In St. Paul, Mike Berardino noted "three major additions" since Spring Training began has pushed the Twins projected Opening Day payroll near a club-record $128M, and it is "fair to wonder whether the Twins already have spent whatever discretionary funds they might have had for the July 31 trade deadline." Twins Exec VP & Chief Baseball Officer Derek Falvey said, “[Twins Owner] Jim Pohlad is committed to this team and committed to winning because he just proved it.” Now $15M beyond their "previous high for an Opening Day payroll, set" in '11, the Twins have "added six free agents since the winter meetings at a combined guaranteed outlay" of $51.9M (ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS, 3/14).
FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS: In S.F., Henry Schulman wrote Giants VP/Player Development David Bell is a proponent of data, and he has made a dozen new hires to help him incorporate it into "every facet of modernizing and running a Giants system that has slumped recently in delivering players to the major-league club." Bell said, “It’s there. If we don’t access, utilize and implement that information, we’re going to fall behind.” The Giants "brought Bell’s philosophy into the organization as part of a larger overhaul that included a coaching shakeup." Taken together, the moves "underscore a broader shift by Giants management toward information and technology that other organizations have embraced" (S.F. CHRONICLE, 3/14).
TALK IT OUT: In Miami, Jordan McPherson notes the Marlins are launching a "new listening campaign called ‘Dímelo’ (Spanish for 'talk to me') that gives fans the opportunity to give feedback on a slew of topics, ranging from in-game experience to team branding to food options and more." Feedback can be "given in English or Spanish." It can be "done in-person at Marlins community events and at booths that will be installed at Marlins Park or online at Marlins.com/Dimelo" (MIAMI HERALD, 3/15).
DEEP POCKETS: In Philadelphia, Bob Brookover writes fans can "put to rest the notion that the Phillies are cheap." It is something the team has "not been for a long time and will not be as long" as Managing Partner John Middleton is the "man at the top of the organization." The Phillies are now in a "position to be big spenders when the most sought-after crop of free agents is expected to hit the market after this season" (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 3/15).
