Minnesota Twins

Not much has changed for the Minnesota Twins over the past two decades.

They have played in the same stadium, have been owned by the same family, have had the same uniforms, and have had only two different managers.

But that is all about to change.

History shows that when change happens in Minnesota sports, it requires a new look.

Like many MLB rumor-mongers, I have been staring almost non-stop at my Twitter feed today (much to the chagrin of my retinas) to soak in the up-to-the-minute Twins updates.

Last night , I predicted that Boof Bonser wouldn't be with the Twins next season. And this afternoon, the Twins made that a likely possibility by designating him for assignment. The move is related to Carl Pavano accepting arbitration. Minnesota's 40-man roster was full, which meant that in order to add Pavano, someone had to go. 

The Ace List

The Winter Meetings kicked off this morning, and while no blockbusters have been reported as of yet, the buzz has been quite good regarding players like Curtis Granderson, Brad Penny, Milton Bradley, and even Edwin Jackson. The Twins are traditionally lesser players this time of year, 2007 excepted, but that hardly dampens the fun of watching deals get made and forecasting which teams will come out winners in the annual Great Trade Melee.

1:00 PM: According to Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports.com , it appears more and more likely that Twins starter Carl Pavano will accept arbitration, keeping him in Minnesota for at least one more season (thoughts below).

The announcements of players offered arbitration made Twins fans happy last weekend as three names being bandied about—Placido Polanco, Orlando Hudson, and Felipe Lopez—were all set free by their respective teams. This was particularly important for Hudson and Polanco, since due to their Type-A status they would have cost a first-round pick to sign. In the past, the Twins have been reticent to sign players and give up their pick, so this was indeed a prime development.

It’s official…finally.

More than two months after initially agreeing on a deal with a $3.15 million bonus, Miguel Jean is officially a member of the Minnesota Twins organization.

Jean’s application for a work visa was approved Friday by the U.S. Consulate in the Dominican Republic.

Obtaining the visa was the final hurdle that needed to be cleared to finalize the deal.

With potential free agent infielders being snatched up faster than the testimonies of Tiger Woods’s mistresses by tabloids, I figured I had better relate some thoughts about the Twins infield situation before the market is completely dry (which, at this pace, could be any day now).

What if? It is a question asked much too often among sports fans. This time, however, it is legitimate.

The Minnesota Twins were a very talented, balanced, and well-coached team last season. So, what if Francisco Liriano had even a semi-productive '09 season? Would they have made the World Series or possibly even won it? I think so.