DocBauer

To be honest, I'm having a hard time with this list. I mean, how can I say no to Gray's age 34-36 seasons and then say yes to some longer deals for a different arm that will incorporate some of those same years? I love Gray, I think he's got tread on the tires still, knows how to pitch, is a great leader, and while his peripherals may never match 2023 again, he's just good. However, I do worry about age and injury and 2023 being the most starts and IP in 3+ years. I don't believe he's going to be AS GOOD as he was this past season, but for 3yrs and a little over $60M, he's near the top of my list. I have a soft spot for LH SP and sure wish the Twins had one. But despite a solid career with a couple great seasons, I'm just not able to trust Snell for that much and those years. He walks a ton, and except for 2018 and 2023, he's never thrown more than 129 innings. I like Montgomery and Rodriguez better. And when I look at both of their careers, back and forth, I don't see a lot to tip the scales either way. ERA and FIP and WHIP are so close. Rodriguez is only slightly better in BB/9 but Montgomery has the slightly better WHIP. But Rodriguez has a better K rate almost 2 more per 9 IP, and has been "doing it" at the ML level longer than Montgomery, even though he's about 6 months younger. BUT, Nola is my #1, hands down. He's durable, tosses a ton of IP, gets a ton of K's, and has a fine BB/9 and WHIP. His career FIP is below his very solid career ERA. His ERA, FWIW, jumped above 4 in 2021 and 2023. But overall, his peripherals were still excellent, a bit more so in '21. He won't turn 31yo until June of 2024. As long as the consistent 180-200 IP per season don't start to suddenly wear on him, I'm perfectly fine with a 5yr deal for him. $25M per season? No problem. If I'm the Twins...even with some questions about $ and TV contracts/payroll for 2024 and a spike in '25, I'd think about front loading the deal while a lot of my roster was still pretty young and inexpensive, and "buy down" his last couple of years. I MIGHT even bump a year or two another $M or two. If I could get him for 5yrs at $125M the day FA began, I'd be on his doorstep with a contract and pen in hand. I might even bring a couple pens, just in case, LOL. IMO, he's one of those guys who is often thought of as really good, but he's not GREAT. I mean, he's not a Scherzer or Verlander in their prime. And then you look a little closer at what he's done so far, and still only 30yrs old until June of '24, and he might have a couple even better seasons than he's had previously over the next 3yrs or so, and he might end up as a bargain at around $25M per. #1] Nola. Get the contract ready! #2] Rodriguez. ESPECIALLY if I could get him for $18M per on 5yrs. Again, why not front load a bit for the first few years if you can. #3] Gray. Keep what you have and what you know. He might not be as good as what he was in 2023, but he's had great success as a Twin, and you probably love what he gives you for at least the first 2 yrs. DARK HORSE OPTION: Never been a huge Giolito fan. But he's been very good for stretches. Still not yet 30yo and throwing OK numbers before trades and waivers had him bouncing around to a pair of teams to finish with nightmarish numbers to end his season, could he be a smart signing? Imagine control of his changeup again and the Twins doing what they did with Lopez and re-shaping his breaking pitch. Again, possible steal of a signing based on projections? I've listed my top 3. And for once, I wish the FO would make an actual FA investment that they feel good about and not go the trade route. I DON'T believe in building a staff via the FA route. It just never pays off in the end, final chapter, etc. But I do believe there is a collection of arms available this offseason that don't break the bank, or offer massive negative returns on 3-5yr deals that cripple a franchise. I'm still inclined to believe they will go the trade route, and I will refrain from speculation on such at this time. But the FO has surprised us previously, and may do so again. I just look at what's here and what's coming up, and I just really want them to hold on to that for right now and see how it develops and FOR ONCE, toss their cards in one ONE arm that they really believe in. If they're right, they can then focus on the lineup, the pen, extensions, and OTHER young arms being developed and coming up.

So the Twins, generally speaking, spend 50-54% "ish" of total revenues for their payroll. This is based on previously mentioned topics of the same, as well as other comments that the FO/ownership is spending "more than they always feel comfortable with". Hence a proposed variation of 50-54%. With the Twins losing out on the $55M from Bally, that means a drop in payroll revenue of approximately $28M. Now, if they sign a new deal with WHOEVER at this point, and that deal is for...oh...$30M per year, that is approximately $15M to put towards payroll. That's a loss of $13M. That shouldn't be devastating to the Twins. A small bump here or there from network deals, a small increase in additional advertisement dollars, should all be options to help offset that amount and keep the Twins at least close to where they were this season, even if they don't increase for 2024. Heck, moving on from Farmer covers half that $13M by itself. The Twins would not appear to be in a dangerous financial situation at this time. That being said, to echo other comments, they aren't in a desperate situation anywhere on the roster. The only real hole is ONE quality SP to add. It could be Gray, or someone similar. It's possible they re-sign Maeda, or someone of similar quality. And that should be the floor, Maeda, similar, at a minimum. Since it is the #1 priority, I could see it done via trade or FA signing/re-sign before New Years Eve. I mean, you know what you need, you have a good idea what's available, why not get your #1 priority taken care of? After that, I can easily see the FO sit back and wait until after the Jan 1st to address the rest. They have generally been rewarded for their patience when they do so. And I'm fine with that strategy, even if it's boring from a fan's perspective, LOL. But I have and will continue to advocate to move earlier on priority #1 before sitting back.

Actually, sorry I read this post. The Twins should trade the future for 1 or more HIGH PRICED FA to be, more or less. Hey, I'm OK to improve the team and WIN! But let's pause for a moment to reflect on what should be the primary 2024 Twins lineup. Young talent like Wallner, Lewis, Julien, and a healthy Kirilloff are a great start. All 4 were pretty damn good when given the chance, and AK was the team's best hitter for about 2 months before he dived and hurt his shoulder. Reports are he'll be fine. I admit to being wrong about Kepler. Always a fan, I was ready to move on after 3 poor seasons and a bad early 2023. And THEN, he suddenly seemed to adjust. The whole "shift thing" was NEVER the issue. It was always about him just smacking the hell out of the ball when he made contact! And a couple of weeks is one thing. But a half season plus is different. I think he finally realized how natural his ability is. And he can trust now more in his approach going forward. So NOTHING ever works out exactly as planned. But let's play out a little fantasy baseball at this point. LF, RF, 3B, SS, 1B, 2B combo, catcher combo, 20 HR plus. Assuming, for a moment, generall health. Wallner is easily a 20 HR batter if not 30. Kepler is easily 20+, especially if we can believe in his 2/3 season turn around. Lewis is Lewis at this point. AK was the Twins best overall hitter for 2 months, finally hitting his ceiling, for diving for a ball and messing up his shoulder. Reports are he'll be fine. GREAT! (NEVER do that again). A healthy Correa is a legit 20 HR hitter. And our catching platoon is a legitimate 20 HR platoon. And Julien is a 20 HR bat with a solid OB % and seemingly clutch opportunity. IIRC, the Twins were #2 in runs scored post break. And I believe they tied the Rangers for most AL HR. And their offense was lead by young talent and a few veterans. So they should suddenly do what? Make a massive signing for an offensive FA that will be gone? Trade top prospects for a 1yr bat who will cost $500M instead of keeping what they have? HELLO to the Anegls for ZERO products produced despite having probably the best two players in the world. [Heavy sigh] what did I say about regretting reading this post?. My bad! On to pizza and TV worth watching.

Eduardo Rodriguez asks you to hold his beer. Snell might be better. Too expensive for the Twins and their approach to FA arms. Montgomery and Rodriguez are so close in age and peripherals from what I've looked at. But Montgomery is riding a hot streak right now. Does that increase his value? Again, I think the Twins will look toward a trade for a younger arm with control for at least a year. And there are questions about the TV deal and such. BUT, IF they went the FA route, they supposedly inquired about a 3 team deal that moved Gray to someone, and brought Rodriguez back. Might have just been rumor. But IF, the FO was inclined to ACTUALLY break the Twins previous FA record for a FA SP signing, Rodriguez might be the choice. His career numbers are pretty solid, and his FIP is better than his career ERA. His K per 9 is about dead on with 9 per. His WHIP isn't great, but is solid. At 30yo, do they see something to unlock to take him to another level as a very good #3, with potential to be a #2? In other words, is he a Lopez kind of addition, but via FA rather than trade? I'm not sold on Sale for a variety of reasons. Ray does nothing for 2023. Freeland I don't trust at all. And Sale is going to be out of any Twins price range. Now, it's been a while since the Darvish and Wheeler days of signing speculation. And I still think the FO is going to concentrate on what's on hand, what's coming up, and probably making a trade for someone to replace Gray...assuming the market doesn't dip and thus make Gray affordable. So many IF's right now in regard to the TV deal, and the impending market. And the Twins aren't the only team to be done with Bally, or almost done. There might be ripple affects. Or, there might not be. I'd be very interested in someone like Rodriguez, if it's true the Twins like him and see something in him to raise the ceiling. He's LH, solid, 3yrs younger than Gray, averaged just shy of 6 IP per start last season, and might be a smart 3yr $60-66M sign. But then again, who knows, the Mets might go crazy and sign him for 6yrs at $25M per just because they can! It would be nice to have a quality LH in the rotation for various reasons. But I really just want the best and deepest rotation I can get, regardless of handedness. I just think Rodriguez is someone to keep an eye on. I just don't expect a major SP FA signing. I expect a trade. And then I expect a cheap FA signing on a milb deal for depth.

Also, to a lesser degree, it breaks up the opponents lineup and approach at least once in a series. And, to a lesser extent, if you have a pair of quality RH arms who are similar in velocity and approach, the LH provides a break between those arms, assuming he's of similar quality.

I understand hope and misgivings concerning Polanco. But while his debut was slowed in 2023, his quad slash line was right about career norms across the board. There's life there, no doubt. Again, the question might be does he STAY with the Twins, or does someone really value him for their hole at 2B. To echo chpettit19, Lee won't sit on the bench and back anyone up. If he's not playing almost daily, he'll be at St Paul. That leaves room for Farmer at around $6M, which is pricey, but could be smart. He backs up Correa well...though Lewis and Castro and Polanco can as well...and can start at 2B against LH arms with Polanco spelling Kirilloff at 1B. Polanco can also DH once in a while. Now, whether or not the Twins can afford Farmer for one more season is TBD, but I'd sure like to see him back. Lee will force his way on the roster eventually, and/or, there will be injuries to provide opportunity. And say he's fully ready mid year, the Twins might have a trade chip or two to send out. But let's not pretend the Twins haven't had more than their share of bad luck with injuries. Lee is no reserve, he's a top prospect. But it's nice to have that kind of depth available. Same with, possibly, Prato. And I can see a scenario where Polanco sort of assumes the roll that Solano played this past season, only as a switch hitter. And we've got another switch hitter at AAA in Severino that might end up as an OK defender at 3 spots, but a powerful bat. Maybe not to open the season, but eventually. So there IS a lot of flexibility now, and in the near future. I just don't feel any need to rush Lee to the ML club, no matter how much potential, when we have some great options to begin the season with. Oh, shoot, did we forget there's a chance a healthy Miranda rebounds? So no to Lee as a reserve. Yes to room for Farmer if the budget can keep him for one more year. I'll save the OF for another day, but they obviously need a contingency plan for Buxton. The question will be a veteran like Taylor until Martin is ready, or, budget concerns that have them gamble on Martin or Keirsey, etc, early. And while this OP is about Lee, let's not forget that we could almost change the headline to MARTIN instead of LEE, and have almost the identical debate about roster construction.

I really liked the 2022 draft an awful lot. But once you got past Lee in the 1st round, and the HOPE of Prielipp after him, the guys I really liked the most were Matthews, Lewis, and Culpepper. I liked Matthews and Lewis due to their length and the idea of adding velocity, the ball jumping on batters, and, of course, the fact that it seemed like each had at least one more solid offering at this point. Culpepper doesn't have the height/length of those other two, but he's still 6' 3". And he was only 20yo when drafted, didn't turn 21yo until the offseason, didn't play for a particularly large program, and didn't throw a ton of innings until his 2022 season. That spoke to "under developed" to me, with perhaps a low floor, but a good ceiling. So far, he's looked petty impressive. Really like just about everyone from that draft so far, but next to Lee, the arms are what's really intriguing.

Granted. I sure wouldn't pencil him in for 160 games, that's for sure. But sharing 2B with Julien...possibly Farmer depending on $ and final roster construction...and appearing at DH and maybe some 1B let's him "rest" his legs a bit. A healthy or semi healthy Polonco is a great ballplayer. And I'd rather pick up the option and take a little more time with Lee than just move on. He's definitely got miles on him. He might be 30yo but I think his legs are about 4-5yrs older. But I think there's still some tread left on him. Of course, someone like Seattle might agree and want to package a solid arm back to us for him. If so, you gotta think about that.

I think Lee is going to very good, if not great. And frankly, I couldn't care less which if he and Lewis plays 3B or 2B, they're both going to play. But isn't putting your very best team together always the goal? If so...and there could be financial limitations of course...why wouldn't you keep Polanco for this season? Lee was solid in AAA, but what guarantee is there that he's ready from day 1 to take a job and let the very good Polanco walk? Now, a trade of Polanco for help elsewhere is also a possibility, but still removes him from the team. And, in theory, means giving Lee a job. (Based on the general sentiment of the thread). Lee has 1 full year of pro ball and a couple additional months. He's very close. He himself says he's still working on some things. So why not keep Polanco and let Lee continue to work, and grow, and be ready when he's shown he's ready and opportunity presents itself? I can't wait to see him up. But I'm not so impatient for that day that I want to rush him in favor of shedding a very good veteran ballplayer like Polanco.

The Twins need SOMEONE to play CF besides Buxton. You just have to assume you won't have Byron, and then be grateful for as many games as you get out of him. Should that someone be Taylor is the question. And I think it might come down to how much the FO likes/believes in Martin. If they feel he's nearly ready, we really just need a solid fill-in for a few months. Why not Taylor then? I might expect the power to drop, but see his SB numbers rise. The defense is still outstanding. And I don't think the Twins will be looking for a long term replacement in CF for 2024. So Taylor on another 1 year deal might make the most sense.

To echo jorgenswest, he was promoted pretty quickly. And honestly, I don't think Detroit has done much to develop their young talent the past few years. So I don't know that Castro simply hasn't grown and improved as a ballplayer. It's definitely possible 2023 was an aberration and he will regress, at least somewhat. But isn't it just as possible he continues to improve, even slightly, instead? I really like his skill set and think his INF defense is quite good. I wouldn't be surprised to see him there more in '24. Here's hoping for a positive step forward for the kid instead of one back.

I really wish more people would be considering him. I get he's a late bloomer...slowed by some injuries earlier in his career...but he really had a very nice 2022. In 135 games he slashed .258/ .337/ .432/ .769 and 46 XBH, which included 20 HR. He also stole 40 bases in 45 chances and scored 101 runs and drove in 60 In 38 games this past season...slightly less than a third of 2022 due to injuries...he produced at an even higher clip: .302/ .367/ .544/ .911 with 20 XBH and 8 stolen bases in 9 tries. He scored 31 runs and drove in 40. Take those numbers and times them by 3...figuring a full season like he had in 2022...and he pretty much exceeds his 2022 numbers. No question he's a late bloomer, and probably never a starter, much less a star. But he's go bat ability and a nice combination of speed and pop, and he can play 7 positions. He's got a good chance to be a solid and versatile bench option at some point in 2024, and perhaps beyond. A RH version of Castro, if you will. He's not in the same potential category as Lee, Martin, or perhaps Severino...but he's a rookie that I think has a chance to make a mark this next season.

This is where I'm at. I'm so surprised by short term memory. Varland DEBUTED at Yankee stadium in 2022 and was solid where a lot, if not most, rookies, might melt. And while he wasn't great, he had a solid rookie debut in 5 starts. If memory recalls correctly, didn't he also win a game against the WS Astros? As pointed out by the quote in my post, Varland got his shot at the rotation after Ober. But he was also good to very good for his first 5 or 6 starts. And then the HR bug hit. And now we hear about his new sweeper. And I get why Rocco would get excited about another quality arm for his pen and think the guy could be "lights out". But we still have ZERO idea if Varland is a #2 or a #4 SP right NOW. Why on earth would you move a potential #2-3 starting pitcher to the pen this early? I think he might be a good to great RP. And I object to the whole age idea in regard to prospects, not just due to covid and missing a year, but to prospects needing more than a solid half season or so to firmly establish how good they might be. I LIKE what I've seen from Varland as a starter initially. I'd love to see what his new sweeper is like in his repertoire as a starter. And I believe that's where he should be for now. I WANT another 2023 debate how it's unfair "someone" has to begin the season in AAA. Varland might just turn out to be a great RP. But I would never turn a rotation arm to the pen this early with the stuff he's got.

The thing I keep thinking back to is a recent comment made by Tom Froemming in a video. As he basically said, the FO/ownership knew all about the TV situation for some time now, and still went out and signed Correa, and signed the extension for Lopez. So while there might not be an easy answer as to what to do, or how it will all play out, I don't think they made those kinds of moves thinking to themselves: "well, I hope we win big in 2023 because after that, it's all downhill for a couple of years." Again, not sure how it's all going to work out, but I don't see payroll going up, as it has pretty regularly the past few seasons. But I am hoping it will stay at $150M with a new deal, maybe a few more $M coming from as of yet unknown source(s) like some new advertising, and FO/ownership pushing more towards a 55-60% spending threshold of total revenue. (at least in the short term). They've got roughly $30-31M to work with if that happens. And that's keeping all 3 of Polanco, Kepler, AND Farmer, if I understand correctly. So if one of those is not kept, or moved, they would have another $6-10M to work with. That should be enough for a quality starter, and one more good bat somewhere. Possibly a solid but not grossly expensive pen addition or re-sign, (can't believe I'm actually, maybe, probably, in favor of Pagan back), and set up an inexpensive, milb flier offer to a SP depth option. It's all a question of at least keeping the payroll at status quo. And I just can't believe they are remotely blind-sided by the loss of the Bally contract. So no matter how this turns out, I don't see any kind of big cut.

"Kyle Farmer: Actually no I like him he works really hard he plays the game the right way and isn't afraid to get dirty I'd let him date my daughter." PRICELESS!!

I've been torn on where he should be. But I guess I am still on the side of keeping him as a SP initially. If he builds up that arm...even with some careful monitoring...and can be a legit, quality rotation option in the near future, who cares if he's 26 or 27yo? Having 4-6 years of quality performance isn't as good as 8-10 years, but it sure doesn't stink! And being able to monitor him on an IP leash still allows him to work on all of his pitches, at least for now. I do have a feeling he's still going to end up in the pen eventually as even with a re-built elbow, gut instinct still tells me he's not built to eat innings, but to be dominate in 1-2 of them. And I think that's what's going to happen. I can see a fast track where he's with the Twins by the break in that role. But letting him work on ALL of his pitches and just see what he looks like as a starter makes sense to me to begin with.

Nope, you're not an idiot at all. I have him high on my list for replacing Gray if A} Gray doesn't come back, B} They can't pull off another Gray/Lopez deal, or C} Can't pull off something like a 3yr $60M-ish + FA deal for someone like Eduardo Rodriguez. Honestly, I think he'd be more durable in 2024 than 2023 simply because the recovery is over, he's at full strength, and I think he's got at least one more good season left in him. He's not about velocity. He just needs enough of it to make everything else work, and it did once he came back from his IL stint. But I don't think he's worth $20M. I do think he's worth around $15 or so a year, whether it be 1yr or a 2yr deal. And if you offer him the QO, I'd bet he jumps at it. I think that would pretty much preclude the Twins from any sort of Gray reunion, or a quality FA, and might cut off any trade options that could potentially bring in a younger, even better option. Keep in contact. Let him know you are interested. But I don't see the QO making sense.

Yes, it might indeed by difficult to replace what Solano did for the Twins in 2023. That seems especially true when you look at the list of other "candidates" of production that were monitored. But it doesn't mean the guy to replace Solano's production is Solano. His 2nd half was not as good as the 1st half. He's going to be 37yo. He has very little power. He's limited defensively, though honestly, I don't think he looked awful at any of the 3 spots we saw him at. I sit firm and comfortable in the middle of the Helman bandwagon. The Twins brought him to camp as a non 40 man invite as they saw something in him following 2022. Unfortunately, from a hamstring, to a concussion, to a dislocated shoulder, he lost a lot of this past season. But he was really good when he did play! He's got speed, pop/power, and can/has played all 7 spots on the field. And I will repeat what I've said previously, if he was healthy, I don't think you would have ever seen Luplow on the roster. I have finally become convinced Martin is going to be pretty good...if not really good...following a strong end to 2022 and his AFL performance. His 2nd half of this year...when finally healthy...wasn't great, but it was really good. I can honestly see him being the primary CF for the Twins in the 2nd half of 2024, though I'm hoping it won't come to that. (fingers perpetually crossed for Buxton health). It's also possible he plays the whole year with the Twins in a OF utility role. (he doesn't really NEED to play 2B/3B, but he can). Does Williams get a shot as a 1B/DH/#3 C? There might be room/fit for him. If Miranda shows up healthy and looks like his 2022 self, problem solved. He can fill in at both corner INF spots and DH and provide solid contact with power. After his milb breakout in 2021 and how good he looked for the bulk of 2022, he shouldn't be dismissed so easily. If our biggest concern is simply 1B, why not Polanco? I like the idea of Polanco being able to play almost daily...mostly at 2B of course...but also able to fill in at 3B/SS and 1B as necessary. If Farmer is kept, he can play 2B, Polanco can play 1B, problem solved. I have little doubt Solano will be available late in FA, or early in ST like he was last season. I'm grateful for everything he did to contribute to the team's success this past year. But I don't see him as being the replacement for himself.

No on Sano for so many reasons. No on Hicks as I think I'd trust Taylor more for the role needed and how he'd fill it, and Martin should be pretty close. I do like the Odorizzi idea, which I've stated previously, on a milb with an opt out that, hopefully, gives an opt out until at least Jube 1st, if not July 1st. Both parties are familiar with one another, he was a good fit when here, and it costs little to bring him in for insurance on a chance to prove he's OK and back after pretty much taking 2023. First priority is finding someone to replace Gray, if not Gray. And there are some OK and some good arms projected at AAA, but also a lot of uncertainty as some guys need to prove themselves still. So someone like Oddo on the cheap makes a ton of sense.

A little disingenuous to comment at all on Buxton, Lewis, and Stevenson in regard to any aversion the Twins have to stealing bases. Buxton was never good enough physically to play even an inning in CF, was basically shut down thr last half of the season, and still stole 9 bases in 9 tries despite practically needing help to his feet every time. Royce was 6 and 1 in 7 attempts while playing in less than 60 games at the ML level, and coming off surgery. Stevenson was only up a few weeks, saw limited playing time, and went 4 and 1 in 5 attempts in his very limited time. While elite speed isn't the only requisite to being successful at stealing bases, better than average speed sure helps. A good jump helps. The ability to read a pitcher to get that jump, or go on the right pitch, also helps. Very few successful SB percentage players...I'm not talking 5 or 6 over a full seasos...don't have at least slightly above average speed. The Twins have been more focused on SB in the minors the past few seasons, via draft and signings. I didn't expect Taylor to hit as many HR as he did, but I expected more SB. However, some back and hamstring issues undoubtedly held hum back. Were he back as CF depth in 2024, I think you'd see the HR total drop some and his SB attempts rise. Martin is the next guy up to add speed and a SB threat. Julien has shown before he can steal double digits. Depending on how the 40 man and St Paul roster shake out, guys like Helman, Keirsey, and Stevesnon might all be around/available and offer speed and SB possibilities. I'd also expect a few more opportunities from Lewis over a full season...do we dare dream about an even slightly more healthy Buxton..l I embrace the idea of having more speed, overall, and swiping some more bags. But stealing a bunch at 60-70% success rate is NOT successful. More is a good idea. But more while maintaining a 80% ish successful rate is where a difference can be made. The Twins ran much more in 2023. I think that trend will continue, and I think there's more speed on the way. But I don't think they have been reluctant to attempt steals at all. I think they've begun running more when they have guys who can, have picked good spots to do so, and have been adding speed where they can over the past couple of years.

I'd love to have Gray back. He's high quality, a gamer, and a leader. But I just don't see the Vikings offering 3yrs and $65-70M for someone in their age 34-36 seasons. I believe they are looking for another Gray/Lopez kind of deal. But on the FA market, the guy I like is Eduardo Rodriguez. He's LH, 3yrs younger than Gray, and there were rumors at the deadline of a 3 team deal that included him and Gray, with Rodriguez coming to Minnesota. That tells me the Twins are interested, and see something to work on and tweak to take him to the next level. I think they might still need a flier, probably/hopefully on a milb deal for depth. Someone to sit at St Paul to begin the season, more than likely, working their way back. I'm just super curious and intrigued about Dan Hayes's suggestion of the rehabbing Jake Odorizzi. Just makes a ton of sense.

I'd take an identical season in 2024 and be very happy. The only negative I really saw all year was a handful of games where he just nicked and blooped to death in some innings and couldn't seem to get out of them. I don't know if that's experience or a certain pitch he could throw better. Nothing wrong with trying to get better. I'm just not sure how much better he can get other than a few less of those innings.

1] Having 2 quality catchers is HUGE, even if one is obviously the better offensively. (The one who is becoming the primary backstop). 2] COMBINED cost of Vazquez and Jeffers next season is around $13M I believe. Of, slightly more than Gallo this last year, or Kepler or Polanco this upcoming season. This is easily affordable. 3] While nothing backstops are solid as a brick wall, it's hard to expect another full season from both with not a single game missed. Camargo is a good looking #3 who is going to get his shot at some point. 4] Coming off a down year offensively, the Twins would almost certainly have to eat a little of Vazquez's deal, unless some team were really desperate and willing to take it all on. But what's he worth on the return side? And is saving even $6-7M worth it while shortening the position for a kid who hasn't seen a ML pitch yet and then having virtually nothing for the #3 spot? Vazquez is more than worth keeping, is not a financial burden, and should be on the 2024 roster unless someone comes knocking with a hell of an offer.

FIRST, I'm going to be the BAD GUY here and state that I'm worried about losing over $50M from TV revenue and how much of it can be replaced by whatever deal(s) come in to play. For the first time in years, I'm worried about a potential loss in payroll, and betting there won't be a raise for the first time in a few years. NOT being a downer, just stating a fact none of us want to see happen. Right now, I'm hoping for at least a status quo. BUT, there's a TON we don't know yet, and that's an entirely different discussion for a different day. And I want to focus on the OP. I understand and appreciate the idea of raising the ceiling with additions to make this team better, and have a better shot at post season success. How could anyone debate that? I also agree that keeping a status quo in regard to "depth" doesn't move the needle. No arguement there. Where I'm confused is the idea of "adding" better players/talent to a team that actually did that last year DID THAT before and during the season. I mean, the 2nd half Twins played between a 92 and 96 win pace between some changes and young talent. And many of us were practically begging for the younger talent. And we got it. So are we saying we need to now replace the young talent we wanted to see with different talent? Or is everyone kind of saying the same thing: just don't go status quo with the depth and margin talent? 1] Gray needs to be replaced with Gray...doubtful...or someone else. Personally, I think Varland has a chance to be a pretty good SP. He's still growing and learning and has tweaked his breaking ball. And he's already flashed. I'm excited for what little we saw of Paddack when we got him, and his tremendous recovery and late season appearances. But I'm a little worried about IP in 2024. And like this year, I want a good 6 options to start the season. And I'd love a flier to look at as well. 30yo Eduardo Rodriguez might come cheaper than Gray, have some upside with the Twins coaching, give us a LH, and come cheaper than Gray. Or we might instead see another trade for someone with upside, no names to present at this time, way too early. Dan Hayes has floated a very interesting idea of a reunion with a rehabbing Odorizzi...supposedly feeling really good and building himself back up...as a milb signing with ZERO risk as such a flier. I'm still not convinced that a reunion of Maeda as a quality back end arm isn't a good idea with Ryan and Ober taking a step up, along with a healthy Paddack. Improvement with what's on hand, adding ONE important part, and adding some sort of optional piece has the ability to keep the rotation very strong still. The base is there, but I want another quality starter to keep the floor high and keep the ceiling high with depth. 2] The Twins generally don't spend on the pen. And we can debate that as well. But as of NOW, we are looking at Duran, Jax, Stewart, Thielbar, very probably a return of the "new and improved" Pagan, and a couple LH's in Funderburk and Moran. I so wish Funderburk was brought up earlier, but he looked good in his debut. There's something to work with there. And while Moran largely disappointed, there is an ARM there if it can be harnessed. With NO additions, there is still a solid base to work with. It's not hard to see a 6 man pen from that group with POSSIBILITIES from Headrick from the left side...1st year at AAA and ML...and Sands, Winder, and Balazovic having some good qualities. Sands has a great breaking ball, Winder has a new sinker, Balazovic was a top 100 prospect with his stuff 2yrs ago when healthy. Henriquez had a couple injuries that slowed him, but flashed a little late in the year with his pen conversion and is only 23yo. Might Canterino, recovered, be a dangerous option by mid season? How about Alcala throwing high 90's again in his rehab? Could he be ready to FINALLY take a step forward? I'd sure like to see that. I LOVE that the FO brings in arms with potential. Witness Thielbar, and Stewart, and to a lesser extent the now injured De Leon. (Wissler a couple years ago). But I am also frustrated when they seem to HAVE such an arm such as Coulombe and Hoffman this past ST, and let them go for nothing. I DON'T expect a major BP signing like Hader, or other. And FA pen arms are always a bit of a wild card. And while it's not hard to squint and see the potential of this pen for 2024, I sure wish they would add just ONE quality arm for $5-7M maybe, that they really like and believe in to STABALIZE the back end. Depth is there, I just want one more trusted piece. 3] The position players, the lineup, is where it gets more interesting to a degree. It's not hard to say PRIORITY ONE is adding a SP. And not hard to "ask/beg" for ONE more proven arm to increase depth. But how do you improve the position player/lineup and depth? Again, I agree it's probably a mistake to stay status quo. I think we all realize how well Solano played and contributed overall. Despite some bad slumps, he had some key moments. And he filled in here and there best he could defensively. But he's not part of tomorrow. And Taylor might not be as well. No question he's an OUTSTANDING CF. He provided some speed...that might have presented itself better had he not had some nagging injuries...as well as some power. He also was part of some small ball plays that turned out well. He wouldn't be a bad re-sign as Buxton insurance. And that's where the rubber meets the road. There is NO WAY to build the positional part of 2024 without discussing Byron. It's not ALL on him. There are many factors, including the development of the prospects, but the truth is no Gallo or flailing Buxton made the 2nd half offense better. Wallner has developed and produced at every level. So has Julien. So has Lewis. I think it's an incomplete arguement at best to say anyone doesn't expect their production to continue and grow. So we should change direction after pleading for them to get a shot, get it, and now dismiss their talent and potential for a different addition? I believe any logical compilation of the 2024 roster should exclude Buxton. You just HAVE to assume anything from ZERO to 120 games split between CF and DH. Is Taylor being brought back as an option on the cheap side? Or do you assume he can't be similar to the player/producer he was in 2023, or just can't spend the $5-7M it will take to keep him and turn to Castro and the maybe not quite ready, but maybe Martin? Kirilloff IS the 1B with a world of potential still in front of him if his shoulder is OK. With his wrist situation FINALLY fixed, he was the best hitter for the Twins for a couple of months before he dove for a ball and messed his shoulder up DEPTH is Castro, maybe Farmer. Lee and Severino on the way, maybe even Prato. I love the idea of advancing the offense. I agree with Riverbrian and Chpettit19 that the offense is a concern. But I struggle with the idea of who to add that makes sense. I feel we are a bit stuck in talent and potential when it comes to offense. I honestly believe that at 30yo, Kepler FINALLY realized good, hard contact was better than being perfect. I think Wallner is a better version of Gallo. He will always K a lot, but he will take walks. And he just seems to have an ability to adjust that i never saw Gallo do. Julien is a bat that has a great eye. He will K some due to extreme patience, but SLAM whe he sees something. Lewis almost defies description as to how good he can be. When he's ready, Lee will play 3B with Lewis moving to 2B. Possibly the opposite, we'll see. Julien will play some 2B and 1B along with DH. Eventually, IF he keeps on his new trajectory, Martin will be in CF. And CF, in the system is a bit weak. There is projection for the 2024 lineup, and depth, to be considered and concerned. For instance, IF Farmer is not kept or traded, who's next in line? With Solano probably gone, does Miranda return to previous form? Martin, Severino, Prato, Castro, maybe Farmer kept, I can still see some depth. But where do the Twins 2024 Twins actuality ADD someone with a powerful bat? Do they dismiss the return and potential of Kirilloff at 1B? Do they ignore the sudden improvement of Kepler or the potential of Wallner to add an OF? How can we ask for the kids to play, see them do well, and then ask for additions? Not a fan of a full time DH, unless they are special. And i just can't dismiss the 2nd half offense and what they did. But I can see the idea of a 1B or corner OF bat added. I get it. I'm just not who or what spot. I can't believe they are going to ignore Wallner at this point, or dismiss the new Kepler. So 1B and ignore AK? Guess, in the long run, a healthy roster says, to me, we've got a TON of potential offensively, with a healthy AK and CC IF AK turns out OK. If not, I'm 100% making a move.

I think he probably takes the job if offered. And while it would undoubtedly be a jump in pay, I think it's the opportunity after all these years as the "second" guy and now getting the chance to put your own personal stamp on something. My concern, were I him, is if he gets enough time to build things the way he wants to. As I recall, Boston has gone through a lot head guys previously. They've had 3 in the last 10-11 years. But then again, I'm sure he has confidence in himself and these jobs aren't always available to take.