DaveW

Bingo. Once again, this comes down to the main frustration most people have: 20% of it being payroll capacity 80% of it being how that payroll is being spent. Time and time and time and time and time again we have seen the Twins overpay for mediorce to average talent: Nolasco, Pelfrey, Suzuki, Hunter, Duensing, Stauffer, Kubel, Santana, Hughes. Now, I am not saying all of those are bad signings and I'm not saying you shouldn't sign ANY guys like that, but when it's abundantly clear that your FA strategy is as followed: Position players: Veterans, 0.0-1.5 WAR types SP: #3 (Santana) #4 (Hughes/Nolasco) #5 (Pelfrey) types RP: Garbage bin OR Twins veterans who are medicore to average (Duensing, Stauffer) It gets frustrating that year after year the Twins continue to target the exact same players, now this would be all fine and dandy if the Twins were competing for a title each year, but that has been the exact opposite, at one point why not actually think a tad bit outside the box and do something different? Instead of going for a one dimensional player to fill in RF (Hunter/Willingham) go out and spend a few more bucks on a higher risk/higher reward type player (Nelson Cruz!!!!) Instead of signing a bunch of mid rotation guys, sign one mid rotation guy and spend the rest of the money on a high upside ace (even if you have to give them a dreaded 5 year contract). Instead of dumpster diving for RP, go out, spend a few bucks and actually get a guy for the pen who can strike out a guy an inning. You don't even have to do all three at once, just change ONE aspect of your FA strategy and see what happens. It's so perplexing why the Twins will happily shell out 3 years of decent money to Pelfrey (a guy who never deserved it) yet quiver in their boots when a pretty darn good RP wants two or three years at a pretty reasonable AAV,. It's almost like they are using the same hard fast rules they came up with 20 years ago: 1. Don't pay for RP in FA. 2. Don't give out 5 year contracts for SP 3. Any position player signed must have veteran experience/leadership 4. Don't pay top dollar for ANY FA. 5. If a player has a tie to Minnesota (born/high school/college) target that player to bring them in, good PR. That last one is especially unique to Minnesota as a state, it seems like every team is in love if a player is "one of them", I can't think of another state where fans give one iota if some scrap heap pick up, some special teams player etc is from their home state. Most fans want to see wins.

Relevant? http://www.theonion.com/article/donald-trump-stares-forlornly-at-tiny-aged-penis-i-28589

I dunno about that, it depends on who exactly pans out in that scenario. If Buxton, Sano, Berrios and Rosario for instance all reach their ceiling and everyone else falls on their face, then you most certainly can fill in the gaps. But I get what you are getting at no doubt.

I would rather have that as well 100%. I just can't envision a way where the Twins roll into opening day with 2-3 rookies. I could honestly see them breaking camp with none. Which is why I really don't understand the stance of "you can't afford to sign a good RP for 2-3 years" If they somehow roll into opening day with: Perkins, Jepsen, May (grrrr), Fien, and 3 high upside rookies, then I will give them a whole lot of credit. I just don't see it happening. I still hope they go out and get Clippard personally.

ERA in general is flawed for MRP anyways, often times they get charged for a run that another RP essentially contributes to anyways. Most notably of all, if Abad was anything close to what Bastardo, Sipp etc were, then Oakland wouldn't have cut him loose for 1.5 million.

http://also.kottke.org/misc/images/simpsons-math.jpg

Twins Daily Users Finally get to the bottom of the Twins Rev/Exp.

Joe Mauer's 2016 off-season secret weapon. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_xdN0QQwsP1A/S8klUQElR9I/AAAAAAAAG8o/KCwA57D-uj0/s400/vlcsnap-2400608.png

But by trading Hicks they now go into 2016 with a whole lot of uncertainty in the OF. Is the lineup/team actually improved by having Murphy in it 50% of the time? (While they might have to run out a 4th OF type in CF to start the year?) As of now the opening day OF looks like: Sano-Rosario-Arcia, that sends up some serious red flags in my book. Hopefully Buxton earns his way onto the roster, but after his struggles last year, I'm not ready to just pencil him in just yet. Now, come June/July I am confident that Buxton will be ready, but at that point it may be too late. Ditto with some of the young arms figuring it out and coming up in June/July. Games in April count just as much as games in September. I know we all want to see these young flamethrowers get a shot, but does anyone seriously think that TR, Molly etc will have 2 or 3 "rookies" in the pen on opening day? I would be shocked. More than likely Abad, Duensing, or someone else off the pile will be throwing meaningful innings in April and May, and that is what is so frustrating about the whole thing.

I think Sano can be average at 3rd base defensively. SSS no doubt, but he had a good UZR/`150 last year at 3rd.

Even when you have a potential 6 WAR guy ready to take over for him? (NTM 7 mil cheaper)

Again, I am asking for $125-$130 million, I am more then confident the Pohlads would still find a way to make a nice profit (even before calculating the value of the franchise increasing) Hell, the total payroll amount now doesn't bother me nearly as much as how they have chosen to spend on players over the years: Paying for a bunch of mid rotation guys: Hughes, Santana, Nolasco and overpaying mediocre veterans: Hunter, Willingham, Pelfrey instead of actually going after an impact player for once. Once again, with the money you are paying Hughes+Nolasco+Milone in 2016, the Twins could have had nearly any ace pitcher that hit the market iver the last couple years.

Forbes isn't the end all be all in terms of what the Twins (Pohlads) are making. Also people are ignoring the fact that the value of the team is going up tens of millions every year as well... (700 million in the last 15 years actually)

Again this would be the most logical since Abad has overall been a pretty mediocre pitcher. (Other than a luck driven 2014 which was dissected earlier in this thread and where his 2015 was unlucky) Likely he ends up being a mid 4.00's ERA type guy since that is what his FIP and xFIP say he will do. I have a sinking feeling this is all setting up for Duensing to return as well and for him and Abad to "battle it out" for the LOOGY role. That would be abad abad abad thing!

This sounds awfully familiar to a recent LHP we just signed... Sigh

Good point, I would love $150M as well, but have resigned myself to the fact the Pohlads won't let that happen anytime soon. I would like to see it at $125-$130 (which seems more than reasonable and allows the Pohlads plenty of money)

I agree 100% with all of this. I would trade Plouffe for any sort of valid return at this stage (high upside/high risk minor leaguer etc) Just was saying that tendering Plouffe a contract at this stage wasn't a bad idea.

Not end of discussion.... The Twins have 7 bullpen spots, and only one current RP signed beyond 2016 (2 if you count May, who may be back in the rotation sometime anyways) Signing a guy to a 2-3 year contract doesn't block anyone. If the Twins magically end up with 7 guys in the bullpen who all are 7th/8th/9th inning types then that is suddenly a very very good problem to have. Even if you signed TWO guys to 2-3 year long deals, you would still have multiple spots open for 2016/2017/2018 for the minor leaguers.

Many would argue that Bob Costas hasn't had a worthwhile opinion in decades.

I personally think Trump deserves a non refundable boom daddy to the chin! /Stat

Occam's razor would suggest that he just had an unlucky season (versus his very lucky season in 2014) and that he will likely return to the mid 4.00's FIP type pitcher he has been his whole career.

What is Okoboji then?

Berrios should not be in the bullpen......

True.