DJL44

True, but there's also little incentive to move quickly on that this offseason.

Well, considering I often watch baseball with the sound off completely I guess I'd agree. What's interesting about the sport is the athletes, the action on the field. The pitch clock was all about more action and less time waiting for the action to happen. The announcers are supposed to give context that helps the viewer appreciate the action. Anything that distracts from the actual game of baseball is going to hurt ratings, not help them. During the playoffs I was forced to watch the Pedro Martinez alternate broadcast once because Max was glitching on the main broadcast. There were some moments where the more casual presentation was entertaining but I couldn't wait to get back to the regular broadcast where I could see the game full-screen and hear the sounds of the game. I don't want to watch other people watch the game for the same reason I can't understand watching other people play video games instead of just playing video games but some people seem to like it. Maybe we need more "alternate" broadcasts. Put Provus and Gladden on for some and have three people chatting for others. I think that listening to an old ballplayer (or announcer) complain endlessly about how baseball was a lot better 30 or 40 years ago is annoying as hell. You don't hear that in other sports. I don't hear basketball announcers complaining that three-point shooters are ruining the game and I don't hear how rule changes to limit concussions have ruined football. I do like changing up the color announcer. Each individual person only has so many stories to tell. Getting a new perspective is a good thing over 162 games. I don't need a purely home-team perspective either.

The decision on Sonny Gray will come pretty quickly. If he returns then the rest of the shopping (bullpen, RH outfield bat) can take it's time.

Talking head programming is popular because it's cheaper to produce than scripted programming or even the sports highlight shows that used to run all day on ESPN. It costs relatively little to have someone sit and talk into a camera for a few hours. I'm actually surprised ESPN doesn't just run infomercials when they don't have a game to broadcast. I don't know what additional demographic you're trying to get with your suggestions. Is it just male football fans ages 25-55? It's certainly not women. The best way for the Twins to reach more viewers is to put more games on broadcast TV, fewer on premium cable channels and end the streaming blackouts. That's the main problem reaching their audience.

The Twins will NOT be broadcasting games for free next season. They won't be losing $55M. Pro sports is some of the most desired content on linear television. Apple TV just paid $85M to broadcast 2 games a week.

You mentioned the Power Trip morning show. Same difference.

But the league also got $100M extra from ESPN for the expanded playoffs, $85M for AppleTV+ and $30M from Peacock. That's $215M in yearly revenue that didn't exist a couple years ago.

Maybe this is how they make up the drop in broadcasting dollars - let the fans do play-by-play and auction it off to the highest bidder!

Counterpoint - cable TV is full of annoying talking head shows like you have proposed. ESPN runs those shows all day long. Young people obviously don't feel that programming is worth paying for. Why would they all of a sudden find it appealing during Twins broadcasts?

Not exactly true if you move him to the bullpen and only use him once through the lineup. Then you can deploy using the platoon advantage and leverage.

If that happens, I'd be looking for the exit. I'd prefer Provus and Gladden and I don't even like Gladden. Yuck.

For the love of god, quit having Gladden do commercials. Any voice actor would be better than Gladden's flat, uninterested delivery.

I like Nola better but the Twins will go with the guy they know. I think Snell is going to try to match Rodon's contract.

No, but he was worth $45M in 2023 so I like his chances to contribute $60M over the next 3 years.

If those are the prices I want Nola. The Twins should take Gray back for 3/$60M.

That would definitely not win the bidding.

I hope the Twins don't impose financial austerity to bring the payroll down to $125M. That would be a drop to 20th in MLB. It would be unfortunate to see management starve a contending team of resources.

Joe Ryan and Kenta Maeda had ERA around 4.3 and their combined W/L record was 17-18. The Twins would have been much worse off without them. Sale could be reasonably expected to give the 2024 Twins at least what they got from Maeda in 2023. A lefthanded Maeda would have been very useful for playoff matchups. Ray wouldn't be able to help until after the All-Star break but that means he would be available for the playoffs. Freeland can help even if he doesn't improve much. There will be plenty of innings to eat, unless you want to give those innings to Winder and Woods-Richardson. He may have the least upside but also costs the least. I would rather have Montgomery or Snell but they're going to want $100M to $120M free agent contracts [or higher, Carlos Rodon got 6 years $162M]. Snell will also cost a draft pick to sign.

There is a chance, for a few reasons. The Twins had one of the least lucrative local TV contracts to begin with, so that helps minimize the downside. Also, the Twins only get half the local TV revenue and the rest is shared with the league which cuts the downside (and the upside) in half. Diamond Sports was making more TV revenue than the contract cost them, just not enough to pay the debt service incurred when they spun off the company. A broadcast partner with less debt would still make money paying the Twins the same amount. The Twins are going to look to increase their TV audience next season even if they have to take a short term revenue hit. An increase in the TV audience has benefits for attendance, merchandise sales and the value of advertising sold inside the stadium.

There are more options. This list is not exhaustive. For example, Julio Urias is a great option if you only consider his stats on the back of the baseball card but he's facing a felony assault charge that makes it unlikely he will play baseball next season. These pitchers should be easy to acquire and look like they could actually help the Twins. I wouldn't expect any of these pitchers to be traded until after the free agent lefty starters find a new home.

Montgomery has been good in the playoffs and Rodriguez, despite having a ring, has not. That will change the market. Rodriguez is a solid lefthanded starter but he's also going to want to get paid. I don't think any of the 3 trade targets I suggested would cost much to acquire. Do people really think there will be a big market for Chris Sale?

I think he may benefit more from an organizational change. The Rockies pitching development is like the Terry Ryan era Twins.

It looks like $10M of his paycheck is deferred 15 years. That should make him even more attractive to the Twins. They would only have to pay him $17.5M next season and could put the rest in the bank for 15 years. That drops the salary cost by almost $3M. The Red Sox might hold onto Sale until the deadline to see if they can get more prospect value in return.

There are two lefty free agents who are better pitchers - Snell and Montgomery - but they'll have to outbid other teams for them. Chris Sale's peripherals were great last year: fastball velocity got up to 97 MPH and statcast likes his movement on the offspeed pitches. Being a flyball pitcher in Fenway doesn't complement him well.

It's simply to have the platoon advantage. There are certain lineups where a LHP matches up better than a RHP who may be better in general.