All Things 2021 Minnesota Twins In-Season Thread

Bold prediction - the Twins will sign Buxton to a new contract.

and starting next year, people will complain that Buxton's big contract is preventing the Twins from adding more pitching. it will be Joe Mauer version 2.

The Twins are backed into a corner. If they let Buxton go, the bad publicity will be relentless. They have no choice but to re-sign him and pray that he finds a way to stay healthy.
The twins can try to sign any pitcher that want. Two things go against them.

1.) they are a losing organization so high end guys don’t wanna come here.

2.) I’m not sure all the pitchers love the brain trust in pace here and how you are used as a pitcher.
 

The Twins are backed into a corner. If they let Buxton go, the bad publicity will be relentless. They have no choice but to re-sign him and pray that he finds a way to stay healthy.
I agree. Attendance was brutal this year. TV ratings were brutal. They're stuck with the awful Bally Sports situation for awhile. If they trade Buxton Target Field will be a ghost town. They said they needed it to keep star players. The only one they've kept is Mauer. Time to make Buxton #2.
 

I agree. Attendance was brutal this year. TV ratings were brutal. They're stuck with the awful Bally Sports situation for awhile. If they trade Buxton Target Field will be a ghost town. They said they needed it to keep star players. The only one they've kept is Mauer. Time to make Buxton #2.
Trade.
 


Why? You won't get some fantastic haul. A similar return to Berrios. Not worth it.
I'd trade him because you get some young talent, save the money for somewhere else(I'm sort of laughing saying they'd spend money), and the guy is made of glass. A big market would give up a ton to get him.
 


And the 2021 season is over - for the Twins. A 7-3 win over the Royals - meaning the Twins end the season at 73-89. They avoid a 90-loss season. Yay.

A few notes, just for fun:

High-water mark of the season - 3 games over .500 on April 8 (5-2 record)

Low-water mark - 20 games under .500 on September 19 - (65-85)

best month of season - August (14-13). Also Oct (2-1).

worst month of season - July (11-16).

Best record vs Opponent - 4-2 vs Brewers and Orioles
11-8 vs Cleveland & Detroit.

Worst record vs Opponent - 1-6 vs Yankees
(by percentage) 1-5 vs Oakland
2-5 vs Angels
2-5 vs Red Sox
6-13 vs White Sox
 

Good luck to Poindexter and Booger in the front office. There is lots to do in order to turn this mess around.
 

Good luck to Poindexter and Booger in the front office. There is lots to do in order to turn this mess around.
The thing is, there isn't really "a lot". They have a solid corp of position players and the bullpen as is, with a healthy Taylor Rodgers swapped for Colome is at least solid.

It's almost all one thing: starting pitching. They need 3 free agent starters. They have about $40 million to spend and can make it $50-55 if they can trade Sano or Donaldson. They have to get 3 starters who are competent for that price. Can they do it?
 

Might be the worst thing the organization did this year. How stupid can they be?

 




That's an amazing haul for a guy who doesn't play. They'd be stealing.
Even this year, he had the 2nd highest WAR on the team while playing about 60 games. If his injuries were something chronic and recurring I'd agree, but they're random and often bad luck. They'll never get a player of his caliber in FA. Sign a fair deal and pray for luck.
 

Might be the worst thing the organization did this year. How stupid can they be?

This kind of thing happens fairly often (not with guys who put in that many years of course). If they were in contention I don't think anyone would care. But in a lost season it does seem pretty stupid and cruel. Especially since they had weeks to rectify it and call him back up.
 

Even this year, he had the 2nd highest WAR on the team while playing about 60 games. If his injuries were something chronic and recurring I'd agree, but they're random and often bad luck. They'll never get a player of his caliber in FA. Sign a fair deal and pray for luck.
Mr. Glass for some top prospects would be tremendous.
 



I'd trade him because you get some young talent, save the money for somewhere else(I'm sort of laughing saying they'd spend money), and the guy is made of glass. A big market would give up a ton to get him.
There's no labor agreement now, I don't even know if trading him is an option. If service time for free agency is reduced, no idea how that will impact Buxton or others with similar roster time.
 


And that’s a wrap!

Next year will be our year.

Win Twins!!
I admire your optimism that there will even be an MLB Season next year. If they are playing by what would be the All Star Break, I'd take it in a heartbeat.
 

I admire your optimism that there will even be an MLB Season next year. If they are playing by what would be the All Star Break, I'd take it in a heartbeat.

I haven’t followed the Union contracts that closely yet, is it really looking like a lockout or walkout?

Win Twins!!
 

The thing is, there isn't really "a lot". They have a solid corp of position players and the bullpen as is, with a healthy Taylor Rodgers swapped for Colome is at least solid.

It's almost all one thing: starting pitching. They need 3 free agent starters. They have about $40 million to spend and can make it $50-55 if they can trade Sano or Donaldson. They have to get 3 starters who are competent for that price. Can they do it?
No one is going to argue that starting pitching is number one, two, three, etc. on the "to-do list". They have decisions to make at SS. Polanco back there? Lewis/Martin ready? Do they try and trade a guy like Kepler? Rocco is not going anywhere (BOO!), but is there some sort of shakeup in the coaching staff.
 

I agree. Attendance was brutal this year. TV ratings were brutal. They're stuck with the awful Bally Sports situation for awhile. If they trade Buxton Target Field will be a ghost town. They said they needed it to keep star players. The only one they've kept is Mauer. Time to make Buxton #2.
Attendance and ratings for baseball were atrocious this year. More people watched NASCAR than baseball, or so I had read somewhere. NASCAR. For real. The All-Star game woke move no doubt turned a lot of people off. For the first time in probably 30 years, I did not watch a game. Uggghhh. MLB needs to take a hard look at the current state of things and do something.
 

I haven’t followed the Union contracts that closely yet, is it really looking like a lockout or walkout?

Win Twins!!

Yes, both sides are really digging in. Just look how hard it was for the 2 sides to come to an agreement on the CoVid shortened 2020 season and the protocols for this year.
 

Yes, both sides are really digging in. Just look how hard it was for the 2 sides to come to an agreement on the CoVid shortened 2020 season and the protocols for this year.
It'll be terrible. The players have been getting jobbed on money for a decade. The new era of free agency, length of team control, soft salary cap, and service time manipulation is killing the players. MLB revenue has increased dramatically since A-Rod's big contract. Player pay hasn't.

There might not be a season.

They're also losing money due to slot limits at the draft, but the union doesn't mind because those players aren't in the union yet.

MiLB also has major pay problems. That's becoming a disaster and a huge issue that the MLB Union also doesn't handle.
 

No one is going to argue that starting pitching is number one, two, three, etc. on the "to-do list". They have decisions to make at SS. Polanco back there? Lewis/Martin ready? Do they try and trade a guy like Kepler? Rocco is not going anywhere (BOO!), but is there some sort of shakeup in the coaching staff.
Polanco at SS and Arreaz at 2B is fine. I know some disagree. But with all the shifting the value of a great defensive SS is lessened IMO.

Kepler only makes $6 million next year. I doubt you can get much for him. I bring him back. If he can bounce back, trade him next off-season.

I agree Rocco is staying. I'm not a fan, but it is what it is. Baseball managers have the least influence on winning of any sport, IMO (at least in the regular season.)

They will automatically have a new bench coach. Not sure if anyone will get axed. The .500 play down the stretch might have saved Wes Johnson and the hitting coach.
 

It'll be terrible. The players have been getting jobbed on money for a decade. The new era of free agency, length of team control, soft salary cap, and service time manipulation is killing the players. MLB revenue has increased dramatically since A-Rod's big contract. Player pay hasn't.

There might not be a season.

They're also losing money due to slot limits at the draft, but the union doesn't mind because those players aren't in the union yet.

MiLB also has major pay problems. That's becoming a disaster and a huge issue that the MLB Union also doesn't handle.

on the other side of the coin, the owners feel that they have "lost" most of the negotiations with the players' unions - admittedly, some of that is on the owners for having bad negotiators or not understanding the implications of their decisions.

but - the point remains - the owners feel they have given too much away in terms of arbitration.

and before you weep too much for the players -
Minimum salary $563,000.
Average MLB salary $4.2-million - fully guaranteed.
 

on the other side of the coin, the owners feel that they have "lost" most of the negotiations with the players' unions - admittedly, some of that is on the owners for having bad negotiators or not understanding the implications of their decisions.

but - the point remains - the owners feel they have given too much away in terms of arbitration.

and before you weep too much for the players -
Minimum salary $563,000.
Average MLB salary $4.2-million - fully guaranteed.
Zero sympathy for the owners. Only sympathy for the players.
 

Zero sympathy for the owners. Only sympathy for the players.

Usually the public/fans side with the "billionaire" owners instead of the "millionaire" players, for some odd reason. I opt for neither. Advantage, Push.
 

Usually the public/fans side with the "billionaire" owners instead of the "millionaire" players, for some odd reason. I opt for neither. Advantage, Push.
Your stance is acceptable. Siding with the owners is never acceptable. Only idiots are for that, unless you're an owner.
 

Yes, both sides are really digging in. Just look how hard it was for the 2 sides to come to an agreement on the CoVid shortened 2020 season and the protocols for this year.
I'm not optimistic. The only thing that might prod movement is the massive decline in TV ratings attendance this year. Both sides should realize that their sport is not in good shape. But the players likely aren't too moved by what might happen in 5-10 years.
 

I am not "siding" with the owners. I am simply pointing out that - going into the negotiations - the owners feel they have gotten the worst of it in recent negotiations, and they will be pushing hard for concessions from the players - changes to arbitration, etc. Not to mention the pace-of-play issues - pitch clock et al. A lot of people who follow baseball believe the owners hired Manfred specifically because they want him to "go after" the players union in the upcoming negotiations.

meanwhile, the players also have things they want, and they have generally had the better negotiating team.

So, this has the potential to get nasty. I would be extremely surprised if the 2022 season starts on time. Frankly, I will be happy if they start by June 1st.

BTW - if you want to read a good book on the history of labor issues in baseball, pick up "The Lords of the Realm" by John Helyar.
 

No salary cap or luxury tax, less time for team control, hit arbitration faster, increase minimum pay to $1 million per season, eliminate time manipulation, increase pace of play (pitch clock, no leaving out of the box, minimum amount of batters a reliever must face), move the mound.
 

I agree. Attendance was brutal this year. TV ratings were brutal. They're stuck with the awful Bally Sports situation for awhile. If they trade Buxton Target Field will be a ghost town. They said they needed it to keep star players. The only one they've kept is Mauer. Time to make Buxton #2.
So Target Field is a ghost town when he doesn't play 2/3 of the season every season?

Guys who are always injured rarely stay healthy long term. The Twins should trade him and get as much as they can for him.
 




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