Riverbrian

I gave you a thumbs up. I think your post is fair.

Contenders... Maybe they will. Maybe they won't. Contender status in July will raise attendance and revenue... How Much? Going to have kick the marketing department into high gear to get the job done because previous marketing attempts were not able to sell... Joe Ryan, Byron Buxton and Royce Lewis. So here comes attempt number 158. If they have the ability to kick the marketing into high gear to sell tickets in the face of the current fan malaise and the minor Bell and Caratini additions to cure that malaise. The marketing department could probably sell the fresh new young faces. Either way it is a tough sell to the public.

The Twins are not the first team to run out of money. It is sad to watch. It's like a watching someone with a pulled hamstring limping to the starters block. This team will have to commit to youth eventually. It's inevitable and the most sensible path. The delay will be costly.

To get a sense of the conditions in Minnesota you have to have a sense of the conditions with the other teams. Your post provides that. I would have traded Joe Ryan for the best SS possible but as you point out... there are other options. We didn't have to go into to 2026 this weak. The infield depth on this team is worrisome. Player development on the offensive side is not comparing favorably with the player development in other organizations.

I don't remember many St. Louis re-toolings. The Cardinals typically spend about 20 to 50 million more than the Twins have spent in recent years. They've done a good job developing. From Alcantara and Gallen types who are traded for Ozuna types to Nootbaars types that do a decent enough job. This year Bloom is in charge and he has reset the Cards. Nootbaar is now the 2nd highest paid player at 5.3m. The Twins did not reset. Lets see who gets there first. I'll bet on the Cards.

I will be paying attention to the Cardinals. How they do in 2026 and the years to follow. It may not be this year but If I had to place a bet on who makes the playoffs first between the Cards and the Twins. I'll take the Cardinals.

There is no doubt in my mind that I would have gone a different direction. Now that the direction has been laid out. Or has been laid out... so it seems. We still have off-season to go. Will it work? It's possible. The Rotation has the possibility to keep us in games where a little bit of offensive improvement will produce more wins than most of us expect. If it works? It only works for 1 year. We will still have to dig ourselves out again in 2027. It's going to be hard to make this work in 2026. Yes... the starting pitching has to do it's job and keep us in game and I do believe it's possible. In addition to that... the bullpen has to be at least average. It's possible. Let's see how they do. In addition... the offense has to be better. The offense can't afford to absorb three players getting over .387 AB's of sub-700 OPS (Lee, Lewis and France) while only producing two players with over 207 AB's with an OPS over .800 (Buxton and Keaschall). If they do have to absorb this many sub-par players... they will have to win games with their legs and we don't seem to have the legs to be that type of team. I haven't even gotten to defense that will contribute to the starting pitching keeping you in games to allow your offense to win you some games. It's a very difficult path to take... that if successful... brings a 1 year reward.

If Miller was on the table and they chose Tait. They better be right about this. If Tait is everything we hope. He will work 120 games a year in 2028 at the soonest. Most likely 2029. If they have to convert him to 1B. He needs to hit like a 1B and not produce at a Caratini hits good for a catcher level. If they have to convert him to 1B... We will need another catcher. We can tack on to what we have already invested financially addressing the position. The Twins have spent 44 million to cover one spot for 5 years. On top of 44 million... we have also spent one of the top closers in baseball with multi years of control addressing the position. We spent trade value that could have acquired the 23rd ranked prospect in baseball? Choosing a potential 120 game player that is 3 years away over a potential 162 game player possibly 1 year away or maybe even this year. Choosing a player that will also most likely hit less. Choosing a player that only has lower level data compared to a player that has actual upper level data and remains higher ranked. If they chose Tait? They better be right. Development failure is costly. It cost us Aiden Miller?

Of all the paths they could have taken. I think they are choosing the hardest and longest path. It is also the most expensive path. If it doesn't work... the cost isn't just not working. It will have cost us time because what needs to be done will still need to be done. It will have cost us trade return value and probably a significant trade return value because time shrinking on years of control does that sort of thing. They are attempting to spend themselves to a playoff birth while simultaneously reducing payroll. Like trying to thread a needle with an SUV. Ladies and Gentlemen... they are going for it!

I'm not holding Shelton accountable. I'm going to give Shelton a fair shot just like I gave Baldelli a fair shot. I've never called for the head of Falvey, Baldelli or TC Bear. I have criticisms obviously but I've always considered them constructive. I'm just saying that the Pirates and the Twins look a lot like each other. The Twins have had more success but they spent quite a bit more. Both franchises in my opinion... need to take on a more aggressive attitude toward the development of younger players. It's quite possible that Shelton is going from a frying pan into another frying pan.

The information I used was just 2024. I didn't choose that year specifically just didn't have to post 2023, 2022, 2021 or 2020. I chose 2024 off the top of my head. I have looked at every year that Shelton was with the Pirates and could have made the post longer. I don't assume that managers have carte blanche. Very few in any profession have carte blanche when they have superiors to answer to. In baseball, I assume that the front office is going to provide the direction and the manager has to work under the conditions that exist. If the front office or manager are not on the same page. The Manager has to go. So I assume based on longevity that Shelton was on the same page. Assumptions for sure because how would I, You or anyone on TD know for sure. I'm saying I don't see a lot of difference in the conditions that exist. The only difference is that the Twins spent 160 million in 2024 while the Pirates spent 122 Million. Small Payroll Team in Win Now Mode? Yeah... OK... And the Twins are not in Win Now Mode? Is that 160 Million payroll still available? How has the offensive prospect development gone for the Pirates? How has it gone for the Twins? Pitching development both teams seem to be doing decently. I don't see a lot of difference in the conditions that exist.

The scary part is this. If you look at the Pirates utilization under Shelton. Just look at 2024 before you look at the other years. It looks familiar. Prospect failure and players like a 37 year old McCutchen leading the way. Tallez and Connor Joe getting playing time... both of whom can't find work today. Not to mention Grandal and Michael A. Taylor just before they fall off the cliff. Michael A got 300 AB's in 2024. OPS .543. 300 AB's.... they kept feeding him just like we kept feeding Vazquez and Margot. Falvey and Rocco may be gone but be careful what you wish for. I don't expect change. Hope to be surprised.

Hate the numbers but I love the upper level velocity. If you are going to take a chance on someone. I'll take the guy with upper level velocity.

Exactamundo and with your usual stellar research to back it all up! Nothing has to be permanent. You have examples of this in your post and there is more where that came from. Can you hang zeroes? How many can you hang? Put the best thirteen guys on the roster. The best 13 at getting MLB batters out.

Your comments are fine. You have my respect. You have always been a solid poster whose opinions are worth listening to and I do. I don't have the inside knowledge of what transpired in 1984. I just found your comment interesting in comparison with my own subjective personal standpoint. When you say it's time to stop finger pointing at the Pohlad's. I don't necessarily disagree with your personal opinion because it comes from a different place. It was just interesting to me because after decades of never really knowing who to exactly point fingers at... I am finally ready to start pointing fingers in the direction of ownership going forward because of the recent unmistakable public actions that leaves no doubt that Tom is in complete charge. Was Falvey to blame or was Falvey just trying to execute what ownership wanted while sitting in the background. I don't know. We have office dynamics where I work that can get in the way of doing exactly what I think we should do in regards to what I'm in charge of doing. There are times where I have to just simply work under the conditions that exist with very little hope of changing the conditions. I have also worked in other office dynamics where my department was my department with little questions asked. My superiors didn't attach unnecessary filters to what I thought needed to be done. How do the Twins operate? I've never known so I haven't finger pointed. I have complained constantly on my pet concerns but I've never said Falvey, Baldelli or the Pohlad's have to go. I assume there is a budget. I don't know what that budget is but I assume there is one and I assume the Twins budget will always be well below what the Phillies, Blue Jays and Yankees are able to spend... Let Alone the Mets and the Dodgers current spending levels. The Twins can't compete in that arena... they need to compete in the arena that they can win with. The Twins need to transition quickly to what Milwaukee and Cleveland are doing and then out spend them. Instead of the Phillies arena and being considerably out spent. Prior to Tom stepping into the limelight. I've never known who to blame. Now that he's in the spotlight and is the guy left standing in what is obviously a direction disagreement... I now know. I found that interesting.

I don't know who to blame. I've never known who to blame exactly so I've never asked for the blood of strangers. There is no doubt in my mind now. Tom is in charge. I've never known who is responsible. I know now. Tom has told everyone that he is in charge. For the first time in decades... I actually know where to point the finger going forward.

Your timeline matches up with what I've been noticing all along. Never knew what direction the winds were blowing from but the winds were blowing with contradictory statements. I was wondering what changed when Shelton arrived saying that they were going to develop young players to Early December when he started talking about the jump from AAA to Majors being a difficult thing and announcements of keeping Ryan, Lopez and Buxton coming around that same time. Both statements might be what Shelton believes but these two statements can represent a change in direction. Yes... I would watch that documentary if it existed. Probably watch it 10 times like it's Forest Gump or something. It's why I'm tending to believe that this might be Tom Pohlad in charge and setting

If true and I'm starting to think it might be true. This places Tom in the building before the December 18 announcement of Tom in the building. Falvey was talking about Ryan, Lopez and Buxton going nowhere prior to Tom.

We don't know the answer but the timing of this is stuck in my head. Based on what both of them said. We've had a disagreement in place for couple of months. If this has been on-going for a couple of months with resolution it could go on another couple of weeks, months. I wonder what specifically made yesterday the day. What made Falvey go back into the office and rehash the disagreement.

You are correct. It's always the people who hire the people.

When you consider that Shelton said in his introductory press conference. "I'm not using the term rebuild... but I think we're gonna develop young players". I'm starting to think that Shelton came to Minnesota with what Falvey said was going to happen. I'm starting to believe that this half measure go for it plan... just might be ownership driven. Tom, If this doesn't work... there will be a set back.

What a needle to thread. Start with a team that fell out of contention two years running. Sprinkle in what you said "tear down BP" plus Correa and spend less. Declare we are going for it. Spend your limited allocation on large crater sized development holes that will need to be replaced the following year. . I've never met him, I don't know what he likes for breakfast, how he deals with employees. if he kicks puppies and yells at old people. I don't know what his personal baseball philosphies... however,.. based on what he has done with Rays and Red Sox. I'd love to see Chaim Bloom in Falvey's chair.

This just looks like the ole difference of direction discussion. The timing of it suggests... the difference of opinion wasn't going to resolve and the timing also suggests... it has been festering. This isn't a move you make at this point of the off-season. What ever this was. One reasonable assumption I'm going to make is this. Tom Pohlad is in charge. This is one of those end results where it is declared through action... I'm in Charge

Rob takes much less time to type. I can be efficient sometimes. It's a dry sense of efficiency.

Regardless if any of us like or dislike Falvey. The timing could not be worse. Who knows how the power structure actually works. To my understanding (which isn't worth much) Falvey was in charge of everything from the price of hot dogs to the staffing to the rosters. Everybody answers to Derek. He's not leaving if the staff working for him is insubordinate or disagrees with direction. That leaves only one level above him where direction can be questioned. Sure sounds like we have a directional disagreement at 1 Twins Way because the timing couldn't be worse. I don't know what direction the winds are blowing out of Tom Pohlad and the ownership group. I don't know the direction of the winds that were blowing with Joe Pohlad and I don't know what direction the winds are blowing with Derek Falvey. Is it Derek that wants to go for it? Is it the Pohlads that want to go for it? Someone said we are keeping Joe Ryan and going for it? Who is the driving force behind Keeping Ryan and going for it? Is that person still in the building? Regardless of the answer... The timing sucks as the Off-season is winding down. If they are changing plans on January 30. What a WASTE of October, November, December and 29 days of January. All we can do is watch comes next. Player movement or lack of movement as we head toward Fort Myers. All I know... the club is still lumpy. The club isn't complete. Rob Zoll has to carry on. But what direction Rob? What Direction? Whatever the answer... it must be coming from above.