TheLeviathan

You want us to take a blueprint like that seriously when you start it with a video game trade that the Nationals would've laughed you off the phone for offering? I mean, if I can just throw out logic for everyone else but the Twins I can come up with some sweet retooling ideas too.

Honestly, this is just nonsense IMO. You keep implying the budget was cut for baseball reasons but it was 100% outside of on-field play or success. Even the current Pohlad of the month owns this mistake. I want a PBO/GM who is willing to take risks and push the boundaries. And I will blame them 0% of them time when ownership kneecaps them for no rational reasons. Even a payroll freeze would've been semi-rational. A drastic cut? That's on the PBO? WTF?

We don't really know what debt that was or when it was accounted for. Payroll didn't have to increase for his plan to carry forward, but he had zero rational reason to expect it to decrease like it did. Falvey is not responsible for setting the budget. He wasn't good at either of his jobs with the Twins....we don't need to invent frivolous reasons to criticize him for things squarely on the shoulders of ownership.

All due respect....what? They had a great season with a great postseason....how is the GM responsible for their owners crappy asset portfolio when planning a payroll?

Right, you could wait a bit but you chance age and injury. I'm not dead set to trade but aggressive shopping is a must.

I think there are answers to these questions. From the fan perspective, they want what they feel is best for the game they love. They don't care about the how the pie is sliced, they just want it to be delicious. In the case of pro sports, most rational fans see the need for there to be some sort of equalization of markets in order for the sport to be in a healthy place. Beyond that, they simply want their team's competence to decide their fate as opposed to the value of a dollar relative to their zip code. In general, fans "vote" for imbalances to be done away with in CBAs. Where they side depends on what imbalances they value most. The two sides are playing a PR game for these "votes". Fan support can enable players to hold out or for owners to lock out. Basically, it's building public support for their nuclear options. At this point, it looks like mutually assured destruction is on the horizon unfortunately.

Do I want to? No. Should they? Absolutely. It's malpractice not to.

It really feels like there is a rot in the development process that has to be rooted out. Other teams have players ride the wave of success/failure....but we never have our wave crest for more than an ever-so-brief glimpse at the outset of a player's career.

In addition to the other poster's remark.....if ownership had understood anything they wouldn't have knee-capped the FO right after the most successful Twins season in a decade. The Correa move was done with the expectation of a maintained payroll....not a slashed one. Everything since that moment has felt like a spiral down the drain. Only ownership owns that catastrophic choice.

Yeah, to carry on from my response to the post about their resilience....this team isn't good at anything. They are pretty much middling to bad in every category but hope two stars can carry them to 2 wins a week. That's a great model for hitting the under on 72.5. Anyone expecting Shelton to have made a major difference overrates the impact of a manager in baseball. Especially modern baseball. Ultimately, tlent wins and this team is (and has been for awhile) low on talent.

Does TD have a Hall of Fame? This poster's BTPP is historic. Glossary: BTPP is a measure for Bad Takes Per Post which is the ratio of mind numbing opinions relative to shared opinions. It does not include unshared opinions due to the still developing field of telepathy.

Why? Like....people are aware this team is trash right? Play the future and coach them up.

You know you have a weak argument when you repeat the same one as points 1 and 3 in his favor.

I agree but that genie isn't going back in the bottle. The players did mention that a cap isn't good for fan ticket prices but that argument is complete nonsense. I think we all know prices aren't going to drop.....what I want is a competitive state for the game itself.

Why does it have to be about "trust"? I don't particularly "trust" either side to do what is right for the game, I trust that they'll look out for themselves. From my perspective, as neither a player nor an owner, the issues with the game and solutions that are necessary are much closer to what the owners are proposing. It's abundantly clear the luxury tax is not impeding the Dodgers in any meaningful way (see: Ohtani contract) and the league isn't in a healthy place for the volume of teams competing. The owners are presenting actual solutions to those issues and the players simply are not. (Not to mention the players have routinely put forth the best interests of a select few in their group and generally do not look out for the average player. Damn sure not the minor leaguers) I really wish we could get the owners proposal but split 60/40 in favor of labor. That's what is best for the game.

The answer is probably all of them. I don't know how this landscape gets fixed, especially with so much greed still prevalent in the ecosystem.

This is my take as well. We moved a good pitcher at the deadline and ultimately got zero pieces to help future (present) teams. Under no objective review can that be anything but a negative.

It was always sorta Wild West....it's just we lived in the town where an evil bandit ruled with an iron fist. The NCAA screwed this entire system with greed. I seriously don't know what light there is at the end of this tunnel.

Alright degenerates....you gotta try this out: 20-0.com You're welcome!

Live shot of the guy who thinks Harper and the player's union is looking out for the little guy. (He's also so happy those poor folks stopped getting taxed on their tips!)

And players in those leagues make a ****-ton of money despite it. I wish more of then had a 55-45 split, but the cap in no way has put them in the poor house.

The Savannah Bananas are going to rake it in while the MLBPA drags their feet.

Ja is definitely more divisive with some serious question marks. Kyrie makes a lot of sense too, I'm just in the market for big swings at this point. They won't get into title contention playing it safe.

I mostly like the deals too. The one I like least is the Varland one which I think is a fairly non-controversial stance. (I hope Rojas works out well. I have some doubts) Roden should've been given the 1B job though, that's where I start scratching my head.

This. This right here is why I'll be ending my part with this post. You're just not being serious or good faith. You are so stuck in this hero vs. villain dichotomy that you aren't having a good faith discussion. You completely glossed over the value a cap/floor have for free agency and go right to this plainly false question. So I'll answer, then I'm out. The owners offered a floor. One that would force half the teams in the league to spend to reach it. A hard floor with no wiggle room. And they offered to pool all resources and give the players a 50/50 split. Would I love for the players to push for 51/49 or 55/45? Hell yeah. But the owner proposal absolutely offered something more than commensurate with the demand. For you to pretend otherwise is just so ridiculous. So I'm done, but look, I'm going to try to help you one last time to get off the "MLBPA are the heroes!" campaign. Once you abandon that plainly ridiculous stance you'll see the CBA for what it is: the necessary step for a league that desperately needs the structure of a CBA that equalizes markets and gives every team a chance. There are no heroes at the negotiation tables. But there is an outcome that is better for the sport and, unfortunately by my measure, the owners are closer to that mark than the players. But hey, let's do a quick hypothetical on your vaunted white knights: How long did your heroic MLBPA fight to keep minor leaguers from voting? For such a gallant crew it seems odd they left those folks to their own devices for so long. The true proletariat....voteless for decades. Odd White Knight behavior right there..... Second question - your oh-so-valiant MLBPA, how do they react if you and I started touring the minor leagues pushing for quadruple the MLB and MiLB minimum and restricted free agency after three years as our main CBA pushes? Clearly those are much more proletariat friendly. Would they rally to our cause? Or would a fleet of high priced union lawers with Bryce Harper as their front face coming barreling down to the minors to talk those players out of our proposal and re-emphasize the importance of "no cap" as the primary push of the union? Yeah. I know which one would happen. You aren't fighting for the little guy. You're just a "no tax on tips" sucker vote at this point. Cheers.