Fort report: Health is good, Pohradians are bad.

With the Twins starting their game tomorrow against the Golden Gophers, there has been a flood of Twins news, both good and bad. Let’s get straight to the point.

relatively clean health

If you are reading this, please knock on any wood you can find around you. I don’t believe in jinxes, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.

The best news from camp is that everyone is mostly healthy, which is rare these days in spring training. The best news in that regard is that Byron Buxton is pain-free for the first time in two years. He’s hitting balls that hit the center field wall and sending fly balls into the outfield, and he seems optimistic that he can steal bases again. More than that, Buck just looks happy, which is amazing.

Carlos Correa also showed up to camp pain-free after battling plantar fasciitis for much of 2023. It turns out that his secret was that he was finally able to get some much-needed rest.

New pitchers Anthony DeSclafani and Josh Staumont also returned unharmed after missing extended periods of last season with various arm injuries. Both of these updates appear to end the debate regarding roster spots for pitchers.

Pitching prospect Matt Canterino is finally ready to undergo Tommy John surgery after a two-year delay. He’s still working as a starting pitcher, and he’s expected to pitch about 125 innings after missing the majority of the past two seasons. If his condition is as bad as it was before the surgery, Canterino could become an asset to a major league club right away.

The only negative update concerns Josh Winder, whose recovery from a stress fracture in his shoulder is a little behind schedule. Either way, he probably wasn’t going to be factored into the Twins’ Opening Day plans and seems like he should have pitched relatively early.

Overall, it’s refreshing to see a positive update after years of players dealing with injuries that didn’t heal over the winter. Buxton and Correa were the biggest signings. The Twins had two great seasons last year that were the cornerstone of the franchise, despite some downturns and injuries. Once they get back to normal, the sky is the limit for this team.

Payroll updates

Okay, now that the good news is out of the way, let’s end on a low note.

With the TV deal finalized in 2024, the Twins’ owner has been asked if he will put that money back into the team. Joe Pohlad’s answer is a resounding no.

After years of maintaining league-average salaries, the Twins are back in the bottom third, which is especially disappointing after a magical 2023. The statement that “Prices in Pohrad are cheap” was hardly true. They have spent! They kept Buxton, signed Carlos Correa (twice!), traded to extend their ace…and now we’re back to rock bottom, almost since Joe Pohrad said he’d increase his salary significantly to compete. Exactly one year has passed.

I would like to add that this team is still one of the most talented teams in the league and is ripe for a shot at making the playoffs. I also don’t think the Twins should sign any of the remaining big four free agents (Snell, Montgomery, Bellinger, Chapman). Because each has major flaws. However, what I am concerned about is the future of this core as players start reaching arbitration and rosters become expensive. That’s before addressing the hole left in right field if Kepler leaves, as well as other needs created by injuries and lack of strength.

I’ve gotten feedback from people on this site and elsewhere that the Pohrads’ money isn’t mine, so I can’t tell them what to do with it, and that’s true to some extent. I would argue that owning a professional sports team is a privilege that must be continually earned. They may not have a boss within the organization, but it’s our job as fans to hold them accountable. If you don’t want the associated costs, you can sell the team and invest more than 30 times your original investment.

Carlos Correa is happy with the current state of the team and, frankly, so am I. But the pay is lower than it was at the Metrodome, adjusted for inflation, which is downright humiliating. I was more understanding when they took a hit on the TV deal to make the games more accessible, but 85% of that money was returned and local fans still couldn’t watch the games. , reneging on a promise made early in the offseason. He refused to invest it in the team. You can’t have it both ways.

They should be deeply embarrassed by how little money they can put back into this team. If this is a single-year anomaly, I hope I am wrong. But this certainly sounds like Joe Pohlad warning us about what’s to come.

I also want to remind the Pohlads and Twins fans that the Minnesotans paid for 75% of Target Field. You may not feel like you owe them anything, but I certainly do.