Ted Schwerzler

Stadium's don't bring in anywhere close to the revenue TV deals do. Also, isn't it customary that virtually every new stadium is significantly funded by the public. I guess i've never cared about what I may or may not have contributed to the stadium.

I've wrote a couple of pieces about how the Twins could've accelerated getting to where they are now by following a bit more closely what the Cubs did. Terry Ryan's regime didn't really take that path.

I had a good question posed to me about the purpose, or direction of "cheap" as it relates to payroll. I wanted to clarify the intention as I think the response I provided was effective. Whether or not you believe the Pohlad's can or should spend more money ever is virtually irrelevant. Billionaire owners in an uncapped sport could ALWAYS afford to spend more. Obviously those with lucrative TV deals are going to feel significantly more inclined to do so. However, as it relates to the Twins and teams in their shoes, talking about payroll with a bad team is barking up the wrong team. Spending money to increase payroll without developed internal talent is a no win situation. There's already a vast amount of people wanting to bash on Mauer's contract undeservedly, imagine spending money on guys that may produce at $25m AAV yet still losing 85+ games a season because no one else is around them. In short, the purpose of this piece was to highlight that the Twins are going to set a record in payroll, and it's now that it makes sense for them to do so. They've gone through a 3 year development arc where their young core was able to establish itself. 2016 was a byproduct of that youth, and the volatility it brings. With young, talented, cheap, controllable players aplenty, spending real dollars on outside talent makes sense. If the Twins would've done nothing this offseason (also assuming they still get a real SP), and in 2019, then you'd have me in a fit over payroll structure. They're operating in a way that makes sense for MLB teams however. It's not the NBA where one or two players change everything. Picking your spots, Minnesota has elected to capitalize on theirs in the right moment and correct way.

I don't know that there's many who'd get on board with this. You don't just continue to wait for the next wave of prospects. The Twins have talent to win now on the 25 man, and the most ready prospects are guys that can filter in as needed or when they push the envelope.

Sure teams can surprise, but the Twins had legitimate talent in 2016 that didn't perform mainly because of youth and inexperience. 2017 should've been viewed as a relatively competitive squad. I pegged them for 81 wins, which would fall into that category. The White Sox have a great farm that's yet to start spilling over, the Tigers are old and bad, and the Royals have no farm while also losing their core.

Lindor plays a premium position and is one of the best in the game at it. That's a big boost. Yes, I'd take Jose Ramirez over Miguel Sano at 3B. He's also among the best young players in the game. Sano has a great bat, but Ramirez does both sides of the game well. Yonder Alonso is behind Mauer, I'd agree, and Kipnis is well short of Dozier.

If you add before your core substantiates itself at the big league level, what are you truly accomplishing? Those guys should be regulars, all stars, etc but before they are, they’re simply prospects. You can waste a lot of money by banking on what you hope to happen. I have zero problem with Minnesota waiting to see a certain level of results before beginning to supplement.

It’s been the long discussed topic for many a frustrated Twins fan. In between railing against the contract Joe Mauer earned while playing as one of the greatest catchers of all time, Minnesotans have chided the Pohlad’s about being cheap and failing to spend money on their beloved baseball team. Although there may have been points where the criticisms were valid, the arguments generally missed the boat. In 2018 and beyond however, the Minnesota Twins are fighting back, and sensibly so.Following a 2017 season in which Paul Molitor’s club made a somewhat unexpected postseason berth, it’s apparent that 2016 was no more than growing pains for a core that is still coming into their own. After bursting onto the scene in 2015, regression and development plagued many of the Twins future stars during the 2016 downturn. Now as more established big league players, the focus should be on capitalizing upon the opportunity that the AL Central has laid out for the hometown nine. Derek Falvey’s former organization, the Cleveland Indians, is really the only competition within the division, and that appears to be the case for the immediate future. As the window of competitiveness opens for the Twins, a division title or deep playoff run could again be within their sights. The new front office seems to view this reality in a favorable fashion as well. Going into the offseason, the most desirable add was once again going to come on the mound. After finishing 29th in team ERA during the 2016 season, Minnesota jumped back into competitiveness by posting the 19th best mark in the big leagues. That still leaves plenty to be desired, but as divisional foes not named Cleveland came in behind them, Molitor’s group was able to capitalize. In order to run down Terry Francona’s squad, overtake them, and make any real waves in the fall, Falvey and Thad Levine needed to bring in reinforcements this winter. The bullpen has been overhauled with nice veteran pieces on one-year deals (Zach Duke and Fernando Rodney), as well as a big get in the former of Addison Reed (2 years, $16.75m). Given the depth and emergence of young arms in relief, it stands to reason Minnesota is done there out of the pen, but the main focus of a starting arm remains. That leads us to taking a look at the total bill. Prior to the acquisition of Reed, Minnesota was on track for a payroll near $98 million. Factoring in the roughly $4 million Kyle Gibson will be given, as well as the $8+ million that Reed gets this season, the Twins are looking at a mark of something like $110 million. Over the course of their history, the 2011 payroll of $112.7 million is a club record, and they’ve been below the $100 million plateau in four of the past six years. While you can dissect that how you will, it makes a good deal of sense. Outside of 2016, there was never a point at which the Twins should’ve viewed themselves as a contender from 2011 onwards. Yes, Target Field is a nice stadium and it helps to generate revenue, but it’s TV contracts that trump all when it comes to payroll. Minnesota spends in the bracket it does because the deal with Fox Sports North is hardly lucrative compared across the landscape of the big league. With that being said, a down season should not also be an expensive one. In 2012-2014, the Twins made loses 90+ games a yearly ritual. To think that spending an exorbitant amount of money in the offseason was going to reverse course would’ve been a fool’s errand. In 2015, the club was seeing a top MLB farm system begin to bear fruit. Byron Buxton, Miguel Sano, and Eddie Rosario all got their first licks at the highest level, despite still being young kids. The 83 wins were a nice result, but volatility in youth is a real thing, and that fact couldn’t have been truer in the year ahead. Now in 2017, the fruit from that farm system overflow has become an established set of big league regulars. Buxton, Sano, Rosario, Jose Berrios, and Max Kepler are all here to stay. They can be counted upon on a nightly basis when in the lineup, and while they’ll still be developing, are no longer wide-eyed ballplayers just taking it in. The development of that internal core presents the first half of the argument for Derek Falvey and Thad Levine to build and supplement. The other part of the equation comes in the form of outsiders and financial flexibility. Glen Perkins has announced his retirement, Joe Mauer is in line for free agency, and the combination of Phil Hughes and Ervin Santana isn’t far behind. With something like $30 million committed to the 2019 roster at this point, Minnesota has more than ample ability to spend. Combining that with the decline of the division, the Twins have found a perfect storm. Under the fair assumption that the Twins are still targeting a top of the rotation starter, they are looking at a 2018 payroll near $130 million (should it be Darvish) or $120 million (should it be Lynn, Cobb, or Arrieta). That number will pop off the page as a franchise record, and a significant leap from previously expected norms. While it’s fair to look at the figure in that context, it’s also not surprising in the least. Inflation has been avoided as the payroll has reflected a true talent level, and an era of competitive baseball has now finally fostered an environment in which spending becomes sensible. For as far back as I can remember the idea that Minnesota is cheap has been a lazy way to circumvent the factual narratives jumping off the page. For those staring at the bottom line without context, 2018 should be a nice shove-it moment in which the money spent falls in line with fans' desires. Should Minnesota’s payroll come in at the marks noted above, they’d find themselves right in the middle of big league spending, around the Houston Astros and Cleveland Indians. That’s hardly a bad place to be. Click here to view the article

A year ago, the Twins pushed towards the middle of the majors in team ERA. While I do expect regression for Santana, a top 3 of a FA, Erv, and Berrios is relatively formidable. As mentioned, Hughes and Gibson on the back end is relatively weak, but a top pitching prospect forcing them out would suggest higher upside options have taken over. Starting pitching isn’t yet a strength for the Twins, but it’s hardly the weakness it was.

As the 2018 Major League Baseball seasons draws ever more near, the Minnesota Twins are looking to replicate a season that saw its end in the postseason. While they'd prefer to avoid the one-game playoff in the Wild Card game, that would mean overtaking the Cleveland Indians in the AL Central. With the division looking like a two horse race, it's worth checking in on the possibility of that outcome. In observing the Indians from afar, comparing them to the Twins may be best done by positional group. If we break down the active roster into groups consisting of starters, relievers, infielders, outfielders, and bench, we should have a relatively clear five-subject analysis to look at. With those parameters set out in front of us, here's how the cream of the AL Central crop stacks up. Starters: Indians Even if the Twins sign Yu Darvish or Jake Arrieta, the Minnesota rotation will fall behind that of Cleveland. While a Darvish, Jose Berrios, and Ervin Santana top three would rival Corey Kluber, Carlos Carrasco, and Trevor Bauer, it's the back end that has questions. For Paul Molitor, it's safe to assume a new name is going to enter the bunch, that means there will be just two spots left to fill out the rotation. Right now, it appears that those jobs will be owned by Kyle Gibson and Phil Hughes out of the gate. Terry Francona has the luxury of going to Danny Salazar as his fourth, and Mike Clevinger as his fifth. Salazar has as much upside as anyone, and his stuff gets big league batters out at an alarming rate (when he keeps it in the zone). Minnesota has the opportunity to raise the water level as 2018 draws on, and if someone like Stephen Gonsalves, Zack Littell, Fernando Romero, or a host of other arms forces out Gibson or Hughes, it would likely be for the better long term. A year or two ago, the divide between the Twins and Indians on the mound was substantial. Given Kluber's Cy Young status, and the depth of the group overall, they still tout an impressive five. All things considered, Minnesota has closed the gap measurably, and that will continue to be an area of focus for the immediate future. Relievers: Indians Where the Twins were more top-heavy as opposed to having depth in the rotation, the two squads may be the opposite in the pen. Bryan Shaw is gone in Cleveland, and the innings eater won't be there for Francona to call on in 2018. They still boast an incredible one-two punch in Cody Allen and Andrew Miller however, and both could be named among the best in the bullpen across all of baseball. Behind that duo though, there's a relative falloff, and that's where Minnesota's opportunity comes in. The trio of signings Derek Falvey and Thad Levine have made in relief this winter can be categorized as nothing short of a grand slam. Fernando Rodney has his warts, but he's still effective in the late-innings, with upper 90's stuff. Zach Duke is a great gamble even further removed from Tommy John surgery, and Addison Reed is among that "best relievers in Baseball" category. Adding that group to holdovers like Trevor Hildenberger and Taylor Rogers is a huge plus for Paul Molitor's club. If Minnesota wants to nab this category, and they're very close to doing so, Ryan Pressly and Tyler Duffey need to be at their best. Pressly is an impact arm that can shoulder high leverage when he's right, while Duffey has worked late innings prior to his pro career and has a nice two pitch mix that profiles well in relief. Infielders: Indians This category is absolutely in Cleveland's favor, but the Twins aren't as distant as it may seem. Francisco Lindor is one of the best young players in the game, and whether or not his game ends up being power or average, he's going to hit. Jose Ramirez is the best star that doesn't get enough attention, and Yonder Alonso is coming off a breakout 2017. Losing Carlos Santana will hurt this group, and Jason Kipnis' best days are maybe behind him. As a whole though, this is a strong outfit. It's obvious that Brian Dozier is the cornerstone of Minnesota's infield. Behind Jose Altuve, he is probably the second best player at the position. Jorge Polanco showed his bat will play down the stretch a season ago, and Miguel Sano is going to hit a good amount of longballs for plenty of years to come. If Joe Mauer continues to play elite defense, his value will fail to sag any time soon as well. Behind the dish, I'd prefer Jason Castro and Mitch Garver over Roberto Perez and Yan Gomes, but I could be a bit bullish on what I expect from Garver in 2018. Regardless of the total collection, these two infields are loaded with talent, and the Indians has a bit more sustainability and depth, the Twins aren't too far behind. Both of these groups can hit, and the fielding acumen is pretty close as well. As you can see becoming a trend, the gap is closing. Outfielders: Twins There's little argument to be made against Byron Buxton being the best outfielder in baseball. He's the game's best defender, and plays the premium position of the three spots. His speed and arm are both elite, while he continues to improve on route running. Should his bat again be ready to unleash the fury James Rowson helped to tease us with for the better part of 2017, Minnesota has an MVP candidate on its hands. Both Eddie Rosario and Max Kepler have holes in their game, and despite his strong 2017, it's Rosario I'm more uncertain about. The strong arm is there, and he may profile better in right, but route efficienty has been somewhat of a question. Tightening up around the plate will benefit him, but he's always going to be a free-swinger. Kepler has the look of a Christian Yelich type, and that ceiling remains. If he's able to harness that ability in 2018, Minnesota will be in a great spot. For the Indians, Bradley Zimmer has graduated from prospect status and is now expected to be a regular. Defense is an definite tool of his, but the bat lagged behind in his debut. Michael Brantley is an All Star, but his body is fighting against him, and Lonnie Chisenhall is nothing more than a rotational type at this point in his career. The group has plenty to offer, and doesn't have glaring weaknesses, but there's hardly a shining strength either. Bench: Indians Including the designated hitter into this equation, Cleveland's upper hand is significantly loaded from the top. Edwin Encarnacion is a destroyer of baseballs, and should be expected to continue with those contributions in the season ahead. Behind him however, there's a significant (and expected) drop off. Tyler Naquin is a nice rotational outfielder, and Giovanny Urshela seems to get plenty of use over the course of a season. Unlike the Indians, Minnesota doesn't have a true DH (at least until it becomes Miguel Sano's assumed role). Robbie Grossman has been an invaluable add, and is an OBP machine, but he's slumped at times and is limited defensively. Eduardo Escobar is a very good utility man, and Ehire Adrianza gives the Twins a nice glove first player. Looking at reserves, you're picking at straws to a certain extent. If you have a one-dimensional player though, allowing that to be a guy that trots the bases with a parrot on his arm is hardly a bad position to be in. If everything else gets taken care of for Minnesota this offseason, a bat addition would be nice, but it's not coming in the form of an impact player. Overall, it's apparent the Twins are still playing second fiddle to the Cleveland Indians. What's also apparent is that the gap between the two clubs is no longer wide. With pitching being one of the greatest differences, Minnesota has drawn closer in relief. Over the course of a season series, or even the full 162 game slate, I'd be far from shocked to see these two clubs flip flop. In the Twins last two competitive seasons (2015 & 2017), they went 12-7 and 7-12 against Falvey's former organization respectively. The divide probably isn't worthy of being nearly a 2:1 or 1:2 scenario, but that's the volatility that any one season brings. Right now, Cleveland is still the AL Central favorites, but Minnesota is making a run to change that, and the competition in the American League could push them to realizing a division crown as their best path to the postseason. For more from Off The Baggy, click here. Follow @tlschwerz

I tweeted about this often last year, and failed to include it in the piece. The loss of his grandfather was no doubt a big factor. It was reported he was essentially Jorge's dad. With something like that weighing on you, the game becomes that much harder.

Just before the 2016 Major League Baseball season, Jorge Polanco made his debut on Top 100 prospect lists. Ranked 99th and 97th by Baseball American and MLB Pipeline respectively, he was now considered a bubble name when it came to the top up and comers in the sport. Having made unexpected appearances at age 20 and 21 with the Twins, the likelihood that he’d be in Minnesota to stay from 2016 and beyond had grown. What was uncertain is how he would fit, and what the results would be.In 2016, the Twins deserved some criticism for their handling of the up-the-middle defender. Despite having not played a single inning at shortstop in affiliated baseball since 2015 at Triple-A, he was thrust into the starting role with the Twins and logged just over 400 innings. For a guy who already had questions regarding his arm strength, range and reactions would play heavily into how well he handled the position. No matter how you look at it, the results suggest that the first season of shortstop at the big league level didn’t go well. In those 400-plus innings, Polanco earned a -8 DRS to go with a -10.9 UZR, -5.5 RngR, and a -32.3 UZR/150. Among the 34 MLB shortstops to play at least 400 innings, those numbers ranked 28th, 29th, 27th, and 34th respectively. To put it bluntly, he looked anything but capable of handling the position at the highest level. For a guy whose bat was always expected to play, it was scary just how much of a liability the glove had become. Fast forward to spring training 2017, and Polanco was ready to work. Having witnessed the ethic and resolve in person, it was apparent the youngster wasn’t about to let a disappointing debut beat him. From fielding the position in Grapefruit League games, to putting in hours of extended sessions on the small field adjacent to Hammond Stadium, the effort was more than present. From a top-down view following the 2017 season’s conclusion, it sure appears to have paid off. Among 20 qualified shortstops, Polanco finished 14th in DRS (-1), 19th in UZR (-4.3), 9th in RngR (2.0), and 18th in UZR/150 (-5.4). While still not an above average defender, he made drastic strides year-over-year, and found his way into the serviceable category as opposed to being a liability. It wasn’t just in the field that Polanco put in work a season ago however. Despite being carried by his bat through the entirety of the system, it had begun to fail him for the first time. Ceding playing time and forcing Paul Molitor to look elsewhere, Polanco bottomed out at a .213/.265/.308 slash line on August 2nd. Through his first 79 games, he’d totaled just 20 extra-base hits (three HRs), and was putting over 40% of his balls in play on the ground. There’s been a growing movement to elevate the baseball, increase launch angles, and use exit velocity to drive hits to all fields. The outdated view that hard hit grounders will get misplayed by big league fielders has become laughable, and the reality is that the only place a ball isn’t being caught is when it’s out of reach. From August 4th through the end of the year, a period of 54 games, Polanco seems to have bought into that principle as well. Download attachment: LA.gif Down the stretch, the Twins shortstop slashed an incredible .317/.379/.554 with 26 extra-base hits (10 HRs). It’s no coincidence that was coupled with a 6% decrease (down to 34.7%) in ground balls. Polanco slightly bumped his fly ball rate (44.3% from 41.7%), and also jumped up the line drive rate (21% from 18.2%). Taking a quick look at his launch angles from the beginning of the year, a comparison to those generated down the stretch shows he added lift to the ball. In relation to that lift, Polanco’s radial chart also highlights the quality of contact being significantly boosted as well. For a guy who checks in 12th among qualified hitters in regard to swinging strike rates, Polanco was always putting the ball in play, but was now doing so with higher odds for success. Download attachment: Radial.gif Getting the ball off the ground allowed Polanco to not only see his power numbers increase (the 13 homers in 2017 was a career high), but also enabled him to right a sinking ship. His bat again was again a legitimate weapon, and he re-established himself as a fixture in Paul Molitor’s lineup. Looking ahead to 2018, Polanco will need to replicate how he ended last year. Continuing to watch the ball rise off the bat will be a focus at the plate, while putting in the work to compensate for arm strength in the field is a must. There’s no imminent danger of the shortstop position being taken over, and the more he can entrench himself with value in the role, the better off the Twins will be. It’s more than OK for Minnesota to have a bat-first player at short, but they’ll obviously be looking to avoid deficiencies on both ends as they’ve seen with Polanco at his worst. There shouldn’t ever be an expectation that Polanco will turn heads defensively. Jermaine Palacios, Royce Lewis, and Wander Javier all give the Twins a greater hope with the leather. That being said, no matter where he plays in the infield, Polanco’s added effort in all aspects of his game should continue to make him a very valuable piece to the organization for years to come. Click here to view the article

Gordon at 8 does show the Twins have retooled their depth at the top, which is a good thing. I don't know if he's necessarily that low, but there's definitely reason for him to slide. I don't believe he's a shortstop, and don't think he'll hit like a second basemen. The All Star ceiling is still probably there, but I'd bank on him being an average regular more than likely.

In listening to the latest episode of Aaron Gleemen and John Bonnes' Gleeman and the Geek, I found myself pondering a question the pair posed. in wondering what happens next for the Minnesota Twins first basemen Joe Mauer, it seemed they both felt as though a high likelihood that he play for another team in 2019 is present. My feelings have always been to the contrary, and it seems as though yours lie in a similar place.Using the Twittersphere to conduct a quick impromptu poll, just over 100 responses rolled in to the question, "What do you think Joe Mauer does in 2019?" With the available responses being that he stays with the Twins, heads elsewhere, or retires, there was an overwhelming response regarding two of the three outcomes. Most of the respondents suggested that the hometown boy will stick with the Twins a year after his current contract is up. Roughly one-third of the vote reflected a belief he retires, and a small 9% minority believes that he will go elsewhere. When judging what's next for Mauer, I think there are a few things in play. Obviously at this point in time, we have no idea how 2018 will play out for the Twins first basemen. He's coming off the first season since 2013 in which he hit above .300, and it's also the first time his OPS has been above .800 since that same season. He very nearly (and should've) won a Gold Glove, and the 2.3 fWAR made him a very solid asset for Minnesota. In trying to project what will happen a year from now, I believe we have two relatively straightforward paths. Should Mauer again be a productive player, he's probably looking at a one- or two-year deal from Derek Falvey and Thad Levine. If he happens to fall off a cliff in his age 35 season, I'd have to imagine he'll consider retirement on his own. What I don't foresee happening is the St. Paul native relocating to a new city in his 16th big league season, to hang on for a short amount of time. First and foremost, Mauer's family is in Minnesota. As a dad of twin girls, uprooting them and his wife at this stage in his career seems like a relatively unnecessary burden. Considering the on-field aspects of any change, the reality is that even with a great year, a long term commitment isn't going to be made for a player entering his age 36 season. A one or two year scenario that could see Mauer relegated to relief duty by the end of it, seems to suggest joining a new club would be a pretty difficult ask. At first base, high OPS and power hitting players are the ones generally welcomed as bench bats. On top of that, while Mauer isn't a nuisance, he's more of a lead by example type than a traditional vocal clubhouse leader. Acknowledging that the current front office isn't composed the same way as it was in 2015, the Minnesota Twins handed Torii Hunter a one-year $10.5 million that season. He was coming off a .765 OPS with the Tigers, and had become a relative liability in the field. For Minnesota in 2015, he posted a .702 OPS (worst since 1999) and played in 139 games. His largest impact on the team was easily in the clubhouse, and he helped to push that team to an unexpected winning season. Unable to be counted on for 15 plus home runs, or an energizing clubhouse presence like Torii, Mauer will need to prove his value in other ways. I can't see the current Twins front office dangling anything close to a $10 million deal, but something near 50% of that could make some sense. A team-friendly deal that allows Mauer to contribute with his glove, while providing some value with his bat, would be something I think Falvey and Levine would sign up for. At this point, it's far too early to speculate what a deal may look like, or how the playing options going forward could shake out. So much of that narrative will depend on the production put forth in the campaign that lies ahead. What I do believe to be certain however, is that Mauer will either remain a Twin or will walk away. I fail to see a scenario in which he's the best option for an opposing club, and similarly, where they're the best option for him. When the dust settles, it will definitely be the end of an era. From there, we'll have five years to discuss what his journey to Cooperstown could be like. Click here to view the article

In listening to the latest episode of Aaron Gleemen and John Bonnes' Gleeman and the Geek, I found myself pondering a question the pair posed. in wondering what happens next for the Minnesota Twins first basemen Joe Mauer, it seemed they both felt as though a high likelihood that he play for another team in 2019 is present. My feelings have always been to the contrary, and it seems as though yours lie in a similar place. Twitter Poll Using the Twittersphere to conduct a quick impromptu poll, just over 100 responses rolled in to the question, "What do you think Joe Mauer does in 2019?" With the available responses being that he stays with the Twins, heads elsewhere, or retires, there was an overwhelming response regarding to of the three outcomes. Most of the respondents suggested that the hometown boy will stick with the Twins a year after his current contract is up. Roughly one-third of the poll reflected a belief he retires, and the small 9% minority believes that he will go elsewhere. When judging what's next for Mauer, I think there's a few things in play. Obviously at this point in time, we have no idea how 2018 will play out for the Twins first basemen. He's coming off the first season since 2013 in which he hit above .300, and it's also the first time his OPS has been above .800 since that same season. He very nearly (and should've) won a Gold Glove, and the 2.3 fWAR again made him a very solid asset for Minnesota. In trying to project what will happen a year from now, I believe we have two relatively straightforward paths. Should Mauer again be a productive player, he's probably looking at a one or two year deal from Derek Falvey and Thad Levine. If he happens to fall off a cliff in his age 35 season, I'd have to imagine he'll consider retirement on his own. What I don't foresee happening is the St. Paul native relocating to a new city in his 16th big league season, to hang on for a short amount of time. First and foremost, Mauer's family is in Minnesota. As a dad of twin girls, uprooting them as well as his wife at this stage in his career seems like a relatively unnecessary burden. Considering the on field aspects of any change, the reality is that even with a great year, a long term commitment isn't going to be made for a player entering their age 36 season. A one or two year scenario that could see Mauer relegated to relief duty by the end of it, seems to suggest joining a new club would be a pretty difficult ask. At first base, high OPS and power hitting players are the ones generally welcomed as bench bats. On top of that, while Mauer isn't a nuisance, he's more of a lead by example type than he a traditional vocal clubhouse leader. Acknowledging that the current front office isn't composed the same as it was in 2015, the Minnesota Twins handed Torii Hunter a one-year $10.5 million that season. He was coming off a .765 OPS with the Tigers, and had become a relative liability in the field. For Minnesota in 2015, he posted a .702 OPS (worst since 1999) and played in 139 games. His largest impact on the team was easily in the clubhouse, and he helped to push that team to an unexpected winning season. Unable to be counted on for 15 plus home runs, or an energizing clubhouse presence like Torii, Mauer will need to prove his value in other ways. I can't see the current Twins front office dangling anything close to a $10 million deal, but something near 50% of that could make some sense. A team friendly deal that allows Mauer to contribute with his glove, while providing some value with his bat, would be something I think Falvey and Levine would sign up for. At this point, it's far too early to speculate what a deal may look like, or how the playing options going forward could shake out. So much of that narrative will depend on the production put forth in the campaign that lies ahead. What I do believe to be certain however, is that Mauer will either remain a Twin or will walk away. I fail to see a scenario in which he's the best option for an opposing club, and similarly, they're the best option for him. When the dust settles, it will definitely be the end of an era. From there, we'll have five years to discuss what his journey to Cooperstown could be like. For more from Off The Baggy, click here. Follow @tlschwerz

As spring training looms, Paul Molitor and the Minnesota Twins will soon have to make some tough decisions. While the 25 man roster as a whole must be settled upon, the Twins will need to decide how they'll round out the rotation. It's obvious another Jose Berrios or Ervin Santana type impact arm is needed, but on the back end, the group has plenty of suitors. For two players though, the future is all but certain. First, there's 31 year-old Phil Hughes. Still owed $26.4 million through 2019, the premature extension Terry Ryan handed out continues to be the fit that keeps on giving. Hughes gave Minnesota just 53.2 IP a season ago, and that was in follow up to a 2016 that saw him turn in just 59.0 IP. Despite being a true Cy Young candidate in 2014, his first year with Minnesota, it's been a deep dive off a cliff since. The past two seasons, Hughes has dealt with a myriad of injuries. From breaking a bone in his leg, to undergoing Thoracic Outlet Surgery, health has not been something he can lay claim to. It's the TOS procedure that remains relatively difficult to come back from, and the list of those who've successfully recovered is not a long one (Matt Harvey of the Mets finds himself on the wrong side of the discussion as well). After turning in a 5.87 ERA and allowing opposing hitters a .907 OPS off of him, Hughes was shut down and again went searching for answers. On August 10, Hughes underwent Thoracic Outlet Syndrome revision surgery, in hopes it would help set him up for a cleaner bill of health in the year ahead. Now fully healed, the question turns to what he can give Minnesota. The past two seasons, he's allowed hard contact roughly 40% of the time. When he was going well in 2014, that number was 32%, and it's just 38.9% over the course of his career. Maybe most alarming however is the significant dip in velocity. After throwing his fastball at 93 mph from 2009-2014, he's lost at least 3 mph over the past two seasons. Such a significant decrease can obviously cause issues, and could end up contributing to a career ending decline. If he's healthy, the Twins would be getting a command artist back in the fold. Hughes at his best is a plenty serviceable back end option, and would be more than capable of being entrusted to take the ball every 5th day. Although the upside isn't there, and he's probably past his prime, a staff could do much worse than a solid Phil Hughes. How long of a leash he has to prove that's where he's at, or if there is truly a clean bill of health all remain fair questions. With north of $20 million left on his deal, it's hard to see the Twins cutting bait, but I can't imagine the current structure allowing for ineffectiveness either. On the opposite end of the return spectrum is one-time top prospect Trevor May. Making his return from Tommy John surgery, May likely won't be ready on Opening Day, but also shouldn't be far off. Prior to the injury, it appeared May was going to be given every opportunity to earn a spot in the starting rotation. Despite being used solely as a reliever in 2016, the desire to get more use out of him seemed apparent. As a reliever, May posted an elite 12.7 K/9 and a manageable 3.6 BB/9. His 1.5 HR/9 led to an inflated ERA, but the 3.80 FIP suggests there was quality beyond the surface. While May in the bullpen could truly be an asset to Minnesota, there's also the question as to whether or not his back could put up with the workload. Never working solely as a reliever, injuries flared as he was called upon to pitch more often, and ready himself at a significantly quicker pace. Prior to his injury, May appeared to be more than a soft tossing arm deployed out of the Twins stable. As a starter, he averaged right around 94 mph on his fastball, and bumped that up to 95 mph coming out of the pen. While not triple digits, sustained velocity in the mid 90's is something that Minnesota would no doubt welcome. It's fair to wonder whether or not the surgery will sap some of the electricity, but track records for Tommy John patients have greatly improved over time. In both cases, Minnesota will have some difficult decisions to make. There's a much better case to be made for May being inserted into the rotation if healthy. His long term value remains of benefit to the club, and at 28, his prime still should be in front of him. Outside of monetary obligations it's hard to say the same for Hughes. Unless he's a lights out 2014 version of himself, there's plenty of reason for skepticism when it comes to future contributions. At any rate, the Twins have two starters locked in, and a third (Kyle Gibson) pretty close to being written in ink as well. The necessary addition of a top level arm remains a must, but how the 5th and final spot shakes out is anyones guess. Both Hughes and May will be in the conversation, but how will the production from both speak? For more from Off The Baggy, click here. Follow @tlschwerz

Without reading through all of the comments (and hoping I'm abreast enough in regards to the discussion) the BABIP argument is an interesting one. I actually looked at it in early May last year when his BABIP was through the roof. It's never going to rest around .420+ at the end of a season, but guys like Judge, Stanton, and Sano (that destroy the baseball) should have inflated BABIP's. Exit velocity combined with launch angle tells us about quality, exit velocity on its own may suggest difficulty when it comes to fielding balls put in play. http://offthebaggy.blogspot.com/2017/05/miguel-sano-could-really-make-this-work.html

Here's the thing...While Sano's actions off the field will carry consequences as the process plays out, he's still a baseball player on the Minnesota Twins. For me, I've long since separated human actions from athletes and celebrities. Looking up to them or seeing them as infallible is a fool's errand. In the context of baseball decisions, there was still a talking point here, and I don't feel as though the discussion waters down any of the fallout that will come from his deplorable actions.

I think there's a relative danger to assuming Sano can handle first base as well. As much as he may not be able to handle third, I'm not sure he's better suited than say Vargas at first (which is not good). Errors aren't much of an indicator as to how someone plays the field. Right now, Mauer is a Gold Glove caliber 1B and among the best defensively in baseball. Asking Sano to step into that role would be quite a slide back. Without being too much of a detriment, Sano's best position is probably DH. That really hamstrings you though with how to rotate other guys through. He's also just in his mid-20's and relating him to that role so early is rather unfortunate. Somewhat unrelated, but a part of me hopes that Brent Rooker continues on a tear in 2018 and helps to solve the first base issues going forward.

Someone brought this up to me on Twitter as well, and the Cubs not having a DH definitely took the idea to a new level for me. With Sano, he can slide to the DH spot, even if that's not ideal.

I have wrestled with this back and forth a few times. On the field, he's still an incredible asset any team would have. There'd be PR hurdles to clear, and a potential suspension, but for the sake of an organization, I'd imagine his talent is still more than coveted.

For the sake of full disclosure, I had this written last week prior to Sano's news. That being said, this should be viewed through a lens completely aside from that scenario. Essentially the crux is this: I'd argue the Cubs should've dealt Schwarber for the best pitcher they could immediately after the WS and believe they would've gotten a decent haul. Sano is more proven than Schwarber was, and think his value is at a similar peak position. If you can get an top tier starter for him (and replace your potential DH), do you do it?