The #MNTwins were in on Cuban right-hander Dalier Hinojosa before he recently signed w/ Boston. More information: http://t.co/FP4JpwlGB7
— Darren Wolfson (@DarrenWolfson) October 22, 2013
Here is a tweet from earlier today from Channel 5 Sports and 1500 ESPN's sports reporter Darren "Doogie" Wolfson, and Minnesota Twins fans are sick of seeing these from the reporters and beat writers who follow the Twins.
It seems like free agency is starting off this season similar to last. What I mean by this, is that we are going to keep hearing how the Twins are in on almost every pitcher, but not closing the deal on any of them. The two men to the left in the picture above will play a huge role in obtaining better pitching this offseason.
Jim Pohlad (far left) has stated numerous times this season that he is more than willing to expand payroll if it means making his team better. This offseason he will actually have to put his money where is mouth is if he wants to keep the fanbase past 2014 and still sell tickets. The only reason fans are still renewing season tickets is the right to get the first dibs on the 2014 All-Star Game package. Come 2015, if the product is bad they won't sell tickets period. You can say Buxton and Sano will draw fans, and they will, but if we are still the worst pitching team in the league we won't succeed and people will stop showing up.
Terry Ryan (center) has said numerous times that Pohlad told him he was ready to spend last season and Ryan says he felt last season was not the right time to spend. Well fans are sick of this, we are not saying go out and spend 250 million dollars every year on payroll, but spend something to try and fix it. Make it look like you are trying to fix the problem that has been holding this franchise back for 3 years. When you make it seem like you are not even trying to fix the issue, that's where you begin to lose the fanbase. The Wild, Wolves, and Vikings may not be succeeding either right now, but they are showing their fanbases that they care about winning and putting the best product on the field. The Twins so far, are not showing their fans that they care about winning and putting the best product on the field for its fans.
Before I mention a few pitchers they should go after this offseason, the Twins offense needs quite a bit of help too, and here are 3 position players the Twins should look to add:
First, they should make a move on catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia. Now I know what you are thinking why would we add a catcher when we have both Mauer and Pinto. To move Mauer to first base permanently. It's not a matter of if he gets hit in the head again with a foul ball, it's a matter of when and will his concussion symptoms return. We have too much invested in Mauer to let him catch anymore. Salty will be 29 in May of 2014 and coming off his best season yet. He still struggles against lefties, but that is what Pinto is for.
Next they should sign Mark Reynolds. Now he isn't the sexy signing or anything, but he is a power bat who can give Plouffe competition at 3rd and play there until Sano is ready to take the reigns at the major league level. Once Sano is here Reynolds can be a power right handed bat who can come off the bench. He definitively won't cost much.
Last they should add Nelson Cruz. He will be much cheaper coming off his 50 game suspension. He is a power bat with a cannon in right field. By planting him in right field that allows Arcia to take over in left and leave the competition for center between Hicks and Presley. Obviously they will only hold it until Buxton is ready to take over, but if either plays well they become a good trade chip once Buxton is ready, and it also allows Arcia or Cruz even to be good trade chips as well or even to platoon at an outfield spot or two. Lots of flexibility is a good thing, not a bad thing.
The pitchers the Twins should target are Ervin Santana, Ubaldo Jimenez, and either Josh Johnson or Phil Hughes. Santana may cost the Twins a 2nd round draft pick, but I'd like to see they are willing to help the now just once rather than always look 5 years down the road. Santana took a major step forward this season, and showed why he can be a top of the rotation guy. Jimenez finally looked like he did when he was back in Colorado. He showed that he still misses bats at a high rate and is only 30 years old. Hughes is the youngest at age 28 and a change of scenery could be the best thing for him. He doesn't strikeout as many as most would like, but he is a fly ball pitcher and would be in a very friendly pitcher's ballpark unlike Yankee Stadium.
All in all, the Twins need to stop saying "we were in on player x, y, and z", and start signing player x, y, and z for the fans to truly believe them. Here is a good way to start, if you want to start even better Jim and Terry, how about you pony up the cash for the best pitcher this offseason in Tanaka from Japan. He will likely cost well over 100 million including his posting fee and contract, but it would be a clear message to the fans and the rest of this franchise that you actually want to win and win as soon as possible. It won't be long before free agency begins and once it begins, the Twins will show their hand and show fans how serious they are about winning. Only time will tell, but I won't be holding my breath.
Written by Nick Calo, follow me on Twitter for more updates and sports thoughts @PRH1987
It seems like free agency is starting off this season similar to last. What I mean by this, is that we are going to keep hearing how the Twins are in on almost every pitcher, but not closing the deal on any of them. The two men to the left in the picture above will play a huge role in obtaining better pitching this offseason.
Jim Pohlad (far left) has stated numerous times this season that he is more than willing to expand payroll if it means making his team better. This offseason he will actually have to put his money where is mouth is if he wants to keep the fanbase past 2014 and still sell tickets. The only reason fans are still renewing season tickets is the right to get the first dibs on the 2014 All-Star Game package. Come 2015, if the product is bad they won't sell tickets period. You can say Buxton and Sano will draw fans, and they will, but if we are still the worst pitching team in the league we won't succeed and people will stop showing up.
Terry Ryan (center) has said numerous times that Pohlad told him he was ready to spend last season and Ryan says he felt last season was not the right time to spend. Well fans are sick of this, we are not saying go out and spend 250 million dollars every year on payroll, but spend something to try and fix it. Make it look like you are trying to fix the problem that has been holding this franchise back for 3 years. When you make it seem like you are not even trying to fix the issue, that's where you begin to lose the fanbase. The Wild, Wolves, and Vikings may not be succeeding either right now, but they are showing their fanbases that they care about winning and putting the best product on the field. The Twins so far, are not showing their fans that they care about winning and putting the best product on the field for its fans.
Before I mention a few pitchers they should go after this offseason, the Twins offense needs quite a bit of help too, and here are 3 position players the Twins should look to add:
First, they should make a move on catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia. Now I know what you are thinking why would we add a catcher when we have both Mauer and Pinto. To move Mauer to first base permanently. It's not a matter of if he gets hit in the head again with a foul ball, it's a matter of when and will his concussion symptoms return. We have too much invested in Mauer to let him catch anymore. Salty will be 29 in May of 2014 and coming off his best season yet. He still struggles against lefties, but that is what Pinto is for.
Next they should sign Mark Reynolds. Now he isn't the sexy signing or anything, but he is a power bat who can give Plouffe competition at 3rd and play there until Sano is ready to take the reigns at the major league level. Once Sano is here Reynolds can be a power right handed bat who can come off the bench. He definitively won't cost much.
Last they should add Nelson Cruz. He will be much cheaper coming off his 50 game suspension. He is a power bat with a cannon in right field. By planting him in right field that allows Arcia to take over in left and leave the competition for center between Hicks and Presley. Obviously they will only hold it until Buxton is ready to take over, but if either plays well they become a good trade chip once Buxton is ready, and it also allows Arcia or Cruz even to be good trade chips as well or even to platoon at an outfield spot or two. Lots of flexibility is a good thing, not a bad thing.
The pitchers the Twins should target are Ervin Santana, Ubaldo Jimenez, and either Josh Johnson or Phil Hughes. Santana may cost the Twins a 2nd round draft pick, but I'd like to see they are willing to help the now just once rather than always look 5 years down the road. Santana took a major step forward this season, and showed why he can be a top of the rotation guy. Jimenez finally looked like he did when he was back in Colorado. He showed that he still misses bats at a high rate and is only 30 years old. Hughes is the youngest at age 28 and a change of scenery could be the best thing for him. He doesn't strikeout as many as most would like, but he is a fly ball pitcher and would be in a very friendly pitcher's ballpark unlike Yankee Stadium.
All in all, the Twins need to stop saying "we were in on player x, y, and z", and start signing player x, y, and z for the fans to truly believe them. Here is a good way to start, if you want to start even better Jim and Terry, how about you pony up the cash for the best pitcher this offseason in Tanaka from Japan. He will likely cost well over 100 million including his posting fee and contract, but it would be a clear message to the fans and the rest of this franchise that you actually want to win and win as soon as possible. It won't be long before free agency begins and once it begins, the Twins will show their hand and show fans how serious they are about winning. Only time will tell, but I won't be holding my breath.
Written by Nick Calo, follow me on Twitter for more updates and sports thoughts @PRH1987