No, the sky is definitely not falling, but a an organization it might as well be. the Twins are in the worst place possible an organization could be. in between reload and rebuild. I will try and stay on point and not go down the hole of Correa, but in all honesty it was a huge reality check. As much as the Twins wanted to make it seem like they actually COULD compete with other teams in the FA market, they simply can't... or maybe won't. The Twins 10 year $285M is typical "Twinspeak" for "we were really serious and in on him". I can't necessarily even blame the Twins, BUT with deals made to Judge, Turner and Boagarts. any offer that didnt start with a "3" was not even close to being competitive, and the Twisn knoew that. let alone an AAV of $28.5M??   Given the current market conditions, just simply calling it what it was, it was not a real offer.  It was "We are REEEEEEEEEAAAALY interested in you and want to build a franchise around you... if you can do it for a 25% discount".  but anyways.... that is over, and the question now is... what is next???

What can the Twins do? pieces have already come off the board.  DO we make a run at Dansby? ok possibly, and should be cheaper, but at this put the same 10 yr $285 might not even get it done for gosh sake. the Twins will be in on him, but only for an AAV of about $22M, in other words, in it just enough to not be relevant. There are really few, if any, other position players that could make an impact, so assuming no Dansby, it is Farmer bridging to Lewis/Lee.

from an offensive perspective, we are day old mashed potatoes.  I am a perrenial optimist on Buxton, so I think he has a full healthy and productive season. but other than Buck?? Lets take a quick peak around the diamond.

1B = Kirilloff? Arraez??  Either way a decent player but nothing to write home about

2B = Polanco . another average to above average 2B, not moving any needles though.

3B = Miranda = OK the kid has potential, but it is just that potential, relying on potential kills.

SS = Farmer = a serviceable but milqutoast player.   Quick!!! Who did I just say our SS is??  10:1 you had to look back,  see!!

RF = Kepler = assuming we keep him. a good defender but a liability at the plate, maybe he can improve with no more shifts, but more likely he benefits from no shifts on another team

CF = Buck = You knwo I love him

LF = Larnach? Wallner? G-Cinco?  all a whole lot of "Meh"

C = Jeffers and whats the new guys name?

DH = One of the guys listed above frm other positons that may be able to hit 18-23 HR.

A great big nothing burger on offense.

Pitching you say?

Well the only real upgrade out there is Rodon, and we just proved again how we will not dip our toes in the deep end of the pool. and to be honest, I wouldn't either here Two healthy years in a 10 year career do not a 5-6 year high AAV make!!  stay away, but even if he is worth the money. He would be the lipstick to this lineups pig. WE actually have an OK rotation, but still could help it.  But another signing tells you just how much the Twins will not sign FA pitching. Noah Syndergaard just signed a 1 year deal that could max out at $14.5 with incentives.  If there was ever a contract that screamed Twins it would have been this, but they couldn't even get something like this done.

SO given where we are at, what is oen to do? PUNT!!  DO NOT trade top prospects for "mahle-like" pitching.  lets take our lumps and "let teh kids play"

Sonny Gray will not be on this team when we contend again. (Heck even if he had 3 more years of control he wouldn't)  TRADE HIM

Kenta Maeda also on teh last year, wont be here next year... TRADE HIM!! (although maybe at teh deadline, let him hopefully pitch well in teh first half.

Max Kepler si getting pricy fo rproduction, we have plenty of redundant players behind him... TRADE HIM!!  Again though maybe midseason as the no shift rule hopefully helps his numbers increasing value.

I woudl say "insert any other 30+year old player" TRADE HIM, but that is the scary part, we have nobody else we can even trade!!!

so 2023 has instant become a "throw all teh prospects against the wall and see what sticks"

And the sad thing is if we do NOT trade Gray, Kepler, Maeda, etc.  then we will be even FURTHER behind th e8 ball next year when they are both gone...

BUT WAIT!!!!  maybe... just maybe I stumbled upon the FO plan, we are just saving up all of our cash to make a "serious" run at Shohei next offseason!!!