mike8791

Agree completely with your analysis, with one big exception. 1B is key offensive hole that must be filled with someone who has 30HR/100RBI potential for 2026 if this team is going to be competitive. Knowing they won't spend the $ for a FA, the only way to fill this hole is by trade. And the only player(s) currently on the roster who could bring in such a player would be Lopez or Ryan, with the latter far more likely to merit an established 1B with middle-of-the-lineup capability. Starters are the Twins current surplus and thus, the most practical way to fill this hole. A DH is also needed but would come much cheaper ala Carlos Santana in 2023. Both of these offensive holes need to be filled and fortunately, the rotation has enough prospects to warrant the risk of trading Ryan.

Nick, sorry to see you drank the Kool Aid!! The Twins desperately need a #3 and 4 hitter. As things stand now, they have no one on the roster who can fill that role. Buxton, maybe, but having him leadoff worked pretty well, so doubtful if they change. Clemens is a journeyman whose highest ceiliung, based on his major league record, is a utility player at best, at least on a team wanting to contend. Particularly at 1B there is a need for a run-producer, not a guy with two good months + one great game! Crowning Kody as our regular 1B can only diminish whatever hope is left for us diehards who wish for improvement in 2026.

In reading the many comments on The Athletic from Pittsburgh fans, the one theme mentioned frequently was that Shelton was a low-key, player-friendly manager who failed to inspire his players. Sounds like a rerun of Molly/Rocco. The last thing this struggling team is a lack of leadership! I agree with the opinion that the Pirates were never the most talented team but comparing their 2025 team before and after Shelton's dismissal indicates his replacement achieved considerably more success than Shelton before his firing. That says a lot about Derek's performance. Couldn't the FO have found a more inspirational, emotional guy who could light a fire under this team of under performers? That is the real concern here.

Speaking to a hitting coach who knows Lewis, the explanation of his decline was his resistance to change. Now this could be a biased, self-serving analysis by this coach(who has worked with many major leaguers since his retirement from MLB), but his inability to adjust after a whirlwind start makes one wonder if his falloff is not so much physical as mental. He certainly wouldn't be the first Twin phenom to flame out this way ala Julien, Miranda, Wallner, etc. Main hope is with his physical improvement he will be better able to adapt to changes in pitching strategies. If I were a betting man, I would bet against him. Better to find a trade partner willing to take a chance on his rebounding.

Nick, realistic summary of our offensive offense, but I draw a different conclusion. Your analysis points to the necessity of trading one of our top of the rotation pitchers - either Lopez or Ryan - for a true cleanup hitter. No, not a top prospect, but a young major leaguer(preferrably a 1B or DH) emerging as a 30HR/100RBI threat in 2026. Such an acquisition, along with a medium-priced FA with 20-25HR/80 rbi history, could greatly ease the pressure on the rest of the lineup, especially young guys like Lee and Lewis(and maybe Wallner/Jeffers) who have demonstrated at least some ability in the past. If one of our top prospects,e.g., Jenkins, ER, or GG also emerges, this offense could improve markedly. Granted, this scenario is more hope than reality, but it is one path to contention that is feasible. Trade from strength(our rotation), rely on some improvement from guys like SWR, Mathews, Bradley, and/or Abel, and add a couple of veteran relievers and the window could open again. I know, it's asking a lot of a FO who has Failed more than succeeded and ownership that just doesn't care, but it could happen even with the weaknesses you cite in your article.

No way should a former Twins player or current coach be named. And forget a Gardenhire. Toby has underperformed at AAA with developing players and winning teams, with the added obstacle of the acorn not dropping far from the tree adage(look at Ron's record in playoffs). This team needs a strong, independent voice, one who Falvey/Pohlad could not control and one who brings fan enthusiasm back. Who better than TK? An outside proven manager(Schumacher, Hinch, Vogt) would be possible, except for their availability and the cost to bring them in. Assuming he's still up for the job at 75, Kelly checks all the boxes needed in a new manager. Yes, this would be a longshot but who else could bring the leadership, insistence on fundamentals and independence to quash poor advice from Falvey, et. al.?

Not much to add after this lengthy chain, other than amen to the relief that Rocco is history. He was never a leader that a winning team needs to succeed, not to mention his weird strategy decisions. At least this is a step in favor of change. As a lifelong Twins/Senators fan, I want to see a return to relevance, meaning a team that has at least a decent chance at WS competitiveness. While chances are bleak it's going to happen in 2026, there's at least some chance progress will be made, especially in the rotational depth, weeding out of unproductive players, 1 or2 FA pickups to head the bullpen, one or two rookies who raise the bar on offense, plus a significant addition of a true cleanup hitter acquired thru trade of either Ryan or Lopez(preferrably). Hiring the right manager is critical to this hoped-for turnaround, not only in team performance, but also in fan enthusiasm. I can think of no better candidate than Tom kelly. Yes, he's old(75) and maybe not interested in returning to the field, but he is the one man who could restore credibility to this franchise. Sure, new ownership, coupled with a new POBO, would be ideal but improbable in the next year or two. Bringing Kelly back would instill more discipline and would better ensure independence from ownership/ Falvey. he would have a free hand in picking his coaching staff, including a young bench coach he could groom for taking over from Kelly within 2 years. Perhaps a pipe dream, but this is my #1 choice for new manager next year.

It's nice to see some optimism on TD, for a change. Things look pretty bleak right now, so we ardent Twin fans need a little light to sustain us thru the winter. I think some optimism is warranted. The rotation should be stronger, assuming Lopez and Ryan are retained. SWR looks like a keeper and either Mathews or Bradley should be a perfectly acceptable #5. However, a lot will depend on Ober returning to form. There is some hope in the lineup. I like Martin and Keashall batting 1, 2, with Buxton in the 3rd spot. While I don't count on Lee or Lewis emerging as stars, there is room for optimism. With Jeffries, this trio should provide more juice than this year. However, without significant middle-of-the-lineup additions at DH/1B, this team will have trouble scoring runs again. Assuming no big FA signings, we can hope for one of Jenkins, ER or Gonzales providing added spark by midseason. And a trade for a decent cleanup hitter might occur by giving up one or two of our top prospects or even Lopez, especially if another good starting prospect(maybe Abel or an improved Mathews) steps up in the spring. But two hitters with ability to drive in runners will be essential for contention next year. Larnach, Wallner, Clemens, Julien, et. al. are not the answers here. Finally, as the OP cites, the bullpen needs big improvement! A free agent closer must be signed! Sands, Tonkin, Topa should not be counted on. Perhaps guys like Lawyerson, Funderburk, and Adams can emerge as more reliable relievers as the season progresses, but that's a long shot. Suffice it to say that if 2 reliable FA relievers are not signed, the 2026 season will be over by Memorial Day. in summary, the Twins could return to contention in 2026 but the odds are similar to pulling an inside straight: small likelihood but possible. I would feel much more optimistic if Falvey/Rocco were gone, but I'm afraid that is just delusional. More likely, we'll have to await 2028 when new ownership is more likely to emerge.

No way! The Twins sorely lack middle of the lineup power.. DH/1B are the two positions that could supply said power. My god, we have guys like Wallner, Lee, Clemens batting cleanup. No wonder our offense sucks!! Unloading Lopez's salary, together with Correa's, could enable the Twins to add a real power threat in FA. You have guys like Schwarber, Alonzo, Naylor entering FA. Any one of these guys would provide an immediate lift to this moribund lineup. While trading Lopez will hurt, if the Twins use the savings to acquire a proven big bat, it's worth trading from the one area of depth remaining on this team. I personally like a starting five of Ryan, Ober, Mathews, SWR/Abel, Festa/Bradley. No, this is not a staff that will get us to a WS, but at least it should be competitive if the offense is improved. Yes, we would need to add an experienced closer to compete, but at least there's a base for competition. And trading Lopez should at least add strength to our prospect list. Do I actually think ownership would spend big in FA? No, but there's always hope they'll come to their senses before this franchise becomes totally irrelevant! Arraez is not the answer here.

Always enjoy your week wrapups, Nick! Thoughtful and well-written. I do think, however, you are excessively negative on the team's future. Sure, the team's decision not to sell, coupled with the bullpen's decimation at the trade deadline was disheartening. And I fully support vocal protests against the Pohlads for their reversal and, just as disheartening, their support for the Falvey/Rocco team. The near term future(both in '25 and '26) looks bleak. But as a long-time Twins/Senators fan, I remain mildly optimistic for the longer term, for a number of reasons: 1. BA's revised prospect ratings put the Twins as #2 only behind the Dodgers. Moreover, we now have 5 prospects in the top 100 ratings. While this does not mean instant success it is an indication that the team greatly improved their minor league system with their trades. Our future rotation, with Abel and Bradley added to a solid core of Lopez, Ryan, Ober and SWR, looks like a strong base going forward. Mathews and Festa have shown enough flashes of solid depth to allow for trading one of the top four for badly needed offensive help. 2. Correa's salary dump was the right move. He was an albatross on future spending and while I do not expect any top FA signings to result, there is now much more flexibility to add some meaningful FAs. Bringing $300-400MM of outside capital also allows for loosening of the purse strings. 3. While the evisceration of the pen was shocking, it is easier to build a pen than a rotation. We have several minor leaguers like Prielip, Raya, and even Festa who are viable candidates to help the big league club as soon as next year. No, a Duran replacement is not apparent yet, but our ability to turn failed starters into big league relievers gives me some hope for future development success. Yes, the offense remains well below average, yet we seem to have more competition for weak positions: Culpepper at SS, Jenkins, EM and Gonzales for corner OF and two rookie catchers who have high upside. Not all these names will produce but if 1 or 2 do, the Twins offense has to be improved, if not next year, then hopefully in '27. Lots of hope and wishful thinking here, but I for one am glad of the shakeup. It was overdue. Ownership's continuation certainly dampens hope for a quick turnaround but there are some reasons for optimism now that the deck has been partially cleared. Don't despair!

As a 70 year+ fan of the Senators/Nats, even though I don't live in the TC, I grieve just as deeply as all of you local fans. Enough has been said about the Pohlad group without me adding my vitriol. Suffice it to say, that my long term interest in this franchise is gone. At least I have the local Cubs here in my backyard to follow. But I have to add one bit of advice to my fellow fans : action speaks louder than words! It's one thing to bitch on line about ownership, but if you want to take this to a more visible level, why not picket the Pohlad offices. Demonstrations are far more effective in voicing your anger than on-line comments. Be an activist! Take to the streets with signs and a loudspeaker to voice your disapproval. I assure you mass media will take note and provide coverage. That will make ownership take much more notice than TD coverage. This obviously is not going to change their minds on future strategy but the outrage will be much more visible - and, in the process, make you feel better. I speak from experience of picketing old Karl here at O'hare when he appeared at an owner's meeting right after he announced contraction plans. My mini-demonstration was not a factor in stopping the move, but the startled look in his eyes when he saw me yelling at him with my signs was worth it - even 20+ years later. And though I was the only protester that day at O'hare, i was filmed and interviewed by MSP network TV. So take off the kid gloves, shed the "Minnesota Nice" label and get in front of the bastards and tell them what you think. Believe me, you will feel much better for it!

This game illustrates the biggest weakness of the team that has been apparent since opening day: there is no one on this current roster that comes close to resembling a cleanup or #3 hitter. Yes, Buxton and Wallner did not play, but neither of them resembles a true middle-of-the-lineup bat. Wallner is a home run or nothing batter and Bux, the best power hitter in the lineup, is far too streaky(and far too injury prone) to be a consistent #4. He probably slots best as a #2 hitter - not cleanup. Today we used Keaschal and Lewis as #3/4 and the results were predictable. Keaschal, though far from being established, has the makings of a good leadoff man with a combination of OBP and speed. Why isn't he slotted there, Rocko? Lewis is no longer the power threat hoped for. He belongs in one of the #7/8/9 slots and perhaps not even there. He is a huge disappointment! Lee, while showing some improvement offensively, also belongs in the bottom 3 of the order, until Culpepper can be brought up.. Jeffers has come on strongly recently and based on his track record, should probably be in the #5/6 position. Offense is still this teams achilles heel. The trade deadline did absolutely nothing to correct this glaring weakness. Instead, it just turned the pen into another glaring weakness. So what's the solution here? I can see only one: new ownership willing to spend money on at least one or two 30HR/100rbi potential 1B/ DH players, sign a guy like Jeffers to a long term contract, and hope that guys like Jenkins, Gonzales, Rodriguez, and/or Culpepper turn into genuine middle of the order bats. And as part of this new ownership - get rid of Falvey for his failure to develop offensive players and Rocko for his inexplicable lineup constructions. The alternative to this overhaul is more years of failure and very limited playoff chances.

As a long-time Senator/Twins fan, I have experienced some great highs and many more lows. It's been a rocky ride! Last Thursday's selloff was a shock, no doubt. There were some inexplicable moves that cannot be explained rationally: Varland, Stewart, Jax - to name the most egregious. I do not add Correa to that list because that was a trade that needed to be done. My take(and hope) is that salary dump will grease the skids for a badly needed ownership change. We can all agree the Pohlad's have proven totally inept in their stewardship. Their removal is critical to a successful rebuild. If a sale does happen, then I am all for the selloff. This team was treading water and a shakeup was badly needed. While some of the transactions were head-scratchers, overall the Twins seem to have greatly bolstered catching and the rotation. With some excellent home-grown talent approaching the majors, I am more optimistic about the future of this franchise now than before. But that optimism is more dependent on an imminent sale rather than the outcome of the trades.

Nick, I've been eagerly awaiting your rx to the big selloff, but I must say I'm a bit disappointed. Was it necessary to blast Falvey for his evasiveness in responding to reporters? Aren't the answers pretty obvious: 1. The "core" of the team was just not good enough, hence, time to rebuild. Sure we are all upset about the dismantling of the bullpen, but that pen didn't help our playoff chances this year, did they? It was time to face the facts - this team's contention window had closed. You might quibble exactly who went and who was added, but the overall plan was clear: the current roster was not going anywhere. 2. Ownership wanted to cut payroll, most likely to facilitate the sale of the team. The best way to do this was a salary dump of Correa. He proved to be an albatross this year and in a rebuild mode, had to be "traded" even if it was for a bag of balls. Don't you think dropping $70MM of future salary increases the chances for a sale? Isn't that a good thing? I, for one, am happy that the FO finally saw reality and took a major step to rebuilding. We have a small core of quality players remaining, a strong farm system, made stronger by some intriguing prospects obtained in the trades. Yes, it's a setback in the near term but it lays the path for a return to contention within the next 2 years - assuming an agressive new ownership, willing to invest in some FAs who can supplement what we have now. This is the goal - get rid of the Pohlads, Falvey, and Rocco and replace with an owner who wants to win and goes after better talent at the GM, Mgr and coaching levels. In the end, does it really matter whether Falvey was honest with the fans? Actions speak louder than words. He did what has been glaringly obvious for some time now. That's what matters.

Here's one long time suffering Twins fan who gives a big thumbs up for Falvey(something I rarely have done). Here's why: 1. The Twins were toast this year. With the team for sale, with the big 3 reduced to one, with the injury to Lopez(last year Ryan's injury cost them a playoff berth), and failure of secondary starters like Larnach, Wallner, Julian, et.al. to step up, the Twins are a model of mediocrity. And their record shows that. Hence, the massive selloff! 2. Giving up on Correa accomplished several things: 1.) made a sale much more likely; 2.) opened up the SS position for younger guys like Lee. Culpepper to sink or swim; and 3) leads to a badly needed rebuild instead of retooling a club that has been in a state of decline. 3. Trading Duran for two high prospects bolsters two positions of weakness - SP and C. Sure, no guarantees but even if one of the former Phils becomes a regular, this is a big win going forward. 4. Improving our prospect list by trading Bader, (presumably Coulombe) and Paddack is positive in that it increases the odds that the ML lineup will be bolstered in years to come. It's hard to say that about the Stewart trade but if the Twins can help Outman regain his rookie form, again, a big win. Falvey could have sat on his hands this July, but he made some bold moves that give me more hope for a return to contention. The likelihood is he won't be around for long, but no one can accuse him of being risk adverse. I, for one, feel more hope for the future than I did several days ago. That's a good thing, in my estimation!

Nick, nice article as far as it goes, but why not an assessment of what are the top needs the Twins should try to fill in order to compete in the next 2 years? We all agree they have a number of desirable trade candidates so this trade deadline should be a great time to act. Pretty obvious biggest needs are a !B/DH with 30HR/100rbi potential and a second string catcher with strong upside potential. With a strong farm system, the Dodgers appear to be an ideal trade partner. Two of their top prospects, DePaula and Rushing, would be a nice package, but difficult to attain. While I would rather see Jax traded, I think Duran would be needed as a centerpiece, with guys like Bader or Castro, and perhaps Vazquez, Lee and/or Larnach needed to sweeten the package. I would love to expand the package by giving up Paddack for Dustin May, By packaging our top trade prospects, not including Ryan, we can conceivably add two players who could be expected to contribute to the starting lineup in 2026. If LA is not willing to give up such talent, then Philly, Seattle, Yanks or possibly the Astros would be worth some serious discussion. I have little faith in Falvey(particularly after last year's deadline dud) but at this point, with a failed 7 year regime staring him in the face and a disinterested ownership, perhaps he'll grow a set and actually pull off a much needed bold move to help right the floundering ship. Too late for this year but us diehards need some reason to believe in the years to come.

Don't think Gaspar would make much difference on Twins offensive futility. After all, he has never succeeded at ML level. More interested in what this current roster says about this FO's lack of development over 7 years. The fact they have guys of the 26 man roster like Clemens, Keirsey and Bride attests to their abject failure to develop a farm system that can produce at least average ML offense. Looking back over the Falvey regime, how many Twins all stars have emerged from their drafts/development? Lewis, a #1 draft choice, has never made it. You might blame injuries, but his past year in the majors does not bode well for any future selections. Brooks Lee is, at best, likely an average offensive force in middle infield, way below at 3B. Jenkins and Rodriguez are highly touted but injuries have thwarted any meteoric rise(what else is new). And while Keaschall looked good in a very small appearance, he is hardly the cleanup hitter this lineup so desperately needs. Overall, I give Falvey a D grade for providing offense. And looking at his highly touted pitching pipeline, by far, his top two starters, Ryan and Lopez, were trade pickups. No other home-grown product approaches any all star levels. Ober is too erratic and Festa and Matthews are still unproven, albeit promising. He has done better on the bullpen side, with Jax, Varland and Sands,but can we say we have developed a shutdown closer who we can count on thruout the season. Duran has likely passed his peak. Who's next? Why hasn't managment tried inserting someone else in the closer spot? Let's give Falvey a C+grade on pitching development. Summarizing, many of us on TD have consistently overrated our minor league prospects. The continuing presence of the little 3 on a supposedly playoff contender is enough of an indictment on the FO's failure to lift this team to a realistic contender level. Yes, ownership hasn't helped but neither has this FO.

Always enjoy these reviews, Nick. Thank you! While there wasn't much to stoke our enthusiasm for the Twins this past week(they still look like a .500 ballclub), there were a few things to enthuse over(other than the performance of Lee and Castro): -very fine pitched games by SWR(yesterday) and Festa on Wednesday. Is it too much to ask for them to continue to step up? Based on past performances, I tend to be cautiously optimistic. This will not replace Lopez, but could ameliorate declines by Ober and Paddack. Assuming Mathews can return within a few weeks the Twins could manage to stay afloat in the WC race. -While the offense continues to disappoint, Larnach, Jeffers, and Wallner should start hitting again, even if not all simultaneously. With Buxton leading the way, followed by Castro and Lee, the offense could conceivably rebound to at least the major league average. And if Correa and Lewis start to click, we might even see an offense closer to 2024 midseason. They badly need a consistent cleanup hitter but that possibility is zero until(hopefully) new ownership. -And finally, Rocco has to change Duran's role to less stressful situations. He has simply cost the Twins too many games this year, notwithstanding his May performance. Give Jax, Varland or Stewart shots. The Twins have little maneuvering room with their subpar offense. Shake it up Rocco! Your job may well depend on it. So not all doom and gloom, but they better start winning series against >.500 ballclubs or it will be another quiet October.

Agree that Castellanos has to be cut. He's just not ready, especially on a club that is supposed to be a strong competitor for Division. Why not replace him with two potential starters, like Mathews or Morris, both of whom have shown much better ability than this guy? After all, it's not unheard of in Twins' lore to start a potential starter in the pen. Remember Santana?

Cody, do you even look at ST games? 50-50 chance this guy is on a downhill slide. Stats matter, but results matter more in the real world!

In general agreement with the rotation as strength of the team! Lopez, Ober and Ryan are solid. SWR has looked good this spring. The hope is that he has more stamina to avoid another late season meltdown. Paddack is big question mark, but ok to begin the season as #5 in the rotation. My concerns are the following: 1. As you noted, a 4+ ERA for Lopez is not a sign of a #1 starter. And his spring training results are worrisome with an 8.0 ERA to date. What';s behind this? Is he experimenting with a new pitch or is there something more serious here? Why no mention of this in article? 2. I question the depth of the rotation. We saw what Ryan's injury did to the team's performance late in the season. Who will step up if one of the big 3(or 4) is injured? Festa has been very disappointing this spring. Mathews has been much better but his falloff last season is concerning. There is no one else after Mathews who could step into a major league rotation as of now. Looks to me like the success of the rotation has some ? marks. Twins have some surplus in IF(less now w/Lewis injury) and rotation(assuming guys like Feta, Morris, maybe Lewis excel at St. Paul). Cease would be a quantum jump in quality. Perhaps with a sale on the horizon by Aug. 1st, the Twins will be able to make such an acquisition w/new owners. One can always hope!

Absolutely right on! This jump in payroll can only be attributed to an impending sale. No way the Pohlads would have agreed to adding extra payroll w/o some pretty solid belief that a sale was in the near future. I, for one, am excited for the first time in years on future of the franchise. My optimism will only increase once new managment clears house, starting w/Falvey.

Nick, why such a great emphasis on WAR? Isn't the true effectiveness of a reliever the % of inherited runners stranded? Maybe not so much for a closer but for all the other pen arms, this is an essential stat that ought to be mentioned more in pen assessments. I'd like to see Jax's IRS stat, e.g. I believe the 2024 Twins pen ranked in the bottom 1/3 of ML bullpens in IRS which is why this "best bullpen business" is certainly open to doubt.

Nick, always enjoy your columns but why bother on this subject? We all know that Falvey will not do anything until the dust settles. As was the case with his predecessor, Terry Ryan, he will do his dumpster diving in February when players/agents are getting desperate to sign with any major league time. This year, with the team for sale, this pattern will be even more flagrant. Maybe a salary dump or two with the addition of marginal returns that cannot be expected to change things very much. What a more agressive GM would do is package some prospects with our infield surplus(Lee, Julian, Miranda - to name 3) to bring back a middle of the lineup bat and/or a solid rotation arm. This is what is is needed to appreciably change 2025 prospects. Otherwise, a repeat of 2024 or worse is the more likely result, I am afraid.