What the Minnesota Twins can teach you about managing money
March 10, 2024
I love the Minnesota Twins almost as much as I love financial planning.
And it's no wonder: The two are remarkably related. Whether a sports fan or not, there are similarities between putting together a team and organizing your financial life.
My favorite Twin was the recently traded Jorge Polanco. He had been coming off injuries but had a decent contract, a pop still in his bat and an ability to play anywhere in the infield. But the Twins received great current and potential future value in his trade for four Mariners.
Polanco is that investment you have held for many years that's treated you well. Taxes and sentiment might keep you from repositioning, but even if it isn't time to completely move on, it often makes sense to trim some of it and invest into categories where you are either underinvested or have a potentially better future. There are no guarantees that this works, but the probabilities are in your favor.
While shortstop Royce Lewis is the future of the franchise, don't write off the most athletic Twin in history, centerfielder Byron Buxton. A rash of injuries prevented him from becoming a sure-fire Hall of Famer, but a partial season of him can be worth more than full seasons of his replacements. This is similar to categories you might have excluded from your investments because recent performance has not matched up to other areas: international stocks, value stocks and small stocks. All three categories have trailed large U.S. stocks through the past few years, but don't write them off. They are capable of brilliant performance and are valuable assets.
When the Twins signed outfielder Joey Gallo last year, they had a good idea what they were getting. His power was virtually unmatched in baseball, as were his swings and misses. Unfortunately for the Twins, his misses made him unplayable. It is OK to take a flier on some investments, as long as you don't risk too much to do so. You might be interested in artificial intelligence and want to get in on the ground floor. Some of these stocks will provide majestic returns, while others will be major whiffs. If you want to step into this area, tread lightly, carefully and with money you can afford to lose.
The Twins are a middle-market team with a television contract that matches this. Fortunately, they are in one of baseball's worst divisions. They don't need to spend a lot to win their division and make the playoffs where they might compete in a short series. By judiciously spreading their money around, spending a lot on the players they view as most critical and building a solid farm system, they are a fun, competitive team to watch.
With our own budgets, we have to consider if we are spending money on things we view as most critical and being intentional in other areas. Budget slippage occurs impulsively. For most of us, the things we care about are housing, education, experiences and retirement. There is often not enough to adequately cover each, but there is little chance to spend on your priorities if you keep "rewarding" yourself in areas that are not as important. The internet makes shopping convenient but also mindless. Algorithms create wants that a one-click can satisfy. But at what price?
The Twins play 162 games. It is tempting to become too excited or depressed after a weekend series, but in a long season, maintaining perspective helps the team have more consistency. Most of us expect to have a pretty long life, and that promotion we missed or one bad grade on our transcripts probably will not make or break our future. Many parts of life are unplanned or unexpected. Don't overreact. Look at them, evaluate their impact when you have the headspace to do so and then make a decision that is in your best long-term interest.
Lastly, the Twins use analytics to build their roster, but analytics don't control everything. Make your own decisions based on the information out there combined with your personal values. Well-made decisions can still turn out poorly, but aligning them with your values is a winning strategy.
- Ross Levin
This article originally appeared in the Minneapolis Star Tribune on March 10, 2024