Jorge Polanco trade befitted his time in the organization

 I should have seen it coming. We were on vacation, in a hotel, the night before a cruise, and one of my kids woke up sick. By the time we were getting on the boat, he had been medically cleared to board but was still very tired, and immediately after getting into the ship, the other kid got sick. Not 4 hours later, I was sick, just as we were leaving the global cellular network. 

I should have known THAT was when the Twins would make their big offseason move, when I was desperate for something to read, had a news story I'd been waiting for, and absolutely no internet connection. But I got the headlines, and I got the gist. Jorge Polanco was traded to Seattle for a 4 player (and cash) package. 

The deal included a top 100 prospect in Gabriel Gonzalez, a swingman veteran in Anthony DeSclafani, a top end reliever (for 3 years!) in Justin Topa and a guy named Darren. Considering the rumor mongers I have read considering a trade for Polanco being based around Topa alone, getting him as a part of a much larger package seemed like a huge win. 

Of course, the first new article I saw when I regained health, finished the cruise and stepped ashore was disappointment that the Twins didn't yet, nor did they seem likely to get, an ace. *sigh* All right. The Arraez-Lopez deal saw a much more valuable asset -- something the Twins didn't have this offseason, so Polanco was NEVER going to bring back a top arm. 

But he did bring back a top prospect, a late inning reliever, a long reliever/5th starter and Darren. There were fewer aces available, limited resources and the Twins, according to Baseball Trade Values, absolutely fleeced the Mariners, so it is all a matter of perspective. It can be a great move, but also not the singular avenue to solve a problem. or the intended means in which to solve said problem. 

Trading Polanco did solve some other problems as well. It clarified some of the positional logjam in the middle infield for the next two years. It strengthened the bullpen with a strong late inning arm in Topa or an inning eater in DeSclafani. It added prospect depth, with a right handed outfielder, which the Twins are short on. This could also be depth for a trade if the Twins are in contention, which they should be. There are other small gaps on the roster, including depth at first base, and oh look at that, the cash that was sent by the Mariners was used to sign Carlos Santana.

Jorge Polanco has been a steady, talented presence on the Twins roster. He's been the longest tenured player in the organization who made more under the radar contributions to the team than splashy highlights. His final contribution to the Twins mirrored his time in the organization, solving a lot of little problems, and not being appreciated for the value it brings.