This past weekend, the Minnesota Twins organization got together for the annual meeting where head haunchos talk about the past season, analyze the organization as a whole, and attempt to predict the future. More importantly, the annual meeting is one step in determining the roster for 2011. This is huge.
The Twins have a total of ten players that could potentially leave as free agents. Eight of these ten, or eighty percent, were members of the postseason roster this past year.
For the sake of determining cost, if all ten of those players left, the Minnesota Twins would still top the $100 million mark to keep the remaining club together. Talk about a chunk of change. And I do mean like... quarters; the Yankees payroll is just a little over $200 million. Clowns. The additional increase in payroll, about 50%, can be attributed to the revenues from the new Target Field.
The list of the Twin's free impending free agents is as follows: Jim Thome (whom I love very, very much), Orlando Hudson (who will be playing with his fourth team in four years), Matt Guerrier, Jesse Crain, Jon Rauch and Brian Fuentes.
Club Options: The Twins picked up Jason Kubel's $5.25 million option and declined Nick Punto's $5 million option, paying the $500,000 buyout instead. I have mixed feelings about this. I absolutely love Jason Kubel and performed very well for the Twins this year, I give this choice my blessing. As for Punto, sure he wasn't the best, but did you see how HARD that guy worked? Never did I see a game that Nick Punto played were his uniform wasn't dirty from a dive or slide. Punto gave the extra effort 100% of the time and all the Twins did was show him the door. I do NOT give my blesssing here. (PS, the picture of sad Tigger is what I imagine Nick Punto looks like, way to go MN)
As of now, there haven't been many other major shifts in the roster of the men you know and love, but be sure that I'll keep you posted. It's my job. It's my life.
Peace.
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