DocBauer

I think Buck is a class act! Over and over again he's stated he wants to be a Twin for his whole career. And he's a "gamer" for sure. Before his knee was finally fixed, how many saw him STILL stealing bases and needed 2 or 3 minutes to just stand up straight again? And he's been a hard working but quiet leader for the most part. At least publicly. I give him a standing ovation for coming out of his comfort zone and publicly staying SOMETHING about the future of the team. I applaud him all the more for not being nasty about it. The Twins, as currently constructed are not devoid of talent, despite less than optimal production. While they have a pretty solid and deep MILB system, many of their TOP prospects are ready or nearly ready to appear. The Owners can no longer claim debt as being an immediate issue as that is gone with the new minority owners cash influx. Even the blind Pohlads can hear and read fan apathy and look at Target Field and see only hundreds of fans in the stands. What's next? Paper bags over heads? While the unknown new minority owners may have limited power, are they simply blind to what is happening? Are they ONLY interested in a return 10-15yrs from now? Or are they actually interested in the GROWTH of their new investment? I'm just a mid-western middle class peon. But if I had $ to invest somewhere, I'd sure like to know the company/team I invested my $ in to was intent on GROWING the brand of the company/team. Maybe I'm naive, but doesn't that just make some sense??? At this point you do, more or less, what I've stated over and over again. You KEEP Lopez and Ryan because you CAN and SHOULD. You sign a quality FA like Josh Naylor...or similar...to add to the lineup and clubhouse. You spend a couple $M on a veteran pen arm like Coulombe, or maybe Chafin to offer some hope to the fan base that that the dismantling of the team is over. Forgetting another $2-3M for a decent, veteran backup catcher...which won't excite the fan base...which is still important, and then your drop another another $10M-ish on 2-3 pen arms who might be older, or bouncing back, or former starters who are good looking converts. You SELL the rotation, your 1 good BAT, and the prospects like Keaschall, K-Pepper, Jenkins, and Rodriguez to season ticket holders. Under the radar, you keep looking for the next Thielbar and Stewart. And you keep making smart decisions about the NEXT Duran, Jax, Sands, etc. I HONESTLY HATE repeating myself over and over about the rather OBVIOUS moves the FO and ownership could make. But if we keep having OP's about the Twins, I have no choice but to repeat myself. With ANY sort of decent pen assembled, the rotation and depth look strong. Add ONE veteran BAT with the talent on hand being healthy and producing, along with some of the best young talent the Twins have had in years, this could be a really interesting team. Buck HASN'T asked for the Twins to suddenly have a $200M payroll. All he's asked for is a good, competitive team who has a chance.

I think you've read enough of my posts to know I'm 100% on making Josh Naylor a prime FA for 2026. He's not an All Star or GG player. But he's a decent, veteran 1B, BAT, and player who helps the INF, Lineup, and probably the clubhouse as well. (A lot of young players for 2026 and beyond). You get a decent hitter with fairly neutral career splits...which is important...a decent OB% hitter, and almost a guaranteed 20 HR and around 50 XBH total. Considering how the overall value 1B have financially in the game today, I really think he might be brought on board for about $15M. That might require more than 1yr. Maybe 2 or 3? But even at 3yrs, not only can the Twins afford it, not only does he deepen a lineup that's struggled and might have a ton of young players in 2026, but there is NO direct replacement in the near future. BUT, if the Twins DON'T spend a little $ for a veteran 1B...Naylor or someone else...I can see a scenario where they "try out" a combination of Julien, Roden, and Clemens from the LH side and Fedko from the RH side. (Personally, I'd have Lewis practice some 1B as well with K-Pep coming up soon). I think that would be a huge mistake based on greed and organizational misguidance as 1B is the OPTIMUM place to spend a little $ to make a difference, but that's where they might go if they don't spend a little to improve the team.

No room for Roden unless he's part of the 1B situation with someone else. I'm not giving up on him, but Wallner makes it over him every day of the week, and twice on Sundays. He becomes the PRIMARY DH and part time corner OF if/when the Twins and Rodriguez are the starting corner OF and backups to Buxton. I do wonder about Martin. Looks like his defense has improved some. And if true, that's a HUGE step forward to his ML roster viability. It's still a SSS, but his bat is starting to look more legit as well. But the weird base running mistakes don't help his cause. And I need to see more of any improved defense to convince me. On the other hand is Fedko, yet to debut, but 6 months younger. No proof, but I'd be willing to bet he's a better, more natural OF at this point than Martin. He's a similar OB% guy with seemingly as much speed, and more power/pop. I'm not anti-Martin, but if I could build a fantasy Twins team for 2026, I'd have to take Fedko...who's also learning some 1B to increase his flexibility...over Martin. He offers more pop/power, possibly more position flexibility, and considering how much RF he's played, I'm guessing a better arm. I'd be happy if Martin proved me wrong.

Good start for Armstrong. I think he was more of a "throw in" vs Gallagher in the Castro deal, but his MILB career numbers have been pretty solid so far. This is only his 2nd full pro season. He's still lacking in the K department. I don't want to speculate too soon about a prospects career trajectory, but I see him as a Jax/Sands type where the Twins see something they like, and he might end up as a better pen arm a year or so from now. Really interesting to take a deeper dive in to Whitaker, and Parades, and even Hoopes and Bragg...who didn't pitch in this report...and realize these are 3 recent late draft picks, and a surprise RFA signing...who have been excelling as pen arms. None of them are top prospects as they ARE pen arms. But I find it interesting that under the radar, the Twins might have a handful of MILB arms that just might be actual ML pen arms in the near future. Not sure the last time was when I could look at a Twins MILB pen arm and actually believe he might be a future contributor. Hildenberger maybe?

I don't believe, at this time, that Morris is a top of the rotation arm. But he was barely behind Matthews in a 2024 climb of an enormous season. Where he ranks on the rotation rankings just depends on way too many factors to assign a number at this early junction. But his finishing strong is a great positive. A couple good, healthy weeks for St Paul for Rodriguez might be really important. I truly believe the Twins are really, really close to having a hell of an OF with Rodriguez, Buxton, Jenkins, Wallner and pick your favorite RH option. While I really embrace the Brewers approach...a very similar mid market team...of turning TOP prospects loose, I don't know that any team would start TWO rookie OF day ONE of the next season. Unlike a few other posters, I wasn't in favor of handing Rodriguez LF to begin 2025. I felt a little time at AAA was warranted. Even with injuries that have hampered his season, he still has 179 PA there and more to come over the next couple of weeks. While the AVG has been disappointing, the OB and SLG and OPS numbers are solid. The speed, defense, and potential are still there. And his service time clock is ticking. I'd be willing to hand LF over to him to begin 2026, even with a low .200's AVG if he continues to show his other abilities and provide defense. I don't like the service time game, but I understand it. IF Jenkins played every day to finish the AAA season in the Saints lineup, he still only finishes with something like 120 PA. No matter how great he does, no matter how talented he is, I wouldn't have a problem with him getting another month or so at 21yo to begin 2026 just to get in a good groove, maybe flash a little more power...that's been starting to come on...and debut later than Rodriguez. The service time issue works in the Twins favor here, but I'm more concerned about Jenkins' continued development and readiness with so much time missed due to injuries, than I am about service time or any potential ROY draft reward. But then again, after everything I've just stated, I can see a scenario where Rodriguez and Jenkins FLIP their debuts.

I'm kinda late here so I'm going to be brief. AMICK: The two biggest questions about him were could he be viable at 3B, and his actual bat to ball ability. According to his draft profile he had shown some improvement at 3B. The Twins are still playing him there, and should still for now, so maybe he can stick there with enough time and work. But I think he ends up at 1B eventually. So far, he's made MAJOR improvement in his bat to ball skills and both BB and K numbers. The power is still there, it's just not shining this season. He definitely seems ready for AA in 2026. OLIVERAS: The 22yo is still sitting at a BB % per 9 of 4.9. But hits per 9 are just under 8, which isn’t bad, and he's just under 10K. Control/command takes time and can be worked on. Pure stuff, you either have it or not. There is some reliever "risk" there certainly. But he just recently reached A+ and should be part of a really interesting rotation for CR next season. KLEIN: He's got an ideal frame and mid 90's velocity. He's 23 1/2yo and has reached AAA in his 3rd professional season. With 70 hits in 80 IP and 2.7 BB and 10.6 K per 9 innings at AA he's taken a major step this season and has earned his finish to 2025 at AAA. He's off to a mediocre start, not surprising, but has had a handful of nice appearances as of late. He's a legitimate prospect. Do we care he wasn't drafted? We really shouldn't. We should only focus on build, velocity, production, and a good age for AAA.

I absolutely appreciate Ryan's passion to want to win. His passion and determination is what also holds him back, somewhat, as he sometimes lets bad plays and bad calls affect him on the mound. But I do think he's settled down and learned to better deal with that, overcome, and be his normal self. His comments at the deadline were NOT anti-Twins. I believe his comments were basically "it's exciting to think about, but I'd like to win here". The Twins NOT trading him or Lopez and adding a BAT, probably at 1B, and the number of great prospects ready to debut, and an actual EXTENSION offer would make him very happy to stick around, IMO. Over and over I've stated how the team could ADD a BAT, probably at 1B and leave DH open. Then add a couple 40 man man fliers, plus some MILB contract fliers, in addition to internal options, and rebuild at least a competent BP. And without going crazy, they could have a payroll $10M less than last season. NOT what I WANT, but you just might have a competive team for a payroll WAY below league average. EXPECTED ML PAYROLL AVG for 2026 is around $180M. That leaves a TON OF ROOM to sign Ryan for an extension...maybe 3yrs...and Jeffers for 2 additional years. And those extensions wouldn't even take place until 2027. This is not only VIABLE, but it still potentially keeps the Twins payroll well below the 2027 average. But then again, we're talking about a 3rd generation of billionaires who have little clue what they're actually doing. They've already kissed away 1/3 of the organizations actual worth just to eliminate their borrowed debt. I have to wonder, if you were part of the new minority owners who just paid the Pohlads somewhere between $400-500M, would you be content to stroke your belly and just wait for a payout 10yrs from now? Or would you be stamping your fist at the table wondering WTF is going on in regards to where my $ is being spent? Why are the stands virtually empty right now? How are you going to increase the value of my new investment? Just me as a lower middle class American. But even as a billionaire, I still think I'd like to know where my money is going.

(HEAVY SIGH)! It's still AMAZING to me how many comments come from people who just refuse to actually read or listen to REAL data and further comments made post Gray leaving the Twins. Gray is a competitor by nature. I recall a comment last season with the Cardinals where he said again he wants a chance to go as long as he can. He's NEVER been an innings eater. He's been used almost EXACTLY as he was as a Twin. He hasn't been quite as good with St Loius since he left. But somehow, this mantra keeps going on, and on, about he wasn't used to his full capacity. The numbers are easy to look up if doubters would take even a moment to look at them instead of just spitting out vitriol. I appreciate Ryan's comments as he's a heart on the wrist, emotional competitor. And I'm sure his competitive nature is very frustrated right now. But last I knew, Lopez was the leader of the staff now. Last I knew, the things that Gray brought to the table like; all pitchers watching the pen for the day's starter were still intact. When Gray was let go, initially, the Twins had Lopez re-signed, and Ryan and Ober right behind them, with some solid young arms behind them. Right or wrong, they couldn't afford having a $30M SS and TWO $20M SP, one of which was approaching his mid 30's on a deal. Ask the Brewers about letting a quality SP go. In their situation they traded 1yr of Burns for some prospects because they couldn't afford to keep him. Since they traded Burns they've won 93 games in 2024 and 89 games so far in 2025. No, the problem HASN'T been losing out on an "unaffordable" deal for Gray. The problem has been an inconsistent offense in 2024, and a putrid offense in 2025, despite a coaching change. A lack of defense sure hasn't helped. But unlike ********, that rolls downhill, the biggest issue with the Twins rolls UPHILL. How better is a manger if he has better players? Meanwhile, the FO and scouting department are drafting more athletic players with a mix of speed, defense, and power mixed but will take time to develop and actually reach the ML level. Meanwhile, the Ownership has borrowed so much $ towards the franchise due to external debt that they CUT payroll just as the team is becoming an actual contender, ready to add a couple complimtary pieces to advance forward while waiting for the new direction of prospect talent, that the FO has their legs cut out under them. No wonder Levine left, though he won't state it publicly. No, the downfall of the Twins has nothing to do with Gray being gone, despite Ryan losing a mentor. And honestly, while he might not be a great manager, Rocco and his staff are not the DIRECT ISSUE. (He and his staff could be better for sure). But where are his players? What exactly is the PLAN for the team? And while I have issues with certain decisions made, and still being made, by the FO here and there... and what is their PLAN for the future...it still comes back to ownership and how badly they've mishandled the entire Twins organization. I'm NOT dismissing Rocco and his staff. And I'm NOT dismissing perceived errors by the FO, but how better might have 2024 and this season been with a league average payroll instead of worrying about the ownership debt? I'm not saying a new FO and new manager might not be in the cards. But temper your roll a bit fans. The current demise of the Twins is not for effort, directly, from Rocco and his staff, or necessarily from the current FO directly, But when the genie's lantern has been rubbed and you get your wish and build your team with promises...and then those promises are suddenly swept away...what are you to do? No. Again, it wasn't losing Gray that brought about this sudden demise. It was ownership mismanagement spouting off rhetoric to cover their own ass. Sometimes ******** actually DOES roll uphill! Censor me TD watchdogs if you want to. But I'm speaking the bare truth.

Mike, I understand. At this point in the season, with all due respect for McCusker, I would have brought Fedko up as well. I'm not necessarily a fan of Clemens. But a LH bench bat who can play decently at a few spots and POTENTIALLY have a league average. 700 OPS actually has value. Unfortunately, Schobel was having the kind of breakout season hoped for before injury. K-Pepper is probably a couple of months from debuting. Fitzgerald is a career AAAA player, but one who MIGHT serve a role to begin 2026. While I'm an Eeles fan and believer, he's still got to prove himself. Basically, the Twins need to improve 1B. Period! Hopefully they will. (I've written about this at length). But most of the other 1B and INF prospects are a year away besides Culpepper and maybe Eeles. And even IF the Twins fulfilled my dream scenario and signed Josh Naylor for 1B, there still remains a hole for a solid bench player. Might they find/sign someone better than Clemens on the cheap? Absolutely. But if he could maintain a .700 OPS with power off the bench and be OK at a few spots? I think he's at least bringing back to see.

Integral? I'm sorry, but I beg to differ strenously on that adjective! Look, I'm NOT anti-Martin and never have been. I've been very hopeful in the past he'd become a very solid player for the Twins. And I'm not one who says a player can't improve, or that being 25 or 26yo automatically eliminates you from becoming a viable ML player. But can we just reflect on a couple OLD points here before we go forward? 1] Did the Jays make a mistake pitting him at SS initially? Maybe. Did the Twins make a mistake keeping him there once acquired? Meh, maybe. Did they keep him there too long? Yes. 2] Did the Twins totally mess him up trying to get him to hit for more pop/power? Absolutely not! Considering his hitter profile, EVERY TEAM IN MLB would have tried to get more pop/power out of him based on his hitting profile. If you AREN'T ANY sort of power hitter...and we're talking even DOUBLES profile here...ML pitchers will just bust you inside, and low outside, ever single day, and even throw 95mph straight down the middle because you aren't a threat to do damage. FACT! Martin isn't a once in a generation contact high AVG hitter like Arraez. And FWIW, Arraez has a career SLG% of .413 compared to Martin's current ML career SLG% of .358, or his current 2025 SLG% of .375. That's a LARGE discrepancy. Ben Revere had a career SLG% of .343 for goodness sake. Again, I'm NOT a Martin hater. I'm just trying to be a realist. His numbers across the board this season are a definite improvement over his 2024 numbers. But they are also about 1/3 as many PA/AB, and the SLG% is only about .23 points higher. Despite a few good plays in the field, he's been very poor defensively anywhere he's played. I'm sorry, Cody, but you want to compare Martin's versatility compared to Castro? While Castro has seldom been GREAT anywhere, he's been solid/competent at 6 positions. Defensive rankings, no matter which you choose to use, are from August 1st of this year? That's a pretty SSS my friend. And we're talking 3 spots vs 6. Can and HAS Martin improved defensively? It seems he's gotten better. And I have ALWAYS championed patience defensively for players improving. The proof is in previous results for MANY players. I'm not doubting Martin has gotten better, and could continue to improve. Is he HITTING better this season? Absolutely. Does he have a ML future? If he continues to improve with the glove and bat he does. But INTEGRAL? I have serious doubts. ANY comment comparing his role in 2026 towards Outman or Roden...or even Keirsey...is ridiculous as they are LH options and Martin is RH. And that's an entirely different discussion as Rodriguez and Jenkins are also LH hitters. So why the comparison at all? A good RH bat should also hit decently against RH pitching. So far, Martin is fine in that category. Once again, I DON'T hate Martin. I've been rooting for him to be a good player for the Twins, even though my expectations have dropped considerably over time. I'd be delighted if Martin could be a solid LF and occasional 2B/CF player for the Twins. But the backup CF role will probably be filled quickly by Rodriguez and/or Jenkins. I'd further remind that the yet unproven, but somewhat younger Fedko has similar speed, more power, and the potential to backup 4 spots. Beyond that, Gonzalez is the TOP RH BAT in the system who is getting closer by the day to making his debut in 2026. Has Martin improved his bat and glove this season? Absolutely. Does he break with the club in 2026? Probably. Does he provide more athleticism and a needed contact approach? Absolutely. But is he INTEGRAL? With the other OF bats on their way up and with K-Pepper close to help with the INF as well, I think INTEGRAL is a stretch. But it would be awesome if he FORCED himself to be such.

My apologies, but I forgot to mention Sabato as he was brought up a few times. Clemens, if brought back, and I believe he will be, could be a serviceable LH bench bat at potentially 5 positions if he can basically reproduce what he's done as a Twin with a .700 OPS hitter with power. (5 positions because he's played some 3B previously and should do so again next ST to if he can handle it). But he is NOT a starting player, and shouldn't be in 2026. That is the ONE SINGULAR SPOT where the Twins could actually make a move to help solidify the INF and the lineup. But I don't think Sabato is the answer at this time. With all due respect to his hard work and 2025 season, his OB% numbers have fallen flat since he joined St Paul. He doesn't have to be protected and won't be selected in the rule 5 draft. What he HAS DONE is raise himself from a #1 pick bust who was lucky to have a job this season, to someone worthy of having a AAA contract in 2026 and the opportunity to raise his game ONE MORE NOTCH to be in consideration for a call up next season. While he's getting long in the tooth, he still might have a shot at a career if he can take that last AAA step.

Back to the OP again. I'm happy McCusker is getting a shot before the season is done. But I'm completely baffled by this decision. He's been better lately, but when he was brought up the 1st time he was HOT, and they basically never played him. This seems to indicate they don't have a lot of faith in him. Or, did they not want to play him because they were still IN the hunt at the time? But now that he's been slumping, they are ignoring Fedko and all his steam...someone who is younger and would probably be a better fit for 2026 as a more versatile and athletic player...and bringing up the somewhat struggling McCusker. Why? One last shot for McCusker? Just BECAUSE he's on the current 40 man? Fedko could be added easily. I simply don't understand a lot of the moves the FO is making! Ohl back up is a positive move. Agree Ross should have been moved straight across to AA after the trade. There's challenging a young arm, and then there's PUSHING a young arm. Olivar seems to have been slumping as of late. Nice to see him have a good game. Personally, I've never been as high on him as most. He can hit, make decent contact, can run a bit, but he doesn't have any singular defining bat skill. Does he actually hit enough for LF? And he seems like a #3 catcher unless his defense behind the plate has really improved this season. His career high of 18% CS isn't very impressive. I have him behind Fedko, Gonzalez, and Rosario as RH bats at this point. Despite season numbers that aren't very good, is it my imagination or has Cossetti's bat come alive over the past couple of months? I still have serious doubts about him behind the plate, but if his bat starts to find itself, he might yet be a 1B option in the near future who can be a "built in" #3 catching option. Every couple of games, it seems Ross has a big hit and contribute to a win. But then you look again at his overall numbers and they remain poor. He's got the athleticism to play almost anywhere on the dirt, or the grass, and has some speed and pop. Is there enough pure talent there for him to EVENTUALLY figure out the hitting side of things and be a late developing Super Utility player one of these days? Really hoping Wichita can finish strong enough to join Cedar Rapids in the playoffs! In regards to all the rainouts in Florida affecting development, it IS an issue. But while Mother Nature is fickle, I really don't recall ever having a season with THIS many rainouts. But I will say the one ADVANTAGE to having rookie and A- teams in Florida, with it's dead air, is if your hitters can actually hit there, they should be that much better in Iowa for A+

If Iived in the Twin Cities I'd definitely be taking in some games. Despite the poor record, there are some very good players sitting there for fans to watch. At 20yo and newly arrived at AAA, a slow start by Jenkins didn't bother me. He'll make his debut in 2026 and whether it's opening day or June 1st just doesn't concern me. He's going to be there. But then he has a week or scorched earth and you start to wonder a bit about 2026. But he won't be added to the 40 man because they don't need to. It saves a spot for someone else in the meantime. And there's no reason to bring him up after 1 good week to the bonfire that is the remainder of this season. Should Rodriguez finish this year healthy...knock on wood...and have a healthy, productive ST, I'd give him the job in LF for opening day and let him run with it for as long as possible. WEEKS if he needs a legitimate re-set, and for YEARS if he grabs the position and holds it. His clocking has been ticking for 2 years now. He and Jenkins can BOTH cover Buxton in CF when needed, and they could each play both corners very well. LF has more ground to cover, and you'd like the stronger arm in RF. HOWEVER, BOTH Rodriguez and Jenkins have the speed and the arm to succeed in EITHER corner spot. I'm just guessing Rodriguez...again, the option clock is ticking...who is slightly older and has more AAA time might be the 1st one up. So I put him in LF with Wallner in RF. When Jenkins is ready and up...would they actually open with TWO rookie OF?...he slides in to RF and Wallner becomes the primary DH but still sees time in the corner OF spots. That just seems the logical way for this to play out. But it could go the opposite direction and I'd be just fine with that!

I don't recall any dates mentioned in regards to disclosure of who the new partners are. You might be right, I just recall hearing that. The new minority owners and the deal must still be approved by MLB. I believe it then becomes public record, even if they don't make a formal announcement. I'd just guess MLB is just taking their time and doing due diligence at the moment.

Correct. Now, whether or not they pay off the entire debt or just a chunk of it who knows. Maybe they keep a little of the debt on the books for tax credits of some sort and pocket some cash, or invest it elsewhere, who knows. But the payroll shouldn't be affected by the debt at this point. And while I/we have no idea how much of a say the new minority owners have...if any...I don't know that they are in favor of seeing the payroll for their new investment being cut down further. It's part of the reason I see some $ being added to the payroll and no further cuts.

It was reported that the % of the team purchased...and we don't know how much yet...was based on the full price of the team. Meaning share were based on a $1.7B value price. And while I don't recall the exact quote, it was stated that this new $ would go towards paying down the debt.

Who knows with this ownership? They escalate payroll and talk about a new era, and then tear it down. But a couple of points: 1] The new minority owners buy-in pretty much eliminates the borrowed debt. The books are clean. 2] As pointed out in the OP, ownership gave the FO about $15M "extra" to play with, though the bump came late. 3] I don't see them keeping Larnach. Not with Roden just acquired, and top prospects Rodriguez and Jenkins about ready to debut. And, of course, they still have Wallner. There's also some interesting RH OF options really close. So Larnach is moved...possibly in a package with a prospect...for whatever they can get. That puts the payroll at approximately $90M WITH Lopez and Ryan. In my personal plan, Josh Naylor is brought on to fill 1B and provide a veteran in the lineup and lockerroom. $15M? Payroll is only $105M I love the idea of Coulombe back for one more season. He was phenomenal all year in his 1 out or 1 inning role. $3M? Payroll is still only $108M. They just aren't going to spend a lot on the pen. They'll have a couple "leftovers", a couple starter conversions, and they'll bring in fliers trying to find the next Stewart/Thielbar/Wisler/etc. Some will be invites, but a couple will be 40 man additions. More than likely guys coming off injuries or recovery seasons, or just down years. But probably all on 1yr make good deals. 2 or 3 at $2-3M each maximum. That's another $6-$9M. Let's go with the high number. (Too early to speculate names with the season still running). Payroll is now $117M. Jeffers needs a backup. They just don't have one. And like with some pen fliers, it's hard to speculate an actual name until the season is over. But approximately $3M should bring in a decent option. (My brain thinks Diaz who signed for about that last year). Payroll sits around $120M, which is $10M less than this current season. In addition to Keaschall, you've got a handful of top/very solid prospects ready to debut. You still have your rotation intact, with even more depth and options. And you go to camp with about 14 arms to build the pen between returnees, converted starters, MILB invites from in and out of the system, and 3-4 rostered FA signings. You're not not going to rebuild the pen overnight. But can you put a respectable one together? A couple guys rebounding and the prospects rising...(better team speed and defense)...I think you can squint and see a better team/record in 2026 vs this season.

*Tait bats LH. He's not a switch hitter. That would be Jiminez * I'm guessing Young will end up at 3B or OF. I'd have Winokur and Soto worked in here. They're definitely top 10 for sure.

Only ONE way to keep fans. (Excluding really dumb and potential AI emails sent out to the public). Spend! The debt is gone, or mostly gone, depending how they want to disperse the sudden $400-500M they just received. The debt is now cleared. The $130M payroll this season put the Twins in the bottom 3rd of all of MLB. DON'T trade Lopez or Ryan. DO give the FO $25-30M to spend on a BAT, probably a 1B like Naylor. Then a few $M on 2-3 arms for the pen. You STILL have only a $120M payroll. Less than last/this season. That's for ownership. If you're Falvey, get your crap together and STOP with your BS fear of prospects. KEEP your rotation intact and promote the talent you have on hand and get the fans excited! Follow the Brewers more and let Rodriguez, Jenkins, K Rodriguez, Fedko, Gonzalez sink or swim and rotate if needed, but give the fans an actual reason to want to watch the team! Talk in depth with your scouts and find good reasons to spend the $ given to you. Maybe add a quality 1B and a couple interesting BP arms that might turn out to close games. You know what draws fans? A fun and winning team.

I don't understand the TANKING philosophy unless your organization is just at a DEAD END due to age, injury, lost talent to FA, etc. It sometimes works in a more controlled environment like the NFL, for example, where draft picks and UDFA, and the signing of FA might provide a fairly quick turnaround. But it seldom works out the way as planned as MLB is still dependent on prospects for development or trade. Unless you have massive amounts of $ to spend freely. In fairly recent history, the Astro's were both smart and lucky and made it work. The Orioles climbed the ladder for about a season and then collapsed. The Royals endured how many poor seasons before throwing some $ at additions along with some good players and got their shot. What happened to Falvey's comments about competitive competition? Right now, TODAY, the Twins have a great 1-3 rotation arms and depth to compete. They have a few guys with great talent in Lewis and Wallner that need to "figure it out" and get ready for 2026. Hopefully, Lee keeps on an uptick to finally realize what zones he can HIT in and stop chasing crap he only makes week contact in. He SEEMS to be on the right path. And the organization has so many top 100-ish players like Keaschall...already performing...and Jenkins, Rodriguez, and K-Pepper so very close. STARTING PITCHING is the hardest thing to develop. And with a hopefully healthy Ober for 2026, with Matthews as #4, and tons of depth completion behind them, WHY IN HELL would you destroy what you have in place??!! In what business world and product model do you just destroy everything you've built when you might about to reap dividends? But maybe that's the Pohlad idea of success. Just settle for what you have, borrow against it, and then trade it in for less than you could have had.

OK, who are YOU and where is the @Riverbrianwe all know and love? LOL I'll pick up the mantle a bit here since you are obviously on meds of some sort. 😁 Having more LH bats is a GOOD THING. When those LH bats include Outman, Keirsey, and Julien, it's NOT a good thing. @LA VIkes Fanhas posted numbers recently that even though Wallner has had a disturbingly and unexpected down season, he's actually IMPROVED his numbers against LHP beyond a suck point. I think that was the plan all along sans his injury that has seemed to disrupt his whole season somehow. Larnach ended up inheriting those AB and has responded with a major OOMPH! The fact that the current roster includes DOUBLE TROUBLE with BOTH Outman and Keirsey is beyond ridiculous! NEITHER can HIT AT ALL. (To be fair, maybe Keirsey hasn't been given an honest chance). But with so much 40 man roster flexibility available right now, why in HELL wouldnt the FO just add Fedko as a RH bat having the best season of his career and see if he might actually have potential for the future? He'd also be pre-arbitration at this point. And if you really didn't like what you saw, you could remove from the 40 man. As far as relievers than can throw a couple solid innings and come back for more 2 days later? I still think it's a solid idea. I like it a hell of a lot better than throwing an arm to the wolves and swapping them out for a different arm. Rinse and repeat. IMO, you build a pen of 6 1 IP arms and have TWO guys at 7-8 who can go 1-2 IP every 2 days as a bridge to your other 6. Maybe they do 3 IP on occasion. But if it's only 40 pitches, 2 days off should be enough. I think the Twins are on to something here. Provided, of course, that you don't have a crappy rotation. The current problem is Adams and Ohl are not only rookies, and initial test subjects for this idea, but the rest of the pen is CRAP. But I still think it's a good way to re-invent the bullpen.

OK, I'm also obsessed at this point with the future and not the rest of this icky season. (Other than watching Buxton, Keaschall, Bradley, and hopefully strong end of year production/improvement from a few others). And I DESPISE repeating myself yet again with the same mantra, are they, or do they need to trade Lopez and Ryan? I'm sorry, but with Roden just acquired, Rodriguez and Jenkins so very close, Gonzalez and maybe even Fedko close, they just aren't going to pay Larnach $5M. He's either traded...possibly with a decent lower level prospect...or non-tendered. I'm betting he has SOME value to a team starved for a LH bat with a career .765 OPS against RHP. That puts the payroll at $90M. That's $40M+ less than this season, with previous debt now eliminated. I ONLY bring this up as it does affect HOW the pen is re-built. Prielipp is learning a 2 seamer. So he's out of any immediate conversion to the pen. He's staying a SP for now. Rojas was just acquired, has a lot of talent, should probably be at AA, but isn't going to the pen any time soon either. IF the Twins keep even ONE of Ryan or Lopez...please tell me they aren't stupid/greedy enough to move both and destroy what's left of the fanbase...it still "helps" the rotation. Matthews is developing and turning a corner. He's a lock as the #3 or #4 in the rotation. I think we forget how young SWR still is, and how weird his career has been thus far. I don't believe he's a top of the rotation arm, but he's in the mix for one of the last spots. So is Bradley, who is almost the same age. I believe the Twins see him as a viable SP with some tweaks to his repertoire. That's your 5 or 6, probably. Abel is not moving to the pen at this point, and neither is Morris. That puts you another 2 deep along with the still developing Rojas. And let's not forget the often overlooked Klein that is looking more and more like a complete steal. Sands is finishing this season looking more like his 2024 version. Can he get back there? Topa is cheap, has a year of control, and doesn't completely stink as a middle man option. Ohl and Adams are former starters on the new trial plan of 3-4 IP every 4 days. They've had good AAA seasons with mixed results debuting as rookies. Surprise! But either, or both, could be part of the 2026 pen as 1 or 2 IP options. And I'd like to see BOTH getting that opportunity in September. Funderburk has flashed, and stunk. He's been mostly good so far since the deadline getting regular work. He might be an option. Cory Lewis has gone from MILB pitcher of the year to an injury that affected part of his 2024 season to a guy who has struggled in his 1st season at AAA as the Twins are changing up his pitch mix and asking him to throw his crazy Knuckleball more. Imagine what he might do with max velocity and then tossing that pitch up on 0-2 and 1-2 counts? He should be converted tomorrow. The Twins have been super cautious and deliberate with Raya as he's got some good stuff. He's been throwing out of the pen as of late. Are they watching his IP? Or are they seeing a potentially dominate arm out of the pen? Christian MacLeod is a LH arm who's career was slowed by injury. His AA numbers were very good before recently moving to AAA in the pen. (Not a good start so far). Festa is a tantalizing arm I WANT in the rotation. And maybe his shoulder issues this season are just a blip. But maybe he's on the same trajectory as Duran was previously. I think a lot of people have forgotten how good CJ Culpepper has performed when healthy. But he's a 6 pitch pitcher with a solid FB that reportedly tails off some once he gets a couple IP under his belt. Doesn't mean he can't be a ML SP, but doesn't he sound a bit like a young Jax? There's a few more potential internal arms to consider, but they're probably midseason at best to consider. It's WAY too early yet to name exact targets, but why not Coulombe back for a 1yr deal at the same $3M? Thielbar had a really solid season for Detroit in their MILB system but let him go and the Twins brought him back in to the fold for 3 really good years. Stewart was a former top prospect who was always injured who gave the Twins some outstanding work when healthy. Burns my butt to this day, but the Twins had a rebounding Jeff Hoffman in camp the same year and didn't hold on to him. My goodness, they even got a solid 1yr from Parker and Wisler a few years ago. Same with Clippard. So you START with Sands. You probably keep Topa as a cheap middle man. You probably hold on to Funderburk and hope he can finally translate his stuff. ONE of Adams and/or Ohl should help on the front end of the pen. A healthy Festa converted could potentially give you a nice 1-2 punch with Sands on the back end. MAYBE Larnach and a decent lower level prospect brings back someone's 4th pen arm. Not counting on it, but it's a possibility. THEN, after you bring back Coulombe, or maybe Chafin on a 1yr deal, you're looking for arms coming off a poor season at the wrong time. Maybe someone coming back from surgery that wasn't all the way back in 2025? Maybe a 28-29yo SP that just hasn't been able to reach their potential and have been cut loose? The FO has been creative and smart before. Can they be again? They just aren't going to spend a ton of $, so they HAVE to be creative and smart. I KNOW this is an extreme example, but when Walker Buehler was recently released, I thought it would be awesome for the 31yo...who hasn't been good for 4 years...might sign with someone for the pen. Of course, SOMEONE will probably bet on his SP rebound potential and give him another shot. But what if that DOESN'T happen? Would Taylor Rogers want to come "home" for 1 more year? My whole point is they just aren't going to convert a bunch of 24-25yo SP arms overnight to build a pen. But other than Twins fans, who knew who Thielbar was? I'd bet the average fan had no idea who Stewart, Wisler, and Parker were. You START with Festa moving to the pen, similar to Duran, where he can crank it up for 1 IP. You have Sands as a possible #2. You probably have Topa to at least begin the season. You audition Ohl and Adams. Considering they have options, maybe they're the 8th man rotation man. You bring in an inexpensive LH option like Coulombe for 1yr as a veteran. You're open and honest with guys like Morris, MacLeod, Lewis, and Raya about being in the ML and opportunity to debut, earn more initially, and more in the future. And then you target 3-4 arms on ML or MILB deals that HAVE ARMS of quality, and NEED opportunity. Again, it's just way too early to list targets. And I really didn't want to get so long winded here, but it's a really complex issue. Trading Lopez or Ryan, or both changes everything. Trading one has a serious affect. Trading neither gives the 2026 team a fighting chance IF they can re-build the pen on the fly. Festa, Sands, Topa, Funderburk, Coulombe or like, Adams, Ohl, Lewis, MacLeod, possibly Raya and/or CJ Culpepper, and then 3 to 4 rebound candidates either looking for an opportunity or looking to earn a better deal in 2017 is how you CAN build a "decent" bullpen for 2026.

I appreciate your opinion. I really do. And I understand your perspective and frustration with the team right now, the moves made, and questions about the FO and ownership. But the whole point of the thread was a response to "CAN they compete". And IMO, that's different than WILL they compete. CAN and WILL come down to ownership and the FO. Imagine, just for a moment, that they KEEP Lopez and Ryan. With all the talent available, you have a good rotation and depth. Now imagine Lewis and Wallner rebound, and Lee keeps progressing. You've got top prospects like Keaschall, Rodriguez, Jenkins, and K-Pepper arrived, or very close to doing so. What if they add a solid 1B with a solid bat? That means a team that MIGHT compete if they can smartly add a couple decent pen arms, and transition a couple arms for the pen and just be solid/competent there. So it's not an overly optimistic belief about WILL THEY. It's about a few smart additions without blowing up the payroll and providing a CAN THEY opportunity. So I began this thread with the CAN THEY idea/response.

So I'm late to this one, but going to give my opinion. The Twins had a $130+ payroll in 2025. I don't believe they are going to pay Larnach $5M when they just acquired Roden, and have Jenkins and Rodriguez just about ready to debut. They've also got Gonzalez close from the RH side, with Fedko and Rosario as possibles in the near future as well. So that's $90M after expected arbitration increases WITH Lopez and Ryan still on the roster. With the amount of $ coming in from the 2 new minority owners, they either eliminate their debt entirely, or most of it. (Maybe they keep a little debt for tax purposes?)? And do the minority owners get ANY SAY at the table now? Would they really be in favor of investing and then seeing additional cuts and additional fan apathy? You wouldn't have to be a genius ownership to see fan disgruntlement and rapidly declining attendance. You could add a BAT, and a couple interesting, bounceback type of pen arms, convert a couple more young arms to the pen, and maybe end up with something half way decent beyond the dumpster fire that is currently the Twins pen. Even IF they spent $20-25M for a few additions, the payroll maxes out around $120M TOPS. That's $30M+ less than 2025, but you might just offer fans a little hope. And if Lewis, Wallner, and Lee rebound, and you've got Keaschall and a handful of other top prospects ready to debut, the turnstiles might actually turn. So I'm going to say OVER on the payroll. But who knows how much influence Joe actually has over the rest of the family.

I don't think there's any doubt that Tait is currently the top catching prospect in the system. But Jiminez has been described as a young Vazquez behind the plate, and much better, potentially, AT the plate. I'm still surprises Detroit kept him at the FCL level for a 2nd season. I think the Twins did the right thing moving him to Ft Myers. But I never saw this kind of hot streak coming! He's probably not close to this good as a hitter, but it's encouraging to see him embrace this opportunity and finish strong. With solid defense and a strong arm, a switch hitting catcher with power could carve out a nice ML career in a few years. Speaking of catchers, good on Pareda for having a strong month. I don't know if he'll even be the #3 man in 2026 or not, but I find it a bit strange that he's not getting a looksee at the end of the season. While not as good of a hitter as Gasper, he's more of a true catcher, I believe, and has hit at the AAA level well. I guess they just really want to see if Gasper has a future with the team or not. Prospect wise, I have no doubt that the younger Gonzalez looks to probably have a better future than Fedko. But the whole age thing/debate bothers me a bit. If a guy "figures it out" later than hoped for/expected, all I care is whether or not he can help the team. Yes, he's going to be 26yo on September 21st as the AAA season comes to a close. But he was about 25 and 6 months when the season started. Should the extra 6 months just eliminate him from being a possible option for the Twins? A college player is occasionally 20yo when drafted, but are usually 21-22yo when selected. To have a breakthrough in his age 25 season tells me he's worth giving honest consideration to. Fedko just might end up with a 30/30 season between AA and AAA, has usually had a really good OB%, and might be able to fill in at 4 spots, potentially, and provide a mix of ability as a 4th OF. He's having an outstanding season overall, and I'd like to think that means a serious looksee as a contributor for 2026. There's room for a player of his skill set, especially from the RH side, and to not be given a look this month when they have Outman AND Keirsey on the Twins right now is an extremely poor use of potential assets and determination of value. I wasn't really sure what to think about Rosario as a "covid kid" when selected in 2020. But then he improved across the board and became the MWL MVP in the 2023 season. Then he's hurt in 2024 and misses about a third of the season. You follow that up with a horrendous April this year and the knee jerk reaction is to dismiss him. Instead, he goes on a run and is actually finishing the season actually stronger than any of his previous months. He just might win a SECOND MVP award in 3yrs! I DON'T believe he's any kind of 20SB threat going forward. But it shows he's not just a stiff, non-athletletic slugger. His K% anywhere in the 20's with a decent BB rate and legitimate XB and HR power is just fine if he can maintain that. He's got a strong arm from all that I've ever read. I think he's "Wallner-like" in that he needs to polish reads and routes, continue to keep a decently solid BB/K ratio. If he continues on his current progression, I see a future as a part time OF/DH who might even be a 1B conversation candidate. He's barely 23yo and missed some time due to covid and his injury in '23. But again, barely 23yo and just might win his 2nd leage MVP award? That's a guy that shouldn't be dismissed as an actual prospect despite a poor and injury affected 2024.