Twins sign Zumaya, still more relievers coming?

I like the signing, but this is absolutely a high-risk/high reward signing, regardless of the contract. The risk isn't financial; that signing him cripples the Twins financially if he comes up lame (like he has the last FIVE consecutive years, by the way.) The risk is that there currently isn't a backup plan for him.

So there is at least a 50/50 chance that this signing means nothing, which Twins fans would obviously (and justifiably) be irate about. ON the other hand, there is a chance that Zumaya is a dominant late-inning reliever. I like the signing - but I would like it a LOT more if another arm was added to mitigate the risk.

I don't like the MLB contract either, but thanks to the non-guarantee, I'm OK with it.

According to Phil Mackey's tweet, it sounds like the Twins were interested in Dan Wheeler and Todd Coffey before landing Zumaya and that there is still the possibility of bringing one of those two names in as well.

Quote:

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#Twins had some interest in Dan Wheeler and more so Todd Coffey. Doubt if they'd close the door entirely on those guys but space now limited

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If there is anything to this whole Roy Oswalt situation, then they won't be looking at relievers! Blackburn would head to the bullpen.

Ish. Nick Blackburn in the bullpen.

Agreed, but it's not like they would eat the rest of his contract and DFA him, woudl they?

I'd say it is very likely that there is no steam to these Oswalt rumors.

I gotta think that if the Twins had an offer out to Oswalt (and they very well might have) it was pulled back by now. It seems like that's how Ryan has proceeded this offseason - offer affordable deals to free agents and wait to see which one accepted. I don't double they did that with Oswalt, but I can't believe that's still out there, unless the payroll is a lot higher than we thought it was. (Or unless they have identified a current Twin whose salary they think they can dump.)

And back to Parker's original quote - that sure sound like the door is mostly closed.

I've mentioned this before, and it's that the Twins always have seemed to be willing to add salary if they felt that it would improve the team. Essentially, the Pohlads give the front office a soft salary cap. I believe Terry Ryan has mentioned several times that if he was able to convince the Pohlads that adding a particular piece would indeed improve the roster, the Pohlads would okay it. That's how the Twins were at the ~$115 million threshold in 2011, and why I am able to believe these Oswalt rumors with the Twins are true (though that belief is certainly waning).

@ABG -- I agree that the front office likely has flexibility with their payroll but I cannot see the Oswalt deal happening for several reasons. If the team performs well and finds themselves in the thick of it come July, I can see ownership OKing more money to bring in a player or two if needed. Outside of that, I don't see them expanding much beyond the ~ $1.5 million left until the $100M mark.

If they were going to spend $7M on Oswalt, they would have spent $4.5M on Cordero. My best guess is that the Twins made Oswalt an open offer once upon a time but that is was pulled back when Marquis signed. And even if the Twins really do still have that offer on the table, there is no way it's the high offer at this point.