LA Vikes Fan

I live in LA and you are soooo right.

Agreed. I've been a Rocco defender but this is the right move. Look, a a manger's job is to at least win at the talent level of the players he's given. It would be great to elevate that level, but the minimum is to meet that level. Rocco didn't meet that standard last year and he didn't through July of this year. Add to that, his sweet spot is managing a veteran team not managing a team of developing younger players. I like the guy and felt like he got a raw deal from ownership, but he just get the most of what he was given and he's the wrong guy for where this team is headed. It was time.

I think you have all of these right. I would write Laweryson's name on the 26 man in the BP in pen, at least to start the season. Guys with a 1.17 ERA and 0.52 WHIP get a shot, even if the stats are in an incredibly small sample size of 7.2 innings. I expect Roden to get a spot out of ST if he performs there and probably as the starting RF/backup CF with Wallner as the DH and Larnach gone. Roden tore up AAA the last 2 years and now is his shot before Jenkins, Gonzalez, and Emma get theirs. Ohl probably gets a BP spot unless they bring in 3 or more BP guys and/or convert starters. More likely, Ohl is in the bullpen on Opening Day. I also kind of like Hatch. He started off great and then collapsed so I wouldn't be surprised if he was left of the 40 man and gets a MiLB contract with an invite to ST to compete for a BP spot.

Agreed. I hope we keep Pablo, Ryan, and Ober for next year. There's no reason to trade Ryan or Ober. They are vastly underpaid because they haven't reached free agency. I would only trade Ryan for a cost-controlled middle of the order bat like Jarren Duran, and I just don't see that happening. Ober has no value after this year. I see Buxton, Jeffers, Pablo, Ryan, Ober, Sands, Topa, Lee, Lewis, and one of Wallner or Larnach returning on the veteran side. I could really see Vasquez back as the #2 catcher; the starters sure looked a lot better the last week when he and Jeffers were back. I agree that Fitzgerald may make sense as the 25th/26th man utility IF. We don't have anybody else and why go out and pay for a IKF type. I'd love to see them get Castro back as a UTL to give us a dependable backup for Lewis, Keaschall and a 5th/6th OF. He stunk in Chicago and I think he may want back to MN where he played better and might be willing to come back for less than the $6M everyone thought he would get in arbitration. Is Clemens the 1B? I could see him there in a position share with Kyler Fedko. There's plenty of room for the younger guys like Martin, Roden, Laweryson, Ohl, and Fedko to start out with, and room for Jenkins, Culpeper and Gonzalez when they're ready. Let's lean into a youth movement and take our lumps early, not add in mediocre vets in the hope of squeezing out 3-4 more wins.

You may be right, but I hope not. I'm not sure the catching situation is the litmus test given that Preda is a 29 year old career minor leaguer who will be 30 in April. Choosing him would be akin to choosing to play Outman and Fitzgerald a lot with the idea that they would be big contributors next year. The main reason we haven't promoted a young catcher is we don't have one ready to promote. You absolutely right about the off season. The team will have failed if we sign a bunch of Ty France or IKF types to play a lot. If we're going youth, go youth wherever you can while keeping a few vets to build around. Keep Buxton, Pablo, Ryan, Ober, Jeffers, Sands, and (probably) Topa, and then add 1 or 2 veteran relievers. Go young everywhere else you can. Promote Roden and play him and Martin most every day until they show they can't cut it. Martin's .282/.374/.365(.739) slash line in his first real taste of starting in MLB, along with his improving defense, sure makes it look like he can be one of the top 4 OFs on a good team. Give Roden the same shot - the man hit .321/.423/.556 in AAA in 2025, after having an .916 OPS in AAA in 2024, and he can play a passable CF behind Buxton so we don't have to keep guys we know can't hit like Kiersey and Outman as more than AAA depth. Promote Jenkins and Gonzalez early; they've earned it, especially Gonzalez. Give Fedko a real shot in ST to win the RH hitting 1B/OF job and play him with Clemens at 1B (Clemens only because we don't have anyone else unless Wallner or LArnach moves to 1B). If you're going to keep vets like Outman and Fitzgerald, they ride the bench until someone at AAA is ready like Eeles, Culpeper, Jenkins or Gonzalez, and then they are gone. Let's lean into rebuilding with youth and creating a new core. Let's not go half-assed about it. I do think Catcher may be the one exception after watching the starting pitching dramatically improve the second Vasquez and Jeffers came back. It may just be that we were playing scrub lineups or teams that didn't care he last week, but you have to notice that Vasquez comes back and we get 6 quality starts in row with him behind the plate for 4 of them, including Ryan and Matthews' best starts in a month. Coincidence? Timing? Maybe, but it may be that he has that effect on pitchers. I've read that Ryan really likes pitching to him; might be an incentive for Ryan to stick around with a good attitude. I expect Vasquez back next year on a one-year deal, and that he and Jeffers will be the catching tandem again in 2026. I just hope Vasquez can hit .210 with an over .600 OPS. Hell, at .225 with a .650 OPS he's a solid backup.

I agree. While I get and somewhat share the angst over the lineup, that ain’t the reason we’ve stunk since August 1. The bullpen has been awful. I didn’t do research but it’s my sense that with an above average bullpen, we’d be a roughly .500 team since the break. That’s why the BP construction is important. If we can get back to a good bullpen, and Pablo pitches all year, we have a decent team. Add 1 or 2 hitters through guys like Jenkins or Roden taking off or even full season improved hitting from Lewis, Martin ( just make next year look like September for him), or even Wallner or Lee, and you have an interesting team. But nothing kills a team faster than a bad bullpen and that has to be fixed for this team to have any kind of a chance.

I think that’s at least starting to happen. I expect Keaschall, Lee, Martin, and Roden to all be in the bigs most of next year. Fedko, Ohl, Adams, and Matthews all have a real chance to do the same and I expect Jenkins and Culpeper to be up by July. Rodriguez and Gonzalez also have a shot. I wish we had more particularly at SS and C.

By the way, Brock Stewart is undergoing season ending shoulder debridement surgery. I think he’s pitched 4 innings for the Dodgers. Kind of explains why we don’t get much for him. More importantly, it now seems unlikely that he’ll be on the 40 man there so he might be available for next year.

Love the aggression and I think it helps the hitter too by distracting the pitcher and changing pitch sequencing to slow down the running game. I know we're still losing a lot but we all know why that is - one of the worst bullpens in baseball since the trade deadline. Amazingly enough when the bullpen performs well we win more. his aggressive style is the only way we can generate enough offense so I hope it continues into 2026.

I hear the chorus of "Pohlad won't spend the money to pay a real closer/quality reliever". That may be correct. I went to Sportrac to see what they project as the "value" of some guys on a new contract. I then limited it to guys under $8M so no Ryan Helsley ($13.3M), Kenley Jansen ($13.4M), or even Emilio Pagan ($12.1M!). By the way, they have Paddack listed as a reliever at $10.4M. What do you think the odds are that the Twins would pay these annual "values" on a 2 or 3 year deal: Devin Williams - $6.25M Phil Maton - $6.95M Matt Strahm - $6.1M Jake Junis - $3.9M Taylor Rogers - $3.5M (his brother Tyler is $11.5M) Danny Coulombe - $4.3M Justin Topa - $3.9M (makes that $2M option an easy call if that's right). They don't include players that are pre-arb or subject to arbitration, so no mention of Stewart. Two conclusions. First, tough pricing for those of us shopping in the bargain aisle although older guys like Coulombe or Rogers might be available for less on a one year deal. Second, a "real" reliever that would could make into a closer is going to be $6-8M minimum. I say we add one decent reliever, plus Danny Coulombe if we can get him. I would investigate Williams, Maton, and Rogers, but I don't think we will get them because of the price and their desire to play for a contender at this stage of their careers unless Williams is willing to take a 1 year pillow deal to rebuild his value. I'd love to see us trade Larnach for a decent middle inning reliever, or even add a real 10-20 prospect with him to get a good late inning arm. Other than that, it's all internal. Topa stays for $2M, and he plus Sands and any acquisitions are the veterans. Funderburk stays, and I think Laweryson has shown enough to get a spot unless he tanks in ST. I would absolutely put Festa in the BP to start the season given his shoulder issues. After that its a battle between Ohl, Adams, Hatch, a failed starter like Raya, whoever loses the 4/5 starter battle between SWR, Bradley, and Matthews, and whoever we can sign or pick up. My guess is Topa, Sands, Funderburk, Laweryson, FA/trade acquisition (Stewart or Stewart like guy), Coulombe, Ohl, and Festa are the opening day BP. IF we don't get 2 external guys whoever loses the battle to get the 4 and 5 starting spots is next. If we do, that goes goes to AAA to start the season. Adams is next to fill things out.

I like the idea of 2 of Williams, Maton, Coulombe, and Stewart. Williams or Maton can close if we can get one of them, We need 2 FA bullpen pieces and I like those 4 the best . . . in our price range.

I think Fedko has played a little 1B. Fangraphs says 13 games in AA and 7 games in AAA out of what looks like about 140 games in the field. Not a lot, but some. I think he should really work on playing some 1B in the off season. He has a better shot to make the team as part of a 1B platoon with Clemens in 2026 and as the 5th OF than just as an OF, unless the Twins spring for a vet to man 1B next year.

While I would love to see a quality FA pickup to play 1B, I just don't see it happening. I don't think the Twins want to overpay and I think any FA will require an overpay to come to MN after this last year. I think we will see a couple of FA signings over the winter for the bullpen, a trade of Larnach maybe with an A ball type for for a BP piece and that will be it. I also think they will wait until the deadline to shop Lopez, Ryan, or Ober both to maximize first half attendance and to maximize prospect return. They only get traded in the offseason if they can fetch an already ready/established MLB bat and I just don't see any of them getting that level of return, so I don't see that coming together. In other words, a very quiet off season again. With those assumptions, here's my prediction: OF - Buxton, Martin, Wallner, backed up by 2 of Outman, Fedko, Roden, and Emma. They got Outman because they want a "true" CF as a backup so he has a leg up. Fedko and Roden before Jenkins and Gonzalez because of age - Fedko and Roden are both 26 next year and Fedko is a RH hitter who can play 1B. Roden because he tore up AAA already and he's 26 in March, so it's now or never. They can get another year of control over Emma (age 22), Jenkins (age 20) and Gonzalez (age 21) by waiting 6 weeks and they need to see what the other 2 can do, so that's got to be the order. I would love to see them DFA Outman and make him AAA depth and keep both Roden and Fedko. I think Wallner stays in the OF although I would at least see if he can play 1B. My goal would be Roden (he's the backup CF) and Fedko as the backup OFs so I'm going to go with them. IF - Lewis, Lee, Keaschall, Clemens, and 2 of Sabato, Fitzgerald, Julien, or a FA like IKF, Luis Rengifo or even Willie Castro so they have a backup SS. Clemens gets the first shot at 1B in a semi-platoon with Fedko in the hope he can raise his BA to .240-.260 from .220 and his OBP from .280 to 300-.320 and still hit 20-25 HRs. He's an average stop gap if he can. I am intrigued with Castro returning since he has really stunk in Chicago (.175/.252/.247(.499)) so he won't be expensive and may actually want to come back to where he was better. My best guess is one would be Fitzgerald so we have a real backup SS and he is hitting .222/.317/.472 (.789), better lately but in a very small sample size. Lee is the SS until someone else like Culpeper or Houston is ready. I'm going with Castro at around $3-4m as the other since Fedko can play 1B and Castro can also play in the OF, and he can run so he fits the new stolen base philosophy. C- Jeffers and Vasquez back for $2-3m in a 65/35 split. The pitchers like Vasquez and it's a way to keep guys like Ryan a little happier while they are still around. Pereda in AAA as the depth. Nothing changes until one of the young guys is ready in 2027 (if we're lucky), Rotation - No real changes at the front 4 - Lopez, Ryan, Ober and SWR, who's earned it with this run in the last quarter of the season. Preview of the bullpen, either Matthews or Bradley goes there, I say Bradley with Matthews as the 5th starter. Bradley, Abel, and Rojas all get starts during the year. Bullpen - Sands, Topa (exercise cheapish $2m option), Funderburk, Laweryson, Adams, Ohl, LH RP acquired for Larnach or Danny Coulombe, Bradley. Sands starts out as the closer, Bradley is a piggyback6th starter type behind SWR and Matthews mostly to stay somewhat stretched out. The BP will be a work in progress for most of the year. I expect Trent Baker, Andrew Morris, Mike Peredes, and Anthony Misiewiesz to all get shots during the year. I think they will keep Prielipp and Raya in the AAA rotation to start with. Gone and off the 40 man or on an MiLB contract - Miranda, Julien, Keirsey, Cabrera, Hatch, Tonkin. Outman (maybe). There you have it. A team from what we now have with a really 2 additions - Willie Castro and either Coulombe or someone we get in a trade of Larnach. Roster out of ST: OF (5) - Buxton, Martin, Wallner, Roden. Fedko. IF (6) - Lewis, Lee, Keaschall, Clemens, Castro, Fitzgerald, with Fedko also seeing time at 1B. C (2) - Jeffers. Vasquez. Rotation (5) - Lopez, Ryan, Ober, SWR, Matthews. BP (8) - Sands, Bradley, Topa, Funderburk, Laweryson, Adams, Ohl, Coulombe or guy we get trading Larnach. Batting Order - Martin (LF), Keaschall (2B), Buxton (CF), Jeffers (C), Wallner (RF), Lewis (3B), Clemens/Fedko (1B), Lee (SS), Roden/Fedko/Castro/Vasquez/Fitzgerald (DH or playing for someone else who is the DH). Payroll -Total is $95-100M, $90M plus the two additions in Castro and either Coulombe or the guy we get for Larnach. This includes the $10m we are paying Houston to take Correa. Record - If the starting pitching stays healthy and productive and the bullpen is average or better, around .500, 77-83 wins. If the rotation or bullpen collapses, 70-75 wins. If the starting pitching is better than average and the bullpen hoslds up, AND we find 2 more 110+ OPS hitters on offense from Roden, Fedko, Lee, and Clemens, or 2 of Lewis, Kesachall, and Martin are 125 OPS+ or better hitters and become true middle of the order bats, 84-89 wins. Good times.

I don't like this but I wouldn't be surprised if it happens. Jeffers the primary catcher in a 65/35 with Vasquez catching the 35, and Jeffers the DH 15-20% of the time.

Well said, particularly on Stewart. Stewart is great for the 35 innings a year that you get; then his arm falls off and he's just not available. It's very possible he will not make the Dodgers 40 man roster because they are squeezed so who knows, he might be back in MN next year. I think Martin has already earned the LF job to start next season. I completely agree that we need to move Wallner to a 1B/DH role, but that's not going to happen unless he gets in a lot of practice doing it in the offseason. I also think Roden is going to get a long look next year. I suspect we will see Buxton, Martin, Roden, and unfortunately Outman as next year's OFs at the start with Wallner or Jenkins/Gonzalez depending on whether Wallner is still a full time OF. Why Outman? They are obsessed with having a regular CF backup for Buxton and Outman is as close as they have to that guy.

I agree with the original poster on Martin, but I think this underplays his success this year and his future. He is playing like an above average MLB staring OF in really his first extended look at the MLB level. That's pretty damn impressive. You never know whether early success or failure will translate long term. Still, if this is what he is he is a foundational player on a competitive team hitting in the first 1/3 of the order. That's what a guy who hits .280-.300/.360plus/.375-.400 who can run well and play a decent of better LF is. He really is the one success story so far for the last 2 months tryout camp the Twins have run and he and Keaschall are the development success stories of the 2025 season. I see next year's Opening Day lineup as having Buxton, Keaschall, and Martin in the first 3 spots in some order. I'd prefer Martin, Keaschall, Buxton but I hear Buck likes leading off and he's been successful so I guess we shouldn't mess with that success unless he's mentally ready for that. I hope what we're seeing this year is what Martin brings to the table because we need it and that level of play wpudl really help elevate the lineup.

Couldn't agree more. Roden has the AAA track record to get his shot. The rest? We've seen what they can do, and it isn't good enough to even be the 5th OF on a competitive MLB team. The only thing that holds me back at all is Outman's performance for the Dodgers in 2023. That gives you a little hope that there's something there if it could only be unlocked. He might get another shot but the chances of success seem very low. Given that we traded for him, I suspect Outman gets a reserve OF role next year but that's it for him - take advantage or he's on the AAAA OF circuit going from team to team.

The packages mentioned are well, …. Yuck. Now give us a middle of the order bat, yes. He won’t get that so no.

I agree, although I would say Ryan is a solid 2/strong 3 starter not a 4 or 5. I’d like to keep both but he’s the one to trade if you’re going to trade one from a baseball perspective. Given Ryan’s relatively low salary, the smart move is see how the first half goes and trade at the deadline if we’re out of it.

I agree. Jax for Bradley may turn out to be the one trade we won. 2 months of Bader for Mendez also looks like it could be a winner.

Wow, has that come down yet? It may be time to shut Zebby down for the rest of the year. Either that or give hard hats to fans in the outfield.

I'm with you. Gonzalez may be ready and he's Rh power.

Amen, brother. Wallner can hit for power and could be a real asset if he can hit .240/.350 so he needs to play, just not in RF. He's just not good there. Move him to 1B or DH. Trade Larnach for a reliever or a blocked 1B prospect or make him the 1B and trade Wallner. Bottom line, do not run either Wallner or Larnach in the OF every day. Who plays RF? Jenkins and/or Gabriel Gonzalez. Those are the 2 guys performing this year in the minors. Both have performed at every level. Roden performed in AAA as well. Get them up and play them in some combination, especially since Jenkins and Roden can spell Buck in CF so no need for guys we know can't play like Outman and Keirsey. Emma hasn't shown well enough in AAA yet so he has to start there. Next year's 5 OFs out of ST should be Buxton, Martin, Jenkins, Gonzalez, and Roden. I like Wallner at 1B but would be happy with Larnach there, but I don't want one of them also at DH. The DH should be one of the 5 OFs I listed so all 5 of those these guys get their 4-5 ABs at least 4-5 days a week.

Agree on all three. Bradley is in pen, not pencil, for the 2026 rotation in either the 4 or 5 spot, with SWR and Matthews fighting for the other. This assumes of course that Lopez, Ryan, and Ober are all on the team. If one or more is traded, all 3 make the rotation. Sands is in the 2026 bullpen, with only his role undefined. He can be a late inning option if he shows he can handle the role. I have one disagreement - Martin is a starter, not a bench piece, and he hits in the top 3, not the bottom 3. The guy has a .295 average with a .393 OBP this year, .266/.344 for his career. That guys bats 1st or 2nd, maybe 9th in a stacked lineup, something we don't have. His OF defense is getting better and he's very athletic so it should be at least average if not better. I think you saw the preferred lineup last night at the front end, Buxton, then Martin, then Keaschall. I'd love Buxton to hit 3 with Martin 1 and Keaschall 2 to take advantage of Buck's power and give him more RBI opportunities but you can't argue with his success in the leadoff spot. Martin is your opening day LF next year. He's earned it and, let's face it, there isn't anyone else. Emma hasn't performed that well, and I'm not sure they will start with either Jenkins or Gonzalez in the OF out of ST and if they do, it should be at the expense of Wallner who can learn 1B or DH. Here's what I'd like to see out of the gate or at least by May 15 - an OF of Buxton in CF, with Martin, Jenkins, Roden, and Gabriel Gonzalez manning the corners. In case no one noticed, Gonzalez is hitting .315/.362/.508(.870) in 135 AAA ABs, .329/.397/.515 (.912) for the year mostly between AA and AAA. Oh, and by the way, he's all of 21. Hmmm, maybe we did get something from the Polanco trade. Jenkins and Roden can both play CF when Buxton is off and one of the 4 not playing is the DH. Wallner or Larnach moves to 1B and one moves on, probably Larnach, in a trade for a decent relief pitcher or blocked quality 1B prospect. Add 4 of those 5 to the lineup with Wallner (1B), Keaschall (2B), Lee (SS), and Lewis (3B), with Jeffers catching and you can see the outlines of a good lineup. Will it be good out of the gate next year? Maybe, maybe not, but it will be by mid-2026 or 2027 and that's what we should be playing for. No mediocre stop gap vets, no Outman, no Keirsey. These guys are the future. Let's find out if they can play.

There’s ample reason to keep Clemens around for a 2026 bench spot. He’s earned it. However, a lot of us are concerned that the team is going to keep him as the starter at 1B for next season. We need someone better. Martin has earned a starting spot next year in LF IMHO. He’s far from perfect but he’s what we need, high OBP, speedy, athletic, can steal bases. Given time, I think he can improve to an above average. OF. Put him with Jenkins and Buxton, and we might actually have a high-end defensive outfield next year that can actually hit. Wallner can learn 1B or DH.