TopGunn#22

It's really too bad the Twins couldn't complete the Larnach for Abreu trade at the trade deadline, but if I was the Astros owner, I wouldn't have just vetoed the trade, I'd have fired the FO for even considering it. It would have been a steal for the Twins. MeleMouth makes a good point. A deeper dive on Abreu would be helpful. But I just gotta say, this kid has been lights out for 5 consecutive years. The Twins would still have had to wrestle for him in FA for next season even if we had succeeded in acquiring him, but I think he's an excellent target. He's always walked more guys than you would like. But he generally throws about 70 innings a season and strikes out about 90. That's pretty good. Chembry's suggestion of Evan Phillips is also good. So it comes down to cost Spotrac estimates Abreu (30 years old) to cost around $10-$11 million per year for 2-3 years. Phillips (32 years old) is estimated to get $9 to $10 million per year, probably a maximum of only 2 years. I guess I'd rather invest in the slightly younger Abreu but either would be a NICE addition. One of the reasons the Twins dismantled a pretty good BP was COST. Duran and Jax were in line for some healthy raises. Duran should have been extended if the Twins REALLY thought they were going to be contenders. Jax wanted to be a SP and he did a pretty credible job for the Rays. Would it have been better to just keep Duran and Jax? Probably. But the Twins are going to have to spend some serious money to bring in an Abreu and a Vesia or Minter. At least we got Taj Bradley for Jax (good trade) and Abel and Tait for Duran.

jmlease, I think you missed the point I was trying to make, which is probably on me for not explaining it well enough. When a team hits 307 HR's, no one would expect them to lead the league in SB's or even be middle of the pack. But that first season with Rocco set a tone and philosophy that the Twins would just out slug other teams. With power such a sought after commodity, and expensive as well, it was never a sustainable model. I don't disagree with the points you made, in fact I agree. Guys like Kepler, Polanco and Rosario could have run more, but how that would have improved a team that struck out a lot is questionable. But year after year, the Twins just didn't add any players who were capable of supplying speed or even a higher level of defense to their lineup or bench. And even after the rule changes to enhance and encourage the running game were instituted, Rocco was extremely slow to react. Willi Castro kind of lit the fire somewhat in the 2nd half of 2023 but the Twins under Rocco just generally ignored the SB. We never added a player like David Hamilton or Chandler Simpson who could pressure a team in late game situations as a pinch runner. The Brewers employ David Hamilton at 3B. A generally accepted "power" position. Would the Twins, under Rocco, ever play a 3B with a .650 OPS and 4 HR's but 30 SB's at 3B? Probably not. When Cesar Tovar joined the Twins he played 70 games at 3B in 1967 and 78 in 1968. Killebrew was primarily playing 1B with a little Rich Reese here and there. I don't know what kind of manager Rocco was in the minor leagues. But as a major league manager, he didn't believe in the running game. If the Twins weren't drafting or developing speed as you say, that's on the FO for sure, but was Rocco requesting some speed and defense guys be included in drafting and developing or had he bought into the 3 run HR or a strikeout and 2 men LOB philosophy? The game has changed a little from 2019 and Rocco will probably get another chance to manage somewhere. It will be interesting to see how Rocco approaches his lineup. I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt, but my gut tells me speed will not be a priority to him.

I've often remarked on TD that as fun as the 2019 season was for the Twins it totally messed up their philosophy going forward and certainly damaged Rocco as a manager from the end of that season onward. How else can you explain Rocco being completely unwilling to steal a base, even after the rules were changed to improve the success of base stealing? The Twins in the post Andy McPhail era have never demonstrated an off season or trade deadline "plan." They never seemed to identify a specific need and strategy to fill that need, whether it be a FA or a trade. Nelson Cruz was a late spring training addition. He wasn't somebody the Twins identified early, prioritized, and then went out and got. Can anyone name the best trade deadline deal the Twins made in the Mauer-Morneau-Santana-Nathan-Hunter era? A trade for an impact player to help the Twins win a playoff series? Remember, that star-studded team never even won a single playoff game. The ability of the Brewers, Rays and Cleveland to trade established, star level players for prospects and develop those prospects (rinse and repeat) is what has really separated them from the Twins. The example of Ryan Jeffers and Joe Ryan not being traded at the most advantageous time is as good as it gets for a comparison. I had mentioned in a previous post a couple days ago that the value in "trading" is that you get to identify and acquire a specific player or players that fill obvious weaknesses on your ball club. When you draft, it's all about projectability. When you trade, projectability is part of the equation, but the strengths a player has that you've identified your team needing have manifested themselves more clearly. I don't see Jeremy Zoll as any kind of improvement in what the Twins have had for the last 20-25 years. Until the Pohlad family finally sells and new owners re-hire a completely different front office I don't trust the Twins to make the right kind of trades to reconfigure this roster into a contender. I think with future talent like Jenkins, Lackey, Houston. Culpepper, and current guys like Keaschall and Lee there is a chance they could be good. Bradley, Abel, Prielipp, Zebby and others need to stay healthy and take big steps forward as well. But teams like the Brewers, Rays and Cleveland are just better at trading than the Twins are at this time.

The 3 pitchers suggested were excellent. I would have included Mick Abel as well because while his health is the 1 thing that has held him back, he has tantalized with his stuff. As we approach the off season, I'm O.K. with Ryan, Lopez and Taj Bradley as #1-#3 but I'm also interested in seeing what a Joe Ryan trade could bring back. In other words, I wouldn't be opposed to those three at the top, but I think 2027 should be a year devoted to young talent, so I'm also not opposed to a Joe Ryan trade if the return is good. For both Zebby and Rojas, I don't think they need to be completely defined at this point. A mix of starting AND relieving for both would be O.K. with me. Depending on what we would get back in talent with various trades, we may have other arms that would be in the mix. The hope is that the new pitching coach can improve the command of guys like Matthews and Rojas and just make them better pitchers in general.

I agree wholeheartedly David Maro !! It's time to move on from a significant portion (33% sounds about right) of the 40 man roster. There are guys on it who are clearly not part of the long term plan and several of those guys are also no longer part of what should be the short term plan (2027 & 2028). As I said before, there are plenty of players who have not performed up to expectations on every other major league ballclub. It's time to play the lottery with them. I'm not suggesting the Twins will uncover a bunch of Johan Santana/David Ortiz types, but there are certainly some players out there who could use a change of scenery. The Twins should be prepared to accept a player or 2 to move on and do O.K. We had Jeff Hoffman in camp a couple years ago and let him walk. Maybe Trevor Larnach or Bailey Ober or Royce Lewis catch lightening in a bottle. Maybe, maybe not. But it's time to move on, get what we can in trades and turn the page. At least when you trade guys you can be very specific about the guys you're looking to get back. A 1B, a catcher, a guy like Jordan Lawler that can play OF or IF who is a RH bat, a bullpen or SP with potential. And again, the Twins are not the only team in MLB who have 40 man issues like this. We have an abundance of catching talent in the minors right now. Every team in MLB would be interested in adding a young catcher. The Twins should be prepared to include someone like Tait, Diaw or Jimenez in a trade to bring something pretty good back. An electric arm with command issues the Twins think they can fix. A 1B blocked from the major league roster by an All Star. A catcher who is already in the MLB but who's getting displaced by a top prospect (like Campusano in San Diego). It's time to fully embrace the youth movement while still maintaining a competitive team. The bar is pretty low to be competitive in the A.L. Central. Not having Lewis, Ober, Larnach, Wallner and others doesn't necessarily make the Twins un-competitive. Especially if they make some shrewd deals to reconfigure the roster. There will be good days and bad days with a heavy emphasis on young talent. But the payoff down the road is what the Twins should be looking at.

It's painfully obvious that it is time to move on from a bevy of Twins players, They have all had substantial opportunity and have shown us who they are. There are always players in every organization who fail to live up to their initial expectations. It's time for the Twins to give those players an opportunity elsewhere and take a chance on some other teams "disappointment.' The tale of a fresh start in a different place has been told in the past and should be told again. Guys like Catcher Henry Davis from the Pirates and Jordan Lawler from the D-Backs are a couple I'd go after if those teams were willing to listen.

The velocity dip concerns me, but the guy knows how to pitch and he's light years ahead of Taylor Rogers at this stage of their careers. You usually DO get what you pay for. Morejon and Vesia are the top 2 rated LHRP's for a reason. They're both unquestionably GOOD. No concerning dips in velo. Both at the top of their game. But it's going to cost a LOT to sign either. It would be nice to see a one-on-one comparison with JoJo Romero or Brock Burke or Gergory Soto before just answering "Yes." I'm curious if a new pitching coach could unlock another level and more consistency from Funderburk. As winter unfolds, the staff at TD will need to do a deeper dive on the possible choices of BP arms, 1B or Catchers the Twins could choose from, as well as what possible trades for established major leaguers (Ryan, Larnach, Ober) or minor league talent (Tait, Gabe Gonzalez) could bring.

I'm also a strong advocate for having or adding a strong defensive catcher behind Caratini. Defense in CF, at SS and C are crucial to a baseball teams success. It's kind of like the principle "First Do No Harm." Jeffers was never, no matter the metric, a good defensive catcher. And offensively, he was a career .243 hitter with an OPS in the low .700's. I'd make him the qualifying offer just to let the Yankees over pay him and give us a compensatory pick at the end of round #1 which I would use on a pitcher with the best raw stuff that I could coach and mold. As long as I can remember, DEFENSE has been the biggest priority for a catcher. Mike Piazza was a tremendous hitter. But I almost wonder if the Dodgers/Marlins/Mets might have gotten more out of him as a 1B. If the N.L. would have had a DH, he would have been DH'ing with a defensively skilled catcher behind the plate. Yes, Joe Mauer did indeed spoil us. Tony&Rodney makes a great point. Our Pitchers DESERVE better "catching." A guy behind the plate who they have the utmost confidence in to keep the ball from going to the backstop and controlling the running game. Our pitchers also deserve better defense at SS, which they should get in spades once Marek Houston is up, as well as 3B (Lee is a GG candidate) and 2B once Culpepper settles in. An OF of Buxton, Jenkins and E-Rod will get to more balls than the OF that had Larnach in LF and Wallner in RF. All this will benefit whoever is on the mound for the Twins. Riverbrian really laid it out with how much money the Twins have wasted on sub-par catchers. It's like getting slapped in the face. Jackson's offense was a one-year-wonder for him. He will never approach that again. It would appear that Henry Davis is a tremendous defensive backstop who crushes in the minors, but struggles to hit in the big leagues. The catching version of Jordan Lawler if you will. With the cost to acquire him probably very minimal, and Derek Shelton's familiarity with him, he would be a good bridge candidate in my opinion. Certainly for this season, but even post Caratini, to pair with Vahn Lackey in 2028. What a treat it would be for future Twins pitching staffs to be able to pitch to outstanding defensive catchers in the future.

Nice synopsis on the pitching staff Cory, thanks for teeing things up for him SE23. I agree with how Cory has laid out the possibilities. It's not that we HAVE to trade Joe Ryan. But we should pursue discussions and see what we would get back. Part of a Joe Ryan and/or a Bailey Ober trade is the possibility that a pitcher or 2 come back. The same is true for a Larnach, Lewis or Wallner trade. I expect every one of the mentioned Twins players to be a part of trade discussions. The primary target should probably be a Catcher and a 1B. But dealing veteran pitchers like Ryan and Ober could also bring a young arm back that could find a spot on the staff sometime in 2027. Much like Joe Ryan did after the Nelson Cruz trade. I'd like to see the Twins bring Minter back and take a strong look at Bryan Abreu. I think he got off to an awful start last year as the Closer while Hader was out, but he really turned things around. He's a horse, who consistently gives you a lot of innings out of the pen and LOT of K's. With Abreu, Hoffman and Gomez all having closing experience, Shelton wouldn't have to commit to a specific Closer. He could mix and match as the situation presents itself. Toss Minter into the equation and you have the makings of a decent BP. Adams and Funderburk have the potential to grow and keep improving. Without knowing what other pitchers could come back in trades, Zebby Matthews becomes a key swing man. He could start in the BP if the rotation was Lopez, Bradley, Prielipp, Abel and Kramer, but also be used for spot starts. Bednar would be an excellent target, especially with his ties to Shelton. But I can't see the Yankees letting him get away after the year he had for them. Same with Vesia for the Dodgers. I just find it unlikely those guys are pitching for new teams in 2027.

I'm also enjoying these articles. Baseball has such a rich history. I'll agree with 3 of the 4 picks, but I'm going to suggest an alternative to Dave Goltz. If you're looking for an unsung hero as a Twins SP, look no further than Jim Perry. Yes, he won a Cy Young award in 1970 winning 24 games for the Division winning Twins. And the year before that he was the staff Ace again winning 20 games to help the Twins win the A.L. West. Both in 1969 and 1970 the Twins were swept by the juggernaut Baltimore Orioles. But how often is Jim Perry remembered as the staff Ace of 2 Divisional Champions and a 2 time 20 game winner and Cy Young winner? I think Jim Perry is the epitome of unsung. He was acquired in a trade with Cleveland that also brought over Mudcat Grant. Perry was a "swingman" to begin his career with the Twins, being used both as a SP but also in relief. He was always effective. Jim Perry won 214 games in his 17 year career, (10 with the Twins). 128 of those wins were as a Twin. Perry won more games as a Twin than Goltz, had a better ERA and better WHIP. Perry has a higher WAR than Goltz (38.4 vs 23.5). Yet with Blyleven, Kaat, Johan Santana and Jack Morris, Jim Perry kind of gets lost in the shuffle. He was always overlooked due to his more flamboyant and better brother, Gaylord. Jim Perry is my choice for an unsung Twins player. Another good choice for unsung would be Greg Gagne. But that's another story altogether.

The last team that I remember that had that "flexible" approach was the "Nasty Boys" bullpen of the Cincinnati Reds. Either way works. If you have a Mason Miller or Bryan Baker, you've got "that guy." But I was impressed with Hoffman in the brief time we had him. His stuff was electric. It also made me think, how did we ever cut this guy out of spring training with an arm and stuff like that?? But you can just add it to the long list of blunders the front offices of the Pohlad owned Twins. I would like to see us go out and sign a big time Closer, someone like Ryan Helsley, lately of the Orioles. If we do that, it pushes Hoffman to 8th inning and Gomez/Morris to 7th inning. Would the Twins pay Helsley $12 million and Hoffman $7 million?? This has NOT been the Twins way. The Twins decided they couldn't pay Duran, Jax and Varland, so why would they change now? It will be interesting to see if our FO actually has a plan this winter or will they continue to dumpster dive when all the best players have been signed.

Bohm is mediocre. His relatively high RBI total is more a credit to the Phillies hitters ahead of him in the lineup constantly being on base more than anything else. Lewis is mediocre. I've given up on the dream of 2023 Royce Lewis and accepted the reality of who he is. I will give Bohm credit for being available and playing 155 out of 162 games. This is a trait the Twins need to cultivate and maintain in the future. To me, Bohm just doesn't move the needle enough. The Twins should aim higher. The Michael Busch example is interesting to me, but in a different take. I wouldn't use my primary trade asset on Busch, (joe Ryan) but I would consider the model which brought Busch to the Cubs from the Dodgers. Busch was blocked by Max Muncy at 3B and Freddie Freeman at 1B. The Cubs recognized this and worked a deal to bring Busch to Chicago. It was a great move for the Cubs who recognized a minor league talent that had had a couple stints in the big leagues but was clearly blocked from a regular role with the players the Dodgers had playing his positions. There are minor league options who have played AA-AAA and excelled who are blocked by major league stars at their position. Identify them and come up with a trade that doesn't involve burning Joe Ryan, your primary option. If I could get a potential starting 1B for the Twins in 2027 from a AAA 1B, I'd be willing to give up a prospect like Tait and a MLB player like Wallner/Larnach/Ober/Lewis. Doc Bauer, can you come up with a BBTV deal that would show value for value? Depending on the value of the minor league 1B and the relative values of Tait, and an Ober/Wallner/Larnach/Lewis, what other talent could come to the Twins if we are offering excess value. I've listed some minor league 1B targets in previous posts but here's a couple more: Sean Keys-Blue Jays-blocked by Vlad Jr. and Kaz Okamoto. Andrew Fisher and Luke Adams-both in the Brewers system. Fisher has only reached AA but he bashed 48 HR's across A & AA in 2026. Josiah Hartshorn, in the Cubs system. He's not quite 20 years old and is already in AA. Career minor league stat line: .284/.407/.518 OPS .925. He's a switch hitter who throws LH. Xavier Isaac and Trey Morgen (MLB #93 prospect). Morgen is an exceptional defensive 1B. Isaac has more power. Both are in the Tampa system blocked by Aranda and Caminero (and possibly Yandy Diaz). James Tibbs III in the Dodgers system hit 30 HR's and had a .941 OPS in AAA last year and played in 141 games. What would it take to bring a guy like this over in a trade? I agree that Tinney looks like a prime move to 1B guy. But if Lackey is your future workhorse behind the plate, preserving a backup catcher/1B/DH profile for Tinney seems like a good plan. Currently, there is no 1B future prospect in the Twins system. Someone that could play in 2027 or 2028 is a must.

Johan Santana should have THREE Cy Young Awards and he SHOULD be in the HOF. It may take longer than it should (Tony O, Jim Kaat) but he is absolutely the closest comp to Sandy Koufax there is. I will stipulate that Koufax was otherworldly in his 1962-1966 reign. But Santana was pretty darn close in his reign. The suggested "90%" of Koufax is a very reasonable comparison. There is no evidence or any rumblings he was a known cheater like Bonds, Clemens, Sosa and many others, some of whom are already in the HOF (David Ortiz??) There's something to be said about longevity...Bert Blyleven, Don Sutton. Whose to say Jim Kaat wouldn't have gotten in sooner had he won the American league Cy Young in 1966 (They only awarded ONE that year, and it justifiably went to Sandy Koufax). But pitching has evolved as we moved from the 1990's into the 2000's. Velocity and spin rate rule the day and the more pitches with the torque required to reach the needed velocities and spin rates have ended the 300 inning pitching level forever and severely limited even reaching 200 innings consistently. By any rubric, Santana should be a Hall of Famer.

There is a "short-term" Twins plan that has Culpepper playing SS for the first 2-3 months of the season and a "long-term" plan that should have Marek Houston sliding in at SS and Culpepper moving over to 2B. With Brooks Lee at 3B and Cody Clemens in the mix Lewis is currently the 1B, but if a trade or FA signing happens that fills 1B, Lewis isn't even #5 infielder material. Outside of his 2023 half season and playoff production it's been a LONG 3-years of sub-par production. I just don't see a place for him on any future Twins roster, much like Larnach and Wallner. I have no idea how low Lewis has seen his value drop, but it's time to cut bait and move on. Maybe a trade to the D-Backs for a similar prospect disappointment like Jordan Lawler could be proposed. Lawler is a SS/CF guy who could actually aid in the eventual move of Culpepper to 2B. Anybody whose primary defensive positions are SS and CF has a glove that will play at a major league level. The D-Backs may move on from Nolan Arenado at 3B or want more competition at 1B for Pavin Smith/Tawa/Vargas. Lewis could be a player they would be willing to take a chance on. I just don't see Royce Lewis being a part of a future Twins contender, and I hope the current FO agrees with me.

I like the idea of 3 for $50 million !! A pick at the end of round #1 could turn into a useful player, although Mike Piazza is a great example it doesn't have to be a high round pick that makes a difference. Bauers would certainly be a priority target. Otherwise, I had an idea in a previous post about targeting young 1B blocked by Major League Stars. Some examples: James Tibbs III-Dodgers: Freddie Freeman just isn't slowing down in a major way and Dalton Rushing is a C/1B who also logged some innings in LF. Jonathan Long-Cubs: Michael Busch owns 1B and DH is used by many teams as a rotational spot for rest. Otherwise, Suzuki is the DH unless the Cubs move on from him. Ralphy Velazquez-Guardians: Cleveland has quite a logjam at present with Kyle Manzardo, Nate Lowe and Rhys Hoskins. At least one of them will be gone and I doubt Cleveland gives away Velaquez who crushed at both AA and AAA last year and is the top rated 1B prospect in baseball. Would division rivals work a deal? Would the Twins ever consider packaging Joe Ryan to get the top rated 1B in the minor leagues? What else would it take from the Twins...Edwardo Tait? Xavier Isaac-Tampa Bay Rays: Arranda owns 1B and for now, Yandy Diaz is the DH and backup 1B. Include Caminero as another corner IF and where does Isaac fit? Isaac is a tremendous power bat who is the epitome of blocked in the upper minors. These are the top choices but there are certainly others. There is no obvious 1B prospect in the minor leagues for the Twins right now who could realistically compete for playing time. And while I like Jake Bauers and would love to see the Twins compete hard to land him, a team with realistic pennant chances makes more sense for both the team and Jake Bauers. I like the timeline of a promising young hitter at 1B blocked by Major League talent and depth better for the Twins. There is a much higher degree of risk in trading for a minor leaguer with no big league track record, but a young, affordable 1B in an infield that would have Gold Glove candidate Brooks Lee at 3B, future Gold Glove candidate Marek Houston at SS and a solid SS turned 2B in Culpepper looks like a good plan that allows more salary to be invested in SP and Bullpen.

Riverbrian, You make very good points, and normally, I would never want to offer a career .243 hitting .758 OPS catcher $23 million for one season. BUT...the Twins have a gaping hole at catcher and if the $23 million is only a 1-year commitment, and it provides a valuable bridge to Vahn Lackey, then I almost think the Twins need to offer. It would severely hamstring the Twins in adding payroll to the roster beyond Jeffers, but even if 1B is an issue and they could use a couple more arms in the pen, having Caratini as your #1 catcher isn't going to enable them to be a realistic contender in the A.L. Central. The other interesting thing you point out is that if 3-years, $45 million in an extension/FA contract to sign Jeffers is the maximum you think the Twins or Yankees or anyone else would offer him, the Twins would not get an end of the 1st round compensation pick in next June's Amateur Draft. The contract has to have at least $50 million guaranteed. I agree, it would have been a whole lot simpler if the Twins had just accepted the reality that they were not contenders and just traded Jeffers to the Yankees at the deadline for someone like LHP Carlos LaGrange. I will most certainly complain about that in future posts. Instead, they find themselves in a very tenuous position. And hopes of adding a 1B like Jake Bauers are all but gone with the Brewers headed to the World Series. I could see Milwaukee making a strong bid to keep him and other 1B/OF/DH needy teams easily outbidding the Twins. The Twins under Pohlad ownership simply don't win a battle for a truly prized FA. They get guys like Correa or Donaldson who have major injury issues that ultimately make them poor long-term FA acquisitions.

Of course Zoll's tenure is incomplete. he's only been the GM for less than a full season. I also don't think Falvey gets a pass. Remember, he was allowed the highest payroll ever for a Twins GM in 2023. Falvey should have fought harder to stave off the fire sale of 2025 in my opinion. Zoll didn't do badly at the deadline and getting Abreu for Larnach would have been tremendous. But he's part of the Pohlad regime and unless he WOW'S me this off season, I'd probably be happy to see him go when the Pohlad's finally sell.

Great topic Cody and one we will be sure to return to several times before this all plays out. There are many things to consider as you have effectively laid out: In normal circumstances the Twins would never consider paying a catcher $23 million plus for a season unless that catcher was "Prime Joe Mauer." But the weakest position the Twins have entering this off season is catcher. It's a no-brainer to offer because the commitment is only for one year, fills our biggest need and will probably provide us with a compensatory pick at the end of round #1. I think any FA contract Jeffers will be for 3 to 4 years and easily pass the $50 million mark. Jeffers returning also provides one more full season of development for Vahn Lackey and our other catching prospects. It's an effective bridge. The idea that we could sign a 1B like Jake Bauers (assuming the Brewers also extend an offer) and only give up our #3 selection while essentially adding a late 1st round pick to go with our probable top 8 pick is an acceptable cost in light of filling our 2nd weakest position (1B) and strengthening our lineup. That's good roster management and sets the Twins up to compete in a rather weak A.L. Central (despite the fact we've sent a team to the ALCS). So assuming Jeffers signs with the Yankees, we would still need an upgrade at catcher, but with assets to trade to further reshape the roster there is ammunition enough to find someone like Edgar Quero (CWS), Luis Campusano (SD) or Daniel Susac (SF) to fill the spot for 2027.

This is an interesting article and there are good points being made for either guy. It's interesting to me that the 2 "outside" evaluators (BA & MLB Pipeline) selected Houston, while the 2 "inside" evaluators (The Twins organization and TD) picked Jenkins. That has me considering that the "inside" people are giving Jenkins more credit on "ceiling" and "potential." That has me thinking Houston should be the guy based on what he accomplished. The fact Houston played a lot more games is also important. Bud Grant noted "availability" is just as important as "talent." But what a great problem to have !!! It's easy to get excited about a future Twins team with Lackey at C, Houston and Culpepper at SS/2B and Buxton, Jenkins and E-Rod in the OF. Throw in an above average Brooks Lee at 3B and the Twins have the potential to have a very good defensive ballclub. All we need is a 1B. So for 2026, my vote goes to Houston. I think Houston should start the season in St. Paul, but if he's on fire in Spring Training would the Twins actually have the guts to open the season with him at SS?? Either way, I could see Houston in a Twins uniform by June 1st at the earliest, and July 1st at the latest if the bat is showing well at AAA. The defense he will bring is a given.

The Twins have about SIX solid Catching prospects in their minor leagues. Lackey, Tait, Diaw, Tinney, Enrique Jimenez C/1B and Ricardo Olivar C/OF. Jimenez and Olivar are given other possible positions and you could add 1B to Tait as well. While I agree to some degree with tony&rodney's comment about the trade with the Phillies that brought us Tait and Abel, you have to remember that at the time, the Twins were bereft of catching talent in the minor leagues. The goal might have been Painter, but Abel and Tait was probably the best trade we made out of the entire fire sale. I've been suggesting that with the need for an MLB catcher so pressing for 2027, that the Twins consider trading one of their young minor league catchers in a deal that could bring a major league catcher who is stuck behind an All Star. I believe that some major league teams would consider giving an MLB catcher up to add a young, talented catching prospect. For example: If you're the Padres and you just promoted Ethan Salas and he's going to be your catcher for a long time, would they trade Luis Campusano? How about the Dodgers with Will Smith and Dalton Rushing? A trade of Ryan and Tait to the Dodgers could return Rushing, and a young blocked 1B like Ryan Ward, James Tibbs III or Easton Shelton. You should also be able to get a SP prospect in a deal like that. That kind of trade works for both teams. The Twins aren't necessarily giving up on Tait. They are leveraging a talented prospect for another one who plays a position of need. I believe Tinney will move ahead of Tait next season. Maybe the time has come to leverage Tait's value for talent in areas we need.

1. The Twins need a Catcher so Caratini can be the back up. They will have to trade for one since their catching rich pipeline in the minors is too young to impact the 2027 season. Maybe trade one of your minor league catching prospects in a package to get an MLB Catcher. 2. The Twins need a 1B. I'd show interest in Jake Bauers in FA. Lewis isn't cutting it and despite multiple chances I don't think he'll ever come close to replicating his 2023 half season and playoffs. If we don't go FA, use him in a deal to get a Catcher or a 1B. Clemens will play 2B until Marek Houston comes up and pushes Culpepper to 2B. Clemens could then be the power hitting Utilityman. There is no one ready in the minor leagues who could be counted on. 3. I would be trading Bailey Ober and maybe Joe Ryan for the right deal. I'm not sure how solid. Bradley, Lopez, Prielipp, Matthews, Abel, Rojas, Kremer. That's O.K. But if I trade Ryan, can I get a young, MLB ready pitcher like a Tolle to challenge for a spot in the rotation?? If so, someone like Matthews or Rojas could deepen the BP. Festa is also an unknown but could surprise. You could also say a bona fide Closer to solidify the back end, and I wouldn't argue with you too much. But they do already have Hoffman and Gomez who have closed games. Either way, adding a SP could lengthen the BP or signing a Closer like Bednar or Helsley could do the same thing by pushing everyone else down one rung.

Just bring back the Navy Blue pinstripes of the 1960's with Navy Blue lettering and numbers trimmed in red. I don't need a City Connect uniform. What I need and want is a return to a jersey that was clean and worked.

If I could be guaranteed the 2026 Ty France season in 2027, I'd have some interest. But I'm not confident we'd get THAT Ty France, and I agree, he's a 90% chance to be back with the Padres. They will find a way to come together. I still think 1B is much more of a priority than 2B. I'd rather look at FA Jake Bauers at 1B, make a trade for someone like Yandy Diaz if the Twins are O.K. with his diminished defense (his BAT hitting 3rd-4th-5th would be tremendous), or trade for a young guy blocked at the MLB level like Tibbs from the Dodgers. I'm convinced Marek Houston will be up SOONER rather than later. That makes 2B a short term problem. Cody Clemens can hold down 2B until Houston comes up and pushes Culpepper over to 2B. I'm NOT trading Brooks Lee just when it's starting to look like he's coming into his own and is an above average 3B. I'd have some interest in Graterol if it was a really cheap investment. He's never been able to stay healthy. On a Twins pitching staff, he'd fit right in. (I'd rather invest in someone with a track record of performance and health). If Okert has transformed himself, I'd take the cheaper of him or Minter. I'd prefer Minter, but I'm willing to consider either. As much as I like Arraez, I don't believe in the sudden defensive transformation and I think the 2B answer is coming soon. Plus, Clemens is fine for the first 2 months of the season and is the epitome of a power hitting Utility Man with multiple position effectiveness. Martin Perez has been a surprisingly effective pitcher as a #4 or #5. I'd prefer him over Ober and Kremer. Certainly a lot of what they COULD do is dependent on what they do with other assets like Ryan, Ober, Lewis, Larnach, Wallner etc... And I haven't even mentioned CATCHER ! Acquiring a Catcher to start for one year ahead of Caratini and get us closer to a Vahn Lackey debut is critical if we hope to contend in the tepid A.L. Central. Some of the above mentioned trade pieces need to be used to fill the short term need at Catcher. Certainly for at least all of 2027 and maybe the beginning of 2028.

There is no doubt Marek Houston will challenge Bobby Witt Jr. for future Gold Gloves. Watching this kid play defense would be entertainment enough. But he's really looking like he could be a plus offensive player. I agree 200% with HerbieFan...don't try to add "more loft-more power" to his swing. If he hits .280 with an OPS of .750-.780 with the stolen bases and defense, he will be a tremendous addition to the big league club. I agree with the idea that he probably needs 45-60 days at St. Paul. BUT...let's see how he does in spring training. The Glove is ready to play NOW. If the Twins are really ready to dramatically improve the ballclub's defense, Houston will be the trigger to taking a BIG step. Having a SS capable guy like Culpepper at 2B with Lee at 3B is a rock solid infield. Add Jenkins and E-Rod to Buxton in the OF and that's a much better defensive team. Houston has been my favorite prospect since the Jenkins pick because I know how sub-par we have been at SS, especially defensively. His glove alone would be an immediate, tremendous upgrade. If his bat eventually gets to what I said above he will become many Twins fans favorite player.

I have been done with the Pohlad family for many years. I'm still a Twins fan. Watch games on TV all the time, but didn't go to any this year. Tom P. may be "saying the right things" now, but talk is cheap. Especially "Pohlad Talk." The bullpen annihilation last year and trading away of Dasan Hill THIS year when the team was obviously NOT a contender are what I've come to accept as just a badly run baseball franchise. I won't really be happy until they sell, and fans can turn the page. Much like Glen Taylor finally selling the Timberwolves and Red McCombs selling the Vikings. I never stopped being a fan of those teams either, but I'd reached the end of my patience with those ownerships, and I've reached that point with the Pohlad family. I'm supremely hopeful the roster reconstruction goes well this off season, but extremely pessimistic about WHEN baseball will actually begin. I'm also pessimistic about Tom and Zoll and their ability to make good moves. Note: I've read and re-read all the comments after the moderator said stop with the politics. I can't find anything written that was "political." I don't need to know what what said, but was the comment taken down?