Nashvilletwin

I’m not too familiar with the Pirates. Could someone please point out the position players Shelton and his staff developed into above average major leaguers during his time there? Since this is the biggest need within the Twins organization at the moment, there must be a robust record of his successes.

The bottom line is if the Twins, as a small/mid-market team with an ownership not able/willing to spend in a non-salary cap universe, are not better at turning their successful minor leaguers into legitimate major leaguers than essentially every other team in the majors, we have no chance to compete for a championship. Said another way, our only way to achieve any sense of a sustainable competitive advantage in the current MLB ecosystem is to have the systems and processes in place to transition our minor league talent into everyday above average major league ballplayers. And under Rocco, we stunk at that. Success or failure in this area will end up being the key measuring stick by which Shelton (through his actions and those of his staff that he will assemble) will be judged. And not rightly or wrongly - it’s his singularly most important responsibility I hope he figures it out.

Hey, it just occurred to me that we all might be looking at this the wrong way. Maybe Shelton was the only one who would actually take the job. Sure beats working at Dick’s Sporting Goods at the local mall. At least I think it does. Might be close. Honestly, I’m at such a loss. A chance for a reset by hiring a proven winner and developer of talent. And this is what Falvey and the Nephew come up with. On paper the hire looks like it’s destined for a quick failure. We shall see. Good luck. Prove us wrong. But I’d bet the Twins’ odds in Vegas to win the World Series just got even longer - if that’s even possible.

Yep, that’s exactly why all our top prospects excel in the minors and then fizzle out when they get to the majors. It’s literally the biggest problem in our organization. Someone needs to take responsibility for the transition and I will not join you apologists in absolving the major league manager and his staff for repeated failures in this regard.

I’m wondering what some of our younger players think about essentially hiring Rocco 2.0. No discernible record for developing major leaguers. I’m fact, maybe the opposite given his complete lack of success in Pittsburgh. Their agents must be getting geared up to get them moved….

“Rebuild” may be what people perceive as the correct moniker for the Twins’ strategy over the next several years. But in reality that term is being misapplied to the Twins as it is fact not the true crux of the actual strategy the team should be pursuing. Until a true salary cap model is in place, the only strategy that any small to mid market team without a “sugar daddy” owner can employ to successfully compete year in and year out is to: a) draft/acquire, develop, and prudently extend their own cheap homegrown talent; b) trade that talent if necessary when about to lose it to free agency and/or it’s a peak value; and c) thoughtfully (i.e. don’t break the bank on contract dollars or length) augment the talent with one or two key free agents as needed. The ability to successfully apply this model is highly dependent on the coaching staff/player development capabilities. That is where the ability to build some level of meaningful competitive advantage begins and ends. And failure in this area has been the most critical reason for the lack of success in the Rocco/Falvey era. So the trading of Ryan, Lopez, as well as possibly Buxton and Jeffers, should not necessarily be looked at as “rebuilding”, but, instead, what smart smallish market teams do when it’s obvious their “star” players either will not resign (for whatever reason) or have dwindling future value. Any small market team that is proficient in these areas should expect to not only put a competitive, entertaining product on the field annually, but also compete for playoff berths more often than not and have legitimate World Series aspirations from time to time.

Oh no, we could lose Miranda and Clemens? Better postpone the parade…….

2028 Twins infield: 3B: Chowolsky (when we win the lottery). SS: Marek 2B: Culpepper 1B: Keaschall Lewis at DH and Utility (3B, 1B) Lee at Utility (3B, SS, 2B) and switchhitting pinch hitter. Winokur maybe as well; might be in the outfield too.

I’m 100% in your camp. And the best thing that could happen to Lee, Julien, Wallner, Lewis, et al is a change in the coaching staff (starting with Rocco) and the approach to developing our talented prospects. Having said that, Arraez and Buxton both were originally drafted/signed by the Twins post Hunter (in addition to Mauer and Morneau) and rose through the system to become pretty darn good players (and All Stars). Falvey/Rocco get only partial credit for those two. But, otherwise, Jeffers is the closest one can come to finding another position player.

1. Twins young catching depth is probably 6-18 months away. 2. Via arbitration, Jeffers can be resigned relatively cheaply for one more season. Then he is a FA. 3. Jeffers is unlikely going to be a good fit with the Twins post the ‘27 lockout. The exception is if he stays around in the Vasquez type role. Conclusion: The Twins offer Jeffers arbitration and resign him for one season. Someone needs to catch. Then, if the younger pups are getting playable, he gets moved at the deadline.

With all due respect, if we draft Cholowsky, we will have three first rounders ahead of Winokur in the post lockout SS pecking order. All three CURRENTLY project to be better overall prospects. Of course things could change - nothing is certain. Players flame out, some excel, some get traded, some get hurt. So, as you rightly point out, Winokur could very well end up in that role for the Twins - but he is going to have to beat out three better prospects one way or another. One thing is certain, however - we have several years before any of us have to really worry about. Winokur does seem like a high upside prospect and we should all look forward to watching (and cheering for) his development.

If somehow we snag the #1 pick overall, Winokur is going to find himself as #4 on the SS of the Future depth chart. Which means he just might then be #3 on the 3B of the Future as well. With Keaschall and Jenkins as the clear 2B and CF solutions, respectively, Winokur should learn to play 1B or corner outfield if he wants to be anything other than a utility player by 2028.

Perhaps the “Twins Way” (or the “Brewers Way” by which the current successful incarnation is known) is just a euphemism for the only reasonable strategy small/mid-market teams can employ in an attempt to create competitive advantage under the current economic framework of Major League Baseball. In other words, the “Twins Way” is what smart owners and executives of teams like the Twins utilize if they actually want to win. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist or a bunch of high priced consultants to figure that out - even a baseball experienced challenged nephew can probably see that once he takes his head out of the sand.

And this is exactly why you don’t cut (or extend) Lewis. Lewis, probably more than other player, needed a change at the helm. Heck, the option value alone on getting Lewis back on track toward his potential was probably worth firing Rocco. Lewis’s flame out to-date is absolutely one of the biggest fails of the Twins under the Rocco regime. It’s time to see if someone else can unlock Lewis’s potential or if it is too late. Arb him out for a year under someone new and then decide what direction to head.

You and I are in the minority. Neither Ryan nor Lopez will be on the roster post the ‘27 lock out (assuming Ryan will not sign an extension). They both are at peak value now based on performance, comp, age and timing (i.e., as the lockout approaches their value will decrease). The rebuild is on and committed to: the trade deadline and Rocco’s departure say it all. Move both of them ideally before the season and absolutely by the trade deadline. Btw, the same can be said for Buxton (if he wants to - the list of options for him and his family will be long). And Jeffers isn’t far behind either (most likely at the trade deadline).

Ryan, Lopez, Buxton and Jeffers are all likely gone by next summer’s trade deadline at the latest since none of them project to be on the post-lockout ‘28 roster. The one caveat is a new manager might be able to convince ownership and Ryan to have Ryan sign an extension. There is no reason Ryan can’t be that veteran #1 or 2 starter in ‘28 anchoring a quality young rotation. The Twins should keep Lewis to see what a new manager/coaching staff can do to resurrect his talent. If Rocco had stayed, then Lewis should’ve been moved (heck, he might’ve begged to be traded).

Yep, we are probably looking for the next Francona, Maddon, Leyland type. Someone who projects in those molds would be ideal.

The opportunity is not as bad as many people are making it out to be. For someone who can see the potential, it actually might be one of the better openings. Why? 1. No pressure to win immediately. ‘28 will be the first time when expectations should increase. Also, with those low near term expectations comes the opportunity to beat them (and look successful). 2. Even if Lopez, Ryan and Buxton are not moved, there is still an abundance of young developable talent (including possibly a #1-3 pick this year) with which to build a solid core in 2-3 years. If all or some of those veterans are traded (none of them will be here in ‘28 anyway) then the possibility of building a competitive core over that timeframe would likely go up a lot more. 3. The ownership situation cuts both ways. Sure, the Pohlads will likely look to sell, but if they do and the new owner is looking to spend more, then that could be huge upside for a manager who has proven his abilities over the next 2-3 years. Conversely, if the Pohlads keep the club, well, you’d have to be pretty bad at your job to get fired by them in the near term. 4. Falvey may be gone. Falvey actually might be the biggest sticking point to the Twins getting their guy. Maybe it’s possible for our preferred candidate to actually have a say over who is the GM as part of the negotiations - which would be a huge attraction to taking the job. It’s possible that many excellent candidates may be turned off by the prospect of reporting to Falvey. 5. The Twins might just be that plain canvas on which a confident, capable and ambitious manager can really show what they can do. It just might be the job opening that attracts just that type of candidate.

100%. Falvey’s quote is absolutely ridiculous. It’s just ludicrous to hear those words come out of his mouth. Given the Twins apparent new strategy, there are definitely many definable attributes the team should be looking for in a new manager. Here are a few: 1. Proven ability to successfully transition promising proven minor league talent into above average every day major leaguers by both understanding individual player strengths, weaknesses, and needs and having the knowledge, systems and staff in place to ensure that development is real and continuous. 2. Demonstrable success in getting players (both individually and as a team) to achieve beyond expected results (i.e. getting the most out of the roster; there most certainly are analytics to prove proficiency in this area). 3. Proven ability to identify, attract, retain, and develop a competent and cohesive coaching staff. 4. Proven in-game/on-field baseball knowledge with demonstrable flexibility to suitably and successfully adjust strategies in real time as well as over longer periods based on changes in roster construction and player circumstances/utilization. 5. Demonstrable ability to understand and employ modern analytical approaches while simultaneously being able to apply situational understanding as appropriate. 6. Proven leader able to command respect from rookies through high-priced veterans via experience, clearly defining and communicating expectations, and building a unified team culture. (After rereading these, it appears, except for probably #6, we would be looking for essentially the anti-Rocco)

If we snag the #1 pick in the draft this year, our long-term SS may not be named Lee, Culpepper or Houston, but a kid named Roch Cholowsky.

Long-term? No.

Way too much focus on a $ amount and way too less focus on the strategy. The Twins have most certainly embraced a strategy to reduce cash costs in the near term (‘26-‘27) while hoarding an overflow of projectable developable assets with which to emerge from the likely lengthy lockout in ‘27. As part of that strategy, any player who is not projected to be in the system in ‘28 is vulnerable to be traded or cut. The higher the cost of such players, the more likely those players are traded (or cut). Conversely, if a player currently outside the Twins system who projects to be part of the core in ‘28 and beyond could be acquired via trade or free agency, then they may be added. But it is much more likely that those players are not near term expensive FAs. Sadly, winning in 2026, especially by adding short term expensive FAs, is not a priority. Having a modicum of attendance draw for ‘26 is definitely a consideration, but not paramount. Thus, the key question is: which players currently on the Twins roster will most likely not be part of the team in ‘28 for whatever reason (cost, age, ability, health, etc.)? The logical follow up question is then which of these players could add most to the strategy (i.e lower near term payroll while adding to new core in ‘28) via their departure from the team in the near term? The answers to those two questions - as it pertains especially to some of our favorite top producing players - is fairly obvious: 1. Buxton’s trade value will never be higher and, given his health history and age, it’s not unreasonable to assume a fair amount of risk for his abilities in ‘28 and beyond. It’s his choice, however. 2. Lopez is under contract for ‘26 and ‘27. He will not be renewed and he is our most expensive player. His trade value should be very high despite the late season injury concerns. 3. Ryan’s trade value should be off the charts. He is controllable for two more years but is getting more expensive. His age is such that he could be extended; however, the cost, along with his seemingly frustration with the franchise, make that unlikely. Too bad - he could be the ideal #1 veteran starter leading the rotation in ‘28. 4. Jeffer is also under contract for two more years. His price is reasonable and there are very little catching assets in system that could replace him in ‘26. But the Twins made an effort to find those assets to be ready by ‘28. Thus, Jeffers is not going to be part of the post lockout core. He probably is on the roster breaking camp in ‘26, but a pre deadline trade is likely. 5. Ober is also controllable via arbitration for the next two seasons. But he’s not that good. It is unlikely that he is part of the core post ‘27. He costs less than Ryan and his trade value is much less. So he might stay for a year or two - but no guarantees. Of these five players, Ryan is the only one who could project to be a key cog in ‘28 and beyond plans. Ideally we would find a way to make that happen. Maybe utilize the cost savings from moving the other four to help extend him. But there is a high likelihood all five of those players are not on the roster post mid July next season.

lol, you mean a starting 1B, LF, and #2 starter.

There is a decent chance that all of the players listed, except for Keaschall, are not on the Twins next year. 1. Buxton decides he wants to play for a winner and gets traded at the apogee of his trade value. Probably makes sense for both sides. 2. With the ‘27 lockout looming, Ryan is really only here for one more year - there is little chance we resign him (although Rocco’s firing could only have helped). He is also getting way more expensive via arbitration. He likely gets traded. 3. Jeffers is also signed for only two more years. He probably stays as the near term catching pipeline is still very raw. But if that prospect development accelerates, Jeffers could be moved at next year’s deadline. 4. Lopez, like Ryan and Jeffers, is only signed for two more years (so really one year). His late season injury may hurt his expected trade value, but his cost is very high in the current Twins spending environment. Look for him to be moved prior to opening day. 5. Clemens may or may not be resigned and he may decide to go somewhere else. He might be a good, cheap piece for ‘26, but, let’s face it, he is not, nor will he ever be, a key piece of our post lock out future core. He’s not in any way a dial mover, so does it really matter? 6. Bader is already gone. 7. At this point, Keaschall is a core piece of our future. Let’s hope he stays healthy and continues to improve.

In terms of position players only, Buxton was drafted #2 in 2012 and went through the Twins system making two All Star teams in 2022 and 2025. Since 2014, the Twins have drafted/initially signed and developed only one All Star player from minor league infancy - Luis Arraez signed in 2014 and a Twins All Star in 2022. Of course, he was selected to two additional All Star teams in both 2023 and 2024 - just with other clubs. Oh, Brent Rooker was another All Star drafted (35th overall in 2017) and developed by the Twins making his major league debut in 2020. He, of course, has made two All Star teams - with the A’s. So, yes, since 2015 - the last decade - the Twins have not drafted/initially signed a position player who has represented the Twins in an All Star game. Jeffers, drafted in 2016, is probably the closest they’ve come.