I appreciate what the Brewers do, and have done. For instance, they haven’t been afraid to audition internal prospects, or give top prospects a chance to play early and live with some growing pains.

However, having a team built almost entirely from players from different organizations is a big mistake long term.

And just because the Twins played a more exciting brand of baseball the last 2 months of 2025 doesn’t mean they actually scored more runs. The team needs balance, something they lacked during those final months. 

I think borrowing from Milwaukee, Tampa, and Cleveland makes sense. You MUST draft and develop. You can’t be so paranoid about veteran depth of mediocre players that you ignore your own talent. And you do have to make some smart trades here and there to augment and shake up your roster at times. 

I believe the Twins have changed their draft philosophy the past few years and have brought in some very interesting talent. Their International Signings haven’t provided much in years now. But they’ve also recently shaken up that part of the scouting department and we can hope for changes there that will help in the future, even though those players are years away.

As much as most of us greatly disliked the fire sale at the deadline…or at least a couple of the moves…the juice might end up worthy of the squeeze in the long run. Especially if they can add additional help through other moves by investing in the team in the short term, while developing the young talent on the team, in the system, and recently acquired.

The FO has to be smart in the following areas:

1] Is there a dysfunction in the developmental path of MILB players? Or has it been more bad choices that just weren’t as good as projected? Or, is this more a change in approach from the “bomba” days to a more balanced approach that’s still in flux? A combination of all 3? They need a step back and honest reflection of the system wide plan to recognize if they’ve missed something and make corresponding changes. 

2] Continue to look for “smart” options as they have done previously in players like Castro and Thielbar and Stewart, as just a few examples. But make sure you keep the right ones.

3] Don’t micro manage your manager. Yes, you have a plan. Yes, you have information to be used to make decisions. Yes, you want and need to work together for the best plan, the best players, and find the best way to implement your plan and all your information.

But when you hire a new manager that you believe is a smart choice, allow him a STRONG voice not only in how he runs things, not only his roster, but also in building a staff that can accomplish how he wants to run the team.

Opinions will vary, but I openly state I have no idea if Baldelli WAS micro managed, or to what degree. The FO has the power, the right, and supposedly good knowledge for viable input to help accomplish this. But don’t hire the next manager and then not let HIM put his STAMP on the team. Isn’t that why you hired him in the first place?

In different careers with different companies, primarily sales, one thing I always advised new hires is to “steal” from everyone. Not sales! But when you see or hear something others do that you like, STEAL that idea/approach and use it. Refine and change it to meet your own personality and perspective as needed.

The Twins SHOULD look at the Brewers. That doesn’t mean they should BE the Brewers. The Twins attempt to borrow from the Dodgers at times in roster construction. That’s a fine idea. But the Dodgers can have a $300M payroll and the Twins can’t. So borrow where you can, but always retain perspective. Borrow from Tampa and Cleveland, but don’t believe you have to BE them either.

The last couple of years, despite efforts by ownership to handicap the FO, I can still see a general idea of change slowly taking place. My biggest complaint/issue is coming up with an actual IDENTITY as an organization and make decisions/choices to implement that identity. When I squint, I can see the formation of an identity. It takes time for change. And ownership may have messed up any plan or identity that the FO has in mind. But that just means you have to find different ways to carry through on that identity plan and see it to fruition.

But please, don’t copy anyone. STEAL from everyone as you see fit. But have your OWN identity and make it stick.

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