I'm OK with being able to read. I have a hell of a lot more financial literacy than most of these writers, probably all. I'm more than comfortable challenging the narrative until some obvious questions get asked and answered. I'm OK being out on my own here, others will catch up soon enough.
The Bob Nightingale piece actually doesn't have quotes, despite your insistence. I looked again. There is not one on the record quote from a team source cited anywhere. The on the record statements are actually quite different.
Words matter such as the highlighted ones in Passan's quote, shown below. There is not much difference in what Passan says here from any other year-when has this not been the case? It's also a quote from him, not any named source.
"Money issues continue to hinder any shot at a big move, and it's why the Twins are an add-and-subtract team and not simply an add team like they ought to be," Passan reports. "If the opportunity to acquire a higher-salary player presents itself, they would need to offload salary from their major league roster in that deal or another to cancel out the expense."
We still don't have a good reason they added a $2.1m reliever when so many $700k guys were available. Musta been too much stoopid money getting in the way.