Gleeman and The Geek

Aaron and John go position by position through the Twins' roster to break down their biggest offseason needs, talk about the hire of new pitching coach Brian Reith from the Rays organization, and predict how much the front office will actually be able to spend in free agency. 0:00 Intro: Gleeman & The Geek, presented by Black Stack Brewing 1:11 Twins offseason preview: where the roster is set and where it needs help 7:46 Twins officials expect to be active early before the Dec. 1 MLB lockout 10:44 New Twins pitching coach Brian Reith replaces Pete Maki 16:59 Jeff Hoffman's elbow cleanup procedure 23:59 The Twins starting rotation for 2027 32:47 Why not just sign a veteran fifth starter? 36:14 Win-now rotation vs. develop-the-kids lineup 40:50 Could the Twins trade a starter? Jeremy Zoll's hint 52:24 The bullpen is the Twins' biggest need again 52:52 Bullpen locks and bullpen maybes 57:12 Losing A.J. Minter and Taylor Rogers; Cole Sands and Anthony Banda non-tender risks 59:09 How much will the Twins invest in their bullpen? 1:14:04 The Twins catcher situation 1:22:20 First base: is Royce Lewis still the answer? 1:26:42 The Twins need an impact middle-of-the-order bat 1:28:18 Is designated hitter an option? 1:32:46 What about the rest of the infield? 1:35:24 The crowded outfield and the real cost of signing an impact corner outfielder 1:41:34 Ranking the Twins' biggest offseason needs 1:47:43 Coming up: Patreon free agent target shows and GM meetings in Las Vegas

Aaron and John talk about which of the Twins' key veterans will or won't be on next year's team, the end-of-season press conference with Tom Pohlad, Jeremy Zoll, and Derek Shelton, and what to expect this offseason before the lockout hits. 0:00 Intro: Blackstack beer and the end of the Twins season 1:16 Twins finish 77-85: met expectations, but the third straight late-season collapse 3:43 Offseason preview: key dates, the Pohlad press conference, and who's staying or leaving 4:41 Thank you, listeners: Aaron Gleeman's year leaving The Athletic and going independent 7:03 John Bonnes on independent publishers and the G&TG community 13:17 MLB offseason schedule: free agency opens after the World Series 13:47 Qualifying offer deadlines and how a QO affects a free agent's market 15:46 Arbitration tender deadline: keep or cut for Royce Lewis, Bailey Ober, Trevor Larnach 17:11 MLB lockout on November 30: no winter meetings, no Rule 5 draft? 18:50 Flashback: the 2021 lockout day, Byron Buxton's extension and Dylan Bundy 19:59 If a lockout cancels 2027, what happens to Pablo Lopez's contract? 22:52 GM meetings in November could replace the winter meetings 24:47 Both Gleeman and The Geek heading to the GM meetings? 32:10 Twins end-of-season press conference with Tom Pohlad, Jeremy Zoll, Derek Shelton 33:06 Pohlad skips the spin: "Our roster wasn't built for a 162-game season" 34:37 Pohlad backs Zoll and Shelton, blames the ownership mess 35:40 Could the Twins have made moves last winter? 37:40 Pitching coach Pete Maki fired 39:31 Twins payroll: Pohlad won't commit to a number or even a range 41:06 The baseline: why the first $105 million is already spoken for 42:58 Why the Twins should level-set payroll expectations with fans 44:40 Pohlad's words sound good, now he has to back them up 47:02 A one-month window and a weak free agent class 49:01 Is Jeremy Zoll more aggressive than Derek Falvey? 51:27 The lockout doesn't stop moves: lessons from the 2021 November frenzy 55:34 Staying or leaving: rating the Twins players whose futures are in doubt 57:36 Byron Buxton is staying (stop asking) 58:33 Ryan Jeffers: free agency and the qualifying offer decision 1:03:20 Why a qualifying offer to Jeffers is a low-risk move 1:09:02 Josh Bell: good bat, but no fit at first base or DH? 1:12:18 AJ Minter: the best fit of the Twins' free agents 1:19:05 Taylor Rogers: end of the line for a Twins bullpen great 1:21:25 Trevor Larnach: the left-handed logjam and an $8 million arbitration raise 1:29:23 Bailey Ober: the velocity is gone and the strikeouts are falling 1:34:38 Joe Ryan: trade him now with one year left, or keep him? 1:39:53 Pablo Lopez returning from Tommy John surgery 1:40:23 Royce Lewis: two and a half years of struggles at the plate 1:43:56 John and Aaron disagree: is Royce Lewis staying or leaving? 1:49:55 Austin Martin and Matt Wallner 1:50:27 Wrap-up: Patreon mailbag next week

Aaron and John talk about the Twins limping to the finish line just like last season, trying to find glimpses of a brighter future with Walker Jenkins and Emmanuel Rodriguez, the outlook for Byron Buxton after hip surgery, and players who stepped up vs. dropped out of the team's long-term plans. 0:00 Intro 0:45 Why the game recaps have stopped: the Twins are playing out the string 2:21 Worst team in the American League down the stretch for a third straight year 3:50 15-27 since August 1: as bad as after the 2025 fire sale, and this time they were trying 6:38 John's counterpoint: at least there are rookies worth watching 9:02 "Something is fundamentally wrong": player development, injuries and defense 11:47 Derek Shelton, Jeremy Zoll, Tom Pohlad: new names, same organization 14:13 Are there basic philosophies that lead to the Twins fading every August and September? 16:48 The 72.5-win over/under, and the fear that a youth movement becomes an excuse not to spend 18:20 Ryan Jeffers as team MVP, and the veterans who won't be back in 2027 27:08 Byron Buxton hip surgery: what we know about the timeline for spring training 30:58 The play in Sacramento that ended Buxton's season 35:18 Buxton's contract: two years left, $15 million, full no-trade clause 37:43 Planning the 2027 Twins outfield: Buxton, Walker Jenkins, Emmanuel Rodriguez, Luke Keaschall, Alan Roden 40:19 The Twins need a bat at first base or DH, and they're losing Jeffers 42:17 Walker Jenkins breaks out: three hits and a game-tying homer off Ben Joyce's 101 mph fastball 44:21 Should the Twins be worried about Walker Jenkins? 51:11 Hrbek, Buxton, Koskie, Kepler: Twins who started just as badly 52:50 Emmanuel Rodriguez homers in his debut, then slumps. Life with rookies 55:15 Rodriguez and prospect "freezer burn": seven years on the radar and still only 23 59:36 How Walker Jenkins handled the media during his slump 1:03:46 Was 2026 a wasted season? Thumbs down on the post-hype prospects 1:05:18 Cleaning out the fridge: an empty fridge and a garbage can full of expired corn salad 1:07:25 Luke Keaschall is a leadoff hitter to build around, if they can find him a position 1:08:51 Brooks Lee's step forward: 25 homers and better defense at third base 1:10:14 Kaelen Culpepper holds his own; Matt Wallner washes out; Royce Lewis's brutal finish 1:14:19 Twins pitching: Taj Bradley and Connor Prielipp step up, Bailey Ober and Joe Ryan step back 1:15:09 Culpepper's hamstring injury, his defense at shortstop, and Marek Houston on the way 1:20:13 Why Culpepper staying under 130 at-bats helps the Twins' farm system rankings 1:22:23 Ben Ross auditions to be the backup shortstop: Ross vs. Ryan Kreidler 1:28:48 Kendry Rojas could return for a final outing or two 1:30:31 The last Twins games for Jeffers, Ober, Trevor Larnach, Lewis and Taylor Rogers? 1:32:59 The case for adding $50 million in payroll around a young, cheap core 1:37:54 Twins draft lottery watch: a top-seven pick is within reach 1:41:17 Wrap-up: John previews his trip to San Francisco and Oracle Park

Aaron and John talk about the Twins' dwindling playoff chances with three weeks left, Byron Buxton admitting he'll eventually need hip surgery, Joe Ryan nearing a return, first impressions of Walker Jenkins, and takeaways from the Angels selling for $4 billion. 0:00 Intro 0:48 Twenty-two games left and a 3-3 homestand that wasn't enough 2:02 Playoff odds at nine percent, and the 14-8 finish they'd need 4:30 Resilient, or unable to handle success 6:38 Trying to avoid a third straight second-half collapse under an all-new regime 9:45 Now or never, starting with the White Sox in Chicago 11:47 The early-season bullpen and infield defense that cost them 13:00 Opponents' bad defense has handed the Twins 20-plus runs 14:33 The bad bullpen was the plan, and the plan worked 20:34 Byron Buxton says he needs hip surgery 23:48 When playing through pain stops helping the team 27:08 The 2023 knee surgery that bought Buxton three good years 32:17 First impressions of Walker Jenkins after a week 35:23 Why Culpepper hit right away and Jenkins hasn't 40:26 Why Jenkins is batting ninth, and where he belongs later 42:51 Watching a pennant race and the future at the same time 46:54 The last times the Twins got to do both at once 51:32 Garrett Acton up, Ben Ross up, Kyler Fedko released 55:43 Shelton explains why Emmanuel Rodriguez stayed at Triple-A 1:02:42 Joe Ryan's rehab start, and whether he skips the second one 1:08:51 What the final three weeks do to Joe Ryan's trade value 1:11:03 Connor Prielipp's workload, and stuff that hasn't faded 1:14:45 Andrew Morris opens a game, and his future in the bullpen 1:20:25 Matt Canterino pitches for the first time since 2022 1:26:00 The Angels sell for $4 billion after twenty years of failure 1:26:45 What the Padres sale should teach Tom Pohlad 1:31:40 Are the Twins suddenly worth $2.3 billion? 1:38:35 Back Monday on Patreon

Aaron and John talk about the Twins' having a playoff spot there for the taking with six weeks left, why the rotation desperately needs first-half Joe Ryan back, the dramatic in-season bullpen turnaround, why Alex Jackson is such an uninspired choice for a roster spot, and what lessons Tom Pohlad can learn from the Padres. 0:44 Swept by the Phillies, then a sweep of the Braves 2:32 Where things stand: 63-65 with 34 games left 3:32 Twins hold the final AL wild card spot — 40% playoff odds 4:20 Fourth-easiest remaining schedule in baseball 5:04 The seven-team wild card logjam 5:56 Tiebreakers: the Twins have them over almost everyone 8:14 AL Central odds and the six games left vs. the White Sox 12:16 Why the AL playoff field is wide open 15:52 What this season still has to accomplish 21:14 Last August's fire sale and the joylessness of a lost season 25:43 The rotation is the problem: worst ERA in the AL since the break 29:46 This rotation could really use Joe Ryan 35:06 Kendry Rojas as rotation depth at Triple-A 36:16 Derek Shelton's quicker hook 40:53 The bullpen is now the strength of the team 43:34 Reading the Opening Day bullpen out loud, one disaster at a time 52:17 Luke Keaschall is back to his rookie form 58:00 Royce Lewis and the shortage of right-handed bats 1:00:29 Why not Walker Jenkins? 1:01:39 The Alex Jackson move: DFA'd, cleared waivers, recalled two hours later 1:06:57 Byron Buxton isn't 100%, and Jenkins is a real center fielder 1:09:47 John pushes back: where do the at-bats come from? 1:16:52 Kaelen Culpepper's first 10 games 1:22:00 Attendance is down 83,000 1:27:23 What Tom Pohlad should take from the Padres sale 1:36:32 The 2023 payroll cut and kneecapped a five-year plan 1:42:07 Coming up: Padres, A's, then 15 straight vs. the AL Central

Aaron and John recap the Twins' trade deadline moves to add Jeff Hoffman, A.J. Minter, and Dean Kremer, speculate about the moves they didn't make while keeping the lineup intact with Ryan Jeffers and Trevor Larnach, and wonder what's wrong with Joe Ryan. 0:00 Family Feud, Steve Harvey and we got a good one for you today 2:06 Twins add Jeff Hoffman, AJ Minter and Dean Kremer at the trade deadline 3:51 Twins slip below .500 while the AL wild card race stays wide open 5:35 Front office and ownership did their part — now the players have to play 7:52 A rebuilt bullpen is useless if you can't build the bridge to it 10:44 Tom Pohlad in Kansas City: payroll will rise, trust takes longer 14:14 Aaron gets punched in the shoulder by Tom Pohlad 15:51 The looming lockout and a possible $150 million payroll floor 20:08 Toronto sends $3.75 million to cover Jeff Hoffman's 2027 salary 22:14 Jeff Hoffman under control for 2027 at $7 million is the real prize 23:35 AJ Minter was the no-brainer; Dean Kremer cost a premium 24:53 Billy Amick and Bruin Agbayani go to the Mets for AJ Minter 27:45 Johnnardo Reyes, the 19-year-old given up for Dean Kremer 29:15 Dasan Hill headlines the Jeff Hoffman package to Toronto 31:41 Why the Twins traded low-minors upside instead of Double-A depth 36:10 Grading the deadline 39:24 A thin right-handed bat market 45:13 Get to know Jeff Hoffman 49:00 Losing the closer job to Louie Varland — the strangest domino of the fire sale 49:40 Why Hoffman's ERA lies: 97 mph, a 50 percent whiff slider, 12.3 strikeouts per nine 54:00 Why Shelton keeps Gomez as closer and uses Hoffman earlier 58:19 Dean Kremer and the 2024 scars: Joe Ryan, Bailey Ober, rotation question marks 1:06:30 The trade that died: Trevor Larnach to Houston for Bryan Abreu, nixed by Jim Crane 1:11:37 Trevor Larnach's arbitration raise and his offseason trade market 1:13:19 Ryan Jeffers stays as the Rays and Red Sox pay up for catchers 1:16:01 The qualifying offer case: pay Ryan Jeffers $24 million next year 1:19:17 No bats added — Josh Bell, Larnach and the lineup stay intact 1:21:06 Kaelen Culpepper, Walker Jenkins and Byron Buxton's hip 1:27:39 The bullpen remodel: Hoffman, Gomez, Morris, Minter and Tommy Nance 1:29:38 Joe Ryan's discouraging start against the Royals 1:31:37 A 3.17 first-half ERA and a 4.93 second-half ERA — the most extreme split in Twins history 1:32:11 Joe Ryan's cryptic quotes and performance 1:36:25 Dead arm or something worse? 1:39:45 Why selling Joe Ryan stopped being an option once his trade value cratered 1:41:41 Joe Ryan's performance also affects the offseason. 1:44:51 Joe Ryan and Byron Buxton matter more than the entire deadline 1:48:56 Field of Dreams game in Iowa, Patreon Q&A Friday, and a wide-open American League

Aaron and John talk about the up-and-down path the Twins have taken to an expected destination, Connor Prielipp and Kendry Rojas debuting, Mick Abel's elbow injury, Royce Lewis' return, and how to address the glaring bullpen and defensive weaknesses.