The offseason is maturing. Get ready.

It's been since the end of the season that I have touched on the Twins, and we have been able to see how things have settled out. We know that the Astros won the World Series, again, showing the value of a good organization, rebounding after an important player - Carlos Correa - departed, and recovering from one of the biggest baseball scandals in years. The Phillies, even in losing the Series, reiterated the value of going for it if you have an opportunity. 

Those two lessons are some that the Twins can take with them to the offseason. At the beginning of November, before attention turned to the Vikings, the attitude of "why bother" permeated the Twins fan base. There were wailings and ill feeling for the Twins. Then there was a wave of writers speculating on the Twins adding a top starter, catering to the masses who think that is the best and only way for the team to get better. Now, though, with free agency getting ready to really take off, and the itinerant fans redirecting their attention elsewhere, the tone has traded, and we can really start talking.

We had to fight through the initial call for the Twins to sign a free agent starter. Everyone and their brother called for the Twins to sign Carlos Rodon, to the point that it seemed like many fans would feel it a failure if Rodon didn't sign with the Twins. Then, the realization came that Rodon was really the only attainable top end starter on the market, and there would be a lot of competition for him. Other starters that could sign in Minnesota aren't really better than the options on hand. It seems as though the front office will be forgiven for an ill fitting free agent market.
The trade market should be robust, and I think we will see a bit of action there. Some people think trades are as bad or risky as free agency, because prospects are lost instead of money. That said, with free agency, you are likely going to have to pay for bad years at the end of a contract, and players, pitchers especially, are more prone to injury with the more they play. Trades for younger players are going to be less financially burdensome, and will lead to a higher ratio of games healthy for the season. 

Where it gets really interesting, I think, is on the position player side of things. A lot of attention is being paid to the short stop position, where Carlos Correa is a potentially departing free agent. There are 4 big named free agents ready to hit the market. After spending big at the position last year, there is a real possibility the Twins will do so again. 

The Twins also need another solid right handed bat to go along with Jose Miranda and Byron Buxton. There are many available on the market, and all available at any rate one might expect. There are so many options on the table, nobody really knows where they might go. Twins Daily alone has pieces speculating on Mitch Haniger, Joey Gallo and Tommy Pham as fits. There are a lot of different directions the Twins can go.

And there is also a lot less risk. They can make the moves in free agency for a position player that the early offseason fan base wanted the team to make for pitching. The money is significantly less likely to be thrown away if the signing is a hitter. The Twins have also shown a willingness to shell out for position players. The ability and the willingness to add a good bat is going to be an interesting thing to watch, especially since we don't know who or how that bat will be, or where they come from.

The offseason din has become a bit more realistic. Let's see, when people start paying attention to the Twins again closer to the spring, In the mean time, get ready for a busy, often unexpected winter.