LA Vikes Fan

Didn't see this before I posted the same thing. You beat me to it. I'm right there with you.

How about Hunter as the manager with Ron Washington as his bench coach? Washington wants to manage again but probably won't get a shot because of his heart condition and his age. He could mentor Hunter through the tough parts of the job, like bullpen management, and use the next 2-3 years as a way to go out gracefully while making a contribution. An added bonus would be Washington's skills as an infield fielding coach, either on his own or in tandem with a younger coach. Better infield play is something we could use. Hunter's charisma and relative youth could add the sou we need while Washington adds the expertise. I'm sold.

No brainer to tender Sands a contract. He's a lock for the 2026 bullpen along with Funderburk and Topa. I think Sands will get first crack at the closer role unless we sign a former closer on a pillow deal like Williams, Maton, or Helsley. I'd like to see them sign him on a 2 year deal and lock him in but I understand that the 2027 uncertainty may make that impossible.

Completely agree. A poster in another thread proposed Ryan to Boston for Wilyer Abreu (26 yo gold glove RF, .256/.326/.465(.791) in 850 MLB ABs, FA in 2030), LH SP Payton Tolle (Bos #2 prospect, 22 yo, just got to MLB), and Tristan Casas (25 Yo, .800 OPS in 815 ABs over 3 seasons but only .580 last year in 99 ABs, FA 2029). I want to keep Ryan but I wouldn't object to a trade if that kind of a deal was available AND the Twins commit to keeping Pablo.

Much as I don't want to trade Ryan, this is actually pretty interesting. Abreu is a legit MLB player with several years of control remaining, probably a #6 hitter but could be a middle of the order bat, and Tolle is 22 and Boston's #2 prospect. Those two alone are probably a little light on the return so the addition of Casas makes sense, Is he the 2023 or 2024 Casas (very good) or the 2025 version (awful)? If he's the good version, great trade. If all we get is the bad Casas, Tolle has to be a legit front line starter for us to get fair value. Worth a shot IF we are going to trade Ryan. I'd still rather keep him. I'm with you on Devin Williams or Ryan Helsley. A formerly good closer coming off a bad year looking for a pillow contract to rebuild value makes a lot of sense for this team.

I'm persuaded by your argument that the Larnach decision may be more nuanced than just "he's too expensive at $4.5M and not that great". You're right that he was probably our 4th or 5th best hitter last year depending on how you look at Jeffers and Martin. Hard to just let that walk when the price is "only" $4.5-5M on a team that should have lots of payroll space. 4th OFs and UTLs make that much or more. To me, the problem is shoehorning Larnach onto the roster. I start with the proposition that Martin needs to play everyday in 2026. Not 3-4 times a week as a 4th OF, every day as the starting LF unless he shows us that the last 2 months of 2025 were an aberration. If he can continue to hit .275 plus with a .360 plus OBP and an OPS even in the .725 range, he's the everyday leadoff hitter. That allows Buxton to take his 35 HRs to the #2 or 3 hole where he can drive in 100 runs instead of 80 on the same performance. We NEED middle of the order bats; Martin's performance helps us let Buxton be one of those bats (we're still 2 short). So now you have Wallner and Larnach - what do you so with them? Wallner could hit 30 HRs a year with an .800 OPS and he's pre-arb so you have to keep him and play him. There goes RF or DH most days. We need to get more athletic, faster, and better on defense because Buxton and Wallner are the only 2 guys we have likely to hit 20 or more HRs a year so we have to run, steal bases, and play good defense to have any chance to be successful. Larnach doesn't help us there. Roden, Jenkins, Emma, and even Outman might and we need to find out early in 2026. Gonzalez could be one of those middle of the order bats we need so desperately. We just don't have an everyday OF or DH spot for Larnach if we want to get better, IMHO. What we do have is an opening at 1B. Clemens is not the answer, not even close. He's a fun guy to have on a lousy team. I don't want to be that. While I would seriously consider moving Keaschall to 1B, Lee to 2B, and play Culpeper or a real glove man at SS to improve our infield defense and help the pitching, it looks like that thought is at least a July away. If Larnach wants to stay and get a $4.5-5M salary, he needs to spend every waking off season hour learning 1B. That's the only place he fits with the Twins, IMHO, and he isn't going to get that kind of a deal if he is non-tendered. I think he could be a decent 1B with the bat if he can handle the position with the glove. Wait, why don't we find a $5m free agent 1B instead? Who the heck is that? 33 year old Rhys Hoskins who is weak with the glove, has no speed, and is coming off of injuries and a $17M salary? Good luck getting him for $5M or even $10M and he isn't that much better of a hitter than Larnach any way. Ty France, he of the 88 OPS+, and .680 OPS? He's solid with the glove, but he's 31, coming off his 3rd straight down year and has no power. His one advantage might be his salary in a platoon with Larnach or Clemens. UGH on the second. Luis Arraez, Wilmer Flores, Josh Bell? Not any better than Larnach, arguably worse and probably more expensive. Naylor would be great but he is gong to cost $20M a year plus on a multi-year deal, Ryan O'Hearn is $15m plus, and Pete Alonso in $25M plus. Bottom line, there isn't anybody unless we're going to spend serious money. Moreover, why would any of these guys come to MN where the team isn't very good, the stands are empty, and ownership is in flux? They're going to get the money wherever they go, may as well be a good situation. So, bottom line for me is Larnach learns to play 1B or there just isn't a place for him. On the other hand, there is a spot for him in 2026 if he does learn 1B. Let's nor pre-judge whether he can do it, let's give that a shot. It might be a $4.7M gamble but it fills a real hole if it turns out. Oh, and by the way, it's only a 1 year gamble.

I agree with this with one exception. I think Festa should be in the bullpen next year given his shoulder issues, assuming he's ready to pitch at all. I think that's the best way to get value from next year and we can always switch them back to starting for 20s 27 (if there is a season) and beyond. I would rather keep Matthews as a starter, probably in AAA because I don't think he can beat out SWR or Bradley yet, although I would also be open to having him open up in the bullpen to be a real weapon. I think the AAA depth is able, Morris, Rojas, and maybe Prielipp.

There are two issues with Larnach. His market value is less than the $4.7 million projected salary through arbitration. He's more of a $2 million-$3 million guy. Whether he accept that from the Twins to stay there or agree to a trade knowing that's what the trading team would pay him seems unlikely before the tender deadline. For that reason alone, I think you trade him if you can and get what you can and, if you can't, do not tender him and then potentially try to sign him for less as a free agent. However, the bigger issue is we don't really need him and have nowhere to play him unless he plays 1B. He's not good enough in the outfield and he doesn't hit well enough to be the DH. I agree with the poster that says it's either him or Wallner, not both, but I come out the other way. Wallner can't field much in the outfield either, but he is a potential 30+ HR guy who hit 22 in a down year, and he actually hits left-handed pitching some, so he can be a primary DH who fills in as a RF on occasion. We have to make room for Martin, and need opportunities to guys like Roden, Fedko, Jenkins, Gonzales, Rodriguez, etc. There just isn't room on the roster for both Larnach and Wallner. I would gauge the trade market for both and, unless there was some overwhelming offer for Wallner (unlikely) or some decent offer for Larnach (also unlikely), I would nontender Larnach. I would think about signing him to a smaller contract if possible and bring him to spring training in the hope he can show enough to be traded or as a Plan B if the young guys just aren't ready. It's more that he wouldn't be interested in that and would have better opportunities elsewhere so he wouldn't sign with the Twins if he's non-tendered. In that circumstance, I would be prepared to just say goodbye and give other guys a shot.

I love me some Joe Maddon but it's hard to see why a 71-year-old guy would want to manage a team that may be a few years away from contending, and it's equally hard to see why we would hire someone at the end of their career for a team that requires development time. Maddon might be a great hire for a team on the cusp of true title contention to get them over the hump but that's not the Twins. Also, let's not forget that his last three years with the Angels did not go very well. I don't see him as a good choice.

This. No reason to tender. If we want him on an MilB contract with a ST invite he'll be available in February. If he isn't, someone that looks just like him will be.

So here's a thought about Lee and the rest of the team if development at he MLB level is the real focus for 2026. Do this now so guys can prepare over the winter. Move Keaschall to 1B. Permanently. Move Lee to 2B and he can be the backup SS. I know he wasn't good at 2B before but give him and off season and ST to prepare. Either start Culpeper at SS or sign a guy like IKF or Orlando Arcia, or retain Fitzgerald, to start the season at SS. That guy becomes the utility INF when Culpeper comes up, but that is no later than May 15. Sign Castro as a FA to backup 2B and 3B, SS in a pinch, with Clemens as the backup at 1B, 2B, and RF, 3B in a pinch. Solves the search for a 1B, gives Lee run with some backup if he can't play 2B and he is the Plan B if Culpeper is overmatched. Culpeper gets necessary development time and/or replacement gives us a better fielding SS until Culpeper is ready. Promote Fedko as the 4th/5th OF/1B for his RH bat. Roden is the 4th OF/backup CF, Martin plays every day in LF, and, the part no one will like, re-sign Vasquez for less than $5m to be the second catcher. Our pitchers love him and pitch better when he or Jeffers is behind the plate. Hope Vasquez can OPS .625-.650, replace him with Cardenas or Jhonny Perada if he can't. That's your IF and C. Spend your FA money on relief help. Save some payroll space to take on a bad contract from another team during ST or at the deadline to fill a hole/potentially improve part of the team. Bryan Reyolds of the Pirates stands out - making 13m increasing to 15m a year for a .720 OPS last year, signed through 2030. Pittsburg is always looking to move payroll. Batting order/lineup without Reynolds: Martin (LF), Buxton (CF), Keaschall (1B), Wallner (RF/DH), Jeffers (C), Lewis (3B), Lee (2B/SS), Roden/Fedko (RF/DH), Culpeper/Fitzgerald/FA (SS). Bench - Castro (2B, 3B, SS), Clemens ( 1B/2B/RF), Vasquez (C), UTL who can play SS (Eeles, Fitzgerald, Schobel, FA like INF or Arcia). Against LF starter - switch Wallner and Jeffers. If trading for Reynolds - Reynolds plays LF, hits 5th, Roden/Fedko move to the bench, Martin plays RF, Wallner is full time DH/occasional RF. When Vasquez plays - he hits 8 everyone moves up one. from 5-7 to 4-6. When Castro plays - he hits 9 or 1 and gets one base and steals. A lot. Pencil in 20+ stolen bases from Martin, Buxton, Keaschall, Culpeper and Castro, 10+ from Lewis and Fitzgerald. You will need those to overcome the lack of HR power.

I agree and, unlike Outman, somebody that is actually young and good.

I'm not sanguine about Lee's ability to be an MLB SS long term, but I think you're right. We have to give him at least part of 2026 to find out, even if only because there is no one else and the FA market is either expensive or very thin. Can he become Greg Gagne or Jason Bartlett in the field or at the plate? The fielding looks tough given his lack of speed and agility, but maybe off season training can help that. His bat isn't great but he did improve from .221/.265/.320 (.565), 64 OPS+, in 172 ABs in 2024 to .236/.285/.370, (.655),79 OPS+, in 487 ABs in 2025. Can he improve to 0+ outs above average or the equivalent stat you like in 2026? Can he improve to a .250/.310/.400, 110 OPS+, in 2026? Most likely not, but there's chance. Give him half a season at least to find out. Culpeper and Houston won't be ready until then at the earliest any way.

Much as I'd like to sign a Pete Alonso, you're right. The top tier fee agents will have their choice of where to go and will get the money wherever they go so money isn't a consideration that will move the needle. The Twins are not an attractive destination right now regardless of what they are willing to pay. Players want to go where there is a chance to win during the life of their contracts, where the organization invests in the team and treat players and their families well, and where there is a passionate, committed fan base. None of that describes the current Twins' situation. It does describe the Vikings and that's why they can attract quality free agents. The Twins could do well to look across town and learn a few things. I think the right move is to get a couple of FA relievers in the Danny Coulombe, Jacob Junis, Taylor Rodgers range - serviceable and sometimes more, nothing below. Try to sign Ryan and Jeffers long term (tough since they're Boras clients, but maybe we earned some good will by signing and then trading Correa when he wanted out). Trade Larnach for what you can get and try to bring Castro back for the bench. Other than that, roll with what you got and promote aggressively. Fedko, Roden, Laweryson, Ohl, Festa (relief, not SP) SWR, and Bradley make the team out of ST. Matthews could also move to the BP and start out the season there, depending on what you can get in FA. Anyone falters or gets hurt, Abel, Rojas, Morris, (SPs), Preilipp, Klein (SP/RP) Peredes, and Baker (RP) get a shot. Culpeper, Gonzalez, Jenkins, and Emma are all up by mid-season if they continue to perform in AAA. Eeles, Schobel, and Cardenas get a chance in case of injury. Run the bases like mad, and expect 20+ SBs from Martin, Buxton, and Keaschall (plus Castro if you sign him), and 10+ from Lewis, Roden and Outman (if he makes the team). Hire an aggressive manager who will hold players accountable and not be afraid to bench guys who don't play hard. Don't give out playing time or roster spot scholarships to guys who don't improve (looking at you, Wallner, Lee and Lewis, and Outman and Clemens if they make the team). Improve the defense by moving Keaschall to 1B and singing Castro or a guy with a good glove at 2B or SS. Be a team that is aggressively looking for every possible edge in personnel and tactics. This is a team that will have to win on good starting pitching and on the margins everywhere else. Fight for those margins and if it blows up in certain games, live with that and stay aggressive.

I don't disagree with you because of the last caveat - won't be with the team post July. There is a lot of speculation here about trading Lopez, Ryan, etc, in the off season. I think that's unlikely for the baseball reason that starting pitching is more valuable in trade at the deadline, and the business reason that the team needs something to sell tickets early. I think they wait until mid-season and, if the team isn't contending, major fire sale. Ober, on the other hand, I could see being traded if he can get us anything decent but that may be unlikely. Frankly, we're stuck with him unless we're willing to take a low minors prospect or mediocre reliever. By the way, I would take that roster, subtract Larnach, and add Laweryson and Ohl to two of the RH MR slots. Larnach's replacement is in the organization; we just don't know if it's Fedko for the RH bat and 1B flexibility, or if both Outman and Roden make the team. The younger guys like Gonzalez, Jenkins, or Emma, will start off in AAA for development and service time reasons, not up until mid-June at least unless there are injuries.

Agree. Funderburk is a lock for the 2026 bullpen, might even get closing opportunities if we can get another LH like Coulombe in the off season. What about Cody Laweryson? Small sample size for sure (5 app, 7.2, IP, 1.17 ERA, 0.53 WHIP), but he looked the part of a competent reliever, maybe even a late inning guy. That's a major step up for a guy who aa 27 year old afterthought going into this year. Also, Ohl's stats weren't great because of a couple of blow ups early, but he looked like a real potential bullpen option the last month.

This seems the most likely. Start him out as the AAA 1B and se if he can play the position. That may leave us with Clemens as the Opening Day 1B, which sucks, but has the best chance of working out in the long run. I'd like to see them also give Fedko a shot at 1B. Well, what I'd really like is for Naylor to be signed but at the $15m plus a year that Sportrac thinks he's worth, I don't see that happening. Same for Ryan O'Hearn at $11M plus.

Thanks for starting this thread. I'm with you with a couple exceptions. The Twins are desperate for BP help so I think they either pick up Topa's option or negotiate a contract with him for 2 years at a lower AAV. $2M is probably less than he's worth on the open market. I suspect that Vasquez may be back because of a lack of alternatives if he'll take the right number and I don't think that's such a bad thing. I also see Hatch and maybe Tonkin getting MiLB contracts with an invite to ST to try to make the team for the same reason. Larnach is the hard one. I think they'd like to trade him for a BP piece, but I don't think he gets that unless we attach a 10-20 prospect type. I also think he might sign a lower value deal than he'd get in arbitration if he can play 1B. Other than that, I think he's non-tendered and gone. He just isn't worth the roughly $4M he's predicted to get in arbitration.

Talk about a lose/lose trade - Stewart lasted 3.2 innings in LA, went on the IL, and is now having off season shoulder debridement surgery. His 37.2 IP in 2025 is the most he's pitched since 2017. C'mon guys, we know Stewart - 25-30 innings and his arm falls off. I live in LA and the word here is that the Dodgers got fleeced because they're desperate for BP help and Outman can return to his 2023 form. Both fan bases are smoking crack IMHO. I'll bet neither one is on a 40-man roster come December and it wouldn't surprise me if both go back to their old teams. Hey, we traded a breaking down reliever for a guy trying to reclaim lost form. Didn't work. Worth a shot.

I agree with some of this, but I just don't understand the idea that some seem to have here that you have to draft a pitcher for them to be part of a "pitching pipeline". Pitchers you acquire are just as much a part of any pipeline as pitchers you draft. This is baseball, not football. Players move around constantly far before they are ready for the Bigs, and identifying players that you can acquire by trading guys you drafted or acquired in other trades is just as much a part of your pipeline as players you've had since the draft. That's how Cleveland does it, that's how Tampa does it, that's how good teams acquire talent. I agree that Falvey has not been great in many ways but this FO gets the credit for adding Lopez, Ryan, Bradley, SWR, Abel, Rojas, etc. to our pipeline. To be fair, acquiring legitimate #1 and #2 starters for a one tool player whose one tool has fallen off and half of season of Nelson Cruz' dotage, and then signing Lopez for what is turning out to be an under market deal, is pretty impressive. I'm not thrilled with some of the more recent acquisitions but I will be proven wrong if the last month or two of SWR is real (acquired with next year's starting LF for a now high salaried guy who is #3 or #4 starter), Bradley becomes a solid #3/#4 starter (acquired for an older late inning reliever on the way down), and guys like Abel and Rojas pan out. I have lots of reasons not to like the Falvey front office but the idea that he hasn't improved the "pitching pipeline" just isn't fair. He has and pretty dramatically. Now if only they could identify hitting talent better, bail on guys who aren't improving, and get in some coaches who can teach fundamentals, we might have something.

Snitker, Bochy and Melvin are either too old for this stuff or too good to have to deal with it, really both. We aren't getting a guy like that. They want to win now a because their careers are or almost are over. Ideally, we want a guy who has some experience, can work with younger players, has a longer term career timeline, and has a long term vision. Hyde is a good thought for that. So are Derek Shelton and Skip Schumaker. That's the kind of guy we should be looking for IMHO.

I think you cannot promote from within when the team has underperformed for the last 2 years. I also think someone with no experience is a huge mistake. You can't teach younger players if you are learning on the job. I disagree that the team is a complete impediment for any experienced manager, but I do think it limits the pool to younger guys who are looking for that second chance rather than older cream of the crop types. By the way, that's not so bad because most managers and coaches do better the second time around because of their previous experience. I think they are going to try to hire a manager who got hyped in his first job but got fired there or someone coming back into the game after a hiatus. My money is on Derek Shelton, Brad Hyde, and Skip Schumaker, in that order. Shelton is familiar to Falvey, was bench coach when the team was good in 2018 and 19, and really had little to work with in Pittsburg. Hyde was the flavor of the month managing Baltimore and probably should have been retained there. I think he's be the best choice but has no ties to MN and the Texas and SF jobs are open. Schumaker would be a good choice IMHO but he's the kind of guy SF would try to hire. Joe Maddon would be fun but he and Falvey would not be a good match so I don't see it happening.

Couldn't agree more, Markdumont25. You have to separate Falvey from Baldelli, from ownership. You can want all 3 to be fired or sell the team but you still have to look at them individually. Baldelli isn't being blamed for mistakes by or the fault of others while doing a great job on his own. That's what a scapegoat is. He hasn't gotten the team to a record equivalent to its talent level the last 2 years, the minimum standard for a manager, much less elevated the team above its talent level. He not only didn't get performance out of most of his players, his in game management was mediocre, he didn't change tactics to fit his personnel until the end, and his teams didn't get better over time. I absolutely think Falvey/Levine/Zoll deserve some blame too but that doesn't excuse the team's on field performance. I've been one of Baldelli's defenders here until this season, and I think he is a good guy who might be a better manager in his next managing job a few years hence, but he didn't do a good job these last 2 years. It was time for him to go. I do agree Cody that this firing and the lack of a sale changes the narrative a little. Now it's not a "start over with a whole new slate", it's "we can compete wiht the right changes and the right voice". Falvey and Zoll have to know that they're next if the team stumbles out of the gate is rapidly sinking by June and July like this year. Maybe that means Lopez and Ryan stay because without them, this is a 65-70 win team. Is it an 80-85 win team with them? Probably not although a girl can dream that a new voice in the clubhouse will have a big impact. It will be very interesting to see how that new voice is. My money is on Shelton, Brandon Hyde, or Skip Schumaker, in that order.

Good job getting this out before Rocco got fired today. Be honest, did you have inside information?

I don't think Falvey will get fired so I'm hoping he will get out of baseball operations and be ST. Peter running the business. I don't know that Zoll will be better but at least he's different.