Yes, I’m extremely disappointed that you have decided not to sell the Twins. I’ve already had my Twins tantrum for the year—see previous blog. I’m not going to have another one. You have decided to continue to be the owners of the Twins. I don’t like it, but for my own mental health of being a fan I have no choice except to accept it.
You have shared that you want to win—that the recent decisions to give up (in my opinion) on the 2025 season and probably the 2026 season were not for financial reasons. . . . Okay. . . I don’t believe you and most Twins fans don’t either.
You have a massive public relations problem. Most fans think you’re cheap and care more about making money than putting a team on the field that can win.
If I were you, I would hire the best public relations firm that money can buy and follow their instructions. But since you haven’t demonstrated a desire to spend money on players, I highly doubt you would spend money to try to refurbish your image.
I have a better idea. For no cost I have eight ideas that would help. If you follow these eight ideas, you could earn back trust from a majority of fans and me.
1) Commit to being in the top-half of payroll every…single…year. And why not aim for the top ten of teams?
Now I get it, being in the top-half of the payroll will not guarantee that the Twins will be winners. (And let’s be honest—though you own the Twins, the fans are the true owners. You won’t exist as a winning club without the support of the fans.)
You could demonstrate your commitment to winning by consistently spending more on your team than half of the other teams. And for sure, the payroll system of Major League Baseball is broken. Until some type of a salary cap happens, (like in the other three major men’s professional leagues) the competitive imbalance in Major League Baseball will continue.
You don’t own a small-market team. Don’t act like it.
2) Have a press conference every six weeks to communicate what is happening with the team.
For sure the first press conference will be painful. But you are not going to develop trust from the fans unless you communicate to us in settings that are not favorable to you. Invite ten fans to every press conference who are drawn in a lottery. Let each of them ask a question. I would sign up in a heartbeat. I have at least ten questions I would ask, but I would limit myself to one if given the opportunity. Don’t hide in your boardroom. Talk to the fans. Share your thought process. We the fans won’t agree with you on everything, but at least you’ll show that you care enough to engage us.
3) Explain clearly with Derek Falvey by your side what the *&^% you were thinking in your sell-off from last month.
You say that the Fire Sale wasn’t financial. No one believes you. Just level with us. Make the case why these decisions will make the Twins better in the long run. Because in the short-run you’re not going to win.
4) Admit the Fire Sale was the result of poor decisions by your management team.
You wouldn’t have done a fire sale if you thought you had a team who would win. Your management team was and is responsible for that collection of players. Admit it. This would help many of us move on.
5) Do not under any circumstances trade Pablo Lopez or Joe Ryan.
Pretty clear! No explanation needed.
6) Make at least one big-time signing in this off-season.
Why can’t the Twins be buyers in the off-season? Why can’t the Twins be buyers at the trade deadline? You made a horrible decision by reducing payroll after the 2023 season; you didn’t support the team by making a big-name trade at the trade deadline last season. If you’re committed to winning act like owners who are trying to win.
Sure, it didn’t work out with Carlos Correa, but I have more respect for you that you gave it a shot by signing him twice. Keep trying.
7) Stop trading for prospects.
This is what small-market teams do who only think they can win once every five years. You are not operating in a small market. The Twins have been trading for prospects for as long as I can remember. Prospects eventually are supposed to help the team win. This hasn’t happened. This philosophy of operation is not accepted by your fan base. The goal is not to have the best farm system in baseball. The goal is to win championships.
8) Give us hope
The main reason we fans are upset is we don’t have hope. We think you’re going to continue to value making money over winning championships. The Twins won two World Series under your Patron—the only championship that a men’s sports team has brought to Minnesota. You have one of the best ball parks in baseball. You have some intriguing players in Joe Ryan, Pablo Lopez, Royce Lewis, Byron Buxton, and Luke Keaschall. But you also have a fun base that doesn’t like you and doesn’t trust you.
Trust has to be earned. Do all eight of these, and many others & I will get back on the bandwagon. But without some dramatic action on your part, you'll continue to lose the fan base.
Go Twins!
Paul Moore
From a fan whose first memory of the Twins is watching them lose on television to the Baltimore Orioles in the 1969 playoffs.
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