DocBauer

Sorry, but the OF depth is good for the Twins, but I don't really see trade value here. Buxton is going nowhere, and doesn't want to go anywhere. He's only stated that IF the Twins continue to break down the roster to a complete rebuild, he'd consider waiving his no trade clause. Who could blame him? I sure wouldn't! He is a face of the franchise type of player, classy, and very dedicated to the Twins. IF he feels alienated by ownership in any way, that is complete malfeasance. Wallner had a down season. We all get that. But he's only 28yo, is inexpensive, and provides the best LH power this team has currently. His combined OPS in 2023-24 was around .870. He's PERFECT as the primary DH who can play some OF for the Twins going forward. But they would be silly to move him. They really need his LH power bat. Period. I actually like Larnach. He's an OK OF who is better as a DH. He's a league average hitter overall, but above league average if platooned against LHP. I still think that might be of value to a team out there, but I'm not sure about the value in return for an expected price tag of about $4.5-4.7M. I'm HOPING that he, or with a marginal prospect, might bring back someone's #4-5 pen arm back in a deal from a team short of solid LH bats. I hope I'm right, but he's the only OF that I see actually being traded. Martin? He finally begins to look like a ML hitter who has suddenly is playing good defense, isn't old, is inexpensive, and they would move him now? Absolutely don't see the return value vs what he can bring to the 2026 team. Apologies to new hitting coach Keith Beauregard and sorry to Falvey's ego, but there is virtually ZERO reason to have Outman on the Twins 40 man roster. He should be dropped and offered a MILB deal. He's not going to get a better offer from anyone else. Roden is getting a bum rap after a poor rookie debut between TWO teams and a very limited number of AB. And he sure doesn't have trade value despite having some potential. He could be a quasi platoon corner OF who can cover CF here and there, and could be a possible 1B candidate depending how the offseason goes. It wouldn't be absolutely crazy to see him and 2025 surprise player Fedko function as a quasi platoon at 1B who both can also function as 4th OF depending on their performance and the offseason and how payroll and possible additions take place. And the Twins aren't going to move Jenkins, and moving Rodriguez could be a disaster if he's healthy and ready to go. That has the potential to be another Ortiz type haunting of the franchise. And Gonzalez and even Rosario weren't even mentioned for depth purposes. More and more, there's just no reason for Outman to even have a 40 man spot for MILB adds, potential FA roster adds, and maybe even a good rule 5 BP potential add. Larnach is the only realistic OF that might be moved for something. Trading the talented, powerful, inexpensive, and relatively young Wallner for a team looking for offense just makes ZERO sense!

I actually pretty much did in another post in the same OP. But what I've been seeing is an evolving change in personal the draft and in personal they acquire. For instance, regardless of what anyone's opinion of Outman is, they took a swing on a defensive CF/OF who has power and speed potential. I'm not a fan, or believer, but he was targeted for his skill set. Roden isn't a top prospect by any means, but he was brought in because he can play good corner defense, run a little, and still has some power in his back. (I think almost a direct replacement for Larnach if he can translate hus bat to the ML level). Ignoring Jenkins because we kind of lucked in to him, they've concentrated more on some contact, speed, and defense players in recent drafts such as Keasschal, K-Pepper, DeBarge, Schobel, and Ross. Two of those are looking great, one...Schobel...bottomed out and then rebounded in 2025 before getting hurt. DeBarge is a work in progress but shows some real potential, and Ross just can't seem to get the hitting part right. They've also taken a few big swings on high ceiling guys like Winokur a couple years ago, and Young in this past draft. Now, they aren't ignoring power, and they shouldn't, but there has been a greater focus on athleticism and defense. Even on the pitching side we saw some changes this past draft with a willingness to grab a couple power arms early vs the mid round arms they can work to develop. Still a mix, as it should be, but a more aggressive approach at velocity arms that already have the big FB to begin with. It takes time for prisoects to arrive. Keaschal was basically the first to do so. But they are slowly moving toward a more athletic, more balanced team/lineup, and letting the "Bomba Squad" days to fade away. Or so it seems to me. That's what I've been seeing over the last couple of seasons. And that's what I mean when I can squint a bit and see a plan in place.

Guess this means Outman isn't going anywhere. Can't imagine needing a 29yo reclamation project that hasn't been good since 2023, but something tells me the Rwins aren't giving up just yet. Here's hoping he makes a difference. I'm a little surprised though that the assistants were kept. I would have thought a clean sweep would have been more likely.

The PLAN, as I see it, is a better balance of defense and and offense with more speed and athleticism. Speed and athleticism means better defense. Speed and athleticism doesn't necessarily mean a team that suddenly looks like the '80's Cardinals. But it means a team that can run the bases much better. Power still plays. If you look at the last 3-4 drafts, you will still see power. But you will also see more athletic players, more speed and potentially better defenders included. But it's an ongoing process that isn't near completion yet. And not every prospect is going to turn out for sure. But even if you glance at the at the Twins top 20 prospects you'll see a mixed collection of power and speed.

To be perfectly honest, I said a "potentially solid rotation" only to avoid backlash from other posters who want to yell out statistics from the previous year. It is undeniable that the 2025 rotation didn't meet expectations. Lopez got hurt. While he certainly didn't stink, Ryan slipped some in the 2nd half. Chicken and the egg on Ober: was he hurt? Or did he mess up his mechanics and that lead to his hip injury? I have complete faith in all 3 being good/great again in 2026. And that includes Ober, still only 30yo when the season begins, UNLESS we hear something different about his hip. But we haven't so far have we? So I'm expecting a playoff caliber 1-3 again in 2026 if everyone is, hopefully, kept. SWR really disappointed me the 1st half. I really expected more from him. But what is crazy is how he got seriously ill, lost weight, had to go through a minor surgical procedure, and then got BETTER to close the season. The command he showed of his new/refined splitter down the stretch made me start to think he might actually push a healthy Ober for the #3 spot. (Not that it really matters). To say your team's #5 spot is a concern would probably be echoed by almost every team in MLB. Despite their pure STUFF and potential, and relative youth, it's time for Matthews and Bradley to take the next step. Matthews has options. Bradley doesn't. And I've brought that up on various occasions. If Bradley doesn't turn the corner, and Matthews, Abel, or Morris DO turn that corner, then Bradley HAS to move to the pen. That's not necessarily a bad thing! Bradley could be the next potential closer for the Twins, and Matthews, Abel, or Morris simply become an even better #5 rotation option. Again, NOT a bad outcome! Whoever isn't the #5, in that scenario, suddenly becomes the #6 or #7 depth option in the rotation. Of course, the opposite could be true if Bradley suddenly starts to throw like gangbusters. I have SO wanted Festa to reach his full potential as a SP. And it's AWESOME that he's responded so well to treatment and appears ready to go. But there's so many reasons at this point that seem to dictate he's a perfect candidate for the pen where he could potentially excel. And there's a couple of AAA arms that are going to be transitioned to the pen, reportedly, including Lewis and Raya. But how much better does a new, re-built pen look with 1 of Bradley, Matthews, or Abel joining Festa? I really like our rotation. And I like it's depth even with someone moving to the pen along with Festa. So you were right to call me out.

I've certainly lost a lot of faith in Falvey over the past year plus. To be fair, some of my lost faith is due more to ownership than Falvey directly. I believe I see the method in the madness, and a hint of a plan, but I remain unsure at this time. For NOW, I'm willing to risk a little more faith considering the hint of a plan I see, and some recent comments I've heard from Shelton and Falvey. Shelton, with no details given, seemed to hint he was assured of no big re-build. Maybe blowing smoke as he was just happy to have a new job? Or maybe he was speaking with confidence? Falvey stated just recently that he was looking to make additions vs subtractions to the team. Can we take him at his word? I'm sure hoping so. Past, even recent, payroll numbers and the expected post arbitration experience seems to indicate room to add. I remain hopeful until I hear otherwise. I don't believe in giving up too soon. The 2026 Twins have holes, no doubt. And there are question marks regarding Wallner rebounding, Lewis staying healthy and getting RIGHT, Lee taking a step forward, etc. But I don't think positive answers are outlandish to expect. There's a potentially really solid rotation here. There's a lot of top prospects and even some fringe prospects that are set to debut soon in the lineup and the pen. They won't all succeed, at least not immediately, but there is talent on this team, and hopefull talent about to debut. Whether the FO can make a handful of smart additions to augment 2026's roster holes is a major question. But the 2026 Twins, other than the rotation potentially, aren't looking like a "roll it back again" team when you look at Martin taking a step forward, Roden hopefully TAKING a step forward after a SSS poor rookie debut, Keaschall becoming an important cog, and 3 top 10 talents for the OF knocking on the door to change things up further, with more speed and defense, and Wallner moving to primary DH. And what if K-Pepper follows Keaschall's development path and can be a better SS and move Lee to a super utility role in the near future as well? There are holes and depth issues currently. And the pen needs a major re-build between what's on hand, who is coming up after being converted, and what FA are brought on board. I'm not naive. But I do see a path for the Twins right now. And that includes talent on hand, talent on hand, and some smart additions if payroll allows. I just don't believe a complete teardown and total re-build is necessary. I believe a warranted re-tool is taking place currently. And I'm holding on to that opinion/belief until I see something different.

Abel, I believe, still has rookie status. At least from what I've heard, and what I read on Baseball Reference. It's not important, just an interesting tidbit. And he's going to get his opportunity as well. There are varying opinions as to the Twins top 10 list. But if you look at the aggregate of lists, Jenkins, Rodriguez, K-Pepper, Abel, Gonzalez, Prielipp, and Rojas are ALL generally regarded as top 10 prospects. What gets me so excited...beyond guys already on the team I like...is that it's entirely possible that ALL 7 of those names might appear at the ML level at some point in 2026! Now, it's entirely possible Prielipp, and Rojas wouldn't debut until late in the season, but there's a decent chance both make an appearance at some point. Rodriguez, if healthy, needs to PLAY. He might be young, but 2 of his 3 options are already burned. Time to give him opportunity and some long rope. Jenkins is July 1st at the latest, and very possibly up June 1st. Could K-Pepper start at AA? It's possible. But I'm very hopeful he'll be on the same path as Keaschal and begin the year with St Paul and be ready sooner, rather than later. Gonzalez, still very young, might take a couple months to just work more on defense and see if his power starts to come around a bit more. That's exciting stuff! And while not TOP prospects, at some point, there's a good chance we'll see rookies like Lewis, Raya, and Klein as converted starters in the pen at some point. Other possibles, at some point, would be MacLeod, Kyle Bragg, and Logan Whitaker that should all be part of the St Paul pen after quality seasons in the Wichita pen. And let's not forget Morris as a really solid looking SP option just outside the top 10. Not everyone is going to succeed, especially initially. But there's talent beyond the top 7 I've mentioned that might appear and provide help in the short and/or long term that might debut at some point in 2026. We might even end up with a surprise or two. And it's why I don't believe you have to put on rose colored glasses to be an optimist regarding 2026 and the near future. Wallner rebounding, Lewis actually looking healthy and hopefully getting right, Lee improving, Keaschall, Buxton, Jeffers, and a potentially solid rotation, etc. Add in some exciting prospects debuting and at the very least getting their feet wet, gets me excited. Yes, there are holes. And I'm really hoping that when Falvey says he's looking/expecting to ADD without SUBTRACTING, he's being honest. Yes, I'm an optimist. But I don't think you have to squint really hard or wear special glasses to see some things to get you excited for 2026. And I'm not speaking about final W-L record necessarily.

Personally, while I recognize the possibility of a bonus draft pick for a ROY, I really couldn't care less about said award. The only thing I want is for the kids to reach the ML and do well, or at least show enough that they are on the cusp of turning a corner. As far as the players mentioned: JENKINS: As brilliant as he has been, he's missed some time. The power is still coming. In a AAA league where offense is king, he didn't dominate. Do I care? Not in the slightest! But another month or so for a 21yo to gain a little more experience and ramp up a bit is no disservice to his potential! Coincidentally, it also ends up giving the Twins another year of control. The sky is the limit. And even a later debut could put him in discussion for ROY. But all I care about is his arrival, and hopefully never going back down again. RODRIGUEZ: Please understand I'm NOT saying Rodriguez is Jackson Chourio. But they are both current and former top 100/50 prospects with tons of talent and only 1yr apart in age. The Brewers believed so much in Chourio's talent and potential that they promoted him, let him flail away for a while at the ML level and then were rewarded for his development. The Twins might have done the same in 2025 had Rodriguez been more healthy. He's absolutely an enigma, but the talent is undeniable. And he's already burned through 2 of his 3 option seasons. So at SOME POINT, the Twins NEED to follow the Brewers example and just PLAY THE KID and see what happens. If he makes it through Winter Ball and ST healthy and shows solidly, just give him a damn job and see what happens. Wallner gets to focus more on DH, we have a backup CF, and even if he's mediocre and bats 9th, how much better might he be come the 2nd half of the season? It's really weird to have a top 100/50 22yo prospect and be almost desperate for playing time due to lack of options. But that is, unfortunately, the current situation. So RUN and ROLL with it and get his career going! ABEL: With some good luck, he won't be on the opening day roster. Why? Because that means Lopez and Ryan are still with us, Ober is back to his normal self, SWR is solidified in his spot, and either Bradley or Matthews is the clear cut #5. If it's Matthews, that means Bradley is in the pen. I'm speaking about OPTIMIM here gang. Nobody traded, and nobody injured. But stuff happens. Abel has SERUOUS stuff and potential. He'll get his opportunity. ROY? Meh, he's a real candidate due to trades or injuries. But ever the optimist, I'm kinda hoping he shines when given his opportunity, but his opportunity will come later. CULPEPPER: I can't believe he wasn't included in the OP. Currently, he's on the same path Keaschall was, without the impending TJ surgery hanging over his head. And he's a potential, actual ML SS. I'm not intending to place undue pressure on the kid...as if he reads this stuff...but if he's as ready as early as Keaschall was in 2025, he might shuffle the entire INF to some degree. He just might hit like Keaschall, with more power, and turn Lee in to a super utility player. Or maybe that's K-Pepper's INITAL role on first call up. But he should have been included in any conversation about ROY love. REALISTICALLY, that's it for ROY possibilities. But let's go ahead and play the rookie game a little further for fun. PRIELIPP: The Twins have him working on a 4th pitch and want to see him as a SP option. I agree with this. He's still only 25yo to begin 2026 and has legit SP potential, and is looking strong and healthy. He's going to debut too late in the season for ROY possibilities, but he could energize the team late in the season in different roles. GONZALEZ: Funny how he's a top 100 prospect when the Twins acquired him, has a poor 2024 and is removed from the top 100, and then has probably his very best season in 2025 at 21yo and reaches AAA and isn’t a top 100 prospect again? Very weird to me! I can't comment on his defense as I've still only seen 1 ST game with wind and a high sky where he looked bad. But he's reportedly really improved his defense, and has always had a good arm. I think there's more power available due to his build, and I'll accept improved reportedly better defense in 2025. The BAT looks like it plays. But it's a crowded OF right now and he's only 22yo for 2026. Never know how things are going to work out, but I think he's a 2nd half debut in 2026. ROSARIO: I've banged the drum on him at length. MVP of the Midwest League in 2023, a good AFL, and then an injury plagued 2024. So suddenly he became an afterthought in a lot of people's mind. And then he has a tremendous 2025 repeat at AA and was probably screwed out of MVP. (I may be incorrect, but I believe he lost out to an older journeyman player). He has a good arm in the OF, like Gonzalez. And he's not a poor athlete, though his SB numbers should be taken with a large grain of salt, but he shouldn't be dismissed as a solid prospect. He'll still only be 23yo at AAA in 2026 coming off a really good season. If the Twins want Mendez to work at 1B, then Rosario should be next in line. It's time the FO recognizes "decent" but not great athletes with BAT potential that we might convert to 1B. FEDKO: He might turn out to be nothing. But he had an incredible 2025 season as a 25yo that I never saw happening. Honestly, I was surprised when the Twins kept him following a very poor 2024. I initially thought it was AA roster depth and nothing more. So we can debate "why in the hell didn't they promote him late in 2025" vs trying to sneak him through RULE 5 while looking at other options. I mean, a poor 2024 as a 24yo and you kept him? And then he seems to have figured it out at 25yo? I can honestly see a scenario, with a low payroll that I'm praying doesn't happen, where Fedko and Roden share 1B...with some contributions from Clemens potentially...and both provide 4th OF depth. Again, not what I WANT to see happen. But I can see Fedko as a Lew Ford 4th OF who sort of figured it out a little late. CARDENAS: The OP mentioned him, so I feel obliged to include him. For reasons I don't fully comprehend, the Twins just like Winkel, drafted the same year. But since initial scouting reports from Draft Day I've heard Cardenas is a solid receiver. And his 28% CS is well above Winkel's 18%. Cardenas has a better OB% and career OPS between the two. But I also believe his AAA numbers might have skewed his power production some. But I think with another couple of months to adapt his bat, he might be a "Butera-like" receiver with a potentially better offensive profile. But I ONLY include him here because the OP mentioned him.

Id love him as the #2. Decent bat, and experienced if not great defensively. He can backup Jeffers and play a little 1B and DH. It also frees up Jeffers to DH against LHP. BUT the payroll would have to be closer to $130M to sign him for 2 and $12-14 wouldn't it? Wasn't he on a 2yr $12M deal with Houston? I'm expecting someone like McCann for $3M. That fits more in the (poor still) $120-ish payroll I'm hoping for. In an ideal situation, we'd just extend Jeffers another 2yrs and sign Cartarini for 2yrs at $12M. That sets at catcher for the next 2 seasons and bridges the gap for Tait to, hopefully, debut in 2028. I just don't know that the payroll numbers allow for this to happen. I'm still betting on a less expensive $3M for someone such as McCann. But I'd love to be proven wrong.

Wildly aggressive and fun for sure. Just one small thing, I'm not seeing the $10M dead cap money to be paid Houston as part of the Correa trade. Or am I just not seeing it?

Plenty of room to add the first 6. I'd also add Klein. He was inconsistent when he reached St Paul, but he's a big kid with good velocity and good K potential. I can see him in the Twins bullpen sometime this season. And I could see someone grab him that sees the same thing. Grab him, stash him, and let him cut loose 1 inning at a time, or be the sacrificial lamb in blowouts that just eats innings. Fedko could be of interest to someone in need of a 4th OF, but as pointed out, very, very few position players ever get selected, much less kept. So 6 plus 1 in my mind.

You can have almost unlimited coaches, but only so many can be in uniform and in the dugout game day. Considering the positive things I've heard about Suggs, I'm surprised he wasn't kept on in some capacity. But with Hawkins brought on board, he's probably looking for advancement, and not another scouting or assistant spot. Conger has a good reputation. Apparently Shelton just has a different vision? In regard to Watkins, the whole 3B good or bad reputation is bogus. For every runner sent that scored, times 3 or more, all that's remember is the bad sends. And that's the truth and life of being a 3B coach. BUT that coach is ALSO an instructor. So Shelton wants a different coach. Isn't that what we want? Don't we WANT Shelton to have some freedom to build his own staff? I'm very excited to have THE HAWK as an assistant pitching coach. But I'm also very intrigued about the rest of the staff. Primarily, who he puts in charge of the hitting side.

The only thing I know about Kreidler is that I've never even heard of him until the Twins picked him up and he can't hit worth a damn. Since then, the only thing I've read is that he can actually pick the ball well enough to actually, maybe, play a solid ML SS. But what I've also heard and seen in SSS is that Fitzgerald is a solid glove man who can also play a competent ML SS. The handful of appearances I've seen from Fitzgerald at SS would seem to indicate he can handle that spot, and others, as a cheap option until someone else comes along. If true, his questionable bat would seem to still be an improvement over Kreidler. So I'm still expecting Kreidler to be a DFA at some point as a potential MILB signing after? Kiner-Filefa is a solid pro who probably has another Farmer-esque 2023 equivalent season at SS in him. And his bat might exceed Fitzgerald and certainly Kreidler. But what is his price tag for being the probable 26th man on the roster? I absolutely value defense, but if we're just looking for depth at SS in a utility spot until Culpepper is ready, there is absolutely NO REASON to carry BOTH Fitzgerald AND Kreidler. So one of them needs to go for additional 40 man adds and options. And that brings us back to the aforementioned Eeles. I've heard some mixed results about his defense, hard work, and improved work. But coming off a knee injury, he wasn't quite the same in 2025. That's understandable. And he doesn't have to be added to the 40 man until/unless he's added to the 26 man. IF the bat looks close to his 2024 performance. IF his glovework is solid, I'd very seriously consider him above Fitzgerald or Kreidler at some point. Culpepper reminds me of Keaschall not only due to a fast rise, but as a possible promotion candidate before you really wanted to promote them. But unless payroll SOMEHOW gave you a couple $M to play with, I'd cut either Fitzgerald or Kreidler almost immediately, and bet on your "keeper" as a TEMPORARY" SS, utility option. And then I'd have bring a fully healthy Eeles to camp as a non roster invite and play him DAILY and tell him it's his initial chance to prove himself. The FO has to STOP ignoring potential talent on hand. ESPECIALLY if you're looking to re-tool the roster.

First of all, a simplistic answer. I believe in the most balanced and deepest lineup you can put together. I don't believe on only power, or only speed, or all 9 primary hitters being LH. Second, the easy answer to FUTURE #3 hitter is probably Jenkins. But with all the hope in the world he's going to be even 80% of what he might be, I'm still having doubts he's ready opening day. Even June 1st or July 1st of 2026, that might be a lot put on his plate. But he's the easy choice down the road. For the immediate future? The answer should be Buxton. While it's nice when he leads off a game with a bomb, he's still only guaranteed to actually lead off once per game. I want runners on base for him to knock in with his Dbls and HR. The leadoff hitter should be Keaschall. That's his skill set. That's the only 2 spots in the lineup, as of today, that I have certainty about. So who hits second for the immediate future? Based on skills and how he finished 2025, Martin might be a really good choice as a decent hitter with a good OB% and some speed. He acts almost like a 2nd leadoff option behind Keaschall in front of Buxton. If his bat comes around after a poor, SSS, based on his skill set and MILB numbers, Roden could be a solid option at #2, possibly in a quasi-platoon with Martin. But I can see a version of the lineup where Lee takes a nice step forward in 2026 and takes over that #2 spot, despite poor footspeed. But I don't know that I'm ready to speculate on that. While Naylor would be a perfect fit at 1B for the next few years, I've come to the conclusion he's just going to be too expensive. So my #2 1B option would be O'Hearn. He's not a power plant hitter. But he's LH, and an experienced, productive hitter. He would be followed by Lewis at #5, and Wallner at #6. The 2023-2024 version of Wallner comes back, I could see a swap of he and O'Hearn in the 4 and 6 spots quite easily. But can they afford O'Hearn? Maybe. But that's probably my top 6. And it's a top 6 I feel pretty good about. I am going to bang this drum until proven otherwise, but Rodriguez has already burned through 2 of his 3 option years. If he's healthy, he needs a DAY ONE job. He's an excellent defensive OF who can give Buxton days off in CF. He's got some speed, and big power potential. Even if his actual AVG is mediocre, a decent OB%, combined with that speed, power, and defense makes him an almost must for 2026, whether he bats 7th, 8th, or 9th. Lee, Jeffers, and Rodriguez fill out the last 3 spots to begin 2026. With any kind of re-tooling of the lineup, that's how things SHOULD go. A lesser 1B moves Wallner up, and changes the bottom end of the lineup. When Jenkins arrives, as well as K-Pepper and possibly Gonzalez at some point, that changes some things, obviously. But that could be July or later for some of them. Regardless, Buxton is the best and most dangerous batter in the lineup. Keaschall is the perfect #1 batter for the next 5+ years on the team. The rest is all TBD. Buxton at #3 for now, and maybe for the next couple of years. We'll see how it shakes out. But Jenkins is the #3 "hitter in waiting".

A good, and well thought out OP Greg. I dare say in the history of the MINNESOTA TWINS, Buxton is EASILY in the TOP 5 of TALENTS to play for the organization. Honestly, if Buxton had been as healthy, I'd honestly bet he and Griffey would be comparable for career numbers and awards. But coulda, shoulda, woulda includes a hell of a lot of players. I watched the Twins in '87 and '91 and those were amongst the greatest and most fun moments of my sports fan life, along with a 3 championship stretch from my Huskers that could have been 5 so easily with a couple of breaks. And as a child I cried for Super Bowl losses. And as an adult I cried and cursed for "wide left" that might have changed Vikings fan history. And I really enjoyed the early '00's of the Twins in recent history. But in the last decade, no apologies to the Pohlads, as a fan, I have been overjoyed by 2019 and 2020 and 2023 despite the ultimate outcome. Even if you dislike Rocco, or Falvey, those 3 seasons were COMPETITIVE and FUN! BUT the NEXT BEST THING I'VE SEEN is a HEALTHY Buxton. My goodness what he has done, and what he could still do, and what many have missed is disappointing. He was all that we hoped for and expected previously. And I'm happy to saw I was able to watch it. To be blunt, it was AWESOME to see a full season of what what Buxton could be in a **** season. Personally, I'm just hoping he's not done yet. And I don't think he is.

Except, the 3 guys mentioned WERE bargain bin options before solid 2025 seasons. So were Thielbar and Stewart and a handful of other guys in the past. And the Twins will sign a couple more this offseason. But it's also possible they sign a couple 2 or 3 more to actual 40 man deals. For instance, as has been mentioned often in other threads, what about a Coulombe, or Rogers, or Chaffin on a 1yr deal for $3-4M? The whole point of the OP is not to ignore the bargain bin. Again, that's where these guys came from. I think the point is more that these guys are EXAMPLES of some arms that might be actual 40 man choices. Not to say this is the entire list of opportunity additions.

I'm remaining an optimist until they give me reason not to be. With the manager and coaching changes, with talent on hand, with 4 top 10 position player prospects probably making their debut at some point this season...and a couple others who might...I just don't believe in "giving up". The OP is strictly referencing Lopez and Festa's health as reasons for optimism. I just happen to see more reasons than those two.

Here are some suggestions I've presented in different threads: FA backup catcher for $3M. FA 1B, I'd prefer O'Hearn but I don't know if we can get him for $8-10M THREE veteran, FA, BP arms for around $12M. The payroll is around $120M. And while that's way lower than it should be, it's lower than where 2025 started, and lower than where it actually ended. And none of the top prospects are blocked.

Any rebuild won't happen overnight. But before you get to a dominate bullpen, you have to ask for competency. And this upcoming season, probably more than most, is going to be a mix of ages, experience, and previous success. Or lack there of. Hawk is a very bright guy, well liked, and literally has some of the most pen experience of all time. I believe he will embrace all of the data available today, along with the combination of experience and psychology that comes with it. He knows what it means to fail and to succeed. While I like his hiring overall, and believe he can do the job with a variety of different players, I think working with a number of young arms that have transitioned, or are about to, from starter to reliever is where he might make his most immediate mark.

Phenomenal article. Thanks for sharing. I was not privy to the information regarding loopholes several teams can manipulate to their financial benefit. Those have to be closed for the good of the game and it's future. But billionaire owners also shouldn't be paying other billionaire owners to make no attempt at a viable product and merely pocket the shared venue $ as a form of billionaire welfare. The NFL has more balanced revenue sharing and a cap. But they don't have a hars floor. Teams must have a payroll floor based on a % of the cap itself, but it's fluid over...IIRC...a 3 year period. Something along the lines of a 75% minimum but you can spend less for a 2yr period. This is intended for teams that suddenly get old or lose players to FA and need to re-build. At least in theory. MLB needs to close ridiculous loopholes as presented in the article. They need a more balanced revenue sharing, which should be easier with said loopholes closed. After that, they either need a cap, or higher tax penalties for those "super spending" teams. But they also need some sort of mandated floor or incentive based plan for those bottom feeding, welfare teams to spend. Absolutely ridiculous billionaire owners are being forced to subsidize other billionaires to the detriment of MLB as a whole. The TOP teams won't like part of this. The BOTTOM teams won't like part of this. SOME of the TOP players might make a little less with these changes. But the lower and middle class players across the league will probably see an actual increase in their income. Fans will have a greater interest as more teams will have a better, more balanced playing field on which to compete. The game will be stronger as a whole. That should also lead to growth. More fan interest and more growth means more $ coming in for teams and the league collectively. I've been saying almost these exact same things for a couple years now, though I'm no expert on the details of how to put this all together. But for the good and growth of the game, the solution is very obvious. Unfortunately, what seems "obvious" for both sides is an attempt to "beat" the other side versus doing what's best overall for everyone.

Gotta find a backup catcher from somewhere. Hopefully that's just around $3M. If the budget had enough room for an inexpensive, veteran glove man for a utility spot, I wouldn't object. Right now, Fitzgerald is probably the #1 option and while it could be worse, that's also not great. The whole "just get someone cheap every year to play 1B wnd just cross your fingers" is getting beyond frustrating. As well as ridiculous. Currently, the unproven Fedko and Roden have some 1B experience. Young Mendez is going to get some opportunity at 1B, but he's only just started. Amick has a chance to be a solid candidate. But we're basically talking about rookies and AA prospects. So personally, I'm OK with one more year of the 1B carousel in hopes of actually finding a couple internal options by 2027. I like that option better than utility man Clemens or just open auditions for the prospect that would stink the least. But if they go the FA route...versus trade or immediate conversion...it's got to be someone better than France. But other than that, on the position side, it should be existing players and prospects, prospects, and prospects.

I really liked the potential Festa showed in 2024. For the most part, he took a step back last season, but his shoulder was seemingly never 100%. At least not past the first month or so when he went on the Saints IL with "tired arm" syndrom. But so far, in what is still a SSS, he's had a tough time getting past the 5th inning. With his build, and with the shoulder issues he had last season, I really think his future is in the pen. I can easily see him as a late inning, power, high K arm and maybe a potential closer. In theory, the rotation currently has options that include: Lopez, Ryan, Ober, SWR, Bradley, Matthews, Abel, Morris with Prielipp, Rojas, CJ Culpepper and others at least slightly behind them. And that's me assuming Lewis, Raya, and Klein all moving to a pen role. There SHOULD be enough depth/talent to place Festa in the pen. And it just might be where he's beat suited.

There's 3 or 4 LH options I like better than Milner, and they shouldn't cost a lot more. (Coulombe, Rogers, Chaffin, and maybe Thielbar). But this is the direction not only available to the Twins, but probably the only real path open to them. And these RH options may or may not be on the Twins radar. They may or may not be smart choices. But this does go to show there are arms like this out there that could be smart, 1yr options as bridge arms for 2026. They need bodies, hopefully of some quality. And those veteran options keep the team from continuing to blow games. And those veteran options provide that bridge while the younger, internal arms gain some experience. It's a question of the FO/scouts making the smart/right choices.

Ugh. No. May as a $4-5M pen arm only. I don't care about his potential as a SP. If he can't stay on the field, it's time to try something else. Maybe he's just destined to be a RP. Of all the young starters they've collected, where would May fit anyway? No way the Twins pay that kind of $ for a fragile rotation option. Hoskins? He could be a great comeback story. But after a really bad 2025 and a not so great 2024, and at age 33, he needs to be thinking $5-6M, maybe with some incentives, to prove he's not over and done.

I'm with you. While always a deep follower of the MILB system, I'm almost to the point on putting my focus there for 2026 more than ever. The problem is, we also probably get to see 5 or maybe even 6 of the Twins best prospects debuting sometime in 2026. Added insult to injury, I've been a fan for over 50yrs as a recently turned 60yo. So I'm kind of screwed when it comes to apathy in regard to the ML team.