Riverbrian

Nope You are basically Brick in Anchorman right now.

Good Luck with that specific poster. Sincerely, Riverbrian

To whom it may concern, Harrison Bader has been signed... He is a Minnesota Twin now. He plays for my team. Let me be very clear... I hope he is a superstar. It's in my best interest that he plays well because I am a Twins fan. I will not be rooting for his failure. Sincerely, Riverbrian If you are capable of understanding what I just typed. Maybe... just maybe... you can get yourself closer to the point where you actually understand what is being discussed and stop insultingly saying things that are not being said.

Thank God Kent Hrbek wasn't on the 2025 40 man roster.

Don't talk about zero understanding when you lack it. This front office has never released a player with significant money attached to it. My post was in response to the Rally Goat who has demonstrated time and time again on this website that he understands the Twins typical operating style and more. He said When was the last time this team benched or released a veteran? we just watched Manny Margot play the most games he’s played in a season since 2019 to his worst hitting and fielding performance of his absolute disaster of a career. He hit a 79 wRC+ while sporting -5 OAA. He's not wrong. I responded that I felt that a low dollar amount attached to France may make it easier to release him if necessary. I then used Bader as an example of someone who would not be released no matter what. You can call it Margot scaring all you want but there are more beyond Margot. You don't understand what is being said and you are willing to fight anyone to the death over Bader. I get it... You Like Bader.

I agree with you. Those 1 year contracts hang around for the entire contract. They consistently keep them in the clubhouse until the end. However... I got to believe that a 1 million dollar deal can be shed. Like they shed Jay Jackson last year. Bader... It'll take dynamite to dislodge him from the roster.

It's odd. Headrick and Henriquez were waiver claims yet they were able to trade Helman for cash. Did the Twins think they could sneak those two through? Anyway... It's all over now. The Twins have successfully removed every player on the 40 man whose last name starts with H.

Oh For Crepes Sake!

This is brilliant writing. Wish I would have thought of it.

More jumping to conclusions on this cold February evening in North Dakota. They didn't pay France 1 Million to play every day. He's going to short side if he makes the club. Here's a question... Who does France Pair with? Julien at DH or Larnach at DH?

Agreed... I don't mind Lee in AAA. He's a phone call away... Lee could be the guy who replaces France when they cut his 1 million.

You are right Doc. Here comes that right handed hitter I've been waiting for to fill in the last box. I don't like it... but I don't hate it completely. It's a million dollar deal... almost like signing a Kyle Garlick. 1 Million can be cut... if he isn't getting it done... they can shed 1M just like they shed Jay Jackson last year. However... the 40 man roster spot that's another animal. Yep... it cost us Headrick. Not sure I like that part. I kinda liked having Headrick in our back pocket but you and I and few others knew this right handed infielder was coming in some shape or form and here he is and somebody was going to make room for it. Jumping to further conclusions on this cold February Evening in North Dakota. If France makes the club... I think he will that's why he got the 40 man spot instead of the standard minor league deal. If France makes the club... who loses that 26 man spot? Brooks Lee isn't out of the question.

I don't.

Alright we're done. You have no idea what I'm talking about.

Being Pro Bader is fine. These are always subjective discussions. You like the guy and I won't argue with that. Yes I feel differently because I can see what he represents to me... A Margot replacement that can legitimately play CF. Margot, Bader... are rostered just to keep Wallner and Larnach shackled. I'm a single issue voter. I've typed many acres of real estate on this single issue. This single issue in my opinion... has set roster construction policy. I'm never complained about the Pohlads... I don't expect new ownership to jack payroll up to 200 million. This team will always struggle paying for players developed by other organizations. I'm asking one thing and one thing only. Please stop eating your young with this full allotment of 4 to 6 million dollar shortsiders. They have to develop no matter who owns the team. We can't sign Juan Soto... We have to create Juan Soto and every time they take a Matt Wallner and attach him to a 6.25 million Bader because they are afraid of left vs left. They are further from creating Juan Soto. They have purposely capped Matt Wallner at Joc Pederson at best. It doesn't give me the warm fuzzy's about our ability to develop Walter Jenkins when I see every young left handed hitter in the same damn boat. Forget about creating Soto... that's a tall order... how about just creating a Brandon Nimmo... so we don't have to pay 20 million to sign Brandon Nimmo because we didn't create a Brandon Nimmo in the first place. The Morrison's, the Gallos, The Margots, The Baders are just getting in the way of that. I will feel better about the path the Twins are on when they break their roster filling dependence on 5 to 10 million dollar innings eaters and 4 to 10 million dollar specialists. They won't break it until they stop eating out of this garbage can and start cooking meals. Develop or Die.

This comment shows that you really don't understand my point.

Like I said earlier... I'm not going to talk specific players. It's the process. By not talking about specific players... I'm also not limiting the conversation to specific players in the Twins farm system. Focus on Martin that's your choice. It's not mine. Declare him forever not capable... that's your choice not mine. Tell everybody that Mickey Gasper is not worthy of anything... You may be right... but that's your choice not mine. However... just to point the potential doors open to staffing a roster... Mickey Gasper was a member of the Boston Red Sox just a few months ago. If the Twins don't like their farm system CF options... there are 29 other teams out there and everybody has a cell phone. If I believed that the front office felt that there was nothing the Twins could do... but sign a light hitting defensive dude for 6.25 million dollars because Austin Martin sucks. I will at that point respond to Chief with yeah... I'm ready for a new front office... One that knows how a cell phone works.

Not that my words will matter but I'm getting close. I've often said that I will judge this front office on development and development alone. I've often said that if I have a problem with Rocco... I'm not coming after Rocco with my words... My words will be directed at the guy who hires the guy. Everybody is good at some things and not so good at other things and I don't know everything they are doing to make an informed opinion... It appears that they are making progress on the pitching side of development... We seem to have broken maybe briefly... but we seem to have broken our dependance on innings eaters. The young options are starting to arrive on the mound... But... Yeah... on the offensive side... I see a development problem. So yeah... I'm getting close. Right now... I'm just hoping that they stop doing this specific thing. If they don't... Yeah... I'll reach a breaking point.

Don't forget about Gilberto Celestino... He's 25 and looking for work. You and I have been through this before. I'm not going to talk about specific players. I don't know what Keirsay is going to be or could be. I won't pretend to... Same for Helman... Same for Martin. Same for Brooks Lee. Bader could go nuts this year and lead us to a World Series title. I don't know. You seem much more confident in your assessments... I'm not. Right now... On February 11, 2025... I can say that I believe in Trevor Larnach. I do believe in Trevor Larnach... I think he can hit and I think he is going to be critical for us this year. I'm counting on him and I pray for his health because health has been a bugaboo for him. My believing in Trevor Larnach adds up to nothing because Trevor isn't guaranteed anything even with my full support coming in full speed from North Dakota. He's still has to go out in 2025 and just plain do it. I'm also not going to stand here on February 11th and tell everybody on Twinsdaily that Larnach can hit left handers if we just give him a chance. I don't know that. But I will I tell everybody on Twinsdaily that if the Twins process is just to strap him to a Margot or a Bader to him every year. He without question... won't be able to hit lefthanders. His development is going to stall with a ceiling of decent against right handed hitters but needing a Margot or Bader on the roster to face left handers for him. His final year with the Twins will be 8 million in Arb plus 6 million spent on his handcuff. I'm also not going to stand here and say that his minor league splits as 24 and 25 year old are destined to be cemented in time with no hope of improvement when he reaches age 27. Unless of course... the front office... POURS THE CEMENT!!! Develop or Die

Bullpen is going to cost 13.5 million this season. That's 8 spots out of 26. With Correa, Buxton, Lopez and Vazquez taking up 84 Million. Add the 8 spots to those 4 and 13.5 to the 84 million. We are now at 32.5 million dollars left for 14 roster spots. Bader is still costing approximately 3 players at 2 million per. Regardless... the math is going to keep working the way it does... even if we add in the starting rotation cost and take it down to what's left for 9 players... the math is going to keep working the way it does. You get the point I'm making. On the other hand... When you ask the question... "Would it be preferable to be able to develop a great glove 85 OPS+ Guy". I'm not sure you get the point I'm making. I'm reminded of Jonah Hill in Moneyball... Are those my only two options? One of the greatest sentences ever typed on this website came from Mike Sixel when he said... It's a dial... not a switch. Why must the pre-arb player produce better than an 85+ and signing the 6.25 million 86+ guy is just fine. The answer to your question is No. It would be preferable to develop at least an average hitter who is a great defender or if we are lucky... hopefully better than average average hitter who is a great defender and then we got someone who can play CF when Buxton can't for the minimum in 2026 and we don't have to pay 6.25 million next year for the next Bader. . The answer to your question is also Yes: If 85 OPS+ is what happens... Bummer... I was hoping for better... However... at least that player can be sent down if he needs it. And at least we are not paying 6.25 million to someone who produced an 86 OPS+ and a career 91 OPS+ and won't be released. The Twins don't release players making 6.25 million. Trade at the deadline? Maybe... After we eat two million of it... Someone might take the remaining 2 million for this year and the 1.5 million buyout and offer up a low A player in return. Someone may not.,, Keep in mind that we probably won a bidding war to acquire him... which means that we are already paying him more than other are willing to pay him. Regardless how he plays in 2025 will go along way to answering that question. However... How we escape from Bader isn't my worry. It's the process. Develop or Die... Pete Alonso isn't coming.

Whenever someone asks me: How's it going? How are you doing today? Or something of the sort. I always reply: Ok So Far I do not want to tempt fate by responding with: I'm Well, Fantastic or Just Peachy. I'm only comfortable answering that question when I go to bed. Nick... You Just tempted the Baseball Gods with your Just Peachy. The Baseball Gods have a wicked sense of humor. This is all your fault.

The Twins are not going to bid against themselves. The fact that he signed for 6.5 million makes it a fair price. When I say 6.25 million... please understand that I'm not complaining about the market price for Bader. Free Agents cost what they cost. When you can't develop your own... you must pay for someone developed by another organization. Right Now... Harrison Bader is our 7th highest paid player. That's the cost for not developing your own. Bader's presence means that we are probably going to sign his replacement next year for once again market price. You are right... Bader as Buxton insurance means that Buxton costs more than 14 Million. He now costs 20 million because Buxton makes Bader necessary. Wallner not being able to hit left handed pitching makes Bader necessary. So... Wallner no longer costs the minimum he now costs the minimum plus 6.25 for Bader. I've done this before, I'll do it again. Leaving the 40 man out of it. 26 Roster spots and 130 Million payroll is 5 million per. If you add the money that Correa, Lopez, Buxton and Vazquez are drawing out of the kitty for roster spots this year. That's 84 million. That leaves 46 million for 22 Roster Spots. Once you factor in Correa, Lopez, Buxton and Vazquez. Bader's 6.25 million is approximately 3 roster spots in value and he is just Buxton insurance, he is just the handcuff that keeps Wallner from developing into someone that doesn't require a Bader handcuffed to him. I'm not going to list any specific names... I don't do that. I won't pretend to know what Keirsay, Helman or what anybody is going to be and I really don't pay much attention to those who claim to know what they will or could be. I'm not going to talk about those guys specifically when I say... if defense is the reason that Bader is necessary and worth 6.25 million of money that we don't have. Surely, there is someone out there who can play defense in CF and also CAN'T HIT who will make the minimum. His Defense better be DAMN Good! This team needs to develop or die. Pete Alonso ain't coming. It's the process.

Could be. There has to be a reason for it. The opposing manager is going to take that bait every time. For a team that works this hard to prevent the left handed batter from facing the left handed pitcher... they sure seem to do everything they can to invite the left hander to enter the game against them. I just don't understand the reason for the bait... because the fish it catches is going to start smelling by the ninth inning.