot light that is always burning.

I know Berrios case will be resolved, hopefully he`ll sign a good extension. But to call this a successful off season, we need to have an improvement this coming year. BP is improved but SP & defense are slightly inferior. We need another pitcher w/ impressive upside & or good glove at 1B or 3B or SS, preferably SS

I would guess the reason they haven't just given Berrios that 4.4 number is that they want to hold up the process and work towards a long term deal. If they just give him that 4.4 today, it's probably harder to get that long term deal done.

If they aren't and this truly is a case of the Twins hanging tough over 350K, it is laughable and extremely cheap. 

I'm optimistic that they'll make the playoffs again in 2020, but it doesn't seem like they have the "impact pitching" to get past the first round. Gotta hope for a miracle with one of our prospects, if there's gonna be an ace on this staff any time soon.

Another great plan by a Twins FO.

We have one shot at a legitimate ace caliber pitcher (Berrios). He’s already clearly not overly high on being here, and clearly has issue with the team’s financial approach (aka, they’re cheap). So, let’s go to arb. with him over $200k and piss him off even more by detailing every reason why he isn’t worth what he thinks.

The Twins’ precedent of low-balling players has been very thoroughly established. Going to battle over this is just an awful strategic decision, and does nothing in terms of a helpful precedent.

Meanwhile, fans and media call others “morons” for describing the Twins as “cheap,“ while swearing up and down that the only reason why players don’t want to spend July in Minnesota is because it’s cold in January. D’ok.

Another great plan by a Twins FO.

We have one shot at a legitimate ace caliber pitcher (Berrios). He’s already clearly not overly high on being here, and clearly has issue with the team’s financial approach (aka, they’re cheap). So, let’s go to arb. with him over $200k and piss him off even more by detailing every reason why he isn’t worth what he thinks.

The Twins’ precedent of low-balling players has been very thoroughly established. Going to battle over this is just an awful strategic decision, and does nothing in terms of a helpful precedent.

Meanwhile, fans and media call others “morons” for describing the Twins as “cheap,“ while swearing up and down that the only reason why players don’t want to spend July in Minnesota is because it’s cold in January. D’ok.

Look, it's either that or violate the Assigned Value Chart. And that just isn't done.

There were two players the Twins initially failed to reach deals with prior to the arb deadline. Sano and Berrios. Seems pretty likely that the reason for that was the club and player/agent were focusing on extension negotiations before resorting to spending time and effort on narrower discussions to avoid arbitration. Sano got finished very quickly. Not yet with Berrios. We'll see.

If anything, I'd be worrying about the other arbitration-eligible core pieces that reached 'easy' agreements prior to arbitration (e.g., Buxton). At least with Berrios we have possible indications that both parties are currently willing to spend time on longer-term discussions.

I never saw where fans and media were calling them morons. I thought I was the only one calling them that.

Doc, the more I think about it the more I like Thorpe covering the Pineda void. I'll be surprised if we don't trade for a #3. In other words, someone we would trust to start a playoff game.

here in Rochester we welcome Toby Gardenhire as our 45th manager of the Red Wings. Toby played here several years ago and even coached under Mike Quade for half a season. Glad to have him aboard. He will be a welcome replacement for cardboard cutout Joel Skinner, who left no footprint on the team or the city.

The entire coaching staff has been replaced and honestly, I don't recognize a single name. But I embrace the changes.

Toby is 37...and will bring lots of energy to the Wings. (While we all hold out hope that someday Tommy Watkins manages us...we are happy for him in Minnesota...he was, and is wildly popular in Rochester)

Ra cha cha

The FO has shown they are intent to extend what is already on hand. The fact it hasn't been everyone all at once doesn't concern me.

Both the Kepler and Polanco extensions were considered team friendly, even at the time of signing. Buxton and Berrios turned down those type of offers because they're betting on themselves (probably the right decision.) The extensions for Kepler and Polanco don't have any bearing on what will or won't happen with Buxton or Berrios. 

Nice Post....Could not agree more with the optics of haggling over $375,000 with the player you hope to be the face of the team for years to come. 

Even if this is posturing in the greater picture of extension negotiations, it is still crazy.

Just @#$%-ing crazy!

Nothing could possibly be less important. MLBTR is speculating for the 3rd in a row they will be discussing an extention. There is no need to read anything else into it. The sky is not falling.