I had a good question posed to me about the purpose, or direction of "cheap" as it relates to payroll. I wanted to clarify the intention as I think the response I provided was effective.

 

Whether or not you believe the Pohlad's can or should spend more money ever is virtually irrelevant. Billionaire owners in an uncapped sport could ALWAYS afford to spend more. Obviously those with lucrative TV deals are going to feel significantly more inclined to do so. However, as it relates to the Twins and teams in their shoes, talking about payroll with a bad team is barking up the wrong team. Spending money to increase payroll without developed internal talent is a no win situation.

 

There's already a vast amount of people wanting to bash on Mauer's contract undeservedly, imagine spending money on guys that may produce at $25m AAV yet still losing 85+ games a season because no one else is around them.

 

In short, the purpose of this piece was to highlight that the Twins are going to set a record in payroll, and it's now that it makes sense for them to do so. They've gone through a 3 year development arc where their young core was able to establish itself. 2016 was a byproduct of that youth, and the volatility it brings. With young, talented, cheap, controllable players aplenty, spending real dollars on outside talent makes sense.

 

If the Twins would've done nothing this offseason (also assuming they still get a real SP), and in 2019, then you'd have me in a fit over payroll structure. They're operating in a way that makes sense for MLB teams however. It's not the NBA where one or two players change everything. Picking your spots, Minnesota has elected to capitalize on theirs in the right moment and correct way.

 

The Cubs added before their core was all there... How did that work?

 

I've wrote a couple of pieces about how the Twins could've accelerated getting to where they are now by following a bit more closely what the Cubs did. Terry Ryan's regime didn't really take that path.

 

That's a good point. Only the Twins have this problem with "excess profits" mysteriously vanishing from one year to the next. 

 

If the Twins had built their own stadium I wouldn't say one word about their spending. The decision to charge the taxpayers makes it everybody's business. 

 Stadium's don't bring in anywhere close to the revenue TV deals do. Also, isn't it customary that virtually every new stadium is significantly funded by the public. I guess i've never cared about what I may or may not have contributed to the stadium.

 

 Stadium's don't bring in anywhere close to the revenue TV deals do. Also, isn't it customary that virtually every new stadium is significantly funded by the public. I guess i've never cared about what I may or may not have contributed to the stadium.

I think you are kinda right there - like magazines, circulation doesn't drive the profits, it's ad revenue.

 

Still, compared to the deal the Twins had at the Metrodome, Target Field is a gravy train.

I don't pay much attention to talk about the Twins payroll. The Pohlads have lots and lots of money. Suppose the payroll was 200 million. Who could they get for the extra 100 million? MLB players don't grow on trees.

 

talking about payroll with a bad team is barking up the wrong team. Spending money to increase payroll without developed internal talent is a no win situation.

 

This may be true but you fail to look at the "cheap" when the Twins had internal talent and didn't add TOP Free Agents to make themselves a Champion. Face it, they had some pretty good teams from 2001 to 2010. Name one top Free Agent they signed.

Here are some of the guys they did sign. Shannon Stewart and Kenny Rogers in 2003. Jose Offerman and Terry Mulholland in 2004. Then there was Tony Batista and Rondell White in 2006. Sidney Ponson and Jeff Cirillo in 2007. Joe Crede and Carl Pavano in 2009. 

Point is, not 1 top Free Agent in the bunch and everyone of them was past his prime, on the decline, and the ONLY reason why the Twins got them was because they were cheap, bottom of the barrel, Free Agents! Sorry my friend, but cheap goes both ways, when you've got internal talent and when you don't. 

 

 

 

 

I was trying to think of a Darvish contract compromise. I came up with a 5 year 135 million with a 6 th year option at 25 million or 5 million buy out. We can inckude an opt out after the second or third year too if needed.

 

I don't pay much attention to talk about the Twins payroll. The Pohlads have lots and lots of money. Suppose the payroll was 200 million. Who could they get for the extra 100 million? MLB players don't grow on trees.

Yu Darvish, Wade Davis, and pretty much whomever else you wanted.

 

And at that point, the Twins are one of the best teams in all of baseball.