DocBauer

(Fingers in ears) Yadav yada yada. Man, I get it. But I all about a WAY LOWER than average ML payroll of around $120M-ish where we have a little over $30M to make a handful of smart additions, trust a new day and a new staff will get the most out of Lewis, Buxton, Jeffers, Wallner, Lee, Keaschall, etc, and welcome in Rodriguez, Jenkins, Culpepper, and Gonzalez at some point in 2026 and do the best to build an acceptable, average bullpen with a few conversion arms that might help later in the season. I don't believe in just "giving up" when I see a solid base in place for my team. High quality SP is the hardest thing to find. The Twins have at least some of that. So until I hear some ridiculous payroll number, I'm going to be "that guy" who isn't willing to give up on a RE-TOOL vs RE-BUILD.

Run another 250 or 500, or whatever, and STOP when we have the #1 or #2 pick? We need Kharma!! 😃

Hopefully Amick now starts to RAKE. But I suspect he's playing with his stance and approach to find his previous power while not losing the improvements he made last year in his contact numbers. Winokur, still so young, keeps producing runs despite his actual AVG. I remain a bit surprised he was sent to the AFL. But doing so tells me a couple different things. 1] Despite amazing athleticism and some amazing plays, they want to see him a little more at SS before 2026 begins. 2] Whether he's actually working on something in particular as a hitter or not, they want to see him against a higher level of pitching before 2026 begins. While the AFL doesn't often feature TOP pitching prospects, the arms there have generally been accepted as AA quality.

I don't disagree. But very few top pitching prospects go to the AFL. Teams generally give them a little rest break before they go the offseason Instruction League. The exception, of course, are for guys coming off injury and maybe they just want to see them get some innings in. I'd remind you about Kade Bragg for the Twins in last year's AFL. He was drafted in 2023 but was hurt and only got in to about 6 games in 2024. (Don't recall if that was pre or post injury). And he had a terrible AFL! But it provided an experience that springboard him to having an outstanding 2025 season at 3 levels, including AA, where he was again excellent. And he should be at St Paul to begin 2026. Boadas is in a similar position right now having missed so much time to injury. The velocity is there and general effectiveness is there, even if the control/command aren't yet.

I believe there is a path for a solid, competent bullpen. Not a great one. But one that can be solid/competent. I wouldn't move Matthews there yet. There's just too much potential still there after mixed results in 2025, which was basically a rookie year after a late looksee in 2024. But I'd remind everyone that I believe Bradley is out of options, as is SWR. So if Matthews turns a corner, or Abel suddenly takes off, Bradley might end up in the pen. But I'm not looking at any of them for the Day 1 pen. I'm also of the belief that Prielipp is sticking as a SP for now. And considering his still vast potential as a LH option, that's the smart play. Do let's look at how to try to build this solid/competent pen for 2026: FESTA has been largely dominant in his brief career once and even twice through a lineup. He probably hits 100mph in a 1 IP stint. He's also had some shoulder issues. His TOS issue was about as mild as could be hoped for. Let's hope that remains true. He's perfect for 1 IP 2-3 times a week. SANDS had a tremendous 2024. He then had a really mediocre 2025 before a series of really good performances over the last 2 months. Minus about a 7-10 stretch, he looked like his '24 self. He has the potential to be a key component. FUNDERBURK has flashed at times, but been terribly inconsistent. IIRC, part of his issue previously was against LH hitters. TWO MONTHS, even very good ones, doesn't mean he's figured it out. But those were a couple of very good months. TOPA as the 7th man in the pen, with experience, and a decent track record when healthy, is inexpensive, and not a bad option. But I'm sure not wanting him a setup role unless he re-discovers his 2023 season with Seattle. ADAMS, OHL, and LAWYERSON are 3 candidates for the rotating 8th spot in the pen. Neither Adams or Ohl have enough pure stuff for the rotation. But max velocity and good control for each could make them a potentially solid fit as 1 IP options. But for now, they are part of the shuttle to St Paul as the 8th man until they prove otherwise. And Lawyerson is, and has been throughout his MILB career, and effective middle man. So he's part of the "8th man" contingent for now. (Really wish they had brought up Laweryson earlier for a longer look last year). In theory, 5 spots are mostly filled. WHO ELSE MIGHT HELP: Unless I've imagined it or mis-read something, Lewis and Raya have already been moved to reliever status going forward. Both posses the arsenal to become effective relief options, but I'd be surprised if either was ready opening day. Rumors surrounding Klein...big, strong, good velocity and a nice assortment of pitches...might also be moved to the pen. I can see him being very effective there. And LH arm MacLeod also began the transition to the pen last year. But he was very inconsistent on his AAA arrival. And there was a surprising number of highly productive RP arms in AA this past season that should all hit St Paul this year. That's unusual. But these are all surprises, or later in 2026 options. So we still have 3 spots to fill effectively. COULOMBE, THIELBAR, ROGERS, and CHAFIN are ALL over 30yo and possibly coming to the close of their careers. In fact, I believe all 4 will be 35yo plus for 2026. But all 4 ALSO had solid seasons in 2025 and have had solid careers. I have a hard time believing any of them will get more than 1yr and $3-4M max. Take your pick. But ONE of them...hopefully picking the RIGHT one...gives the 2026 pen another solid LH arm Ideally, the budget allows for a couple solid, decent RH arms with some experience. I've heard mention of Devin Williams after a down season on a "make good" 1yr deal for $5M. That would be outstanding. But I don't see that happening. The list of possibilities is at least a page long. So I really have no clue who would really be a good target, or two, but even another Tyler Clippard or Sergio Romo type...preferably 2 of them...for around $3-4M could go a long way to just a decent, viable, experienced arm, or 2, to add depth, experience, and place holding while a couple other young arms develop throughout 2026. Of course you also bring in some invites on MILB deals. That's how the Twins got Stewart, Thielbar, and others in the past. Some helped for a season. Some helped more than that. But just as a reminder, Aguilera, Guardado, Trombley, Duffy, Duran, Jax, and Varland are only a handful of past and near present former "failed" starters who became excellent RP for the Twins. For some it happened immediately. For some it took a little longer. Will this pen be built overnight to something strong? That would be almost impossible. But with the arms on hand, 2 or 3 $3-4M FA, a flier or two, and working with the younger arms just begining their conversions to the pen, it's still possible to have a decent/solid pen for 2026. IMO.

OK, I don't mean his game performance against the Lions was anything special. He played a good, solid game with a couple of great throws that indicate his potential. And to be fair, some rust showed as there were a few off target throws that might have helped the offense put this game away had he been more on target. And it sure doesn't hurt having Jones back, Darrisaw in at LT for a whole game, and Allen and Hargrave are starting to make a difference. But didn't it appear the whole team just raised their game against the Lions? Could that be due to having their young QB back out there and performing well? It sure feels like he already has the respect of the team. No offense to Wentz. He did the best he could under some difficult circumstances. And I don't know that KOC has called games as well as he has in the past. Goodness knows the team has dealt with it's share of injuries thus far in 2025. But it sure looked to me as if the whole team had extra intensity and a different bounce in their steps in this one.

The Twins had the lead. Hrbek was an excellent 1B and I don't believe Rocco would want him out of the game. Additionally, Hrbek was a veteran hitter and a decent OB% guy for his career. And with Hrbek really being the only big threat from the LH side, I believe he would have been given a long runway in regard to facing LHP all season long. So no, I don't believe he would have been PH for.

Thanks Jamie! Between the podcasts and articles like this, it really helps to get to know these players so far ahead of time. But as you pointed out, we're still a LONG way from the next draft and a lot of things can and will change between now and then. As I recall, Skenes was a later 1st round option before his breakout year at LSU. Being the greedy fan that I am, of course I'd love Lady Luck being on our side and we win the #1 spot. But based on early expectations of talent available, and knowing how most drafts work, anywhere in the top 3 could provide a tremendous option.

Caratini would be an excellent choice. And there's a decent chance he's got a couple solid years left in him. But I don't think the $ will work. While he saw limited action in 2025, I can see McCann for 1yr in the $3M range, which is probably max for the Twins. He could be a valuable 30-35% games caught guy. I might add Elias Diaz to the list as well. He's had a solid career and was still an effective hitter in 2024. He bottomed out in 2025. The Padres, I believe, hold a $7M option for 2026 that I doubt they will pick up. Even though he'll be 35yo, I could see a rebound season from him on a 1yr deal.

No thought of a grade on my end. As already stated more than once, how about we actually see what he does on the job for a season first? Right now, I'm waiting to see what his staff looks like. He's probably not going to spend much time, if at all, as a hitting instructor. But can he assemble a good set of hitting coaches to work with current players, and those that will be debuting soon? Ask me this time in 2026 and I'll have a graded opinion.

Trading Ryan SHOULD bring back a ransom. I keep reading rumors from the BoSox about an OF and others, including their 1st round pick of Whitmore I think it is. And there other options presented. But I'm one who hates to speculate on trades. While an IMMEDIATE upgrade in the OF sounds enticing, do the Twins really need that? And yet another OF who may be great, but lack control? MAYBE I'm actually smarter than Falvey. But I'd be focused on a few adds, pushing the Pohlads for some $, and concentrate on my new manager and his coaching staff. I have a TON of talent on the arm side of things. My offense needs a leader and an adoptive approach because I have a TON of talent on hand and about to debut. My pitching staff needs to take what I have and raise it to another level. But did I hire a babysitter? Or did I hire someone who will work with me in the new distraction I see us taking place? Sorry, but screw trade BS. The Twins SHOULD be looking at what they can accomplish with improvement. NOT what they could save. Falvey, you SHOW ME a trade for Ryan that makes a difference and I will admit how damn smart you pretend to be.

Wes Johnson was built like a 5' 8" firey pitcher that would drill you old school fashion if you showed him up if you hit a HR off of him. And he brought that fire, it seemed, as a pitching coach. And for whatever reason he decided to bail on the Twins for LSU, and ultimately the TOP JOB at Georgia. Good for him I guess. But he left behind a quieter option in Maki that I'm not sure isn't as good of a coach, despite a different disposition. What I know about Colby Suggs is he's supposedly smart as hell, and started as a scout and numbers man. He's supposed to be a fast riser, so why not keep him. Ramirez has played all around the globe and has 16yrs in the Twins system. At the very least, he should be kept for experience and a Latin influence and interrepture, unless there is a better option in Shelton's way of thinking. Regardless of Maki sticking around or not...and I don't have any clue if there's a better man for the job or not...I absolutely LOVE the idea of Hawkins joining the staff. If he's actually ready to take this duty under his wings, he provides 21 seasons as a ML pitcher who failed as a starter and then carved out a tremendous career as a pen arm. Maki and the current Staff is a a strong maybe. Adding Hawkins, IMO, is a strong YES, no matter the rest of the staff.

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.