weitz41

I know I shouldn't be bothered by this contract... But it bothers me in a haves and have nots type of way...The distance between them grew substantially today. Listening to MLB network trying to justify the contract says a lot about the same point. More power to the players but man-o-man... Here the Twins are cutting payroll because of the lost revenue of the TV contract that is worth far less than Ohtani's AAV for the next ten years. I know, I know, it shouldn't bother me...but it does...

I'm happy for Gray and Meada. Both earned their new contracts. Sure, I'd hoped one of them would have come back for 2024. Both these trades worked out well. Now add in a comp A pick and even better. It should make for a quality draft having 4 picks in the top 80? I'd make a case for trading for someone like Glasnow to do the same next offseason with the comp pick. But I think the budget may make that a non-starter.

I'd rank them in the same order as you did. If I had to choose one of them to get a young stud pitcher, Logan Gilbert or Jesus Lazardo types. Not Shane Bieber types. I'd say Brooks Lee is the likeliest to be traded and that's not very likely.

Same here. At least one of the two pitchers you mentioned. Payroll should expand once a new TV deal is worked out for the more expensive years of a deal like that.

I noticed this this mornings and thought maybe there's a couple of players that may fill a need on the Twins roster. 36/40 man roster filled. Intriguing free agents after the tender deadline (mlb.com) Nick Senzel in CF wouldn't be the worst fit. He's also a pretty good bat against lefties. Juan Yepez as a RH 1B/OF option? This one a question even mentioning. Was pretty good in 2022...Minor league signing?

I noticed Vasquez as well when I 1st saw that on MLB trade rumors. I get the 10 mil for 65 OPS+ on the surface is a big overpay. Yes, Jeffers was by far the most valuable catcher of the two. Can we predict health? Regression? What's the value of Vasquez defense and game calling? In theory we had/have one of the better catching combos in the majors. COMBOS.. Sure, Rushman or Realmuto are better but one hamstring strain and do you want Vasquez or McCann behind the plate? 12.3 mil in salary for the pair in 2024 or 23.8 mil for Realmuto with a hamstring strain? Polanco makes sense to move, even if I'd prefer, they didn't. Kepler I'm not convinced the next man up is going to be close to Kepler last season. Also not convinced he will repeat it in 2024. I expect one or both to be traded before spring training. This is a useful site when thinking about payroll. Minnesota Twins 2024 Salaries & Payroll Table | Spotrac

With I believe the norm of hoping for one position player per season for debut and stay on the roster, there is a lot to be excited about on the position side. Of course, some of the top 10 may not make it to the bigs. The pitching side could use a few surprise players. Like Varland. Maybe Canterino and Prielipp get past the injuries and become what we had hoped they would be. If a few pitchers take a big step forward the Twins could be in for a long run of strong teams.

Yunior is a tough one to have a strong opinion on for me. He hit righties and lefties at an almost identical rate in 2023. Give me 25-30 HRs, league average defense at 1B, 25-28% K rate and the Twins are in great shape. Move Kirilloff to LF Walner to RF. Lewis at 3B, Julien at 2nd and Jeffer behind the plate. With hopefully Jenkins, Lee and E Rod all needing a place to place in the bigs. That's (in a dream world) a pretty solid team for 5-7 years. BUT then the 36.6% K rate says HI! and you think about Gallo or Sano and get a little chill...Maybe another spring in St Paul with clear it up?

I get it. Hoping for something exciting...But let's be realistic. A 1B for the beginning of the season and a platoon player after that. That's not a 15 mil a year player like Hoskins. If DH wasn't a mess with who knows from Buxton, sure OK that works. A RH 1B/Of guy whoever that may be is what I expect. Maybe a trade? But Hospins..I wish..

To start off I traded (against my better judgement) Polanco, Kepler and Farmer. Mostly due to payroll restrictions. No, I didn't add anyone to the 40-man roster from those trades. I cut payroll to 140 mil or about 10% reduction. I want to use the Ober plan for Varland, so he'll be #1 starter in SP until needed. Larnach will join him there. I used MLB Trade Rumors free agent predictor for approximate salaries. I added Lourdes Gurriel Jr on a 4-year 54 mil deal. He has played some 1st and 2nd base when he was with the Blue Jays. J.D. Martinez and Clevenger are on 2-year deals. I'd like to add a BP arm or two to push Sand and Moran to Saint Paul, but funds are too limited. Castro and Gordon can handle CF if needed, Gurriel and JD can platoon with Kirilloff at 1st along with Miranda. Martin and Keirsey are at AAA for depth. This should be a better offensive team but less so on the pitching side. Strike gold with a minor league arm or two and maybe just as good on the pitching side C: Christian Vazquez ($10.00M) 1B: Alex Kirilloff ($1.70M) 2B: Edouard Julien ($.77M) 3B: Royce Lewis ($0.77M) SS: Carlos Correa ($33.33M) LF: Lourdes Gurriel Jr. ($13.5M) CF: Byron Buxton ($15.00M) RF: Matt Wallner ($0.77M) DH: J.D. Martinez ($20.0M) 4th OF: Willi Castro ($3.20M) Utility: Jose Miranda ($.77M) Utility: Nick Gordon ($1.0M) Backup C: Ryan Jeffers ($2.30M) SP1: Pablo Lopez ($8.25M) SP2: Joe Ryan ($0.77M) SP3: Bailey Ober ($0.77M) SP4: Chris Paddack ($2.53M) SP5: Mike Clevinger ($13.0M) RP: Jhoan Duran ($0.77M) RP: Brock Stewart ($0.77M) RP: Griffin Jax ($0.77M) RP: Jorge Alcala ($1.00M) RP: Caleb Thielbar ($3.00M) RP: Cole Sands ($0.77M) RP: Jovani Moran ($0.77M) RP: Kody Funderburk ($0.77M) Payroll is 1.50% over budget

This was extremely disappointing news...I think I heard the price is right's Ween Went Wah Weah...After I read that...There's a team here with a shot at a deep playoff run with a few quality reinforcement's...Winning the division should not be the ONLY goal...

I really like this one. Not to pull on the loose threads but Hoskins for 8 mil seems really light. One year deal? Also, I think Glasow's actual salary is 25 mil for 2024. He signed last offseason a 2-year deal that is backloaded. Still really like this team.

I hadn't thought of Ryu. Isn't he kind of a left-handed Maeda? Depending on the plan for Varland one of both would fit on shorter deals. Not blow your socks off moves but probably better than say a Flaherty signing, or a dice roll like Montas.

Picking up these options was a no brainer. The last two seasons have proven how vital depth is. Trading one or both before August 1st deadline doesn't feel like a no brainer to me. To many what ifs, injuries or regression by young players to be in a hurry to trade either. I'd sell high on Castro before I'd part with either of Polanco or Kepler. Then there's players like Gordon, Miranda and Larnach who the jury is still out on.

I respect Seths opinion, but this feels like a minor decision to me. Camargo to the 40-man roster. The rest are nice minor league depth signings, They're common throughout the league. It's not fun to say, but the rest are one of the twenty+ or more similar players. Twins draft pick or not.

Nonsense. Not every outing is going to be outstanding. Relax enjoy how lucky we are to be able to root for our team and Joe Ryan at the same time. Did I miss something? Did we win the division and a playoff series? I get the who, what, where, when and why part of it but jeez. Let's TRY and look to better things in the future. Single game tickets, Beers and hot dogs still need to be purchased.

Martin is the one that I think has a real chance to be the 4th OFer to start 2024. Lee does not need to be rushed and shouldn't be. Severino..man I'd like to have that RH power bat on the team but I'm afraid he'll have Gallo like k rate. If Lee or Severino dominate AAA in 2024 I'd bring them up when injuries allow and go from there.

Gave me a good laugh. I'm somewhere between AAA champ and hopeless optimist. I tend to like aggressive trade deadlines, but we have to WIN every trade...You know like that future hall of farmer for this Olive Garden gift certificate.

I could see it making sense. I'm on the fence about it though. Assuming good health, a TV contract being worked out and picking up Kepler and Polanco's options there's 33.5 mil in payroll less than 2023. With Solano, Taylor and Gallo's spots being filled by players already on or soon be on the 40-man roster. Alot less risk in a 1 year 20.5 mil contract then a 3+ year with someone else. I'm also not convinced they will push hard to resign Gray, so I think a QO to Maeda isn't out of the realm of possibilities or a silly idea.

What about Eduardo Escobar?

Despite the Gallo season. Both Sano and Odrorizzi would make a lot of sense. Minor league deals with July 1st opt outs, sure sign me up. Depth is depth. They both have been way better then they're last run in MLB. Aloy can go right and very little can go wrong on Mlib contracts..

This should be an interesting offseason when it comes to starting pitching. About 350-360 innings of the 2023 team are free agents. Just guessing and hoping for continued good health. 2024. Lopez 180-200 innings, Ryan 160-180 innings, Ober 160-180 innings, Paddack 80-120 innings and Varland 80-100 innings. Using my finger and toes that's around 180 innings short. Maybe SWR, Festa, Canterino and Dobnak take some of those innings, but I don't think that's a good plan depth wise. So that leaves me wanting at least 180 innings from free agents or players they trade for. I'd say two FA pitchers would be a good call to cover those innings and make the rotation 8+ deep. It's highly unlikely we have another full season of good health. 1st I'd hope to resign Gray. If that happens great. Maybe bring in a rebound type then and call it good. Without resigning Gray. Depending on how you feel about Snell's inconsistency and Nola's ERA, I just think the dollars are going to be way too high to get either of them in a Twins uniform. I'd disqualify Ohtani, Urias, Bauer and Kershaw for mostly obvious reasons. Montgomery would top my list. His playoff run may price him out of the FO's comfort zone. This feels like I could ramble on forever...Something like Micheal Wacha and Kenta Maeda on two-year deals feels about right to me and would cost about the same or less than Gray over those two seasons.

I get the looking at everybody to find ways to improve. 2023 wasn't a great year offensively for Vazquez. When I look at his numbers on Baseball Reference, they aren't that far off his career numbers. Carrer .684 OPS and 83 OPS+. 2023 OPS of 598 and OPS+ 65. He only has 3 above average offensive seasons in 9 years. Most of his value comes from defense and game calling. Is 10 mil a steep price for his offense, sure. Camargo has a total on 90 games in AAA. He needs at least another 1/2 a season there before I'm ready to get too excited about his 21 homers and .826 OPS in 2023. 119K's in 332 AB is more than a little concerning. Now just for the sake of augment let's say we trade him but have to pay 4 mil of his salary. What kind of backup catcher can you get for less than the savings? Sany Leon? I'd much prefer Vazquez over the alternative.

Severino, Miranda, Juilien, Kirilloff, Williams and Prato. Maybe Larnach and Polanco as well. That's a lot of possible in-house candidates for 1B for 2024. If Kirilloff is healthy he should be the starter. From what I've read a torn labrum is a 2-3 month recovery. I could see a 1-year deal for a platoon partner. But would lean to an in-house candidate.

Alonso certainly fits what the FO covets. I was surprised at how little baseball trade values puts on his trade value. Goldschmit as well. I'd be thrilled with either. That being said, there are too many young players looking for a place to play in the field. I'd put a trade as a luxury item rather than a needed addition. Hoskins and Bellinger will likely get QO and be very expensive. Candelario would an interesting addition.