Hunter McCall

Alright folks listen up I have some thoughts I want to get off my chest and I'm digging deeper then a home run hit by the REAL TC Bear at the Metrodome so buckle up.  In this essay, I will explore and evaluate Carlos Correa's performance as assistant general manager, 2 years in.
On January 11th 2023 a day that will live in infamy Carlos Correa who was turned down because of medicals by the giants and Mets came crawling back to Minnesota because no one else would take him and he got 200 million buckaroos to boot.  And that fateful day he was dubbed "assistant general manager of the Minnesota Twins" by Thad Levine and Scott Boris.  Miriam Webster defines assistant as "a person who assists someone" general as "not confined by specialization or careful limitation" and manager as "a person who conducts business or household affairs" so that means Correa is someone who assists the business of the Twins that is not confined by specialization.
Now I have a gripe to pick with that definition as Correa is confined by specialization he's just a defensive specialist stop me if you heard this before but he's just another Mark Belanger in the field and he shouldn't hit higher then seventh.  But I suppose that's besides the point because these days there changing grammar rules to fit what people are more comfortable with.  Just the other year the Associated Press (whom I would never want to associate with) said that "less" and "fewer" are interchangeable now. Folks,, that's fewer then ideal if you ask me.  Fewer refers to quantifiable entities but less refers to things you can't "count."  Theres less sand on the beach but fewer grains of sand I'll just leave it at that if you catch my drift.
But I digress.  With Correa's new title as assistant general manager (abbreviated to AGM henceforth) comes responsibility.  Just like Uncle Ben told Luke Skywalker, with Great Power Comes Great Responsibility.  So where is his assistant general manager responsibility when cheap pohlad issues a edict from on high that the Twins are cutting payroll.  The pocket protectors at the Athletic reported that it could be as low as 125 million but with how buddy-buddy those clowns are with the owners, I would guess it will be closer to 115 DESPITE the taxpayer funded stadium.
If Carlos Correa is really the AGM, why hasn't he stepped up to the plate and forced cheap pohlad to recant his ways?  A true leader would walk right up to that man and demand a bigger payroll, even if that meant he got cut and didn't get his 30 million dollars a year.  It's called integrity.  My first job I walked into the managers office and said "sir I would like a job" and look at me now I'm the floor supervisor.  It's called initiative.  cheap pohlad might even like his gumption.  The Twins are paying Correa enough that he shouldn't be afraid to step up and do the right thing but I guess that's just how baseballer are raised these days when they don't live in fear of Bob Gibson or Christy Mathewson or Eddie Cicotte putting one in there earhole.
Speaking of doing the right thing, the Twins never bunt except for scrappy infielder Jorge Polanco and my favorite player Michael A. Taylor who sneakily plays the game the right way.  Why hasn't Correa sat Baldelli (the "field manager") and told him "No Rocco, we're playing smallball now.  Its not 2019 anymore.  If it was good enough for the 1927 Yankees than why isn't it good enough for the 2024 Twins."  As AGM, he is Rocco's boss.  He's a puppet for the front office anyway and that includes Carlos.
And another thing, speaking about bunting.  How come bunting is only placed around the stadiums after the fourth of July (Independence Day).  I really like those little half-circle flags.  They really tie the field together and it reminds us of the greatest country God ever invented where we play the greatest Sport He ever invented,  It's like how there's no jobs for pumping gas anymore.  We just take things away that are useful and good to streamline the process, which is probably why Driveline is personally snipping 14 year olds' UCLs so they have to get Tommy John surgery.
Anyway, I want to point out some hypocrisy from our friend Carlos.  He exerted his influence to make signings like his old Astros friend Christian Vazquez and also Dallas Keuchel.  But he's refusing to put his foot down and challenge cheap pohald on one little thing?  And don't come at me siting things like "The Ballys's Situation" because that's a load of hogwash.  If Derek and Thad "the smartest guys in the room" couldn't see this whole thing come crashing down then why are they paid for?  But of course the whole Ballys's situation blew up in everyone's faces and now we have half the screen taken up by bally betting lines (there a gambling company like the Bellagio).  But of course you can gamble during the baseball game from your smart TV but Pete Rose, an upstanding public figure, bet on some games that he had control over and made in-game decisions based on whether or not he bet on that game and now he can't get into the Hall of Fame?  What a joke.
Speaking of fairness and equality, [Hi, this is Greggory's wife, Earnestine.  I have been editting this post and fixing type-os for Greggory, but I'm making the executive decisions to omit this paragraph.  While his head was in the right place, Greggory's calls to rename singles to "gentleman singles" and walks to "lady singles" in an effort to promote gender equality probably didn't come off in the right way.]
And so that brings me to my next point.  Carlos Correa needs to also reconsider the money he's making.  Instead of trading a team legend like all-American boy Max Kepler (who I would let date my daughter) to shave salary, maybe Carlos could consider a paycut.  Based on Fan Graphs WAR he was only worth about 15 million dollars which is a kings ransom for Buxton but okay for Correa, so maybe he should except the paycut down to 15 million.  IF he's as committed to winning as he said then maybe he's willing to do so.  It's what leaders do.  Or maybe he could restructure his contract a la Kurt Cousins.
I once had a offer to double my salary and jump over to the meat packing plant but I know the value of loyalty and look at me now I'm the floor supervisor.  So that's what's got this on my mind like a Sheboygan sausage, which reminds me whatever happened to the Hormel W***** Winner Row?  I never got one but I always wanted a free DomeDog.
This winter, if Carlos Correa wants to prove that he has earned the title of AGM, well then it's time to start putting the money where his mouth is.  It's just sad to watch this childrens' game become a big money grab for everyone involved.  Sure, back in the day you had your Chick Gandils and Billy Mahargs, but they were the exception not the rules.  Owners used to be willing to spend on their teams.  Remember the time that Tommy Lasorda beat up the San Diego Chicken?  But the game we used to love is now dominated by launch velocity and exit angle and seam shifted wake and they don't give away physical ticket stubs either.  I can only add it to my Apple Wallet which is the only billfold you can't put in your back pocket or else it will break.
Everything is just too streamlined and money focused these days which is probably why downtowns don't decorate for Christmas anymore.  I miss seeing wreaths and tinsel and statues of Santa now the only place I can go to get that ambiance is the hellhole that is Duluth, MN.  But even Duluth makes they're downtown look like that all year.  It's like they waited for Bing Crosby's song Winter Wonderland to hit the public domain then made a town around it.  just another sign of the corporatization of middle America.  Speaking of winters in Minnesota why didn't they build a roof on Target Field? Probably never expected to have a playoff game in October which is why cheap pohlad only invests enough to pretend to compete like signing Carlos Correa when they could have signed 42 minimum-salary players for the same money.  And don't even start with me about how having a roof on Target Field would mean fans can't see the Minnesota skyline because let me tell you about downtown Minnesota. Ever since [Earnestine again; we are going to skip this part].
Which brings me to my final point and thesis.  I think that the Twins rolled out the red carpet for Correa and he didn't deserve it.  Beyond the salary, he also got "Star Wars Night" instituted and I'm here to say that he's not even a real nerd because Kylo Ren and the Sequel Series are NOT cannon.  I consider myself more of a Trekkie myself they really have some good messages about inclusivity unlike Star Wars which is all about space wizards for children committing terrorism against the state.  But Correa has probably never even read Asimov or knows the rules to robots.
So the Twins did all that work to bring him in and the fans have nothing to show for it.  Just another Hershel Walker trade and Parise and Suter.  When will he earn his salary and demand cheap pohlad invest in this team?  Probably never.  Instead they'll probably trade all there good players for prospects who will just be traded again once there good.  And speaking of good I have one last thought.  I really miss seeing Mary Tyler Moore on the tube. She was a real fox and they don't make women like that [except for my loving wife Earnestine].  It's just frustrating that people these days don't value the same things anymore.  It says a lot about the state of our country, if you ask me.

The Twins officially made Carlos Correa the wealthiest man in franchise history on Wednesday, to the tune of a 6-year $200M deal with vetted options that could make it up to a 10-year deal depending on the number of plate appearances he has in the latter years of the contract. The final resolution finally came after a free agency experience filled with more twists and turns than an Ari Aster film. In the end, Carlos Correa ended up exactly where he began this journey, with the Minnesota Twins.
The signing filled Twins fans with shock and jubilation. A superstar free agent brought home by the heavily criticized front office. However, lost in the excitement is a move that may have tipped the Twins' hand on what is next to come. The Twins DFA'd Kyle Garlick, the team's lefty-mashing outfielder, who was often used as a platoon player anytime there was an opposing left-handed pitcher. What could this mean for the Twins?
Garlick's now vacant role is a big one to fill on the team, especially considering Byron Buxton and Gilberto Celestino are the only right-handed outfielders on the current active roster. To that point, Celestino has reverse splits, meaning he performs better against right-handed pitchers than lefties, making him a non-candidate for this particular role. Luckily for the Twins, there are several options available on the market who can step in and fill this role.
Robbie Grossman
Signing Grossman would be one of the more unexciting moves the Twins could make, but Grossman could step in and be very effective in a platoon role. Since 2020, the former Twin has possessed an .840 OPS, which includes a .394 OBP against left-handed pitching. The switch-hitting Grossman doesn't tear the cover off the ball, but he would be a welcome addition if he could step in off the bench against left-handed pitchers and produce anywhere near these levels.
Tommy Pham
Tommy Pham may be a difficult sell, as his clubhouse presence may not be worth the benefit of having him in the lineup. Most baseball fans remember that Pham open-hand slapped Joc Peterson last year over a fantasy football league. The bizarre behavior of Pham may not be welcome in Minnesota, but there is no doubt Pham fits the profile of a platoon outfielder. The 35-year-old veteran had a .784 OPS against lefties last year, including 6 of his 11 home runs in just 139 at-bats against left-handed pitching. Adding Pham would give the Twins solid platoon production at the plate, but when you factor in the potential headache of the wild behavior of Pham, he may not be the best man for the job.
Andrew McCutchen
Lastly, and my personal favorite, Andrew McCutchen. Though he is no longer the same McCutchen who appeared in five straight All-Star Games and took home an MVP trophy, he can still be a significant asset in the correct role. Since 2020, McCutchen has a whopping .905 OPS against left-handed pitching. To add to his profile of mashing lefties, he possesses speed on the base paths. Despite being 36 years old, StatCast profiles McCutchen in the 90th% in sprint speed among MLB players. McCutchen would be able to play just about every day, whether hitting against a lefty or pinch-running late in games. For what will likely be a modest price, the Twins should think long and hard about bringing the veteran to the Twin Cities.
With Garlick out of the fold, the Twins now have an opening to make another upgrade to last year's roster. All of the players listed above would be able to step in and fill the role, but it is hard not to get excited about what Andrew McCutchen could bring to the field as well as the clubhouse. Regardless of who they sign, the Twins have dropped a massive hint on what the front office's next move could be by designating Kyle Garlick for assignment.
What are your thoughts? Who will the Twins add to fill Garlick's role? Let me know! As always, Go, Twins!

The Carlos Correa free agency roller coaster continued on Monday night, as a series of Tweets from several different accounts suggested that they had sources who confirmed the Twins had finally called it quits on the All-Star shortstop. This was far from unexpected, as it was assumed that a reunion between Correa and the Twins was a long shot at best.
However, it was only about an hour later when Ken Rosenthal and Dan Hayes dropped a report that the Twins are, in fact, not out on Correa, but instead, talks between the two sides have accelerated recently. With the growing frustration between the Mets and Correa, is a window finally open for the Twins to reunite with Correa? Should the Twins even consider it?
The easy answer to the first question is yes. A window is open. Just as the Mets' window opened when the Giants balked at Correa following a flagged physical, there is a reasonable chance the Mets will do the same thing. The window is there, but should it be one the Twins jump in?
The answer to that question is much muddier than just yes or no. Correa has been flagged on two separate physicals by two different team doctors for a lower leg injury sustained long ago. The injury is not calling into question how he will perform tomorrow, but rather how he will hold up throughout a 10+ year contract. With as much guaranteed money as we've seen thrown around, it's no surprise that the Mets and Giants have both paused on committing to a long-term deal. With this in mind, whatever Correa's new contract is, it will likely feature a lot less guaranteed money, which is why the stalemate is taking place.
On the flip side, Correa was outstanding for the Twins in 2022. He was great at the plate, in the field, and in the clubhouse. He is well-liked by the whole organization and is the type of guy you want to build your team around. Correa would also fill a massive need for the Twins at shortstop, where they are currently slated to start Kyle Farmer, who mashes lefties but is far from an everyday shortstop, regularly. If the Twins can chop off some of the guaranteed money and shorten the contract to a length everyone feels comfortable with, the organization and fans would welcome Correa back with open arms.
These Correa stories are exhausted and old, but as long as he remains unsigned, it remains relevant news. No one has any idea what will happen with Correa. Until the pen meets the paper, he will remain a wild card on the free agent market, who could sign anywhere under the sun. The Athletic article by Hayes and Rosenthal is interesting enough to keep Twins fans engaged in a dream of a reunion. Still, until he steps foot in Target Field again, it's best to view the situation as a long shot.
What do you think? Where will Correa land? Should the Twins do everything in their power to convince him to stay? Let me know! As always, Go, Twins!
 
*UPDATE* The Minnesota Twins sign Carlos Correa to a 6-year $200M contract with a four additional option years that could max out the contract at $270. The Twins are reportedly "optimistic" about the upcoming physical, which has already been scheduled. Barring another unforeseen twist, the Correa saga ends in happiness for the Twins!

The Carlos Correa free agency roller coaster continued on Monday night, as a series of Tweets from several different accounts suggested that they had sources who confirmed the Twins had finally called it quits on the All-Star shortstop. This was far from unexpected, as it was assumed that a reunion between Correa and the Twins was a long shot at best.
However, it was only about an hour later when Ken Rosenthal and Dan Hayes dropped a report that the Twins are, in fact, not out on Correa, but instead, talks between the two sides have accelerated recently. With the growing frustration between the Mets and Correa, is a window finally open for the Twins to reunite with Correa? Should the Twins even consider it?
The easy answer to the first question is yes. A window is open. Just as the Mets' window opened when the Giants balked at Correa following a flagged physical, there is a reasonable chance the Mets will do the same thing. The window is there, but should it be one the Twins jump in?
The answer to that question is much muddier than just yes or no. Correa has been flagged on two separate physicals by two different team doctors for a lower leg injury sustained long ago. The injury is not calling into question how he will perform tomorrow, but rather how he will hold up throughout a 10+ year contract. With as much guaranteed money as we've seen thrown around, it's no surprise that the Mets and Giants have both paused on committing to a long-term deal. With this in mind, whatever Correa's new contract is, it will likely feature a lot less guaranteed money, which is why the stalemate is taking place.
On the flip side, Correa was outstanding for the Twins in 2022. He was great at the plate, in the field, and in the clubhouse. He is well-liked by the whole organization and is the type of guy you want to build your team around. Correa would also fill a massive need for the Twins at shortstop, where they are currently slated to start Kyle Farmer, who mashes lefties but is far from an everyday shortstop, regularly. If the Twins can chop off some of the guaranteed money and shorten the contract to a length everyone feels comfortable with, the organization and fans would welcome Correa back with open arms.
These Correa stories are exhausted and old, but as long as he remains unsigned, it remains relevant news. No one has any idea what will happen with Correa. Until the pen meets the paper, he will remain a wild card on the free agent market, who could sign anywhere under the sun. The Athletic article by Hayes and Rosenthal is interesting enough to keep Twins fans engaged in a dream of a reunion. Still, until he steps foot in Target Field again, it's best to view the situation as a long shot.
What do you think? Where will Correa land? Should the Twins do everything in their power to convince him to stay? Let me know! As always, Go, Twins!
 
*UPDATE* The Minnesota Twins sign Carlos Correa to a 6-year $200M contract with a four additional option years that could max out the contract at $270. The Twins are reportedly "optimistic" about the upcoming physical, which has already been scheduled. Barring another unforeseen twist, the Correa saga ends in happiness for the Twins!

There has been plenty of off-season buzz surrounding Marlins starting pitcher Pablo Lopez. The 26-year-old hurler struck out 174 batters over 180 innings in 2022 while possessing a solid 3.71 FIP. Since the Marlins have a deep and young starting pitching rotation, Lopez is both expendable for them and very valuable on the trade market. Is Lopez a realistic trade target for the Minnesota Twins?

It has been no secret that the Minnesota Twins have been looking to add to their rotation that experienced various health issues in 2022. They made a hard push for left-handed free agent Carlos Rodon but ultimately fell short, leaving them looking for other reliable options. The Twins have been linked to the Marlins in trade talks for the last couple of months, and one would assume Pablo Lopez’s name has likely been thrown around. Lopez, however, will not come cheap. Due to his age, he will turn 27 in March, productivity, and the fact that he is under team control for two more full seasons, Lopez’s value is very high. But what will it cost?

If the Twins want a realistic shot at landing Lopez, they will have to throw some tangible assets on the table. It is rumored that the Marlins aren’t looking for prospects in return for Lopez but rather bats they can plug into the lineup to help them out immediately. With that said, a trade to bring Lopez to Minnesota would likely cost the Twins Luis Arraez and maybe even a little more. If the Twins were willing to eat Jorge Soler’s contract, they could perhaps convince the Marlins to complete a deal without Arraez’s involvement. However, for a mid-market team, the Twins will probably be unwilling to add the $12M per-year contract to the payroll for a player that won’t offer much productivity.

This leaves the Twins with only one really realistic option, which would be to move Arraez, whose value is higher than it has ever been and may be as high as it will ever get. Does it make sense to trade him while his value is high? Arraez is a clear fan favorite and among the best pure hitters on the planet, but he also carries his share of flaws. Arraez has had a litany of knee issues in the past, he’s an awful defender anywhere besides first base, and provides next to no power at the plate, which is an approach that doesn’t seem to fit what the Twins have been trying to do in recent years. Maybe it’s time to strike while the iron is hot, put the chips in the middle of the table, and pull off a trade for a durable frontline starter.
 
What are your thoughts? Are you willing to pay this price for a frontline starter? Let me know, and as always, Go, Twins!

To this point, the Minnesota Twins’ off-season has not gone as some had hoped, leading fans to chalk it up as a major dud. I, on the other hand, view it simply as incomplete. The current makeup of the roster is bursting at the seams with potential, and there are still enough moves the Twins can make to transform this promising roster into a contender in the AL Central. Here are a few moves I could see the Twins plausibly acting on to achieve that goal.
Sign a Right-Handed Outfielder
It seems as though the Twins currently possess every left-handed outfielder that has ever played the game. With Gallo, Kepler, Larnach, Kirilloff, and Wallner all taking their cuts from the left side of the plate, the Twins could use a little pop from the right side. Trey Mancini is one right handed option that fits the Twins’ current roster very well.
Mancini is only 30 years old and has five seasons of solid production at the plate. He went through a tough time at the plate after being traded to the Astros last year, but I choose to look at the whole body of work rather than the final 51 games he played in Houston.
Mancini’s bat is the appeal here, but he has experience playing outfield as well as first base, a position where the Twins don’t currently have a permanent solution. The Twins have money to spend, and signing Mancini would give them a guy they can plug into a corner outfield spot, first base, or DH to add a plus bat to the lineup. There are other options on the free agent market that would fill this need, but Mancini is the one I like best.
Bolster the Rotation
If you thought signing Gallo was the beginning of the end for Max Kepler in Minnesota, signing Mancini would surely be the straw that broke the camel’s back. In a scenario where the Twins do sign Mancini, they now have too many cooks in the outfield, and unfortunately, Kepler is the odd man out.
As noted in my last blog post, I am very high on Pablo Lopez as a potential target for the Twins, and the Marlins are reportedly looking for MLB-ready bats, particularly outfielders. Kepler isn’t enough to get Lopez on his own, but they could package him with either a top 5 prospect or Luis Arraez. Another way they could try to complete a deal would be to take on Jorge Soler’s contract. This method would dip into their spending over the next few years but would allow them to hang onto their top prospects and Luis Arraez. The two teams have been reported to be in ongoing trade talks, so it remains to be seen how this plays out, but Pablo Lopez would be a massive addition to a frequently injured rotation.
If the Twins elect not to trade for a front of the rotation guy, they must sign a back of the rotation insurance piece. Four of the five rotation pieces penciled in either struggled to stay healthy last year or didn't play at all due to injury. Adding a guy like Michael Wacha would prevent the Twins from having to rush young prospects the way they did last year with Josh Winder and Louie Varland. Both Varland and Winder showed promise in their big league debuts, but both guys could use a bit more time in the minors before being rotational MLB pitchers.
Sure Up the Bullpen
2022 was a year of highs and lows for the Minnesota Twins bullpen. The emergence of Griffin Jax and Jhoan Duran as dominant pieces at the back end of the bullpen was riveting, while Emilio Pagan and Jorge Lopez left a sour taste in many fans’ mouths.
The Twins should see the return of Jorge Alcala in 2023. Although there is no guarantee Alcala will return to the form he was when he was the favorite to win the closer job after the Taylor Rogers trade, he should still be a viable piece for the Twins to use. Jorge Lopez walks too many batters, but I still believe in the elite stuff, and his dominant first half of 2022 with the Orioles is impossible to ignore. There may even be hope that Pagan can be a decent middle reliever if he continues to develop his splitter.
As a unit, the group is solid, but with the rotation’s inability to pitch deep into games, they could use one more reliable arm. Michael Fulmer would be a familiar name the Twins could bring back for a modest price. Another name I like if the Twins are in the market for a lefty reliever is Andrew Chafin, who had a 3.06 FIP and fanned 67 batters over 57.1 IP last season with the Detroit Tigers. Chafin is left-handed compared to Fulmer’s right-handedness, so it would be up to the Twins to decide which is a bigger need and what would be a better fit.
At this point in the off-season, even though things may seem all doom and gloom, there are still moves left for the Twins to make. They have a young, promising roster, money to spend, and bats they should be willing to trade to upgrade the team as a whole. The three potential moves highlighted above could put a nice touch on an otherwise uneventful off-season and, in my opinion, would make the Twins contenders in the AL Central.
What are your thoughts? What’s a move you want the Twins to make before Spring Training? Let me know! As always, Go, Twins!

To this point, the Minnesota Twins’ off-season has not gone as some had hoped, leading fans to chalk it up as a major dud. I, on the other hand, view it simply as incomplete. The current makeup of the roster is bursting at the seams with potential, and there are still enough moves the Twins can make to transform this promising roster into a contender in the AL Central. Here are a few moves I could see the Twins plausibly acting on to achieve that goal.
Sign a Right-Handed Outfielder
It seems as though the Twins currently possess every left-handed outfielder that has ever played the game. With Gallo, Kepler, Larnach, Kirilloff, and Wallner all taking their cuts from the left side of the plate, the Twins could use a little pop from the right side. Trey Mancini is one right handed option that fits the Twins’ current roster very well.
Mancini is only 30 years old and has five seasons of solid production at the plate. He went through a tough time at the plate after being traded to the Astros last year, but I choose to look at the whole body of work rather than the final 51 games he played in Houston.
Mancini’s bat is the appeal here, but he has experience playing outfield as well as first base, a position where the Twins don’t currently have a permanent solution. The Twins have money to spend, and signing Mancini would give them a guy they can plug into a corner outfield spot, first base, or DH to add a plus bat to the lineup. There are other options on the free agent market that would fill this need, but Mancini is the one I like best.
Bolster the Rotation
If you thought signing Gallo was the beginning of the end for Max Kepler in Minnesota, signing Mancini would surely be the straw that broke the camel’s back. In a scenario where the Twins do sign Mancini, they now have too many cooks in the outfield, and unfortunately, Kepler is the odd man out.
As noted in my last blog post, I am very high on Pablo Lopez as a potential target for the Twins, and the Marlins are reportedly looking for MLB-ready bats, particularly outfielders. Kepler isn’t enough to get Lopez on his own, but they could package him with either a top 5 prospect or Luis Arraez. Another way they could try to complete a deal would be to take on Jorge Soler’s contract. This method would dip into their spending over the next few years but would allow them to hang onto their top prospects and Luis Arraez. The two teams have been reported to be in ongoing trade talks, so it remains to be seen how this plays out, but Pablo Lopez would be a massive addition to a frequently injured rotation.
If the Twins elect not to trade for a front of the rotation guy, they must sign a back of the rotation insurance piece. Four of the five rotation pieces penciled in either struggled to stay healthy last year or didn't play at all due to injury. Adding a guy like Michael Wacha would prevent the Twins from having to rush young prospects the way they did last year with Josh Winder and Louie Varland. Both Varland and Winder showed promise in their big league debuts, but both guys could use a bit more time in the minors before being rotational MLB pitchers.
Sure Up the Bullpen
2022 was a year of highs and lows for the Minnesota Twins bullpen. The emergence of Griffin Jax and Jhoan Duran as dominant pieces at the back end of the bullpen was riveting, while Emilio Pagan and Jorge Lopez left a sour taste in many fans’ mouths.
The Twins should see the return of Jorge Alcala in 2023. Although there is no guarantee Alcala will return to the form he was when he was the favorite to win the closer job after the Taylor Rogers trade, he should still be a viable piece for the Twins to use. Jorge Lopez walks too many batters, but I still believe in the elite stuff, and his dominant first half of 2022 with the Orioles is impossible to ignore. There may even be hope that Pagan can be a decent middle reliever if he continues to develop his splitter.
As a unit, the group is solid, but with the rotation’s inability to pitch deep into games, they could use one more reliable arm. Michael Fulmer would be a familiar name the Twins could bring back for a modest price. Another name I like if the Twins are in the market for a lefty reliever is Andrew Chafin, who had a 3.06 FIP and fanned 67 batters over 57.1 IP last season with the Detroit Tigers. Chafin is left-handed compared to Fulmer’s right-handedness, so it would be up to the Twins to decide which is a bigger need and what would be a better fit.
At this point in the off-season, even though things may seem all doom and gloom, there are still moves left for the Twins to make. They have a young, promising roster, money to spend, and bats they should be willing to trade to upgrade the team as a whole. The three potential moves highlighted above could put a nice touch on an otherwise uneventful off-season and, in my opinion, would make the Twins contenders in the AL Central.
What are your thoughts? What’s a move you want the Twins to make before Spring Training? Let me know! As always, Go, Twins!

To this point, the Minnesota Twins’ off-season has not gone as some had hoped, leading fans to chalk it up as a major dud. I, on the other hand, view it simply as incomplete. The current makeup of the roster is bursting at the seams with potential, and there are still enough moves the Twins can make to transform this promising roster into a contender in the AL Central. Here are a few moves I could see the Twins plausibly acting on to achieve that goal.
Sign a Right-Handed Outfielder
It seems as though the Twins currently possess every left-handed outfielder that has ever played the game. With Gallo, Kepler, Larnach, Kirilloff, and Wallner all taking their cuts from the left side of the plate, the Twins could use a little pop from the right side. Trey Mancini is one right handed option that fits the Twins’ current roster very well.
Mancini is only 30 years old and has five seasons of solid production at the plate. He went through a tough time at the plate after being traded to the Astros last year, but I choose to look at the whole body of work rather than the final 51 games he played in Houston.
Mancini’s bat is the appeal here, but he has experience playing outfield as well as first base, a position where the Twins don’t currently have a permanent solution. The Twins have money to spend, and signing Mancini would give them a guy they can plug into a corner outfield spot, first base, or DH to add a plus bat to the lineup. There are other options on the free agent market that would fill this need, but Mancini is the one I like best.
Bolster the Rotation
If you thought signing Gallo was the beginning of the end for Max Kepler in Minnesota, signing Mancini would surely be the straw that broke the camel’s back. In a scenario where the Twins do sign Mancini, they now have too many cooks in the outfield, and unfortunately, Kepler is the odd man out.
As noted in my last blog post, I am very high on Pablo Lopez as a potential target for the Twins, and the Marlins are reportedly looking for MLB-ready bats, particularly outfielders. Kepler isn’t enough to get Lopez on his own, but they could package him with either a top 5 prospect or Luis Arraez. Another way they could try to complete a deal would be to take on Jorge Soler’s contract. This method would dip into their spending over the next few years but would allow them to hang onto their top prospects and Luis Arraez. The two teams have been reported to be in ongoing trade talks, so it remains to be seen how this plays out, but Pablo Lopez would be a massive addition to a frequently injured rotation.
If the Twins elect not to trade for a front of the rotation guy, they must sign a back of the rotation insurance piece. Four of the five rotation pieces penciled in either struggled to stay healthy last year or didn't play at all due to injury. Adding a guy like Michael Wacha would prevent the Twins from having to rush young prospects the way they did last year with Josh Winder and Louie Varland. Both Varland and Winder showed promise in their big league debuts, but both guys could use a bit more time in the minors before being rotational MLB pitchers.
Sure Up the Bullpen
2022 was a year of highs and lows for the Minnesota Twins bullpen. The emergence of Griffin Jax and Jhoan Duran as dominant pieces at the back end of the bullpen was riveting, while Emilio Pagan and Jorge Lopez left a sour taste in many fans’ mouths.
The Twins should see the return of Jorge Alcala in 2023. Although there is no guarantee Alcala will return to the form he was when he was the favorite to win the closer job after the Taylor Rogers trade, he should still be a viable piece for the Twins to use. Jorge Lopez walks too many batters, but I still believe in the elite stuff, and his dominant first half of 2022 with the Orioles is impossible to ignore. There may even be hope that Pagan can be a decent middle reliever if he continues to develop his splitter.
As a unit, the group is solid, but with the rotation’s inability to pitch deep into games, they could use one more reliable arm. Michael Fulmer would be a familiar name the Twins could bring back for a modest price. Another name I like if the Twins are in the market for a lefty reliever is Andrew Chafin, who had a 3.06 FIP and fanned 67 batters over 57.1 IP last season with the Detroit Tigers. Chafin is left-handed compared to Fulmer’s right-handedness, so it would be up to the Twins to decide which is a bigger need and what would be a better fit.
At this point in the off-season, even though things may seem all doom and gloom, there are still moves left for the Twins to make. They have a young, promising roster, money to spend, and bats they should be willing to trade to upgrade the team as a whole. The three potential moves highlighted above could put a nice touch on an otherwise uneventful off-season and, in my opinion, would make the Twins contenders in the AL Central.
What are your thoughts? What’s a move you want the Twins to make before Spring Training? Let me know! As always, Go, Twins!

There has been plenty of off-season buzz surrounding Marlins starting pitcher Pablo Lopez. The 26-year-old hurler struck out 174 batters over 180 innings in 2022 while possessing a solid 3.71 FIP. Since the Marlins have a deep and young starting pitching rotation, Lopez is both expendable for them and very valuable on the trade market. Is Lopez a realistic trade target for the Minnesota Twins?

It has been no secret that the Minnesota Twins have been looking to add to their rotation that experienced various health issues in 2022. They made a hard push for left-handed free agent Carlos Rodon but ultimately fell short, leaving them looking for other reliable options. The Twins have been linked to the Marlins in trade talks for the last couple of months, and one would assume Pablo Lopez’s name has likely been thrown around. Lopez, however, will not come cheap. Due to his age, he will turn 27 in March, productivity, and the fact that he is under team control for two more full seasons, Lopez’s value is very high. But what will it cost?

If the Twins want a realistic shot at landing Lopez, they will have to throw some tangible assets on the table. It is rumored that the Marlins aren’t looking for prospects in return for Lopez but rather bats they can plug into the lineup to help them out immediately. With that said, a trade to bring Lopez to Minnesota would likely cost the Twins Luis Arraez and maybe even a little more. If the Twins were willing to eat Jorge Soler’s contract, they could perhaps convince the Marlins to complete a deal without Arraez’s involvement. However, for a mid-market team, the Twins will probably be unwilling to add the $12M per-year contract to the payroll for a player that won’t offer much productivity.

This leaves the Twins with only one really realistic option, which would be to move Arraez, whose value is higher than it has ever been and may be as high as it will ever get. Does it make sense to trade him while his value is high? Arraez is a clear fan favorite and among the best pure hitters on the planet, but he also carries his share of flaws. Arraez has had a litany of knee issues in the past, he’s an awful defender anywhere besides first base, and provides next to no power at the plate, which is an approach that doesn’t seem to fit what the Twins have been trying to do in recent years. Maybe it’s time to strike while the iron is hot, put the chips in the middle of the table, and pull off a trade for a durable frontline starter.
 
What are your thoughts? Are you willing to pay this price for a frontline starter? Let me know, and as always, Go, Twins!

At the beginning of the offseason, Carlos Correa and Scott Boras publicly expressed Correa's interest in staying in Minnesota on a long-term deal. Correa went as far as to say that he was there and all the Twins had to do was pay up. There were soundbites of Byron Buxton and Rocco Baldelli pleading with the front office to keep Correa around. Of course, this was all before Correa signed a 13-year $350M contract with the San Francisco Giants. Upon Correa's signing with the Giants, many people in the Twins community were rather upset, and not without reason. It's frustrating to hear a top tier free agent say he wants to play for your team and all they have to do is pay up only to see him sign a massive deal with one of the biggest market teams in the league. Over the course of the next week, that sadness and anger slowly subsided for many fans, as the focus shifted back to the Twins and how they were going to construct the roster going forward. Who in their right mind wants to sign a 28-year-old short stop with an extensive injury history to a 13-year deal anyway?
The grieving process had seemingly reached the "acceptance" stage. The signing of Joey Gallo gave Twins fans something new to argue about, and it appeared everyone had moved on. That was of course until the Giants canceled their introductory press conference with Correa yesterday morning. The speculation and conspiracy theories began to run wild on Twitter and across the internet, but it still seemed a little silly and far fetched. How can it be a full week later, on the day of the press conference, that the deal between Correa and the Giants had fallen through? Then the Associated Press dropped a bombshell story detailing the reasoning for the cancellation as an injury that popped up during Correa's physical with Giant's team doctors. Wow! What a change of events! The Twins might really have a shot to land Correa again! Nope. They would see a second opportunity fall by the wayside as the New York Mets would slide in and swipe Correa for $315M over the next 12 years. What a bummer. Fire Derek Falvey right!?
Relax. Let's take the blinders off and think about this for a minute. Carlos Correa chose to take a 12-year $315M deal with the New York Mets. The Mets have a shortstop in Francisco Lindor, so by signing with the Mets, Correa has agreed that he will move to 3rd base. It is commonly known that position players, especially all-star short stops who have won a platinum glove just two years ago, don't usually enjoy being asked to change positions. Players as good at the position as Correa normally see this as a slap in the face, and will laugh at any deal that requires them to give up their position. Playing short stop is the alpha male position. He's the dude of the infield. It's rare to see as willing a shift off the keystone as we've seen with Correa signing with the Mets less than 24 hours after the deal with the Giants fell through. After all, the Twins offered a 10-year $285M contract for him to play short stop for the team he claimed to love and want to remain a part of. So why would he take less money per year to play for the Mets?
He didn't want to play for the Twins. There it is. I said it. Maybe it's time to at least consider this thought as a possibility. Maybe Correa and his agent, who is among the best negotiators in sports, used the Minnesota Twins. Maybe there was only one team last year willing to give him what he wanted in his prove it deal last year, so he decided he would head up north for one summer and play in Minnesota. Maybe him and Boras constantly sang their praise of the Minnesota Twins as a technique to get other teams to raise their offers and start a bidding war. Maybe all of this worked. Think about it, the two teams he decided to sign with are two of the biggest market teams in sports. They constantly shell out as much, if not more money than any team in the league. They're almost always competitive. If he was to eat up almost $30M per year with the Twins, would they be able to field a consistently competitive team over the course of a 10-13 year contract when their payroll sits at around $160M? Maybe, but aren't the odds of success better with a team who's payroll is approaching half a billion dollars?
This isn't even to mention the sketchiness of the mystery injury that ultimately led to the Giant's deal falling through. Correa came into Minnesota with a history of injuries and IL stints. This was the reason for the 3-year deal with all the opt outs. If he got hurt, he could just try again the next year, all on the Twin's dollar. What could the Giant's doctors have found that would have caused them to back out? It must have been severe in their eyes to cause them to let go of one of the biggest free agents on the market. This mysterious injury should be a major red flag that would cause pause to anyone, except Mets owner Steve Cohen apparently, until they got their hands on him for their own extensive medical evaluation.
As the dust settles on what was a shocking and unique change of events, Twins fans again find themselves angry. But I ask, are we aiming our displeasure at the right people? Correa chose two huge market teams over the Twins, and the one he ultimately ended up with won't even allow him to play the position he won a platinum glove at just two years ago. In my opinion, they used the Twins as leverage to get what Correa ultimately wanted, a long-term deal on a big market team. We shouldn't fault the front office for not raising their offer from 10-years $285M after Correa had a foggy medical evaluation. If the events that transpired yesterday resulted in the Twins raising their original offer, I would find that quite concerning. Raising their offer would have been negligent and down right bad business. Correa had his chance to come back to the Twins and play short stop, and at the end of the day he chose to take less money per year to play 3rd base for the New York Mets. Maybe we should stop pointing the blame at the front office for their inability to convince Correa to stay, and redirect it at Correa and Scott Boras for just flat out not wanting to be in Minnesota long-term.
Maybe I'm way off here, but I agree with the front office for not going 12 or 13 years, especially after the shady medical evaluation done by the Giants. Let me know what you think, and as always, Go Twins!