Item: Buster Olney thinks Joe Mauer's contract negotiations might be the most important story of the offseason.
Nobody asked me, but: well, duh. Obviously, this is a big story for Twins fans. But, as Olney notes, the question of parity and the gulf between the haves and the have-lesses (or, if you'd rather, the Yankees and everyone else) is a big story everywhere. (See also: Joe Posnanski, Jon Marthaler.) One thing that I can guarantee: whatever changes are or are not made to the system, the Royals will continue to blow.
Item: Your 2010 Twins 3B is...Joe Crede?
Nobody asked me, but: Scott Boras swears that Crede's third back surgery in as many years did the trick. Since agents are nothing if not scrupulously honest, consider me sold! (Seriously, though: Joe C.'s article lists the current in-house options. They are LNP, Brendan Harris, and Matt Tolbert, with Valencia and Hughes in the wings. Is Crede at a not-insane, incentive-laden price that bad of an idea? I'm starting to waver. Commenters, attack!)
Item: the Twins have not made a single roster move as I've been writing this.
Nobody asked me, but: I fully expect to post this and see that we've signed Jerrod Washburn.
Item: MPR took a walking tour of Target Field.
Nobody asked me, but: that was pretty cool.
Enjoy your weekend, kids!