Twins make key moves

From the Seats, December 9, 2004

MINNEAPOLIS - Last offseason the Twins lost Eddie Guardado, and LaTroy Hawkins to free agency. AJ Pierzynski and Eric Milton were traded. The team had fallen apart. But Terry Ryan waived his magic wand and was able to make Carlos Silva, Joe Nathan, Nick Punto, Terry Mulholland and Henry Blanco work out to help the Twins win the Central division for the third strait year.

The Twins were facing the possibility of losing a player that would be much more difficult to replace, Brad Radke. One of the top pitchers in the game would have been impossible for the Twins to replace and it would make it difficult to win the division without him. 57% of you thought Radke would be signed, 29% thought he would be signed, but not for the deal on the table. 2 years for $18 million dollars, nothing that we had heard before, but it is less than what he was making before.

Thank you Brad Radke, from the fans, thank you. It means a lot to know that you do actually want to stay with the Twins, that was shown by taking less than what you made last year. I think $9 million a year is a fair deal for both sides, and both say they are happy. Eddie Guardado made some complaints about the Twins not wanting him back. I am not sure what he was looking for last year, maybe his demands were more that the Twins could do, maybe he wasn't willing to work with the Twins like Radke did. Or Maybe the Twins learned something from last offseason. Either way, it turned out good this time around.

I also have to say thank you to Carl Pohlad, he has said that payroll can increase. It appears that Pohlad wants to win this year, and will lose more money to do it. Pohlad has been called cheap in the past, but I think Twins fans do have to say thank you to him.

Arbitration

Twins also offered Corey Koskie, Terry Mulholland and Henry Blanco arbitration Tuesday night. Henry Blanco signed with the Cubs for 2 years, $2.7 million Tuesday night which means the Twins will get a draft pick for compensation. The Twins had wanted to sign Blanco for $750,000 but he was able to file for free agency.

Arbitration to Koskie and Mulholland means they have extended the time they can sign the two. If they had not offered arbitration they would have not been able to sign with the Twins until May 1. If both decide to go elsewhere the Twins will still get draft picks as compensation.

I think Koskie is a much smaller piece of the puzzle, as a much cheaper Joe Randa is available. Randa is much like Koskie in the field and even at the plate, just with less power. No doubt, if Koskie is signed it is good for the Twins, but I don think Koskie is what the season is riding on, as it was with Radke.