tony&rodney

The Twins and 28 other MLB clubs would never open their books and I don't expect them to do so. The Braves are required to do so. Anyone can argue, persuasively, that Atlanta is not a typical MLB team in terms of their finances and they will always be correct because we cannot accurately compare figures between teams. All businesses are savvy (or should be with a halfway decent accountant) with their financial shenanigans. Learn the ropes and play within the rules to gain every advantage allowed. Liberty and their numbers have displayed the full folly of the owner's positions. The owners fight over trivial figures when they know that they will win any negotiation. To offer a $10K increase for minimum salaries just pushes the younger players more toward whatever positions the Players' Association advocates. The PA needs to be more in tune as well but the news today leveled any idea that the owners have any motive other than power in mind with the current CBA. On a separate note - I wondered if anyone else would like to see a reduction in the number of teams that qualify for the postseason? Four per league seems like more than enough to me.

Boras is an agent and a good one for his clients. The clients make their own decisions and it is simplistic to believe that all Boras clients are incapable of making their own decisions. I'm befuddled why so many see Scott Boras as a draft strategy. The Twins should always go after the best player available. The baseball draft is difficult enough for producing positive results and paying attention to an agent only complicates the process.

Absolutely, .... if he is the best player available. We should assume Rocker will allow a shared physical unless he wants to bet on the long game of making his biggest paycheck down the road a half dozen years. Perhaps Rocker wants to stick to his guns and is willing to be a lower pick and is confident enough to make his money later.

THAT is a legitimate question. I sure don't have an answer.

Pitchers develop at somewhat unpredictable rates. The Twins have a bundle of prospects getting near their auditions. I referenced Law's opinions in a post about the Twins potential rotation. The Twins have bodies but only Balazovic receives wide acclaim and he is seen as a mid rotation pitcher. Law is generally pretty positive towards the Twins prospects and we could hope to fill the bottom three starting position slots with a prospect (Winder), Ober, and Ryan if all goes perfectly. That leaves two openings, at least. Keith Law is a decent analyst. He actually goes to watch a ton of prospects play and has many discussions with a host of baseball fokls regarding players. He does his research and is hard working to put forth his positions. It is noteworthy to read that virtually every time he writes an article there are a few people who feel that Law has little respect or even knowledge about their team. This has been true for a few years. I'm not concerned about the opinions of Keith Law, but they are informative.

Ryan had a very good initial run last season and I'm very hopeful that we can get solid production from him in 2022. If Ryan can start 25-30 games this year, he would be a really good guy to have in the #5 slot behind Ober. Scouts and MLB batsmen collect detailed information on pitchers which Ryan will need to counteract. Baseball is a constant stream of adjustments and Ryan may have the intellectual fortitude to meet those challenges. The Twins are counting on him.

Miguel Sano's contract was a damn good deal when it was signed. He is a polarizing athlete with his propensity to strike out and flail wildly at times. Still, who were all of the better players to take his position and provide 30 bombs? I maintain that pitchers would rather face anyone else in the Twins lineup than Sano. The money is almost irrelevant in today's game. Didn't Happ make nearly as much as Sano last year? Let it play out and we shall see what Miguel comes north this season. The price is still right and I'm not choosing a Rooker over Sano, not that there is anything wrong with Brent but I still am holding out for a full maturation of Sano in 2022.

Good article - every time I look at the wrangling between MLB and the MLBPA all I see is damage to the less fortunate players and employees: the young guys looking to get their repetitions and impress, the lesser vets trying to show they deserve another contract, the Spring Training employees, and so forth. The PA wants to get back a small part of what was lost in the last few rounds while the owners seek total control like the NFL; it's a mess. MLB is a cold business. I'm not sure what difference it would make but the anti-trust exemption is long overdue to be lifted. Winder, Miranda, Duran, and the other young guys need to be in camp now but you are correct to identify Lewis as the player who has lost the most time and needs to play in Wichita or St. Paul without any delays. Hopefully this entire sorry debacle ends this coming week.

Keith Law has some expertise as a talent evaluator and is pretty widely respected. Of course he isn't perfect either. He has stated that the Twins pitching prospects as a whole are not above the median across baseball and it is accepted as an evaluation (mol) that there isn't any TOR prospects at this time in the Twins system. Of course, things can change, but the rotation is in disarray at this time. Baltimore and others have not had much luck throwing out the kids. Cleveland brings a couple of prospects up each year and their staff works them in as possible. Unless folks want 100 loss seasons or are just hoping a few of our guys become Goodens suddenly, the front office will need to address the starting pitching. Montas may be too dear in cost (I don't have any idea), but Bassitt, Manaea and others can be added. Rodon is still available, although extremely unlikely. Adding Cabrera and/or Meyer somehow, from Miami, would raise the potential talent level as well. Are they interested in Arraez or Kepler plus a Jeffers? Something will have to give because a Bundy, Dobnak, Thorpe/Smeltzer, Ober, and Ryan rotation plus mixing in some guys along the way is too radical to consider in conjunction with a lineup that seems ready to win as opposed to just experimentation. The Twins are sitting on established players such as: Garver, Sano, Polanco, Arraez, Donaldson, Buxton, and Kepler. These guys don't fit a team that wants to see what the prospects can learn in 2022. A minimum of two established starting pitchers are required.

Story is a solid addition. The post sets out a few fair options. The main issues remain - the budget and The Plan, whatever it is. We all are interested in what the Twins young hurlers can do. Most folks have allocated 2-3 rotation spots for the prospects, which includes Ober and Ryan. That still requires 2-3 players to front the rotation. Remember that rookies usually wind up with ERAs closer to 5 or higher. I'm liking Ober and Winder, but remain realistic about their initial full journeys through MLB lineups. Balazovic may surprise as well, but it is worth remembering that no Twins pitching prospect has been forecasted to front a rotation. There is work to do.

Some pitchers have problems with recovery after pitching. thus the term loose arm and problems for many in throwing back to back games (Rogers?). Can Duran pitch an inning or two every other day? He should likely make his introduction in MLB as a relief pitcher in stints less of two innings or less until the Twins can ascertain the full story of how his arm reacts to pitching.

Trades.

Jim Eisenreich for a brief set of games.

Any discussion of Story and potential resource allotment is pointless unless you are firm on the idea that the Twins are destined to budgets below $120 million. There is money for Story on any budget above $115 million. I understand that a great number of folks on TD want to see the prospects or to spend money on pitching and many also want a budget beneath $120 million. That's fine. However, in the event that the Twins would set a budget of $115 million or higher Trevor Story is a solid addition and there is still money for pitching. This is all left to Pohlad and Falvey. It is pure folly to suggest the Twins spend too much on position players unless you specifically state that you want the Twins to go forward year after year with budgets closer to $100 million than to what we saw the last few years. Just state your position on a budget. Of course, you may feel that Story, or Correa for that matter, are not as good as Royce Lewis. I just want folks to be real clear on what they want to support with their dollars as Twins fans. Clarity makes it easier to understand each person's ideas.

Normally, this is true. However, it was pretty universal amongst baseball folks that Cavaco was a real stretch and everyone loved Carroll but he is not a big athlete in terms of size. Even if Cavaco makes it, this pick was a loose chance.

Josh Winder is officially my choice to slot in the middle of the rotation, right after Frankie Montas and Carlos Rodon and before Bailey Ober and Joe Ryan. Now if the owners and players could get along ....

When I read the comments about Story being too expensive and over the hill, I wonder about the expectations for 2022-2026 of those who oppose signing Trevor Story. The current roster will compete with Baltimore for the lowest position in the AL. I'm not in on a rebuild. However, I do recognize that fans have zero say on the players that will constitute the roster. Falvey may have a number of fair options on his mind to fill shortstop. The decisions seem straight forward, but there are many obstacles to assembling a roster. Free agents have to want to play for the team they ultimately sign with and it takes two teams to put together trades. These challenges seem much more daunting than whether the Twins should sign a free agent or two and complete a few trades. Additionally, Pohlad sets a budget. The final roster budget may float by $10-20 million, but we have no idea if that means $95-115 or $120-140 million. The budget will determine any potential push to convince Trevor Story to continue his career in Minnesota, not his talent No person can state with 100% certainty that a player will perform at a predictive level. Injuries, accidents, illness, and even death happen. It is inconceivable that the Twins could receive a better performance from someone currently on their roster at shortstop than would be delivered by Story. He is in the prime of his career. We cannot know whether Royce Lewis will be better than Tatis in 2023. Analytics are all the rage across baseball and on TD and the numbers say that Trevor Story would be a real plus for the Twins, if they managed to sign him. The real challenge would be to convince Story. There is room financially under any budget near $115 million.

So maybe Martin or Lewis are the top prospect in 2024.

This still seems really simple. Just ask yourself a few questions. Do the Twins need a shortstop? Do the Twins have a budget around $120 million or more for their 2022 roster? Do you want the Twins to be good enough to win more games with an addition than what is currently on roster? Trevor Story absolutely makes the Twins better and I cannot believe he expects a 6-8 year contract. Whatever. If the Twins are looking to keep the budget around $100 million, which most people haven't discussed, then this entire conversation is moot. No mon, no fun.

Do people remember that Rortvedt is a catcher and that position, professionally, is very demanding? Rortvedt has figured out the defensive side behind the plate and has the physical skills to now attack his weaknesses in the batter's box. This year will be a clear indication of his future.

I believe that the experience gained in 2021 by Ben Rortvedt will help him immensely in 2022.

This to some extent is my malaise regarding the 2022 Twins. I'm ok that the Twins are secretive with their process and also don't begrudge the Pohlad family making money from their inheritance. I simply don't have any confidence that the Twins plan to win as a goal. The Zips AL standings projections are up at Fangraphs and they indicate what is common knowledge - the Twins will be one of the worst teams in the AL with their current roster. This is almost completely due to the fact that they do not have a pitching staff and also have a hole at shortstop. The roster, right now, is not acceptable by any means. Adding a shortstop as suggested by Ted or trading for some hopeful shortstop are easily accomplished. The Twins can compete in 2022 if they add a couple of pitchers and the reticence to do so may or may not change after the lockout ends. Then again, maybe baseball is cancelled this year. The hot stove has been drenched by MLB and the PA thus far.

Some solid reasons to sign Story in the comments and I agree. My concern is with where Pohlad sets the budget. If it is $115-120 million, there is room for Story. If the roster needs to come in below $115 million, it is too tight.

The Rays would likely want players that do not need to be on the 40 person roster. A phone call asking about any of their players but especially Glasnow, Walls, and Kiermeier sure can't hurt. Conversations should be taking place, absolutely. Glasnow, as previously mentioned, is worth much less than shown on BTV due to salary and injury. Finally, the Rays do not like to sit on players making good money while they only have a year left before free agency. Call and listen.

We send out false reports and he falls into our lap.