We both have shown possible explanations involving the Rockies and we could probably play that game with every team. You are right none of us have had the privilege of being a fly on the wall so who knows.
Hopefully, we can find some common ground when I say that the Twins may have a reached another level with this move but it is still shades of the same old song.
Justification is in the eye of the beholder. You won't justify it and that is your right. Myself... I had already justified it before the move happened. I'm on record saying that "I wanted the year back" multiple times before the announcement.
Regardless if you approve of the method... Byron Buxton has just increased in value overnight. That extra year has value and if Byron supports that value with the play we have been waiting for... The trade return gets real big.
Possible explanations, yes. Plausible explanations? Not yours. If you didn't understand my explanation for why your claimed service time manipulations by the Rockies were not plausible, I can't help you.
Regardless of my approval, the Twins may have some short-term gain in value for Buxton (assuming he doesn't win a grievance). But any value beyond 4 years (except for what we can get when we're forced to trade him or see him refuse a QO), is gone.And the one additional year of trade value would be next year. I'm not sure there are many teams who will give up much value for Buxton before he has a full healthy season next year anyway. And after next year, his trade value keeps decreasing as he gets arbitration awards and closer to FA. But, if you want your commodity to have short-term value, rather than work with a human being who can have much more long-term value, at the expense of your reputation among other human beings, then fine. Great move. You can do your touchdown dance now.
We can all only hope that the FO keeps playing these games for short-term profit, at the expense of baseball players, for the owners of the team. That's why I love this game (by "game," I mean the one played by the billionaires who we root for to maximize profits and increase the value of their franchises every year). GO POHLADS!!