LastOnePicked

Well, if this is how the rebuild starts, then this is how it starts. The only thing that would soften the sting would be if a new owner was more likely. Look, I think they should go for it next year. I think they should have gone for it last year. But if they're just going to hold steady, they won't win in 2025. That means it's time to tear off this band-aid, let the kids get more lumps and let the rebuild begin. They don't always work, but rebuilds are the reason why the Royals and Tigers just had a resurgent postseason. It's the only recourse for low-revenue teams with low-interest ownership and anything less than stellar player development.

Very. Very excited. Not because payroll will erupt (it won't). Not because there's some Steve Cohen Jr. out there just dying to field a WS dynasty team in flyover country (there isn't). Be excited because the Twins were at a dead end, owned by people who have no discernible interest in winning and also no great acumen for running the business. It's not just that the Twins haven't won it all - it's that they aren't an exciting or sharp organization. My guess is that Twins executive leadership has left millions on the table in revenue with poor decision-making. The Twins once owned this state in terms of fandom. 1987 and 1991 were a long time ago, but many of us are still alive. It wouldn't take too much to heat this franchise back up again. New ownership would be coming aboard at a rocky time for baseball, sure, but to the right people, that's what opportunity looks like. Could be a heck of a good ride. I'd be here for it.

In. Lemme see what I can find between the couch cushions.

I hope it's clear that I really like those two. I would love to see them each have the playoff run of the careers next year. I just don't ever again expect to see either of them play 100 games a season. This team is going to have to find a way to carry them into the playoffs. And if that pressure is solely on the "cheap guys," Lewis and other young players are probably going to feel pretty irritated in the process.

Is anyone here a lawyer? According to the third paragraph, it sounds like we're already the co-owners. We all better get a chunk of the sale price.

I love this news. As it is, the Twins are settling in as one of the also-rans of the American League. Beautiful ballpark, occasional playoff appearances, and no real motivation for a title. I remember when Correa signed here again in 2023, an ESPN commentator said something like, "I don't know why he chose Minnesota. They don't win. He's not going to win anything there." The word is out about this organization. New ownership group might be terrible, making the pathway to a title seem pretty distant. I can't possibly see how that's different from what we're already experiencing. Compared to the league, the Twins are already back to Metrodome-era spending. New ownership - for personal or business reasons - might see a winning Twins team as a priority. That would truly be a game changer.

No, it's not. But it could have been both/and. AND, it might have boosted the sale price a bit, too.

Possibly to the Saints. For a coach to be named later.

"Is Correa untradeable?" Yes. Yes he is. Few teams wanted take on that salary after the red flags raised by medical assessments made during his free agent year. And now, after two years of foot injuries that have derailed his seasons? Absolutely not. No one else would take Buxton or Correa. They are ours. If the Pohlads were smart, they'd embrace that, bolster the roster around them and try to make one last playoff run with this dinged-up duo. Otherwise, they're just going to rot away on a perpetually "retooling" fourth-place club.

I'm an idiot, so it will probably be April.

That's about 50 cents too much. And I would hope I can quit any time - the team certainly did. Some of this is just sour griping. I've wanted to stream the Twins like this for years. I just really hope they'll be worth watching.

They had to know this shift was coming. Wouldn't it have made sense to keep fan momentum building in 2024, so that you can sign up 35K subscribers before opening day 2025, instead of the 8-10K they'll likely get after this season's debacle. I like the potential pricing being mentioned here, but not to watch this Twins team. Give me a feisty, fast and fundamentally sound team, sure. Not these Twins.

I love your optimism, and it was a great post. However, that "something unexplainable" was entirely explainable. They have a roster filled with significant injury histories, they have a manager that has failed to get them big-game ready (especially younger players) and their division competition is on the rise. Here's the problem: all of those things are even more true in 2025. But keep the optimism. We'll see how the retooling turns out.

Good article, and I liked the analogy about an under-funded public school. Here's the problem, though: districts in Kansas City and Cleveland received less funding, and their students performed better. That would signal a problem with the way money is spent here. And I do think they should have spent more (about $170M) this year, absolutely. You invest in Buxton and Correa and you have a not-terrible offseason the year before, you crank that competitive window open and you go for it. Otherwise, Correa and Buxton are just anchors. I would love it if the Pohlads were fanatics for the team - that'd be wonderful. They're not. So I just wish they'd put emphasis on building a smarter business. Get people back into baseball here. Have better communications, better promotions. Go out and get the best coaching staff and make a lean, feisty team. Gear up for the next competitive window, once you have a few durable stars and a top-tier pitching staff.

"Look through that window, Joe. That's Tiny Tim. He thought the Twins were going to make the playoffs again this year. He thought he'd maybe see his favorite team grab a few free agent pitchers, build off their 2024 postseason and make a run at a title. He may not see another year after 2025, Joe. If these trends continue, I see an empty little seat at Target Field. Actually, I see lots of empty seats."

You're assuming that this organization believes in consequences. Not a safe assumption. Excuses they're great at. Top 5 in baseball. Consequences, no.

This team has many problems, but Rocco is one of them and a significant one. It would have been much wiser to fire him, because ... If the roster the Twins field in 2025 truly does have a chance for a postseason run in 2025, then now is the perfect time to see what a new manager can do with this club. Will the play be more fundamentally sound? Less of a laissez faire attitude in the clubhouse? Better use of relievers and pinch hitters? More clutch performances? We've already seen how far Rocco can take a winning club in October, and it's not far. Why not see if another coach can take them farther? Or, if the roster in 2025 isn't built for success, now is a good time to audition a new staff. Don't be afraid to rotate the position for a few years, if needed. Get a feel for who communicates well. Let a new manager get started on the ground floor with a rebuilding or retooling team. I'm glad that there seems to be general consensus that this should be Rocco's last chance, but I'm hoping there will be some urgency and some fan pressure for a change if/when this team is in 4th or fifth place come June. When this team's chance does come again, Rocco is clearly not the person to get them to the next level. The sooner the organization realizes this, the better.

Exactly this. As a fan, I have no idea what the Twins are trying to become or what they're building towards. It almost seems like they thought Carlos Correa was just a magic wand they could wave into a middling roster and - poof - make themselves a contender. In a weak division, that might get you a division pennant and a Wild Card series win, sure. But two teams in this division are now ready to reap the benefits of their rebuilds, while the third remains the undisputed champion of player development and pitching pipelines. Twins ... your move?

I agree that probably it's better at this point to push forward than to rebuild (that should have started four years ago, in my opinion). But here's the problem: a payroll of $130M on this club isn't going to cut it. You can't count on 100 games each from Correa, Buxton or Lewis, so you'll need high-end replacements to fill in during long injury stretches. However, the younger players clearly aren't ready to fill those shoes. So you need a big free agent roster with proven talent ... or you'll need a lot of hope. A great coaching staff could maybe, maybe thread that needle. The one we have? No. Next year Chicago can't possibly be worse and KC, Cleveland and Detroit will likely be better. If you rolled it all back, can this Twins team compete? Absolutely not. So if you're not competing in 2025, you should probably be in a phase of rebuilding. Otherwise you're wasting a season.

Love it. We got two hilarious Stu satires in one day - this one and the one about how the Twins made the right call in keeping Rocco.

Excellent post. I think every Twins fan can handle losing or coming up short. But this season wasn't that - this was incompetence at multiple levels. Unprofessional organization and not worthy of fan support.

Target Field hasn't had any electricity for the past two months, so I think they're okay.

"Despite a vocal minority of fans calling for change," Ugh. This is a common tactic of dismissal. And my guess is that you have no real idea as to which side on this issue is the minority, unless you've done some sophisticated polling. "Some fans may want fiery speeches or emotional outbursts." Let's put this old strawman to rest. Those of us who against keeping Rocco are NOT asking for thrown chairs and tipped tables. Were asking for fundamentally sound baseball and an ability to elevate the play of the roster. Sometimes that involves confrontation. Not aggression, not buffoonery ... timely and direct confrontation. "The most successful franchises, in any sport, don’t constantly shuffle their leadership. Stability fosters success." First, please don't tell me you think the Twins are one of the "most successful franchises" - that's just patently false. Also, I think you have it backwards. Success more often fosters stability. Time alone won't simply turn a poor coaching staff into a great staff. And failure rewarded with stability leads to stagnation and incompetence. "we also can’t forget the 12-game winning streak they posted earlier this year" Since we're on the subject of not forgetting, 2022's epic collapse is worth remembering. It might also be good to remember that the regular season records you boasted about were built off of a fairly weak AL Central. And Rocco's postseason record still isn't something to write home about. "2025 will be a critical year for Baldelli. He’s earned another chance, but if the team falters again, it will be tough to justify keeping him on." Okay, is 2025 the new goalpost? Just so we don't have to repeat ourselves next offseason, what does "falters" mean? Look, if you love Rocco, just say you love Rocco. That's fine. He seems like a great human being. I'd love to have Rocco as a neighbor. I just can no longer stand having him as the Twins manager. I'm tired of watching this team falter, flail and fade away in crucial stretches and big games. I'm tired of our rookies looking disoriented and unprepared to play major league baseball. Rocco has had decent rosters and decent payroll support. Whatever the "it" factor is that makes a great manager, Rocco doesn't have it. And we've had more than enough time now to judge this fairly.

I think a lot of people on TD would have been okay with this. I just think he wouldn't have performed very well here. We get flashes, but there's something missing in the way we draft, develop or coach that would lead to a hugely productive season from a young rookie. When's the last time the Twins had a legitimate Rookie of the Year candidate?

I think the word "idiot" is often overused. Most people in positions of leadership are fairly smart, fairly capable of making decent decisions peppered with mistakes. But I'm not sure it would be overused in this case. How could Twins leadership not have a plan to build off of the Correa signing, to steer away from Bally's bankruptcy, to hook new fans on streaming packages, and to re-establish a window of contention in the process. Twins could have hooked a new generation of fans, all while reaping the immediate benefits of gate receipts, merchandise and playoff pool money. $50M spent this year is potentially hundreds of millions of added revenue by 2030. Thankfully, all those involved in this debacle have been fired. Wait, they haven't? No consequences for leadership at all? Those idiots.