Goodbye Eddie?

Every team will be in the same boat. And money will be tight, not knowing what 2021 will bring. I feel worse for players in the pipeline losing a year in their development life. Still wonder how minor league play will play into this whole televised season thing. I doubt that places like Rohcester and Chattanooga will be hotbeds of baseball. Minor league travel is worse than major league travel. Might be best to do just a couple of 3-4 week seasons. Kinda like Cape Cod league or something.

I go a lump in my throat just reading the words Goodbye Eddie?  I've been a huge fan of Eddie all the way back to his days with the Beloit Snappers.  I first read about him when he narrowly edged out highly touted Miguel Sano for the team HR title in Elizabethton.  The outfield depth in the Twins minor league system may eventually leave Rosario the odd man out, but deep down I certainly hope Eddie is around for a number of years in a Minnesota Twins uniform.  I love his enthusiasm for the game, his aggressive style (which can be maddening at times-I get it.)  With Buxton's history of injuries, who knows what the future holds doe Eddie?

I had missed the arbitration arrangement Matthew states for 2021 if there is no season. Makes sense. Regardless of that fact:

1] Rosario had an OK year and was on pace for a really nice year until injury. We've all been down this arguement already. And what is the new statistic that was just written about here a month or so ago? I want to say it was weighted RBI? A measurement not just of RBI but taking advantage of said opportunities successfully, and it indicated he had a very good year, injury slide notwithstanding.

2] Even if arbitration $ weren't "frozen" for 2021 if no season, the budget could surely allow for another approximately $3M to keep Rosario for at least another season. (Even with $ possibly coming off the books, even though that's not guaranteed due to possible re-signings).

3] Even if Rooker, Larnach and Kirilloff had complete 2020 seasons, that certainly doesn't guarantee any of them are ready to step in for Rosario, though it seems highly likely. They still have to have healthy and productive seasons to seize opportunity. And Marwin is part of the fall back option and there is no guarantee he is re-signed. And at this point, we don't even know if milb will exist in any format even if MLB gets in an abbreviated season.

I will be shocked if Rosario isn't with the Twins through 2021.

Even if arbitration wasn't officially frozen...how do you go in to an arbitration hearing asking for substantially more money if you didn't play?

I think baseball is going to find a way to have some kind of a season; truncated, maybe played without fans in the stands, but I don't think the entire season will get wiped out, but maybe that's just me.

It would be a tremendous shame if a player like Eddie Rosario never played another game in MN. 

I expect that Matt was assuming that arbitration numbers would be the same because they would be based on the same previous season as those awarded last winter.  To my knowledge, this wasn't included in the preliminary agreement worked out a few months ago.

I expect in the real world, however, arbitration awards would go down.  Although there will be much uncertainty related to the 2021 season should 2020 not exist, one certainty will be that major league teams will be coming off large losses with many unknowns for 2021.  I expect an arbitrator will consider those unknowns.  I also expect both teams and most agents will also take those into consideration when setting their demands which will likely be lower. 

And if we are saying goodbye to Eddie it will be a sad day in my baseball world. 

The Twins are going to need to cut payroll significantly next year. I think many teams in small and middle markets will be letting go of players like Rosario.

It could a very odd structure of tiered salaries for the next year or two with players who have guaranteed money earning much more than those with expiring contracts unless some kind of agreement is made with the player’s association. Contracts like Donaldson’s are going to be a much bigger burden.

Say what you want about Eddie, and maybe the numbers do not back up what I am about to say, but there is almost no one else I would want up in high leverage situation than him.  He thrives on "clutch" situations.  He seems to excel at them to, or maybe he just gets more chances not sure.  I know teams are always willing to pitch to him, assuming they can throw anything up there and he will chase, but he seems to come through.  Again, no numbers to back this up, just my perception.  

That being said, I would welcome bringing in Kiroloff.  I expect big things from that kid. From moment they drafted him I thought he would be a great hitter.  He has done nothing to make me doubt that. 

The Twins are going to need to cut payroll significantly next year. I think many teams in small and middle markets will be letting go of players like Rosario.

 

It could a very odd structure of tiered salaries for the next year or two with players who have guaranteed money earning much more than those with expiring contracts unless some kind of agreement is made with the player’s association. Contracts like Donaldson’s are going to be a much bigger burden.

Hey, curious about your comment on the Twins needing to cut payroll next year. Is that based on existing payroll and arbitration numbers for 2021 etc, or is it based on current payroll and loses from an abbreviated 2020 season?

Different sites I glance at have the 2020 payroll between $131-137M. They all seem to calculate slightly differently, but I don't believe any of the numbers I saw factor in the $10M from the Dodgers for this season. So just curious as to your thoughts.

I think this hinges on what happens in the minors this year. I can't see the team banking on a prospect if they didn't get their development time in 2020.

Hey, curious about your comment on the Twins needing to cut payroll next year. Is that based on existing payroll and arbitration numbers for 2021 etc, or is it based on current payroll and loses from an abbreviated 2020 season?

Different sites I glance at have the 2020 payroll between $131-137M. They all seem to calculate slightly differently, but I don't believe any of the numbers I saw factor in the $10M from the Dodgers for this season. So just curious as to your thoughts.

It is the revenue loss this year that will drive the need to reduce the payroll. They are extended a little further than other similarly revenued teams so it will be harder to bounce back. I think they will take a hard look at every contract that is not guaranteed.