With David Rubenstein’s ownership group set to buy the Orioles, there have been some inevitable questions about which MLB team might be the next to be put onto the market. The Twins can be firmly removed from that discussion, as Joe Pohlad told Phil Miller of the Minneapolis Star Tribune that “we are not considering [selling]. We are in it for the long term.”
Carl Pohlad bought the Twins in 1984, and Joe (Carl’s grandson) is now the third generation of the family to oversee the team’s day-to-day operations. “This is something that brings our family together, something we enjoy being a part of. We love getting together at the ballpark,” Joe Pohlad said. “And not only is it a family asset, it’s a community asset. We take that seriously, being part of the community and stewards of the team.” The younger Pohlad’s first year overseeing the Twins was a notable one, as Minnesota won the AL Central and then won their first playoff series since 2022 before bowing out in the ALDS.
As we say hey to a baseball legend on Willie Mays Day, here are some more items from around the league
- “The Blue Jays were one of the first teams that reached out” once free agency began, Justin Turner told the Boston Globe’s Peter Abraham and other reporters, and this aggression paid off when Turner and the Jays agreed to a one-year, $13MM deal earlier this week. The veteran infielder is excited to be joining his new club, though also expressed some bittersweet feelings about leaving the Red Sox after a successful first season in Boston. He opted out of the second year of his two-year deal but said that “right when the season ended, I assumed that it would be a no-brainer, that I would try to work something out and come back.” However, Turner feels the changeover in Boston’s front office might’ve delayed the process, and “as time went on, it was appearing to be less and less likely” that a return to the Sox was in the cards.
- Brent Suter was one of the few pitching bright spots for the Rockies last season, so it isn’t surprising that GM Bill Schmidt told Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post that the team “had a lot of discussions with Suter’s agent prior and after he became a free agent.” No deal was reached, however, and Suter ended signing with his hometown Reds for a one-year, $3MM contract.
- The Marlins have hired Sam Mondry-Cohen as the team’s new VP of player personnel, according to the Miami Herald’s Craig Mish (X link). Mondry-Cohen is best known for his long stint in the Nationals organization, as he rose from an internship in 2009 to an assistant general manager role at the time of his departure at the end of the 2021 season. Acting as the club’s director of research and development, Mondry-Cohen is credited with more or less building Washington’s analytics division from scratch, with the 2019 World Series title acting as the crown jewel of an overall very successful decade for the organization. Mondry-Cohen consulted for the Phillies in 2022, worked in the White Sox baseball operations department last season, and he’ll now take on an important new set of responsibilities under new Miami president of baseball ops Peter Bendix.
Borderline Hall of Famer.
Alv0 = I’ll bite!! Is he going to the Yankees soon? If not, he’s not close to being a HOFer.
It took him to 26 to play a full MLB season and it took him to 29 to actually have a good season. That’s not the profile of a HOF candidate.
2 all-star appearances in 15 year and his ONLY other significant accomplishment is being voted 9th, 8th and 15th in the MVP voting in 2016 to 2018.
This guy is as over rated as anyone because he was in LA where over rating is their pastime!!! Remember Jeter Downs and Verdugo and how great they were!!! hahaha LAD may be the new NYY in spending but Cooperstown is still in NY.
Guy says whatever to get a reply.
A
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“as Minnesota won the AL Central and then won their first playoff series since 2022 before bowing out in the ALDS”
You have a typo there, it was 2002
Yeah, 2022 was memorable for Twins fans, but not in any good playoff-like way.
Very sad news about the Minnesota Twins. And for a family that takes it so seriously to be part of the community and stewards of the team, it was kind of strange for them to be threatening to move the team to North Carolina as well as nominating them to be contracted in the early 2000s. It’s almost like, now stay with me here, the Pohlad family are a bunch of liars and thieves.
I hope nobody in your family history hasn’t been a great person. After all, if the entire family gets blamed for Joe’s dead grandfather wanting to sell the team over 20 years ago, I can’t imagine the shame you’d have to deal with if somebody in your family wasn’t the best person ever.
It wasn’t just him, his three sons were and still are part of the twins ownership group. And they didn’t just want to sell the team. They wanted them contracted or moved to North Carolina unless the people of Minnesota gave them hundreds of millions of dollars for a new stadium.
Standard owner tactics… new stadium or we move. Not sure attacking one ownership group makes sense.
The Twins needed a stadium. It wasn’t a “want.” The Twins had no chance at being competitive or profitable because of an insane deal the Vikings made with a former Vikings GM. Look into it. It was absolutely nuts.
Carl Pohlad voted against the contraction plan in 2001 which was successful in adoption by a vote of 28-2.. The Twins, Expos, Marlins, Devil Rays, and Athletics were all on the potential chopping block with the Expos and Twins being most likely. The Brewers were spared because… well, Selig was from Milwaukee.
Selling the team is bad. Not selling the team is bad because the owners suck! In any case, it was 1997. The current active executive chair of the Twins (Joe Pohlad) was 13 years old, sooooooooo, I guess it’s his fault, too?
martras – Billy Heywood did a great job running the Twins … and he was only 12!
The new stadium should have been built with a roof — just another blunder
I agree. Target Field needed a roof. There have been a lot of comments over the years about how nice Target Field looks and how a roof would have detracted from it. Those comments are only heard when the game time temperature isn’t in the 30s, 40s and 50s, and there are a lot of games like that.
Nobody from the Twins ever nominated the team to be contracted. The Commissioner at the time who was former owner(daughter took control….) of closest team Brewers, was the one who was lobbying for contracting the Twins.
While technically true, Selig was one of the owners who had taken a loan out from the Pohlad family prior to this, I believe. It was a favour to them since stadium funding appeared unlikely at the time.
You call yourself Johnny Vegas yet it would appear you’re from Canada (favour). Just curious what’s up with that?
Yeah but Carl signed off on it. After threatening to sell the team to people who’d move it to Charlotte.
Carl did not sign off on it. He was one of two team owners who voted AGAINST the contraction plan, which passed 28-2.
Joe is different from his dad and brother. The only large, long-term deals in team history were Puckett and Mauer and he’s already stepped up on long, expensive (but safely discounted) deals for Buxton and Correa,
At a point when the older generation would have folded their cards (ie the lost Covid money, the terrible 2022 season, the end of TV deal a year away) he laid out extra money for Correa and raised the 2023 payroll to make the playoffs. He’s dialing it back a bit this year, but that was before the TV deal was settled so it might move again at mid-season if needs or opportunities arise.
A bit of history: at the end of the 2022 season all indications were that payroll would continue at the same $140m level, yet it went up another $15m by the end of the season 2023. You never know with these guys.
The next team to be put on the market? I hope Reinsdorf is reading this story.
The next team that really, really needs to be Sold is the A’s. This is a team that literally has no home after the 2024 season ends and an owner who appears to not be taking that fact too seriously…
And who has never taken any steps to invest in his product. He’s been living off of it like a divorced dad on the couch. Dude, either get in the game or get out, but as it stands you’re bringing everyone down.
Yeah! He hasn’t invested! Oakland never supported the team. Below average attendance all the way back into the 90s. Sorry bay area folks. The team deserves better fans.
You don’t need ticket sales to make a credible investment in the team. He’s not coming close to spending the revenue sharing money, much less his broadcast income.
He’s pocketing tens of millions a year while not pretending to compete, In this situation the onus is not on fans to step up. They can come around when he comes close to reinvesting club income in club resources. Even if he settled for $20m in clear profit taking each year the payroll could skyrocket. Fisher is trash.
@crise – Don’t support the team, lose the team. Period. Fans don’t spend money on the A’s. It’s a for profit business, not a charity.
I used to like Justin Turner, until I saw the picture accompanying this article. He keeps a giant beard but shaves the mustache part? I can’t explain why, but I cannot get behind that. It signals untrustworthy. Almost like a human is trying to infiltrate dwarves.
It’s a shame. He previously seemed cool.
Yes, exactly. Wait, what??
Justin Turner one of the best leaders in any clubhouse ever; so he came wear his mustache and bread how he likes it.
benjamin – What makes you say that about Turner?
Is he the most gregarious? The most comforting? The most talkative? What is the basis of your comment? Have you been in the dugout with him?
People have said Cora is a good clubhouse guy and I often wondered if he trained guys on cheating, or how to cut corners on works outs so he can go home early or what? So when I read that a guy is good in a clubhouse I ask myself how did they come to that conclusion. It’s easy with JD. He spent an enormous amount of time in the cages with other guys who came to him and asked for help. That’s a documented action that can be validated.
What is Turner’s action that validates he’s a great influence on the clubhouse? I’ve never read anything related to actions he’s taken, I’ve just read crap from clueless reporters on what they THINK might be his impact on the clubhouse. I don’t know if that comes from his agent or from other players.
TF – I’m surprised you didn’t mention the Covid celebration! Haha!
Roooooool another one
Just like the other one
That ones burned just bout to the end
And i sure wold like a hit
More blame should be placed on his personal stylist.
His facial hair is rather Am-ish now that you mention it.
retire – Turner’s beard looks like it belongs in Duck Dynasty compared to what Dugie had, which was nothing more than a wisp.
“trying to infiltrate dwarves” HAHAHAHA
Turner is confused – the Sox are opposed to strong leaders and good hitters. Turner will provide a positive impact in Toronto.
****The Twins can be firmly removed from that discussion, as Joe Pohlad told Phil Miller of the Minneapolis Star Tribune that “we are not considering [selling]. We are in it for the long term.”****
Kind of along the line of what John Angelos was selling to the state of Maryland and the fan. Turned out to be a big lie, but one which a majority of Orioles fans are happily fine with.
A huge difference is that the Angelos clan has been at each others’ throats for years and the Pohlads still meet up at the games and enjoy things as a family. This is still fun and profitable and they are getting to the playoffs on the regular so I don’t expect them to sell. Why would they?
Memo to Breslow – It’s a good time to start filling holes now that you have played chicken with the agents. Prices should be down and we still need a SP1, SP2, 3B and two lefty late inning relievers!!