DocBauer

Took me a minute to digest this as it got all messed up on my phone, lol. Thank you! I've always stated that despite being on the 40 man, Raya wasn't really expected to contribute until 2026. I still maintain that belief. But the numbers you've shared here definitely show he's on the rise.

There's just way too much to unpack here so it's bulletpoint time. 1] I personally don't feel, generally speaking, that MLB mistreats their players. A rookie minimum salary of around $775K is downright envious. Add in daily meal allowances, treated like a king with quality travel/hotels, and other perks, they have it pretty good. 2] The minimum built in raises per year for a young player seems fair to me as well. They are still young, and many of them are still proving themselves for the long haul. I don't like debates that talk about early mega deals for someone that is a STAR right out of the gate. I've seen too many guys shine early only to then fail, or become hurt. 3] I'm not a fan of the arbitration process. While it's not always the case, it can be destructive in team/player relationships. As the system works TODAY, I'd rather see larger built-in increases for young players with riders such as games played, production rankings, All Star game selections, etc, to more greatly reward those younger players that truly excel. 4] The NFL, and the NBA as well I'd say, though their various clauses and ceilings are crazy...prove the health of a league should be based on a more neutral financial "playing field". In MLB, there are too many owners who just accept FREE MONEY from the current revenue sharing and just pocket it and seem to care very little about the on the field product. I'm still flabbergasted to this day how the MAJOR MARKET teams just seem to idly stand by for this. Though a few teams, the A's as a recent example, have been FORCED to add payroll just to allow this free welfare program to continue. But I remain just as flabbergasted as to the union being so absolutely BLIND about the health of the league and it's lesser players that aren't MEGA paid All Stars. The sport grows with better competition. Better, more exciting competition drives fans to watch, and increases IN HOUSE revenue as well as makes the MLB product even more desirable for TV deals. There ABSOLUTELY SHOULD BE A SALARY CAP in baseball. But that cap could be $300M! But there ABSOLUTELY NEEDS TO BE A CAP FLOOR along with greater overall revenue sharing. Maybe that floor is $150M? I'm just spitballing those numbers as they should be tied to a fair and equitable revenue sharing for all teams. Like in the NFL and NBA, revenue splits will vary sometimes due to TV deals and the such. Should there be some sort of moratorium on delayed future contracts? Maybe. That's not where my concern lies currently. I want a more level, financial playing field where it's up to the TEAMS to actually run their organization better. When you draft and development better, when you manage your roster and cap better, when you run your entire organization better, you can win. Yes, that sounds a lot like the NFL. But that's the model MLB should be following. The GAME is better when you even the odds at the beginning. Your team gets old, or top players get hurt, you guess wrong on some prospects, you might have a downturn, just like in the NFL or NBA. But if you run your team/organization well, you can be back in competitive mode in a couple of years. A] There's still room to reward TOP players and FA and they still get PAID. B] The lower tier players get paid better overall, partially because smaller market teams now HAVE TO, and also have the $ to do so. C] Rookie minimum wage might bump a little. And I have ZERO problems with teams still having 5-6yrs of built in control, but you can ELIMINATE the whole mess that is arbitration with higher yearly bumps, potentially with escalator clauses as previously mentioned, and you might even cap control by AGE. For instance, no more control after age 28 no matter what age the player was when they debuted. EQUITABLE revenue sharing across the board with a CAP and a FLOOR, the elimination of arbitration, and some changes to control and built in salary increases for younger players. While there may be fewer $40M salaried players, the OTHER 80-90% of the league gets paid better. And the game, as a whole, is better due to better overall better competition. Shouldn't THAT be the goal for BOTH the UNION AND the OWNERS? D] I think Royce gets dumped on a bit for some of his comments because he doesn't have much of a filter and is just very open and honest and sort of wears his heart on his sleeve. EX A]: He didn't want to move to 2B mid season caused a lot of pushback. But what he actually said was he was afraid of blowing an important game doing so mid-season. He actually worked a ton at 2B this past offseason and then the FO said don't worry about it. EX B]: His recent comments about arbitration and changing his stance, and how arbitration works are born out of frustration as well as truth. He didn't say anything that wasn't true. HOWEVER, he's also commented/admitted that his swing/approach don't feel right due to his previous injuries and he's still trying to figure out his swing/approach due to 2 knee surgeries and his larger, more muscular build post surgeries. I feel bad for the kid. He's gregarious, optimistic, hard working, talented, and by all accounts a good teammate. But he has endured setback after setback begining with his dual knee surgeries. I'm not going to demonize him if once or twice he's letting some frustration show through. He worked very hard this offseason to improve flexibility to try and avoid additional soft tissue injuries repeating. It didn't work out the way anyone wanted it to, most especially himself. HOPEFULLY, a 2nd offseason of the same will do the trick. I wonder, had he not had the hamstring issue just before the season began...and came back earlier than I thought he should have...what might his season looked like? Would we even be having this current conversation? Yes, he needs to find a way to stay healthy. Yes, he needs to get some of his confidence back, IMO. But he also needs to find a stance and approach that WORKS for him on a consistent basis. Where can he find the balance and timing place for his swing to see the pitch and make good contact with a twice repaired leg and increased muscle mass? More hard work, and better health should allow the still only 26yo to still be very good, even if he doesn't achieve true greatness at this point. But he's not wrong about arbitration being a mess. But the issue is FAR greater than just arbitration. It's about billionaire owners actually wanting to preserve and grow their investment/team and the millionaire players wanting the same, as well as looking out for that other 80-90% that they are supposed to be representing. The stubbornness and blindness of BOTH parties is almost beyond comprehension to me!

Not a good day on the farm overall to be sure. I'm very intrigued about Fedko playing some 1B. Increases roster flexibility, if nothing else, in a potential shot with the Twins. Gonzalez just keeps on hitting! The kid gloves appear to be off Raya and he might still match or exceed his IP in 2024. But I do find it interesting he's been used a lot out of the pen lately. I'd love to see a split in his numbers from the 1st to the 2nd half because it has appeared he's been better the 2nd half. Some quality hitting at AA was nice to see. K-Pepper looked to be in a slump, or tiring. Nice rebound. Still betting he gets a couple weeks at AAA as their season goes a little longer, and he probably begins 2026 there anyway. Not sure what to think about Alejandro Hidalgo at this point. He's either looked really solid or just awful. And it can vary game to game. But he's only 22yo...and will be to begin 2026...and is coming off surgery. Hits and BB are too high, but he's also flashed K ability. He'll be at AA to begin next season, and is too young, probably, to move to the pen just yet. But I do wonder if that's where he might end up. Time to cross fingers on Hill. He was probably going to see his season end soon anyway, but an injury is not the way anyone would like to see it come to a close. Here's hoping it's just a mild strain and nothing worse!

So they have 2 choices. Well maybe a 3rd option as well, but we'll get to that in a minute. DON'T TRADE: I already made a long response piece to an OP similar to this on the FORUMS page, so I'm not going to go in to great detail here. Look, maybe I'm just stubborn, or too much of an optimist, but I just don't see a reason to tear this whole thing down. Especially when Lopez and Ryan are still on the right side of 30yo and absolutely top of the rotation arms. I still see a viable lineup...though it needs some guys to figure stuff out...with Buxton, Wallner, Lewis, Lee, Keaschall, and Jeffers. I see Jenkins, Rodriguez, and K Culpepper all debuting at some point in 2026. And there's about 6 other OF between AAA/AA that could possibly debut/contribute begining next season I see a payroll of $90M with Larnach moved due to the young OF prospects, and because I just don't see the Twins paying him $5M. They don't have to go on an expensive shopping spree to add some useful players to the club. Say Naylor at 1B for a solid, veteran bat. Maybe around $14-15M? How about a veteran backstop to Jeffers for around $3M? Then 2 or 3 fliers for the pen that are rebounding, or haven't quite put it all together yet but might with the Twins. Maybe Coulombe is back as one of those options? Point is, you're not going to break the bank. You're looking for the next Stewart, or Thielbar, etc. You're talking about $6-10M max there. You're talking $28M max and keeping DH open as a rotating spot. (Unless they want to ante up extra $ for one). That puts the payroll UNDER this year's number by $10+M. And you've eliminated all that bad debt you accumulated previously. (Or most of it, depending on how they divide up their new, instant cash flow). You've got a TON of arms to sort through for depth as well as a 2 or 3 going to the pen. I know a prospect is a prospect until they prove themselves. But Lopez and Ryan were also just prospects at one time. DO TRADE: This one is pretty simple. Either ownership just wants to line their pockets in 2026 and further alienate their fan base...or...they really question if the team can win over 80 games with the talent/prospects on hand, and are scared about ML baseball in 2027 and don't want to "waste" $ as a result and decide to add MORE prospects/young talent for potential baseball in 2027 and beyond. If they really question the talent on hand, and their prospects debuting and taking "too much" time to settle in, and really and truly are concerned about 2027, then maybe they should just trade one or both of Lopez and Ryan and tear the whole damn thing down. It's not what I would do, or want. And it's NOT what Eric says he wants either. But if they are really lacking in faith for immediate returns on their talent for next season and worried about 2027, then again, I can see the sense in it, even if I hate the idea. OPTION THREE: I don't see this happening. But what about NOT trading either of them, doing the buying I mentioned previously, give your fan base a reason to still want to come to the park...and THEN tear it down at the deadline if things aren't going well. Both Lopez and Ryan would still offer about 1 1/2 years of control and should still bring back a solid return. Again, I'm stubborn, and a bit too much of an optimist at times. But top end pitching is the hardest thing to develop. And I see too much potential in the players/prospects to disregard a decent lineup. If they can assemble just a decent/solid pen they have a chance to still be a decent team in 2026.

I DO think they look at Prielipp as a SP option. He's going to be 25yo in February and he needs better command and maybe a 4th pitch to truly DOMINATE ML SP. EXPERIENCE WISE, Prielipp is a 21-22yo kid still learning how to pitch. Wouldn't you give him a couple of months to see if he could BE that kind of pitcher?

Im going to repeat a few things I stated in the previous thread with a few alterations. Removing his rather brief 2022 debut, Wallner's Quad Slash line for a healthy 2023 and 2024 are as follows: .254/ .371/ .515/ .885 with an OPS+ of 144. That means he was ABOVE AVERAGE in EVERY category, including BATTING AVERAGE, and was 44% BETTER as an all around batter than the rest of the league. 44% better overall than the rest of the league. INCLUDING his brief 2022 debut and a rough 2025...with an OPS STILL ABOVE .800...possibly due to his injury, but who knows for certain, his CAREER Quad Slash line is: .238/ .350/ .501/ .850 with an OPS+ of 133. That means over 4yrs his BATTING AVERAGE has been slightly less than the rest of the league. But it also means for his career he's been 33% better than average as a productive batter than the rest of the league. 33% better overall than the rest of the league. Decades ago, hitters were judged on 3 things, AVG, HR, and RBI. Now, those aren't EMPTY stats. They still have relevance. BUT, teams got smarter over time and realized a batter with a high AVG, but didn't have power and didn't drive in runs, had less value than originally perceived. They also realized guys with big power who couldn't get OB, or drive in many runs, and sometimes had a poor AVERAGE, had less value than originally perceived. It's really not that hard if you drop old perceived values/walls and just understand the greater perspective that ALL TEAMS...not just the Twins...discovered over time with deeper research. Average, HR, and RBI by themselves DON'T paint an accurate picture! Remember, over the years, when you saw various hitters with 25 HR but only 60-ish RBI and you wondered how that could be? It's because nobody was OB for them to knock in! OR, they couldn't HIT for a damn, only had power, so that was the only time they knocked guys in! It's actually MATH over DECADES of research by ALL TEAMS. OB% was a measurement that simply went ignored for too long. And they finally figured out the best way to measure a batter wasn't to use any SINGLE statistic, but to combine them ALL to figure out who was ACTUALLY a good OVERALL hitter. That's why the Quad Slash line exists today. OPS + is a way to quantify how below or above a hitter is compared to the rest of the league, or by each position. EXAMPLE: A catcher only bats .250, and gets OB about 32% of the time. He strokes enough Doubles and HR to have a SLG% of around .425. His OPS would then be around. His OPS would be around .740, which would make him ABOVE average considering the LEAGUE AVERAGE usually hovers around .700, give or take about 10-15 points. Right there you'd have a hell of an offensive catcher! Again, it's not mysticism or magic. It's JUST MATH measuring a players overall offensive ability! NOBODY is trying hoodoo-voodo to convince you of some strange new world of baseball. It's simply a newer, more complete and accurate picture of hiw to measure the performance and potential a player/batter has. BACK to Wallner again: He's NOT slow. In regard to SPRINT SPEED, he's one of the faster Twin players. But he's also not QUICK. That means his READS have to be better in order to be a quality defensive OF. Some previously couldn't watch the Twins for a while. Some maybe have refused to. I'm not in a blackout area, and I've watched a TON of games over the past few years. And I can tell with honest heart that he really has improved his tracking skills over the past couple of seasons. I can also honestly tell you that his defense has slipped in 2025. And I don't know if that is physical, or him taking offensive frustrations out in to the field. He has a 95mph CANNON for an arm that is also accurate. So good is his arm that teams don't even try to run on him any longer. So I automatically dismiss any comment about his arm. Wallner will ALWAYS K more than a lot of people want to see, even he's lowered that number this year. But Wallner will also always have a solid OB% due to BB and some hit batsmen. (Witness a career .350 OB%). He's also never going to HIT to a .280-ish AVG. (.250 is about AVERAGE these days). IMO...other than some fan bizarre perception he should HIT at a .270 AVG and have a K% of 20%..MY ISSUE is his usage and FO perception. Most sluggers will run hot and cold. But when he had a poor 2024 ST, and then a poor start to 2024, the FO sent him down to AAA. But they did so after about 26 AB. What does 26 AB tell you about anyone? Especially for a player coming off a previously good season before? But FINE, they wanted to give him a brief re-set. But then he RAKED. And they still kept him down? Why? Because they didn't KNOW who he was? And when they FINALLY called him back up, what did he do? He produced ANOTHER .800plus season. To begin 2025, Rocco decided they should put him at LEADOFF as he was one of the teams best hitters. There was SOME logic to that due to his power and OB ability and being one of the best batters on the team. But I never really liked that plan. He and Buxton and Lewis should have been a 3-4-5 option with Castro and Correa as a 1-2. But Wallner was pretty good there initially and then got hurt. And since he's been back, his defense has slumped somewhat, and he hasn't been the BATTER that he was in 2023-24. But how much of that is post injury "getting right", or coaching, or Wallner's own head? Do anti-Wallner haters realize he's STILL got the highest OPS on the team behind Buxton? And sorry, I'm dismissing Keaschall in this point of the conversation for reasons that should be obvious. You want to build back Wallner's confidence? Then stop throwing him down in the lower third of the lineup. Should Wallner be a part of the immediate Twins future? ABSOLUTELY. He's almost as talented of a potential producer as Lewis. You can't ignore an injury season on a bad team team where he's still better than almost anyone else. Again, MATH, previous numbers, potential to repeat high numbers, nobody is going to take away your Fandom. Is the team better with Uber prospect Rodriguez getting healthy for once and grabbing a spot and fellow Uber prospect Jenkins joining him and making Wallner a mostly full time DH and part time OF? Absolutely! That would be OUTSTANDING and what most of us have been dreaming of. But there is no guarantee it WILL happen. **BTW, @LA VIkes Fanhas produced some interesting numbers lately showing Wallner is trending towards not being negative towards LHP. That's a really good thing! And I could ramble on forever and never get through the ingrained minds/opinions of some posters. And I'm dismissing the current coaching staff or the FO and ANY kind of direction they might have. But Wallner is a potentially HUGE component of the lineup over the next few years. The really good numbers are there to look at.

Wallner is not slow. He's actually one if the fastest players on the team in regard to sprint speed. But he's a very large person and it takes time to get up and moving. Therefore, he's fast, but isn't necessarily "quick". That means he's never going to steal a ton of bases, and must get solid reads in the OF to be effective. THE BAD: He's never going to be quick. He's never going to be a great defender. But he's previously been better than this season. He may be taking some of his frustration to the field with him. He's always going to K more than people want. THE GOOD: His arm is in the 90+% in MLB for strength/speed and accuracy. Teams don't even try to run on him any longer. His power is tremendous. His QUAD SLASH for his CAREER....meaning briefly in 2022, and including THIS down season, PLUS 2023'-'24...sits at: .238/ .350/ .501/ .823 Those are excellent numbers! That's an approximately leage average HIT tool, and ABOVE league average OB%, SLG %, and OPS%. His OPS PLUS is 133! That means as a hitter he's 33% BETTER than average. He can't control where he gets put in the lineup or how many runners from a poor producing lineup are on base in front of him. But by all means, if you haven't learned that there is more to measuring ballplayers besides their BATTING AVERAGES, then I suppose Wallner will look bad to you. But considering the LEAGUE WIDE AVERAGE batting average is below .250, I guess baseball is just filled with really bad players everywhere. Ideally, Rodriguez and Jenkins will both be fine ML players and take over the corner spots, and soon. That's not only good for the lineup, but it does put better defense on the field. It would allow Wallner the ability to DH more often, and be a backup corner OF. But any notion Wallner has been a bad player, and that he hasn't still been one of the better bats on the Twins this season, or that he isn't/can't be very important at his 2023-24 levels going forward is just not accurate.

A pair of great performances from Armstrong and Morris. Morris helps lead what should be a great St Paul staff. But is he the #8, #9 depth piece? Does he push himself to be in consideration for the #5-#6 spot? He's got the potential. Guess we'll see depending on what theownership/FO do. Could we have asked for a better start to Tait's and Jimenez's Twins careers? Rosario leading the league in Runs, HR, BB, and now probably RBI? And to think a few weeks ago I asked if I was the only one who still saw him as a prospect and some responded no. He's starting to look more like a 40 man add all the time. Regarding Winokur? He's still high on my prospect list. I'm just not worried about his recent slump. He started a little slow and might be finishing a little slow. But he's done some really good stuff in between and is still only 20yo at A+. I think whether he starts 2026 at AA vs CR again really just depends on offseason work/improvement and ST. But the talent is undeniable. Begining at A+ as a 21yo next season doesn't mean his shine dims. It just means a little more time to work on the contact portion of his game. From what little I've seen of him at SS...not much to be sure...he's surprisingly nimble for the position and has a tremendous arm. But if 3B and CF really are his future positions, then I agree he should focus on those 2 spots.

Just to be clear, Fedko hasn't been a great hitter, but he's OK. He's better at avoiding K's and taking BB. The lack of a HIT tool was a reference toward Cardenas. For instance, he hit .257 at Wichita but is only hitting .217 with St Paul. Your idea of sending him to the AFL might be a good one.

Only copying your post due to the fact it mentioned Phillips and the DT spot. I was really surprised to see Phillips go, and quite sad. He's been a really good performer, captain, leader, and great influence in every community he's been a part of. Including here in his home town of Omaha. NEVER saw that move coming! But the more I've thought and reflected on it, kinda makes some sense. They get another pick, help with the CAP to some degree, and as good as Phillips has been, he's just probably not as good as Allen or Hargrave. I also doubt any of the young DL turn out to be Pro Bowl type performers. But I was so impressed with Redmond last preseason and thought they might have gotten a steal. Looks like they might have. Hard to say how good LDR and Ingram-Dawkins will turn out, but damn if it doesn't look like they got a couple of potential steals there as well. A lot of talent and EFFORT on the field with those two. When they brought Elijah Williams in for a tryout, I did as much research as I could. And when I saw his numbers at Morgan State, and his test numbers at the small school HBCU Legacy Bowl, I couldn't figure out why he wasn't listed as a possible late round or priority UDFA option. He's still got a lot to prove coming from such a small program, but he really flashed in all 3 preseason games. I have to believe he did as well in camp, and the various team scrimmages. It's really hard to believe that Taimani...who made the initial roster last season before becoming injured...couldn't land a spot despite quality play this preseason. Just a lot of young talent to work with behind the veterans. I'm really going to miss Phillips, but I'm also very encouraged by the young kids and their potential.

Just tossing out a couple of thoughts now that the roster and PS are MOSTLY set. Hard not to love having Thielen back. If he's got enough gas in the tank for 2yrs left, it's a really nice add. But I don't like the 2027 4th rounder to make it happen. Really unfortunate that Howell didn't work out. But I feel really comfortable about Wentz as a veteran #2. Doesn't it just feel like another CB is coming on board still? The PS is pretty close to what I thought and hoped. But a couple guys I thought would be there are on the current roster, or on the temporary IL list. Very happy to see Taimani back. He deserved to be on the 53 man. Just crazy we are so deep there that there wasn't room. Equally happy to have Murphy back. Thought for sure someone would snag him. What am I missing that he didn't make the 53 man? Also nice to see Vaughn kept at CB. Terribly inconsistent in the preseason. Flash one play and then slip or break wrong on the next. But there's some real potential there. And interesting to see Moreau back at CB. Initially, I thought they'd bring him back as a 5th-6th CB option. Obviously, the primary roster is going to change a bit over the next few weeks. Addison will be back, Ham will be back, and so will rookie UDFA Batty. So the roster and PS are going to be in some state of flux still. Any initial thoughts one way or another?

I hope you're right. Some re-worked deals are a possibility. Thankfully, we have some of the best CAP thinkers in the league. Having, potentially, 6 picks in the 1st 4 rounds doesn't hurt for the future either.

A strange dichotomy for sure. You don't want the Twins to lose...but...you kinda don't mind if they lose and keep up their opportunity for a top 5 pick while at the same time wanting to see the younger players perform well.

Nice start for Rojas. He's young, has limited IP, and has probably been pushed a little hard to be at AAA at this point. I don't believe he'll be ready to help until mid '26, but he's intriguing for sure. MacLeod had a nice relief apparance as well. The Lefty was doing well at AA before his promotion. He's been struggling since. I'm not saying he can't still be a potential ML SP, and I never like moving guys too soon, but as a prospect he's got to be behind Prielipp, Rojas, and Hill (who's further down the line). He might be a potential pen conversion option. I'm also mixed on Rosario a bit, even though I've been championing him for a while. I think recency bias is in play somewhat with an injury affected 2024 and his bad April this season. I see a passable corner OF who might end up as a possible platoon bat. Time will tell. And while I don't like risking losing him to someone who might take a shot...A's, Dirty Sox, etc...I'm 50/50 on protecting him. Would he even stick? So few position players are selected in the rule 5, and even fewer stick. Nice start for Oliveras at CR. That staff could be AMAZING in 2026! Ross with another solid start as well. And my "prospect arm crush" Doktorczyk did a nice job out of the pen. I really think he's someone to keep an eye on for 2026. Solid day on the farm!

I've been pretty much beaten to the punch on this, but there are 40 man considerations involved here, not just who we'd like to see, oe who deserves a shot. And yes, I'm fully aware there are a few guys who could easily be removed from said 40 man roster. For instance, no matter how much I want to see Eeles up, he doesn't have to be protected, so he might have to wait until ST next year. Currently, Fitzgerald is the only backup at SS, so you probably don't send him down or remove him. But unless the Twins still hold out some sort of hope that Miranda can be fixed, he can't even hit at the AAA level. That's an available 40 man spot for Fedko. They seem to want to give Julien every opportunity to succeed. Whether you agree with that or not, removing him might send him packing. So it's also up to what the coaches and FO really think about the future of some of these guys, and whether or not they are ready to "give up" on them. Fedko remains my #1 choice as there is a very clear path available for him to be the 4th OF next season. And again, while I think he might need a little more time to work on his HIT tool, I can easily see Cardenas getting a shot at catcher with Gasper going down.

Amen! I understand what defensive metrics say. But I also know why my eyes tell me. Wallner seemed smoother defensively last year. Maybe he's taking frustration out to the field with him? But agree he's probably still best as a DH and part time OF. Nice shout out to @LA VIkes Fanfor listing the improvement by Wallner against LHP. I've heard those numbers before but don't recall seeing someone posted. Just MY opinion, but I was really frustrated when Wallner was sent down early in 2024 after something like 26 AB. But fine. But he was.keot down WAY too long. He's going to be streaky. But don't they know their own player? This season, even when struggling, has maintained the 2nd best OPS on the team but he's been regulated to the lower portion of the lineup instead of worse hitters. Very frustrating. I have no problem with Wallner in RF full time, with Buxton in CF, and a better glove in LF. Ultimately, it would be AWESOME to have Rodriguez and Jenkins in the corners and let Wallner be that DH/part-time OF. But Wallner's bat is for real. But yes, it would be nice if he starts hitting like 2023-'24 soon and the Twins get more base runners on in front of him.

And this is why I really hate the September additions only being TWO players. Teams who have nothing to play for should have the opportunity to bring up more than that. (All teams treated equally for sure). Doesn't mean you have to allow for 40 again. But how does the Twins bringing up another handful of prospects for auditions in Septemeber affect the integrity of the game. They could be worse than they are now? Lol I wouldn't mind Sabato getting a shot. The fact that he's cooled down in a hitters league after his promotion concerns me some. But his future is probably organizational filler if he isn't ready to contribute pretty soon. A month looksee would be nice. Eels is already a fan favorite! His numbers...primarily SLG%...just arent what they were last season. Possibly a result of his surgery recovery? (Not that he ever had a LOT of power). But he's been building up after a slow 1st month. I think most of us would be behind him getting a shot. Fedko might not THIS powerful or THIS fast, but he doesn't have to be to be a quality RH 4th OF who can play both corner spots and help a little in CF as needed. He's always done a great job of maintaining a quality OB%, so there's recognition to go along with pop and speed. And not quite yet 25yo is NOT old. GG is probably the better long term option...with less speed...but Fedko appears ready for an audition NOW. I sure hope he gets one. Cardenas' OPS at St Paul has been enhanced by a sudden power burst. A burst I fear comes from the league/park and not a true power breakout. But he's always had a good OB%...career .380...indicating some zone control and contact ability. (His K/BB splits are very good). And he's got a good arm and a solid reputation behind the plate. I just fear the HIT tool might be a few months or half a season away. But he's got some very good qualities, has been a bit of a hot streaks, and a September looksee might decide, at the least, as to whether he could be the #3 guy in 2026 or not. It would require a little roster shuffling to get 3 or all 4 up, but Fedko and Eeles in particular, IMO, should be getting a shot.

God Bless My Friend. 🙏

Rutschman's career OPS is only 19 points higher than Jeffers. And Jeffers has outperformed him the past 2 seasons ad Rutschman has been on a downturn during that time. CS% for Jeffers is 19.7% and Rutschman sits at 22%. Rutschman would cost more $ than Jeffers and would cost prospect capital besides to acquire. I see bigger needs at 1B, maybe DH, and a pen to rebuild. I don't see a swap of catchers being a difference maker. So no.

Just to be clear, the $90M is a starting point before adding anyone via FA.

There's a lot to compact here. I NEVER thought Phillips would be traded! Anyone saw that coming? I mean, I've been looking at all the young talent on the DL mixed with the veteran FA signings, and was wondering how we could possibly keep everyone, but I still didn't see that trade happening. Long look, I get it. A pair of top FA additions and salary cap concerns and a host of top young talent and I guess a move had to be made. On the plus side, Redmond has proven to be a steal. The staff has been excited about LDR since they picked him. He looks like the real deal. Ingram-Dawkins appears to be the real deal. A super talented kid who played behind a lot of other talented players and never got his time to really shine in college. And I'm not patting my back on Eligah Williams, but I did post that despite being a small school kid with amazing production, I was surprised he was only a camp invite, and to watch him as a PS option. I NEVER thought he'd be this good so soon! CRAZY to realize the DL is potentially just fine without Phillips! And just as crazy to NOT HAVE ROOM for Taimani as a backup NT who AGAIN had a good camp and preseason. I really hope we can keep him for the PS. SOMEBODY tell me why Murphy wasn't kept? Is there something we don't know about his cut? I like Richter a lot as a ST player with the ability to contribute on the defensive side as well. And I saw enough of UDFA Chambliss that I wanted him on the PS. But how in hell does Murphy go from a few flash plays when healthy in 2024, a great preseason this year, to suddenly being cut? I'm so confused right now! I think Thayer Thompson is a better WR than Jones. I think it came down to previous ST production. I'd have gone with offensive potential instead, but I'm not the head coach. Tavierre Thomas Is a CB who they converted to S, IIRC. So he can still fit there as the 5th CB. Metellus often plays nickel and dime CB. Still, I'd expect a trade or signing soon at CB and Thomas waived. I'm so disappointed that Howell didn't take the #2 QB role and run with it. I thought he was a great fit to be a Donaldson-like project who could really step forward on this team, with this coaching staff, and build his career as a top backup, or maybe earn a better job later. But to get a better pick for him and get Wentz as a veteran backup option is OK for me. The FIRST 53 man is ALWAYS fluid for the first couple of days. I get that. But SOMEBODY please tell me why a young, talented guy like Murphy was let go? There HAS to be more to the story.

I don't believe Jenkins will there opening day. Reaching AAA as a 20yo is CRAZY! I'm of the opinion that sometimes you just take an uber talented kid and run with him. Keaschall is a recent example. He was, and still is, recovering from TJ surgery, plus his broken forearm. But the talent can't be denied. Em Rodriguez is about 30 days of health from wearing a Twins uniform. He's an enigma, but an enigma who could be good to potential All Star ability. But he's a little older, has played at AAA and flashes a bit, and I'd give a job in LF tomorrow if healthy and just live with it the way the Brewers did with Chourio. Rodriguez is talented enough to do the same. Not a knock on Jenkins at all. I just don't care about ROY or an extra draft pick if he is. I only care about a yet to turn 21yo kid who MIGHT NEED a couple weeks or months to just polish his game a bit more. Especially considering he's missed so much time and STILL been this good. I do think Larnach is gone for various reasons. I think he has some trade value by himself, or with someone else as part of a deal. LH bats with a career .760 OPS against RHP who can OF part of the time with some decent power don't grow on trees. IDEALLY, he might be moved with a prospect for someone's #2 or #3 setup arm that is young and controlled for a couple of years. But I might be shooting high there. Were I in charge of the Twins, I'd still keep Prielipp in the rotation, find a 4th pitch that works, and keep him working on how to set up batters. He's still learning how to be a "pitcher" and not a thrower. He's still only 24yo. But I don't disagree he has potential STUD RP ability. I just wouldn't go that direction just yet considering age and potential.

I agree. You either trust the talent/prospects on hand, the arms you've acquired, or you don't. And if you don't, then why are you in charge of anything? I do disagree somewhat with 1yr rentals. I do think a couple FA arms to help the re-build of the pen makes sense. Honestly, I think Coulombe, for example, might have another solid year as a 1 out, 1 IP mid game option makes sense. Maybe there's another Stewart out there, or similar, coming off a bad season. Jeffers does need a semi-decent backup because Cardenas probably isn't ready yet. And I currently SO FIXATED on Josh Naylor as 1B to add a veteran bat and presence to the team. But I don't want any other 1yr options that block Rodriguez, Jenkins, K Culpepper, or even GG or Fedko. I'm with you on that for sure.

The biggest question is do the POWERS THAT BE want to tear the whole damn thing down? (Which also doesn't always work). Or do they want to field a solid, possibly competitive team in 2026? While the pitching hasn't wholly stepped up the this season, or late in 2024, it's been the offense that has been the biggest issue. But Wallner and Lewis aren't throw away players. Buxton is great. Jeffers is on of the best offensive backstops in the game. Keaschall has arrived. Jenkins, Rodriguez, and K Culpepper are so very close. And there are a handful of other position players that are really close to providing help as well. IF the Twins want to field a competent team for 2026, they will STOP the teardown and keep Lopez and Ryan. And I'll repeat yet again, if Larnach is moved, the payroll sits around $90M WITH Lopez and Ryan and arbitration numbers accounted for. I just don't buy in to moving Lopez and Ryan because it's silly to have front line, playoff caliber starters for a team not expected to compete for anything. We'll, yeah, if you trade away your best 2 SP, OF COURSE you won't compete for anything. Both are still controlled through 2027. And YES, the pen needs to be re-built. But you've accumulated so many good young arms, you don't think you can use them? With a payroll of $90M you couldn't add even a couple relievers to help with that re-build? And are you telling me that you DON'T believe in Lewis, Lee, Keaschall, Jenkins, Rodriguez, and K Culpepper??? IMO, Ryan should be an extension candidate rather than a trade option. Or, again, do you not believe in all of your pitching depth and the position players you have on hand, and prospects you have developed that are appearing or about to do so??? Sorry, but that was a reality check to the FO and ownership who are a complete mixed up mystery at this point. Might have just as well spit in the wind, but needed to state what I think is obvious. Ober is susceptible to injuries here and there because of being 6' 9". It's what slowed him somewhat in his early days, but the Twins corrected his mechanics and he became the very good SP that we know. He's looked better after his rest. And he stated all along his mechanics got messed up at some point. Might have lead to his hip issue. Could just be wear and tear that happens once in a while. But Lopez, Ryan, and Ober is a hell of a good 1-3 for 2026. After them, IMO comes Mathews as a virtual lock. The pure stuff and control is just too good to ignore. Other than game experience, what he needs is better "command" of his pitches. That means sneaking out of the zone more for whiffs, and to set up batters. The 5th spot is up for grabs between SWR, Abel, and Bradley. That's 7 deep. But let's not forget about Morris as the probable 8th arm. I think Rojas is only ready mid 2026. The recently promoted to AAA Klein shouldn't be ignored even though he's been largely left out of conversation. But he's also probably a mid season option. And what is the future of Raya? The kid gloves have come off the past couple of months and he's been throwing more pitches/innings and while as consistent as we'd like to see, he's thrown some of the best games of his career the past month or so. And what about Prielipp? Is he the biggest dark horse for the Twins rotation in 2026? Honestly, he's still "learning how to pitch" considering his lack of experience. I'd bet the Twins are going to tweak his repertoire with a 4th pitch soon, though I'm not sure what. Ready July 1st as a SP option next season? I believe ALL of these guys are 25yo or younger at this point. Notice I haven't included Festa, or Lewis, or CJ Culpepper? Nor have I mentioned LH Christian MacLeod. I WANT Festa to be a ML SP because it's a great story and I just love seeing "Thin Reaper" put away guys! But there's always been concerns about durability. He's been REALLY GOOD though an order the 1st time. Not uncommon for a young pitcher. The 2 seamer he's been working on is for RH batters as that's maybe been his biggest issue so far. MAYBE he continues to work on that, or maybe the Twins help him with a sweeper, cutter, splitter instead and convert him to the pen for 2026. The shoulder issues he's dealt with tells me he should pitch 1 inning 3 times a week instead of being a starter. His max velocity should jump to 98-99 ish with a good slider and change. Lewis was the Twins MILB pitcher of the year in 2023, IIRC. In 2024 he had an injury setback and it took some time to get his velocity back. He's had a tough 1st full year at AAA as they've also adjusted his mix, and tried to put his crazy good knuckleball more to the forefront. But maybe they need to put him in the pen for max velocity...probably mid 90's...maybe add a pitch...I'm spitballing a bit here as I can't recall his current repertoire...and use that crazy mid 80's knuckleball on 0-2, 1-2, even 2-2 counts and suddenly be an effective weapon out of the pen in the middle innings. Like Lewis, CJ Culpepper has shown great potential that has been interrupted by mild injury. He has a funky, short arm delivery. He has, I believe, 6 pitches he throws. Control isn't much of an issue. But from what I understand, all of his pitches are solid, but none or great. And his velocity tends to dip after a few innings. Again, what I've heard and read. None of that doesn't preclude him from being a potential ML SP at some point. But maybe he's Jax-like that he can crank up his velocity and throw a grouping of solid secondary offerings to befuddle hitters. MacLeod has slowly moved up the system as a LHSP who needed surgery after the Twins selected him #5 in the 2021 draft. Other than 1.2 IP in 2021, he didnt throw again until 2023. His MILB K numbers sit around 10 per. His WHIP is around 1.4, not bad. I've heard reports his FB sits around 94mph. He's just recently been promoted to AAA after an OK season at AA. But he's got to be about 12th-14th on the pecking order currently for ML help in 2026. So maybe an immediate conversion to the pen makes him a possible pen piece in 2026 at some point rather than falling behind other SP options ahead of him? The 2026 rotation and depth is just fine if ownership doesn't just blow the whole thing up. IF there is ANY faith on the players on hand...Lewis, Lee, Buxton, Jeffers, Wallner...and the prospects ready or nearly ready in regard to Keaschall, Rodriguez, Jenkins, K Culpepper, GG, and maybe even Fedko and Olivar and Rosario not far behind, then the GOAL should be to adapt and use all of the talented arms you have, plus maybe a couple decent FA options to build a decent bullpen and look to the future while still having a potentially solid, competitive 2026 team that will still be building up for better things going forward. Remember "consistently competitive"? They CAN do that in 2026? There is a path to do so that doesn't require a HUGE increase in payroll. DOES the FO actually trust in the talent on hand, and most of their TOP PROSPECTS ready or nearly ready to create an exciting future? Or do they want to tear it all down and be the Dirty Sox, A's, and the Royals for YEARS and just try to sell hope for the future? Personally, I can see a hopeful path that starts by keeping the rotation in tact, with just a couple adds, moving arms around, and STILL keeping the payroll low. That's my opinion and rant.

*ADENDUM to any of my previous posts on this OP. If Larnach is indeed moved, as many/most of us expect, the payroll then sits around $90M WITH Lopez, Ryan, and expected arbitration numbers. Instead of just ASSUMING/HOPING Rodriguez is healthy and ready to go and debut at some point, if not immediately. And generally ASSUMING everyone else will also be healthy the majority of the year and play and debut as expected at some point...May-June-July 1st, whatever...there is still an opportunity to add a solid, veteran such as Josh Naylor to play 1B and DH and provide a quality veteran bat and presence to the lineup and club. He and a decent veteran backstop should cost approximately $18M. Not including a couple pen arms, maybe on the rebound, the total payroll would still be under $120M. Obviously, a couple decent veteran arms bumps that number somewhat. But a SINGLE solid veteran BAT doesn't create any sort of major payroll change. But it only makes sense if they want to put a competitive team on the field.