tony&rodney

Witt Jr. plays shortstop for the Kansas City Royals. It's possible that folks can overlook his talents. Think of Bobby Baseball as a Byron Buxton at his peak in full health, who plays the best shortstop in baseball and is healthy enough to average 154 games every year for his first five years. Marek Houston is a promising player and it would possible to hope he wins a job in Spring Training if Houston has a strong offseason of work on strength, speed, and agility while continuing to hone his eye and swing. Nevertheless, we should not place the expectations of a Bobby Witt Jr. on Houston any more than expecting Walker Jenkins to be Ken Griffey Jr. Let these guys develop and play to their talents.

From tony&rodney.... AI is correct about 80-90% of the time and Google is about the same. 100% = When a MLB club agrees to go to arbitration with a player, they have signed a contract. The amount is either settled by each side in discussions or the arbiter assigns a value, choosing one of the figures from the numbers submitted by the player and the club.

Watched quite a few minor league games this summer. Houston improved throughout the summer and was a totally more confident player than he was in 2025. The Twins should bring him to Spring Training and see what he has. Maybe Houston gets stronger and even more athletic over the winter. Definitely a player to watch.

Silly. This is a Twins site. You are on here all the time. You are a Twins fan too. Same, same. I have followed Lawlar from early on. He was hot stuff in Dallas. I have seen him play many times. His athleticism is my interest. Arizona has seemingly cooled on him. You don't agree but Lawlar was sent down when the team needed a spark and was never left to play for weeks in a row. I suggested that the Twins should offer Larnach, Roden, and Sands. Biased? I was called names for suggesting that the Twins should trade Lewis after the 2023 season when his value was sky high. Reality? You are maybe too young or cannot remember that the Twins were criticized for trading an All Star catcher for a minor league starting pitcher and a relief pitcher recently converted from shortstop to reliever. Sometimes stuff works, sometimes it doesn't. Enough. Make your own suggestions.

We clearly disagree. While Brooks Lee is not an All Star, he is a top ten third baseman in MLB. Jordan Lawlar is a bench player and he might become better. We can also say the same thing about Lee and I'm not high on Lee. As of today there is no comparison due to a host of factors: positions, experience, and reliability. Lawlar has been pushed aside to some extent by Ryan Waldschmidt. Lawlar has some similarity in his initial high prospect value, injury history, and fall from grace as Austin Martin. Roden is not a non tender and he is one of the players I put forth, along with Larnach and Sands for Lawlar. These are basically change of scenery moves. None of Larnach, Sands, Roden, or Lawlar are critical to their teams for 2027. Roden has had the least amount of time to prove himself and there are some people high on him. Henry Davis would be a decent backup catcher. I'm not sure Lewis has lost that much value. I'm wanting the Twins to spend or trade for a first or second base guy. The free agents are not spectacular but Jake Bauers, Ty France, and Brandon Lowe give a team professional plate appearances. The main point is that there are options. I fail to see anything wrong with suggestions and people were always shocked to see values placed on players by the BTValue site. Every year there are a number of trades completed that are greeted with raucous comments.

Did you just compare a player with 244 plate appearances over the last three years that has never been a regular player for his team to another player with 1343 PA over the last three years? Like I previously stated - there may be an interest. Players like Larnach, Roden, and Ober have some value. It is up to Zoll to find a way to rework the roster. Rolling it back won't work. We are all just hacks at this even if a few of us know a number of people working within MLB. Put your ideas out there.

Seems to me that a ton of the articles and many comments do make suggestions and guesses of some sort or another. The other comments are all negative and complaining about everything from payroll to eye black to perceived efforts. You may be correct about my Lawlar ideas. Arizona does need a LF, 1B, and DH. All teams need pitching. They have specifically published/stated a desire for a LH bat. Larnach and Roden fit that criteria. Lawlar has seen his services squeezed in Arizona. The Twins could use a RH bench bat who can run and play defense. In some ways Lawlar has lost favor similar to our guy, Royce Lewis. FWIW, the list of trades that don't seem to make sense is quite lengthy. Maybe think of some ideas yourself and put them out there. I won't clap back.

When a team agrees to go to arbitration they have agreed to a contract. Clubs may sign the player before a hearing and a player may be traded but the contract is done, except for the amount, once the team makes the decision to go to arbitration.

Gonzalez plays for St. Paul and learns how to improve in as many facets of baseball as his physical nature allows him. He isn't really an option for the Twins roster to open 2027 so there isn't any reason to worry about him. Let him play.

The Twins need to make some moves in early November. Waiting can only make things more difficult. Both Larnach and Lewis fit to an extent as utility/DH/PH types, which is largely the role of the 12th and 13th guys. Are Lewis and Larnach willing to embrace that placement. One never knows if those guys get 300+ plate appearances and the Twins should use all of their position players. How excited would those two be to fill spots at the end of the position players? When it comes to trades, the key is to identify potentially available players who would fill needs and then make aggressive offers. Thinking positively, the front office should have some specific ideas. All of us can throw out whatever and we don't have a clue if we are overpaying or underpaying. My idea/offer to Arizona of Larnach, Roden, and Sands for Lawlar is based on wanting a RH bat with speed who can play in the outfield and even if necessary get a few games in the infield. I like Roden, Larnach, and Sands but we already have those players in abundance. It is just an idea. There are other options. Zoll and clan need to make something happen in November.

Agree that both players have value. The problem is hoping for new results from the same players. Larnach could work as a part time DH and an occasional (very limited) corner outfielder. Lewis could work as a utility player (1B, 2B, 3B) and pinch hitter or pinch runner. Essentially using these two guys as the 12th and 13th roster spots on the position side. There should be some value for another team, even if the return is an A ball player. The front office needs to find a place for both of these guys. It is time to move on.

San Diego and St. Louis are clubs to call, at least for a conversation. Henry Davis (PIT) has struggled to hit but he is a catcher. Hard to know what teams want or if they actually value a Twin player. The last three offseasons (more really) have been so disappointing and the July 2025 sale that sent away the bullpen but failed to follow through by moving anyone last offseason left me numb. What is the plan?

Just throwing things out. I'm not seeing any realistic moves that involve Ryan. I would like the Twins to keep him and move others.

Why not? If the Twins can add David Bednar or Raisel Iglesias, do it. I just can't see it happening but a signing of a free agent or a trade for a relief pitcher who becomes something are both worthwhile ideas. I'm not worried about the money.

It is pretty weird that Charlie Walters managed a career writing a column of limited ....