Twins Had a Chance to Get Back in the Carlos Correa Mix, and Passed

[Nick Nelson]

A new article in The Athletic offers behind-the-scenes insight on Carlos Correa's free agent pivot from the Giants to Mets. For those wondering, it sounds like did Scott Boras re-engage the Twins to try and coax them back into the market. Minnesota balked, and that was it.

Let's dig into the details.

Image courtesy of Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports

 

In a tremendously reported new article for The Athletic, Andy McCullough and Ken Rosenthal bring us a revealing account of the latest stunning twist in Carlos Correa's bizarre free agency saga. 

On Tuesday, about one week after agreeing to terms with Correa on a $350 million, we learned the Giants were postponing an introductory press conference for the signature signing, over concerns surfaced in his physical. Suddenly, the deal appeared to be in doubt. 

Sure enough, it completely fell through, and by the time we awoke this morning Correa had already agreed to a lesser deal with the Mets: 12 years, $315 million. It all happened so quickly, we wondered if the Twins – reportedly one of the two finalists for CC before Steve Cohen entered the fray – ever even had the chance to jump back in. 

It turns out, they did. And they decided against it.

Per The Athletic, as Boras revived discussions with Cohen and the Mets, he "also contacted the Twins."

"The presence of the Mets gave Boras leverage," according to the reporting. "If Minnesota wanted Correa, Boras conveyed, the team needed to improve its earlier offer – even though Correa appeared compromised with the Giants. The Twins would not have advanced the conversation without investigating the potential issues caused by Correa’s physical. The team did not intend to increase its bid beyond 10 years and $285 million. So Boras stuck with the man in Hawaii (Cohen)."

So there you have it. I'm not sure anyone can hold the Twins front office at fault in this situation, given that they merely appear to have been doing their due diligence. Why increase your offer after some mysterious issue was flagged and torpedoed an historic deal?

That's not to say they intended to increase their offer even if the medicals checked out – sure sounds like they had reached their definitive max. But at the very least they were within their rights to take a beat and figure out what's going on.

Alas, that wasn't to be, because – for whatever reason – Boras is in a sudden rush to get this thing done. And that is strange to me. He's typically an agent known for exercising extreme patience in order to get his clients the best deal possible. 

Now he's giving up $35 million from the first agreed-upon contract to settle for a lesser deal with New York, because – in Boras' own words – the Giants wanted to conduct more investigation on the second-largest contract in major-league history. "They advised us they still had questions," he said. "They still wanted to talk to other people, other doctors, go through it."

Sounds like the Twins sang a similar tune, and that was also a deal-breaker. 

Based on the information currently out there, it's easy to hold the Giants accountable as incompetent and noncommittal fools in this situation. Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports that, "It sounds as if there was a very old Correa injury - pre MLB - that was raised as a potential issue. It has not cropped up again. None of Correa’s other physical issues have required medical intervention or ongoing treatment."

Slusser adds: "If this was a true medical concern, it sounds a little tenuous - and if it was a matter of cold feet, that’s usually ownership. Not the front office."

Doesn't sound so good for the Giants. But then, the information being relayed to Slusser is pretty clearly coming from Boras – notably, she was quick to tweet initially that Correa's medial issue did NOT involve his back, at a time when no other details were emerging – and the team has thus far been silent.

One report from Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area indicates that the Giants were concerned about a previous ankle injury that required surgery and insertion of a metal plate, as I speculated yesterday while recalling that the injury had been stirred up during a stolen base attempt with the Twins this past season.

 

Clearly, the Giants were ready to sign Correa. They certainly had the money after missing out on Aaron Judge. An agreement was in place. The press conference was scheduled and ready to go. 

Something spooked them. And given the circumstances, Minnesota's front office wasn't going to blindly dive back in, to the extent they were ever interested in hanging with New York. So as of now, Correa is lined up to play alongside Francisco Lindor, at third base for the Mets. 

Given all that's happened, it's hard to take for granted that's what will play out. But either way it now seems clearer than ever it's time for the Twins to move on.

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[mikelink45]

Like the Twins - it is time to move on from Correa.  

[mnfireman]

8 minutes ago, mikelink45 said:

Like the Twins - it is time to move on from Correa.  

This....

[SanoMustGo]

I think it's great that someone stood up to Boras and one of his clients.  Don't like him...never have, never will.  I understand agents trying to get the best deal, but it seems to me Boras plays a different game.  This time it didn't work.  Sure, Correa got a huge contract, but for once someone turned the table on his agent, and so did the Twins...good fro both organizations.  It figures someone like Cohen would bite...he also is a questionable character.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

50 minutes ago, Nick Nelson said:

Alas, that wasn't to be, because – for whatever reason – Boras is in a sudden rush to get this thing done. And that is strange to me. He's typically an agent known for exercising extreme patience in order to get his clients the best deal possible. 

Now he's giving up $35 million from the first agreed-upon contract to settle for a lesser deal with New York, because – in Boras' own words – the Giants wanted to conduct more investigation on the second-largest contract in major-league history. "They advised us they still had questions," he said. "They still wanted to talk to other people, other doctors, go through it."

This passage is key. Thanks, Nick. 

I don’t have the time to catch up on the other threads, but I’ve glanced through, and seen the “Giants got cold feet” argument made. I don’t buy it. Boras doesn’t move on that fast and leave that money on the table if there’s nothing there. Your suggestion that it’s the ankle makes a lot of sense.

[h2oface]

I guess the Twins' crack staff missed whatever it was last year. Interesting.

[Riverbrian]

41 million was spent by the Twins shortly after the Giants deal with Correa was announced and before the Correa deal with the Giants fell apart. 

Making assumptions like everyone else. I assume budgeting is a part of the process. Is it possible that the landscape had changed in between these two amazing San Francisco events?

 

[CRF]

Oh well...looks like it's about time to start bringing in the 5th tier FA's, and see if we can strike gold. That usually works for us...doesn't it? 

[KirbyDome89]

"So there you have it. I'm not sure anyone can hold the Twins front office at fault in this situation, given that they merely appear to have been doing their due diligence."

He would've undergone a physical last year in MN. The article mentions that the Twins had "a solid understanding of Correa’s medical history, having just employed him," and that the leg injury he suffered in the minors has never caused him to miss time in 8 ML seasons. The Mets were also a team that passed on Paddack last year due to medical concerns, but now the Twins being outbid by the Mets is "due diligence?" That's a fairly massive spin job. 

I'm gonna call BS on the idea that the Twins were eager and/or willing to jump back in and spend the money it would've taken to sign Correa. Why would Boras wait on a team that was still $30M short, and had zero intention of even getting to $300M?  How many other teams were actually in on Correa, and of them, how many had enough room in their budget to throw a better offer at him than NY? Isn't MN's unwillingness to spend, and NY's enthusiasm to do so a much more plausible explanation than some mysterious malady which hasn't affected Correa in nearly a decade, and was completely off the Twins radar during both their own physical and the entirety of the year he played for the organization? 

[Fighting4par]

yayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy

[Danchat]

I'm still trying to understand what's going on with the Giants here... on the Twins side, this reads to me like Falvine did want Correa back, but ownership wouldn't let them go past $285M and/or 10 years. If the offer was still on the table, I don't see why they wouldn't bump it up a little bit if they really wanted him... but keeping the offer on the table makes it sound like they did want him back. Confusing situation!!

[Azviking101]

This article acts like Correa is only allowed to be given one physical a year and acts like the Mets won’t be allowed to perform one and the Twins wouldn’t have been able to either. Twins didn’t want to spend the money, simple at that. 
 

oh, it’s a nick Nelson article. Should have expected that. Always leaving out key details that don’t fit his narrative 

[KirbyDome89]

7 minutes ago, Hosken Bombo Disco said:

I don’t buy it. Boras doesn’t move on that fast and leave that money on the table if there’s nothing there

There might not have been money left at the table. Boras could've read "I need some time," as the beginning stage of a breakup and decided to get out in front of it. 

[Nick Nelson]

23 minutes ago, h2oface said:

I guess the Twins' crack staff missed whatever it was last year. Interesting.

I mean, let's be honest, you're evaluating through a different lens when you're talking about a 3-year deal vs. a 13-year-deal. 

[USAFChief]

1 minute ago, Nick Nelson said:

I mean, let's be honest, you're evaluating through a different lens when you're talking about a 3-year deal vs. a 13-year-deal. 

Yet you believe they offered a 10 year deal. Is that a "different lens?"

[Nick Nelson]

7 minutes ago, Azviking101 said:

This article acts like Correa is only allowed to be given one physical a year and acts like the Mets won’t be allowed to perform one and the Twins wouldn’t have been able to either. Twins didn’t want to spend the money, simple at that. 
 

oh, it’s a nick Nelson article. Should have expected that. Always leaving out key details that don’t fit his narrative 

No one is acting that way. I specifically said: "That's not to say they intended to increase their offer even if the medicals checked out – sure sounds like they had reached their definitive max."

And I also concluded by saying there's no assurance his deal will be completed by the Mets, because yes, he still needs to get through a physical. (Though something tells me Cohen will be less scrutinizing.)

Seems like you just missed those details!

[AceWrigley]

Also, New York is a BIG market and the Mets are stacked to make a World Series run. I think Carlos wants to play there.

[Nick Nelson]

25 minutes ago, KirbyDome89 said:

I'm gonna call BS on the idea that the Twins were eager and/or willing to jump back in and spend the money it would've taken to sign Correa. 

Where was that idea presented?? 

[Richie the Rally Goat]

33 minutes ago, Hosken Bombo Disco said:

This passage is key. Thanks, Nick. 

I don’t have the time to catch up on the other threads, but I’ve glanced through, and seen the “Giants got cold feet” argument made. I don’t buy it. Boras doesn’t move on that fast and leave that money on the table if there’s nothing there. Your suggestion that it’s the ankle makes a lot of sense.

Good job Twins FO taking a breath and asking to dig deeper on the medicals.

I’ve been hard on Falvine, but not getting sucked in was a difficult choice, and probably a good decision. It does raise questions why the team didn’t have better medicals on Correa than the giants…

[Fire Dan Gladden]

Wait... You mean we can't blame the FO anymore?  Doggone it.  What are we going to talk about NOW?

[Nick Nelson]

9 minutes ago, USAFChief said:

Yet you believe they offered a 10 year deal. Is that a "different lens?"

10 years and 285 is different from 13 years and 350, obviously. And I'm sure they would've conducted a renewed physical with different criteria.

What is your belief here, that San Francisco just got cold feet for no apparent reason? 

[Linus]

The idea that SF suddenly got cold feet is silly. They had plenty of time to thoroughly consider the signing. The most plausible explanation is they wanted to insure the contract and the insurance company had an issue with the medicals.  

[USAFChief]

7 minutes ago, Nick Nelson said:

10 years and 285 is different from 13 years and 350, obviously. And I'm sure they would've conducted a renewed physical with different criteria.

What is your belief here, that San Francisco just got cold feet for no apparent reason? 

10 years is significantly different than 13?

A renewed physical with "different criteria?" WHAT?

 

My belief is the Twins were never seriously considering signing Carlos Correa. 

The rest is smokescreen.  There is zero possibility his ankle had anything to do with their decision. What possible new information would there be? They knew about Correa's 2014 ankle injury LAST year. You're telling me legitimately thought 10 years and $285m was OK last week, but NOW they needed "due diligence?" 

[Fire Dan Gladden]

10 minutes ago, Richie the Rally Goat said:

Good job Twins FO taking a breath and asking to dig deeper on the medicals.

I’ve been hard on Falvine, but not getting sucked in was a difficult choice, and probably a good decision. It does raise questions why the team didn’t have better medicals on Correa than the giants…

Don't be so sure they didn't.  Could be that the term and dollars that were offered were capped there for a reason, be it insurability or otherwise.

[KirbyDome89]

2 minutes ago, Nick Nelson said:

Where was that idea presented?? 

"If Minnesota wanted Correa, Boras conveyed, the team needed to improve its earlier offer – even though Correa appeared compromised with the Giants. The Twins would not have advanced the conversation without investigating the potential issues caused by Correa’s physical."

What else would the bolded imply? 

[Richie the Rally Goat]

1 minute ago, Fire Dan Gladden said:

Don't be so sure they didn't.  Could be that the term and dollars that were offered were capped there for a reason, be it insurability or otherwise.

Good point!

[KirbyDome89]

6 minutes ago, Linus said:

The idea that SF suddenly got cold feet is silly. They had plenty of time to thoroughly consider the signing. The most plausible explanation is they wanted to insure the contract and the insurance company had an issue with the medicals.  

If the money spooked them, is not cold feet? Whether it's insurance, an owner stepping in, ect it doesn't matter. 

[Nick Nelson]

6 minutes ago, KirbyDome89 said:

"If Minnesota wanted Correa, Boras conveyed, the team needed to improve its earlier offer – even though Correa appeared compromised with the Giants. The Twins would not have advanced the conversation without investigating the potential issues caused by Correa’s physical."

What else would the bolded imply? 

Ah. I found it difficult to get a read on what was implied there. I perceived it as saying "we're not going to go back to our previous offer until we get a handle on this, and either way we're not raising our offer." Because of how definitive the following part was about not wanting to increase their offer.

[nicksaviking]

26 minutes ago, Nick Nelson said:

10 years and 285 is different from 13 years and 350, obviously. And I'm sure they would've conducted a renewed physical with different criteria.

What is your belief here, that San Francisco just got cold feet for no apparent reason? 

10 for 285M was never getting this done and the Twins had to know that. He wasn’t going to do a deal less than, Seager, Lindor and Turner. Correa and Boras would probably have rather done another 1-year, make-good deal.

But why wouldn’t the Twins know all about Correa’s medicals? They signed him last year. Did this uber conservative team just say screw it, we’ll do this potential 100M contract ?  Because if there WAS something off with him, that would put the two 35M option years in a different light. Doubtful; they should have known all there was to know already, and more so than any other team. They needed no more time to vet this.

But what really gets me is why is this coming from The Athletic?!? Where are OUR reporters? Doogie just did an interview with Falvey and Correa’s name never came up once. How the hell is that journalism?!?

[Nick Nelson]

15 minutes ago, USAFChief said:

10 years is significantly different than 13?

A renewed physical with "different criteria?" WHAT?

 

My belief is the Twins were never seriously considering signing Carlos Correa. 

The rest is smokescreen.  There is zero possibility his ankle had anything to do with their decision. What possible new information would there be? They knew about Correa's 2014 ankle injury LAST year. You're telling me legitimately thought 10 years and $285m was OK last week, but NOW they needed "due diligence?" 

Who's to say the ankle injury wasn't aggravated in some way this past season? Like, say, on the slide where he admitted he got scared because it was "vibrating"?

Are you under the impression he would not undergo another physical, and they'd just use last year's? "Knowing about" an injury is not the issue, everyone knew about the injury including the Giants when they agreed to the deal.