Parting Gifts: Ryan's 5 Best Final Moves

These five low-key decisions, dating back to the end of last season, all worked out better than anyone would have suspected. Three of them involve bullpen pickups, which is somewhat ironic considering that Ryan's lack of action on that front was a primary source of offseason criticism.

Let's give the man his due:

Believing in Fernando Abad

Most fans, including myself, rolled their eyes when Abad became the highest-profile addition to the Twins bullpen during the offseason. For a team badly needing impact left-handed relievers, bypassing the big names on the market and settling for a guy who couldn't get a major-league deal left something to be desired.

As it turns out, the Twins were astute in preferring Abad over the high-priced free agent alternatives. His numbers have been vastly superior to Antonio Bastardo or Tony Sipp, and he came with only a fraction of the contractual commitment. Now, Rob Antony may be able to flip Abad ahead of the deadline for a decent prospect.

Signing Robbie Grossman

Following a 2015 campaign that was poor across the board, the Astros released Grossman in November. He went on to sign a minor-league deal with the Indians. After six weeks with Cleveland's Triple-A affiliate, seeing no path to the majors, Grossman opted out and became a free agent. Ryan liked what he saw and snagged him, and now the outfielder is looking like a potential piece for the future.

He certainly can't be counted on to maintain an .850 OPS long-term, but Grossman brings a skill set that offers good value off the bench. He's a switch-hitter. He's a solid fielder and runner. He has a keen eye at the plate, and walks enough to keep his OBP afloat through hitting slumps. And finally, he's only 26 with plenty of team control left.

Uncovering Buddy Boshers

Last year, Boshers was pitching in an independent league. He performed very well for the Somerset Patriots, and after the season he drew interest from a few different MLB clubs. No one pushed harder than the Twins, who landed him on a minor-league deal in December. What a find he is turning out to be.

The 28-year-old southpaw has excelled consistently this year, whether in Rochester or Minnesota. In 20 appearances with the Red Wings, he has a 1.16 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 26-to-8 K/BB ratio. In 17 appearances with the Twins, he has a 2.81 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 18-to-3 K/BB. He misses bats, stays in the zone and devastates left-handed hitters. What's not to like?

Boshers and Abad have become legitimate lefty bullpen options for the Twins going forward, along with Taylor Rogers who was drafted in TR's first year back at the helm. Give the exiled GM this much: he addressed this particular area effectively, albeit in characteristically subtle fashion.

Trading Chris Herrmann for Daniel Palka

It's safe to say that Chris Herrmann was not in Minnesota's plans this year, right? He was out of options, with a .530 career OPS, and his fringy receiving skills weren't exactly appealing to a team in need of help behind the plate. Somehow, Ryan managed to flip Herrmann for Palka, whose power-hitting skills have only grown more prolific in a new system.

Palka's homer last Wednesday in Rochester was his 25th of the year in the minors. No Twin has more than 17. The 24-year-old put on a show in spring training with his long-ball theatrics and is reinforcing his power-hitting prowess with dominant numbers in Double-A and Triple-A. Acquiring Palka for a player who was on his way out will go down as a big win for Ryan.

Betting on Brandon Kintzler

Kintzler was once a very effective setup man for the Brewers, but had fallen off in recent years. Ryan believed that there was still something left, and it looks like he was right.

With Glen Perkins out for the year, and Kevin Jepsen released, Kintzler has taken over the closer role. He has done a damn good job, converting all eight of his save chances despite lacking dominant stuff. Clearly he isn't a long-term ninth-inning solution but he does have the makings of a quality bullpen arm. The Jared Burton parallels are obvious.