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Rounding Out the Roster
When you get started, you'll find a number of players preset in their expected roles, although you're free to change and move things around. This base layout brings back most of the incumbents, with Alex Kirilloff in left field, Luis Arraez as the utility man, and Ryan Jeffers as backup catcher. The shortstop and DH positions are open and need to be filled, along with a couple of bench jobs.
On the pitching staff, we've got six spots needing to be filled, and that feels like the bare minimum. (It assumes that Taylor Rogers is back, Joe Ryan gets a rotation spot, and Randy Dobnak opens as the long man in the pen. But again, you can change those too.)
You'll also notice a "Dead Money" section. If we want to realistically reflect payroll obligations, we need a space to account for things like Kenta Maeda's sunk-cost 2022 salary, Alex Colomé's option buyout, and any money being eaten in – say – a Josh Donaldson trade.
Filling Open Spots
If you scroll down in the spreadsheet, you'll find a number of internal options listed for these open roles, along with projected 2022 salaries. These include ready or near-ready prospects, and players with optional contracts.
To include these players in your blueprint, simply copy-paste or write their names into an open field, and then fill in the associated salary, which will be reflected in the TOTAL on the right side.
If you scroll beyond the budget to the far right side of the spreadsheet, you'll find a number of free agent options listed at SP, RP, SS, and Other, although this sample of names only scratches the surface of what we cover throughout the Handbook. Plug in the players and salaries you're adding via free agency or trade to fill out key offseason needs.
Setting Payroll Limits
Of course, it's easy to say "Sign Scherzer, Gausman and Correa" as your grand plan for a dramatic offseason improvement. That'd be sweet. However, Minnesota's front office isn't realistically equipped with a blank check. You'll need to stay within a certain spending threshold, which means you've got finite resources, and must selectively choose where you want to allocate.
The BUDGET field on the right side includes a dropdown menu, which you can use to set your own parameters. Do you think the Twins will realistically cut down significantly on spending in a rebuilding year? Then choose the "Big Cut" option and do your best with $32 million in available payroll. Think ownership will double-down on their championship aspirations and endorse a few big moves? Select a 10% raise.
For what it's worth, Derek Falvey has indicated that he expects payroll to remain relatively steady, so the "Even" option ($130M) might be most probable.
Let's See Your Offseason Blueprint!
We'd love to see what you come up with! Once you've finished filling out your roster, take a screenshot and share it with us on social media or here on the Twins Daily Blogs!
If you are one who took the front office to task for their misses in the previous offseason, here's a chance to back up the talk. Can you fix the Twins? Grab the Offseason Handbook and head over to TwinsPayroll.com – let's see what you've got!
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