Thread: Mackey: Twins Likely Done Making Significant Moves this Year

An interesting quote by Terry Ryan.

"'We've got to start being realistic . . . [a]nd realistic is, in September, (playing) meaningful games. You talk about winning the division -- well, we all want to do that. Postseason, we all want to do that.

'But coming off the amount of losses that we've had. . . Playing major league baseball in September when the games don't mean a thing, that's no good for anybody. We need to get to that point before we can start worrying about much of anything else.'"

Notebook: Twins Likely Done Making Significant Moves this Ooffseason

Ryan should be congratulated for cutting the payroll by 30 million dollars. It only took him a year to do so.

I'm sorry to say, the Twins are a joke. SAD!

There are plenty of players who are going to have to lower their cotract demands in the next month. i would hope the Twins do some bargain shopping as Kelly Johnson is still available and there are more relievers and Marcum is still available too.

Sigh... I'm not terribly surprised to read this but it's still disappointing. If the Twins are in rebuilding mode, just blow it up and give it the proper treatment. Put Morneau and Willingham on the block and be done with it.

I'm not against shying away from the FA market and slashing payroll with the clear message "we're building for 2015" but riding the fence is unacceptable. You either try to win or you blow up the roster. There's no point in trying to play both sides. It rarely (almost never) works.

Very nice, another looooong season.

On the positive side, when I want to take my son to a game, we'll just be able to go down to Target Field and find tickets for dirt cheap from somebody on a street corner.

I just don't understand why rebuilding requires this drastic of a payroll cut. If your concerned about signing vets that would take away playing time from young guys, they why bother signing guys like Correia? If the team admits signing Correia is a stop-gap move to keep the seat warm for the youngsters, then why not sign a better pitcher to a two year deal?

Originally Posted by Brock Beauchamp

Sigh... I'm not terribly surprised to read this but it's still disappointing. If the Twins are in rebuilding mode, just blow it up and give it the proper treatment. Put Morneau and Willingham on the block and be done with it.

I'm not against shying away from the FA market and slashing payroll with the clear message "we're building for 2015" but riding the fence is unacceptable. You either try to win or you blow up the roster. There's no point in trying to play both sides. It rarely (almost never) works.

Unless the point is to sell as many season ticket packages as you can...the bottom line...money.

Originally Posted by scottz

On the positive side, when I want to take my son to a game, we'll just be able to go down to Target Field and find tickets for dirt cheap from somebody on a street corner.

I'm telling ya, man, this is underrated. Granted, I'd rather be winning, but given that I live less than a mile from the field, if it's a nice night, I can just spend a few bucks and go in person. Better than the TV, and I can't tell you how many times I've ended up several rows up from the field for a very minor outlay.

"Unlike in the previous two offseasons, there will be no over-promising and under-delivering by the Minnesota Twins in 2013."

All I could think of was the "pretty darn good pitcher" quote when I read this.

In truth, I don't disagree with Ryan's quote in the original post, but that statement doesn't really jibe with his actions. He hasn't made the necessary improvements to put this club in position to be playing meaningful games in September, IMO.

Originally Posted by East Coast Twin

An interesting quote by Terry Ryan.

"'We've got to start being realistic . . . [a]nd realistic is, in September, (playing) meaningful games. You talk about winning the division -- well, we all want to do that. Postseason, we all want to do that.

'But coming off the amount of losses that we've had. . . Playing major league baseball in September when the games don't mean a thing, that's no good for anybody. We need to get to that point before we can start worrying about much of anything else.'"

Notebook: Twins Likely Done Making Significant Moves this Ooffseason

Right at the beginning it said, 'Unlike in the previous two offseasons, there will be no over-promising and under-delivering by the Minnesota Twins in 2013.'

Ryan said he'd do everything he could to significantly improve the rotation during the season ticket holders conference, didn't he? Didn't he also tell us:

A: He'd do whatever he could to improve the team this offseason.

which would help him achieve plan B...

B: That his plan was to build a team to compete in 2013,

and that

C: Money wouldn't be a problem while doing both A and B?

Yet at the beginning of this article the writer says, 'Unlike in the previous two offseasons, there will be no over-promising and under-delivering by the Minnesota Twins in 2013.'

I guess, technically, the writer is correct, the promises Ryan gave us were told in calender year 2012.

Originally Posted by ThePuck

Unless the point is to sell as many season ticket packages as you can...the bottom line...money.

Not just season tickets, but walk-up tickets as well, especially early in the season before the team is out of it.

Personally, if the Twins went all-out rebuild, I might be more inclined to go to games to "get to know 'em" again. I may be in the minority on that.

I for one am just glad that our rotation is now fortified.

Twins Likely Done Making Significant Moves this Year

I think that's just about exactly what I posted when they signed Correia.

What a sad situation. Not much hope, not much of a plan, and a primary goal of chopping payroll.

I hope those of you going to any of the Caravan stops have plenty of questions on hand! You can report back to us with answers given!

Think the payroll was chopped because their was no way to build a club without spending major bucks or trading the farm system. 1 or 2 year deals for pitchers with the expectation of young pitchers coming up is the better way to go.
I don't like this way, and do wish the Twins had been more honest about the direction. The only thing I can now see is the Willingham and Morneau have very good seasons and are traded at the deadline for more upper level prospects.

Originally Posted by beckmt

Think the payroll was chopped because their was no way to build a club without spending major bucks or trading the farm system. 1 or 2 year deals for pitchers with the expectation of young pitchers coming up is the better way to go.
I don't like this way, and do wish the Twins had been more honest about the direction. The only thing I can now see is the Willingham and Morneau have very good seasons and are traded at the deadline for more upper level prospects.

On Morneau, I get the idea of holding on to him until the deadline because his trade value has been low.

On Willingham, I think the time to trade him is now. His track record doesn't indicate he'll be as good as he was in 2012 in 2013. His value is higher now than it's ever been.

Originally Posted by Brock Beauchamp

Sigh... I'm not terribly surprised to read this but it's still disappointing. If the Twins are in rebuilding mode, just blow it up and give it the proper treatment. Put Morneau and Willingham on the block and be done with it.

I'm not against shying away from the FA market and slashing payroll with the clear message "we're building for 2015" but riding the fence is unacceptable. You either try to win or you blow up the roster. There's no point in trying to play both sides. It rarely (almost never) works.

only thing straddling the fense does is give you a case of blue balls...trying to sell 3million tickets while playing both sides will not work,
if ownership or management came out and said we are rebuilding here is a 10% ticket reduction .and we are trading everyone including joe , see you in 2/3 years i would be happier then being lied too

From the Makey initerview:

"I think we've fortified the pitching staff," Ryan said. "You look at this team and I think we scored enough runs. We have enough defense, even with the loss of Revere and Span. So we're getting somewhat close to the point where we're ready to go and sort this out a little bit (at spring training)."

Perhaps it was a typo? Did Makey mean to type "forfeited the pitching staff."

Also, in what possible way does Ryan think the Twins have enough defense. This is likely a bottom five defense which doesn't go well with the intentionally constructed extreme pitch-to-contact staff.