Steve71

Insuring the contract could actually be the key to all this. I have no idea how many insurers write these policies for these ginormous contracts, but I suspect it is a small number that do so. I am sure the Twins also intended to insure Correa's contract, and if the insurer for the Giants had concerns and would not underwrite the policy without more medical information/investigation, I strongly suspect the Twins would have the same problem on their end. Indeed, I would not be surprised to learn it is the same insurer utilized by both teams. Cohen may not even need or want to pay the premiums and insure the contract, removing that issue entirely. I am just spitballing, but it would fit the information we have so far.....

2 quick observations: 1) In hindsight, I wish the Twins had never signed Correa for the single year. He was never going to re-sign with Minnesota, the Twins took on all the risk of major injury, and he used that year to get a huge contract with another team. 2) Even if the Twins had re-signed Correa, they were going nowhere unless a number of their young players returned to health and/or blossomed in 2023. If they do, the Twins will be good without Correa and can look to add as necessary at the trade deadline. If not, we don't have 10-13 years of huge contract to complain about.

Someone needs to craft a plan that has a hard cap, a hard floor, revenue sharing AND that the MLBPA also endorses, by guaranteeing a certain percentage of income goes to the players. More money needs to be going to talented younger players who risk having their careers shortened by injury, and less to a handful of superstars all living in the big media markets.

Correa to Mets, Mets luxury tax exceeds the Twins entire payroll, and no one in MLB management gives a damn. Verdict is in: Broken. I think I am going to find a minor league team to adopt..

I was and am aware that players play income taxes where they play the games, I was simplifying for purposes of the discussion. Certainly a huge extra chunk of his contract will go to New York state and city. This also ignores the cost of living differential. I am quite positive Correa establishes Florida for his home state, even though I actually have no idea where his home is. Possibly Texas, which also has no state income tax.

Ran some numbers. The individual income tax rate differential between New York state and Minnesota is only 1%, but NYC itself has a city income tax that is almost 4% for top bracket. Crunch the numbers, and the tax differential alone eats up over $15M of the Mets' contract with Correa. Let's face it, he did not want to come here, he wanted a big market highly competitive team....along with the generational money of course.

I will simply refer readers to the "Baseball Remains Broken" thread on the Other Baseball folder. Cohen does not give a rip about luxury taxes, which establishes convincingly that a luxury tax does absolutely nothing to promote parity in MLB. Correa's latest move shows he was interested in both Dior money combined with a big market and a championship-caliber team. Minnesota is none of those, and likely never will be with the way MLB runs its business. If this latest move doesn't make it hard to root for a small or mid-market team, I am not sure what does. Payroll for the Mets plus taxes now almost $400M. We have teams around $50M. How can that possibly compute? MLB needs its Pete Rozelle.

I will simply refer readers to the "Baseball Remains Broken" thread on the Other Baseball folder. Cohen does not give a rip about luxury taxes, which establishes convincingly that a luxury tax does absolutely nothing to promote parity in MLB. Correa's latest move shows he was interested in both Dior money combined with a big market and a championship-caliber team. Minnesota is none of those, and likely never will be with the way MLB runs its business. If this latest move doesn't make it hard to root for a small or mid-market team, I am not sure what does. Payroll for the Mets plus taxes now almost $400M. We have teams around $50M. How can that possibly compute? MLB needs its Pete Rozelle.

I am not sure it is really fair or appropriate to speculate on another human being's health condition. This could be literally anything, from non-serious to life threatening. We will know when we are allowed to know what can be disclosed. The only thing that is fair to surmise is that it is significant enough to warrant cancelling the press conference and pause any contract signing while it is sorted out medically. We need to show some class, even with the "Dior comment" and the fact that he chose to sign a much better contract with another team, which 99.999999% of us would have done in the same circumstances.

I will say that if they hang on to Kepler, an OF consisting of Gallo-Buxton-Kepler would be very strong defensively, probably the best in MLB. And with fly ball pitchers like Ryan, that is no small thing.

He does have 77 career home runs with men on base, so that is a pretty good sacrifice fly....that goes over the fence.

That is a long, rich contract. I think we dodged a bullet on that one. The only big contract I wish the Twins would have paid is Rodon's, and he would not have signed that with the Twins anyways....and it is the riskiest of the bunch. Sign a couple of relievers and hope the young and injured play great!

I am not thrilled by the signing, but I get it. It is a long-shot chance that he re-emerges and likes hitting to the short porch in Target Field. Here is the stat on Gallo that blows my mind: In 2364 at bats, he has 3 sacrifice flies. How is that even possible??????

Rodon rebuffed the Twins overtures 2 years in a row. He was never coming here, folks.

None at this time. Only possible consideration would be Arraez, others have plenty of remaining control and are not superstars. If Miranda puts together a great year, he would also be a candidate next offseason.

The Twins' offer was fair, and I reject the concept that they intentionally bid something they knew he would not take. That is completely unsupported by any actual reporting and is illogical. I am relieved to see the vast majority agree that the Giants' offer was a massive overpay--especially the contract length. They can afford to gaffe the last several years, the Twins cannot, even adjusting for inflation. We also do not know the details of the Twins' offer. Multiple opt outs? For whom and when? Incentive clauses? No trade or restrictive trade clauses until he reaches 10/5 status? Time to move on and use the resources as constructively as possible.

Selected reading much? 1) I think you are in the minority if you think the Twins should have paid the same contract to Correa (assuming he would take it from the Twins, which I doubt; we would likely have to pay even MORE.) 2) At current tax rates, Correa will pay an extra $12.25M in California taxes on that contract. And California is threatening to raise the top individual rate to 27%, which would make the MN offer higher net dollars. Even at the current rates, the Twins AAV was $2.5M per year higher, but of course we were not paying him when he is 41. 3) I said the Twins should consider "candidates" for extensions. You immediately jumped to the second highest such early extension in history, Franco. We don't have a Franco on the roster, so that is inapplicable. 4) Correa is projected at about 4-5 WAR. The Twins were under .500 WITH him on the roster. We are not "on the brink" of contention unless a ton of young players blossom and the injury bug leaves town. None of that is impacted on whether we have Correa or Swanson or Farmer or whomever as SS in any meaningful way. We are many, many pieces from a complete high-level team. 5) Again, please read what I wrote. I would only consider that for the Twins if the Padres ate a big portion of the contract. But if we can get Tatis at a third of what we would have paid Correa, sign me us, even if he plays LF instead of SS in the future.

Well, the Giants have won 3 World Series since 2010, and won 107 games in 2021. The Twins have not even won a single playoff game in the last 18 years. The Twins have won over 100 games one time in their franchise history, 101 in 2019. The Giants spend like a big-market team. The Twins do not. Which team would you rather play on?

Some thoughts: 1) How many of us would say "Yes" if Correa would have signed the identical deal with the Twins? I vote "No". 2) With California's 13% income tax, the Twins AAV deal was actually very, very competitive. I think Correa chose the Giants because he sees them as a better franchise long-term to get him into the playoffs consistently. Difficult to argue with that analysis. 3) Twins should use their financial "cushion" this year creatively. Extend a promising young player ala the Rays. Candidates might be Miranda or one of the young pitchers (not Ryan, too old). 4) Another use of that cushion would be to absorb another team's short-term bad contract and collect some good prospects. 5) I would call San Diego and see if the rumors that Tatis is hated in the clubhouse are correct, and whether they want to swing a deal to get rid of him, paying part of that ginormous contract. That might enable the Padres to sign Rodon or another target. I refer readers to the "Baseball Remains Broken" thread for a complete discussion about how imbalanced MLB has become.

13 years, $350M. Good luck to all. That is a ridiculous contract.

I like Swanson. He is a very, very good player who would make the Twins a better team if signed. He is clearly not as strong a player as Correa based on past track record, but time will only tell as to how they both play in the future. My feeling is that if Correa signs elsewhere, Swanson is hardly a "consolation prize" and Twins fans should be well pleased if he comes to play here. The Twins might have more financial resources and flexibility if Swanson is signed vs. Correa, too. And he could outperform Correa, too.

Solid and necessary move. Keep 'er going FO.

I personally have not gotten my hopes up on Rodon as I have zero expectation or indication that the Twins will sign him. I think he is the best pitcher on the market, save perhaps DeGrom. I would love to see him on the Twins. I just think it is a massive long-shot. I think we should get a 2 for 1 special from Boros and sign both of the Carlos'.

MLB Trade Rumors just posted a lengthy article indicating the Mariners want a left handed hitting 2nd baseman and that the FA market is pretty naked. I like Polanco, and perhaps we would be selling low after a down year, but the guy should fetch a very healthy return on a reasonable contract. Hopefully that return would be excellent, and it would also open a spot for Julien and, after recovery, someone like Lewis is we sign a FA SS like Correa. Thoughts? Any juicy targets in the Mariners system we could expect in return? BTV has him set at 19.9, which is probably low for the former All Star who has the bonus of being a switch hitter....

Cross posting this from other thread, some Rule 5 draft prospects to consider? Some possibilities: Maverick Handley from Orioles; Antonio Gomez from Yankees; Drew Millas from Nat's; Dominic Miroglio from Diamondbacks; Kile Cottam and Stephen Scott from Red Sox. Twins haven't drafted anyone for a while, but they might like one of these catchers....