2022 twins

[dutchboy]

The Pohlads really aren't the issue. They are bankers / business people first. They are owners to make money. Remember back to when Calvin Griffith owned the team. Look around the Twins division. Kansas City.....doesn't spend as much as the Twins. Detroit spends more but wins less. Cleveland spends less. Chicago spends more and wins less. Or look at Milwaukee, they never win anything no matter what you spend.

The problem isn't what they spend, it's how they develop players. If you can't develop pitching, which they can't, then you have to buy pitching. Pitching is far to expensive to buy it year after year. If you have a line-up that can win you can buy a free agent that will get you over the top.

I see the development and evaluators as being the problem. They can't draft and sign the right guys or the right free agents. Then when they do get a talent (Sano) they can't get anything out of him. Say what you want about Terry Ryan he could identify talent. When he was teamed with Andy MacPhail as his GM they built a team to win. 87 & 91 and bought the additional guys they needed to win.

The Twins could spend more, in the $150 million range but if you can't identify the right guys it won't matter.

[KEN W]

Their approach to re-hab the careers of one-good starting pitchers has not paid off for them.

They leave themselves such a thin margin for error that one or two injuries derails the whole season.

as long as the pohland family has there fingers in the team..........they will ALWAYS be derailed!!!!1

And they promised they would be able to compete if us taxpayers built them a new stadium. GUESS NOT   
 

[dutchboy]

Gophers, Timberwolves & Vikings all claimed they could compete with a new stadium. Not a one of them has won anything.

If you ever were there you would know the dome was a dump and needed to go.

[KEN W]

I was there for the Twins and Vikings. My gripe is that they said a new taxpayer paid stadium would allow them to have a team that can win and not be a minor league team for the Yankees, Dodgers, Mets, Atlanta, Angels etc.

[LPS]

Was at the Met for many a Vikes games in the cold weather.  Went to quite  few in the old Dome too.  They were both very affordable.  Never been to the new one.  Probably won't make it neither.  But ya never know. 

[KEN W]

I was at the old Met in the 50's with my dad. Saw the Red Sox play their old farm team the Millers. Saw Ted Williams play. Also there when the Cowboys robbed the Vikings when Pearson pushed off. Loved that old outdoor stadium.

[Gunner55]

Twins traded Garver to Texas for their SS yday.

The Ranger's SS, Donaldson, & the young catcher went to the NYY late yday for Urshela & Sanchez. Made a deal with the Red Sox for a starter & a 24 y/o Class A righthander over the weekend too.

[mike89]

was at the Met once during a play off game.  damn cold and snow!!   but sure was fun!!!   

[markn]

You're correct dutchboy, the dome was a dump. Watched one vikes game and nine or ten Twins games in it and it was bad. I was lucky enough to watch a dozen vikes games and a bunch of twins game at the Met and had a ball at everyone. I am looking forward to the Twins start for this year. 

[Gunner55]

Seen some AL playoffs in the Dome twice, in '87 & in '02. Had to scream at my buddy sitting next to me so he could hear me in '87.

[dutchboy]

Twins are making a bunch of moves to disguise just how bad this team is. There has to be another trade or signing coming as they don't now have a shortstop.

[Steve-o]

Twins are making a bunch of moves to disguise just how bad this team is. There has to be another trade or signing coming as they don't now have a shortstop.

MLB trades: Twins acquire Isiah Kiner-Falefa from Rangers for Mitch Garver in three-player deal

Texas gets their catcher and the Twins get their shortstop 

Did you mean that they now need a catcher, or did they trade the Texas SS for someone else? 

[dutchboy]

Donaldson and the kid from Texas to the Yankees for Sanchez & Urshella.

[Steve-o]

Donaldson and the kid from Texas to the Yankees for Sanchez & Urshella.

Yankees trade Gary Sanchez to Twins for Josh Donaldson in blockbuster move

Something tells me the Yanks fleeced the Twinks, but they get to save $50 Million on Donaldson's contract. 

[dutchboy]

Sanchez can DH (he can't catch worth a lick) and Urshella can play 3rd. Leaves them back at square 1 with no shortstop unless they have something else cooking. Even with adding Gray to the pitching staff this staff couldn't regularly beat the AAA staff in St. Paul.

Gonna be a longggg ugly season.

[Steve-o]

So if I'm following along...

The Twins trade a good catcher, and a good short stop, and a fiery competitive stud third baseman...

For a catcher who can't catch, a good third baseman, and a minor league pitcher.
 

[dutchboy]

Yes but the important part is they unloaded Donaldson's contract.

[Gunner55]

Polanco, Arraez, & Urshela have all played SS. They still have Jeffers & he caught most of the games last season, but I agree with dutchy moving Donaldson was the biggest thing. He's due $21 mil this year & next as well as having a $16 mil option for '24 with a $6 mil buyout.

[glenn57]

i just read where the Twinkies opened up there checkbook and signed this SS from Houston ........Correa!!!!! shocking!!!!!

[Gunner55]

Just heard that on WCCO too! https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/mlb/mlb-free-agency-star-shortstop-carlos-correa-signs-three-year-241053-million-deal-with-twins-per-repo

[Steve-o]

Let's hope they find some pitching, so his talent won't go to waste.  Or, if they can't put a team around him, Correa can opt out in year two or three.

[Gunner55]

I see my link doesn't work, maybe it never did  , so I found another..........https://www.mlb.com/news/carlos-correa-twins-deal & it says he can opt out the 1st 2 years of the deal. Sounds as if they expect him to test the market again next year though as he wants a long term, big $ deal.

[dutchboy]

I haven't seen all the details but it seems the player has all the control. If he gets hurt this summer or does squat he can stay and the Twins pay. If he plays well he can opt out and try for a bigger contract. At that point the Twins could (but won't) resign him to a monster contract.

I'm still scratching my head over this. Other than selling a few tickets I don't see the Twins angle on it. Without pitching, alot of pitching they aren't a play-off team. With or without Correa they are finishing behind Chicago unless they have a bunch of injuries. Houston or Seattle will win the West. The East will have Toronto, Tampa, Boston all duking it out with at least one of them the wild card. That leaves the third place team from the East, second place team from the West and the second place team from the Central battling for the last wild card. Without pitching I don't see the team as being one of them.

What I see is the Twins suck and unload Correa at the deadline to a contender for prospects. Hopefully I'm wrong.

[Gunner55]

Their top 2 guys in the minors both play SS & may not be ready. Lewis is coming off shoulder surgery & hasn't played since the Spring of 2020. The other guy is just starting AA ball after graduating college, is what I've read. Oakland has a couple FA starting pitchers that they're supposed to be interested in. They still need some help in the bullpen as well IMO. Guess we'll see, as they only have ~ 2 weeks since Opening Day is now 4/7.

[Gunner55]

Twins vs Braves started at noon.

[Steve-o]

Bench Byron Buxton for Remainder of Spring Training

But on Tuesday afternoon, in the first inning of a meaningless Spring Training contest between the Twins and Atlanta Braves, star centerfielder, Byron Buxton, put all of those good vibes in jeopardy with a beautiful, miraculous, VIOLENT, homerun-saving catch that plastered him face-first into the outfield wall, ball in glove.

Please, Byron, Stop.

The greatness of this catch can only be rivaled by that of its own stupidity. I would like Byron Buxton to stop violently running into walls during ALL games. Saving that one out, no matter how many runs might score, is not worth the collateral damage of the Minnesota Twins losing Byron from their lineup.

[dutchboy]

Baseball players will do what they were trained to do. Buxton got paid $100 million to be a center fielder, not a tennis player. Defense is what got him paid. While it might not be the smartest move (Buxton doesn't impress me as the smartest guy) it is in keeping with who he is.

[Gunner55]

  I'm certain he has had conversations with the people signing his check about this, probably more than once. He can make an extra $2.5 mil if he makes 625 plate appearances with his new deal so if that doesn't get him to think twice about it...................what will?  Actually the incentives start at $500,000/502 & go up another 500K for about every 30 at bats.

[dutchboy]

I'm not sure the contract will work out in the long run for the Twins but I do like that they based some of it on availability.