mike8791

Matt, nice analysis! But to me these articles are just grasping at straws. I like evaluating relievers at least partly by WHIP. Here are the stats so far: Banda1.62. Funderburk1.7. Rogers1.64, Orza1.43, Sands1.58, Topa 1.62, Morris(in only 3IP) - 2.0. Granted these are small sample sizes but WHIPs that high are indicative of tough times, especially in late inning, tight ballgames - which we have not had yet. I am thrilled with the Twins surprising start. The offense has far exceeded expectations, at least 3 starters look solid, and the team has slowly gained confidence in themselves. But realistically this bullpen is still the major achilles heel - one that will eventually drag this team down. Perhaps Lawyerson and Acton will develop into trustworthy arms and there is certainly some chance that at least one of Sands/Topa/Morris might also, but this current pen is woefully short of talent. Zoll should be on the phone now trying to pry at least one proven pen arm who has a better chance of succeeding in late inning, tight games. We have a major surplus of OFs, at least one of whom should land a decent arm. And TP must open his wallet to acquire someone like Kopech who is risky but more likely to be an improvement over the current lot. If ownership is truly committed to winning, now is the time to show fans and the players they are serious and augment the roster with badly needed help.

Trying to be optimistic about 2026, but Lewis has given us no reason to believe he can turn things around. As NYCTK wrote, a <.300 OBP over his last 600ABs is pretty indicative of his future potential. No, I wouldn't send him down yet, but a short lease would be appropriate - maybe thru May before making the decision. After that, time to move Lee to 3rd and bring up Culpepper. This should be the season to determine who's the core and who's not. No one(other than TP) can really believe this is a competitive team in 2026. Bite the bullet on underperformers and bring up the rooks as necessary. These guys have had their chance(I'm looking at you Lee, Larnach, Wallner, Lewis, Ober, et. al.) If they continue their lethargic play in the first 2 months, don't waste another year on a dream. See what the future brings!

We need a little optimism on TD. One of the most glaring issues this spring has been the offense. Other than a 15-0 trouncing of the hated Yankees, Twins offense has been sorely lacking this spring. The last 3 games of the preseason has seen a reawakening. Keuchel has been a terror all spring, Wallner and Lee have been strong, and now Buxton, Jeffers, Caratini have started to warm up. Even Outman shows some life. This was against Roger Suarez, one of the better SPs in the Al. Can the offense continue clicking once the regular season begins? We'll soon find out but I, for one, feel more hopeful than I have all ST. Now maybe we might see some miracles in the pen.

Did anyone see Rogers performance today: 2/3 IP, 2H, 2BB, 4ER.,0K.? Nice warmup for your new Twins closer! And you thought the Joe/Derek combo was bad!!

Any noise about Kopech? This pen has no shutdown reliever as of now. Taylor and Hendricks are way past their prime and Sands has never shown the mental toughness to close out games. If Tom Pohlad has any credibility left(???) they have to sign Kopech who at least has some potential in the closer role.

Understand all the hype on this guy, but he has been totally unimpressive this spring so he will definitely start at AAA. When there, they should put him in the pen. The strength of this team is in the rotation. Abel, Bradley and yesterday, Mathews, have looked very good. With Ryan and OBER(?) set in the rotation and with Lopez back next year, what are the chances Pre breaks in to the rotation this year or next? We need some arms in the pen - and the sooner the better! Topa looks finished(couldn't even get AAA batters out yesterday), Orze hasn't been much better, and Taylor & Hendricks are most likely at the tail end of their careers. If we have any chance(as TP claims) to be competitive this year, why not push Pre and Festa into the pen early so that they might be of use by June 1st?

This! From everything I've seen/read on Lee, he is(and most likely never will be) a major league SS. This is just too important a position to gloss over. We have an excess of major league starters. If TP can be believed(a big if!), the only way this team can be competitive is by keeping Lopez/Ryan atop the rotation and trade one of the 4-5 starters who brings back the most value. My preference would be to trade Ober but chances are one of SWR, Abel, Mathews or Bradley(probably in that order) would bring back more quality. In any event, just one of these guys would not bring back a quality major league SS, which is why the FO should recognize there is excess in the OF and at C. Adding Wallner or Jeffers should increase chances for a significant SS upgrade. And throwing Lee into the trade package even more so. We have enough utility IFs already! The big question is who is available? I'm not able to come up with a best bet here, but that's why we have a FO. Time for Zoll to show his worth!

Whatever grades you want to hand out, the one thing that is clear is that ownership is trying to thread the needle in 2026 by relying on several players, mainly Wallner, Lee and Lewis, to markedly improve this year. This is a fool's errand, made more foolish by TP's assertion that the team can contend in 2026 without appreciably spending more money. Understandably, Falvey wanted out and Zoll stepped up as the next scapegoat. In essence, the roster looks like a hope and prayer without any chance of significant improvement. Leaving the bullpen sadly depleted all off season is the ultimate FU to the Twins fan base. We can only hope that a sale comes sooner rather than later!

Hate to use such a hackneyed expression, but "lipstick on a pig" aptly describes this picture. There is no one on this list who can legitimately fill tight situations in the 7th or 8th, no less as a closer. To hope for more is a fool's game. I can understand the need for an attempt to inject optimism at this late stage in the offseason, but this FO has given us little reason to be believers. Seems there is little difference between Fail-V and Zoll, not to even mention the absurdities emanating from TP's mouth.

Nick, you've hit the Bullseye on a realistic plan going forward. Trade Ryan and Jeffers for ready major league talent that can improve glaring weaknesses in defense and offense. We have enough depth to absorb their losses, particularly with almost zero chance of contention in 2026/2027 with the current roster. I like Top Gunn's proposed trade for Lawler and partially like his suggestion of acquiring Duran for Ryan(though not seeing the need for Early as much as adding a !B - maybe Casas?). Better bet would be to trade Jeffers + prospects for a regular emerging 1B from another team with a lesser risk than Casas. And yes, Kopech seems like a natural, albeit risky signing. Would try to nab JoJo Romero from Cards even though he's LH. Would they be interested in one of our near-major-league ready starters or Larnach? Those two additions could at least bring our pen up to near league average. The dysfunction in ownership now is so dishearteninhg. To trade away our entire bullpen in July, then do a 180 deg. turn and say we can still contend in 2026 with a limited budget is idiocy. With 2027 looking like a strike-filled year, there is little reason to hold onto Ryan while his trade value remains high. A total rebuild makes so much more sense now, it's a wonder that even tone-deaf Tom can't see it!

Why spend scarce resources on a rotation that is considered the single strength of the team as currently rostered? If there is any surplus, it should only be spent on the pen which, as it currently stands, will most certainly doom the team to 5th in a weak AL Central.

I always enjoy Law's rankings, not so much to see the numbered rankings, but his summary of the players. To summarize - 4 Twins made the top 100: Jenkins, #11; Rodriguez, # 57; Culpepper, #82, and Tait @ #93. Although Jenkins fell from #5 ranking a year ago, Law still projects him to emerge as a standout, if not a star. His rankings fall was mainly attributed to his injury history and, to a lesser extent, his perceived role as a RF rather than CF due to lack of speed, ala Buxton/Trout. While rating 4 Twins in his top 100, the fact only one made his top 50 is not that encouraging, particularly after the big trade deadline selloff that brought in several more "prospects." Rodriguez was dinged mainly for his injury history, but also because of his tendency to be passive in swinging at strikes and swinging at pitches outside the zone. Law sees him as needing a full injury-free season at AAA to establish his bonafides. Law also questioned whether Culpepper and Tait had the chops to defensively handle SS and C, respectively. Obviously, their failure to do so would reduce their future value considerably. Law is widely considered one of the top scouting reporters. His capsule summaries of each player are succinct, non-biased and perceptive. No, he is by no means infallible, but he's one of the best currently out there. My takeaway from his 2026 prospect ranking is that our farm system is nowhere near a top 5, or even top 10 ranking and that it's a long shot to expect any substantial contribution from this group in 2026. We desperately need an offensive shot-in-the-arm but for that to happen in 2026 would take a rebound from several of our under-performing regulars.

"I wouldn't trade for Matt Shaw if the price was Royce and either of Ober/SWR. I would send Larnach and Julien, which is just disrespectful on my part. No to Shaw." - T/R "The Cubs would jump at a Royce Lewis & SWR or Ober trade." - Bean T/R: can't understand your aversion to Shaw. Yes, there's a risk he could backslide and his politics might be abrasive, but this guy showed flashes of stardom - certainly more than Lee has shown. If there was a chance this team as currently constituted could contend in 2026, then no, I wouldn't give up Ryan, but what is the likelihood of that happening? Better to build for post 2026 with star talent than maintain this feeble offense. Starters are our strength; we can afford to lose Ryan in hopes of a solid replacement among Abel, Bradley, SWR and/or Mathews. Bean: Doubt if Cubs would jump at Lewis + Ober or SWR. Where does Lewis fit? And of our 3 underachievers(Lewis, Lee, Wallner), doesn't Lewis still have the most upside? I'd give him one more year to prove he belongs. No, what the Cubs badly need is an ace. Ryan fits the bill and while I'd hate to lose him, it's a risk worth taking given the team's budget limitations and rotation strength. Not to say, I wouldn't try a package headlined by Ober or SWR but we don't have any other position players that Cubs need. Now that Caratini has been signed, perhaps Jeffers would entice the Cubs, as he would be a likely upgrade over Kelly/Amaya. Quote Quote selection tony

Just a few comments: 1. Glad to see Gonzalez on this list. In my view, he would fill a major hole in one of the corners if he continues his rapid ascent. 2. What about Culpepper. Lee is certainly not rock solid at SS. Granted, Culpepper hasn't had much experience at SS but his tools seem superior to Lee. A strong spring training could propel him to the bigs. 3. You have 3 minor league arms as possibles for the pen. While one might contribute(probably Prielipp) the odds are against more than one contributing. Just no experience in the pen even in the minors. So some lineup help possible, but the pen is a big hole with slim chances for adding quality prior to opening day. Truly unbelievable!!

Thanks to all of you responding! Many good ideas here! Yes, it would take a sizable package to acquire Shaw - more than any 2 of Ober, SWR, Mathews, Abel, if the BBTV of 44 is realistic. I think that is an overvaluation but what do I know! The signing of Bregman and trade for Cabrera shows Cubs are going all out for a WS. What they clearly lack is a championship quality rotation. They have no clear ace with a top five of Boyd, Cabrera, Taillon, Horton and Imanga. Joe Ryan would provide a much-needed jolt to Cubs' WS chances. No doubt losing Ryan would be a blow, especially in 2026, but the FO's reluctance to build a competitive bullpen this offseason indicates a lack of seriousness about competing this year. This fact has become all too obvious by now, despite blather from Tom and his FO stooges. Couple this inaction with their refusal to come to a salary agreement with Ryan over a mere $600K difference and the die is cast for Ryan leaving after 2007. Now the question becomes: is Shaw a reasonable return for Ryan? The answer is clearly no, but the Cubs have enough value to sweeten the pot, e.g., Ballasteros, Wiggins, or Amaya are all intriguing adds to a Twins roster. Is Shaw a risk? Certainly, but a forward-looking FO should be looking more at the future than just 2026. Frankly, I would rather see Michael Bush than Shaw but since he has become such a key piece in the lineup, chances of him being included in a trade are much less than Shaw. The simple fact is holding on to Ryan is a loser's game. Unfortunately, this losing strategy describes Twins org to a tee, so I confess to whistling in the dark here.

Shaw is the real prize due to controllability, power potential and position flexibility. Hoerner is the better player now but this is one reason that Shaw is the more likely trade prospect. Hoerner is an institutional favorite here in Chicago. After making big moves to get Bergman and Cabrera, trading Hoerner would be an extremely unpopular move. And his trade value is about half of Shaw's so the return would likely be far less. This is all speculation, of course, but Shaw fits the bill of a long term asset the Twins need to compete over the next 5 years.

After agressively signing Bregman and trading for Cabrera, the Cubs are going all in this year. Their rotation is iffy; Steele's absence still leaves a big hole. There is no ace and Cabrera, Boyd, Imanga, Byrd, and Taillon each have some question marks. This is not a championship staff currently. So Ryan would undoubtedly trigger Cub interest. With the FOs awful handling of Ryan(see arbitration) maybe the atmosphere is too poisoned to retain him. If so, Shaw plus a couple other prospects could be had. It would be a very tough call.

Ober maybe, but certainly not SWR who would fit nicely in the middle of the Cubs rotation. Unfortunately, Shaw has a BBTV of 44 while Ober and Mathews are a little less than half, making a trade for Shaw most difficult without a Ryan inclusion. But BBTVs are not the driving force among teams with needs. The Cubs should be vey interested in acquisition of an Ober or SWR. The question is: what more would they want. Would Lewis, Lee or Wallner have to be added? Who knows, but an attempt should be made to add a highly talented IF to this roster.

With the recent signing of Alex Bregman, Matt Shaw is without a position, leaving his most likely role as a utility infielder. Shaw was a top-rated prospect and his first MLB year in 2025 showed notable improvement in both his offense(>.800 OPS in 2nd half) and defense at 3b. His initial position was 2B but he has some limited experience at SS. He also has 6 years of team control. There's some risk, of course, but after seeing him all season here in Chicago, his potential as a batter with some pop and an above average fielder was pretty evident to even a casual observer like me. So the first question is: does he fill a sizable hole in the twins lineup/infield defense? I think we can all agree that the Twins IF is currently below average. Sure, Lewis and Lee(less likely) could improve, Keuchel could continue his first season performance by adding to his defense and Bell brings more solidity to IB than we saw in 2025. But the reality is our talent is thin and acquiring an emerging talent like Shaw could generate a massive upgrade. He could move to 3B with Lewis shifting to 1B and Bell as DH. He could return to his natural position at 2B with Keuchel moving to the corner outfield. Lots of possibilities here. Adding upside should still be a priority for a team that finished 22 games below .500. Shaw would not come cheaply(a BBTV of 44). The Cubs need additional pitching which the Twins have. Assuming Ryan and Lopez are off the boards, Ober or SWR would almost be a must to start trade talks. Sweeteners would have to be added - probably one of Abel, Mathews, Bradley or Festa and Wallner or one of our top minor league OFs not named Jenkins. A steep price to pay, perhaps, but Shaw is the kind of emerging talent that this lineup needs. We would be dealing from a position of strength and could afford to lose one of our 5 starters + one or two top prospects.

Nice summary! Glad to see you are more positive on the selloff. As set forth in your 20 top value players, the Twins seem to have massively strengthened their pipe line, especially in the rotation. This should be a strength for the next couple years at least, and hopefully longer even with the departure of Lopez and Ryan. It also offers an opportunity to strengthen the lineup now by a trade of Ober and one of Mathews, Festa, Abel or Bradley for a badly needed offensive addition. For example, how about a 1B who would add to offense and defense, thereby relegating Bell to DH. Maybe Coby Mayo or Shaw/Ballasteros from Cubs? It is a fine line the FO is walking, though. An offensive resurgence is only possible by a resurgence of at least 2 of Lewis, Lee, Wallner; otherwise a .500 record looks out of reach this year. And the most obvious weakness - the bullpen - has not been addressed at all. As FA names go off the board, the scant # of quality relievers remaining gives little hope for improvement . Looking at Sands, Topa, and Funderburk to be reliable late-inning stalwarts is a pipe dream, as is the expectation that a trio of totally unproven minor leaguers like Prielipp, Festa and Mathews can adequately fill the bullpen. Falvey's inaction in this regard is a fireable offense in any organization that cares about winning. I guess Derek got lucky to find one of the few orgs who do not.

What happened to Gabriel Gonzalez? Didn't even make the top 20. What's the beef?

So in effect, Nick, you are writing off 2026 despite Falvey and Tom Pohlad saying they want to keep Ryan, Lopez, and Buxton to be competitive. Have you forgotten how disasters like Ron Davis, Emilio Pagan, and Alex Colome almost singlehandedly ruined the Twins chances by Memorial Day? If guys like Topa and Sands are expected to be late inning relievers in '26 then chances of this team being competitive are nonexistent. Nothing takes the heart out of a team, especially an offense-challenged one like today's roster, clinging to a slim lead late in the game only to see it evaporate thanks to blown holds & saves. This will be ownership's key test going forward - acquiring by trade at least 2-3 bonafide relievers in the next month or so. All it takes is money, probably no more than $15-20MM for all 3. And while many of the top end relievers have signed, numerous ones remain, e.g., Taylor Clarke, Jacob Webb, Danny Coulombe,Pierce Johnson, Jacob Junis, Justin Wilson, any of whom would raise the ceiling over our bottom four. Even cash-strapped ALC rivals like KC(acquired Matt Strohm) and Cleveland(signed Shawn Atmstrong) have made quality additions to their pens. As the new year approaches it looks more and more like the return of dumpster-diving days in the TC. Not to say we don't have prospects w/potential to replace what was lost in the selloff. The problem is none of them have experience in close situations in the big leagues. If mgt. doesn't care, then isn't a teardown more logical? Unless we see some positive action in the next month or so, Tom Pohlad's nice introductory speech should be forever buried in the same dumpster.

As of now, he has no credibility. This is the height of the offseason when the most valuable FAs are available. Is this org. going to be agressive and add to the bullpen with some seasoned performers who can fill the 7th, 8th and 9th inning slots that are now vacant, or will they follow previous practice of dumpster diving in Jan/Feb and rely on unproven minor leaguers who have never pitched in critical situations at the major league level? This is the time to strike. The big names in the relief area are mostly gone but a few remain. As always with this franchise, it's all about the money. I have some confidence in Falvey to improve the pen given more money. This is where the new CEO must step up now and give him the green light; otherwise, this is just more Pohlad BS.

A reasonable pickup who fits Twins needs at both IB/DH. While not the much-needed cleanup hitter needed, his presence should be an improvement over Clemens. Plus this signing should leave ample room in the budget for maybe two bullpen additions + a utility mid infielder. Not a game changer, but at least the FO did not wait for dumpster diving time. One can onlky look for some incremental moves from this ownership.

Pretty big news out of The Athletic yesterday. Quoting inside sources, Rosenthal(with Dan Hayes contributing) reported that the Twins do not plan to trade any of the big 3; instead, they plan on contending in 2026 by relying on the core and adding some pieces. Naturally, this brought an out pouring of vitriol from Twin fans who have, rightly so, long dismissed anything positive coming from the FO/Pohlads. And while nothing is cast in concrete, Rosenthal and Hayes are well-respected reporters who are not noted for smoke and mirror reports, so this news might be the most credible report to date on the Twins' plans for the offseason, as we head into the December meetings next week. While scepticism of ownership is well merited, this pronouncement could be good news for Twins fans hoping for a competitive team next year. In addition to retaining these 3 players, there are other assets on this team: the rotation; a chance of one or two regulars rebounding,e.g., Lewis, Lee, Wallner and some promising newbies like Keaschall, ER, and Jenkins who could strengthen the offense at some point during the season. Yes, it's still a long shot currently, but if ownership really intends to contend in 2026, they must add to the current $95MM roster at present. Of course, this willingness to invest in the team is the big, yet still unanswered question. Our erstwhile reporters did not comment on budget caps, probably for the simple reason that this figure is still under wraps or discussion. Not that we fans should expect to hear such a figure from this secretive clan known for their banker's mentality of looking only at the short term bottom line rather than planning for the future, but it is not unreasonable to expect the final payroll to at least approach a $120-125MM range. I say that only because contending in 2026, as the authors state, is an impossibility at current payroll. While we might not see $145MM budget again, at least under the Pohlad banner, their failure to add some major league talent to a depleted bullpen, 1B/DH, and to a lesser extent, the OF, would be a total betrayal to their fans, the FO and the players. Are they capable of such deception? Yes, but by so doing, would greatly reduce the value of the franchise - an action that seems inconsistent with their desire to cash in on their investment. Maybe all this is a false hope, but I, for one, remain hopeful based on this latest news from The Athletic.