NYCTK

That's a good question, but completely besides the point. The point is the fans don't care about those 'what could have beens' if the organization keeps doing everything they can to win when they have the chance. Those three turned into Soto who turned into Michael King (while hurt has been really strong). If the Padres won the world series this year do you think the fans would look back and regret the GMs hyper active mentality? Worrying about what propsects MIGHT become is how you become a timid front office that languishes in mediocrity.

If your deadline is years in the future, what's the harm in getting more of your team to view a project?

This was the opposite of my read on him last year. Despite his speed he seemed to be a low baseball IQ guy with deceptively bad defense. Could have just been a bad run, and I concur he should be playing every game essentially for the next two months, perhaps even 8.

And if they are I just wish they'd let me know! I can make some money off this. But seriously, I don't think anyone's TRYING to lose. There are legitimate organizational reasons to keep some players in the minors, whether it's go get more coaches looks at the new players like Bradley, or the manipulation of service time for compensatory picks with Keaschall.

Fair! I'll let them be on their own island lol

Very reminiscent of the Sprewell quote! I will never criticize a player for grabbing the bag. But the tone deafness to say $300 Million is necessary to feed your family, as if $200 million doesn't cover that.

I'm gonna miss the cringe I felt when hearing twins fans boo Jose Altuve.

I understand the frustration, but were you disappointed in the Cheap Pohalds with the Walker Jenkins pick? Or the Royce Lewis pick? This was discussed in a different thread but there is some negative incentives to bring up players that you perceive as your future too. For example Luke Keaschall is better served to stay in AAA through this month for one reason - if he retains rookie status and makes the opening day roster next year and stays on the major league roster the Twins get an additional pick between the 1st and 2nd rounds. That's true for the likes of Rodriguez and any other prospect that hasn't met rookie minimums yet.

Weren't you just mocking someone else for building a strawman? Name a single person that's EVER said that.

Both of these players were on the opening day roster. That's why no one should be surprised how this season went.

Checking Tankathon every week now to see how badly the Twins have to play to increase their lottery odds.

After two consecutive trade deadlines (and the offseason between) of doing nothing to either improve the roster or the farm system, the organization was in rough shape. Imagine we went back in time and Falvey had the balls to make some moves. Trading Brooks Lee for Max Scherzer? Bringing in Josh Bell for Austin Martin and Kyle Farmer? Mark Canha for Pierson Ohl? Those are all approximate comps for what they were sold for. Would the Twins Organization really miss those pieces if those additions helped the team in the postseason? Or, let's go back and think how this team would look if they were more proactive in selling soon to be free agents in those years. Selling Sonny Gray for two comp level prospects? Selling Max Kepler for a prospect? Michael A Taylor could bring a lottery ticket. Santana last year? Could these actions have brought in a few interesting athletes that could have supplemented who they considered their core? These seem like incremental things but it compounds and not doing anything for three straight windows is just sad. Look at the Padres. They decided they have the star power and want to repeatedly sell off their farm in order to keep pressing for the championship. They haven't gotten there yet but the fans love that team and the GM as a result. Will it be a rough few years when the bill comes due for constantly selling the future? Maybe. But maybe not. Falvey went above what I thought he would, but I applaud him for finally doing something. (but he should still be fired)

Heck, even the Orioles traded 9 this trade deadline. But only a few were under control, some relievers and a middle infielder I believe?

Don't think this is necessarily the reason, but there are benefits to having them retain prospect status with respects to the draft. For example, if I understand correctly, if Luke Keaschall fails to exceed 130 PAs this season but then starts the year on the 26 man roster next year and stays with the big league club all season, then the Twins would receive an additional draft pick between the 1st and 2nd round? I could be wrong on that. But there's some (reverse) incentives like that.

They can still resign them if they really wanted. I don't fully agree. But I discussed why so we can agree to disagree there. Their GM is very agrresive in this current window. They are at or near the end of a very competitive window and they and their fans have no real interest in any prospects that aren't immediately potential superstars. Yes, Abel has a good chance of being Ober but no real shot of being Ryan. Tait is interesting because he could develop into one, but that's in 3+ years. The Phillies have a very good core of players and a real chance to win the World Series this season. This is textbook way to bolster a bullpen on a competitor. Patch it together as best you can and then pounce for reinforcements when you're ready to push in some chips and go for it. We saw three teams build "super bullpens" this trade deadline in the Phillies, Mets, and Yankees. And if you ask baseball people how much they paid to put them together the answer will be fair, but not a ton. Simple fact is Twins have no reason for a good closer right now. Nor next season. And the fickle nature of relievers means betting on them for 3 years is a fool's bet.

I'm optimistic that 2026 is analogous to 2000, which means it's going to be rough but a lot of pieces starting to fall in place. The next year playing fun exciting baseball that brings the fans back. Unfortunately, that means 2028 is the actual year we should probably expect any level of success, but I'm being optimistic and looking towards 2027!

I'll take the under, comfortably. I'd probably take the under on 115 too. Let's check back in in 3 years. 😁

Even WITH the 2024 season his numbers the last 3 seasons on his $200M contract are pretty pedestrian. 108 OPS+ with declining defensive and baserunning ability as well. The Giants and the Mets were fortunate not to sign him. And that's just a fact.

The berrios trade has worked out fine actually. Woods Richardson has matched the value Berrios would have brought in his last season. And there's still a chance Austin Martin provides some value if he's miraculously learned how to play a competent OF.

It doesn't raise eyebrows for me in the slightest. 5 players traded were gone at the end of the season regardless. I think Falvey did a pretty poor job of getting returns for these players but the Willi and Bader trades did bring in some talent. Correa, as discussed has some real baseball benefits to it. He was expensive, and that contract was really bad. So the question is about 4 relievers under control. And the simple fact is baseball executives do not value bullpen arms very highly. And it's easy to see why. Danny Coulombe (perhaps the most underrated RP in all of baseball) was signed for 3M and traded for next to nothing. RP, even the best RP, are just failed starters. Baseball execs think they're able to take their AAAA failed starters and turn them into good relievers, and they're often right.

Twins aren't alone in their sycophantic commentators, but that's not necessarily a requirement. The Twins have one of the worst booths in baseball largely because of the extreme Company Line nature of it (in addition to most of their color men being without charisma).

I just don't buy the prevailing idea now that these weren't baseball decisions. As many have pointed out, if it was financially driven then trading Varland makes no sense. That was a baseball decision. You don't have to agree with it, but there is solid roster construction baseball driven reasoning behind it. Same with Correa. That while working out financially, is a baseball decision. For whatever reason his tenure just didn't work out. He was a pretty good player with the Twins, but starting to look like a liability, both financially and on the field. Could he have stuck around and been a veteran presence like see with Baez in Detroit? Maybe. But we also know he was campaigning to take Royces position in the background because even he knew he wasn't going to be a very good SS going forward. He might still be a 115 OPS+ guy for the remainder of his contract but as a 3B that runs poorly, is that really that valuable for a team doing a reset?

The Fans on here clamoring for C depth aren't wrong. Next season's catching is going to be the biggest challenge. Jeffers probably not worth a Qualifying Offer and won't do an extension so you have to decide are you going to trade him in the off-season? Are you going to try to compete and then have the option to trade him mid season if things don't go well (which they won't). And with no real options in AAA, that leaves you with TWO catchers to replace for the '27 season. You have two pretty decent prospects but they're both in A+ and shouldn't be counted on any earlier than 2028. So what's the plan to fill that hole in 2027, the year I expect the Twins to be competitive?

I wouldn't say dismal. 4.70 ERA is not* what you hope to see, disappointing, but dismal? I'm very optimistic about him. Not as high as Joe Ryan, but higher than Ober or anyone else. He's comfortably the third best starter next season imo (barring further sell off). But I'm mostly poking fun at you putting Taj in quotes. That's why I put a short response in quotes. BTW you beat me to the comment about not caring about Falvey. We're on the same wavelength there.

Don't tell my boss.