Regarding Maeda:
First off, I'm a Maeda fan, and I hope he competes for Cy Young again this year. Not holding my breath.
However ...
The Dodgers signed Maeda to that incentive-laden, starts-based contract when he came across the pond. Even though the Twins traded for him and knew what the contract was, does it really hurt them in future negotiations with FAs, if they relegate him to the bullpen? I think the circumstances are a bit of an outlier [TJ, better-performing/higher-upside option, wanting to (cough,cough) WIN (cough, cough)] If he isn't effective in April, Ober should get the spot and Maeda should go to the pen and be the long guy until he, hopefully, gets back into form. If an agent comes along and says "look what you did to Maeda" when answering a call about their clients, they're just being obtuse.
If the Twins were the Pittsburgh Pirates, I could see this in a different light.