Cory Engelhardt

I mean, they aren't playing well and they won't make the playoffs. But you don't have any part of you that appreciates effort given? Why is that worth turning your nose up to?

I agree. I meant more, Tom in terms of being the guy with the purse strings should allow the baseball leader to focus in that way. Agreed

I'm fairly certain that Rodriguez is a strong athlete and can handle defense even in CF. I am not certain at all that either Mendez or Gonzalez's best defensive position in the majors isn't DH, so I have a hard time planning on either of them. I'm not even certain Gonzalez or Mendez bring a more dynamic bat. IF I am Tom, I am going after athletes, and I'd try to bring in 1-2 legitimate bats either through trade or free agency. I don't know that I even care if they are a 40 homerun hitter, but if they can be someone who can hold down a defensive spot and have a good on base percentage and run the bases well, then you have me sold.

Does one of those ways give you a more athletic and better defensive chance? But for poker, I would play the hand I'm dealt and just go for it as best as possible. I don't have a ton of money so whenever I have gone to the casino, I've usually just brought a certain amount and then when it's done, it's done. That doesn't really answer your question though.

Yes, for today I am fine with Bell. Even for the rest of the season. My complaint more is about general roster building and what I would want for the next iteration of the team. I also would have Rodriguez up here a week ago, and I would have dealt Larnach at the deadline for whatever the best offer was. I know that sounds like hindsight now, but it made too much sense then. Having BOTH Larnach AND Bell on the team, when really only one should be starting, didn't make sense to me.

I really do think, for the next go-around as the Twins, defense and athleticism HAS to be the priority. It's been said so many times over and over, but there were just too many guys both this year and really the last 5-10 years who's best defensive position is DH. That can't happen anymore. I have hope that the pieces are there to build a decent middle infield, with Culpepper at one of the SS/2B spots and Lee at 3B. But the days of having average range outfielders (at best) in a corner spot in the outfield just HAS to stop. I know we all can have different opinions of specific players they would use to build out a team for next season (if there is one) or 2028. But I really do hope that speed and range in the outfield is more of a priority. I'd also LOVE it if the DH on any given day is someone who can play a good defensive spot and is just having an off day from the field. If that's your 1B, that works for me too, but frankly if that is Buxton next year often (if his hip is ok) that also works for me. At least, look at the other teams in our division who are really better than us this year, and I'll even include the Royals. ALL of them are strong defensively, like top 10 in baseball defensively in both the infield and outfield. The Twins are starting to show some players up here (Culpepper, Jenkins, Keaschall and even Lewis and Lee) who all are good athletes and can run the bases. I think Clemens has a spot next year, but I'd have him as the utility option. The rest of the players who make the team next year I would hope have good range and athleticism and can run the bases at minimum. The idea of Marek Houston and his glove and his speed is appealing to me, as is Emmanuel (Manny) Rodriguez if he gets a chance. Bell and Larnach can move on. Seem like good dudes, but the TYPE of player they are on the bases isn't one I want on the 2027 or future teams.

I wanted to add, I really like the Bubic idea.

Or injuries. But are we sure he is still one of the top 5 prospects in the system?

Came here to add both this, as well as, can we please stop trying to make Gonzalez a thing. I'm sure he is a nice guy, but he had a .741 ops at AAA this year in a super hitter friendly environment and his best defensive position is dh. He shouldn't be listed with the other players here, I have no idea what to think of Rodriguez either. Clearly they haven't brought him up yet for a reason.

I like all of this. I really do. Instead of a 5th OF type though, I'd rather they either trade for or sign a legit starting option. I don't know who that is, but man would Randy Arozarena look good here. He can DH or play left pretty well, and he would be fantastic in the middle of the lineup. I'm sure there are other names, but I'd very much want to target a legit option over someone who would just be brought in to face lefties.

An outfield thread is certainly one that should maybe be different from this one. But I have a hard time penciling Rodriguez or Martin or Gonzalez into the outfield picture in 2027. I mean, Rodriguez is out of options and on the 40 and still hasn't been called up? Are we certain they believe in him being up next year? And Martin, I don't know, he was great in April and then just pretty absent otherwise. And Gonzalez, I'm not even certain he is a big leaguer, and certainly hasn't shown to be someone who can be above average defensively. I THINK you can certainly get a big bat in the outfield and then roll with Jenkins and Keaschall and big bat addition along with HOPEFULLY Buxton being ok. But maybe Rodriguez is in their plans even though he hasn't been called up? Infield, the middle infield specifically, I'm certain Culpepper is a part of it. I also WANT to think Houston is the one next to him. I just have this question now in my head overall with the smoke from the deadline around potentially looking into Zach Neto. I am NOT saying I think he is the answer, but I certainly am also keeping Brooks Lee around. My question is, IF Tom Pohlad is saying that he wants to do big moves to try and win, that means I'm not certain that the infield grouping includes Culepper and Lee AND Houston. IF they love Houston, great. But I don't know that he is going to be there opening day 2027, so I'm so uncertain what the 3b/ss/2b will look like outside of Culpepper and Lee at 2 of those spots.

I like all of this. Who do you like as the mid rotation starter? And how would you (knocking on wood, assume health is good) be in your opening day rotation then?

That's for this season, with both Abel and Lopez out. I have to think a full season (granted, barring health) of Abel and Lopez and Prielipp, I can't see Ober being above any of them in 2027. Not with his diminishing velocities. For this season, sure.

I like all of this. I have a couple of questions to follow up; 1) Why Keaschall in left and not right? Just curious. 2) I have Pablo, Ryan and Bradley for sure in the rotation to start the year. I also have one of Kremer or Ober (not both) and probably Prielipp. Then behind them, you have Abel (who, if he is healthy in spring I put ahead of either Kremer or Ober) and then you have Zebby either as the 7th/8th starter or moved to the bullpen. My question is, do you keep all of those guys AND sign another starter? Or do you move some of these guys either in trade or to the bullpen and THEN sign a starter? 3) For the bullpen, all of that is easier to find room. For next year, they should have Hoffman and Gomez back, and then depending on if Anthony Banda is healthy he should be there too. I'd imagine they also would pencil in Andrew Morris again, but that leaves at least a few spots. 4) Basically, my question is, when you say to spend money on pitching, what would that look like for you? 1 starter and 2 relievers? 2 relievers? 3 relievers? How would you draw out your rotation and bullpen if it was up to you?

I agree here too. And frankly, they could trade prospects for higher priced average veterans to simply also get a higher payroll. Some of their prospects SHOULD be able to produce well next year, but I am having a hard time figuring HOW they raise their payroll IF Jeffers isn't brought back on the qualifying offer.

If Larnach and Jeffers and Ober all leave, and they keep literally everyone else, their payroll will be lower next year with the arbitration raises players are going to. Tom has promised the payroll will be higher. How does a payroll go higher if they don't have money to spend on players?

If he does leave, which he may, then they HAVE to bring in a better catcher to pair with Caratini than Alex Jackson. That's imperative. I wouldn't at all hate extending Jeffers and having him be the primary 1b/DH. Not that he can't catch, but his bat has been so strong and I want to keep that bat in the lineup if possible. IF he leaves, then they NEED to replace his bat/production with a good right handed hitter to put in the middle of the lineup. Maybe that's Randy Arozarena? Yandy Diaz? Trading for someone else? He probably leaves, and they probably get a good draft pick. But then they have to replace his production. He is at a 5ish win pace for a full season this year, so it'll almost HAVE to be young guys replacing along with at least one bat (probably 2) and getting Buxton healthy with his hip stuff. It isn't impossible, as Jenkins and Culpepper having full seasons certainly should be upgrades over what was ran out there this season. I guess we'll see what the future holds. Hopefully there is a full 2027 season.

You aren't wrong. I didn't add Clemens to the poll here. He has shown to be a better and more consistent hitter the last few years than Lewis has. He's also shown to be pretty good defensively at 1B. I don't know if Clemens is a strong enough hitter to be a 1b on a contending team. But that's more a fault of the rest of the team and not him. I probably should have added him as an option. I guess I just see him more as a super utility guy next year instead of a starter at one set position. But if he has to start somewhere, that probably isn't a bad thing.

I agree with this. And in many ways I have a list in my head of players who for sure will be here next season and then others that are still muddy. But if there is new ownership, or a new gm, then a lot of that could change. I mostly wanted to start the poll for 1b because I feel like, IF Tom is the owner, he has said they want to raise the payroll. 1b or OF, to me, are the 2 spots where it would be easiest to raise the payroll on the position player side via free agency. Basically, I don’t know how they raise the overall payroll if they don’t bring in at least a couple of legit offensive players, regardless of what they add on the pitching side.

Curious your thoughts on this poll I created. Thanks!

I hope so, truly. I hope so.

And I hope good comes for all. I do. I just don't know that I see an owner for any mlb team actually caring about the opinions of the fans. Not really. I'd love to be wrong.

I agree, but is baseball still at the same level? Probably. Owners wouldn't be selling for billions of dollars and wanting new stadiums, even in Las Vegas, if they didn't think the future was bright for them.

People generally can't all collectively protest things that actually matter in the world because people generally can't agree on what matters. Why would enough people protest baseball's salary cap when all the food is contaminated and jobs are scarce and public lands are being sold off and everything else is being treated like private equity? Baseball is way low on the list of things that actually matter.

I agree. And don't you think that because this chasm is coming that a lot of the actual talk should have started a year ago? The demands the owners have put out are basically all non-starters for the players it seems, at least the big picture stuff. You can't wave that away and just magically get along again. I truly hope I'm wrong. Part of me is ready for the 2029 season being the next full one. I truly hope I'm wrong about that.