RaoulDuke

San Diego is a very interesting case. Yes is it a 1 sport town technically but the state itself also contains 3 other MLB teams (and the As for now) as well as 4 NBA teams and 3 NFL teams so there is no lack of franchises to patron. The income is higher but so is the cost of living and taxes so I am not sure its any more approachable to attend games. It is surely a more desirable market despite being about the same size as the Twins but that does not account for the massive difference in sale price. There is a lot to be said for how much more relevant San Diego has been even if it has not led to a ton more success than the Twins. They have stars, sign guys like Soto and Darvish, and are in a rivalry with big nationally followed teams like the Dodgers and Giants. The Twins have just been kinda eeking out AL Central wins sometimes and failing miserably when they do manage to make the playoffs. The only real splashes were Donaldson past his prime and Correa when he fell into their lap on the short contract. Then Correa again when everyone else balked, and they ended up paying Houston to get rid of him. Fan engagement is huge and the Twins have absolutely tanked it to the extreme whereas the Padres have been exciting albeit with about the same amount of success to show for it.

This is the pool they are choosing to swim in. Acquire 5-10 of Kent/ Atlavilla/ Acton/ Lawyerson/ Whomever the other 2 new signs are, ect, and one might turn into a serviceable reliever for a half year, hopefully. With this approach and how the pen is being used I am kinda shocked Hendriks and/or Chafin were not kept around. Can they really be that cheap lol? Funkerburk to Topa has been the entire middle of the bullpen for 2 series now, they are going to throw 100+ innings each on this pace.

Bradley's stuff is impressive, there is a nasty pitcher in there if they can get him to be consistent. Hopefully he can find the command and control to be a long term fixture in the rotation but should that not work out he would be a nasty reliever. Great to see a good Royce game early, get that confidence building and lets regain some of that magic that he had first breaking out. It is no surprise but the pen is going to be a major issue, this rotation is not stocked with guys that are going to go deep into games and Funderburk as the fireman, Topa a setup, and Sands/ Rogers getting save ops is far from ideal. I really hope Festa is transitioned when he gets healthy enough to pitch they need a big arm at the back end of things.

Hendriks and Chafin gone so they are not rolling with the oldies. Rogers Sands Banda Orze Funderburk Topa? despite getting shelled Altavilla Kent? Lawyerson? Pickup the best arm that gets cut?

It is somewhat surprising to think had Pablo not got hurt neither Abel or Matthews would be in the opening day rotation in a pretty clear development year. Good on Abel for winning the spot there will be plenty of chances for Zebby throughout the year as well. Now the real interesting thing to watch is how the pen shakes out. Hendriks and Chafin are gone so they aren't going with the old guys outside of Rogers.

Ober to the pen would be an interesting exercise. He doesn't profile as a lockdown guy or someone that is going to benefit from a velocity bump throwing in shorter stints, but could he be a long man? Also I never expected soft tossing Liam Hendriks or Taylor Rogers to become good bullpen pieces when they were transitioned, might as well try it and see. A rotation with only Joe Ryan as a proven MLB starter is going to require a lot of bullpen help. SWR is the next most established guy and he routinely gets pulled at 5 innings or less, Bradley has been a shorter start guy because he gets blown up the 3rd time through or has thrown to many pitches, Abel and Zebby are prospects trying to break in and will not be going deep regularly. None of the current pen guys really profile as multiple innings relievers (I could be wrong here there are so many lol) but the organization, under Falvey at least, was prioritizing 2-3 inning pitchers in development with the track they had guys like Adams, Orr, and Hatch (side note I am suprised they let Hatch get away he seemed decent).

He can have Topa's spot, either one is likely a placeholder or at best a year or 2 worth of middle relief.

I am bummed Buxton is not the starter for the WBC.

I was on the put him in the MLB pen this year train because of his age and innings limit. The way this season is shaping up, and his spring showing so far, however seems there is really no need to rush him. Might as well see what a half season starting in AAA looks like and make decisions from there. Hopefully he forces his way into the mix, it sure would be weird to have a good lefty starter in the Twins rotation.

The start of this season is just about serviceable MLB arms handedness be damned. Keep the boat afloat while you figure out what vets still have it, what prospects are throwing well, what middle inning guys are able to tread water. The whole season is a massive tryout to rebuild a pen that was stripped down to the studs. If any of the vets pitch well they are most likely flipped at the deadline, if any of the prospects pitch well they will get tested in the later innings, if there is a logjam with starters some will get converted to see what they can do in a relief role.

Abel is the best bet the Twins have at a top of the rotation pitcher in quite some time, with props to Joe Ryan for making himself one. He is by far the player I am most excited to watch this season. I would love to see him get a spot on the opening day roster and he should get a lot of run to learn and adjust to the MLB. Abel/ Zebby are the priorities to me, this season is going nowhere if they don't get a couple young arms having major breakouts, which is unlikely but those are the best options. Even if they don't break out getting them consistent MLB innings and experience is the best path forward to better figure out what you have to work with.

Topa was walking a tight rope even when having success last year. Still feels like a vet arm they will keep around at least to start to fill some innings but his spot is very claimable by a prospect that forces the issue.

This is a season to figure out what you have. Get Abel innings, get Bradley innings, get anyone who steps up to claim a job innings. When things don't go right for a starter figure out if they can excel as a bull pen arm. Get a look at a ton of different relievers, see who sticks and who can be a part of the back end going forward. If vets have a good first half you can flip them at the deadline. They were not going to contend with Pablo without young arms breaking out anyway, now it is full bore on chasing those breakouts.

Outman was a gamble of an acquisition, for a gamble of a reliever. Stewart was getting traded one way or the other and it appears this was the best bet they could find for a half season of a good when healthy, older reliever with zero proven ability to stay healthy. Take a chance you can get him back to something like his rookie season and he could be an interesting piece, if not you are out basically nothing.

Larnach has reached Brian Duensing levels of being included in every trade offer. At this point you have to assume he would have been gone if a team had offered any fringe MLB reliever. So now they hope for a good first half to flip him at the deadline or move him for a A ball lotto ticket?