Lou Hennessy

The Twins’ President of Baseball and Business Operations (POBABO) has the tough assignment of trying to improve his ballclub while sticking to the financial limitations set by the team’s ownership. But now, it looks even harder, as a scheduling snafu has left him flustered, flabbergasted and flummoxed by his first ever tardy. Image courtesy of Purple Wolf Graphics A shaggy, disheveled Derek Falvey sprinted through the lobby of the Hilton Anatole Hotel in Dallas late on Monday morning, leaving many attendees at the baseball’s biggest offseason attraction to come to the same conclusion: The Twins’ top decision-maker forgot which day the MLB Winter Meetings were to begin. “It was very odd to see Derek trudging into the meetings with his shirt untucked like that,” said MLB Insider Jon Heyman. “And was he wearing mismatched shoes?” Falvey has always been known as an organized, thoughtful and timely executive who prepares for these crucial meetings as much as anyone else in the game. But since the departure of his longtime front office partner, former general manager Thad Levine, things just haven’t been the same for the Twins’ top shot-caller. “I gotta come clean, Thad usually handled my scheduling for these things and I’m still working through some growing pains since he left,” Falvey said as he buzzed an electric razor across his scruffy face in the hotel lobby restroom. “And honestly, I haven’t been sleeping well without Thad’s signature hot cocoa and bedtime stories routine. Call me old-fashioned, I guess.” This year’s Winter Meetings could be quite consequential for his ballclub, as the Twins will need to address a currently unbalanced payroll situation while shuffling the deck enough to avoid another brutal late-season collapse. Witnesses say Falvey tripped over a trash can on his way into the main ballroom, sending sheets of documents soaring to the floor around him. They say these documents had titles ranging from “No fastball? No problem!” to “Should the Twins sign Miguel Sano?” Falvey then gathered his scattered pages and looked at the stunned attendees around him. “Mondays, am I right?” he shouted nervously, as he shrugged his shoulders, then sprinted out of sight. Shortly afterward, he addressed the local contingent of media members in the Twins’ war room. He was wearing a new set of clothes, and while they weren’t a wrinkled mess like the duds he rolled in with, they were clearly his casual attire stuffed into his bag haphazardly and with little thought. “Sorry everyone, I haven’t had my coffee today,” Falvey said as he donned an XXXL Spider-Man T-shirt that was clearly meant to be a pajama top. “But trust me, everything is under control.” Just then, his briefcase fell to the ground and sprung open, but there was nothing inside, save a couple of pens and a live moth that proceeded to flutter away. Nevertheless, the Twins’ president wanted to talk shop, whether he was ready for it or not. One by one, reporters brought up notable topics such as free agent targets, possible trade chips and the rest of the winter meeting events planned for the next few days. “Free agency? Yeah yeah yeah we’re totally keeping up-to-date with everything. You know I’ll be the first to know when, uh, what’s-his-name signs,” he said while snapping his fingers to jog his memory. “Solo! I’m very tuned-in to the Juan Solo sweepstakes.” When one of the media members notified him that Juan Soto had agreed to a historic $765 million contract with the New York Mets the night before, Falvey blushed and quickly changed the topic. “Look, I know our payroll has been a hot topic recently, but let me assure you that Joe and the Pohlad family have given me the green light to proceed how I see fit,” Falvey said while patting each of his pockets. “Well, you’ll just have to take my word for it, because I left my phone at home.” View full article

They weren't invited, actually. There's only so much room at the table this year.

It's been a long year for the hometown nine, but the Twins still have plenty to be thankful for. Let's take a look at what each member was tasked with bringing for their big get-together. Image courtesy of Stephanie Clifford, Sous-Vide Guy, © Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images Thanksgiving is a time to get together, share a meal, and thank the high heavens for all of your wins over the last year. All 82 of 'em. While many would rather see this team go hungry after an epic late-season collapse and an already too-quiet off-season, Twins Daily just wants everyone on the club to relax and enjoy their holiday with their true family: the endless horde of internet trolls. Here's the rundown of what each member of the Twins brought to their Thanksgiving feast. Rocco Baldelli - Turkey breast (white meat only) “As a father to three beautiful young children, I’m used to eating my dinner straight from the pot, over the sink like an animal. I’m just happy to eat something that isn’t macaroni and cheese shaped like Baby Yoda,” said Rocco with the dead-eyed exhaustion of a coal miner. “And I’ll take all the tryptophan you got. I haven’t slept in months.” Carlos Correa - Turkey Legs He’s no stranger to preparing legs for the big game. These puppies have been massaged for hours before going into the oven. Don’t mind the little steel plate attached to one of the bones. Joe Ryan - Tofurkey “Hey man, you do you, but I’m sticking with the gluten-free, congealed goodness that reminds me of home by the Bay,” said the California native as he shook out the sand from his shaggy hair. “And I really mean to emphasize sticking there. About 30% of this thing is gum-based.” Griffin Jax - Nasty Sliders “I don’t know, by my second year in the big leagues they told me they only wanted my sliders,” said Jax. “I kept telling my mom ‘Let me take care of the bird’ but she kept shaking me off.” Jhoan Durán - Spicy Deviled Eggs. They’re still hot as hell, but they used to pack more of a punch when he first came up. Still really good, but more people seem to be flocking toward Jax’s sliders this year. Royce Lewis - Beverages. “A lot of people have been saying all I do is wine,” said Lewis as he carried in a couple coolers of assorted drinks. “But that’s not true! I know a lot about plenty of drinks.” Matt Wallner - Mashed Potatoes This guy mashes everything. Edouard Julien - a gallon of Maple syrup. “Oui Oui, you cannot have mashed potatoes without a hearty slathering of God's nectar from the True North,” said Julien before tying his pet moose to a nearby post. “Sacre bleu, Thanksgiving was in Octobre, anyway.” Louie Varland - Sweet Potatoes Lou’s tried this dish out as an appetizer for the last few years, but it never seems to come out as good as we all hoped. This year he’s just going to bite the bullet and make it into an elite late-meal dessert option in the form of Sweet Potato Pie. Bert Blyleven - Beans Trust us, you don’t want whatever Bert is bringing. And if he tells you to pull his finger, just run. Walker Jenkins - Napkins C’mon, he’s just a baby. He’s only doing this because we want him to feel like he’s contributing. He still has to sit at the kid’s table with Rocco’s ankle-biters. Who are we missing from this list? Let us know in the comments, and from everyone at Twins Daily, we wish you a very sweet holiday. View full article

Who?

Not every asset belonging to an MLB organization can be seen on the field. And if the Twins are serious about selling some of their contributors while their value is at its peak, they may want to see what their longtime Human Resources Manager could garner in a trade. Image courtesy of Purple Wolf Graphics What’s Up With Doris? While many casual fans may not be familiar with the work of the Twins’ beloved HR Manager, Doris Martin, Twins Daily has pegged her as a prime candidate to be shopped this off-season. There are a few reasons for this rationale. First, Doris does impeccable work and is well-regarded in the HR Twittersphere. She’s been an above-average HR Manager for over two decades according to HR Savant, who rates her as the second-fastest email reply time in the league. The only everyday-regular ranked above her in this field is Walter Bennigan, that malcontent from Cleveland who has swept the Platinum Policy awards for three years running. Nevertheless, Doris is entering her 21st year with the Twins organization, and the club could be looking to turn the page as they head into a pivotal 2025 campaign. She’s entering a contract year in 2025, and will likely require an increase to her $55,000 salary if the Twins are hoping to keep her in the fold long-term. The question isn’t necessarily if they can afford to keep her through her prime years (typically between the ages of 45-52 in this field), but rather, can they really afford not to? The Case for Trading Doris From HR Like many of the profiles in this trade candidate series, this move would mostly be a way to drop salary while hopefully getting something in return from whoever wants to take a crack at giving Doris some playing time. The Twins have a ready-made replacement in Betty Delgado, who was recently hired by Doris herself last spring. It might take some convincing, but the rookie representative could have a real future ahead of her should she get the call to be the full-time replacement for her mentor. "Wait a second, I was hired as an intern like five months ago. Now they want me to take over for D-Dog? I’m not sure about that,” Delgado said hesitantly. “I’m literally still on my parents’ health insurance. I have an accounting midterm later this week.” Doris could also potentially net a decent return if she were to be traded this winter. According to some off-the-record rumors that have been floated recently, the Twins’ President of Baseball and Business Operations (POBABO) Derek Falvey has had a few custodial prospects on his radar that could make for a balanced challenge trade. But Doris’ value isn’t completely positive. As great as her work has been over the last 20 years, there are a few quirks that could get in the way of the workplace chemistry for an acquiring club. In recent years, some teammates of the 46-year-old have complained about her knack for bringing leftover fish for lunch, and microwaving those suckers until they go nuclear. It has left a wicked, days-long stench each time, creating some tension between Doris and her coworkers. “No doubt about it, we’d be sorry to see a professional like Doris leave during a crucial time for our club,” said Falvey as he typed her name into an HR Trade Generator website. “But yeah, I won’t miss her nasty lunchtime smells.” Potential Trade Partners Cleveland Guardians: You never like to deal assets within the division, but there might be a fit here if the Twins’ rivals lose Walter to one of the big-market powerhouses in administrative free agency. Would Falvey trade Doris and her hot pink Shape-Ups to his old stomping grounds? New York Yankees: If the Bronx Bombers fail to reel in a frontline HR Manager in free agency, maybe they could see Doris for the experienced, kind soul she’s been since being hired in 2004. Trade talks would likely have to start with Miguel Andujar and Clint Frazier coming back to Minnesota in return. Perry’s Pest Control: Who says Doris needs to be traded to another ball club? Maybe the Twins could get this local exterminator to take on her salary. Word on the street is that they are very interested in her services, but are pretty occupied at the moment, as they have been booked by someone named J. Bonnes for the entire week to clean up what many are calling “The Incident” in his Downtown Minneapolis penthouse. Conclusion Sure, it might make more sense for the Twins to trade from their crop of multimillionaire players if they really do hope to reduce their payroll, but don’t overlook the club’s ability to cut anyone on their organizational chart. As much as it would sting on the surface to lose Doris and her iconic birthday snickerdoodle cookies, the Twins have a readyish replacement waiting in the wings. No matter what ends up happening, Falvey has shown that he’s more than ready to make this type of blockbuster when needed. “‘Honestly, I’m pretty ready to move on from Martin. Doesn’t really make us better anywhere, hasn’t really made the most of the chance they were given, and all that hair is just terrible,” Falvey said, taking some reporters aback with his harsh honesty. “Oh, DORIS Martin. Yeah, I would definitely miss her. Great worker. Awesome snickerdoodles.” What do you think? Should the Twins shop Doris From HR this winter? What would be an adequate return? What other off-field contributors do you see the Twins floating out there. Let us know in the comments, and as always, keep it sweet. View full article

First of all, I could never become the general manager of my beloved Twins, because it would create a conflict of interest that would require me to resign from Twins Daily. I’ve built an empire over here, and I’m not about to give it up to play second fiddle to President of Baseball and Business Operations (POBABO) Derek Falvey. But if they did ask me how I would approach this offseason, here is what I would tell them once the check cleared. Image courtesy of © Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images (Shane Bieber) This series of articles is a primer on the release of our new "You're The Twins GM!" tool where you play the role of Derek Falvey and build your own Twins offseason. Please visit the tool here and join in on the fun! Overall Approach This is going to be a pivotal season for the Twins as they try to keep their window of contention open. Despite the epic second-half collapse, the core of this team still has substantial upside, and now is the time to double down on them, especially without the seamless ability to add more star power on the free agent market. If things go south again in 2025, they’ll likely be dismantled anyway. My plan calls for the team to keep their offensive nucleus that includes Carlos Correa, Byron Buxton, Royce Lewis and Brooks Lee, as well as their promising top three starting pitchers in Pablo López, Joe Ryan and Bailey Ober. It will also rely on young pitchers such as Simeon Woods Richardson, David Festa, Zebby Matthews and others to help carry the load for large portions of the season. Some key differences include the dismissal of all of the team’s free agents, as well as a few trades to create some much-needed wiggle room. Non-Tenders and Extensions I would decide to let veteran relievers Michael Tonkin and Justin Topa walk rather than pay them their modest raises in arbitration. It’s another bust from the Jorge Polanco-to-Seattle trade from last year, but Topa should be seen as one of the fungible relievers who can be found on the open market at various points throughout the season. One of the most underrated aspects of the current front office was their ability to sign young, core hitters to long-term deals that locked in their arbitration prices and ate a free agent year or two. We saw this with Polanco, Max Kepler and Miguel Sano. The first two went rather swimmingly for the Twins and probably saved them some money, and while Sano didn’t live up to expectations, his deal wasn’t really a hindrance to the club at any point and he had the prospect pedigree to suggest he could’ve reasonably had an even bigger breakout. I want to see the Twins do that again, and I want them to bury any sort of hatchet they have with Lewis. I lock the former first overall pick into a five-year deal that pays him $6 million this year, $10 million in 2025 and $17 million in each of the next three seasons, with a $23 million player option for 2029. That’s $67 million guaranteed to a player that has battled health issues every year since 2020, but has shown tremendous upside. If he opts into his age-30 season at the tail end, the deal will be six-years and $90 million, and still allows him to explore another big payday as a free agent in 2030. Trades The first move I would make is to shop catcher Christian Vázquez and as much of the $10 million that is owed to him for 2025. I find a taker in his former ballclub, the Boston Red Sox, who still value him as an asset even if not for his entire salary. They agree to take on half of the contract, freeing roughly $5 million for the Twins to use elsewhere, and the return is simply a player to be named later or cash considerations. I would then trade Willi Castro to the New York Yankees for lefty reliever Tim Mayza and $2 million in cash. At just $2 million for his final year of club control, he then becomes the de facto replacement for Caleb Thielbar in a bullpen that is sorely lacking in left-handed talent. Next, I would flip Chris Paddack to a big market club that has the ability to gamble on his production on top of his $7.5 million contract. The big-pocketed Mets take the bait, agreeing to pay the entire salary, but they require a prospect kicker or two in return. The Twins include third base prospect Rubel Cespedes and relief prospect Cody Laweryson. I would also make a minor swap with the Chicago White Sox, acquiring relief pitcher Gus Varland for 21-year-old starting pitcher Jose Olivares. I’m picturing the two Varland boys holding down spots in the Twins’ bullpen for the next few years, maybe giving each other a boost as if they were a bonded pair in Backyard Baseball. And if it doesn’t work out, the elder Varland still has two option years remaining and would be low-cost to acquire. Free Agents Even after the trades, the Twins would still have just a little wiggle room to add if they want to remain at or near their $135 million payroll from last year. The good news is that there aren’t many holes to fill. One glaring need, however, remains at first base. So I would try to sign switch-hitting slugger Josh Bell, who should be available on a modest one or two-year deal after hitting a combined .248/.322/.412 (.734 OPS, 102 wRC+) over the last two seasons. While those numbers certainly seem underwhelming for a now 32-year-old, it puts him firmly in the Twins' wheelhouse price-wise and still provides considerable upside. In the second half of last season, Bell rediscovered his power stroke, with an .885 OPS and 145 wRC+. He would be a reasonable, lower-cost replacement for Carlos Santana, and he’d pair extremely well with Jose Miranda and Edouard Julien, who will likely be part of that rotation between first base and designated hitter. Let’s give Bell a two-year deal with a $7 million average annual value. I would then try to sign veteran backstop Jacob Stallings to a one-year deal for $2 million. He provides at least adequate offense for a backup catcher, but his framing and overall defense are a step down from Vázquez. But at just one-fifth of the cost, he could be a useful complement to Ryan Jeffers. The last free agent I would make might come off as controversial for a team with limited resources and a win-now mentality, but I would try to reel in starting pitcher Shane Bieber to a back loaded multi year deal. He’s going to be out of commission until the middle of the season after undergoing elbow surgery last summer, but Falvey is as familiar with the former Cy Young winner as just about anyone, since he was a major proponent in the Guardians’ decision to draft the righty back in 2016. Would Bieber be amenable to a modest $4 million salary with a major jump in 2026? Maybe a $17 million salary in year two, with the option to opt out after the 2025 season? This would give him a solid payday should his recovery not go as planned, and it would give him the option to re-enter the free agent market next year if he does return to form. We saw that type of contract work really well when the Twins brought in Michael Pineda. Could it work again? Conclusion After making these moves, the team would sit at a total salary of roughly $135.4 million, which is right in line with where they sat in 2024 and where they anticipate being in 2025. They lose their three veterans in the salary dump, give up a few down-list prospects, extend Lewis and add a few veterans, one of which could make an instant impact, with the other being a high-upside gamble. Their season-long success likely relies on better health from their core hitters (which is no sure thing), but their additions could help fill the void as secondary contributors, with the potential to be game-changers in the second half. Most importantly, this roster looks the part of a contender on-paper, which will be pivotal as they try to regain trust and goodwill with the fan base, as well as interest from a potential buyer. What do you think? Is this yet another pipe dream from the twisted mind of Sweet Lou? Do you think this would be a contending roster? Which of these moves do you like, and which do you hate? Let us know in the comments, and as always, keep it sweet. Want to build your own Twins roster? Hit the button below! Start Your Payroll Blueprint Now View full article

The Twins’ President of Baseball and Business Operations (also known as the POBABO) is sure to have his hands full and his pockets empty as he takes on yet another role with the organization. Image courtesy of © Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images When there’s a major shift in direction for an organization, whether that be in the front office or on the business side of a venture, the new appointments that are inevitably announced are bound to raise some eyebrows. Not this time. Just two days after officially taking the reins from Dave St. Peter on the business dealings of the Minnesota Twins, the organization has made Derek Falvey their official appointment to lead their newly-created, but perpetually effectuated, Council of Payroll Efficiency (COPE). This department is being put into place by the Falvey-led administration to make sure there never needs to be right-sizing of their payroll ever again. “Just add it to the pile of things they’re making me do,” an exhausted Falvey said as he swept the stairs next to Gate 3 at Target Field. “First they told me to handle the baseball operations department, then they want me handling the business dealings, then they said they want me heading the custodial team and the culinary services division. Now I have to find a way to cut costs across the board? Oh, sorry, I mean to promote payroll efficiency.” Falvey will now be tasked with making appointments of his own for this council. First, he’ll want to find a Director of Payroll Efficiency (DOPE), a Talent Recruiter of Payroll Efficiency (TROPE), and a Liaison Assistant Surrounding the Health of Payroll Efficiency (LAST HOPE). He says the council is undecided on if they’ll bring on a Certified Associate, Negligence Testing and Leader of Unbalanced Payroll Efficiency (CANTALOUPE). “Fans may not know this, but we’ve always operated with payroll limitations. I know it seems like we always just spend spend spend, but we actually do consider how clean our books are at every waking moment,” Falvey said as he chipped yet another acronym onto his crowded desk nameplate. “Now we’ll have a council that can formally direct our decisions in that regard.” So who will he hire next to join this council? Is there a weekend cable news host looking for work? Maybe a maniacal billionaire with a keen interest in mid-market professional baseball teams? Whoever Falvey brings in will have to be on the cheaper end of the scale, otherwise they will be classified as Outside Payroll Efficiency (OPE), and the Twins will scooch right on past them. View full article

Few players were more responsible for the team’s first-half success this year, but the surprising All-Star's decline in the back end of the 2024 campaign was an integral part of an epic collapse. Does this “guy who can play anywhere” have a place with next year’s Twins team? What’s Up With Willi Castro The Twins signed Willi Castro to a minor-league deal with an invite to spring training in 2023, and he’s rewarded them with near-everyday play: 282 games of above-average production in the last two seasons. He has 5.6 fWAR in those two seasons, more than every Twins hitter except for Carlos Correa. When you take into account his $1.8-million salary in 2023 and just a $3.3 million payday in his All-Star 2024 campaign, it’s an easy call to suggest he’s been this front office’s best acquisition from a pound-for-pound value standpoint. But heading into his final year of arbitration control, Castro is expected to reel in somewhere in the neighborhood of $6.2 million (as projected by MLB Trade Rumors). If he’s the player we saw in the first half of last season, that’s an easy call to pencil him into the 2025 blueprint. But his rotten second half (wherein he hit .219/.298/.329, good for an 82 wRC+) makes it a riskier decision, especially given the logjam of position players in the organization who are either already established in the major leagues or knocking on the door for a promotion. The Case for Trading Willi Castro That leads to some of the indications that the Twins could be behooved to ship Castro to another organization, while his market value is still relatively positive. Not only could the Twins get salary relief from replacing his projected salary with someone making the league minimum (such as Brooks Lee), but they might even get a modest return. Would the Twins get a blue-chip prospect for one year of control over Castro? Surely not, but it’s not out of the realm of possibility that they could get something intriguing for someone who plays multiple positions (more on that later) and was an All Star just last year. If the Twins are confident in some of their younger pieces stepping up to fill Catro’s shoes, now could be a good time to dive headfirst into that long-term plan. Lee could fill any of the infield positions that Castro was entrusted with over the last couple years, and Austin Martin (or even an outside addition at a more palatable salary) could theoretically handle his duties in the outfield. Inquiring teams could be interested in Castro as an everyday utility player, as he’s been with the Twins so far, or they could even try to plant him at a defensive home if they have a specific need. The versatile utility player started at least 20 games in left field, center field, and at each infield position aside from first base. While he didn't raise any eyebrows at any one position, he mostly held his own at each station. Castro likely wouldn’t require an exorbitant return package, especially if the acquiring team eats that salary. If the Twins can find a way to shed the roughly $6 million Castro will make (likely in addition to another move to shed salary owed to someone like Christian Vázquez or Chris Paddack), they may have just enough wiggle room to make a move for one of their areas of need. It would be placing a lot of trust in less-seasoned young players, but it could be for the best given the circumstances. Comparable Trades of the Past There have been a couple trades in recent years that run along parallel lines to this sort of move. The Twins traded Gio Urshela to the Los Angeles Angels after tendering him a contract for his final year of arbitration in the offseason before the 2023 campaign. Like Castro, Urshela could be entrusted with multiple positions (though not nearly as many as Castro), and was set to earn roughly $8 million. Instead, the Twins sent him to Anaheim for Alejandro Hidalgo, who was a 19-year-old at High-A at the time, as well as the ever-important salary relief. That same day, the Twins found themselves on the opposite side of that coin when they traded for Kyle Farmer, who was seen as a capable stopgap at shortstop if needed, or ideally as a bench option who could play elsewhere around the diamond. They gave up Casey Legumina, who was a fringe top-30 organizational prospect at the time. While these moves were made concurrently, they each represent decent comparisons for what to expect in a potential Castro deal given his positional flexibility and the salary that would be exchanged. Potential Trade Partners Due to a dearth of options at a few positions in the free agent market, Castro could be an enticing option for teams with more room to spend and a specific hole to try and fill. He provides offensive upside from both sides of the plate (especially as a righty) and has been a threat on the bases as recently as 2023. Keep these teams in mind as we look for a club that could be interested in Castro for his contract year. Boston Red Sox Like the Twins, the Red Sox couldn’t find their footing in the second half and should be looking to rebound in 2025. But unlike the Twins, the Sox have ample spending room, as they are about $50 million short of last year’s payroll, with no indication that they’ve been directed to scale back. Castro likely wouldn’t be their priority this winter, but he would be an improvement over internal candidates such as infielders David Hamilton and Nick Sogard. Could the Twins try to flip Castro along with former Sox-fan favorite Vázquez in a bigger deal that provides considerable payroll relief? Toronto Blue Jays Another AL East team that found themselves in a disappointing place at the end of the season is our friends north of the border in Toronto. It’s a pivotal year for the club, as their two superstar position players, Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. are both entering their contract years. If they want to make some noise as a contending team, they’ll want an improvement over their projected starters at third base (Ernie Clement) and in left field (Nathan Lukes). Maybe the Twins could try to get an enticing (albeit flawed) relief option in return, such as Dillon Tate (4.66 ERA in 2024, two years of club control remaining) or Brendon Little (4.27 ERA across 46 ⅓ MLB innings over the last two years, making minimum salary). Houston Astros The AL West powerhouse is likely to be quite active this winter, as they have significant holes at third base (assuming they don’t re-sign superstar Alex Bregman), and in the outfield aside from Kyle Tucker. They are also set to have roughly $30 million to play with just to get to their 2024 payroll level. Castro could give them a starting-caliber option at each of these positions, or could be a lethal platoon and pinch-running option for a slowish, top-heavy offense. Could the Twins ask about former global top prospect Forrest Whitley, who is now a 27-year-old that has battled injuries for the last four years? Would Minnesota have to throw in another kicker in addition to Castro to get it across the finish line? New York Yankees The reigning AL champions are set to lose both Juan Soto and Gleyber Torres to free agency, and while they will certainly try to keep the former in the fold, the Yankees could eye Castro as a suitable (if partial) replacement for the latter. Castro would provide them with some much-needed speed and defensive versatility, which could entice the bombers if they wish to keep Giancarlo Stanton as a permanent designated hitter or move Aaron Judge out of center field. With the Soto sweepstakes likely to drag on for a while, Castro’s fit with the Yankees might not become clear until later in the winter, but it’s always smart to expect the big-pocketed clubs to bring in more than they need on the surface. Conclusions A trade of Castro probably comes down to two factors: how much salary could the club shed in such a move, and how confident are the Twins in his potential replacements? There’s plenty to balance as the team makes their deliberations, but either way, Castro has been an incredible value since signing that minor-league deal. Can the Twins squeeze just a little more value out of him? What do you think? Should the Twins try to move Willi Castro this offseason? How confident are you in the club being able to replicate his production in 2025? Let us know in the comments, and as always, keep it sweet. View full article

Many questions rose to the surface when it was announced that the Twins’ general manager would not be returning in 2025. Twins Daily asked their best paranormal investigators to seek answers on location at Target Field. They weren’t available, so they sent Sweet Lou instead. These are his findings. Image courtesy of Purple Wolf Graphics I took one last drag from my cigar and put it out between the eyes of the bronze TC Bear statue that sits outside Target Field. I’m starting to forget why Bonnes sent me back to this madhouse in the first place. It’s a cloudy evening in Minneapolis in late-October, and I hadn’t been back to the ballpark since it was announced that Thad Levine, the Twins’ general manager for the last eight seasons, was mysteriously dismissed at the end of this season. Twins’ spokespeople said all the right things in the aftermath. That his role had been diminished as the rest of the front office found their footing. That he was looking for a new challenge. You know, the usual answers as they try to save face. But my bigwig bosses at Twins Daily weren’t buying it. Something weird was going on. Something… spooky. Rain started to sprinkle as dusk sank deeper into night.. I flipped the collar of my trench coat and shook the droplets off my black fedora as I made my way through the gate marked for Media/Paranormal personnel. I remembered what Bonnes yelled at me before I left our downtown headquarters (Bricksworth Beer Co.): “Sweet Lou, the rest of the staff is busy doing actual baseball research, so I need you to make yourself useful for once. Try to poke around the executive offices to see if you can figure out why Thad is leaving so suddenly,” the Geek ordered as he pulled my Naz Reid IPA away from my parched lips. “And you better do it for free, damnit!” I’m led through the empty, muted halls of Target Field to Thad’s office by a nameless, overworked intern who has an eerie glaze over their eyes. We pass two other interns who I swear are exact replicas as my guide. Same glossy stare, same robotic pace, same Twins branded Stanley tumbler. I can’t tell if they really are clones made by the front office to save money on hiring, or if I’m getting so old that all these kids are starting to look the same. Never mind them, Sweet Lou. One crisis at a time. I’m left by myself in Thad’s office to see if he left any clues behind as to why he felt the need to leave this organization in such a hurry. I start with his bookshelf that sits behind his exquisite mahogany desk. It’s filled with everything from timeless baseball community must-reads like Moneyball and The Art of Fielding, to whatever it is that LaVelle is putting out these days. But one small, leather bound paperback caught my eye. It was sticking out from the rest of the collection, as if someone rushed to stuff it back into place. I grab it carefully and slowly pull it back. As I pull it back, I hear a strained voice whispering in my ear. Is it chanting in tongues? “Humber… Guerra… Gomez…Mulvey…” “Is there a spirit present?” I blurt out as my eyes dart around the room. I look through my coat for my emergency exorcism supplies. A cross made from broken bats that were shattered by Emmanuel Clase’s cutters. A vile of holy water collected from the troughs of the Metrodome. Before I can grab them the voice continues. “Hoey… Delmon… Tsuyoshi… Hardy…” The whispers continue and the room starts to spin. I woke up on the floor in a cold sweat. A flash of lightning is followed by a booming crash of thunder outside the rain-soaked window. I look down at the small leather bound book that is now opened in my hands. The cover now has a massive scratch across it. But at the bottom, there’s a scribble in black pen. It reads - The Personal Diary of Bill Smith. I open the journal to the last page with writing on it, maybe halfway through the book. The last entry went as follows: I don’t know how much time I have left. I can hear something scratching at the door every time I close my eyes. I can’t sleep because I keep thinking about the transactions that - - - And that was it. The bottom of that page had been ripped out. Maybe Thad was haunted by the moves the Twins had made that never really panned out. That has to be it. I should get back to Bonnes to tell him my hypothesis. Suddenly I can see my breath. I hadn’t felt this frigid since Opening Day at Target Field back in, well, every year. Did the Pohlads refuse to turn on the heat again? Another strained whisper fills the air. “Ponson… Sierra…Livan…Pelfrey…” This time it starts getting louder with each passing phrase until it’s practically shouting in my ears. “Correia… Nolasco…Doumit… Byung-Ho…“ The room starts spinning again and I fall back to the floor faster than a flawed roster’s 90% probability to make the postseason. I wake up sitting in Thad’s desk chair, but I can’t move a single muscle. I try to scream, but all that leaves my mouth is a tiny whimper. I look up to see a tall, cloaked figure hovering in front of me. “I’ll tell you what I told Bill and Thad,” said the raspy-voiced mysterious spirit. “It’s not the terrible moves you make that haunt you. It’s the ones you didn’t make because they weren’t in the budget.” The office door swings open violently, and from the darkness on the other side emerges a tall man wearing a stylish button-down dress shirt from Hammer Made. He stomps forward slowly, like Frankenstein’s monster. As he passes the threshold, I can see that it’s Thad himself, but his eyes are completely blacked out. He stops in the middle of the room and his head starts spinning, like the girl from The Exorcist, or Mike Maxx when he’s forced to learn how to pronounce yet another player’s name that has an accent. . “Wheeler… Rodón… Darvish… Sonny…” Thad chants. I’m now realizing that it was his voice whispering in my ear. Only this time, he’s chanting names of players that would have been clear fits with the Twins had their price tag not been so deservedly exorbitant. It’s all starting to make sense. Thad Levine had been haunted by the moves he wasn’t allowed to make due to financial limitations, and it drove him mad, just as it had for Bill Smith. Well, Smith, and Thad’s predecessor… Before I connect the dots, the cloaked figure removes his hood, revealing himself to be none other than Terry Ryan. “That’s the reason these fools couldn’t last,” he said with an insidious grin. “If you can’t do the job under budget, then you shouldn’t do it at all…” Terry and Thad simultaneously lock their gaze on me and point in unison. Suddenly, a rabid TC Bear charges through the door and his giant stupid mouth opens wide and covers my head. I squeeze my eyes shut and scream as loud as I can. When I open my eyes and look around, I’m back at Bricksworth with about half a dozen empty pint glasses around me. Had I dreamt the whole thing? I walk down the street to Target Field. Everything is bone dry, as if it hadn’t rained in months. It felt so vivid, but I guess it was all in my head. I shake off the otherworldly sense of dread I had been feeling, and start walking back toward my place, ready to work on my next piece. I call Bonnes and let him know I might need a day or two to shake this nightmare off. “Who is this? How did you get my number? Don’t call me anymore.” he exclaimed before hanging up. I chuckle to myself. Same ol’ Bonnes. I pass the bronze TC Bear statue I had dreamt of, and I can’t help but notice the ashy burn mark between his vacuous, dead eyes. View full article

Eight current Twins were named winners of the annual awards, including six for their performances on the field. While there were a few surprises, each of these Twins had something about their season that provided interesting context to their success. Image courtesy of © Jerome Miron-Imagn Images Sure, there’s plenty more to the game of baseball than the firehose of in-depth information and statistics that seems to sandblast us each season. But each of the Twins who were recently named winners of the annual Diamond Awards has some nerdy tidbit that colors in between the lines, giving a fuller picture of what made them unique this season. Inside Edge Advance Scouting provided us with some fascinating (and admittedly pretty nerdy) notes that can help contextualize the six Twins whose performance on the field led to these awards. Most Valuable Player - Willi Castro “Willi Castro netted five extra hits against the shift (seven hits caused by the shift, two hits that were robbed due to the shift) in the 2024 season.” Castro was not the betting favorite to be named the MVP of this year’s club. Sure, the versatile 27-year-old had by far his finest season, and certainly warranted a selection to the All-Star Game at the time. But his dismal second half was a significant factor in the team’s freefall, and he ended the season with a good-not-great .247/.331/.385 slash line. Regardless, his nerdy stat regarding the shift, paired with a dramatic dip in his second-half BABIP (batting average of balls in play), help to paint a picture: Castro may have had some good luck in the first half of the season and some bad luck in the second half. His true offensive profile likely lands somewhere in between. Now, is it possible that Castro’s approach led to more hits against the shift? Sure. But his plus-five hits ranked second in all of baseball, and I would find it hard to believe that he had the second-best ability to snipe these kinds of hits intentionally, whatever his speed and his proclivity for chaos would imply. Pitcher of the Year - Griffin Jax “Griffin Jax struck out 27 batters on three pitches in the 2024 season.” While Castro’s selection as MVP raised a few eyebrows, the Pitcher of the Year award was a pretty easy choice. Whether you follow the on-paper stats or trust the eye test more, Jax excelled. He was by far the most dominant arm at the Twins’ disposal for the entire year, and he shot himself into the “Best Relievers in the American League” conversation with a fantastic campaign that saw him pitch to the tune of a 2.03 ERA across 71 innings pitched. His 27 three-pitch punchouts led baseball, and is a perfect distillation of his emergence into relief ace status. HIs elite sweeper, paired with his excellent changeup and some upper-90s velocity on his fastballs, truly made him a nightmare to face. Outstanding Rookie - Simeon Woods Richardson “Opponents had a Hard-Hit Rate of just 21% against Simeon Woods Richardson on low breaking pitches.” Woods Richardson was another reasonable selection, as the rookie cemented the middle of the Twins’ rotation for much of the 2024 season. He finished the year with a solid 4.17 ERA across 28 starts, with a considerably more encouraging campaign than his final line might suggest. He simply ran out of gas by the time the calendar flipped to September, where he had a 6.48 ERA in five exhausted starts. Nevertheless, his 2024 season was a huge win for the club’s rotation outlook going forward, and his nerdy stat makes it easy to see which part of his arsenal will keep him in the big leagues. The righty had a strong penchant for avoiding hard contact on his breaking pitches--11th-best in baseball, to be exact. His slider and curveball were his two swing-and-miss offerings (both solidly in the 22-24% range for whiffs per swing), and when things were going right, he was able to get his opponents to chase them low and out of the zone. Look for that strategy to be his calling card going forward, hopefully with a deeper gas tank in 2025. Most Improved - Cole Sands “Cole Sands allowed just a .429 OPS when behind in the count in the 2024 season.” One of the biggest surprises of the 2024 season is one of the least surprising winners of their Diamond Award. Sands was viewed as one of the last calls coming out of spring training, but he truly excelled for the majority of the year, often finding himself to be one of the premier set-up options for manager Rocco Baldelli. He finished the season with a fantastic 3.28 ERA across 71 ⅓ innings pitched, with a 29% strikeout ratee, which was up nearly eight points from the year prior. The nerdy stat shows that part of Sands’s success came from the fact that he was able to remain composed, even in instances where the hitter usually has had the edge. League-average OPS when the opponent is ahead in the count is a whopping 1.032. Sands’s figure in those circumstances was less than half that, and it led all of baseball by a fairly wide margin. (The closest was Daniel Lynch of the Kansas City Royals, at .598.) Defensive Player of the Year “Carlos Santana made 16 non-routine plays out of 24 chances (67%) in the 2024 season.” Even at 38 years old, Santana was still able to bring it on the field, playing dazzling defense in 150 of the club’s games. While he was seen as somewhat of a “scratch-and-dent aisle” signing last offseason, the first baseman was an integral part of the team’s offense and one of the centerpieces of their defense. His ability to make all the easy plays--mixed with his ever-present propensity for making the standout, highlight-reel ones--left many in Twins Territory with the notion that he is the best-fielding first baseman in the game. The fact that Santana was able to succeed in nearly two-thirds of his opportunities to make plays that weren’t deemed “certain” or “likely” to be made shows just how much of the team’s water he carried. Not only did he have the most made plays under that umbrella, but those plays saved some of his teammates from errors, and eliminated potential scoring chances for the opposition. Not only is this award deserved for the veteran, but Santana should be seen as the frontrunner for the Gold Glove award. What do you think? Do you agree with the BBWAA writers who selected these winners? What changes would you make? Let us know your thoughts in the comments, and as always, keep it sweet. View full article

After it was announced that the Pohlad family would explore a trade of the Minnesota Twins, many wasted time by naming the first (only?) three real billionaires that they knew off the top of their head as potential buyers. Sweet Lou wasted his time coming up with five fake ones. Come waste your time reading what he came up with. Image courtesy of Kaboompics.com on Flickr Look, this isn't a list of perfect candidates to be new owners for our beloved ball club, but the Twins aren't a perfect franchise. Instead, I came up with my ideal fictional billionaires that could benefit Twins Territory should they decide to pursue an acquisition, or, you know, become real. And yes, I did grow up in the '90s. Can you tell? C. Montgomery Burns (The Simpsons) Okay, I know Mr. Burns is almost always seen as purely evil, completely narcissistic and cold-blooded, but that is pretty par for the course in this line of work. I think that he would be a great team owner because of his ability to be frugal when it counts (“Does anybody have change for a button?”) while having the liquidity and availability to shell out when the time is right. Plus, he’s already shown a willingness to go out and acquire the cream of the crop when it comes to on-field talent. When he was the owner/manager of the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant Softball Team, he went out and got the likes of Ken Griffey Jr. (and his grotesquely swollen jaw), Steve Sax (and his run-in with the law), Ozzie and the Straw (Ozzie Smith and Darryl Strawberry). Fans have been craving that sort of investment in the on-field product for decades, and they can finally get it with Burnsy on board (just make sure Mattingly gets rid of those sideburns). As an added bonus, Mr. Burns has shown with his "sun blocker" project that he can answer the calls from a certain contingent to "put a roof on" Target Field. Want an end to rainouts? Burns can do you one better: no clouds, no sun, no weather at all. Bruce Wayne (Batman) Young. Mysterious. Good-looking. Billionaire genius. No, I’m not talking about John Bonnes, I’m talking about Bruce Wayne, the CEO and owner of Wayne Enterprises. Would an MLB franchise in Minnesota interest a titan of industry from the massive metropolis (not the Metropolis) known as Gotham City? Sure, Wayne has plenty on his plate already, but this would be a major get from the Twins’ end. You have to think he’d supply the club with state-of-the-art, cutting-edge technology, while mostly staying out of the way thanks to his mysterious nightlife that nobody seems to know anything about. Scrooge McDuck (DuckTales) This bird is absolutely loaded. How loaded you say? Well in 1956, it was estimated that McDuck had a net worth of “one multiplujillion, nine obsquatumatillion, six hundred and twenty-three dollars and sixty two cents.” and that was almost 70 years ago! He must be worth at least thirty multiplujillion in today’s valuation when taking inflation into account. Another interesting twist on his fit as the Twins’ owner is the fact that his nephew, Donald, is a well-known Disney star. It could be interesting to go from a billionaire nephew in Joe Pohlad, to a billionaire uncle in Scrooge McDuck. Willy Wonka (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) Right off the bat – I’m talking about the OG version of Wonka, Gene Wilder. Not that creep Johnny Depp. You think I’m trying to get canceled for this? Anyway, sugar is king in this country, and the Twins could use a sugar daddy. We know Wonka is great with promotions and marketing. He had eyes on his company from all over the world when he went through with his brilliant Golden Ticket giveaway. Maybe he can incorporate that type of creativity into the Twins’ ticket sales department. Actually this one is turning into my favorite on the list. Give me a chocolate river running through the Gate 34 plaza all day. Dr. John Hammond (Jurassic Park) What could go wrong? The tycoon behind the brilliant Jurassic Park experiment might just be the outside-the-box candidate this franchise needs as an owner. And yes, the execution behind a theme park centered around giant cloned dinosaurs was certainly flawed. But the idea was brilliant, otherwise they wouldn’t have tried to do it like five more times. The promotions would be astounding, to say the least. Instead of the mascot race, they could do a live feeding of TC Rex (who replaced that godless heathen, TC Bear, on day one). In lieu of a bullpen cart, they could have one of the triceratops carry in… I don't know. Scott Blewett or something. Not to mention the new concession items for the carnivores among us. Hope you like goat. Move over, Target Field. Welcome… to Targrassic Park (cue the music). What do you think? Which of these fictional billionaires would you like to see buy the Twins? Do any others come to mind? Let us know in the comments, and as always, keep it sweet. View full article

I hope you and Joe will forgive me.

The Hall of Fame catcher does not want to share the spotlight with his longtime positional rival, Buster Posey, who was just named the President of Baseball Operations with the San Francisco Giants Image courtesy of Purple Wolf Graphics After being inducted into the Hall of Fame in July, Joe Mauer thought he had it all. He’s an icon in his home state, he made hundreds of millions of dollars, and he has etched his name in the hallowed halls of Cooperstown thanks to an incredible career. But it’s not enough to satisfy his ultimate desire – to be better than Buster Posey. In a stunning move on Monday, the San Francisco Giants announced the dismissal of their President of Baseball Operations Farhan Zaidi, and that he’d be replaced by their longtime catcher. It left many baseball fans scratching their heads, but it left Mauer seething with anger. After all, the two catchers were compared to each other year after year for what felt like an eternity, with Posey usually edging Mauer when it came to career longevity, championships won, and the fact that he had a more-quintessential baseball name. “First of all, I’m not doing this just because of Buster – if that is his real name,” said Mauer as he reached between the cushions of his living room couch while seeking loose change. “I’m doing this because I care about this team and I want to see them succeed. And yes, I would also love to see the look on Posey’s smug face when I once again take the top headline from him.” Now, it takes more than desire to facilitate an ownership change. Mauer is going to need to find significant capital if he wants to entice the Pohlad family into selling their favorite cash cow. Estimates on the valuation of the MInnesota Twins is somewhere in the neighborhood of $1.8 billion, and that’s a lot of milk money. With that in mind, sources say that Mauer has enlisted his three children to help him raise money through a milk stand at the corner of their block. “I know they should probably be in school, but if we can scrounge up a few hundred million it will all be worth it,” said Mauer as he hung a ‘MAUERADE’ sign from a nearby light post. “Buster might have the bigger office for now, but I know the power of good ol’ 2% will get me on top eventually.” The rivalry between Mauer and Posey may not have gotten a ton of notoriety in their playing days, but sources say that tensions have been rising for the last couple of years. In fact, some claim that the speech that Mauer gave at his Hall of Fame inauguration was actually a backup that he had prepared, and his original plan was to roast the former Giants’ backstop for 20 minutes. But an old friend, Justin Morneau, was able to walk him back. “People don’t know this, but Joe is a very spiteful person behind closed doors,” Morneau said. “The only reason he moved to first base midway through his career was because I took his parking spot one time, so he decided he would take my job.” Many fans are warm to the idea of the club finding a new ownership group, and having it be the native son of Twins Territory likely appeals to multiple generations. Not only is Mauer a standout community member in the Twin Cities that garners respect from baby boomers and into Gen X, but he is the first Twins’ Hall of Famer that many Mauerllenials can remember watching in-person. “At the end of the day, I want to do it for the fans,” said Mauer as he dragged a cartful of his trophies into Pawn America. One of his Silver Slugger awards drops to the ground, leaving a small dent at the base. “And if the fans really care about me and this team, they’ll help me get the higher ground on that snake down by the bay.” View full article

Though he's merely days old, the Twins are hoping to maximize little Diland’s defensive versatility as the club tries to get back on track before the postseason. Image courtesy of Purple Wolf Graphics It’s well-known that the Twins aren’t afraid to rely on young talent, even when in the thick of a playoff hunt. But this newest development takes that notion to another level. Veteran catcher Christian Vázquez and his wife Gaby welcomed their third child on Monday, and reports have already come out saying the Twins are hoping to start teaching him to play second base as soon as they leave the hospital. “First of all, congratulations to the Vázquez family. We’re so happy for them during this special time,” said Twins President of Baseball Operations Derek Falvey. “With that said, I just have one message for sweet little Diland. Buckle up, kid. Time to grow up and contribute to what we’re trying to accomplish over these next few weeks.” Until now, the youngest player on the current Twins club was infielder Brooks Lee, who is 23.6 years old. But with the young Vázquez in the fold, the new leader in the young clubhouse is roughly 23.6 years younger. That inexperience, both on the field and on planet Earth, can make it difficult for most evaluators to get a firm grasp of an infant player’s potential tools going forward. But Twins Daily’s Jamie Cameron isn’t like most evaluators. “I see this kid having plus raw power if he can find his footing, but we’ll most likely have to wait for him to take his first steps before that happens. Right now, his carrying tool is yet to be determined,” Cameron said as he put the finishing touches on his first mock draft for the 2037 draft class. “As far as finding a defensive home, second base might be a stretch, but now is the time to figure these things out.” This is just the latest turn in a saga that has seen multiple young Twins stars move around the diamond in the name of defensive versatility. Just last week, star third baseman Royce Lewis was tasked with getting acquainted with second base, in an effort to give manager Rocco Baldelli as many in-game options as possible. Twins Daily sends our heartfelt congratulations to the Vázquez family, and we look forward to covering Diland’s on-field development as he navigates his professional career. He is expected to be the youngest Twin until Bailey Ober and his wife inevitably welcome their ninth child shortly. View full article