Twins Signal Victor Caratini, Fail within the Artwork of Deception

“I’ve talked to Byron [Buxton] and different gamers by means of this offseason already about methods we are able to get higher as a workforce,” Twins President of Baseball Operations Derek Falvey instructed reporters again in November on the GM conferences. The reply was in response to a report that Buxton’s loyalty to the Twins might waiver if he felt they have been coming into a rebuild, as Minnesota’s habits throughout final season’s commerce deadline instructed. Falvey went on to insist that the workforce intends so as to add, not subtract, and it appears the time period rebuild is taboo amongst Twins spokespeople.

Falvey is mendacity. I say this with no inside data, malice, and even judgement. MLB organizations function inside a system the place this specific lie just isn’t solely acceptable, but in addition inspired. As a result of “we’re not rebuilding; we’re attempting to get higher” is a corollary to a bigger lie — that every one groups try their hardest to win.

What’s the reality, however a lie agreed upon? — Friedrich Nietzsche

Although this quote is usually attributed to him, Nietzsche by no means really mentioned it. Nevertheless, it does appear to supply a fairly correct distillation of his beliefs. And if all of us agree that he did say it, then by his personal logic, it have to be true. Likewise, groups have determined to carry to the road that they’re all attempting to win, and since they’ve all agreed, it falls to followers to take the lie as reality, together with all the following lies essential to help the unique lie.

For instance, after former Twins catcher Christian Vázquez hit free company after a 2025 season by which he and Ryan Jeffers break up time behind the dish pretty evenly, Falvey claimed that the plan shifting ahead can be for Jeffers to tackle extra of a full-time beginning position, with Alex Jackson (newly acquired in a commerce with the Orioles) serving as a extra conventional backup. As an alternative, the Twins have signed Victor Caratini to a two-year deal value a complete of $14 million.

In equity, Falvey might have absolutely believed his authentic assertion about lastly letting Jeffers take over because the membership’s beginning catcher after spending the final three seasons absolutely wholesome (other than a concussion final September) however with a part-time workload. Perhaps Caratini merely fell into Minnesota’s metaphorical lap. However in a while, in those self same feedback about Jeffers from December, Falvey additionally mentioned, “We all know the place he’s at when it comes to service time, approaching free company.” Jeffers turns into a free agent following the 2026 season and was a rumored commerce goal for the Phillies previous to their reunion with free agent catcher J.T. Realmuto.

With the choice to herald Caratini, when thought of alongside the signing of first baseman and frequent commerce deadline acquisition, Josh Bell to a one-year deal (Minnesota’s solely different notable transfer this winter), evidently Falvey’s offseason plans are extra about sustaining the flexibleness to commerce huge league expertise than buying huge league expertise to get higher within the right here and now.

Bell was traded for the primary time in his profession following the 2020 season, and was subsequently moved at three consecutive commerce deadlines beginning in 2022. As Michael Baumann famous in his write-up of the signing, Bell is a participant with traits which can be simple to dream on, main six groups (to this point) to consider they could be the one to lastly unlock his full potential. And if not, properly they will in all probability commerce him for a prospect or two.

With Jackson within the fold, Jeffers with only one 12 months of workforce management remaining, and Caratini on a two-year contract, come July the Twins may commerce whichever of Jeffers or Caratini yields the most effective supply from a contender in want. And with Caratini capable of play some first base, utilityman Kody Clemens nonetheless on the roster, and Eric Wagaman within the combine following a commerce with the Marlins earlier this month, Bell is definitely extra expendable ought to a worthwhile suitor come a-calling.

Total, Minnesota’s offseason feels primarily centered on ensuring it has sufficient playable depth on the huge league degree to cowl innings whereas it continues to stockpile future huge leaguers on the farm. In the meantime, constructing a contender round Buxton is a secondary concern at greatest. However regardless that Falvey is clearly mendacity concerning the workforce’s intentions, it’s the kind of lie baseball’s ecosystem has agreed is critical. Would it not actually profit Jeffers or Caratini or Bell to listen to their workforce’s POBO say he’s hoping to ship them out in a number of months? Buxton may respect a extra sincere method, however nothing is stopping him from privately recognizing what’s occurring round him; acknowledging the lie publicly would solely make his life messy and uncomfortable for so long as he stays with the group. And regardless of the deceitful advertising of their offseason, the Twins ought to see improved offensive manufacturing at each first base and catcher this season.

Ty France coated a lot of the reps at first base in 2025 previous to his deadline commerce to the Blue Jays, with Clemens taking on within the aftermath of the teardown. Each have been below-average hitters and middling defenders, so nevertheless the enjoying time break up works out between Caratini and Bell at first base, they’re more likely to supply a major improve on offense, albeit with considerably of a downgrade on protection. Behind the plate, Caratini is changing a defense-first catcher in Vázquez, whose framing took sufficient of a step backward final 12 months to make it not possible to justify his 55 wRC+. Caratini is often a barely above-average framer, however he’s coming off a down 2025. Although relying on the downstream results of the brand new automated ball/strike problem system, and the way forward for ABS extra broadly, that will begin to matter much less and fewer.

Digging deeper on Caratini’s offense, the switch-hitter managed to put up a wRC+ over 100 simply as soon as in his first six seasons of huge league enjoying time. However then he topped the mark in every of his two years in Houston, hitting for a 113 wRC+ in 2024 and a 104 wRC+ in 2025. Catchers who hit above league common stay an endangered species, and Caratini’s ascendance into the unique membership looks as if the results of significant enhancements to his swing. He’s supplemented robust plate self-discipline with elevated bat velocity from the best aspect and a barely extra open stance and shorter swing when batting left-handed. The adjustments improved his timing and call high quality, permitting him to attach with the ball as his swing is on the higher reduce, resulting in a extra optimum assault angle and path, and translating to extra balls pulled within the air. Extra pulled balls within the air means extra slugging. And although sure gamers take pleasure in hitting at Daikin Park, Caratini hit higher on the street in each seasons with the Astros, and he’s more likely to want Goal Area’s much less spacious energy alley in right-center.

Although Caratini is a strong addition to the roster, it’s nonetheless disappointing to observe the Twins go from profitable the division in 2023 and ending above .500 in 2024 to buying gamers merely to have expertise to commerce away on the deadline. Falvey is working beneath notably tough constraints with the workforce’s possession state of affairs in flux over the previous couple of years, going from a possible sale of the workforce to as an alternative including two new restricted companions to an possession group that was beforehand a household operation. He’s bought new stakeholders to please and a brand new energy dynamic to navigate. Maybe given these constraints, it’s unfair to characterize Falvey’s feedback as lies. Maybe the phrases of one other nice thinker are extra acceptable.

“I’m not mendacity. I’m simply writing fiction with my mouth.” — Homer Simpson

And typically fiction gives a vital escape from actuality. Philosophers differ on the specifics of whether or not it’s OK to lie and which kinds of lie are permissible. Some, like Plato, are open to the notion of acceptable lies, whereas others, like Aristotle, are absolutists of their stance that every one lies are reprehensible. However even Aristotle conceded that edge instances exist the place mendacity is tolerable. Nevertheless, on condition that the Twins have been good a mere two years in the past, Falvey shouldn’t be moonlighting as a fictional storyteller. Relatively, possession and Falvey may have labored collectively to make him a extra palatable kind of liar. I’ll kick it again to Nietzsche to elucidate.

“The visionary lies to himself, the liar solely to others.”

I can’t absolutely verify the veracity of this quote both, however I stand by the sentiment. If the Twins are going to lie, they need to flip the lies inward in a method that leads them to disclaim standard thought and enact daring methods within the title of profitable, versus this milquetoast model of mendacity that convinces nobody and enforces the notion that it’s OK for skilled sports activities groups to not even hassle attempting to win for a number of seasons — as long as they don’t really admit that’s what they’re doing.