mike8791

"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.

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!