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tony&rodney

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Everything posted by tony&rodney

  1. tony&rodney
    The Twins have a strong team. I am agreement that in order to maintain or take another step the ceiling needs to be raised because the floor is solid. How to do that is tricky because any trade of a big name young player will be risky as depth will be reduced. The pitchers being mentioned thus far are on playoff contending teams (Seattle, Milwaukee, Miami), which includes the Twins. Similar to the Twins, these teams will want players who are MLB ready now. While oft named guys like Polanco, Kepler, Farmer, and Vazquez could have some interest it is much more likely we are talking about discussions that identify younger players such as Jeffers, Kirilloff, Miranda, Julien, Lewis, and Lee (near ready). The Twins also hear interest in all of Ryan, Ober, Varland, Duran, and Jax. The Twins are not going to be able to make a convenient trade but a gamble trade may work. I don't expect anything until January or February, and perhaps Falvey just holds the hand in hand.
  2. tony&rodney
    My first seven decades are in the books, so i qualify for your first point. Money is available to attend games but I'm loathe to spend cash on myself because the prices still shock me to an extent. When I do go to games, it is fun and I spend without worrying. I have had partial season tickets but find myself more comfortable listening or watching from home. Going to games takes time and beautiful days on the lake win out. I'm not understanding the accessibility point. Whenever I go to the games I park in the North Loop. It is really nice around there with a ton of little shops plus a brewery right there. Safety? I'm sure there are issues but I don't go to strip clubs or the bars where all the hip people hang out. I would get carded and refused entry. I just stayed in an Airbnb downtown for four nights during Thanksgiving with my spouse and kids. We went out every day walking for hours and also went out at night. I think the scariest thing I ever saw in Minneapolis was Bob Lurtsema walking briskly along in a t-shirt on a January day where the temperature was -10 degrees F. The Twins will need to figure out how to get their games "out' on various media platforms. I have cable but am dropping it next week. I also have a subscription to mlb.com. There must be someone smart enough to put together a plan to make the games available so that people can watch or listen if they are interested. Lastly, I cannot state what level of appeal the Twins reach as far as younger fans. When I go to games, I usually go with someone in their thirties who has called me up and asked to to a game. Looking around there seems to be quite a few younger fans but there must be someone who works for the Twins who knows all of those details. The Twins are ok right now and old goats who have followed the team have seen plenty of lean years.
  3. tony&rodney
    I hope he is great. The Giants could use a little good luck.
  4. tony&rodney
    Any trade that improves the team should happen. Polanco, Lewis, whatever. Trades to clear money for minimal return will set the team back. Cleveland and Detroit hope for this. Seth Lugo signed a 3/$45M contract with KC today. Clearing $20 million is not going to help the team. The only thing that will help the Twins is a gamble type trade similar to the deal made last season. Given the clear priority towards pitching, the Twins cannot trade their top pitching prospects. Falvey has his work cut out for him.
  5. tony&rodney
    The suggestion of a salary cap with a salary floor is a non starter from the owner's side ..... and the the players', with the owners being much more adamant and vocal that a floor will never happen. Well, unless the team floor is about $50 million for a team. Comparisons with other sports doesn't work. Hockey is small potatoes due to limited media contracts. The NBA has players make huge money because basketball is a global sport drawing huge media deals. Football is the king of media in U.S. sports and their shared revenue and total control of the games means (mol) relative equality of monies. Baseball still has room for expansion, both in terms of teams and through media exposure. The leadership of baseball seems woefully behind other team pro sports. The reason the Twins and other teams could not sign Shohei Ohtani is actually really simple. Ohtani wants to play for the Dodgers. This has been known, discussed, and is now verified through the contract. I, for one, am happy for him. Sure, he would be a good fit for the Twins and they could have easily signed him .... if Ohtani wanted to play for the Twins. So it goes.
  6. tony&rodney
    I know you made your mind up a year ago on both Julien and Miranda, but there are a couple of things worth noting: 1. They are far different players, not many similarities in their approach. 2. We don't know how Miranda turned out because he hurt his shoulder in the first week of Spring Training. If you don't believe that injuries make any difference or that those two are the same, I don't have anything else. FWIW, I'm not worrying about either player because i don't have strong feelings about their worth. Falvey makes the team.
  7. tony&rodney
    Too close to politics .... because capitalism doesn't work. Back to baseball, let each team make their own team.
  8. tony&rodney
    Why do all of the comments that oppose Ohtani signing a contract of his own choosing that adheres to all of the rules of the CBA sound like forms of jealousy. Is this the end of MLB? I do not understand the objections. How many World Series crowns do the Yankees and Dodgers hold in the 21st century? How is this any different than Texas signing Seager and Semien? Deferrals is just a corporate thing. Numbers have always been a thing - they change. The Twins carry debt despite paying $5 million down, $5 million per year for 5 years with a $3 million ballon payment to close out Calvin. Later they paid another $10 million for the minority shares. It's all business and the Twins do exactly what they do and the Dodgers do exactly what they do because they have different markets and they follow their models. They do exactly what they want to do without restrictions. It's just different. Who cares about the money? We have been hearing this trope since Curt Flood won his lawsuit. I'm not seeing the dynasties that we saw in the 1950s and 1960s. Corporate will be corporate. I just want to watch the games and can't care about the money.
  9. tony&rodney
    Add Varland too. I trust all three of Ryan, Ober, and Varland as much as i would trust Heaney and Gray, two good pitchers. The three Twins are getting better.
  10. tony&rodney
    You do remember that deferrals have been used dozens of times going back a couple of decades, right?
  11. tony&rodney
    This. What we all know for certain is that we actually don't have any idea at all of where the Twins roster budget will finally rest. We have expectations, beliefs, and logical conclusions. My guess is anywhere from $100-140 million, which puts the current squad as it sits now right in the middle at $120M. Other than that , we hope ....
  12. tony&rodney
    I am fine with any one of the current five on the roster starting a playoff game because it means we are in the playoffs. The way the pitchers are ranked is more or less how they are at this moment. All of the Twins current starting pitchers are at risk of injury and all could have positive developmental steps forward too. The Twins knew that Ryan and Ober were less than 100% for the playoffs and thus they were well behind Lopez and Gray. We shall see how it plays out, but the odds today are pretty much what Nick has written.
  13. tony&rodney
    All attention now turns towards Yamamoto. Where will he sign? If you were a baseball player moving from Japan to the United States, where would you want to work? The move is already going to be a major cultural shift for the 25 year old. (Those of you who have spent time in Japan will know this.) I have no idea about the young man, but I hope he has a strong advisor and makes a choice that works for him off of the baseball field. He should, at the very least, have reached out to a number of other Japanese players who made the move to play in MLB.
  14. tony&rodney
    I can't think of a single reason to object to a player signing a contract to play (work) for a team of their choice in the location of their choice. It's unfortunate that everyone cannot choose their employment location and company, but that's life. We should all be happy for Ohtani. By all accounts (at least anything I have read) Shohei is a terrific human being who actually lives rather simply given his financial worth. In interviews, among teammates, and with his peers Ohtani is almost legendary in his kindness and agreeable nature. Was anyone surprised even a smidgeon that he is still in Los Angeles?
  15. tony&rodney
    All in all it works for the Dodgers and Ohtani. The Dodgers get to invest the $68 million per year which should bring them a bundle of money and then use the money earned to pay Ohtani. Ohtani get a big check each year starting ten years from and there may be significant tax advantages for him depending on several circumstances. Whatever, the Dodgers wanted Ohtani on their team and Ohtani wanted to play for the Dodgers. So everything is fine. Too bad everyone doesn't get to choose where they work.
  16. tony&rodney
    Well, we don't have to worry about the Dodgers having enough money. Still. there are other teams that could abuse this and falter which 100% puts MLB on the hook for the payments. It is MLB that guarantees all contracts, I believe. The irony of a team like the Twins getting a bill to help pay off a large contract signed by San Diego or some other team. Kinda funny actually.
  17. tony&rodney
    BTV is pointless, merely for entertainment, but not advisable for practical usage. Refer to Pablo Lopez for Luis Arraez trade. Of course my example was ridiculous, just like almost every trade offered on that site.
  18. tony&rodney
    I found the perfect trade on BTV. The Twins send Kyle Farmer and Randy Dobnak to the Marlins and Miami sends back Sandy Alcantara, Edward Cabrera, and Max Meyer to Minnesota. The trade is a perfect match on BTV. What do you think about that ? BTV? Me neither.
  19. tony&rodney
    The Twins are not signing a free agent pitcher of note. Turn your attention towards Michael Wacha for 2/$22M. That is as rich as it will get. I'm not suggesting to do this move because I'm still wishing for a trade for a really good pitcher with some controllable years, but the Twins are keeping the coin in the purse this year.
  20. tony&rodney
    Last offseason the Twins spent the entire winter plus trying to find a suitable/agreeable trade for Max Kepler because it made sense from several angles. Now folks are suggesting that it jusy makes sense to trade Jorge Polanco. I cannot disagree if the return is suitable/agreeable. This is almost exactly the same as the scenario last offseason with Kepler. Polanco has value and IF the return is a strong one, the Twins will trade him. If teams are looking for a bargain or offering minor league players of questionable value, Polanco stays and bats in the three hole. Polanco remains the best bat the Twins have when there are runners in scoring position and that still matters. But yes, if the return makes the team markedly better ....
  21. tony&rodney
    The team looks pretty good. Health and how young players respond in their early years are always unpredictable, but this team can win 85 games and the AL Central. While the starting pitching may not be as strong and the loss of Solano may be felt more than expected, the potential return of others (Buxton, Correa, Kirilloff, Miranda, Gordon, Paddack) plus the continued growth and production from the young players (Lewis, Julien, Wallner, Jeffers, Martin, Varland, Funderburk, Alcala) in a full season should make the 2024 team stronger than the 2023 team.
  22. tony&rodney
    The Brewers do have a surplus of young outfielders, similar to how many view the infield group of the Twins. Pitching remains a key focus in any trades, which clouds how these two teams match up right now. I wonder if there is any way for the Twins to work a trade with Milwaukee that brings Jeferson Quero to Minnesota. Is Quero off limits? What would it take to acquire him?
  23. tony&rodney
    Everyone likes Devin Williams and his changeup is a thing of beauty. The Twins are not going to trade Emmanuel Rodriguez for Devin Williams straight up. I love your commitment to getting Williams. Polanco and Williams both have two years left on their contracts. That might work.
  24. tony&rodney
    You are not alone with that thought/comment. Did you see Julien play 2B in September at all? However, I wonder if you have considered how the Twins look at who plays where. Who do you believe will play second base? Would you bet $5 that Falvey agrees with you?
  25. tony&rodney
    Yamamoto is 25 years old and he needs to finish his contract details within the next month, so we can expect him to sign within a week or two. From there, the contract limits will be pretty much set which will direct those teams willing to commit big money to finalize their offers. The trade market is so unpredictable due to the limits of risks inherent in big trades. It is likely that teams who are willing to trade pitching will wait out the free agent market to see if the demand goes up even more. January and February are months to expect some trades. Because the asking prices will be high for pitching one wonders whether some teams, such as the Twins, will sit this offseason off and go with their current squads. We should continue to see signings of minor players on a daily basis.
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