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MINNEAPOLIS - The role of executive chair of the Minnesota Twins changed hands this offseason with Jim Pohlad retiring from the role and his nephew, Joe Pohlad, taking over for him on November 28, 2022. Joe Pohlad moves up from his role as the team’s executive vice president in brand strategy and growth. Image courtesy of Theo Tollefson Jim Pohlad will still be involved with the Twins to a degree but as his 70th birthday approaches next month, he decided it was time for him to pass his day-to-day roles to Joe Pohlad. Jim Pohlad will still be the team’s representative in ownership for any league matters. Many Twins fans ponder what will be different with Joe Pohlad compared to Jim Pohlad. From the first three months on the job, it’s already apparent to some fans that Joe is more public-facing and involved with the front office. For starters, Dan Hayes of the Athletic wrote in his piece on Joe Pohlad (published February 14) that, unlike his uncle and grandfather’s time as the Twins chairman, he will be keeping an office at Target Field. On top of that, Joe Pohlad was heavily involved in making sure the Twins brought back superstar shortstop Carlos Correa and gave him the largest contract in team history. “I can think of no better way to articulate the seamless transition from Jim, his uncle to Joe than what we just went through,” said Derek Falvey during Correa’s press conference on January 11. “Ultimately going back to March and the contract we came up with, and then this offseason. Joe's been a part of those conversations for the last five plus years, at least that I've been here. So I expected that but Joe's patience was matched in a similar way, what Scott [Boras] and Carlos were showing, but also that persistence and that desire to find a way to get to this outcome.” Later during the press conference, Twins Daily co-owner John Bonnes followed up on this quote from Falvey asking Joe Pohlad if the large contract for Correa was a sign of things to come with future free agent deals. Joe Pohlad responded saying, “We'll take that on a case-by-case basis. Like Derek said earlier, we're in constant communication, and we're always looking at ways to make our team better. So if those opportunities come forward, then we'll evaluate that [them] then.” While Joe Pohlad has had a more active role in team transactions than his uncle in the last five years according to Falvey, he still does not want to become or be seen as an owner “who’s always meddling,” as Hayes wrote in the same article on February 14. Joe Pohlad’s interaction in the team’s baseball operations since returning to the front office in 2018 has not come without experience. He spent time as an assistant in the baseball operations department beginning in 2007. His experience there, which not many owners in Major League Baseball have had, sheds light that he is willing to shed the common trope Twins fans attribute to his family; the “Cheap Pohlads.” When asked individually at the January 11 press conference if Correa’s re-signing shows critical fans that ownership is committed to building the team for a championship, Joe Pohlad responded, “I hope so. I think how we view it, or at least how I view it, is this the best route for us in order to get to where we want to be, which is a competitive team that can compete for a World Series?. Ultimately, the goal is to win and is every move we make going to add to that and achieve that goal? And this [signing] is gonna do that.” Joe Pohlad was built up in the Twins organization to be fitted for this role. He’s worked in a variety of roles within the Twins in anticipation of the day when this role was bestowed on him. In an era of Major League Baseball where the reputations of team owners usually bring negative connotations to their franchises, Joe Pohlad may be the outlier. Especially when compared to the ownership of teams such as the Houston Astros’ Jim Crane, the Cincinnati Reds’ Phil Castellini, and the Baltimore Orioles’ John Angelos. Joe Pohlad is in a similar boat as Castellini and Angelos with other family members (specifically the fathers of Castellini and Angelos), who are still living and have the ownership of the team in their name. Unlike the two though, Joe Pohlad has not made any comments that have had fanbases question their commitments to their franchises or the game of baseball. As the first full season with Joe Pohlad at the helm warms up in Ft. Myers for spring training, he has demonstrated many reasons for Twins fans to hope things are changing for the better. Maybe even enough to made the phrase, “Cheap Pohlads” be heard less often as fans return to Target Field for the 2023 season. View full article

In a letter today, Jim Pohlad informed Minnesota Twins team employees that he will be stepping down from day-to-day operations of the team. Joe Pohlad, his nephew, will be taking over those responsibilities effective immediately and the role of Executive Chair. So where does that leave the Twins? Image courtesy of TwinsCentric, LLC Joe Pohlad has been involved with the Twins since 2007, working in areas of the organization that were preparing him for this leadership role. Most recently, as Executive Vice President, he was involved in the rollout of the new Twins branding, logo, and uniforms, including introducing the changes to the media and fans at the Mall of America earlier this month. He has also been involved in marketing and ticket sales areas within the Twins, and oversaw the Pohlads' media company Go Media. He's also been on the Pohlad Foundation's Board of Directors. Joe Pohlad has been more visible as a fan of the team than Jim Pohlad, who was viewed as generally hands-off. Joe Pohlad even attended Twins Daily's Winter Meltdown several years ago, and has confessed to being a Gleeman and the Geek podcast listener. He has discussed Twins Daily with me as well, admiring the passion and detail that is contributed by our writers and community. Joe Pohlad has often been involved in several of the Pohlads' and Twins' more aggressive initiatives, such as Go Media, which included acquiring two radio stations and BringMeTheNews.com. He served as the Executive VP of Brand Strategy and Growth for the Twins, which explains the involvement with the recent rebranding. In that role, he also oversaw the launch of the Minnesota Twins Accelerator by Techstars, an effort to develop startups in technology, sports, and entertainment. What this means for the direction of the team is anybody's guess. In his letter, Jim Pohlad said he will remain involved as the Control Owner, which suggests at a high-level (including budget, cough, cough), he'll still be involved. However, Joe Pohlad's track record with the Twins suggests he is more likely to be focused on growth than status quo, perhaps aggressively. View full article

Like many ownership groups, the Pohlads are known to run their baseball team like a business. Do Jim Pohlad's recent comments point to the family being willing to spend more on the team? Image courtesy of David Berding-USA TODAY Sports Last weekend, the Pioneer Press posted a story written by long-time columnist Charlie Walters. In the piece, he interviewed Twins owner Jim Pohlad about various topics. The biggest takeaway regarded Carlos Correa and his impact on the Twins. Pohlad seemed open to Correa signing a new contract to stay in Minnesota long-term. "I'm totally on board with him coming back," said Pohlad. "Definitely. Absolutely. I love the guy. He's a huge asset and benefit to the team. But I don't know how it's going to go." Pohlad went on to suggest that it was expected for Scott Boras and Correa to test the free agent market again this winter. He called Boras an "aggressive" agent, but it's also unclear what kind of offers Correa will receive as one of baseball's top free agents. He didn't receive the type of offers he wanted last winter, but performed well in 2022 and gets a second chance to ink a long-term deal. The Athletic's Keith Law recently released his top 50 free agents for the upcoming offseason, and Correa sits at the top. Law explains that Correa "represents… a rare chance to get a superstar who plays a skill position and is still in his peak years." Trea Turner is the other top shortstop in the free agent class, but Correa is two years younger than Turner, and has a career WAR nearly 10 points higher. Minnesota won't be the only team interested in Correa's services, with many big-market teams looking for a shortstop. However, the Twins have the financial flexibility to add Correa with an offer close to what Corey Seager received last season (10 years, $325 million). By 2024, Byron Buxton's $15 million salary is the lone noticeable commitment for the team. If Pohlad truly wants Correa back, the Twins' front office can make it happen. Minnesota's current regime needs to make some critical decisions this winter, which may require franchise-changing moves. Derek Falvey and Thad Levine have valued payroll flexibility, but the results have disappointed with losing records in each of the last two seasons. The Twins can look to the current Phillies as an example of a team that spent big on names like Bryce Harper and Zack Wheeler before heading to a World Series. Star players can help carry a team through a season and into the playoffs. The AL Central is one of baseball's worst divisions, and Minnesota has the division's second-highest payroll. This winter, there has been a lot of discussion about the club's lack of attendance, but the team needs to start winning to bring back fans. Correa can be a big piece of the equation as he is a leader on and off the field. Do Pohlad's comments mean the team will spend more next season? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. View full article

The epic adaptation of a Charles Dickens' class continues today. Where were we? That's right. In Part 2, Jim Pohlad just spent time with Kirby Puckett, the Ghost of Twins' Christmas Past. Clearly upset, he went back to bed. Let the story continue. 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 View full article

Twins' owner Jim Pohlad has been visited by Kirby Puckett and Joe Mauer in an odd and terrifying Christmas dream. In today's thrilling final installment, what will happen?? Will Pohlad be visited once more? How will this conclude? 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 View full article

In Part 2 of this adaptation of a Dickens classic, Jim Pohlad finds himself awoken by, well, you're going to have to read on to find out. A Minnesota Twins Christmas Carol - Part 1 Jim Pohlad enters one of his many estates, muttering to himself about the nerve of his employees trying to ‘extort’ him for pitching. He hands Rudy his fur coat and takes the elevator up to his bedroom. “125 million dollars for a pitcher… not in this lifetime,” Pohlad says as Rudy helps him into his silk pajamas. “What do they expect me to do? Sell my Porsche dealership? One of my many houses,” Pohlad asks while Rudy silently nods in agreement. Pohlad puts on his nightcap and tucks himself into the covers. Pohlad falls asleep but is quickly awoken by the sound of cleats on the marble floor in his bedroom. He grabs his smartphone to turn on the lights, but before he can find the app his room is aglow with a backlit figure standing in the doorway. “Rudy? Is that you?,” Pohlad asks. “No, Jim, I am not Rudy,” the figure replies as Pohlad squints to adjust his eyes to the glowing figure in his cavernous bedroom. “I am the Ghost of Twins’ Christmas Past.” Then it becomes clear who is standing at the foot of the bed. It is, unbelievably, Kirby Puckett. “Kirby! It can’t be! I thought you were….well….,” Pohlad stutters. “Dead? Remember Jim, there's heroes and there's legends: Heroes get remembered, but legends never die,” Puckett said. “I am here to show you the error of your ways.” Puckett and Pohlad suddenly appear on Chicago Avenue during the Twins 1991 World Championship parade. Chili Davis and Jack Morris roll by in floats while the fans celebrate and cheer. “You see, Jim, this town LOVED the Twins and all it took was a few big free agents to complete the puzzle,” Puckett said. “You could have OWNED this state if you could have kept the momentum. But you stopped spending.” Suddenly a montage plays out in front of Puckett and Pohlad. Disappointing seasons in ’92 and ’93. The 1994 strike and Kent Hrbek’s retirement. Puckett’s glaucoma. The awful, awful seasons from ’95-2000. Puckett reaches out and takes Pohlad by the hand. Suddenly, the room begins to spin and spin until they find themselves inside the Hubert H Humphrey Metrodome. It is 2001. On the field, the Twins are playing against the White Sox. It is an exciting young Twins team featuring up-and-coming players like Torii Hunter and Corey Koskie. Although the crowd is sparse, it is far better than even three seasons ago. Fans seem to be getting interested in the team again after a dark decade of losing. Puckett and Pohlad find themselves in the offices in the bowels of the stadium. “Is that my dad?” Pohlad nervously asks. “Who is that man he is sitting with?” Puckett laughs and gives Pohlad a dumbfounded look. “You know who that is, the Commissioner of baseball Bud Selig,” Puckett says incredulously. Selig and Carl Pohlad are looking over some documents while lawyers observe from the background. Suddenly, Selig smiles and begins to speak. “There we have it, Carl, your team will officially be contracted before next season. The owners will buy out your stake and there will no longer be Major League Baseball in Minnesota,” Selig said. A single tear fell from Puckett’s eye as he watched Carl Pohlad sign the contract. Jim Pohlad instantly became defensive. “You don’t understand, the state wouldn’t buy us a new stadium! Our family simply couldn’t afford to pay for our own ballpark, we needed the charity of the citizens of Minnesota,” Jim Pohlad said. “Ah, so you admit, you NEED the fans,” Puckett asked. “Is that what you are trying to say?” “No, we need the fans’ MONEY. We don’t care what the fans actually think about the team as long as they are giving us their MONEY…. can’t you understand that?” Jim Pohlad seethed. Suddenly, after climbing about 6,000 stairs, Puckett and Pohlad are in the Twins clubhouse. Players are hearing the news of contraction and calling their families confused and scared about what the future may hold. Employees are being encouraged to find employment elsewhere in case there is no team in 2002. “That’s IT. I’ve seen enough of this and I DEMAND to go back home,” Pohlad yelled. “As you wish,” Puckett said, and suddenly Jim Pohlad was back in his California king-sized bed. Part 3 is coming soon! A Minnesota Twins Christmas Carol - Part 1 View full article

“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?!” 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! View full article

Today Maury Brown put an article out at Forbes that illustrated some of the economic impact across baseball in relation to a pandemic shortened 2020 season. While the league as a whole spent roughly $2.5B less on salaries, the per game adjustments note a step forward. The Twins can and need to afford a similar path in the year ahead. In 2019 $2,472,194,292 more dollars were spent on payrolls across baseball. Obviously, there were also 102 more games played that season. Adjusting the calendar to be in line with what we experienced during 2020 however, a 12% increase in player salaries would’ve been realized. On the Twins front, Minnesota paid out $52,627,942 in salaries during the 2020 season. That was good enough for 19th in baseball. They paid a total of $125,205,980 in 2019, and that comes out to an adjusted amount of $46,372,585. It makes sense that the Pohlad family would push more finances into roster construction during an open window and following a length period of cost savings, but it’s glad to see that come to fruition. After going big on Josh Donaldson to the tune of a four-year deal worth at least $100 million, Minnesota again finds themselves in a position to spend. Although payroll positioning isn’t indicative of talent of future finish (just ask the Tampa Bay Rays), stockpiling more assets is hardly a bad practice. Coming off a second straight AL Central division title and looking to supplement an already strong core around a star like Donaldson, another step up makes plenty of sense. Despite the down revenues for the league as a whole in 2020, the reality is that Scott Boras’ assessment is likely factual. Teams didn’t actually lose money as much as they simply didn’t take in typical profits. Coming off years of record growth financially however, that should hardly be the sole motivator, and especially not for organizations in the midst of prime competitive windows. Minnesota has a respectable farm system and one that has both established depth while harboring some very high projected prospects at the top. Even Royce Lewis though shouldn’t be considered a cornerstone on a Major League team for the next one or two seasons. That’s a point in which most of the Twins core is looking into their 30’s while the big contract for Donaldson is a year from lapsing. Derek Falvey and Thad Levine can’t throw caution to the wind, but they’ve built a sustained winner, and now is time to continue adding pieces. There have been rumblings about what the Twins plan to do at the shortstop position, and there’s no doubt they have holes in the starting rotation as it would currently be constructed. Minnesota is never going to be able to compete with big market clubs purely from an enticement factor but saving dollars doesn’t make much sense given the state of the competitive opportunity and the challenge Chicago will certainly present. It’s good to see that even in a year with decreased revenues and unprecedented hurdles the Twins stepped up on the bottom line. Now they need to continue to weather the storm and do it again for 2021. For more from Off The Baggy, click here. Follow @tlschwerz

On Friday, news broke that the Minnesota Twins will not be making any minor league roster transactions at this time. Instead, they have committed to paying all of their minor leaguers $400 per week through the end of August.On Thursday, news began to leak that major league organizations were releasing dozens of players in recent days. The Seattle Mariners were said to have released over 30 minor leaguers. The Atlanta Braves reportedly released over 50 players. Some estimates noted that over 1000 minor leaguers would be released this week. The Twins went in completely the opposite direction. They will continue to pay their minor leaguers the same $400 per week through the end of August. Normally the minor league seasons go through Labor Day, so they are essentially paying their players for the full season, including insurance, through a season that is unlikely to be played. (Note, if there is a minor league season, it's back to "business as normal" and there could be releases, based on making rosters and such.) Click here to view the article

USA Today's Bob Nightengale is reporting that Minnesota Twins manager Paul Molitor has been fired and a press conference this afternoon has been scheduled to announce it. Molitor managed the Twins for four seasons, two of which they exceeded expectations and two of which they did not. They finished this year 78-84, a disappointment after making it to the postseason last year with an 85-77 record.The team's 2017 season earned Paul Molitor Manager Of The Year Award honors, and a winner for this last season has not yet been announced, meaning he is still the reigning Manager of the Year. But his position as the Twins manager has been in doubt each of the last three seasons. In 2016, the Twins dismal start led to the dismissal of General Manager Terry Ryan, which would often mean a change in manager as well. But Twins ownership announced that any new GM would need to retain Molitor as manager. Which, of course, meant that questions emerged during the 2017 season as to whether new CBO Derek Falvey and GM Thad Levine would retain Molitor after their inaugural season was over, especially since Molitor's contract would also conclude after the 2017 season. A strong finish in 2017 and the resulting Manager of the Year award convinced both sides to extend the contract through 2020, though the amount of the contract was not announced. This year's disappointing start led to a trade deadline selloff when the Twins were out of the race by mid-summer, but there had been very little speculation that a coaching change was imminent. Comments from the Twins: “I would like to thank Paul for his tremendous dedication to the Minnesota Twins over his last four years as manager of this club,” said Twins Executive Vice President, Chief Baseball Officer Derek Falvey. “Paul’s roots here run deep and his commitment to the organization, his staff, and the players is special. I have every hope and desire that he remains a part of this club for many years to come.” “The importance and contribution of Paul Molitor to the Twins, our community and Major League Baseball cannot be diminished,” said Twins Owner Jim Pohlad. “On behalf of our family, I offer thanks to Paul for his four years as Twins manager and look forward to the continuation of our relationship with him.” Comments from Paul Molitor: “I was informed today that the Twins will seek a new manager for the 2019 season and I fully respect that decision. I will forever be grateful for the opportunity they gave me to serve in the role as manager for these past four years. I’m going to consider their genuine offer to serve in a different capacity to positively impact the Twins from a different role. Special thanks to my coaches and players I have had a chance to manage and I certainly appreciate the tremendous support I received from all of Twins Territory.” Click here to view the article

It was time for a change. On the first day of the 2016 Winter Meetings in National Harbor, Maryland, the Minnesota Twins announced a shake up within their scouting department. Deron Johnson, who was the director of scouting since 2007, has been promoted to senior advisor and will strictly evaluate the top talent here in the states and abroad. In a corresponding move, Sean Johnson was promoted from West Coast supervisor to director of scouting and will oversee all preparation for the upcoming MLB Draft, where the Twins will have the first overall pick in June. He will also manage the team’s 27-person scouting staff. The Twins scouting department has been considered to be one of the best in the majors since the 1980s. However, their recent draft history and amateur free agent signings have gained somewhat mixed results, with the top players such as 2B Brian Dozier and OF Max Kepler reaching the majors. Others (OF Brian Buxton, P Tyler Duffy and P Trevor May) have shown some promise, but all have struggled at the big league level and none appear likely to become a bona-fide superstar. Twins owner Jim Pohlad overhauled his front office following the firing of Terry Ryan in July, who went to the LA Dodgers. He wanted to join the growing trend of hiring a president of baseball operations as well as a general manager. Pohlad hired Derek Falvey as Chief Baseball Officer, who had the authority to bring Thad Levine in as the team’s GM. The franchise had only five GMs since moving to Minnesota over a half century ago. The culture of the Twins has changed dramatically from “The Little Engine That Could” to avoiding trading away quality players for a mediocre package of talent. Why? Well, it’s because the division has become more difficult to win each year. Levine felt these promotions reflected the evolution of the franchise and hopefully shape their philosophy in acquiring players moving forward. This was the final move in the team’s restructuring process of their front office, as they want to create a two-tier management structure that oversees the day-to-day operations while developing quality talent in their minor league system. All of these moves come off a hugely disappointing 2016 season the Twins just had. The Twins new management team wanted to expand Deron Johnson’s role within the organization, as they need to become a little more proactive in recognizing quality talent. He joined the Twins organization in 1994, and was apart of the decision process to select outfielder Aaron Hicks with the first pick of the MLB Draft later that summer. Sean Johnson became apart of the Twins organization as an area scout in 2002, and will have final say on all draft selections. He expects not to sleep much in his own bed after the holidays because there’s work to be done before the start of spring training. The Johnsons together are the right candidates for the job, as each are committed to building a championship team for the Twin Cities. The Pohlad family is still believe in letting their baseball people to make baseball decisions.

A new era of Minnesota Twins baseball began on Monday morning as Derek Falvey and Thad Levine were introduced in front of a crowd consisting of Twin Cities media, some current and former players, and fans watching online and on TV. As Dave St. Peter tweeted prior to the press conference, “Today marks dawn of a new era for @Twins baseball as we welcome Derek Falvey & Thad Levine. Right leadership tandem at the right time.”Derek Falvey was officially announced as the Twins Chief Baseball Officer last month. However, due to an agreement between Minnesota, Cleveland and MLB, he remained with Cleveland through the World Series. However, in that time, he was able to hire his choice for Twins General Manager, and he chose long-time assistant GM of the Texas Rangers, Thad Levine. In addition, interim GM Rob Antony told reporters that his new title would be essentially be his old title, Assistant General Manager. To summarize, the messages shared from the mouths of both Falvey and Levine included a lot of collaborations and synergy at every level. From scouting, to player development, to the Major League club, the goal will be to share a common system of beliefs and structure. As you will find with many companies, they will focus on People, Process and Culture. Good people who are interested in communication and continuous improvement will work within some established processes to develop a culture. Hopefully that culture involves winning, and a lot of it. According to Falvey, the goal is “long-term, sustainable, championship-caliber” success for the organization he had earlier described as “one of the most proud, resilient franchises in baseball.” Getting to that level will require a lot of work. And that work starts right away. Tonight, Falvey, Levine and Antony fly to Scottsdale, Arizona, for the GM Meetings. According to Falvey, they will “dive underneath the hood of this team here.” He added, “We would expect that we’ll go through player personnel decisions and evaluations over the next 72 hours aggressively and work forward from there.” As we all know, part of the arrangement with a restructured front office was that Paul Molitor was to remain the team’s manager. That came directly from owner Jim Pohlad. Falvey and Molitor have met a few times and it sounds like the discussions have been good. “He and I share the same vision which is building a winning organization and a winning Major League team.” On Molitor, Levine added, “My opinion is that the healthiest franchises in the game have strong synergies between ownership, front office, business and the clubhouse. So when we walk in the door having inherited a manager of the caliber of Paul Molitor, we feel like we’ve got a partner in this process, someone we can invest in the future with, so we view it as a prominent positive.” The team isn’t starting from scratch. As Falvey noted, “There are some building blocks here. There are some good young players. There’s talent in this organization. I think that’s a credit to Terry Ryan and the staff that came before us and built a good foundation, particularly on the position player side. It’s something I’ve always admired from a distance.” Falvey wasn’t willing to say how good this team is or how good they can be in 2017. “I don’t want to put restraints on teams. I want to go into the year with the hope that we are a competitive team that continues to build and gets better every single day.” The big question, of course, is how to go about adding pitching, something the Twins are greatly in need of. For Falvey, he said it’s the same philosophy for hitters or pitchers. “We’re trying to seek and find the best possible talent that exists out there, and then align that talent with a development plan that will maximize those strengths.” It’s a system that worked with Cleveland. They were able to bring together scouting, development and major league operations to bring the best results. He talked about working with other departments such as medical and strength and conditioning, and potentially some departments that currently do not exist. The new staff will attempt to bring balance to the organization. They will communicate internally. It is a sound strategy. Listen, the reality is that Falvey and Levine have their work cut out for them. Aside from some of the specifics as it relates to analytics, the message was the same you would have heard from Ryan and his group, or any new collection being brought in. Falvey and Levine use bigger words and speak very well. They do bring knowledge and experience from outside the current Twins system, but they also know that it isn’t 100 percent about analytics. I was impressed with Levine noting that the opinions of former players like Michael Young and Darren Oliver, who are senior advisers in the Rangers’ front office, were helpful in the evaluation as well. Corey Koskie, Joe Mauer and Glen Perkins were in attendance. Falvey talked about being a “data-driven organization.” Levine thinks that data needs to be “married up with the scouting acumen of your field staff. The talent evaluators are really the difference-makers in the game. I subscribe to the theory that the competitive advantage is that whoever has the best talent evaluators... who then has it married up with an ownership group who will support you to acquire that talent, is probably going to win a lot of games.” Levine also noted that relationship building, the human side, is just as important. Working with the media. Building relationships with agents. All in an attempt to be able to bring in the best talent. Young talent. Talented veterans. Leaders. It all fits into the equation. So while the theme most Twins fans want to hear are words like “analytics” and “advanced stats,” it’s good to hear that these new leaders will always understand the human element as well. Things are changing in the front office of the Minnesota Twins. The goals remain the same. Build a winner. Build a team that can win in the short and long terms. It is certainly going to be a challenge. Press conferences are an opportunity to meet the new guys. We had the opportunity to listen to them speak and see some personality. It’s hard to lose in an introductory press conference. But for the most part, I feel like it was a successful unveiling of the new direction. Falvey and Levine are both very well spoken and articulate. They flash business acumen, but they have also been in great organizations that have won. They are very convincing and appear to be strong leaders. Levine showed a sense of humor and hinted humility with a few of his remarks. Of course now the work begins. Coming off of a 59-win season, much work needs to be done to make the team more competitive. It feels like the Twins have made some strong choices. Now the fun of the offseason begins. We know that those reading this on the pages of Twins Daily will be watching closely to see what will happen! Click here to view the article