Cory Engelhardt

So they CAN still get to 90 wins :)

Lucas, you are definitely one of the top 25 influencers in the world in my eyes :) Always appreciate your articles. Thanks!

I can’t imagine an ownership group who truly states that they want to win would go into next year with zero external additions to their position player side. I just can’t see it.

I think Clemens is a useful utility guy. I don't know that he should be a starter on a team. I don't know what to make of Royce; he has the bat speed but man does he chase a LOT. When he is hot, he is HOT. When he isn't, he almost looks unplayable. I think Lee is the 3b and Culpepper is the 2b if Marek Houston is ready. I also wouldn't be shocked if Tom Pohlad and the front office try to bring in a bigger name player for one of the spots and the team tries and figures it out. I mean, if he truly wants to win, then maybe that's a play. There was smoke around Neto, and I don't know if he is the answer, but the Twins were open to the idea. We'll see. Fun win today. Keep it up Zebby. And I do think Zebby with his control and his stuff is a LOT better chance to stick in the rotation than SWR was. I don't think that's a fair comparison at this stage of Zebby's career.

He hasn't all looked like a future reliever the last month or so. Fun to see Zebby look good without blister problems on his foot.

It was about A) He didn't force anything (he did) and B) and it only being about Keaschall's glove (it's more than that, but that is an issue,.) Do you like watching Buxton play hurt and Larnach not hit for 2 months while also seeing Keaschall not be able to defend in the outfield? You have a player that is A) Better than Buxton when Buxton is injured, B) better than Larnach for sure on defense and on the bases as well as probably with the bat, and C) certainly can move Keaschall to a less demanding outfield spot because Keaschall can't defend? Then THAT is what is happening here.

Imagine being this unaware

Good point. Maybe this can be a lesson for next time.

It’s pretty evident now that Larnach should have been dealt at the deadline, for whatever any offer would have been. Jenkins should be up, and probably Rodriguez too. The defense, the base running, and the offense as a whole would all be improved if that had taken place

I'd imagine Wallner could hold up better as a 6th inning reliever than as a defensive center fielder. I'm mostly serious about that, as I do think his best defensive position is dh.

Guess who just hit another homer today. Hint, he plays Cf for the Saints. :)

Look at Keaschall with the diving catch! I wonder if there are any articles about him doing that lately? :)

Love his career, but I think Taylor Rogers leash is shorter.

I'd be more than fine with Emma in cf, Jenkins in lf and Keaschall in rf. But if Jenkins is in cf that's fine too.

I'm surprised you didn't list Emma. He's on the 40 and doesn't have minor league options next year. I also like the idea of Ben Ross in some capacity. I'd very much be open to sending Roden down, putting Buxton on the IL, DFA'ing (and hopefully getting through waivers again) Alex Jackson, and then bringing up Emma, Jenkins and Ross. To me that rounds out the roster nicer both on offense and defense, and Ross would bring everything to the table in terms of pinch running that Jackson provides. I mean, in the last week I've pinch ran as many times in a game as Jackson has. The other players you listed, all of them I'd imagine are out of the organization before next season.

What do you mean? I'm young and hip? Just ask both my knees and my right hip lately. :)

So I had to google ymmv just now to know what that means. That probably means I'm getting old right? Not knowing something like this?

They've never held a player back who is ready, That's what I meant. This delusion of saying he is being held back because of a potential lockout is hogwash/malarkey/BS (you pick the term.) I don't know where someone got the idea that this is the case. It's a madeup problem that's not happened before. Can you point to any player in twins history that wasn't promoted when they were truly ready? And, no team should be acting in any way that there will be a lockout. Follow up; why did they bring up Culpepper? Or add players via trade at the deadline? Are those moves also related to a potential lockout too? Especially adding Hoffman and Kremer, who are team controlled for next season?

I mean, the Twins have never done this in the history of their team. But some people want to believe it anyway.

Dad, I told you to log off

I'm saying there were good moves that were made that I would expect a good baseball guy to make. I didn't say the outcome was amazing. But if Tom is trying to show he is for real, those are the kinds of moves I would expect every offseason. That's all.

I get that too. But GOOD Falvey with ownership backing traded for and extended Pablo, got Carlos Correa to sigh here (and EVERYONE loved that at the time) as well as made a pretty awesome and creative Buxton extension. Then the rug got pulled out, but those are the kinds of moves that I hope a front office can shoot for if ownership gives them support. So again, we will see what the future holds. And if Zoll isn't the guy, and/or Tom eventually sells to a different ownership group, having a plan is something I very much agree with too.

I don't hate the moves that I would argue Zoll has been in charge of. It's hard for me to judge the front office TOO much for the past offseason when they didn't at that time have a direction on payroll because of Joe Pohlad just being so beyond incompetent that they took him out of baseball operations altogether. Generally the deadline last year I'm ok with, and even the free agents added this offseason have MOSTLY been ok. And the trade deadline added some good pieces that helped the bullpen and some are even around for next season too, all without giving away really anything for 2026 or 2027. Frankly, my biggest gripe with this past trade deadline was not being forward thinking and moving Larnach when the time was right. But I can see why NOT selling anyone is a different message to the team at that specific moment. But yeah, that's a good question overall. Let's say Joe wasn't incompetent and/or Tom would have been in place in October 2025 and had a clear plan for what this past offseason would have looked like both in terms of payroll and for not having the team being open for sale. I'd be willing to entertain the idea that at that time the offseason would have added more to the bullpen than they did. But because of Falvey leaving/team up for sale/Joe being "fired" by the Pohlads and being replaced by Tom, there kind of HAS to be context added to the past offseason and how it came together no? And really, I have a hard time putting THAT on Zoll specifically. None of this is to say that Zoll IS the answer. But most of what has happened since he's been the guy in charge of baseball ops has been good in my opinion. Not great, not otherworldly, but good. How would you describe it?

I do agree, historically, trying to trust a Pohlad with what they say has been insanity. It's been an awful lot like the Arrested Development scene where Tobias is telling Lindsay (I'm paraphrasing) that those people delude themselves to think that it will work but it never ever has. But THIS TIME, it might just work." That's what I feel like when I write this. But even the other day Tom said specifically that he wants to spend in a similar fashion to how the Padres have built their roster. To me that means a LOT of internal extensions, some free agent signings and some external trades using your prospects. IF there is some of each of those buckets this offseason, then I'm willing to listen to Tom at his word a little more than historically. But I wouldn't put all my eggs in this basket until he can prove he means what he says.

I agree, they have to show that the words they have been saying this whole season, and arguably showed to a degree this past deadline, aren't meaningless. But that is what Tom has said all season AND what they showed to an extent with the deadline. So this offseason (if there is baseball in 2027) will be another test that they have to show their words have meaning. But really, I do think there are MORE assets in the organization overall right now than there was last year at this time. That's regardless of how they are used or not. That part specifically shows they have more assets, no?