Nashvilletwin

Desperate to show some return from Thursday….

Seriously. Why is that? Rocco……

I guess not, hahaha. But it was the most obvious question…. Of course, next too: “Well if it weren’t Rocco’s fault, do you think maybe the team you hand assembled personally wasn’t as talented as you thought and therefore the underperformance really comes down to your roster construction?” I mean, it’s mostly one or the other or a combination of the two.

People, including our fellow TDers, don’t want to hear it or contemplate it, but this outcome is a definite possibility. The best way to create value for this franchise post the Thursday trade deadline massacre is to: 1) wait for the new (small to mid market team friendly) CBA to be completed after a lockout in ‘27. 2) build a new cheap controllable core suitable to be sold to the Twins faithful as well as a new buyer (coming out of a lockout year); 3) develop a more attractive TV cash generating solution (which might be part of the goodies given to the small - mid market teams in conjunction with the CBA; and 4) keep payroll low thru ‘26. This very well could be the Pohlad’s new plan of action.

100% agree that this was dictated by ownership. Why? Here are a couple of hot takes/bold predictions. 1. The sale process is going very poorly. Ownership is not getting near the price they want. These moves are not going to help in the near term. 2. Ownership thinks the price will go up after the lockout in ‘27 when the small/mid market teams go to the mat to effect a hard salary cap. Also, that gives them time to figure out the tv side of things and help future cash flow. 3. The Pohlads are thus keeping the team until after the lockout. 4. Consequently, the strategy going forward is to reduce payroll while building a new promising young core to build fan interest post the lockout and to raise the price. 5. ‘26 will be all about building and positioning for that core while keeping payroll down. ‘27 will be a no baseball season for the most part. Thus, Lopez and Ryan are moved in the off-season. Jeffers very likely as well as the team looks to transition to cheap young catchers in ‘28. Buxton stays unless he demands a trade. Too early to tell on Lewis. So, hate to be the predictor of bad news, but the Pohlads may very well pull the sale until after the new CBA is done.

Provus was a complete coward and corporate shill on the telecast last night. Falvey stated quite clearly that the team had way underperformed this season. But Cory didn’t ask why or what role, responsibility or culpability Rocco had in that underperformance. What a complete waste of an opportunity and just shows what a bunch of propagandists for the Pohlad/Falvey/Rocco regime the entire broadcast team are. Does any reporter have the courage to ask that question? Will Falvey ever have to address it? Why does Rocco get a free pass? Btw, Falvey is a complete bull@&$&@er. What a bunch a dribble he talks. He should be down at Walser selling used cars.

PATHETIC INTERVIEW. Falvey admits the team has way underperformed. But not a single question about why that was the case or about Rocco’s performance or culpability. Completely useless booth.

Even behind those blue frames….but won’t ask him why Rocco is still the manager

Even behind those blue frames….

Falvey looks like a deer in headlights. He sounds like he’s full of #$@&.

In preparation for the ‘27 lockout, the Twins are reducing salary and commitments. The trades indicate a concerted focus on building the depth of the rotation. They have almost ten candidates (not counting Ryan and Lopez) with some of them destined to help rebuild the bullpen. Look for both Ryan and Lopez (does he have a no trade clause?) to be moved over the offseason or by the ‘26 trade deadline at the latest. Buxton stays unless he wants to chase a ring. Jeffers could be gone at the ‘26 deadline too with an eye on the young catchers being ready in ‘28 after ‘27 is cancelled. After that it’s bits and bobs and a few extensions. The Twins are building for ‘28 with a payroll approaching $75MM.

There won’t be any baseball in ‘27……lockout probability is nearly 100%. The small/mid size owners will go to the mat for a hard cap. Chaos is on the way. ‘27 would be a good year to spend abroad or finding a new hobby. These actions might have as much to do with that as anything.

Just spitballing here - I’m wondering if the potential lockout in ‘27 (mostly over salary cap issues) played a role in this carnage. Hmmm. Prepping for a new era in ‘28, perhaps? Clearly the Tins would be worth more if a hard cap were in place.

……..until Rocco gets his hands on them.

All you point out about the approaching talent is true. But that talent will never approach its potential without a change in the manager. I’ll share your optimism only when Rocco is gone.

The premise that the team wasn’t good enough to win as constructed simply cannot be accepted as true with Rocco at the helm. Some, myself included, believe that the talent level procured and produced over the last several years had significantly more potential to succeed. That potential never had the chance of being reached because the single person most responsible for attaining that potential could not unlock it. We will now never know, sadly. The amount of young talent that was given to Rocco’s charge was immense; yet, once under his stewardship, that talent stagnated or regressed. Time after time. Rocco has been the wrong person to lead this team on the field for years. That has been obvious for some time. Yet, even as late as yesterday, the option to pick a different “lane” existed. That option was to keep the young controllable talent and find a different manager to lead and develop the team. That option was summarily rejected by Rocco’s conjoined cohort in the fraud. The fury of those remaining must be so palatable. So, the Twins have now picked a “lane”? Well, until Rocco is fired and new managerial leadership is brought in who can actually develop top minor league talent, nothing will have changed. If Rocco stays, the “lane” this franchise picked will only continue to lead right over the cliff. The rebuild should start today. But it cannot start with Rocco at the helm. He should be replaced today. Period.

Yep - haha So with Buxton on the IL, that’s 11 out of 26. Take out the four remaining starters, that’s 11 out of 22.

So who are we tanking for?

Nine players off the 26 man roster Duran Jax Stewart Varland Columbe Correa Bader Castro Francev

For Alan Roden? C’mon, they can’t be serious…

Kinda inevitable after last night. But Taj Bradley? You’ve got to be kidding me.

Wow, and to think this all could have been had they just fired Rocco before the All Star break……

Jax to the Rays.

This team was good enough and deep enough to compete in ‘25. They way underperformed. Sure, the players are part of that, maybe mostly. But Rocco has to be held responsible. This fire sake could have been averted if there were enough guts to fire Rocco earlier in the season. In fact, they could’ve fired Rocco yesterday, kept Correa and some or most of the others, and the franchise would have been better off. It’s pretty clear Correa wanted out at this point. The writing is on the wall. Rocco needs to be shown the door immediately. The rebuild starts tomorrow. And that rebuild cannot be led by Rocco.

Until we have a coaching staff in the show who can transition accomplished and proven minor league position players into average or above everyday major leaguers, we should have zero expectations for Tait (assuming he can even make his way thru the minors). Tait is depressed today that he was moved to the Twins - the franchise where top position player talent goes to whither on the vine.