It was expected that a poorly-performing Minnesota Twins team was going to be sellers at the trade deadline. Derek Falvey had indicated he would get serious about moving impending free agents. The roster made it easy when they lost four consecutive series coming out of the All-Star Break.
No one was prepared for the absolute teardown that would take place. Carlos Correa decided he’d had enough (and hadn’t produced enough) so he got out. Griffin Jax was fed up as well and wanted out.
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There is now a smoldering mess left in the clubhouse, and the Pohlads apparently saved all of that money only to keep the team anyways. The on-field talent is both confused and frustrated with the current state of things.
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Minnesota Twins players starting to turn in the clubhouse
You can bet I’ll be the first person to tell you the Pohlads are terrible owners. I can also comfortably say Derek Failure has been a failure for at least a couple of years now. That doesn’t absolve the roster from failing to uphold their end of the bargain though.
While the players are also at fault, those left at the big league level aren’t blind or clueless. They see a lack of direction, and don’t have much comfort in the path forward. Skor North’s Declan Goff described the situation.
“So we’re about three weeks into this new roster with the Twins, and I get the sense now that we’re three weeks into this and we’ve been back at home a few times talking to some players. I still remain kind of skeptical of what exactly the plan is, and even some players and people that I’ve talked to seem a little bit frustrated and confused with the direction of the organization. And I think this stems from trying to understand where are we going? We’re going younger and athletic. Okay, are we gonna start empowering more of the other core players that have been here? It just feels like you have a collection of young players that I’ve been here for a little bit and they are stalling out. Something we have talked about on the show, that if you look down the Twins core roster right now, they’re all first-round picks for the most part, the ones that are contributing when they’re getting to their peak. They’re regressing after having really hot starts to their career, and I just get this sense that some players get are very frustrated with the either lack of communication the lack of development, and they still don’t really know exactly where this club is heading towards, and they want answers. I don’t blame them for still seeking that after nuking their roster three weeks ago.”
First things first, the lack of communication from the front office to the coaching staff or active roster is a problem. Derek Falvey and Jeremy Zoll flew to Cleveland after the deadline to meet the team. They needed to establish a vision, message, and path forward. Maybe they thought that was achieved when leaving the room, but it certainly doesn’t sound like it hit home.
On the flip side, there’s plenty of internal soul-searching that needs to take place. Royce Lewis has a .648 OPS (77 OPS+). Trevor Larnach is in year five of being exactly league-average and now on the verge of being traded. Edouard Julien looks lost, and Jose Miranda isn’t even part of this because he’s never been found.
Although the Twins can talk about shaking up their core, Falvey really did none of that. He traded expiring contracts, some relievers, and an overpaid veteran who didn’t want to be here. If there is going to be an overhaul this winter, then swapping out the yearly underperformers makes sense.
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What are the MN Twins good at?
Players are drafted by an organization hoping to have the tools and coaching staff capable of unlocking their full potential. Falvey was regarded as a pitching development guru with the Guardians. Yes, he has constructed some good bullpens and developed depth arms. To what extent they all hit matters.
Short of Joe Ryan, who the Twins continued to develop after acquiring him in the Nelson Cruz trade, everyone has warts. Minnesota can add velocity, but any organization worth their salt is doing that these days.
The last homegrown hitter the Minnesota Twins develop into a consistent producer will be their first one. Falvey has gone after bopping college prospects and flopped. He’s tried for helium prep kids and struck out. It’s been a house of horrors on that front.
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Players certainly want to be better than they are finding themselves perform too. It’s difficult to think they are all tapped out on potential though, and a change of scenery unlocking more would only be a further indictment against this franchise.
Falvey was promoted amidst his failures. If he’s ever going to show a shred of being worth of that, he’ll need to right this ship. That requires messaging, communication, and follow through. Right now none of that appears to be happening.
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