Minnesota Twins Offseason Plans: Low Stakes Gambling

That the Twins have had a quiet offseason thus far should come as a surprise to exactly no one.

None of the big names (Manny, CC, Teixeira, et. al) even fit a position of need for the Twins, so there wasn't even the stray rumor to whet the appetite of fans. 

But with the way this season's free agent market has unfolded, I'd be very surprised if the Twins went into camp with the same team they ended last season with.

Why?

Bargains abound.

The Twins are, and always have been, bargain hunters. They look for signs that a player is being undervalued for his skill level and they swoop in.

Frequently, this is an abject failure. See: Ortiz, Ramon; Batista, Tony; or White, Rondell.

Sometimes, however, the Twins do find their man. Todd Jones and Rick Reed were both solid additions that cost the team next to nothing.

This season, the value is laid out for all to see. An ace like Ben Sheets can be had for just a fraction of his potential value.

Former Gold Golvers, All-stars, and future Hall of Famers can all be added at a very low cost as teams try to limit payroll increases without jeopardizing their existing core of players.

While the Twins aren't likely to add Sheets or any of the other major names still available, they seem to be interested in two Scott Boras clients: Eric Gagne and Joe Crede.

According to Sid Hartman, its the length of contract which is holding up both of these deals. Assuming this is accurate, it means that they have reached something approximating a consensus on the amount.

It likely also means that both of these deals will end up happening.

The only other team mentioned in connection with Crede is the Giants, who are interested in the development of Pablo Sandoval, their 21-year old, highly-touted prospect.

Bringing in Crede either means that he will be their backup or they are willing to push Sandoval either to the bench or to second base. 

Crede turns 31 this season, so he has time left to be productive. If his back really is healthy, there is no way he wants to risk being a backup.

My hunch is that he'd take less money to start in the hopes that he can get one more shot at free agency, perhaps when the market for his services has improved.

The Twins have said they are willing to go into the season with the platoon of Brian Buscher and Brendan Harris, but they are fully aware of what Crede can do.

Crede hit seven of his 18 home runs against the Twins, and had 17 of his 55 RBI.

His defense, even over the last two years, has been well above league average. So, if he was truly healthy, he'd be a phenomenal addition. He's a solid defending, right-handed power bat, which is exactly what the Twins are looking for.

I've covered Gagne before, so I won't rehash it, except to say that since it looks like Russ Springer will go to the A's, and Brandon Lyon has signed with the Tigers, the Twins have lost a bit of their leverage.

Gagne has also lost two suitors, but these developments probably still favor the player, since the Twins haven't publicly expressed interest in anyone else.

Both of these players could be exactly what the Twins need to patch their small holes heading into this season.

Both are injury risks and in a normal market would probably be poor investments. However, if the Twins can use the prevailing market to keep their risk low, both players should be viewed as gambles worth taking.

If the Twins are forced to choose, Crede is more likely to sign a low money deal to rebuild his value, and the Twins have better options to replace Gagne