tony&rodney

LOL. Not to your suggestion, which makes sense. I had to chuckle yesterday when i saw Frazier DFA'd because Yankee fans were always suggesting a Frazier or Anduhar for Buxton or Berrios trade. Yankee fans are funny.

"In six years this front office has inherited a stinker of a team and converted it into a core of players" ... Just my take, but the current FO does the best that they can to put a team on the field that can play competitive baseball given their orders from above. The core of the current team was in place when they came, in fact. The previous FO also did what they could given their orders from above. The evidence would suggest that Ryan, etc. faced more restrictions than Falvey. TD needs to pull away from the idea that folks such as Gardenhire, Molitor, Ryan, etc. were inferior in any way to Baldelli, Falvey, etc. Baldelli and Falvey are good baseball people as are the others. The current group has less experience than the former but are learning. The Buxton conversation and the challenges of this offseason will test Falvey. A more important question concerns the view from above Falvey. The Twins cannot make the moves needed if the budget falls below $120 million and it may be set considerably lower. We just don't know. The premise of the post of the post is arguably correct. If Buxton goes, there is virtually no way the Twins are competitive for the next five years unless the budget suddenly goes to the $145-160 million range. A budget of that size changes the entire narrative. Buxton goes though and the core is broken. Lastly, I want to note that we still don't know whether Buxton actually wants to remain with the Twins. We also don't know what value Falvey places on Buxton. Those are two important answers to a puzzle. What tolerance does Twins Territory have for a rebuild? My guess - very little.

From Manfredball to today, I cannot see how Rob Manfred serves the interests of the game. I know he works for the owners, but healthy and positive public relationships along with cooperation grow the game and create economic gains for the owners much more than to the players. He is a confusing man.

Yes, it seems unlikely as a point of little interest to either negotiating party. However, Tampa Bay used 61 players last season. They shuffled their 40 person roster frequently, one would say adroitly . I was just wondering if this would open jobs potentially for some players who get shifted back and forth with slim opportunity to manage their lives.

On a loosely related note, I have wondered if the MLBPA might look to reduce the size of the protected roster from 40-35 in the next CBA. This doesn't seem very important to the MLBPA though and is more a matter of gaining choice for minor league players and thus unlikely.

Pray for this. The minor leaguers added are fine - all seem like solid choices. Now it will be time to trade. This can even include some players that do not need to be put on the 40 person list yet. The Twins have the pieces necessary to complete 2-3 trades. The only iffy person was Palacios. I might have protected him. Then again, I haven't recently looked at the rosters of other teams. I did notice the Yankees DFA'd Clint Frazier. This should end all Frazier for Buxton, Luis Castillo, etc suggestions from Yankee fans.

I read the ESPN article, have followed this closely, and know from many years ago that this has been a real problem. Glad to hear of the positive step. I am in favor of the removal of the Sherman Anti-trust Exemption that baseball operates under. The time has passed for that special treatment, if it ever was warranted. Thank you for the post Lucas.

Buxton is a risk. He will not bring back a player of his talent. The Twins are sticking their necks out for a 7/$80 million contract. The incentives would not be a risk. Buxton has not slowed down. The injuries are not really a sure prediction of the next decade, but there is risk. Both sides have valid points in the sign/unaffordable-trade discussion. I would think that now is a good opportunity for the Twins to risk a $11 million per year potential loss, if Buxton is lost to injuries. Think of this as the Happ-Shoemaker Bill. One item not discussed is whether the Twins could insure Buxton's salary against injury. A trade is likely if Falvey believes the team is five years out from contention in the AL Central.

Joey Wendle is my choice. Problem is .... what does Tampa Bay want for him? Maybe the Twins can send Strotman back, or perhaps they will take Duffey in exchange. Wendle is a good baseball player.

What does Josh Donaldson have to do to convince Twins fans that he is a good baseball player? I think next year is a good time to work Jose Miranda into playing time and also believe that Donaldson would benefit from being a DH a couple of times per week. Chapman has little value for the Twins unless he comes for prospects in the #20-40 range. Great defense, the bat should rebound, but not a fit for the Twins. We have JD already and Miranda waits.

Sorry, no assumptions were made. The numbers are already in - the Twins do better with Buxton in the lineup than when he is not in the lineup. He is a special talent. I wrote that "I hope you can see the Buxton side of an argument, even if you still don't believe in him." I wasn't trying to change your mind, just hoped one might see that people see things differently. You are correct - no one can predict the future. I don't think i did. If you believe I did, now please accept that I am saying that I cannot predict the future. Ok. This is a totally different topic. You have your opinions and there are sure to be reasons for those beliefs. I accept your 2 cent opinion, even though I do not agree with you.

Nice that Griffin Jax is able to play baseball. Congrats to him.

Best comment of the day/week/month/year. Brilliant.

This is a big concern because it may speak to a toxic environment between the current FO and the players. We just don't know. It is curious though how quickly Berrios managed to complete a deal with Toronto.

A tough front line pitcher wearing #47? Any flashbacks?

I'm struggling to see the relevance of Mauer to Buxton.

This is an interesting series Nash, with your Bassitt and Montas posts. If the Twins are not tearing it down, these two are prime targets. My offseason goal was to find trades that would potentially work and result in a 2022 Twins roster capable of competing. Miami and Oakland are possible partners. One trade offer I propose is to send Joe Ryan, Drew Strotman, Luis Arraez, Brent Rooker, Tyler Duffey, and a minor league player or two like Alerick Soularie to Oakland for Chris Bassitt and Frankie Montas. This may need to be tweeked. Billy Beane will know what is reasonable. My initial targets in Miami were Sandy Alcantara or Pablo Lopez, but they seem off limits. A proposal to the Marlins is to send Ryan Jeffers or Mitch Garver, Trevor Larnach or Max Kepler, Matt Canterino, Chris Vallimont, and Keoni Cavaco for Edward Cabrera and Max Meyer. My preference is to send Garver and Larnach. I would add Lewis for Alcantara instead of Cabrera or Meyer. These trades may cost the Twins some valuable assets but return pitchers to stabilize the starting pitching at a value salary cost. In turn, this allows the Twins to push their pitching prospects forward aggressively without drowning them at the MLB level. Nash, I'm curious how you view the Miami pitchers as potential and viable for the Twins. While both Alcantara and Lopez carry high value, perhaps Cabrera and Meyer can be worth Falvey's time.

Relax. Baseball is a relaxing game.

None of us has a clue about the actual numbers being exchanged, except there was something vaguely stated about a base of 7/$80 million. This is a ton of money. We heard/read reports of differences on incentives or a ceiling of $100 million, etc. and then it all gets muddy/unclear. The main difference of opinion I have is on the incentives. Yes, the 7/$80 million is huge money. That doesn't speak to the cost of competing in MLB. The incentives would seem to be a win/win proposition. If Buxton performs, he makes money, the Twins win when he plays, the team makes money. The incentives should start at what one might expect from a player making $11 million per year. This should be something that Falvey or his negotiator and Buxton's agent could work out between them. Certainly, most would agree that incentives could start at 120 games played or thereabouts. Injuries happen in sports and very few athletes escape competition unscathed. The greatest baseball player of this century sat out most of this past year. He also has a huge contract going forward. The revenues from tickets, ads, etc. have already paid off for the Angels. You wouldn't find one person in their organization who regrets Trout's contract. Buxton is not Trout nor close, which is why he looks to a contract with incentives that could potentially reward him for a monster year(s). The frustration with our current management team is somewhat normal but folks should let go of any venom in a different way. Falvey, like Ryan, Smith, and others before him, is attempting to do his job. I cannot get too angry at him personally because I don't know him. I never understood how anyone could judge Falvey as a wonder and put Ryan or Smith down. Ryan is among the most respected people in baseball, still. We are not privy to the directions from Jim Pohlad, at all. It is simplistic to think that Ryan, Falvey, or anyone else operates on their own wishes and whims with the direction of the Minnesota Twins franchise. Buxton has been out of action too often to judge adequately or his contract would be a simple judgment call. While his past injuries are seen as a prologue to future action, that is not certain or even highly predictable. Vegas makes money on those who predict. Buxton also has not passed his prime in any fashion. This past year we saw him take the best at bats of his career, use his athleticism on the bases and in the field, and noticed that he was less reckless with his body at the fence on on useless dives. He remains a remarkable athlete and is just coming into his prime, especially with an understanding of what pitchers want to do with him. Again, he has missed a ton of games and thus an incentive-laden contract. Trades? The best I have read/heard was not interesting to me. you can find them on every site of a team that wants a good centerfielder. Aaron Hicks for Byron Buxton was one idea, but not close to the worst. I'll leave it at that. The decision does rest with Pohlad. The one caveat, mentioned in a number of posts and replies, is whether Byron is focused on playing with the Twins. We don't have any idea about that, not even a clue from anything I have heard or read. Hopefully, a contract with incentives can be completed. All of the figuring with numbers does nothing to prove any point about whether Byron Buxton should remain with the Twins. The only way to compensate for his loss would be to sign a couple of available free agents like Starling Marte and Mark Canha for around $30-32 million and there is no guarantee that they wouldn't suffer career ending injuries next April. A rock and a hard place.

I keep remembering the Santana situation. I argued then that unless the Twins received a haul, the team would be better off with Johan pitching for the Twins. A trade of Buxton for players we already have and sticking Cave in CF hold no appeal. I agree with everything you said except I am willing to just see Buxton excel during the coming year for the Twins, even if he moves on to another team thereafter.

Shifting to the morose trade aspect of this debacle, we have to wonder what is available right now from another team. Is it another Joe Ryan? Does anyone have any thoughts? The suggestions from BTV, thus far, just add to our 40 person roster dilemmas or give us another ok (mediocre) guy like Urshela. Thoughts?

All of this ^ I dont under stand how no one else is seeing it this way. Completely agree. Well, here is an attempt at a short explanation. There is not a single prospect in baseball that has the combination of talents of Byron Buxton. He has a history of missing games though. Thus, the Twins will not return a single player from a trade of Byron who makes the Twins appreciably better now or in the future because teams will not risk sending their talent for an expensive one year oft-injured player. Byron Buxton has much more value to the Twins than to another team because without him the rebuild begins. Most Twins fans do not wish to watch or listen to a team that spends the next five years losing 90-120 games. Buxton might return a Trevor Larnach or Joe Ryan type player, but not multiples of those. These players are decent but will never reach the heights of Buxton. If you just want to rebuild, every player on the team making more than $1 million goes and in 5-7 years the Twins may or may not have a good team. Check on Baltimore. Your position is not irrational or uncommon, but those of us who watch most or nearly all of the Twins games have watched many dozens of prospects fail (Willie Banks, Joe Benson) and recognize the value of what is in hand. I hope you can see the keep Buxton side of an argument, even if you still don't believe in him.

You do make a valid point. Polanco is the Twins MVP and the most likely to bring back a good package of players or a pitcher. This would, however, signal a five year rebuilding plan. At that point one could then argue that Kepler, Rogers, Duffey, Sano, and Donaldson should all be traded for prospects. The payroll could be #25 million too. The Twins are currently about in the middle rankings of the MLB farm systems, but these trades would move them towards the top of team prospect rankings. I don't think this is a feasible idea. i do think Polanco is a real gem.

Buxton - no way. Falvey - why? Buxton could retire today and never look back. The Twins absolutely need Buxton. You only need to look at the W-L records of the Twins with and without Buxton. Tickets, ad sales, viewership - there is a ton on the line here. The Twins did not average as many fans last season as the Timberwolves drew to last night's game. The T-Wolves are terrible. Is that acceptable? We are all human and Falvey has misspoken. I will hope that things will take a turn for the positive.

The Twins have backed themselves into a corner. Perhaps their best option is to just sign him for 2022 and let him become a free agent.