DocBauer

The context of the Varland trade, by itself, isn't the issue, IMO. BUT, the context of ALL the trades together makes this a misfire, along with a couple other moves made. But to make this any other points clear, I have to digress some. Correa heard about an initial inquiry that was laughable. THEN, the Astro's OWNER bypasses Falvey AND Joe Pohlad and speaks to Jim Pohlad directly. (Who's running this mess)?! Falvey tells Correa, honestly, "You didn't sign up for this". Correa then states that while he wants to stay, he would waive his no trade clause for Houston and nobody else. Correa then speaks to Jax about an impending firesale, and his possibly/probably moving back to Houston and Jax asks for a trade. ALL of that is IMPORTANT context. 1] Jax did NOT HAVE to be traded at the last minute for Taj Bradley. While Bradley has a good arm, the Rays haven't been able to fully develop him as of yet. Maybe the Twins will. Or maybe he turns in to a really good RP. But almost every thing I've read says the Twins undersold on Jax, who would have been the Twins closer in 2026. 2] While Stewart says his arm feels better than it has in years following his last procedure, it's still possible it self destructs again in the near future. But his arm is talented, has been performing very well, and all of him is inexpensive and cost controlled for the next few years. That means he's very good and cheap. And we move him for a 28yo OF who had ONE good season in 2023? We're going to "fix" Outman when we haven't been able to fix some of our own players? 3] While Varland being a local boy is a great story, IDK in the context of roster building and value. He's made a tremendous transition to the pen, is inexpensive and cost controlled for the next few years. Sound familiar? To be completely fair to Roden, he's younger than Larnach, has more speed, and is a better OF defensively. Also to be fair, he has a little over 100 ML PA. So we still don't know if his bat will or won't translate to MLB. But we DO KNOW that Larnach is a solid, decent ML bat already. We also know that Rodrigez and Jenkins are 2 of our best prospects, also LH bats, and both relatively close to appearing for the Twins. Rojas MIGHT be a really talented LH arm. And maybe he's the real prize here. And maybe he turns out to be a quality SP in some capacity. Maybe he becomes a really strong LHRP for the late innings. And if so, there's real value in that! But COLLECTIVELY, the Twins COULD have had the 2026 bullpen start with Jax, Varland, and Stewart, with hope that Sands settles in closer to his 2024 season. That makes sense to me with all of the other trades that took place. But in the overall CONTEXT of the trades, they moved Stewart for NOTHING. And at the last minute they traded BOTH Jax AND Varland for an OF that is currently redundant in the scheme of things, a talented young RH arm that is trending downward and might end up in the pen, and a talented young LH arm that has yet to throw more than 84 IP in any MILB season, and also might be targeted for the pen. And if and when Bradley, potentially, move to the pen, there is real value in that still. And I'm NOT saying either, or both, might not be solid SP options still. But neither arm projects as well as Abel right now, or Matthews, Festa, or SWR. As of NOW. So the pen is decimated when we could have had a handful of 3-4 pieces to build around. And we have a questionable fit in a LH OF, and a couple arms with potential, vs proven quality. Once again, CONTEXT is what I'm looking at. Getting more arms is never a bad thing. But the biggest need is to add some actual ML quality BATS. And so far, we have the potentially questionable fit of Roden, and a highly rated young catching prospect, and a flash in the pan 28yo LH OF. So while we added 1 great arm, a couple decent arms, at least 1 good young 18yo A+ catcher, but added next to NOTHING for the lineup, while DESTROYING the pen, how does moving Varland...the original topic...do anything for the future of the franchise? Maybe a couple years from now Roden is better than Wallner, Rodriguez, or Jenkins. Maybe Rojas is being undervalued and will be part of the future rotation, or a pen mainstay. Maybe Bradley makes us forget about Jax. But that's a handful "maybes" that would seem to have a MAJOR negative impact on 2026, and possibly 2027 as well. When you read reports from other teams how they "won" trades with the Twins, and don't see much in the way of positives for 2026, I really have to question Falvey at this point. It's almost as if they were making all these deals and just said "the hell with it. Let's make a few more"! Again, by itself, you can make arguements about the value of the return for Varland on an individual trade basis. But when you look at the OVERALL CONTEXT of these trades as a COLLECTIVE, you see a team with NO DIRECTION. I suppose Ryan and/or Lopez will be next to HOPEFULLY add some BATS, and the complete teardown and re-build will commence. But considering where this team was less than 24 months ago, some quality prospects about ready to debut, it really didn't have to go down like this.

Going to mostly agree with you here. Martin is still young enough, athletic enough, that with continued hard work he still might be a solid OF. But he also can't succeed as a zero pop/power opposite field slap hitter. To be fair, despite good numbers at St Paul this season, he's barely played due to his hamstring issues. The next 2 months may determine if the Twins even bring him back for 2026. I'm crossing my fingers, but definitely not holding my breath. And as I've stated elsewhere, it's very possible that Fedko, Gonzalez, Olivar, and Rosario may simply overtake him very soon as much better bats who are probably no worse defensively. I also agree that Larnach and Wallner are pretty similar types, with Wallner...at least IMO...clearly the better overall ballplayer. But for NOW, Roden only has a little over a 100 PA, so we really don't know if or when his bat might translate to ML success. (Better speed and defense than Larnach). And Rodriguez and Jenkins aren't quite ready yet. So I still like Larnach as a LH DH and part time corner OF for NOW. I think I'd rather have him than Julien, but that also depends on IF Julien's recent re-surgence is real or not. But like with Martin, it may not matter with better, younger players right behind them. And maybe Larnach gets traded in the offseason. But I also wouldn't mind seeing him back for 2026 as of NOW. *I have very little faith that Outman is going to suddenly re-capture his 2023 form and be of any help for the Twins...still really hate that trade...so I didn't include him.

Sounds that way. I was at the movies so I can only speak to the box score, the OP, and in general about Sands' season thus far. Thank you for the more complete information.

Plus Sims.

If you look at his very brief ML career you will groan and dismiss him immediately. If you look at his career MILB numbers you will see a solid 3.05 ERA, fewer hits than IP, decent BB numbers, and 12.8K per 9. And you then wonder why his success has never translated to ML success, even with a SSS. Your going to see a variety of 28-30yo arms being added and removed from the 26/40 man roster the rest of the season. And you'll probably see a couple added in the offseason, even if/when a couple guys are added via FA. But that's exactly what they SHOULD be doing for now. You SHOULD be looking for the next Stewart...and they've found others over the years...that arm that's been hurt a lot, failed as a starter, couldn't get "over the hump" until now. Every year you see a guy here and there...maybe even after a stint overseas...that transformers from coal to a diamond for this team, or that team, occasionally the Twins. Again, that's how we got Stewart. (REALLY should have kept Jeff Hoffman a couple years ago as well). You ABSOLUTELY keep looking at Adams, Ohl, and other young arms to see if you might have something. You hope like hell Sands re-discovers his 2024 success. But even with a large number of internal and recently acquired SP options available, and some being inevitably moved to the pen...and soon...as a mid market team that has to re-build the 2026 pen, you keep looking at various lumps of coal to see if you can find that diamond. I have no clue if Kriske has any shot to be that. I've honestly never heard of him until right now. But I'd much rather give him a shot than the 33 and 35yo journeymen Urena and Ramirez who I assume were brought up as emergency fill-ins post trade deadline.

"Welcome back Mr Keaschall. Would you care for a HR in your return to the lineup this evening?" Wow! Another good start from Matthews. He had his best start before his IL stint, and a pair of back to back solid games, IIRC the order properly. Could be a very big last 2 months for him, Festa, and Sims. Let's hope we get the latter 2 back ASAP. Every time I'm still not sure if Clemens has a role in 2026 or not...betting they bring him back...he keeps coming through, albeit with a back that runs hot/cold. But he's having the best season of his career and has been keeping his OPS in the high. 700-.800 range. I believe his swing speed and hard hit % remains the best of his career so far. Is it possible at 29yo a light came on and he really IS a solid role player for the Twins? While not everyone is a fan, I still like Larnach as a DH and part time corner OF. I just like him better in the 6-7 hole rather than "one of our best bats" near the top of the lineup. It's possible he's traded this offseason. It's possible he's traded later than that due to Rodriguez, Jenkins, and the recently acquired Roden being ready to replace him down the road a bit further. But I still like him. Can we PLEASE get the 2024 version of Sands back? Need a new bullpen for 2026? Sands regains some close resembling to last season's version and we can check off one box.

While still somewhat inconsistent, he's been going longer and probably throwing as well or better than he ever has. His last start is arguably his best. Everything they have been doing to get him to this point might be about to pay off. I'd keep him right where he is for now. Besides, some of the arms they just brought up and added were "break in glass we need somebody" options that won't be around long. Adams and Ohl now get audition time. There's a couple arms just brought over from the deadline deals like Abel and Bradley that should be up very soon. Sands is still there and Topa probably sticks around for now as well. Funderburk probably gets the next 2 months to keep his job. it's not hard to get to at least 6 or 7 for 8 in the pen pretty quickly. Not saying good quality necessarily, but at least better than some of the guys there on temporary stay, and most with some upside. So if the rest of the season doesn't matter, and Raya is progressing just fine where he's at, why not audition the other arms and just let him stay at St Paul for now?

I don't trust a 30yo with a little over 8K per 9 in his MILB career suddenly cranking it up and turning it up, and suddenly becoming the next Stewart, or anything even close. Still, he's better than Davis and a couple other journeymen we just brought up.

IDK if the beanibg he had last year has messed him up or not, but Miranda struggling for a mid .500 OPS tells me he's done, unless there really is a medical issue. But even then, is there a fix? There's room for Julien on the roster as a LH DH who can play little 2B/1B once in a while. IF his bat/approach truly is back. But even then, the Twins have a lot of LF OF hitters on the roster, or coming soon. There's even a couple interesting young RH OF coming up. And Keaschall will probably be the 2B very soon, with Schobel, Culpepper, DeBarge, and Houston all potentially ready for starting/utility/depth options begining as soon as 2026. So I dont see a long term fit for Julien. But there's room for him NOW. Martin appears to be an athlete with little/no power that just isn't a natural baseball player. Now, he's still young enough and athletic enough to turn in to at least a competent, consistent OF, if not a little better than that. But opposite field, slap hitters don't provide a lot of offense. Can he not only improve his defense but develop a little more pop in his bat and pull the ball some? I think Martin has the best chance to be a part of the Twins bench the next few years. But Ike with Julien, there's a handful of RH OF that might push him out of a job. (Somehow turning in to a solid CF increases his chances of sticking).

So for the 2nd time today I've lost everything I had posted and can't recover. So I guess I have to try agsin and be more brief. Maybe that's a good thing considering my ability to be long winded, lol. So I guess I'm going to go the bullet point approach to make sure I can get through this post: 1] Abel has been a top 100 prospect almost since he was drafted as a HS arm in 2020. He only slipped out of the top 100 after the recent draft. Great build, great stuff, poor control until this season. Ceiling is a top of the rotation, playoff caliber SP. Floor, depending how you look at it, is backend SP, or top RP. 2] I'm ignoring only the 2nd appearance of MacLeod at AAA. He's a bit behind in development due to injury. He's improved his stuff. I doubt he's a ML starter. He has the potential to be a Thielbar type of pen arm. The conversion should start now. 3] Gallagher seems to have good stuff, good potential, and STEAM as a prospect. Not worried about a bad 1st appearance with a new team a couple of days after being traded. 4] Culpepper is rolling at AA in his 1st FULL SEASON and Jenkins at 20yo is doing great and heating up! But is it OK to slow the roll just a bit and just let them finish 2025 at AA doing well? 5] Am I the only one that keeps thinking Rosario remains a prospect of interest? He was the MVP of the Midwest League in 2023, suffered through injury in 2024 at AA, got off to a HORRIBLE start in 2025, but has kept getting better and better as the season has gone along. 6] Great debut for Mendez! But it's only a couple of games. If he can learn to LIFT the ball beyond his precious 60% ground balls rate, we might have something. 7] Olivar KEEPS hitting and producing. Is he developing more power? Man, I wish I could believe he's more than a #3 catcher option. I still think he's a LF who CAN catch if you need him to.

Yep. He's probably the best "athlete" the Twins have had at catcher since Mauer. Picked right behind him in the 4th round was Jaime Ferrer, a TOP prep catching prospect who FL St moved to the OF because they already had a catcher in place, who was just recently drafted. Diaw is athletic enough to play some CF, though I doubt he will be there long term in any capacity. And Ferrer plays corner OF and 1B when not catching. The recent addition of 18yo top 100 prospect Eduardo Tait is probably the Twins new #1 catching prospect, even though he's a good 2-3yrs away from a ML debut. But Diaw and Ferrer are reasons I've been yelling on my soapbox for months now for everyone to pay attention for future backstop options. BOTH are ATHLETES with real bat potential who are still raw behind the plate, but offer good to above offense if they can settle in behind the plate. The Twins haven't ignored catching since Jeffers, they've just missed SO FAR on the guys they've drafted since.

Part of MILB is EVERYONE gets to play. How else do you develop players? You just can't have a set daily lineup, otherwise you end up ignoring everyone else on your roster. PLUS, what if a kid is just better at a different position? OR, can debut at the ML level one day at position X instead of Y because of need and because he actually CAN play position X. This is not unique to the Twins. It's how you develop MILB players. For instance, 2 of the Twins best young catchers are BOTH at A+ right now in Diaw and Ferrer. Both drafted in 2024 back to back, and have the ability to play the OF and 1B. So they swap out time at catcher and other spots as well. And DH is another option to keep their still developing bats in the lineup as a 1/2 day off from playing in the field.

I always appreciate EVERY MILB post, including the RP articles. But while I appreciate them, and remain interested, I just don't pay attention to the DSL or FCL results because they are just so far away. And a good month at those levels just doesn't hold a lot of weight/promise until said arms rise through the system. I also don't pay a lot of attention to 26-27yo or a 30+yo like Tonkin. But yes, they deserve to be recognized. Xander Hamilton is interesting to be recognized as he was a recent draft choice who might have some potential. He's dealt with an injury or two, but remains young enough to wonder about. I vaguely recall the Twins signing Hoopes. He didn't pitch until this season, so he's a 25yo independent ball rookie who can touch 100mph and blew through both A levels. IF he can do well at AA, he's the pitching version of Payton Eeles. WILL he get an honest look if he keeps it up? Pure velocity doesn't make you a good pitching prospect. There's so much more to it than that. And AA is the sacrificial alter where position players prove they "have it" or they don't. But he might be fun to watch.

I think we're mostly aligned here. I'm not crazy about Rodon either. But at 25yo, with solid MILB production and just breaking in to MLB, he's got potential. Not as much as Rodriguez or Jenkins, and maybe not as good as what Wallner has shown he can be, but he's got potential. I think he might be a Larnach replacement. I'm also not sold on Bradley. And I think Jax was worth more than just him. His 2025 is a regression from 2024. And coming from the Rays, that's concerning. But at 24yo with ML experience, and SOME success, he's the same age as SWR...I believe...and a year younger than Matthews and Festa. And as smart as the Rays are, they were wrong about Ryan. At worst, they may have another, younger Jax/Duran/Varland pen conversion. Still, that trade seems light. Grudgingly, and with great remorse, I also tend to believe Ryan might be traded in the offseason. He's cheaper than Lopez, slightly better than a fully functioning Ober, and has STEAM. I'd rather keep him and sign him to an extension. But he might bring back a major BAT for the lineup, plus more. I'd just rather keep him. Where we probably disagree is about any pending new ownership. It's really easy and loosely applicable to say they could be as "cheap" as the Pohlads...we have no idea...or that they were part of the sell off at the deadline because they are also cheap...again, we have no idea...or that they had any control over the firesale at all...one more time, we have no idea. IF there is a single new potential buyer just waiting to sign the dotted line...yet again, no clear idea...how much power would they hold unless they have pen in hand? Further, might they have even talked to Falvey about changes that needed to be made for a shakeup of some sort and given their understanding approval? Maybe, IF new owners were involved, they might be working for cleaner books and more financial flexibility to re-invest in the team? I still don't like Jax for a single prospect. And Stewart and Varland being moved does NOTHING for the books. So I'm hesitant to say the deadline was ALL about the bottom line. And despite various opinions held by others, I'm very torn about the Correa trade. And I'm NOT going to go on a tangent regarding him. What's done is done. But at the end of the day, there is another $20M over the next 3yrs that could be re-invested in the team, should the new owners wish to do so. I also agree there's enough talent on hand for 2026 for the team to not tank to the level of recent A's, Dirty Sox, or Rockies level. But it sure would make a difference if Lewis and Wallner could get their s**t together and Rodriguez could get healthy and STAY healthy! If that would happen for Rodriguez, I'd follow the Brewers plan and put him in LF DAY ONE for 2026 and keep him there and let him grow, adjust and figure it out! The biggest issue for 2026...other than new owners and what they might invest in the FA marketplace...is the pen. And with so many options available, it's going to time to trade a couple, and/or, just make moves for some much earlier than you normally would, and get those arms in to the pen to be the next potential Duran, Jax, Stewart, Varland, etc.

I'm with a couple others that I've never even heard of FRONT OFFICE SPORTS until this OP. A couple quick internet searches didn't really reveal much other than they seem to be an independent group who is trying to have their finger on the pulse od sports. OK. @Brock Beauchamphas information they are reliable. So I'll run with that idea. Whether you like Manfred...at all or even a little...or believe anything he says...at all or even a little....he is the ML commissioner and pretty well plugged in to the happenings of MLB. So I don't think he's blowing smoke that there is new owner interest, or that FOS is wrong. What we DON'T know is how close a final deal might be. NOR do we know that there isn't more than 1 bidder. In the meantime, the Pohlad's are still in charge, and the Falvey/Zoll FO are still running things. Is it possible a potential bidder was part of the fire sale? Yes. But they still aren't in control, even if there is only ONE potential buyer at this time. One could argue that IF they were part of the firesale, they could have asked for a lower and cleaner payroll before they take over in the next few weeks/months. Further, it's possible they are no more interested in spending than the Pohlads. HOWEVER, IF there was ONE buyer ready to move forward, you'd also expect them to realize the TV deal structure and losses, as well as the collapse of 2024 and the disappointment of 2025. I know that if I were the new buyer, I'd not oy be aware, but I probably would have met with Falvey to get a feel of "where my new team was at" in a competitive framework. Falvey himself may have stated that some sort of more aggressive re-work/re-tool was needed at this time. So even IF a potential new owner WAS part of the decision making process, it DOESN'T mean they have a "Pohlar miserly" approach to being the new owners. And I think that's important to consider. And to be clear, I wasn't against many of the trades made. I don't think they didn't bring back some talent in return. I DON'T believe they got enough for Jax. And I DON'T like trading a pair of inexpensive and controlled pair of arms like Stewart for Outman, (angry tremble), and Varland for. And if we really want to believe it ONLY/MOSTLY came down to cutting payroll and saving $, well, you save mere pennies by moving those 2. I don't believe the Pohlads are even near the worst owners in sports. They've done some good things over the years. But as a UNIT, I don't believe anyone...save 1 or 2 members...actually care about the Twins. I believe their other assets have been a major issue for them, they've borrowed against the Twins, and are looking to cash in. And I have to seriously question their ability as business people to do so...if that's accurate...as well as raising the payroll consecutively, agreeing to the Correa signing, seeming to have ZERO clue how to grow interest and the fan base, and have ZERO premonition as to the massive pending changes that were coming for revenue across the sport. FURTHER, I have a hard time believing an ownership that suddenly cuts the legs out of those actually running the team when success has happened greater than has been seen in years, and a desperate fan base suddenly growing almost rabid in optimism, and calling them "good business people". I think the Pohlads are pretty desperate to sell and will. Probably soon. I think it's misguided to believe they won't run the team differently and better. I also think it's a bit misguided to believe they may have had a backroom agreement to cut costs simply because they might be cheap. Again, IF they were part of ANY of the deadline clearings, it may be part of a new start. Many new owners will keep the structure of management in place initially as they "get their hands" on the business and see the day to day operations up close. I wouldn't be shocked to see Falvey kept on as the head of the business side of things. Maybe he's gone, but wouldn't be shocked if he stayed. But I wouldn't be surprised if someone new was brought in to run the baseball side of things, either immediately, or after a 1yr reveal.

1] In addition to Keaschall still trying to get his groove back, and he's still limited to 2B and DH and 1B, giving him more time allows for for playing time for Julien and others to see if they're worth keeping around. 2] I'm also confused by Sabato batting 9th. I'm guessing it's a combination of less pressure when he came up, then staying there for now as he's slumped lately, and some managers kind of like to have a good/dangerous hitter in the 9 hole to flip the lineup better. 3] I know they're protecting Hill's arm via number of pitches, but less than 50 thrown and doing that well, I'm mildly surprised he didn't go out for the next inning 4] Unexpected and great to see Diaw back playing again.

Right or wrong, the Twins seem to have moved on from Martin as anything but an emergency 2B. He's only appeared in 26 games there between 2024 and so far in 2025. To be fair, he's also missed a lot of this season due to injury. I've never been a Martin hater and still aren't. At 26yo, I'd still love to see him turn in to a viable, contributor as a utility player. And it looks like he's going to a chance to play a lot the next 2 months. But there are better RH OF and better 2B options arriving soon. So I'm not sure about a long term fit for either of them. Either could be on the roster next season, providing depth at AAA, or simply gone. I do think the next couple of months they're both going to get plenty of opportunity.

And let's not forget Lewis, MacLeod, Rojas, CJ Culpepper, Gallagher, and Klein. Now a couple of these guys have had rough seasons or injuries, and a couple are in AA, but with no additional outgoing trades, that's at least 17 current rotation arms to fill up the Twins and Saints. That's a couple to begin 2026 at AA along with a couple promotions from A ball to fill Wichita's rotation. I'm not one to move young rotation arms to the pen "too soon", and we don't know who the Twins might add to the pen via FA, but there is obviously room for a couple young arms to fit in to the 2026 Twins pen from this collection without short changing depth anywhere else. I'm not counting arms like Ohl, Adams, or maybe even journeyman Rozek as while they can/do make starts, their roles will be as long/middle men going forward. While the offense needs work still, and there's virtually no bullpen at the moment, at least there's a collection of starting arms, depth, and possible bullpen options.

Generally speaking, I really like this idea. Whether it's SWR working on missing bats and economizing his pitches, Festa getting his 2 seamer right, Matthews greater consistency but also learning to dance around the zone more, etc, they all have some development needed. My one caveat to your plan would be a 5/4 split one turn, and then flip-flop the guys the next turn. At this point, with nothing to win, don't we want them to all get a shot at 2 1/2-3 times through the lineup? But I really like the basis you've presented here.

I dont know if the FO has a clue what kind of plan/path they are following right now. Example: 27yo Varland has made a highly successful transition to the pen and is cheap and undsr control for at least 3 more years. In THOERY, the talented but struggling Bradely could move to the pen. But instead of having BOTH as pen arms, you only have 1 now since Varland was moved. So you gained younger years for someone who hasn't made the pen transition yet when you might have had both? Example 2: While his arm might fall off tomorrow...or it might not since he says he feels better than he has in years...they trade the effective, cheap, and controlled Stewart for a LH 28yo OF who needs fixing. But they've had trouble "fixing" some of their own bats? They moved 3 of their top BP arms but a 2026 start with Varlan and Stewart offers at least a LITTLE hope for a re-build, along with Sands. But they're so confident they can just rebuild the whole thing over night that NOT lowering payroll but just starting over from scratch was the best thing to do in these cases? And other than a 18yo tip 100 catcher that might be huge in 3 years, what did they get for immediate help for the lineup? And hasn't the offense been the biggest problem the past couple of years? It's not necessarily an issue they sold off so much. And it's not to say they got nothing back. But it IS about a couple of the guys moved. And it IS about not necessarily getting back what the teams needs most, which are ML ready or close bats. I just dont see a direction here. MAYBE all the $ they saved will bring back 2 BATS via FA in the next offseason? Maybe there's a smart trade or two from prospects to add. But if they move Lopez and/or Ryan, then it's a complete teardown/rebuild. Period. Again, I just dont see a direction here.

Been saying a while to keep an eye on Jamie Ferrer. He started the year slowly...essentially his rookie professional season...but has been heating up the past couple of months. He was a top prep catching prospect who Fl State moved him to the OF. (They had a #1 C in place who was recently selected in the past draft). His bat has some nice potential. While he's been playing different spots, but had played mostly C in 2025. As far as Julien goes, if there's even a chance he's really found his bat/approach again, you have to take a look at him. Some people act like 2023 never even happened. When his bat was working, his defense improved to average. There's room on this team for a productive LH bat that can DH, play some 2B, and maybe a little 1B. I think there's more talented options coming up in the system, but it's time to see if Julien really is a quality MLB player or not.

"The Minnesota Twins finally picked a lane". But have they? Right now they remind me of an American tourist in Europe trying to figure out what side of the road they're supposed to be on. And I'm not being snarky of facetious. In 2023 they seemed to have a plan, and the re-signing of Correa...and gradually yearly increases in payroll...were part of that seeming plan. Now, they still needed at least 1 quality BAT to deepen the lineup, and beyond 3 quality, playoff caliber SP, they didn't have the 4-5 spots figured out yet, but the nucleus was there to have an even better 2024 version of themselves. Since then, the payroll has been slashed, and they've fired their entire hitting staff to lower K's and assume a different approach of contact. They had no way to add that 1 big BAT they needed, and have actually seen their offensive production tank. I'm not blaming the FO for that completely as their employer pulled them aside after 2023 and basically said: "We've decided to change how things are running around here. What? You thought we'd keep trying to advance the team and keep trying to get better"? While I'm not a fan of everything the FO has done the last couple of years, I will say again that I would like to have seen what they might have done if they hadn't had their legs swept out from under them. So now we FF to 2025 and the deadline that just passed. Now maybe this tear down and sell off is all due to the Pohlads. Maybe the FO really decided in concert with them, that it was time to re-tool at the very least, and shake things up. (I have a very difficult time believing any potential buyer asked for a clearance sale before completing a purchase). Considering the fact that...other than paying a portion of Correa's next 3yrs salary...they reportedly picked up ZERO $ in any other deal, and even included Dobnak in the Paddack deal to save an extra couple $M. Falvey might one day in a memoir reveal the motivations of his employer, but he's certainly not going to put a noose around his professional neck and say something now, or the near future. So fine, the Pohlads want a fire sale, and Falvey knows they need a re-tool anyway, so the firesale begins! But where are the BATS this team needs since the offense was the biggest problem? You want to move a couple RP? OK. I get it. But you wipe out the bullpen almost completely? Maybe Stewart's arm just falls off. Maybe when he says his arm hasn't felt this good in YEARS is personal hyperbole. But he's only making barely above the rookie minimum, isn't going to be costly for the next couple of years, and you trade him for a 28yo OF that needs "fixing" when you haven't been able to "fix" the talented players you already have on the roster? Why cut a productive arm on the cheap side for that? And that being said, Varland's transition to the pen couldn't have gone any better. And his controlled cost is minimal for the next few seasons. So where's the $ savings? Outman for Stewart makes zero sense to me. Bradley for Jax was an OK return, but not enough, IMO, for a dominate pen arm. Do they really believe a 30yo Jax is really going to fall of a cliff soon? MAYBE the return for Varland will turn out OK, but I'm not seeing anything but a wash at best TODAY for a cost controlled arm you already have that could be a pen fixture for the next few years. Jax, Varlan, and Stewart, with Sands hopefully looking a little closer to his 2024 version, is at least a base for a 2026 pen. Are we really better though with what was brought in vs having to rebuild the entire pen? I have a suspicion that Lopez or Ryan will be moved in the offseason. If so, then we're talking about a complete rebuild. And WHY when the Twins have worked so hard to build a good STAFF, rotation and pen, and the offense has still been the biggest problem? Or should I say, an offensive IDENTITY has maybe been the biggest problem. Recent drafts have included power, but also a better mix of more athletic players who have yet to arrive yet. But generally speaking, the pitching hasn't been an issue with what's on hand, and what's breaking in, and what's coming up. So we just break apart the staff for more prospects? What could the lineup be like with Lewis, Buxton, Wallner, a decent, solid Larnach and Jeffers, with Lee improving, Keaschall slowly coming back, Rodriguez and Jenkins hopefully part of the near future, an actualy productive 1B, maybe a good, solid, decently productive LF until someone like Rodriguez is actually ready and just let Larnach be a DH and part time OF? I don't think the firesale at the deadline didn't bring back talent. It actually did. But too many parts of these deadline deals felt like Crazy Larry selling off to the point where he looks around in the aftermath wondering what he's got left in his inventory. I'm losing faith in this FO because I DON'T feel they have picked a lane. I think it's a haphazard driving experience where they are still figuring out what lane they are SUPPOSED to be driving in, while still trying to figure out where the light switch and wipers control is located in their rental car. Maybe Falvey and his staff are foxes just waiting to pounce and outsmart all of us. I'm beginning to doubt some of their scouting department, even though they've made some very smart moves over the past couple of years. But acquiring guys you think you can "fix" when you can't "fix" what you already have, and trading away WHAT IS WORKING for HOPEFUL replacements just doesn't make sense to me. KEEPING a couple of the traded players, which I've already mentioned, FIXING what you already have, finding an IDENTITY offensively, NOT being afraid to give opportunities to young players and getting over the fear of depth and initial failure, (the Brewers way of doing things), and NOT tearing down what you already have that works is what this FO SHOULD have done, and SHOULD be doing. I understand that ownership has really messed with this team, and any projected plans the FO MIGHT HAVE had. And I can barely imagine a new owner being worse at running things. (Eloise Pohlad must be turning in her grave). But all that being said, there remains an onus on the FO...for all the good they've done in their tenure...to ask honestly what their plan is? Because right now, I'm still seeing questions about what lane they should actually be driving in.

I knew the team needed a re-set. But I NEVER expected anything close to what happened over the last 48 hours. And I have ZERO idea...as do any of us I'd wager...as to whether this TRADE BLITZ was the Pohlad's just trying to save $, or alter debt/payroll for a potential buyer, or if everyone suddenly went insane all at once. There's honestly a couple moves made that made sense to me. And more than a couple that left me scratching my head, or made me angry. But I'm HOPING as confused, frustrated, and PO'd as some of us might be, that we might actually be able to take a step back, examine the moves made, and have an open dialog about hits and misses. Of course, I'll go first: 1] I hink the team actually got good value back for Duran. Fair value. But I think they should have gotten more. I wonder, if Abel and Tait were swapped, and Tait was at AA or AAA and Abel was the A prospect, would perceptions change? Tait is a YOUNG catcher prospect with a strong arm and a potentially BIG LH BAT. But he's at least 2-3 yrs away. But Abel has been a consistent top 100 prospect who is ML ready and the Twins pitching staff might just need to tweak a couple of things to make him a successful SP. While it's not what we want, his floor might be a 100mph pen arm. 2] We got a high character, smart young catcher with potential for Paddack in Jimenez. But if they weren't looking to save a couple $M by throwing Dobnak in, might we have gotten a better return? I love getting a young, talented catcher, but I think a veteran SP might have been worth more without the $ issue thrown in. Or am I wrong? Maybe that's what Paddack was worth? 3] Not crazy about a corner LH OF for Bader who HITS, but has limited power, no speed, and hits a lot of ground balls. But if he learns to elevate the ball more? MIGHT have something there. 4] I would have rather kept Stewart and his powerful arm and bet on his last surgery making him available for the next couple of seasons. Considering the trade value of other pen arms, I'm really perplexed that the Twins moved him for Outman. He was a ROY candidate a couple of years ago and hasn't done much yet. The Twins think they can "fix" him to be at least a 4th OF? I think I would have kept Stewart and banked on him helping the pen for the next couple of years. 5] Again, there were enough RP bringing back decent returns I was really disappointed Coulombe didn't bring back more than a low level arm. The Matz trade was better. 6] The Castro trade did bring back a decent return, IMO. Gallagher has some steam and potential at AA. The 2nd arm, Armstrong, seems to be a flier type. 7] Frankly, I was confused and disappointed the Twins traded Jax after already moving Duran, Stewart, and Coulombe. At least he provided stability for 2026. And despite initial demands, they got ONE player back? To be fair, Bradley was a top prospect in the Rays system, and they do know something about pitching. He's got solid MILB numbers and is only 24yo despite spending most of the last 3yrs at the ML level. Is he a Ryan needing tweaks? Or is he ready to move to the pen to the pen and maybe be the next Jax? 8] Here is where I am not only confused, but downright PO'd! Why in the hell do you trade Varland, a young, cost controlled, high power arm that just might be your setup man or potential closer for a couple of prospects??!! Roden is a 25yo 1B/OF bat with a solid 4yr career in MILB. But he's not exactly a power plant! I was hoping the trade deadline MIGHT bring in a 1B with some potential that was blocked by someone else. But a mediocre hitter and a 22yo LH arm with 18 IP at AA and solid numbers just doesn't make sense to me for a proven arm who has been outstanding since moving to the pen. 9] Despite those who aren't fans, I think the Twins are a worse team without Correa and his still solid defense, and leadership. The cost savings only helps if the new owners will use that savings to invest in the payroll. But that's a different discussion for a different day. CONCLUSION: The Varland deal should have NEVER taken place! They got less for Coulombe and Stewart than they should have. The Castro deal wasn't bad. While years away, they did add a couple interesting catcher prospects, one who is already at A+ at 18yo and is already in the top 60 global prospect rankings, FWIW. They DID add a couple somewhat interesting arms to the system, though most are fliers. And they added an OF that MIGHT turn it around and return to his previous ROY candidacy. Prospects are nice. Having more of them in the collective is nice. Adding a couple catching prospects with potential is nice. But for NOW, and the immediate future, all they really accomplished was adding payroll room...IF it's spent...and a handful of arms that might help soon. I don't mean to dismiss Abel and Bradley. As of today, when healthy, the Twins rotation options and depth include Lopez, Ryan, Ober, SWR, Matthews, Festa, Abel, Bradley, Morris, Lewis, and also Culpepper, and Raya. We might throw MaCleod and Klein in that group as well, not even including the potential of Prielipp. As of today, FA speculation for the offseason withstanding, the Twins have NO bullpen. Undoubtedly, they will make a couple adds to the pen via FA or possibly trades. But I wonder if they won't follow some old school way of approaching things and take a few of those arms and move them to the pen for 2026. They're going to have to if they want to compete even a little. The holes in the lineup are a different story for a different day as they didn't do anything to address that. Personally, I don't hate all they did. Only time will tell who turns out. But I think they sold low on a couple of guys for sure. Just not that impressed overall. But this an OP to just discuss the returns, and not how much you hate the owners.

Hold on for a moment. Deep breath. I am NOT happy with what happened in the last 48 hours! I don't know if this is the Pohlad's burning everything down because the potential buyer options have fallen through, or if they are just buying down debt for the next owner. And I'm certain the players are really bummed right not to see teammates, colleagues, friends, and probably the clubhouse leader all moved. But BEFORE this firesale, I haven't heard a single word of discontent from any player saying they hated the organization and didn't want to be here. When asked about the POTENTIAL he might be traded based on rumors, Ryan stated it was kind of exciting, but wanted to stay. Correa has stated over and over again how much he and his family loved being in Minnesota and being a Twin. In fact, he's been following the MILB system as close as any fan about potential prospects. It was Houston who broached the idea for a Correa reunion, not the Twins. And Carlos has always been very clear and upfront about anything while he was a Twin. He stated he'd love to stay here and be part of winning. He never stated anything publicly about being being dissatisfied or wanting to move elsewhere. The ONLY thing I've ever heard him say was that if the trade rumors were true, Houston was the only place he'd waive his no trade clause to be traded to. During the All Star Game, Buxton again re-stated he was a Twin for life. I honestly can't remember a single former Twins player over the past several years that EVER stated they didn't like being a Twin, how they were treated, or how their family was treated. I'm NOT fan of the Pohlad's, maybe more so now than ever...though my disfatication has been growing since the end of 2023...but again, I have yet to ever hear a bad word about the FO or how dissatisfied or angry a player has ever been. If you hate the last 48 hours and the teardown that has taken place, join the club. But let's just stop with player anger or outrage. Now, it might happen NOW. But it's just not a thing that has existed previously.

He once again has to be added to the 40 man or made available for the rule 5 draft. It was an easy call to not protect him after last season. He's not exactly destroying AAA at this point, but is doing OK. Not as good as he was doing at AA, but OK. Honestly, he might be safe to leave off the 40 man yet again. But at this point, with France gone, I agree that he should at least get a shot. As poor and disappointing as Miranda has been, why not give a former 1st round pick a shot to see if you get lucky? I'm just out on Miranda at this point. He should be dominating AAA, or at least good. And he's not even close to good at this point. Just so disappointing.