Longdistancetwins

In 2019, the Twins put together one of the greatest seasons in franchise history. They won 101 games - second-best in Twins history - and cruised to a division win. Known as the Bomba Squad, the team broke numerous home run records, including MLB’s team record of 307, and they had five players hit 30 or more home runs. It looked like a youth movement was leading the way, but sustained success eluded them, both in the postseason and in subsequent years.
In the postseason, the Yankees swept the Twins. pushing their playoff losing streak to 16 games. People look back at that team as one of the few times the Twins could be considered "true contenders," but in reality, they are blinded by nostalgia. The failures of the team all come down to sustained success. 
Sustained success is something that has been echoed time and time again since Derek Falvey and Thad Levine took over the team in 2016. The reasoning behind it is simple: anything can happen in the playoffs. The more times you make the playoffs, the more chances you have to go on a World Series run. 
The primary way to achieve this level of success is through team control. When trading at the deadline, players are often acquired as rentals. But trading for players with a year or two of team control gives the receiving team much more value. The same goes for signing team-friendly contract extensions. The Twins have committed to this philosophy in recent years through multiple moves.
Pablo Lopez - traded for with two years of team control Chris Paddack - traded for with three years of team control and then a contract extension Tyler Mahle - traded for with 1.5 years of team control Jorge Lopez - traded for with 2.5 years of team control Gio Urshela - trade for with two years of team control Controlling players for multiple years solidifies parts of the team while also giving the organization the financial freedom to build around these players. In 2019, however, the organization ditched this idea.  
2018 was a disappointing year, and in the following offseason, the Twins decided to fill their gaps with one-year rentals. It started in November when the Twins filled their first base gap by picking up CJ Cron off of waivers. Then they signed Jonathan Schoop to a one-year deal at second base, followed up by a one-year deal (plus a team option) to aging slugger Nelson Cruz. In February 2019, the Twins acquired Marwin Gonzalez for a two-year deal. To "fix" their issues in the rotation, they signed Martin Perez to a one-year deal. 
Notice the pattern here? It would have been easy to write off the season, except all those rentals started off hot and propelled the team into playoff contention. It became even more complicated as the season went on.
By midseason, the one-year rentals were already starting to decline. Cron got hurt and had a bad second half. Perez had a hot start but got rocked the rest of the season. Schoop had a bad month in June and was mostly replaced by the up-and-coming Luis Arraez. Only Cruz continued to shine and was awarded the team MVP as a 39-year-old. 
By the time the trade deadline rolled around, either the front office felt that the early season success truly was sustainable despite warning signs, or they felt pressured to make a move to push the team further into contention. They added Sergio Romo and Sam Dyson. Romo was decent to finish the year, and the Dyson trade is arguably one of the worst of Derek Falvey's time. In the end, the acquisitions didn't matter enough, and the Twins fell short of the Yankees in the ALDS.
The 2019 team produced great memories but had a lack of substance behind them. When one takes a step back and looks at the whole picture, one realizes how deceptive the year was in evaluating the Twins' future. The 2019 Twins were entertaining to watch, but when it comes to their effect on the franchise, people are blinded by nostalgia. 

What Derek Falvey and Thad Levine are betting on is that winning will matter most.
There is no denying that Luis Arraez is a good baseball player. He was an All-Star while winning a Silver Slugger and being crowned the American League batting champion in 2022. His .316 average and .375 on-base percentage were noteworthy, and he posted those numbers while transitioning to an entirely new position.
When the Twins re-signed Carlos Correa this offseason, he was reunited with an infield he got to know last year. Arraez was his first baseman, and the group with Jose Miranda and Jorge Polanco became friends. It was a tight-knit infield, and moving on from any of them would bring up a few hurt feelings.
What Correa wants to do, however, is win, and that’s where the front office is focused as well.
It’s not as though the Twins couldn’t win with Arraez, but they certainly have more options at first base than they do in the starting rotation. Pablo Lopez was acquired not to be an ace but instead to fill a need to stock the starting five with as many quality arms as possible. With Lopez raising the bar and providing more pitching depth, it should be expected that Minnesota’s chances go up for the season.
When it was announced that Arraez was being dealt to the Miami Marlins, many fans would miss their batting champion. The last time a reigning batting champ was dealt came at the hands of Minnesota as well, when Rod Carew was sent to the Angels before the 1979 season. Having been fondly compared to each other and being someone incredibly easy to root for, a departure of Arraez was never going to sit well with many.
Entering the 2023 season, Lopez needs to pitch well for the sake of doing so and will forever be connected as the guy Minnesota acquired in giving up Arraez. Fans didn’t need to view Arraez through the same lens as they did Willians Astudillo. The former is a good player with actual utility, whereas the latter was much more of a mascot to distract from poor play. The casual fan may have ventured out to the ballpark wanting to see Arraez, and maybe they’ll stay away scorned at his departure. What has to matter most is generating as many wins as possible.
The Twins need to be both exciting and good at the same time. Eighty-one home games is a substantial amount, and the Twins look to pull as much as possible from ticket sales. There has never been a more affordable sport to watch in person than baseball, yet a team with Arraez and Correa last season wasn’t enough to break records. Wanting to flip the script on another losing season, figuring out a way to push the win total up is where Minnesota knows the money is.
As the 2023 Major League Baseball season gets underway, many fans will still be disappointed that Arraez isn’t in the dugout or taking the field. When the dust settles in October, plenty more fans will have shown up to a team that is committed to winning and puts the right foot forward on a nightly basis.
It’s never easy for a front office to trade a fan favorite, but Minnesota is not Pittsburgh dealing in only goodwill. This team can be good, and when Correa throws over to Alex Kirilloff in securing a postseason victory, everyone will have forgotten about what was while enjoying what is.

Both the Giants and Mets reportedly did not like what they saw on MRI and physical examination regarding his surgically-repaired ankle that he fractured when he was 19 years old and in the minor leagues. What exactly was seen hasn’t been reported, but generally speaking, there are only a couple of pathologies—such as arthritis—that could result in the teams’ physicians taking the stance they did. I do not have inside information on Correa’s condition and this is only educated speculation on my part. (For what it’s worth, the Twins’ doctors were also aware of the status of Correa’s ankle and felt confident enough in its structure to hand out a multi-hundred million dollar deal.)
The stench of the Giants’ and Mets’ findings resulted in Correa losing $150 million from what was originally promised to him, a fact that must sting deep within his core. Correa’s agent, Scott Boras, implied that the interpretation of the MRI his client underwent was the primary instigator behind his struggles to land with a team.
“[T]his scenario is about a large separation in the orthopedic community about functional fitness and clinical exam versus looking at an MRI,” Boras said during Correa’s introductory press conference. “It is a dramatic chasm between how some doctors feel and how other doctors feel about the longevity of a player’s performance.”
Boras is right on the money. Many doctors—particularly orthopedic doctors—subscribe to what is known as the biomedical model. To boil it down simply, the biomedical model believes that health is defined by the absence of pathology. To apply it to Correa, his ankle cannot be healthy because something was found on MRI; in other words, the ankle is something to be concerned about moving forward. 
In many ways, the biomedical model of health is logical, which is why it was so heavily adopted by doctors, particularly in the United States, upon its introduction. However, logic and the body don’t always mesh well. 
Let’s take MRIs for example. MRIs—which stand for magnetic resonance imaging—are wonderful for diagnosing soft tissue injuries, both those that are acute or chronic in nature. If an athlete tears their ACL or strains their hamstring, the extent and exact location of the damage is often determined by MRI.
However, some in the field of orthopedics use what is found on MRI as a way to predict what will happen in the future. The thinking goes something like this: “Well, that individual has a tear in their meniscus. It may not bother them now, but it will in the future, so we better take care of it now.”
Again, this is a perspective based in logic. Damaged tissue or bone is “not normal” (i.e. pathological), the thought goes, and therefore must be remedied (i.e. turn the pathology back to health). However, over the decades, MRI’s ability to accurately predict future injury has been found to be dubious, at best. The meniscus tear or arthritis in the back don’t always come back to haunt the individual; sometimes they simply lay dormant, never causing disruption.
This isn’t logical and is a big reason why many in orthopedics—including myself, full disclosure—believe more in relying on past performance and abilities. “Functional fitness,” as Boras referred to it, is more concerned about “what have you done and what can you do” than “what could happen?”
Carlos Correa has never once gone on the injured list nor has he ever missed time due to ankle pain over the last decade. He has accumulated 32.3 fWAR, won a Platinum Glove, and is on pace to finish his career as a Hall of Famer. Sure, he may have some arthritis and/or some metal in his ankle, but it’s never impacted his ability to perform. Why all of a sudden should we think it will now or anytime in the future?
“One thing I learned throughout the whole process is that doctors have a difference of opinions,” Correa said during his press conference. “I had a lot of doctors tell me I was fine and I had some who said I wasn’t so fine.”
That is really all that Correa’s rollercoaster offseason boils down to. We like to think that medicine is a completely objective field. Players undergo tests, the results are read, and a decision is made. However, much of orthopedics—and especially physical exams—contain a fair amount of subjectivity.
Doctors often have differing opinions; that’s why second opinions exist (and aren’t called second “facts”). The Giants and Mets clearly had a larger issue with Correa’s ankle than the Twins, but that doesn’t inherently mean that the Twins are wrong (or, to be fair, does it mean they are inherently right).
An additional factor in play during Correa’s free agency discussions, it should be noted, was the sheer volume of his potential contracts and the ability for a team to insure such a deal. Suffice it to say, either the Giants or the Mets could have gotten their deals with Correa insured with relatively little issue. (The Twins did, after all.) However, what both teams seemingly did was use Correa’s MRI findings to justify backing out of their agreement and offer something more paltry in return.
The Mets took it even a step further. Their final offer to Correa was a six-year deal for $157.5 million, exactly half of their original, with multiple non-guaranteed years contingent on him passing a yearly physical. Additionally, according to USA Today's Bob Nightengale, they employed the opinion from the exact same orthopedic doctor as the Giants. (Said Boras, "I don’t understand the Mets. I gave them all of the information. We had them talk to four doctors. They knew the issue the Giants had. And yet, they still call the same doctor the Giants used for his opinion. There was no new information. So why negotiate a contract if you were going to rely on the same doctor?") As Aaron Gleeman, John Bonnes, and Dan Hayes discussed astutely in a recent Gleeman and the Geek Patreon podcast, why would Correa agree to such a deal, especially after experiencing firsthand the Mets’ physical exam process?
At the end of the day, the Mets, and to perhaps a lesser extent the Giants, tried to utilize Correa’s body against him in the name of saving money. What is particularly egregious is that the Mets knew full well that they may see something upon exam that they did not like. They agreed to sign him for 12 years and $315 million anyway, only to swiftly pull out the rug from underneath him.
It’s perfectly acceptable for doctors to approach a condition with different viewpoints and opinions. However, the case of Carlos Correa exposed the potential impact differences of opinions—and perhaps outdated medical models—can have on an individual, especially when “just doing business” is involved.

Despite having only spent six months in Minnesota last season, Correa went from a hired gun to the leader in the clubhouse. Story after story last season from numerous beat writers discussed how he became a mentor figure and even offered sage advice to the front office. The fact that Correa knew specific players not just in AAA but kept tabs on those in Single A probably fueled speculation that the shortstop might be interested in a long-term deal. So what does it mean to have Correa as a quasi-manager? And what could he bring to the front office?
Before looking upstairs, it’s important to see what he brings off the field with the players as a mentor. Jose Miranda has built a close relationship with the shortstop, and Correa advocated to ensure the team kept him rather than as a trade piece at the deadline. Some of this was their close national ties (as Correa told Betsy Helfand at The Pioneer Press, “We don’t get many Puerto Rican players in the big leagues that become successful, become superstars, and I want him to become one of those.”), but Correa did plenty to help develop the player as he initially struggled. Much was mental, but Correa also helped him change his diet, the kind of thing you might expect more from a trainer. 
Correa has spread the wealth too. He invited Royce Lewis to dinner before the rookie’s debut and set up the now famous and likely permanent post-game meals in the clubhouse with other players to discuss the mechanics of how the night went. He also talked to pitchers; in one story by Dan Hayes in The Athletic, Correa brought the team together with Michael Fulmer on the mound in Yankee Stadium and recommended the sinker that Gleyber Torres put right into a double play. How often do you hear that a shortstop is essentially playing pitching coach?
It was always striking to see Correa build these relationships so quickly. When Nick Gordon hit a monstrous grand slam last year, Correa organized the curtain call. When Luis Arraez got one last double to ensure his batting title, it was Correa on the steps to hug him first. Perhaps still recovering from the “bad vibes” of 2021, Correa ensured good vibes even as the team’s injuries sunk them out of contention. and 
It's also important to know how Correa took off duties from Byron Buxton, who was happy to lead the clubhouse but remains a critical but more subdued presence. As Buxton often spent hours preparing for the game to get his knee in shape, Correa mentored the other rookies looking to find meaning in what became a difficult season. Buxton pushed hard for Correa, playing a critical role near the end. None of this is to say Buxton isn't a team leader, but it allows two different but compatible styles to build a culture for six more years to come.
Perhaps the more interesting place was Correa’s involvement in Derek Falvey’s office. With his knowledge of minor leaguers and obsessive reading of Baseball America and The Athletic (we’ll see if Twins Daily joins his morning browsing), Correa fed advice to the office on what should be added at the deadline. Correa has been happy to talk to the media not just about his performance but by discussing lesser-known .stats like WRC+ and expected batting averages.
Correa made his presence known, particularly regarding the trade deadline. He was instrumental in part with the Twins grabbing Jorge Lopez from the Orioles—a plan that slightly backfired in retrospect but seemed like an intelligent grab on paper. He also urged the team not to trade Miranda during his red-hot run despite numerous asks (despite a cold run at the end, Miranda posted a 109 WRC+ while Spencer Steer only managed a 77 with the Reds).  This is the kind of person that not just seems to want to help lead the players to victory but rethink what the office looks for (notably, recent hire Kevin Goldstein had been with the Astros during Correa’s time and was hired from Fangraphs only a few weeks after Correa’s addition in 2021). One might ask why the front office at least even humored Correa in a way that they might not for other players regarding recommendations. But when you think about the kind of player he tries to be, he commands attention through knowledge and care. He wants the Twins to have the same "championship culture" that put the Astros on the map.
When a player joins a team for as long as Correa will, there will always be questions about what the future holds. He told the media that Kylo would be “Minnesota Nice,” which suggests the player is here for the long haul. What does that mean after the end of the contract, even if it goes all ten years? Team manager seems all but likely, but Correa’s intelligence of what underlies how players operate and how to talk to them seems even more than simply coaching material. The player-to-GM pipeline has been smaller than desirable, with Chris Young’s recent push into the position down for the Texas Rangers as an exception to the rule. 
Correa seems poised to add himself to the list if he wants it, and perhaps this is the first time anyone has learned more about the art of negotiations than him over the last month (though probably not his preference). Correa’s legacy in Minnesota will be determined first and foremost on the field, but don't be surprised if longer-term goals are on the horizon.

Ron Gardenhire is fired up, really fired up to be back at Target Field this weekend. But not at the same heat index Rocco Baldelli found himself at two weeks ago against the Blue Jays. 
Gardenhire’s response to Baldelli’s ejection on August 7rh? “Oh my god. That was the best [ejection] ever! If I would have had his number, I would have called him. That was good stuff right there. The call was an absolute joke. My wife almost kicked me out of the house. That’s how mad I was. Rocco was awesome, I just went in there and told him.”
Again, Gardy’s excitement remains at a hot level for his team hall of fame induction as he shared alongside Dan Gladden. 
“For me, it’s pretty fired up to get your name put up with a selective few Twins is pretty special, especially with Gladden. I think back to '91 all the time. He’s standing at third base. He’s screaming at me. I’m screaming at him. We can’t hear each other. So now to watch him go into the Twins Hall of Fame, well deserved, a big fan favorite, always has been. And I’m just happy to be here,” said Gardenhire.
“See how he deflects?” responded Gladden. 
“I’m the manager, that’s what I’m supposed to do,” responded Gardenhire. 
Gardenhire’s legacy with the Twins is not completely over as his son, Toby Gardenhire, currently manages the St. Paul Saints. Twins manager Rocco Baldelli had not yet spoken to Ron Gardenhire before his pre-game press conference but talked about his correspondence with Toby. 
“I talk to Toby a fair amount. He gives me some updates [on Ron], I think he's doing great. But it'll be fun, I think it'll be a lot of people in the house, too, that are pretty excited about cheering on the guys that are going in,” said Baldelli. 
Toby Gardenhire will be taking the day off from the Saints on Saturday to attend his dad’s Twins induction. Saints bench coach Tyler Smarslok will be acting manager in his place. 

When it comes to his speech preparation, Gardenhire is ready for what he has but has no anticipation of emotions flooding over him during the speech.
“I don’t think so, I think it’s just a proud moment for me, proud for my family. My grandbabies, I have about four or five of them now. It’s been really hard to concentrate on everything but them, so I’m excited to be out there. My wife and I tried to write a script here and make it quick and not make it last a long time like (Justin) Morneau did last year.”
“That won’t be broken,” Gladden interjected. 
During Friday night’s game, Gardenhire was the celebrity bartender at the Gray Duck deck on the main concourse, underneath the retired numbers in Twins franchise history. 
Gardenhire’s entry into the Twins Hall of Fame comes eight years after his last game as a manager with the Twins and two years from his retirement from the game as a whole. 
Gardenhire is second all-time in Twins franchise wins (1,068) for a manager behind two-time world champion Tom Kelly (1,140). Gardenhire and Gladden both worked under Kelly together for a total of five seasons and reminisced on some of their memories from that time. 
Saturday’s ceremony for Gardenhire’s Twins Hall of Fame induction begins approximately a half hour before the game’s first pitch at 6:10 p.m. CT. Fans can tune into Bally Sports North to catch the ceremony prior to the game. 
 

November 28, 2007
Tampa Bay Received: Matt Garza, Jason Bartlett, Eddie Morlan
Minnesota Received: Delmon Young, Brendan Harris, Jason Pridie
Minnesota’s first trade with Tampa Bay was its biggest as it included vital pieces from both teams’ rosters. The Twins acquired Delmon Young to be a right-handed bat to slide in between Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau. He never lived up to his potential as the number one overall pick, but he played parts of ten big-league seasons. Minnesota was his only stop where he posted an OPS+ over 100, and he finished in the top-10 for the AL MVP in 2010. Pridie only got six plate appearances with the Twins and never recorded a hit. Harris posted a .669 OPS in three years with the Twins before being packaged with JJ Hardy in the infamous trade for Brett Jacobson and Jim Hoey.

Tampa ended up getting the two best players in this trade. Matt Garza pitched over 1700 big-league innings and accumulated a 12.5 WAR. Garza won the 2008 ALCS MVP for Tampa, his first season with the club. Jason Bartlett played three seasons in Tampa, including his lone All-Star season, where he had a 132 OPS+ and a 6.2 WAR. Morlan topped out at Double-A, but it’s clear the Rays ended up with the better package of players. 
Winner: Tampa Bay

July 31, 2015
Tampa Bay Received: Alexis Tapia, Chih-Wei Hu
Minnesota Received: Kevin Jepsen
At the trade deadline, Minnesota found themselves in contention and wanted to add a late-inning bullpen arm. Kevin Jepsen posted a 1.61 ERA with a 0.89 WHIP in 29 appearances through the rest of the 2015 season. Unfortunately, Minnesota fell short of qualifying for the playoffs, but Jepsen couldn’t have pitched much better in his first season for the Twins. Alexis Tapia never made it out of High-A in the Rays system, while Chih-Wei Hu was limited to 11 big-league appearances. In his second season with the Twins, Jepsen pitched horribly, and the team released him on July 11, 2016. Even with this poor ending, Jepsen provided the 2015 Twins with solid innings for a contending team. 
Winner: Minnesota

June 24, 2016
Tampa Bay Received: Oswaldo Arcia
Minnesota Received: Cash Considerations
Oswaldo Arcia was supposed to be part of the first wave of prospects that helped turn things around for the Twins. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen, as he posted a .732 OPS in over 250 games for the club. In June 2016, the Twins sent Arcia to the Rays for cash considerations. He’d only play in 21 games for Tampa as he appeared in games for four different big-league clubs that season. Minnesota shed Arcia, and Tampa got a player that accumulated negative value while playing for them. 
Winner: Minnesota

February 17, 2018
Tampa Bay Received: Jermaine Palacios
Minnesota Received: Jake Odorizzi
This trade was a slam dunk win for the Twins. Jake Odorizzi pitched parts of three seasons in Minnesota with a 107 ERA+ and an All-Star appearance in 2019. Jermaine Palacios topped out at Double-A in the Rays organization before resigning with the Twins. His unique prospect journey has come full circle this year as he made his big-league debut for the Twins. 
Winner: Minnesota

July 22, 2021
Tampa Bay Received: Nelson Cruz, Calvin Faucher
Minnesota Received: Joe Ryan, Drew Strotman
Last summer’s blockbuster trade looks to be working out significantly in favor of the Twins. Nelson Cruz played 55 games for the Rays and posted a .725 OPS. Since rookie ball, Calvin Faucher has yet to post a sub-4.00 ERA at any level. Minnesota received six years of team control over Joe Ryan, an AL Rookie of the Year contender, and Drew Strotman, a solid organizational depth piece. Even if Ryan regresses, the Twins are still getting more value from him than what the Rays got from Cruz. 
Winner: Minnesota

Do you agree with the winners named above? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. 

For as unlikely as the signing was, Carlos Correa is precisely who the Twins need at this point, both as a player and person. Coming off an extremely disappointing and last-place season, fans were rightly frustrated about the club's direction. It’s not like losing teams are ever *that* fun, but the 2021 Twins were downright dull. They played with complacency that was evident to the naked eye. Reporters had little access for much of the year due to Covid, but the sense of a discouraged and disjointed clubhouse was real. 
Nelson Cruz led the Twins to back-to-back division titles in 2019 and 2020, hitting .308/.394/.626 with 57 homers in 173 games. He was an incredible contributor to the offense, but his guidance off the field sent his value through the roof. Leadership styles and vibes vary, even among the winningest clubhouses. Cruz’s loose, fun, and calm personality perfectly fits Rocco Baldelli’s mantra. I can't say the same for Josh Donaldson, who assumed a leadership role after signing a four-year, $92 million deal before the 2020 season. 
At the time of the signing, I felt Donaldson was a perfect key to help the Twins break out of their postseason losing streak. Now, I can’t help but think his clubhouse fit never made sense. It rarely looked like he was an actual part of the team, and Correa’s immediate impact only amplifies this feeling. Donaldson certainly contributed when healthy, posting a 128 OPS+ in 163 games, and I’m not suggesting teammates disliked him. It just didn’t work for both sides, and that’s fine!
It’s impossible to know the impact Donaldson had on the clubhouse, but it’s fair to say his hardened style paled in comparison to Cruz and Baldelli. Donaldson's bulldog-vibe could be a double-edged sword. A winning team may appreciate his bravado, but a last-place team could wear down over the 162-game grind. The Yankees, Donaldson’s new team, have won 18 of their first 25 games. It’s about fit, and I’m not sure Donaldson ever did in Minnesota. 
With Correa, who values the day-to-day focus and trusts the process, the Twins have the co-leader they need. Byron Buxton is the face of the Twins, and even Correa admits this is “Byron’s team,” but Correa’s presence is undoubtedly impactful. Of course, this is easier to conclude as the team is in first place. Buxton did admit this spring, though, that it's a "night and day" feeling in the clubhouse. 
It goes behind Correa. Britt Ghiroli of The Athletic wrote about the "immediate bond" felt among the Twins' rotation members. The 2022 Twins look (so far) like a tough, entertaining, and tightly-knit group. 
I have no idea if the Twins' change in vibe is sustainable, or if it will wear down with a losing stretch. I do know that even if it’s a one-year deal, Correa feels like a Twin. Donaldson hoped he would leave a legacy in Minnesota, but for one reason or another, it didn’t happen. Correa is off to a great start in that regard, and the sky is the limit for how far he can take the 2022 Twins. 
Please leave your thoughts, questions, and COMMENTS below. 
 

1. The Twins REALLY wanted to get out from under Josh Donaldson's contract.
I'm not at all surprised that the Twins were looking to trade Donaldson. Personally I've been on board with that course of action for some time, and wrote as much last July. At the time, I hoped they might be able to leverage the trade deadline or cover some of his remaining salary to lessen the blow of unloading such an undesirable contract. Alas, they did not. 
The front office was able to eventually finder a taker for Donaldson, and New York even took on the full remainder of his deal – all $50 million in guaranteed money. To make it happen, the Twins needed to part with Mitch Garver (via Isiah Kiner-Felafa) and Ben Rortvedt in addition to Donaldson, decimating their catching depth while reopening a total vacancy at shortstop.
Minnesota also brought on two buy-low reclamation projects in the swap. It's hard to imagine that either Gio Urshela or Gary Sanchez were players the Twins coveted, coming off bad years with dwindling team control. But that was part of the deal.
It's a deal the Twins made purely out of eagerness to escape Donaldson's contract. And I get it. He didn't fit here anymore and his big salaries at 36 and 37 were likely to be a hindrance. Now the Twins are free of that commitment, albeit at the expense of clearly downgrading the current roster. 
To what end?
2. They Twins now have, like, no catching depth.
Garver, gone. Rortvedt, gone. Even our sweet baby boy Willians Astudillo is gone. It was notable that the our recent top 20 prospects breakdown included zero catchers, and now the Twins have suddenly parted with two of their three big-leaguers in one fell swoop. 
What are we doing here? This system has no depth to be wiping out the top shelf like that. Yes, Sanchez is here, but we're talking about a guy who's widely regarded as one of the worst defensive catchers in baseball. He's a terrible pitch-framer and borderline DH. Did the Twins just abandon their whole philosophy around the value of defense and catching depth?
Oh, and:
3. They also have no shortstop (again).
We'd all spent about 24 hours talking ourselves into Kiner-Falefa. "Yeah, the Andrelton Simmons thing didn't work out, but that doesn't mean the concept of a glove-first shortstop was bad. IKF is young and hungry! He's gritty!" 
And then, poof. The solution at shortstop was gone nearly as fast as he arrived, and thus, the Twins are back to square one. Meanwhile, every free agent option has dried up – Simmons and Jose Iglesias both signed over the weekend. The middle tier is gone.  
I mean, there are still a couple of big names out there. And, the biggest takeaway from all this is...
4. The Twins now have all kinds of flexibility to make at least one HUGE move.
The front office freed up $50 million in future payroll commitments, on the same day they traded their 2021 first-round draft pick for a veteran front-line starter. These signs clearly point toward the Twins setting up for one or more extremely significant moves.
It's fascinating to think about what that might look like. By this point all high-end free agent pitchers are gone. Two big-name shortstops remain, and I'm confident Minnesota is not signing Carlos Correa.
So, are they going to sign Trevor Story? They are reportedly in contact with his camp, so it's definitely a possibility. But it can hardly be considered a lock, right? If the Twins don't land Story, what's the backup plan? And even if they do, how will they address their multiple remaining needs in the rotation, bullpen, and outfield?
How are the Twins going to spend all this newly freed up money, with spring training already underway and Opening Day bearing down fast?
Like I said, a lot of unknowns. But it's gonna be fun to find out.
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Subject: Cristian Guzman
Why You Remember Him: A key part of the Chuck Knoblauch trade along with Eric Milton (no offense to Brian Buchanan and Danny Mota), Guzman held down the shortstop position during Minnesota’s early-‘00s renaissance. Most noteworthy was his All-Star 2001 campaign, which the New York Times’ Aaron Gleeman ranks as the 8th-best season ever by a Twins shortstop.
Equally noteworthy, if less pleasant, is that he just couldn’t hit that good outside his 2001 surge. Gleeman notes in the link that Guzman has the lowest OPS+ of any Minnesota Twin with that many plate appearances. As someone who remembers Tim Laudner hitting .203 with seven home runs for what felt like 100 years, this surprised me.
That said, any Metrodome attendee from 1999-2004 will remember Bob Casey bellowing “Cristian Guuuuuuuuuuuuuzman” until their dying day. There are worse legacies.
Guzman left the Twins in free agency for the Washington Nationals in 2005. After an injury-plagued start in D.C., he managed a second All-Star appearance in 2008. He last played with the Texas Rangers in 2010.
What You Don’t Remember: His 1999 salary was $200,000.
What You Might Remember: Guzman led the American League in triples in 2000, 2001, and 2003. When he did get on base, Guzman could move. He also led AL shortstops in errors in 2001. 
What’s He Up To: Per Wikipedia, he lives in New Jersey with his wife and six children. No other sources for that claim, but there's also a Cristian Guzman Carpentry LLC listed in Springfield, NJ, so it's at least possible.

The trio will become the 35th, 36th, and 37th members of the Minnesota Twins Hall of Fame. The organization began the Hall of Fame with its inaugural class back in 2000. In the 22 years since, we’ve seen names like Bert Blyleven, Torii Hunter, Zoilo Versailles, and Justin Morneau added to the ranks. The lone player to be elected but not inducted was Chuck Knoblauch back in 2014.
Ron Gardenhire served the Twins as a manager for 13 seasons. He posted a .507 winning percentage owning a final record of 1,068-1,039. His wins trail only Tom Kelly for most all-time in team history. During six of Gardy’s 13 seasons as manager, the Twins won the American League Central Division. Gardenhire’s high win total came in 2006 when Minnesota recorded 96 wins. The team was strapped in the postseason, having recently lost starting lefty, Francisco Liriano. He went on to win the American League Manager of the Year award in 2010 when the Twins ripped off 94 victories. Ron Gardenhire will always be synonymous with the strong divisional Twins clubs of the 2000s.
Dan Gladden may now be most known for his work with Twins Radio but has been a member of the organization for 28 years. Winning two World Series rings in Minnesota, Gladden operated as the leadoff hitter and owns the club record for postseason runs scored and stolen bases. Gladden crossing home plate in the bottom of the 10th inning during Game 7 of the 1991 World Series gave the Twins their second World Series. A staple on Twins Radio, Gladden is coming up on an opportunity to land himself as the fourth-longest tenured broadcaster in club history.
Cesar Tovar has long been advocated for enshrinement by fans and now will finally get his due. Playing eight seasons for the Twins, Tovar racked up MVP votes in five consecutive years from 1967-1971. A speed threat, Tovar is third all-time in stolen bases for the Twins and ranks seventh in triples. While position players pitching may have become a thing now, Tovar became the second player in American or National League history to play all nine positions in a single game on September 22, 1968. 
 
The Minnesota Twins announced that on-field ceremonies would take place pre-game on August 20 and 21st at Target Field before Minnesota’s tilts with the Texas Rangers.
 
What are your favorite memories of Gardy, Gladden, and Tovar? Who would you like to see inducted next season?

A Minnesota Twins Christmas Carol - Part 1  
A Minnesota Twins Christmas Carol - Part 2 
A Minnesota Twins Christmas Carol - Part 3 
Jim Pohlad is awakened yet again but this time isn’t even surprised. He has now come to expect interruption to his sleep on this bizarre Christmas Eve.
This time a man appears in a Los Angeles Dodgers jersey. Although the face looks familiar, he can’t quite place a name with it. Just at that moment, the man began to speak.
“My name is Royce Lewis, and I am the ghost of Twins' Christmas Future,” the man said. “I am going to take you to the future so you can see where your penny-pinching has gotten your franchise.”
The year is 2030. The Twins’ last winning season, 2020, was a full decade ago. Players such as Jordan Balazovic, Matt Canterino and Jhoan Duran have all since left via free agency when the Twins claimed they couldn’t afford to keep them. Lewis himself was sent to the Dodgers for a handful of minor leaguers after winning the American League MVP award in 2026.
Pohlad is shocked to see the vast emptiness of Target Field during a game on a beautiful July night. Advertising has now taken over the entire stadium like moss on a tree. Ads are spray-painted on the outfield grass, an ad is projected into the sky above left field. Even the hot dogs now feature edible advertising right there on the bun.
One thing was missing, however: the fans. There were maybe 1,000 fans in attendance and most of those were in the former Metropolitan Club, which was now a VR-based sports book used to gamble on the outcome of games.
Inside the 3M Presents DraftKings SportsBook brought to you by Target in association with Land O’ Lakes were a series of televisions, each of them showing baseball games being played in front of full stadiums.
With hockey and football both declining in popularity due to violence and head injuries, baseball has surged back into the forefront of the American sports conversation. Stadiums from Vancouver to Miami were packed full of fans, but not Target Field.
“What happened? Why is Target Field so empty,” Pohlad asked. “What about the Target Field experience? Doesn’t anyone care about the Target Field experience?!”
“The Target Field experience can only carry you so far, Mr. Pohlad,” Royce Lewis says wistfully. “When you stopped spending money on the team, the fans stopped spending money on the team.
“There are no more profits to be had and the franchise value has declined a significant amount due to poor attendance and a poor reputation in general,” Lewis concluded.
That last part, the part about declining profits and franchise value, pushed Pohlad to the edge. He finally succumbed to emotion and began to sob. He swore from that point on he would change his ways.
----------------------------------------------------------
"Scrooge" wakes up on Christmas morning feeling much more refreshed than he thought he would. He calls for his butler, Rudy, and announces he needs to be taken to Target Field immediately.
“But sir, it’s Christmas,” Rudy says. “You have the day off!”
“Yes, Rudy, but Thad and Derek are working today and I have some good news to share,” Pohlad said with an uncharacteristic smile on his face. Rudy offers to take his temperature to make sure he is feeling well, but is waved off by a giggling Jim Pohlad.
Pohlad walks into Target Field to find Falvey and Levine signing Christmas carols over the burning trash in the Astros garbage can. Shocked to see him on Christmas, Falvey and Levine instantly start to panic and explain why their boss just caught them singing songs and not working.
“Never mind that,” Pohlad said with a warm smile. “I have come to share great news!”
Jim Pohlad explains that he had been working the phones on the way to the office and he personally reached out to Gausman’s agent and agreed to a five-year contract. Derek Falvey instantly fainted upon hearing this and needed to be revived so he could hear the rest.
What’s more, the Twins’ owner has also agreed to re-sign Jose Berrios and has made an offer to free agent shortstop Carlos Correa. This news sends Levine into a vertigo-like spin, and Falvey helps him into his seat before he falls to the ground, dizzy from happiness.
“Merry Christmas to all! Merry Christmas Thad and Derek,” Pohlad said while handing them the 2022 Bill James handbook. “From now on, use THIS version to look for only the best current players to sign. After all, we have a World Series to win this year!
Falvey asked Levine to slap him to make sure he wasn’t dreaming. Levine happily obliged but they were still there.
“Merry Christmas to all of the loyal Twins fans out there that shell out their hard-earned money year after year after year to follow this team,” Pohlad shouted out his office window to the empty playing field below.
News of the big signings soon made their way to the internet. Suddenly, the sound of phones ringing fills the room.
The phones are jammed with Twins fans eager to buy season tickets for this exciting team. A new era of Twins baseball had begun.
 
A Minnesota Twins Christmas Carol - Part 1  
A Minnesota Twins Christmas Carol - Part 2 
A Minnesota Twins Christmas Carol - Part 3 

A Minnesota Twins Christmas Carol - Part 1  
A Minnesota Twins Christmas Carol - Part 2 
Jim Pohlad tosses and turns in bed and finally awakens with a start. He gasps and feels his pajamas, which are soaked in sweat. He reaches for his end table and takes a big drink of water. He isn’t sure why, but he is absolutely parched.
“Oh, my, what a terrible dream,” Pohlad says. “And stupid because that story has a happy ending, we got our stadium.”
He pulled his sleep mask over his eyes and fell back into a deep slumber, but it didn’t last long. He was awakened again by the sound of cleats on the floor. Pohlad awoke and asked “Kirby? Is that you again?”
But this time it wasn’t Puckett at all. It was a tall, quiet, side-burned figure wearing a Twins jersey outlined in beautiful Kasota gold. His name, he explained, was Joe Mauer. The Ghost of Christmas Present.
Without a word, Pohlad is taken to a big convention center full of happy people. There are hands shaking everywhere they looked and happy agents calling their clients.
They were at the MLB Winter Meetings. There was Max Scherzer shaking hands with Mets GM Billy Eppler. On the other side of the room Robbie Ray shook hands with Mariners GM Jerry DiPoto. Free agents were signing at a record pace and everyone seemed to be very happy.
Suddenly, Mauer led Pohlad to an alleyway behind the convention center. Derek Falvey and Thad Levine were looking tired while picking through the offerings near the dumpster. A Dylan Bundy here, a Michael Wacha there… there simply wasn’t much for the duo to choose from.
“Thad, I don’t know what we are going to tell Mr. Pohlad if we come up empty here,” Falvey said. “I’m afraid we won’t have enough pitching for the upcoming season and if we don’t start winning some games, we might not have a job soon.”
“Don’t worry Derek, everything will work out for us in the end,” Levine said, with more than a little hint of doubt in his voice.
Suddenly, Mauer and Pohlad were standing outside of a house in Burnsville. Inside was a family of meager means and a child was opening a present. Inside was a pair of tickets for a Twins game and a Jose Berrios jersey.
“I know Berrios isn’t on the team any more son, and I know he was your favorite player. But the Twins simply couldn’t afford to pay him anymore,” the dad said. “Jerseys nowadays are so expensive but this one was on clearance so we could finally afford one.
“You see, the Twins are just a small-market team that cannot afford to pay any players. Sure, there is no salary cap and the owners have money they could never spend in seven lifetimes, but something something TV contracts.
“I worked overtime to get us two tickets to see the Twins play against the Tigers this April,” the dad said. “It was outside of our normal budget, but you have been so good and loyal that I wanted to reward you this year.”
The child thanked the dad and gave him a big hug.
“That dad works 50 hours a week to put food on the table,” Mauer explained. “He had to work overtime to be able to afford two tickets to take his baseball-loving kid to a Twins game, even though they won’t be very good this year, especially without Jose Berrios.”
He explained that sometimes people spend more money than they maybe want to in order to show someone that they appreciate them. He called this phenomenon ‘reciprocation.’
Mauer then shows Pohlad the 2022 MLB Standings. The Twins have finished with a record of 54-108.
“If you don’t change your ways, Jim, this is what you have to look forward to,” Mauer warned.
Suddenly, Jim Pohlad was back in bed and again soaked in sweat. He began to think he was losing his mind but he was so, so tired. He went back to sleep.
 
Check back tomorrow for the exciting conclusion to... A Minnesota Twins' Christmas Carol. 
 
A Minnesota Twins Christmas Carol - Part 1  
A Minnesota Twins Christmas Carol - Part 2  

Byron Buxton

The man is the definition of nice. It was nice when St. Pohlad pulled through by resigning Buxton to ten more Christmases. Buxton was a lock for the nice list this year. 
 
Joe Ryan

During the darkest days of doom and gloom, Joe Ryan’s fastball lit up the room. Without Ryan on the team, we may have burst at the seam. We can’t wait for next season, with Ryan’s continued dominance as the main reason. Thank you for coming to Minnesota, Joe. Our favorite starting pitcher with a sick flow. 

 
Bailey Ober

Uber is often attached to another Twins’ starting pitcher, but now this term also applies to the savior of the Twins’ starting pitching this season. This young rookie stood up to the test when the entire rotation fell to injury. This made Ober a no-brainer as our Rookie of the Year.
 
Justin Morneau

No one said they had to be current Twins. Morneau’s soothing voice of reason pacified the crowds during every blowout. Without Morneau behind the booth, chaos may have erupted among Twins fans. Each game without him felt more like a grind than some of the worst games of the season. Even years after retirement, Morneau continues to be the MVP. 
 
Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen 

You may be wondering to yourself, where are the Olsen twins? The notoriously anonymous sisters have been quietly building their fashion empire, Elizabeth and James, behind the scenes. We miss seeing the sisters together on screen, but we respect their wishes for confidentiality.
 
Taylor and Tyler Rogers

Tyler isn’t a Twin, but it felt appropriate to include him on the list as well. The warm and fuzzies that fans felt watching Taylor and Tyler support each other throughout the season warranted a spot for both twins. In addition, Taylor’s All-Star season and Tyler’s snubbed All-Star season made them a lock on every baseball fan’s list. 

 
Jorge Polanco

No explanation needed
 
Ralph Garza Jr.

He’s simply Santa’s favorite. (Author's Edit: We’re wondering if there’s some nepotism at play.) 
 
Gray Duck Tavern at Target Field

Maybe not a Twin on paper, but this is Santa’s list, and he will do whatever he darn pleases. Without Gray Duck Tavern, the Twins Daily staff’s summer get-together would’ve been about 100 bomba juices short, which actually might’ve been a good thing. 

Thank you all for reading this year. May you all have a wonderful holiday and only receive season’s wishes for baseball purposes. 
 

Interior: Target Field. It is December 24th. The snow is falling. It is dark outside and the staff is working in candlelight. A Houston Astros-logoed trash can burns in the corner of the room for heat.
Derek Falvey and Thad Levine are at their desks, tired and nodding off, poring over the Bill James Handbook from 2018 and a back issue of Baseball America from 2017, looking for pitchers. Always looking for pitchers.
An old, chipped rotary phone across the room rings. Falvey stands up, blows warm air on his hands and picks up the receiver.
“Well, that certainly is a great deal for us,” Falvey exclaims before his face suddenly drops. “I just don’t think Mr. Pohlad will go for it, certainly not around Christmastime when budgets are even tighter.”
Falvey listens to the voice on the other end of the phone before agreeing to ask his boss about this proposition.  He tentatively approaches Levine and whispers into his ear. As he listens, Levine begins to perk up and get excited.  He agrees that Falvey should approach Mr. Pohlad about this proposition and even offers to accompany him to Pohlad’s office.
Behind a cracked door, Minnesota Twins owner Jim Pohlad sits at a large desk in his office. He is carefully counting receipts from hot dog sales and entering them into a primitive counting machine. There is a knock at the door.
“WHO IS IT,” Pohlad’s voice booms from behind the door.
“It’s us, Thad and Derek, sir,” Levine sheepishly replies.
“WELL COME IN, YOU ARE LETTING ALL THE HEAT OUT OF THE OFFICE,” Pohlad impatiently replies.
Falvey and Levine hesitate, with each of them wanting the other to enter the room first. Finally, Levine sighs and heads inside, trailed by Falvey. They approach the desk holding a notebook.
“Good evening sir and Merry Christmas,” Lavine says before cringing as he hears Pohlad’s response begin to leave his lungs….
“CHRISTMAS?! THE SEASON OF GIVING?! BAH HUMBUG!.” Pohlad snarls through gritted teeth. “I CAN’T STAND THE THOUGHT OF SPENDING THE MONEY I WORKED SO HARD TO EARN.
“Do you see these hot dog receipts? EVERY one of these hot dogs sold for $8. Do you know how much they cost us? One dollar!,” Pohlad said with a devilish grin on his face. “Now THAT’s the kind of GIVING I like, people GIVING me their money for MY hot dogs. I call it ‘the Target Field Experience,’” he said before trailing off into a soft cackle. “Never mind that, what is it that you interrupted me for?”
“Well, sir, you see, free agency has been really wild this year, and a lot of the top pitchers have already gone off the board…..” Levine began, but he was cut off immediately by a furious Pohlad.
“TOP pitchers? TOP?!? Haven’t I already explained to you that we cannot AFFORD TOP PITCHERS,” Pohlad raged.  “That’s why I got you the Bill James Handbook from 2018 at a garage sale. You are to find pitchers who performed well during that season and figure out how to make them good again.”
“Yes, sir, I understand, but I just got off of the phone with the agent for Kevin Gausman and he wants to sign with the Twins… it’s a Christmas miracle!” Falvey said. “He is willing sign for five years and $125 million… it’s a bargain for us---“
“ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY FIVE MILLION?! DOLLARS?!,” an angry Pohlad replied. “For ONE pitcher? Did I not just give you four million dollars for Dylan Bundy?!”
“Yes, sir, you did and that was very, very generous of you,” Levine said. “However, Gausman is a major upgrade over the pitchers we have now and a proven commodity.”
Mr. Pohlad frowned and pointed his finger toward the door. “We are a small market club, Derek, and I don’t appreciate you coming in here trying to convince me to spend money we certainly don’t have here.”
“But, sir, the fans would really…,” Falvey begins before he is shouted down by Pohlad.
“The FANS?! The FANS?!,” Pohlad yells. “The FANS are lucky to have a baseball team at all! I will hear no more of this about the FANS!
“The FANS are expected to buy tickets, a jersey to wear to the game, a $12 beer and $8 hot dog and just be happy to be outside watching baseball. ‘Your ticket to summer,’ remember?”
Pohlad stands up, puts on his overcoat and summons his butler, Rudy. Rudy emerges from a side room and helps Pohlad put on his gloves, hat and shoes. Falvey and Levine watch out the window as Pohlad climbs into his Porsche and heads to his home in Edina.
Falvey and Levine watch to make sure Pohlad is gone then carefully pack up their supplies to head home for the holidays. Falvey puts a grocery-bag book cover on the Bill James Handbook and Levine carefully puts out the fire in the Astros trash can.
“Merry Christmas, Thad, “ Falvey says.
“Merry Christmas, Derek,” Levine replies.
 
Check back for Part 2, coming soon! 

The show was taped earlier this offseason, but until today Park has been forbidden from admitting he was a contestant, and is still bound to secrecy about how the episode turns out. He prepared throughout spring training and the season for the competition, and even coaxed the producers of the show to delay his appearance until after the Twins’ season ended.
Park will compete against “Jeopardamy”, Amy Schneider, who has dominated the competition recently. She has already won $536,400 during her 13-game win streak, moving her into 4th place in Jeopardy! all-time winnings list for regular players. TheJeopardyFan.com predicts a 24-game win streak for her, which would give her a 91.956% chance of continuing her streak through 14 games, which would of course mean a one-and-done for Do.
But don’t count our guy Do out. Park graduated in 2017 from Stanford with both a master’s and bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering and another master’s in computer science. He also graduated from St. Paul Central early . The kid has some serious game. Can he perform a Twins-vs-the-Yankees level upset?  Tune in this Monday (locally) at 4:30 PM on KARE11 to find out.

Tony Oliva is finally a Hall of Famer, something Minnesota Twins fans have been waiting to see officially since 1982. By the time I was born, Oliva’s best chance of getting into the hall of fame was the same way he got in this last week, through the veteran’s committee vote. I was born too late to see Oliva play, let alone even coach for the Twins. However, like many Twins fans of all ages, his Baseball Hall of Fame election is a meaningful moment for us all. 
2006 was the year when I really began to grasp what Major League Baseball was. Seven years old, just completing first grade the spring before, and the Minnesota Twins were fielding one of their best teams in franchise history to that point. It was either an early Friday or Saturday evening in mid-August outside the Metrodome when the Twins were hosting a pregame autograph session with one of the franchise legends, Tony Oliva.
My mom rushed ourselves over into the autograph line while my sister and dad headed inside the Dome for the game. I wasn’t fully aware of what was happening at the time, only that my dad had pointed out the autograph line to us and knew it would be a good story to have my first pro athlete autograph ever be Oliva. My family and I arrived unprepared with autograph material that day, so the best thing to have Oliva sign was my kiddie sized glove that I had used for the first two seasons of t-ball. 
As my mom and I stood in line waiting, the clock was winding down on the time left available to get Oliva’s autograph. Then when there were only a few people left in front of us, two older boys in their teens cut in front of us to get Oliva’s autograph. Tony-O noticed this and refused to sign anything for them for doing so. Then just as he was deciding to stop signing altogether, get up, and head into the Dome to watch the game, my mom asked politely if he could sign one more just for me, as I had never received an autograph before. 
Oliva’s response to that was, “Okay. One more.” 
He became the first to sign my glove, the first of many Twins legends to do so. Following that, I rushed into the Dome with my mom to meet up with the rest of my family to share the good news and show off the autograph. 
Since that day, like so many other Twins fans' experiences with Tony O, they have always been positive. Whether it's been an encounter at the State Fair, TwinsFest, or passing ways in a random location throughout the Twin Cities. It’s always been good to be in Oliva’s presence. 
Now as I have already mentioned, I was born too late to watch any part of Tony Oliva’s career while it happened. Thanks to being a kid who grew up with the internet, it was easy  to find the highlight footage compiled by MLB-affiliated websites and YouTube to understand just how talented Oliva was in his day when my dad, uncle and grandpa talked about him. 
Like so many other Twins fans would say, Oliva is a Top 5 Twins player of all time. (Also on my list would be  two of his former teammates, Rod Carew and Harmon Killebrew, as well as Kirby Puckett and Joe Mauer.) Only one of these top five has not been elected to be in Cooperstown, and hopefully in two years' time, Mauer’s Hall of Fame case will get him in. 
When it comes to Tony Oliva’s legacy in Twins history, he will always be enshrined as one of the best both on and off the field in Twins Territory. For those of us who were born in the 70s or later, our memories of Oliva will always be that of his community engagement throughout the decades. For this Twins fan, the encounters with Oliva will be memories of a leader, a giver, and a first autograph experience that will be enshrined in my memory forever. 
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Since Buxton first joined the team in 2015, he’s only had one year with 500 plate appearances, and indeed only one with over 331. His injuries have ranged from seemingly self-inflicted problems due to his aggressive defense in center field, to worrisome nagging injuries like hip strains and foot injuries, to flukey injuries like a broken finger from being hit by a pitch.
On the other hand, he’s been absolutely elite defensively throughout his time with the Twins, and recently his offense has reached a similar level. This year he hit .306 with 19 home runs in just 61 games, a pace that makes him a 50-home run threat over a full season. He’s also only 27 years old, entering the peak period of many players' careers.
He is due to be a free agent next offseason, compelling the Twins to either sign him to an extension or trade him this offseason, lest they risk having him leave next year for nothing more than a compensatory draft pick. That urgency is further heightened by the threat of an impending work stoppage starting as soon as Wednesday night. If an extension or trade iss not made by then, there is a chance any such move would be delayed until some unknown point in a potentially compressed offseason, or thwarted altogether.
A deal would likely represent the biggest deal the Twins have made since they signed Joe Mauer to a contract extension in 2010 for $184 million dollars. That deal was also for a rare talent who contributed defensively, was at the peak of his ability, and on the verge of free agency. 
The deal with Mauer aged poorly, as leg problems and concussions limited his ability to stay at catcher and stay in the lineup. With Buxton having more health questions, the reality is it makes him more affordable; it’s unlikely the Twins could complete a deal without the built-in discount his health history affords them. 
The Mauer deal also took place as the Twins were completing a run of division-winning seasons and trying to lengthen their competitive window. Twins’ management’s next to-do for this offseason is to find some starting pitchers whom Buxton’s Gold Glove can assist with his range in center field. While the size of Buxton’s deal is likely significant, the Twins entered the offseason with as much as $50M or so to spend on free agents. A deal with Buxton is likely to maintain that capability.
Indeed, Ken Rosenthal has just published contract details:
The extension  guarantees $15M per year (except this year, when he still would've been under arbitration) plus very large bonuses for MVP bonuses and a series of $500K bonuses if he stays healthy for over 500 plate appearances. It is a very creative contract. I can't think of any that has had a bonus structure remotely similar to it. The deal essentially rewards Buxton extra money for staying healthy for a full season, handsomely for MVP-caliber production, but still guarantees him base salary commensurate to a top center fielder. 
If the Twins had traded Buxton instead, it would be hard for them to pretend that they could expect to be competitive in 2022. They would have lost their best offensive and defensive player, while also trying to replace 60% of their starting rotation. Retaining Buxton keeps the option of competing in 2022 alive. It should also make him one of the core pieces of the next competitive Twins team. Further pieces will still need to be assembled, but the deal represents a serious effort by the Twins to compete by locking up high-end home-grown talent for a long time.
We'll add details as they emerge. In the meantime, give us your initial thoughts below. 

Spoiler Alert: Your NLCS MVP is Eddie Rosario
Unsurprisingly, Eddie Rosario was named the NLCS MVP last Saturday, surrounded by his loved ones including his parents, wife, children, and closest inner circle at Truist Park. 
Lest we forget that Rosario was DFA’d by the Twins last offseason, signed by Cleveland, and subsequently traded to Atlanta for Pablo Sandoval, who had the third slowest sprint speed of all active players. 
As Jesse Sanchez of MLB said in his profile of Rosario’s humble upbringing to his MVP honor, Rosario was “born to hit” and “may be the best unknown player in baseball”. 
Give it up one more time for Ed-die, Ed-die, Ed-die! 
Nelson Cruz won the Roberto Clemente Award
Last night, Nelson Cruz won the coveted Roberto Clemente award for philanthropy, joining the ranks of Clayton Kershaw, Yadier Molina, Albert Pujols, and many others. Cruz was awarded this honor for his tremendous philanthropic efforts in his hometown of Las Matas de Santa Cruz in the Dominican Republic throughout the pandemic. Here’s a list of some of Cruz’s philanthropic efforts that he aided in this past year:
Provided financial support to over 1,200 families who were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic Helped feed over 700 struggling families Gifted a firetruck, ambulance, and 80 uniforms to the town after a childhood friend’s home was burned down in a fire Organized dentists and optometrists to provide check-ups, dental services, glasses, and dental services  Began construction of an education center  And more! Not only is Cruz one of the most beloved players of all time, but he’s also an exemplary human being. Congratulations Nelson!
Josh Donaldson watched a LOT of baseball 
Josh Donaldson was all of us, live-tweeting during every playoff game. 
Max Kepler snuggled a Frenchie
*Googles how to become a bulldog* 

Randy Dobnak wasn’t a regular mom; he was a cool mom
The man induces ground balls and is the biggest hype man on the planet. Everyone needs a friend like Randy. 


Louie Varland caught a big fish

Devin Smeltzer caught an even bigger fish
Sorry Louie

Brent Rooker missed Jake Cave
....and we all now know where Cave stands on duck, duck, goose. 
 
Which other Twins would you like to see here in the future? Let us know down below in the comments! 

When Milwaukee’s ace setup man Devin Williams fractured his pitching hand after celebrating the team’s playoff clinching victory, reactions were pretty much uniform: that’s some real bad luck for the Brewers and/or worse decision making by Williams. For one shortstop, it only led to more questions.
“What is Anthony Fauci hiding,” asked Andrelton Simmons of the Minnesota Twins, referencing the doctor who leads the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. “He hasn’t said a word about this. His silence says more than any public statement.”
Simmons, a public vaccine skeptic, had harsh words for those who believed the accounts of Williams, the Brewers, media outlets, the Commissioner’s office, and objective reality.
“The Brewers are a legitimate title contender and you people actually believe that one of their best players, after they lock up a playoff berth, would punch a wall with his pitching hand,” said Simmons. “I’m literally laughing out loud. Sure he did, sheeple. Sure he did.”
When pressed on what he thinks really happened, Simmons looked to the past.
“The Brewers were already 85% vaccinated in May, and now one of their best players has a broken hand,” said Simmons. “Not one Brewer pitcher broke his pitching hand before last year’s playoffs. You know what else didn’t happen before last year’s playoffs? Vaccinations. Connect the dots, my friend.”
Simmons also claimed that while there’s no proof that the FDA trapped former Twin Marty Cordova in a tanning bed and caused him to miss multiple day games, “they’ve never denied it, either. Funny how that works.”

The New York Yankees have petitioned Major League Baseball to reschedule last Sunday’s postponed game versus the Minnesota Twins to 2022.
While make-up games are ordinarily played in the same season, the Yankees claim that there are special circumstances about this matchup that make it more favorable to play next year.
“We won’t bore you with tall tales of competitive balance or fresh legs,” said a team spokesperson. “Another loss to the Yankees in 2021 is meaningless to this broken, beaten franchise. You can’t steal from the man who has nothing! We want the Twins to suffer. The suffering is why.”
Sources in the Yankees front office say they’re confident they will not need an extra win over Minnesota this season as they fight for a playoff spot. Instead, the chance to inflict ceaseless pain and torment on the Twins and their fanbase is the club’s primary focus.
“Every baseball team, even Baltimore, exits Spring Training with optimism,” said the spokesperson. “Snuffing that optimism out is delicious. Snuffing that optimism out of the Twins is beyond delicious. The tears of stoic Upper Midwesterners just taste a little saltier. You can tell it hurts. The tears have meaning, purpose.”
The Twins aren’t scheduled to play New York until June 7, 2022, when they begin a three-game series at Target Field.
“There is an open date on Monday, June 6,” said a Yankees source. “Can you just imagine if the Twins have turned things around and are leading the AL Central after Memorial Day? And then for four days, just a constant pummeling in front of their loving fans. Night after night after night after night. A couple 15-2 beatdowns, a couple 11-10 comebacks with blown saves. It’s happening again. You’re powerless to stop it. And there are three more days left in New York in case the light of hope flickers anew. You fools. You fools.”
The source then cackled for 45 minutes straight.
Image license here.

We still have a ways to go, and while there is no August waiver trade period in 2021, Rocco Baldelli’s roster should continue to get a shake-up over the next few weeks. Cycling in different hitters and pitchers when attempting to find future opportunities, this club can also look back on what has been and begin making assessments for 2022 and beyond.
While not all the biggest storylines, here are five key takeaways from what we’ve seen to this point:
Miguel Sano is inconsistently consistent
Through 21 games to start the year, Sano owned a .119/.280/.209 slash line. Over his next 38 games from May 15 through June 30, he held a .233/.280/.549 slash line. Then, in July, he’s owned a .246/.325/.478 slash line across 20 games. He’s got a .737 OPS in 79 games this year and has paired that with 17 homers and a .291 OBP.
If you’re looking for Miguel Sano to be the mega-prospect he once was considered, that’s probably on you at this point. The slash line still leaves plenty to be desired, but he’s got a 103 OPS+ and has not wavered on a solid sense of plate discipline. Timing continues to elude him for frustrating stretches, but he’s also capable of going on an absolute power tear.
Should the Twins find themselves back in a position of strength throughout their lineup, a bat like that in the bottom half is hardly something to scoff at. He’s owed $9.25 million in 2022, and that’s an overpay but not to the extent of being ultimately damaging and acting as a primary designated hitter; that may be the role he’s always been destined for anyways.
Nick Gordon has utility
I was convinced that opportunity had passed the Twins former first-round pick by for quite a while. I knew he could play at the big-league level but wasn’t sure it would happen in a Minnesota uniform. Now I’m more convinced that it needs to continue.
He’s still the same player he’s been throughout the minors. A soft-hitting speedster that will occasionally run into one, this is a singles hitter that has the instincts to swipe bases. Add in the utility he’s provided by learning centerfield on the fly, and there’s no reason he shouldn’t be on the Opening Day roster in 2022.
Gordon may find a bit more success in year two when it comes to batting average; he’s made a career out of taking steps forward after acclimating to a level. Even if he doesn’t, though, speed on the bench is something Minnesota hasn’t had, and the combination of being a lighter version of Chris Taylor is a good thing for any roster to have.
Mitch Garver can still mash
To say that 2020 was disastrous for Mitch Garver would be putting it lightly. The Twins Silver Slugger winning catcher posted a terrible .511 OPS and hit just two homers in 23 games. Things started slow for him in 2021, with a .517 OPS being toted through 17 games.
In his last 29 games since April 28, with a severe injury mixed in there, Garver has slashed .299/.449/.740 with nine homers and a 20/19 K/BB. The life-altering foul tip he took was incredibly scary, but as rehab progressed and healing took place, he’s been back behind the dish and picked up where he left off. Even after being plunked by a pitch on his hand recently, it’s fair to dream of the production that will soon return.
Garver is a late-blooming prospect, so he’s going to age relatively quickly, but this is the anchor of a tandem behind the dish that Twins fans were hoping for.
The pitching staff needs an overhaul
Minnesota owns the fourth-worst pitching staff in baseball by fWAR in 2021. The starters rank 24th, and the relievers are 25th. The entire unit has been a complete abomination. With the uncertain status of Jose Berrios’ future and veterans like J.A. Happ and Michael Pineda being done this offseason, the rotation will be in flux.
Taylor Rogers sapped his trade value with a finger injury just days ago, but whether he was dealt or not, the rest of the bullpen remains a complete question mark. None of the signings made by the front office have worked out, and while they were short-term pacts, a re-do is less exciting when considering just how many times they missed over the winter.
Derek Falvey has long been lauded for his ability to develop and identify pitching. Minnesota has a farm system rich with names attached to arms, but none have begun to bear fruit, and plenty are currently injured. For this organization to thrive at the highest level, it’s going to need to start on the mound once again, and they’re going to be doing so from next to nothing for 2022.
Corner rookies are real
In a season where winning takes a back seat, the best way to prevent it from becoming lost is by watching your youth thrive. Alex Kirilloff is done for the year after having wrist surgery, but it’s pretty realistic to call his rookie campaign a success. The top prospect came up early and handled his own. He’s not an ideal fit in the outfield, but he’ll play at first base, and the bat is every bit as advertised.
Trevor Larnach joined Kirilloff sooner than expected, but it’s hard to pick apart much of what he’s done this season. Even while slumping of late, the 24-year-old owns a .322 OBP and has shown plenty of power potential. He’ll run into more baseballs as his career progresses, and the discipline in the box has been a sight to behold.
These are both pillar players that Minnesota needs to see as foundational cornerstones of future lineups, and early returns should suggest they are both capable of doing just that.
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“I know one thing about a birthday,” said Emmy Rosen from her reclining chair in her Perham Living nursing home room. “One year older.” 
OK, maybe. However, turning 106 years old is a pretty big milestone! 
In 1915, Emmy Matz was born near Perham in west Central Minnesota. She grew up in a farming family and attended a country grade school through the eighth grade. Because their farm was 12 miles from Perham, she was done with school at that point. 
She married Herb Rosen and the couple were together for 45 years. 
Emmy’s family enjoyed baseball. She has fond memories of playing as a kid. “My dad made us a bat. It was pretty wide so we could hit good.” 
Back in the middle years of the 20th century, town team baseball was big. Hundreds if not more than a thousand people would attend the Sunday afternoon Perham Pirates game, especially when the legendary Roy “Fireball” Martin was pitching.  
“Even my mom and dad came into town from the country (for Pirates games). My dad would park the car early enough and then walk back to our house. Then mom and dad went with Herb and me.” 
Her mother was unable to sit in the bleachers by then, so having the car in a strategic location became very important. Others will tell you, and verify, that some people left their cars around the ball field on Saturday just to make sure that they had a good spot to watch the game. 
But Emmy wasn’t always a big fan of watching baseball on TV. If we’re being honest, baseball on TV simply wasn’t available for most people. However, Herb was a big fan and really enjoyed watching the Twins. 
“Herb liked to watch baseball, but I was never that interested in them. I thought, well, if Herb liked to watch it, I want him to watch it. He said, ‘Why don’t you just sit down and watch them. You will like them.’ I did it, and I did learn to like them a lot.”
When Herb passed away in the late ‘80s, Emmy continued to watch the Twins and her love for the team only grew. 
She pointed out, “Baseball is the only sport I really like. I know the football games are good too, but I don’t understand them enough.”
She has her favorite players over the years. “Oh, (Joe) Mauer. (Justin) Morneau. Torii Hunter. Oh gosh. Kirby Puckett, that was a long time ago. Kent Hrbek. All those guys. Dan Gladden, oh, he helped win the Series.” 
She remembers watching both World Series championships (1987 and 1991). “They were very exciting!” 
To this day, as Emmy Rosen is about to turn 106 years old young, she watches nearly every Twins game on the TV in her room. 
She joked, “How many games are there each year? 162? I watch a lot more than that.”
“I usually watch them play if I have time… (pause for dramatic effect)... as if I’m busy.” she said with a sly chuckle. 
On Thursday, the Twins played an afternoon game in Chicago. Emmy likes to walk and still moves around pretty well, especially considering her age. She takes some walks with Fern, who lives across the hall at the nursing home. “I always tell her. There is a game, and when it is over, it might be 4 o’clock.” 
Fern is OK with that, and they walk after the game’s final out. 
It was surprising to hear that Emmy has only been to one Twins game, and it was over 40 years ago. 
As mentioned in the first paragraph, Emmy is not happy with the 2021 Twins season. She said, “I don’t like it. I don’t like that they are not very good right now. No.” 
She went on to talk about the tough one-run loss to the White Sox on Tuesday night in detail. 
She does like the team’s players though. When I asked who her favorite players on the current Twins roster are, Emmy got a big smile and said, “Oh, I like Buxton!” She just wants him to be healthy and play because she enjoys watching him so much. 
She continued, “Oh, and (Alex) Kirilloff. He’s good! Of course, (Nelson) Cruz is good too.” 
Again, on Saturday, Emmy Rosen will turn 106 years young. Asked what she would like as a gift from the Twins, she said matter-of-factly, “Win the game!” 
We often hear that the Twins are very popular in nursing homes around Twins Territory. I don’t know if that can truly be quantified, but here is one example of how important the Twins are to people who are no longer mobile. From what I am told, she is not the only resident at Perham Living who loves watching the Twins play almost every game. There is a reason that the Twins Winter Caravan holds so many stops at nursing homes. 
“The Minnesota Twins are blessed with a loyal and passionate base of fans,” Twins President & CEO Dave St. Peter said. “However no sector of that fandom is more dedicated than our beloved seniors. Simply put, Twins baseball is must-see programming – every day, all season long – in every senior living facility across Twins Territory.”
 
Happy Birthday Emmy! Let’s hope you celebrate your 106th Birthday with a Win from the Twins!