SarasotaBill

Wait two months and let's see the results. Ryan in the rotation eases the bullpen which affects the games he doesn't pitch. We will know a lot more in two months about the number of young players on the roster as well. Most likely he will be traded at the deadline when teams have a better idea if they have a chance to win the World Series.

Now there's no choice but to unload everything at the trade deadline. Use 1st half to increase value of anyone on their last year or next to last year. 2nd half is for development for players with more than two years before free agency.

Last year was his true season in five years. Of course the Twins took it easy with him. Let him build up some more this year and see where he's at.

Especially at Home start at SS and bat ninth. If it’s a scoring opportunity have Lee pinch hit him on his first at bat. If not, have him bat once and pinch hit after five innings. Maximize defensive value while minimizing his poor offense.

He's got two years left in his contract so there's no rush. Mid-season provides another 6 months of development that will give more insight into the future. Just too many questions about the young MLB Twins and the high end of prospects. Even a mid-season trade provides teams two playoff years.

Great article. Thank you for the insight. The comments seem that wins matter this year. Spoiler Alert - wins don't matter in 2025 for the Twins It's about development. Obvious Bradley needs more development and refinement. That's why the Twins are letting him pitch through these horrible outings.

Your idea is to bench Lee after one year in MLB, with no immediate replacements in the system, and with next year as a development year (spoiler alert: Twins are not contending for the playoffs next year). Even Buxton struggled is his first year in MLB. Let's use 2026 as a year to evaluate the development and potential of present players and players coming up from AAA. The bar should be: is the player developing (improving) and does he have the potential to be above average starter in the major leagues.

I count 32 of the present 42 probably protected. Probably need to protect 4-5 new minor league players and 3-4 free agent signings. They don't have the space to be care free with guys who will not be on the 40 man in November. It would be stupid to expose them to other team's 40 man roster for a weeks of MLB in September. Sorry - just trying to be realistic.

Unless the Twins already know the player will be on the 40 man roster in November, none should be recalled. If a player is taken off the 40 man then another team only needs to put the player on their 40 man roster. If a player is taken in the Rule 5 draft then that player needs to be on their 26 man roster for a year.

If nothing else, the Twins need to think of 2025-6 as development and evaluation. The payroll now allows extending Ryan and Jeffers. If they don't extend Jeffers during the off season then they have to trade him. Every transaction needs to be about 2027 and after.

Totally agree with above.. The trades are about 2027 and therefore building around the next wave. Trading relievers at the deadline is when you have the maximum leverage in a trade.

Living close to the Tampa Bay Rays I get to see this strategy every year. A few points: 1. Not counting this year and Covid shortened season, the Twins have averaged 83 wins during Falvey vs the previous six seasons of 68 wins. So he's done a good job making the twins competitive. 2. Dumping Correa was to save money for Pohlad but also frees up cash in the next three years. 3. Maximizing the value of relievers is to trade them at the trading deadline when playoff teams are going all-in. 4. Twins under Falvey have a track record of converting failed major league starters into good relievers (Duran, Jax, Varland). The Twins now have a long list of top end pitching prospects: Matthews, Festa, Rojas, Bradley, Prielipp, Abel, Hill, Quick, Culpepper, Soto, Raya, Gallagher, Morris, Klein. Some will be starters, some will become relievers, and some will fail but they have a long bench. 5. The strategy is to align with the next wave (Jenkins, Gonzalez, Rodriguez, Keashall, Culpepper). Like it or not, small or mid-market teams have to pick their shots vs the Dodgers and other large market teams. 6. The next owners will influence if Buxton, Lopez, Ryan, Lewis, and Jeffers get traded. Most likely will get traded in the next two years (definitely any Boras player) since they won't align with 2027-2031 time frame. 7. My son is a Rays fan and he hates trading Bradley. On the other hand, I'm always nervous about trading with the Rays. I think the Varland trade happened at the end of the deadline because the Blue Jays buckled to Falvey's price. Varland costs nothing for the next few years and fits in the next wave so Falvey had leverage with the Blue Jays.

Mid 2027: P: Matthews, Rojas, Festa, Abel, SWR, Hill, Prielipp, Soto, Gallagher, Quick,Raya,Morris,Culpepper Inf: Keaschall, Lee, Culpeper OF: Jenkins, Gonzalez, Rodriguez C: Diaw, Tiat, Olivar Util: Debarge Trade Pieces: Lopez, Ryan, Jeffers, Lewis Others: Wallner, Larnach, Outman, Roden, Clemens, Sands, Julian, Miranda

Gallagher looks good from the Cubs.

Does Houston have any good (over 0.190) left hitting outfielders? Derek is looking for another.

Even with tomorrow off, what is Jax doing in the 9th inning? Give him a few days off.

Traded everyone on their last year and send down Lee and Walner. Worst than missing the pop up in RF yesterday, Lee didn't get over to the foul line for a relay to the plate. Practically every teenager knows where to go with bases loaded and a hit into the corner. He needs a major reset before next year. Walner is lost at the plate. Bring up Keaschall as soon as he's ready to play in the field. Bring up Eeles when Castro is traded. Need some life in that dugout. Bring up Martin, McCusker, and Julian to replace Bader, Walner, and France. This team needs to be shaken up.

You try to acquire a pitcher like Ryan. You don't trade them.

I was at the game last night. Knowing the team is short handed (injuries & tired bullen) I kept looking at the small details that eventually catch up with you: 1. Castro assumes he's out at first and stops running 2. Castro forgets there's two outs and throws to 2nd instead of first. 3. 2nd & 3rd and the batter is extremely late to a fastball making the count 0-2 or 1-2. Who calls a sweeper to a LHB from Stewart? The execution was poor but the pitch call was absolutely dreadful. Short RF. Late to the fastball. Sweeper to a LHB. Sweeper (top spin) will travel further. Again eventually a small detail matters and burns you.

Never trade an elite young starting pitcher with multiple years left before free agency. Remember trading Garza to the Rays and feeling sick to your stomach for the next four years.

I thought the line-up was poor: 5. Farmer RHB 6. Martin RHB 7. Vazquez RHB 8. Larnach LHB 9. Julian LHB Two points: - Weak hitters in the middle of the line-up - (3) RHB in a row and then (2) LHB Then KC brings a RHP to face the (3) RHB and Baldelli doesn't do a thing down by 4 in the 7th.

I've been looking to this draft day since the lottery. Now I'm depressed just thinking the Front Office is going to screw this up. Taking one of the top five is a no brainer. However, it may turn out that the Twins have no brains. I've watched a lot of Ole Miss baseball and Gonzalez is a nice player but he's not a difference maker.

The problem with Teel is that the Twins like to platoon their catchers because of the wear and tear of the position. So even if he's an elite batter then he's only adding field value 60% of the time. I watched his at bats in the NCAA tourney and wasn't overwhelmed (compared to Crews and Langford). Lowder's command and movement is exceptional. I would take one of the top five but Lowder's pitchability reminds me of how Nola was at LSU.

1. Take one of top five 2. Take Lowder 3. Don’t think you’re smarter than everyone else (Cavaco, Sabato, …)

Lowder was great last night. Command and movement were exceptional.