Ben Reimler

With snow falling precipitously, and the hangover of the holiday season settling in, it’s impossible not to wishfully envision the return of Major League Baseball this spring. But it will be 52 days until the Minnesota Twins take the field against the Tampa Bay Rays for their first spring training match-up of the year. In the meantime, I’m left to reflect on a disappointing season for our ballclub and pose to myself the annual question: “why can’t I quit the Minnesota Twins?” Typically, this question is rhetorical. Yet, with the few offseason moves having already either been celebrated or panned, I thought I’d spend time in the doldrums of winter answering this question. In 2005, the Minnesota Twins and third-year skipper, Ron Gardenhire, entered the season off a first-place finish in the AL Central the year before. While the club would finish above .500, they wouldn’t repeat as AL Central champions, falling to third in the division. This disappointing finish mattered less to me than a weeknight game in late August. On Tuesday, August 23, 2005, the Minnesota Twins entered play against the division-leading Chicago White Sox 9.5 games back. Though dim, hope remained of a playoff push, and with Johan Santana patrolling the mound, 33,572 ventured to the Metrodome to cheer on the Minnesota Twins. Just as Santana went to battle against the White Sox sluggers, my family and I undertook our own battle: a fraught relationship with time management. My family and I had tickets to this game, but with a two-and-a-half-hour drive from Wisconsin, a delayed start from our home, and Twin Cities traffic, we wouldn’t arrive until the game’s pivotal moment. I sulked in the car, knowing we would miss most of the game. Undeterred, however, my Mom and Dad hustled me through the billowing winds of the Metrodome’s entrance. We darted through the concourse, until the field came into view. The bottom of the eighth inning was just underway – did I mention we have a tenuous relationship with time management? – and the “thwack” of the bat snapped me out of my disappointment. Jacque Jones’ home run soared over the center field wall and ended Freddy Garcia’s no-hit bid. Joe Nathan would then enter in the ninth inning to clinch the Twins’ 1-0 victory. I don’t remember whether I had time to enjoy a Kramarczuk's brat that night– I suspect not – but I do know I wouldn’t trade this early Twins memory for anything (well, maybe for Zac Gallen). Baseball is unpredictable. A team can lose 88 games, finish in last place, and the following season, parade a World Series trophy down I-35. Similarly, without a clock to dictate the game’s finish, a family can arrive long after the first pitch is thrown, but still witness the game’s decisive swing. All that’s promised is that in 89 days, each team will begin with the same record; the unpredictable unfolding 162 times over. That’s why I can’t quit the Minnesota Twins.

With snow falling precipitously, and the hangover of the holiday season settling in, it’s impossible not to wishfully envision the return of Major League Baseball this spring. But it will be 52 days until the Minnesota Twins take the field against the Tampa Bay Rays for their first spring training match-up of the year. In the meantime, I’m left to reflect on a disappointing season for our ball club and pose to myself the annual question: “why can’t I quit the Minnesota Twins?” Typically, this question is rhetorical. Yet, with the few offseason moves having already either been celebrated or panned, I thought I’d spend time in the doldrums of winter answering this question. In 2005, the Minnesota Twins and third-year skipper, Ron Gardenhire, entered the season off a first-place finish in the AL Central the year before. While the club would finish above .500, they wouldn’t repeat as AL Central champions, falling to third in the division. This disappointing finish mattered less to me than a weeknight game in late August. On Tuesday, August 23, 2005, the Minnesota Twins entered play against the division-leading Chicago White Sox 9.5 games back. Though dim, hope remained of a playoff push, and with Johan Santana patrolling the mound, 33,572 ventured to the Metrodome to cheer on the Minnesota Twins. Just as Santana went to battle against the White Sox sluggers, my family and I undertook our own battle: a fraught relationship with time management. My family and I had tickets to this game, but with a two-and-a-half-hour drive from Wisconsin, a delayed start from our home, and Twin Cities traffic, we wouldn’t arrive until the game’s pivotal moment. I sulked in the car, knowing we would miss most of the game. Undeterred, however, my Mom and Dad hustled me through the billowing winds of the Metrodome’s entrance. We darted through the concourse, until the field came into view. The bottom of the eighth inning was just underway – did I mention we have a tenuous relationship with time management? – and the “thwack” of the bat snapped me out of my disappointment. Jacque Jones’ home run soared over the center field wall and ended Freddy Garcia’s no-hit bid. Joe Nathan would then enter in the ninth inning to clinch the Twins’ 1-0 victory. I don’t remember whether I had time to enjoy a Kramarczuk's brat that night– I suspect not – but I do know I wouldn’t trade this early Twins memory for anything (well, maybe for Zac Gallen). Baseball is unpredictable. A team can lose 88 games, finish in last place, and the following season, parade a World Series trophy down I-35. Similarly, without a clock to dictate the game’s finish, a family can arrive long after the first pitch is thrown, but still witness the game’s decisive swing. All that’s promised is that in 89 days, each team will begin with the same record; the unpredictable unfolding 162 times over. That’s why I can’t quit the Minnesota Twins.

I know Royce Lewis has actually seen big-league action, but one of the best parts of his game was speed. Given that he's now torn his ACL twice, I think that attribute suffers, so I'd argue Brooks Lee has the highest upside. How about you?

Last spring’s signing of Carlos Correa was as unfathomable as it was exciting. Coming off a disappointing 2021 season, this was a much needed jolt for Twins’ territory. This unlikely pairing, however, overshadowed two fundamental dynamics for the club. First, even after inking the superstar shortstop, the Twins were projected by most systems to finish around the .500 mark. Much to our chagrin, it turns out there was validity to these projections, as the Twins finished 78-84. As welcomed as it was, Correa’s presence also eclipsed discussion of an emerging young core on the Twins’ roster. In fact, in 2022, the Minnesota Twins were the 11th youngest roster in baseball. Even if we assume that Correa won’t rejoin the Twins for their 2023 campaign, shouldn’t this potential promise elicit excitement from fans? To put it another way, despite the youth on the Twins’ roster, why does the future of the club feel underwhelming? Before turning our attention to the youth on the Twins’ roster, the performance of Minnesota mainstays is partially responsible for the apathy ahead of 2023. Byron Buxton has unquestionably been worth his contract, but it’s fair to say the slugger’s chronic health issues are frustrating. While durable, Jorge Polanco appears to be on the descent. Miguel Sano’s uneven and inconsistent play ushered in the end of his time in the land of 10,000 lakes. And Max Kepler and Luis Arraez may soon find themselves in different uniforms. Kenta Maeda, Tyler Mahle, and Sonny Gray have the most service time of Twins’ hurlers, but questions abound about the health of Mahle and Maeda, in particular. Whether age-driven decline, health concerns, or both, the output from veteran Twins is highly uncertain. So, will the youth movement lift the Twins? Let’s get this out of the way: Jose Miranda, Royce Lewis, Joe Ryan, and Jhoan Duran may all find themselves in an All-Star game in the near future; Falvey and Levine deserve credit for finding and cultivating this talent. Additionally, after a strong 2023 MiLB season, Matt Wallner may soon find himself navigating right field at Target Field more regularly. With Alex Kiriloff and Trevor Larnach, however, expectations have been severely tempered. Both Kiriloff and Larnach have little defensive upside, and with persistent injuries, their contributions at the plate have been limited. Though a positive WAR player, Ryan Jeffers’ struggles to throw out base stealers and cold-streaks at the plate have shrunk his upside. On the pitching side, the Twins will enter 2023 with a host of starting arms that are quality depth pieces, but don’t move the needle. Bailey Ober, Cole Sands, and Josh Winder are major league pitchers, but their proper home is in the back of a rotation. Ronny Henriquez, Blayne Enlow and Jordan Balazovic, meanwhile, remain question marks until they’ve had time to prove themselves. Though anchored by Duran and Jorge Lopez, Cody Stashak, Griffin Jax, Caleb Theilbar, and Jorge Alcala actually create a high-ceiling for the Twins’ bullpen, albeit with a low floor. Yet, it’s hard to blame fans for not getting overly enthused by bullpen arms. Taken together, the 2023 Minnesota Twins may have depth, but high-end talent is in short supply. There are more questions than answers amongst Twins veterans, and as an organization, the Twins only have one global top-100 prospect (Brooks Lee). Maybe Falvey and Levine will surprise us all by reuniting with Carlos Correa or adding a front-line starting arm. If not, both the young core and veterans on this roster are largely serviceable but not special. A young core, supplemented by talented veterans is a regular blueprint across Major League Baseball, and it appears that’s the hope for the Falvey and Levine administration. Here’s the problem: uncertainty over Minnesota’s veterans looms large and much of the youth on this roster have a limited upside.

I think Eovaldi is an intriguing target, and I don't think the Twins front office should waive the white flag on a Frankie Montas trade. I also think reuniting with C.J. Cron is worth considering. Cron has been outstanding in the Mile High City, and would have 1.5 years of control left at the deadline.

I would tend to agree with you. I think welcoming back C.J. Cron is the most exciting option, and also carries the most upside. Not to mention, I value the fact that he carries an additional year on his contract.

Much has been – and will continue to be – written about the Twins’ need to acquire more arms before the trade deadline; that’s absolutely true. Less explored, however, is whether the Twins might be in the market for a lineup addition. With the usual caveat that the trade deadline is months away, it’s never too early to speculate on moves that might bolster an organization looking to end a postseason drought. Between an imminent exit for Miguel Sano, an overmatched rookie who needs further development in Jose Miranda, and an out-of-position Luis Arraez, acquiring a slugging first baseman could be a sensible move. With that in mind, here are three targets the Twins could look to welcome (or reacquaint) to Minnesota: Trey Mancini: Once again, Baltimore finds themselves in the basement of the American League East and staring up at a multi-year climb back to relevance. This home run derby alum is in the last year of his contract and his Statcast page paints a picture of a slugger continuing to frighten pitchers. Given that Mancini’s services would only be “rented” for half a season, it would also likely be a more economical option. Josh Bell: Much like Mancini, Bell is headed for free agency at the conclusion of the 2022 campaign. Though the National’s first baseman has struggled to barrel balls with consistency this season (32% barrell%), his intrinsic power and max exit velocity offers an intriguing upside. C.J. Cron: Cron was an important contributor to the thrilling 2019 Bomba Squad Twins, and has continued to slug in the Mile High City. With a .319/.364/.604 (.969 OPS) line, Cron’s 2022 numbers are well-above his career averages. Of course this could be attributed to the Coors Field effect, but Cron’s Statcast page suggests a deeper reason for optimism. In addition to adding a power bat in the Twins lineup for a postseason push, Cron is also under contract through the 2023 season. Do any of these power hitters intrigue you? What additions do you think should be in the Twins’ future? COMMENT below.

The seasonal tradition of bemoaning the many false-starts of Minnesota’s spring is typically accompanied by an equally frustrating tradition: questioning whether it’s too early to panic about the Twins. If recent history is our guide, we may be fast-approaching that point. Of the five American League teams that punched tickets to the playoffs last season, none started worse than 5-7. Now admittedly, that’s a small sample size, but it reinforces the conventional baseball wisdom that good, playoff teams avoid spiraling losing streaks. While only one 2021 AL playoff team (the Boston Red Sox) finished their first 12 games above .500, the remaining four closed out the opening month of their campaigns close to or above the .500 mark. The New York Yankees owned the worst April record of the 2021 AL contenders at 12-15. At the current pace of the 2022 Minnesota Twins, they’ll be lucky to sniff 10 wins throughout the month of April. Simply put, these games matter too and that’s not good enough. The Twins’ offseason was certainly exciting, but it’s now time to demonstrate that those signings and trades will translate to victories. Given an underwhelming 2020 and an abysmal 2021, the current iteration of the Minnesota Twins – front office to club house – have not earned our patience. If the (recent) past is prologue, it’s time to start piling up series wins and turn the fortunates of this season around.