DocBauer

LOVE to see you at 1B for 2026. 😝 We are almost always on the same boat, floating down the same river, peering in to the future success of the Twins with a deep sigh of contentment. 😝 The fact that Falvey, with all his smarts, can't work within his own system to find the next Morneau, or close to him, is complete incompetence IMO. I'm beginning to think the light is growing from DIM to brighter is starting to take place. But my goodness, do we need a genie ramp to rub to figure this out? It's the ONE SPOT where you just need a DECENT glove with a high quality BAT to improve the depth and quality of the lineup. A GOOD GLOVE is a major bonus for sure. If I'm not mistaken, Mientkiewicz wasn't a 1B when drafted. At least not exclusively. Morneau was actually a catcher when drafted. But Falvey, despite his intellect, can't seem to see the value of a quality, productive 1B within the confines of the system? That actually blows my mind. It's too late for Wallner, and Larnach, who is probably gone anyway. And maybe they weren't good choices to begin with. So now Mendez might be moving to 1B. But he's not playing there in the AFL so far. Fedko has SOME experience at 1B. So does Roden. How about converting Rosario to 1B at this point? Amick shouldn't be the ONLY option. Imagination vs desperation has made Arraez a 1B. It also made Solano a 1B. And on their own, they did OK with their brief appearances there. But imagination vs desperation should start to end in 2027. Yes, I said 2027. Sometimes change doesn't happen overnight. Like you, I'm tired of 1yr rentals for a position that should easily be handled internally. But I'm OK for one more year until Falvey pulls his head out of his bunghole to FIX 1B internally.

Ugh! Don't we ALWAYS hear about lists like this early offseason? And we've ALREADY heard speculation about all 3 for months now, and the season only concluded a day ago. What does moving Jeffers do for a team that already has questions about his backup? I guess we're just punting away the entire 2026 season with various cartoons to fill a spot. Ryan, super talented and cheap, only makes sense if the return is so good you just can't say no. And you'd better have a ton of faith in the rest of your SP options or again, you are just punting on 2026. Lopez is really, really good. He remains the Twins #1 SP, and he's also a team leader, in addition to being the leader of the staff. So if you move him, you might as well blow the whole thing up and just admit you are going to be the A's, Marlins, Pirates, Rockies, for the next few seasons. For me, until I hear something different, I'm going to ASSUME SOMEONE has enough brain cells running the Twins organization to determine that RUINING any chance the Twins have of being a competitive team, even with a $120M-ish payroll, is a POOR CHOICE in keeping your investment of high value vs destroying the value of your investment.

The recent drafts haven't ignored power. Far from it. But there's also been a nice mix of athleticism/speed and more contact approach as well as defensive projection. Like most here, I didn't realize how good his glove was. So congratulations on his GG award. He doesn't have power, but it appears he's got enough pop in his bat to keep pitchers honest at least. The ability over 1 1/2 MILB seasons to keep his OB% 100+ points above his AVG tells me there's a solid eye, a solid approach, and the ability to raise his actual BA. He'll still be 22yo until July of next year, despite 1 1/2 years of pro ball. Does he begin 2026 at CR again? IDK. A lot of development can happen between now and the begining of next season. But he wouldnt be old for A+ ball by any means. The glove is there, the speed is there, a good eye/approach is there. Schobel looked good early, then looked bad, then had a great 2025 and got promoted to AAA just in time to get hurt. If that injury doesn't happen, we might be talking about him as a possible utility option for the 2026 Twins roster. DeBarge has similar positional flexibility, possibly a better glove, and seemingly more speed and SB ability. And if DeAndrade can stay healthy for a full season, we might be looking at a collection of quality utility men come 2027. Don't sleep on any of the 3. And they all bring something different to the table. But don't sleep on DeBarge because the BA hasn't come around yet. His comp might just be a better version of Martin, who took a step forward last year.

Unless Falvey is going to micro manage the catcher position...and he shouldn't...Shelton might prefer Jeffers as the #1 guy for around 100-110 games, who can occasional DH against LHP, and the Twins just need a solid #2 option. Truth is, we've been a bit spoiled over several years where we had Mauer/Redmond, and then Castro/Garver, and Garver/Jeffers, and then Jeffers/Vazquez, at least in certain aspects. Vazquez has fallen off a cliff with the bat. I'd like an upgrade. Nobody in the system is ready. Winkel, IMO, would probably hit as poorly as Vazquez, and I believe Cardenas might be able to do the job, but his bat needs a little more AAA seasoning so he doesn't embarrass when in the lineup. I'd love McCann as the #2. There might still be a little life in his bat. Same with Diaz, who had a down season, and who I don't believe the Padres want to keep for a $7M option. But unless between smarts and luck you can grab someone who has 1 more solid season left in the tank, it's possible Vazquez comes back in a more limited role for around $3M. His defense has declined. But the experience and smarts makes him an OK option, if not a good one, to be a more limited #2. I'd think $3M is a floor rate for a veteran #2 backstop. I'd like to move on to someone else that can perform better than Vazquez's .545 OPS. I mean, how hard could it be to TRY someone else and get worse production? At that point, you might as well just give Cardenas the job. But let's also be realistic about most #2 catchers and their production. Drew Butera, for example, had a long career as a quality reserve backstop with a CAREER OPS of about the same. Vazquez is not my #1 choice. Again, I'd like to take a flier on some other veteran who might have enough gas in the tank for 1 more season of a .650 OPS. But push comes to shove, Vazquez's experience, and knowledge of the Twins staff, in a more limited appearance schedule, really might not be a poor choice.

Popkins and his staff were fall guys. The K's went down, but so did everything else, and he got the blame. By his own admission, part of the reason he's had better coaching success in Toronto was the hiring of a new assistant who simply communicates the overall plan and details that he, Popkins, sees and wants to implement. I wish I had an answer regarding development of bats, or lack there of. Was Julien simply not as good as his numbers made him look? Was there that much of a flaw in his approach? Miranda has been hurt. But he's also always been susceptible to poor/weak contact because he just can't help but swing and try to hit everything. But on the other hand, until approximately August 1st if 2024... and until about July 1st of 2025...Lewis looked like a STUD and it was all about keeping him on the field. Then he's awful for about a full year. So is he a success or failure? Wallner looked like a success his first couple of seasons with OPS WELL above league average. Even with his poor 2025, he still ended up above league average in OPS. His future undetermined? While Larnach hasn't been great, he's turned out to be a league average performer for a 1st round pick selected 20th. He's probably achieved about 75% of potential outcome. In reality, that's a successful player overall. Arraez was a success wasn't he? Jeffers has been one of the better OPS catchers in all of MLB. I'm not saying there AREN'T concerns. I think part of the problem is systematic. We had the Bomba Squad in 2019 and 2020 and then there was a series of mixed result seasons where the offense was inconsistent, but also had years where they ranked quite high in runs scored. I also think there was a talent gap for a couple of years where the FO and talent on hand was geared to an approach that wasn't working any longer. And there was suddenly a gap in defense, speed, and athleticism on the team. It's not a rosy picture. But I don't know that development has been completely bleak either. Boy would things look better/different with a healthy Lewis and Buxton's knee getting "fixed" earlier. So far, Keaschall looks really good. And young hitters like Rodriguez, Jenkins, Gonzalez, and Culpepper are really close to debuting. And there's no question they hold keys to unlocking a quality, productive, and more consistent offense. I don't believe the manager is responsible for player development other than providing a quality atmosphere of support. I DO BELIEVE his STAFF is important part of player development however. Coaching and instruction simply doesn't stop when a young player reaches MLB. There remains a learning/adapting curve once you reach that level, just as there is every single step up the MILB ladder. And it's my hope Shelton is given control to assemble a staff of teachers/coaches that he believes in for that purpose. On a larger scale, the FO should ALWAYS spend a TON of time reviewing the entire systematic approach being used for instruction and being honest with themselves if they see an opportunity for change.

Honestly, there are times where I hate being an optimist in general. Especially when it comes to the Vikings, or in this case, the Twins. I so want to believe Falvey is honest when he states he wants and expects Lopez and Ryan to be on the Twins opening day. Right THERE you have a chance to compete with a sound SP staff with some depth of a healthy Ober followed by SWR and maybe Bradley. We'll see how that shakes out. Crazy at it may sound, I may be more worried about the offense than the bullpen. Can Lewis stay healthy throughout 2026 and get his attack and AB profile regulated? Can Lee figure out his difficulties, which he says he has, and make corrections to at least be a quality super utility INF at some point? Can Rodriguez JUST STAY HEALTHY enough to finally debut and start to flash his talent? And Jenkins, Gonzalez, Culpepper, and some arms and additional prospects are so close to debuting. Like you, I don't like a bunch of 1yr deals. They have their place. The organization should be in place to have enough younger talent with control in place. But aren't we close to that? I'm OK for ONE more season for Falvey and his staff to figure 1B out with a few interesting options internally. Reference to someone like Williams on a 1yr deal for the pen is exactly what I've been talking about. And I'm certain there has to be another RH BP option also looking for a comeback season. How about 1 more year of Coulombe, for example. Even if the Twins aren't going to spend a lot, there's room to MAYBE construct a relatively cheap pen for 2026. That gives more time for Lewis, Raya, and others to make their move. SWR and Bradley are out of options. Push will come to shove. Especially if Matthews or Abel suddenly starts throwing great. SOMEONE ELSE moves to the pen we might not have expected initially. But bullpen wise, that's a potential good gain. Potentially. So while we are generally in agreement about a preponderance of 1yr deals, I'd state if the Twins had ANY idea of competing AT ALL, a couple 1yr deals would make perfect sense.

Pardon my language ahead of time, but this is what has pissed me off the most about ownership and FINALLY convinced me how horrible and petty and misguided they are. Joe, supposedly, took over for Jim. And Joe clearly spoke about a bright future where he could see a $180M payroll. And then it all came tumbling down. And when Houston came calling about Correa, it was JIM who the Astos called to make the deal! I guess we can thank Joe for actually WANTING the Twins to do well. And I guess we can thank him for the extra $ push in 2025 to get the Twins payroll to around $142M. And MAYBE Joe can find a way to push the payroll to $120-125M to give the Twins at least a fighting chance in 2026, but we clearly have an ownership/family in complete disarray. No matter their spin on bringing in minority owners and still have control of the team, they are CLEARY looking to still sell after the next labor deal, hoping for a higher value. They THINK they are being smart. They THINK the Twins value will increase somewhat with a different agreement. Meanwhile, they seem content to allow their product to lower itself in value based on fan interest and tickets sold and then STILL have to lose about $500M in payment back to the minority owners when a final sale takes place around 2028. Even IF the team is sold for $2B in 2028, after the payout to the new minority owners, they STILL "only" walk away with the original $1.5B they could have sold the team for this past offseason. So what was ultimately accomplished?

I agree on the bench coach. How about someone Shelton likes as a smart up and comer? And I love the idea of Hawkins as an additional assistant pitching coach. But Shelton will seldom work with hitters. Who does he have in mind for that role? If there's a good news/bad news in regard to a team floundering at the moment, it's the fact the future Twins hope is tied to the talent on hand, and the talent arriving. They simply aren't going to be in the market for expensive additions. I.E. TOP players. But what they need, right now, is a decent 1B option and some veteran depth and bodies in the bullpen. THOSE kind of options just might be available, and should be. Really interested in seeing what ideas Shelton has for his coaches. He's been around a long time and has a lot of knowledge and contacts, presumably. Does he have some smart ideas? Will he have the power to bring in those additions?

I'd add Andrew Chafin as a 4th option to add, though he doesn't have ties to the Twins. For now, I'm going to assume that Funderburk's last 2 months wasn't a complete illusion, and that he has turned a corner to at least be part of the 2026 pen. There's 3 LH arms that could all pitch for AAA this year and might get called up at some point later in the season. But they need a 2nd LH option. All 3 of these guys, plus Chafin, had quality years in 2025 even though father time is working against them. But the Twins are looking for a handful of relatively inexpensive 1yr options to round out the pen. I really don't know who is the best option to bring on board, I just hope they make a good choice and bring one of them on board. We need help, and we need bodies.

To be honest, this season has turned out to be a CF so far. OBVIOUSLY injuries have had a huge factor so far. I still think McCarthy has a bright future. I had hoped a "redshirt" season would still have him ready for this season. That's still TBT. But he NEEDS to play. The OL has been an issue since day one, despite additions. I thought Skule was a fine addition but he's disappointed. I'd put Brandel out there at this point and let Jurgens play center. He's not polished yet, but I kinda like his potential there. Okada was a poor choice at CB #3. Time for someone else to be given a shot. McGothern deserves a shot. What is so disappointing and surprising is Allen and Hardrave have done so little. Is there an injury I've missed? Redmond is developing in to a potential All Star and Rodriguez is looking like a keeper. I'd almost want to dump Allen and Hargrave at this point and play Dawkins more and promote Taimani to the roster as a true NG who could help the run defense. And what if UDFA Williams got a shot? Flores is a defensive genius, but his players haven't produced to expected levels yet. It may be time for changes. Offensively, OKC needs to prove how smart he is and call a game that works with a "rookie" QB that has talent, but a messed up OL. Who suddenly decided Hoskinson wasn't one of the best TE in the NFL?

What do I WANT TO ASK? LOL. "Has ownership told you they won't trade Lopez or Ryan before the season begins because they'd like to compete in 2026"? "Has ownership given you a $120-130M payroll that might allow the FO to give you a 1B, backup catcher, and a couple FA RP to help build and at least competent bullpen"? That's just never going to happen. So my #1 question is: "How much control will you have over your coaching staff"? OBVIOUSLY the FO has input and recommendations. And they might be good ones. But Shelton needs control over hitting and defense if he doesn't like what's on hand.

I want to be clear this NOT about hating on Shelton or dismissing him as a baseball guy or the Twins new manager. He actually has a pretty lengthy career as a baseball guy BEFORE joining the Twins for TWO YEARS as a bench coach. I can't hold his lack of success as the Pirates manager against him because he was put in a pretty bad position to succeed. Maybe he does a good job as an experienced, 30+ year vetted baseball man handling the transition from his good friend Rocco Baldelli. But his hiring has me questioning Falvey's direction when compared to how his previous hires were handled. Stick with me here! Baldelli himself was a former TOP ballplayer who's career was extinguished early due to injury. But he spent time as a scout and coach in the Rays system before being handed the reigns as the Twins manager. Regardless of your opinion of his job performance, he was largely successful his first few years, and was the kind of "out of the blue" manager hiring that many had hoped for this last go-round. Names like Hunter and Cruz were brought up as possibities, though with even less experience than Baldelli post career. Falvey brought in Wes Johnson as the pitching coach straight from college. He did enough, and earned enough respect, that he ended up...after a brief stop at powerhouse LSU...as the head man at powerhouse Georgia. Current pitching coach Pete Maki made his mark initially in Independent Baseball, and then college, before being hired by the Twins and then assuming the #1 job when Johnson left to go back to college. Jeremy Hefner was a retired player who Falvey hired first as a scout, then was promoted to assistant pitching coach, who was then pilfered by the Mets to be their primary pitching coach for a few years. Tanner Swanson received so much praise in working with Garver and Jeffers that the Yankees offered him big $ to go to the Big Apple as their catching coach. James Rowson probably would have been the next bench coach for the Twins had the Pirates hired Shelton sooner, but he took that job with the Marlins before moving on from that defunk organization. And he's currently the hitting coach for the Yankees. David Popkins was hired as a "who" hire from the Dodgers MILB system as hitting coach. After some initial success, he was the "fall guy" following the Twins 2024 late season collapse. Within a little over a week, he was hired by the Jays and has produced one of the best hitting/productive teams in MLB in 2025. To be perfectly fair, Popkins hired a coach to work with the Jays...I don't recall the name...who he felt better communicated what he wanted and saw overall better than he sometimes on a daily basis. But might not the same thing have happened with the Twins if retained? Current Twins hitting coach Matt Borgshulte was hired away from the Twins St Paul team as a batting coach for a couple of years. Even Derek Shelton was hired away after 2yrs as the Twins bench coach to be the Pirates manager. I had forgotten he was also a candidate for the Rangers job until a recent Gleeman & the Geek reminder. So ALL OF THIS is to state Falvey has a history of not only thinking/looking outside the box for quality personal, but to indiacte he's previously done so well that the Twins have been poached on many occasions over the past few years by other teams recognizing the talent Falvey has assembled. So why is Shelton the right choice NOW, after almost 7yrs later, after losing the job to Baldelli? He's either going to be an experienced baseball guy with tons of experience, including some bad years with Pittsburgh, who can provide an even hand to assemble a decent staff and provide a different perspective now following his Pirates days, to be a slightly different voice. He and his new staff, potentially, will assist with further development of the talent on hand, and some welcome changes in approach, and work hard with the top prospects ready, or near ready, who will be part of the future. OR, he's some kind of placeholder to get through 2026 and see what happens in regard to a potential mixed up, short, or potentially lost 2027 year where everyone loses except for the fact that maybe a new CBA punishes low payroll teams, punishes high revenue teams more, and provides overall changes that brings about a more balanced revenue sharing and better TV deals that assists low and mid market teams. That might not only help the Twins, but might also make the organization a better product to put on the market again in 2028? Regardless, does Falvey, seemingly still in control of the baseball side of things, care any longer? What happened to his imagination? He helped re-build many aspects of the entire system, even though I've heard reports other teams have surpassed the Twins current analytics department. He has been aggressive and generally right about hiring. He's brought in good people, many who have been poached by other organizations, which is the main point of this post. So is Shelton, again no insult intended, the right man for the job? Does he have a new vision of the Twins future and feel Shelton is right to carry out this new direction? There are indicators in recent drafts and player acquisition to indicate a different path to be sure. Or has Falvey simply converted to the dark side of ownership with his new power structure that he's willing to just PUNT the next year or two and hope he still has a job in 2028 where he might do something different? What's confusing to me is you'd like to think your A#1 guy would try to create fan interest so your product doesn't continue to deprecate over the next couple of years. So has Falvey lost his imagination? Or has he decided apathy and Punting is the way to go?

A less than inspiring hire. I really wanted someone who would bring a different perspective to the team, and the organization as a whole. But to be fair, as I pointed out in a different OP, Shelton's 2yrs with the Twins doesn't exactly make him a Twins "lifer", nepotism hire. And being a Pirates manager and having a failing record shouldn't condem him either. But I also don't believe pointing out that he somehow assisted a generational talent in his transition to MLB offers up some great positivity either. He is a "safe" hire for Falvey to have someone in place he knows, trusts, and will carry out his vision of what the Twins should be going forward. But it is interesting that he's a friend of Rocco and they both spent time in the Rays system. I really wonder how much of a different "voice" Shelton will have? HOPEFULLY Falvey has a new vision of the Twins that includes better fundamentals, and better athletes with more speed on the team without dismissing power. Changes in draft strategy the last couple of years may be indicating some of these changes are slowly taking place. My hope is Shelton gets control over most of his staff. As a long time hitting instructor...seemingly with more talent on hand and arriving soon than he had with Pittsburgh...does he have quality coaches in mind? That could be important as he himself isn't going to be doing much instructing. But while, as a manger, he has the ability, along with his coaches, to help dictate how things are done, it still comes down to payroll and Falvey's roster construction. It's still up to Falvey and his lieutenants to make smart moves and put together the best roster. But HOPEFULLY, he will allow his new manager the ability to put together the best STAFF he can to work with, tweak, coach, and develop the players on hand and the top prospects about to debut.

Two years working for the Twins doesn't make him a "lifer" nepotism type hire. But it does mean Falvey knows the man, feels comfortable with the man, and feels he can still run his "vision" of the Twins through his manager. Shelton is well respected and experienced working for multiple organizations. Again, he's not a Twins "lifer". But he's familiar enough with the Twins, and to Falvey, to not be a boat rocker. Maybe that's OK. Maybe Falvey has a new course in mind and wants someone who will embrace the changes he wants to make. Maybe not. It would be silly to take a respected baseball guy like Shelton and place blame on him for Pittsburgh's lack of success. But when is the last time ANYONE had success leading that team? He may be a good hire. He may be a poor hire. I don't know. But he felt "safe" for Falvey and the direction he wants to take the team. Ultimately, it comes down to payroll and roster construction. Shelton won't have much do in regard to either of those areas. Where he MIGHT have some say/control is over his coaching staff, and how they handle not only the players on hand, but also the prospects coming up. Despite a fairly extensive resume as a hitting coach, it's doubtful Shelton will be involved with instruction. That's not his job. He's responsible for running the team. But perhaps he'll have control of his hitting coach and instructors? (Something I also wondered about if Rowson was the choice). Perhaps he's got coaches in mind, and/or routines to work on some basic fundamentals that have been lacking in recent seasons? But Shelton doesn't appear to be a hire that's expected to "push back" against the FO. So it still comes down to Falvey, the A#1 guy in charge and implementing his vision. Again, maybe Falvey is shifting gears and sees a new direction going forward. Recent drafts have seen more attention paid to better athletes, more speed, potentially more defense, while still focusing on talented arms to be developed. The team is certainly in a re-tool mode. Whether or not it's a re-build will be determined by whatever moves take place this offseason. Right or wrong, Shelton is here to move along Falvey's vision. Let's hope it's a NEW vision with some smart ideas and changes.

To me it's similar to the age old chicken vs the egg debate. Did his hip cause mechanical/command issues and velocity to disappear, or did he hurt his hip because his command disappeared due to mechanical issues? While in MILB, he put up video game numbers but was often hurt due to mechanics. At 6' 9" there's a lot of moving parts to get right. The Twins fixed those mechanics, and suddenly he became a quality ML starter, though they did nurse him a bit early on in his debut. Multiple times last year he complained his mechanics were out of whack and he refused to blame his hip. Accurate? Or him trying to "man up" and not offer up excuses? Assuming for a moment that his hip injury is not serious or chronic in nature...and there have been no reports that it is...rest and rehab should see a return to form. He's not exactly an old man going in to his age 31 season. And there aren't a ton of miles on his arm either. I think it's reasonable to see his hip get right, for him to get his mechanics working again, to see 91-92MPH consistently again, and we see a return to previous form. Any kind of better command of this new 2 seamer just adds to his arsenal and gives batters something else to think about, even if it's not a primary offering. Now, if the hip continues to flare up, I think we have to be concerned about his future. But until I/we hear about a lingering issue, I'm expecting a return to past success at age 31.

So ai guess I'm going to pretty much repeat what Cody posted, but let's just break down the current 40 man a bit differently. But let's assume for a moment ego and paranoia of "veteran status and depth" FINALLY goes out the window. EASY CUTS: Vazquez, Gasper, Kreidler, Keirsey, Larnach, McCusker, Outman, Cabrera, Hatch, and Misiewicz. Larnach is moved somehow/someway. Vazquez is a FA. Only ego and paranoia keeps Outman. But why? Martin and Roden can play a little CF, and you are currently burning Rodriguez's option clock, so where does Outman POSSIBLY fit? *Kreidler is a grab and cut later so we can hopefully keep him at St Paul. A couple of these guys can be offered MILB deals. If they accept, fine. But otherwise, look elsewhere. Period! The 40 man is now at 30. PROBABLE CUTS: Pereda, Fitzgerald, Julien, and Miranda. No offense to Pereda, but Cardenas might be a solid #3 with a little more AAA time. And he just might accept a MILB deal to stick around. But there are probably similar options available. Still, I could see the Twins keeping him. Injuries or not, what has Miranda done the past year and a half? He wasn't even an average AAA player in 2025. Julien is a shadow of his former self for 2yrs now. And both are out of options! Simply put, they HAVE to make the 2026 roster or be waived anyway. So even with INF depth being an issue, why protect them at this point? Fitzgerald, IMO, is a question mark. We don't have a backup SS unless Culpepper is promoted early, or the Twins believe Eeles might be ready, fully healthy now, to make a jump. Do they like Fitzgerald better than other players available on a cheap deal? So I can see reasons to just hold on to him, at least for a while. So that should mean at least 3 more cuts. The 40 man roster is now set at 27 WITH Fitzgerald. Simple math, that's 13 open spots to add! OBVIOUS ADDITIONS: Morris, Prielipp, Rojas, Gonzalez. CJ Culpepper, and Klein. Culpepper and Klein are exactly the kind of AA producers on the cusp of AAA that teams are looking to add in the rule 5 that they can stash on their rosters. In fact, they are the types of pitchers the Twins might be looking at as well, should they make a rule 5 selection. So Klein is taken care of, in regards to the OP. The 40 man is now at 33. With little discrepancies here and there, very few AA position players are ever selected in the rule 5, much less kept. But the Twins have 3 worth serious consideration. They just traded for Mendez, and he's got real potential. But while almost 22yo...still young...and hasn't reached AAA yet and there are questions about his defense and his "lift" as a hitter, is anyone going to BITE and select him and stash him for a full season? That seems incredibly doubtful. Then comes Rosario. He was the MVP of the Midwest League in 2023, had an injury impacted 2024, and was probably screwed out of being the MVP in the Texas League here in 2025. He had a fantastic season! It's all the more outstanding due to an early funk he dug himself out of. But would a team look at this 23yo and his potential and want to stash him? I think the Twins are safe if they don't add Mendez or Rosario. They have room to do so. But what are the odds that a team would not only select them, but roster them for an entire year? I'm saying there is very little risk, despite their potential, of being selected or kept. So no reason for being on the 40 man. So we're still sitting at 33 of 40. THIS is where I have a serious issue with the FO. You drafted Fedko. You stuck with him through some decent/mediocre seasons and a poor 2024. Why? Did you see him as roster depth and fodder? Or did you still see potential? Regardless, he had an OUTSTANDING age 25 season between AA and AAA. He reminds me so much of Lew Ford as a late developing 4th OF with a solid offensive profile. He's an easy addition for depth, or an easy pick for a lot of teams looking for a solid addition as a potential 4th OF. Even if he doesn't turn out, IMO, this is an easy 40 man add to see what he might provide for depth. Defense, at least in the corners. Some pop and speed and solid OB%. Why in hell would you let someone else find the possible next Lew Ford? He should be protected. That puts the 40 man at 34. That leaves 6 spots for a 1B, #2 catcher, and 3 decent/solid BP additions. Funny how numbers work.

I disagree. SOME of the talent was on display the last 2 months. The fragments that made up the bullpen actually blew more than a few games the Twins actually had some leads in, not that they would have finished with a pretty record. Do a few things have to go right for a solid 2026? Absolutely. We need Royce to continue on his current health streak, and get his bat untracked to a higher degree. Lee needs to improve his bat as well. We also need a full season from Keaschall. How about a 1B that can actually produce? O'Hearn maybe? Again, at some point next season, we're going to see Rodriguez, Jenkins, Gonzalez, Culpepper, and possibly Fedko debut and set the OF and DH spot with Wallner moving there. It would be nice if the Wallner move could take place opening day with one of those young OF taking a starting job. You don't have to squint very hard to see improved defense here and there and a solid, productive lineup. Keeping Lopez, Ryan, and a return to health by Ober is a really solid first 3. SWR actually showed development over those last couple of months. Granted we need someone, probably Bradley to begin with, take over the #5 spot. But that's a concern for a lot of teams. Potential can sometimes be an ugly word. But I see a solid starting staff, better defense...especially when Culpepper comes up...and better team speed and athleticism. Potentially. I fully recognize the pen is an issue. We all recognize that. And it's not going to be re-built overnight for sure. But indulge me for a moment. I believe Festa, hopefully healthy, is destined for the pen. He has the potential to be the next Duran/Jax/Varland hard throwing late inning type of arm. We've what Sands CAN do. He doesn't have to replicate his 2024 season, just get closer to it. It actually looks like Funderburk has maybe/finally taken another step forward. I'd rather see him as a second LH option in the pen, but he might be useful. Topa as the 7th man can be useful. Lawyerson, Adams, and Ohl can be the 8th man who rotates between the Twins and St Paul. Potentially. (I know, there's that word again). Now let's say, for example, the Twins bring back Coulombe for around $3-4M for the same role he had last season. (There are other options of course). And then a couple other FA for $4-5M of the sort that might resemble Clippard and Romero, to bring up a couple of past, solid arms in recent past. Obviously they will bring in some non 40 man guys looking for the next Thielbar, Stewart, or Wisler. Behind all of those options will be a handful of converts such as Lewis and Raya, and who knows who else. There's even a chance Matthews or Abel outperforms Bradley and HE moves to the pen as he doesn't have options remaining. All I'm saying is I can see the possibility of a decent...not great...bullpen that could take the 2026 Twins to an 85-87 win season. That would, probably, be a playoff contender. And even if not, that's a hell of a lot more FUN team...with talented prospects emerging during the season...than just punting 2026 and accepting a 90+ loss team. And again, if things just go poorly for whatever reason(s), you can look to sell some guys at the deadline. I just don't like quitting early. To me, trading Ryan and/or Lopez before the season even begins is quitting. And I generally don't believe in complete teardowns and re-builds most of the time. And I just don't see a team/organization that is so deplete on talent that a re-build is in order. I may be wrong. And it's fine with me if you disagree with what I see. But this is what I see as I look at 2026.

They MIGHT keep Outman simply because of his speed and defense, though I didn't see great defense once he came over. And they MIGHT keep Fitzgerald as a utility INF. But they can quite easily clear about a dozen guys that don't fit any longer, including Miranda and Julien. They are both out of options and have to be kept or waived. I just don't see any need to protect them. There's plenty of room to add all the arms and OF that we want, including Klein. He had a great season at AA and was so-so in his AAA debut. He's probably not ready yet. But well built and throwing hard stuff, he's the kind of rule 5 pick and stash a lot of teams would look to grab. You absolutely protect him and CJ Culpepper, who might end up in the pen at some point.

I'm hoping that Larnach, or Larnach and a reasonable prospect can bring in a young pen arm that has a couple years of control. Maybe someone's #4 or #5 arm from a decent pen. I don't see Wallner being moved. He's the primary DH in waiting, but could open the season in RF. But they have got to clear put fodder like Outman from the roster. I also don't believe Ober is going to be traded. While I have faith he's going to be just fine, that hip issue that derailed his season is going to be a question to other teams. There's plenty of room for both Lewis and Lee now, and for the next couple of years as well. Culpepper moved Lee to a super utility role, IMO, unless his bat really gets hot. Depth is an issue even with Culpepper's arrival. I would only move Ryan if the haul was huge. It would have to be a pair of top 100 prospects and a 3rd solid player thrown in. He's valuable and inexpensive for the next 2yrs. I'd keep him and see how the season goes. He could always be moved at the deadline. The haul might be a bit less at that time, but still solid. I just don't believe in moving a quality, top of the rotation starter that's probably making around $7M this year, unless the season goes poorly. We already need some kind of decent backup at catcher. How do you move Jeffers and add 2 catchers? I think, for the most part, the Twins shot their load at the last deadline. Can't believe I'm saying this, but I think I believe Falvey when he says he wants to open the season with Ryan and Lopez in the fold, and expects to. It's Larnach in a trade if possible, and that might be it. Assuming the payroll doesn't just bottom out, I see a 1B and #2 catcher in FA, but no big names to be sure. But please, someone better than France. I'd then expect 2 or 3 FA pen arms that are solid and proven, but not expensive, back of pen types. More like Coulombe, Romero in quality. Then, of course, a couple INF and pen flier types that won't require immediate 40 man spots. I don't believe we're going to see a "roll it back" type of season. Larnach should be gone. We'll have a different, hopefully better, option at 1B. We'll have Keaschall all season and Culpepper up at some point. Martin has probably claimed a share of LF at this point. At some point, Rodriguez, Jenkins, Gonzalez and maybe even Fedko will debut. That's when Wallner moves to DH, unless someone debuts immediately. And I still think Roden has a shot as a role player at least. A poor rookie debut in a SSS doesn't mean he can't be a solid player. I just think the big trade moves have already happened. Now it's about development, promotions, and some hopefully smart FA moves to round out the roster.

Ugh! Bad week overall. I got nothing. Except, it isn't over yet. And sometimes, what's going on is a hitter or pitcher working on something specifically, and the AFL results may not be that important. Or like Bragg last AFL, and Boadas this year, just get some innings in man. Here's hoping whatever is going on with Mendez is mild.

I have. Lewis DID play 2B. Lewis DID prepare for 2B for before being told not to worry about it for 2025. Bichette DID play 2B. BOTH were open about how they felt doing so with almost exact wording. Human nature. Where is the problem?

I applaud the change. I don't like 2 challenges due to the very nature of the game. 3 outs per inning over 9 innings, it should be 3 challenges. It just makes sense. When I watched the Twins ST this past season, I can't recall hardly any mistakes made by Jeffers or Vazquez. They always seemed to be "right on it". I'm not saying Matt's numbers aren't accurate...they probably are...but it's ABHORENT that some teams have been victimized by so many poor calls in an age where umpiring has been more accurate than ever. And I've read the numbers that seem to back this up. So how can some teams benefit and other teams don't? Makes zero sense, other than the human element. Do umpires have a prejudice? Even a subconscious one? I like that the dugout can't ask for a replay. I'm not certain that the hitter is always the best judge. But I really like the idea a catcher can recognize a bad call. But it makes we wonder about hitters and pitchers, not just from the Twins, but all players, adjusting to the ML level used to the ABS system and the challenge system. How much has the ABS and challenge system affected the development of certain players in their development? If I'm not mistaken, the baseball used at AAA is the same ball used at the ML level. But the baseball used at AA and below is different. Please tell me if this has changed. So we have pitchers and hitters who come up from MILB WITHOUT consistency in regard to the BALL they play with, OR the SO? Sorry for my rant. I applaud the challenge system, but it should be 3 and not 2. And MLB should be looking for consistency throughout baseball. There's no reason a $B industry doesn't have the same damn ball in all levels. The NBA, NFL, and CFB don't have different balls to play to play with. I'm rambling and sorry for that. I am unsure for various reasons for the ABS system to be implemented permanently at this time. But I really like the challenge. My only hope is the future Twins manager stresses how valuable those are.

I told myself multiple times to just drop this topic. "Byron, just let it go. It doesn't matter!" But when something gets stuck in your craw, it's really hard to let it go. To be fair, Lewis HAS played a few games in the AFL about 3yrs ago. Again, just to be fair. Bo Bichette is a wonderful ballplayer! Until 2024 he's been highly productive and a legitimate All Star player. No offense is intended towards him. But he had a poor 2024 that I believe was due to injury. NOT to compare his production to the slightly younger and injury plagued Lewis, but his being asked to suddenly play 2B is almost a direct quote, verbatim, of what Lewis stated previously. So one comment belongs to a "troubled" player who has an attitude and the almost EXACT comment is simply dismissed because the other player is having another fine season and is a fine teammate? Come on! I've been the first to say Royce should think before he speaks and stop being so damned honest with his thoughts. Streaming consciousness is for creative writing, and not for interviews. I'd be willing to bet if Royce had rebounded in 2025 or rebounds in 2026, we'll never hear about this topic again.

The hardest thing to find in MLB is quality SP. As Twins fans, we know this all to well. With any positive assumption that a not old Ober's hip injury will be corrected with offseason rest and normal rehab, the Twins have 3 SP that I would classify as playoff SP. Between SWR, Bradley, Matthews, Abel. Morris, and a few other contenders, there's tremendous opportunity for depth. Any sort of rebound and improvement of position players/lineup PLUS 4 of the Twins top 10 offerings in regard to Jenkins, Rodriguez, Gonzalez, and Culpepper really close to debuting in 2026, I seriously have to question any sort of re-build. YES, the pen is a mess. And a good pen is VERY important. But between QUALITY SP, and a QUALITY lineup, and a QUALITY bullpen, which is the "easiest" to build? And this ALL comes down to ownership and payroll. I think we understand that. But IF the Pohlads don't go crazy, there's an OPPORTUNITY to add a decent 1B, backup catcher, and the addition of perhaps 3 FA veteran arms that aren't great, but solid. Add those to what little is on hand, add a couple conversion candidates, and a handful of MILB pen options that are a welcome surprise in the system that might be about ready, and maybe a MILB steal like Thielbar and Stewart and others were in the past, it's not that crazy to think the Twins might put together a "competent" pen for 2026. I understand the merits of a full blown re-build. But I've seen too many attempts at doing so crater as well. And I don't believe in "giving in" unless that seems to be the only path presented. I see avenues with the Twins that are good enough, strong enough, that "giving in" just doesn't make sense. Do we have some SP that have great potential? Yes. Some are at the ML and AAA level, and some are further down. Do we have offensive potential at the ML and AAA level? Yes. Some need to rebound and some need to prove themselves. But in NO WAY do I see enough questions to tear the whole thing down and start from scratch. Maybe I'm greedy as a fan, but I don't want to "give up" this soon. I don't care...somewhat...if the 2026 Twins can't beat SOMEONE in the WS. I want a team that can be fun to watch and root for. I want a team built to win 85 games and compete for a division and a playoff spot and see what happens from there. And I want a team that might lose a player or two to FA in a couple of years, but we've got a solid system in place to help replace at least some of those players. FA and trades still apply. I DON'T want a re-build. I don't think this team needs a complete re-build. But only the Pohlads stand in the way of that.

Nick, one objection in regard to your OP. I do believe Wallner's arm IS a defensive factor. He just doesn't get to show it off any longer because he's shown how much of a weapon it is nobody runs on him any longer. Therefore, it has been a factor in his game and remains so. I actually thought he was pretty solid in the OF before 2025, where he mostly played LF. He digressed quite a bit last season. Did his injury affect him in the OF? Was it taking over RF on a daily basis for the first time and he was almost re-learning the position? I do believe his future spot is DH and part time OF, but I personally believe he was OK previously. As to Wallner as a hitter, I believe in the guy who made adjustments at every MILB level and produced and advanced with a .904 OPS. I believe in the hitter who had an OK rookie debut in 2022 with a league AVG .709 OPS. I believe in a hitter who was WELL ABOVE league average in 2023 and 2024 with a .877 and .894 OPS. It's true he spent some time in MILB in both '23 and '24 after some slumps. It happens. But he's always going to be a but of a streaky hitter. IMO, in both seasons, he was kept down longer than he should have been. And honestly, his 2024 slow start was in such a SSS, I'm still not certain he shouldn't have just been allowed to work through it at the ML level. Regardless, he has produced sp well, even with hot and cold streaks, the Twins should know who he is as a hitter. It's why I'm still of the opinion he was kept down too long each of those seasons. Did he have a disappointing 2025? Yes. But was his OPS still above league average? Also yes. As pointed out very well, his K and BB numbers actually improved, but his BABIP cratered compared to his previous seasons. Sorry, but I'll take 2 years of HIGH OPS and a very good BABIP over 1 year of lower OPS and BABIP as a better indicator of potential of ability. Can he reclaim his previous BABIP numbers? Maybe. Or maybe it's more of a compromised number between previous seasons and league average. ALONE that makes him a .240 hitter with a solid OB% and a potential 30HR producer. That's a really good hitter! While not exactly good, he's actually shown gradual improvement over the past 3 years when facing LHP. He's climbed from an OPS of .343, to .481, to .611 in 2025. Might there be room for additional improvement? Perhaps. And it's worth allowing for continuing improvement to take place. EVERY player is different. But the last thing the Twins need to do is to fall in to a self imposed trap where every LH hitter needs to be platooned. Wallner needs to probably make a couple adjustments next season, which isn't exactly a genius thought as most hitters need to make adjustments here and there. But I'm a Wallner believer based on his MILB career, and what he's done thus far in his ML career before a disappointing 2025 season. As far his future, as previously stated, I do think he's destined as the Twins primary DH and a part time corner OF. How soon that happens really depends on the young talent on hand. Rodriguez's option clock has been ticking for 2yrs now. Jenkins might be better served with a month or so at AAA for a good "runway" to hit MLB hot and just keep going. Same with Gonzalez. In an IDEAL situation, Martin would start 2026 the way he ended 2025 and play a lot of LF, HOPEFULLY with improvement in CF defensively so he could help a little there as needed. Roden will take what he learned in a SSS as a ROOKIE between 2 different organizations and start to translate his MILB success to the ML level. Rodriguez would have a good, strong, healthy Winter League and ST and the Twins would quit being so damn conservative with top prospects and give him an opening day job in RF. Wallner then slides in to his primary role at DH. Jenkins comes up a couple months in to the season as a 21yo. Rodriguez struggles some? You stick with him to let him adjust and grow. Think about the Brewers and a few other teams that have shown the willingness to let top prospects work it out. Still think he needs to go back down at some point? That's what his remaining option is for. But HIS clock is ticking. Jenkins and Gonzalez have clocks that either haven't started yet, or are just going to start. Wallner just might START the season in RF, but it might not be for long. As much as I believe in Wallner turning it around, I still believe my IDEAL 2026 OF/DH construction isn't exactly fantasy.