Without delving (again) into the troubles of our major college and pro sports teams of late, we would like to acknowledge that in times like these, fans will take their positive sports news any way it can be delivered.

Even if that method has its root in negativity.

You see, there are two trades from the past five years involving three departed players that seem to stick in the collective craw of Minnesota fans: the draft-day swap that sent Brandon Roy away from the Timberwolves while bringing in Randy Foye, and the trade with Tampa Bay that netted the Twins Delmon Young but cost them Matt Garza and Jason Bartlett.

Those three outbound players have been held up as symbols of local management failure. But we'd like to look at all three right now and point out things are far from perfect in their worlds. Sure there are all sorts of extenuating circumstances, small sample sizes, yadda yadda yadda. Like Mark McGwire, we're not here to talk about the past. Just the present:

• Garza: After three solid but unspectacular regular seasons with Tampa Bay, he was dealt to the Cubs. So far in the National League, he's just 0-2 with a 6.27 ERA. There is certainly the possibility the righthanded starter will develop into a true ace; for now, Twins fans, don't fret: He's one game above .500 with an ERA around 4.00 since leaving the Twins.

• Bartlett: Another offseason casualty, he is now with the Padres -- sporting a .196 batting average and .470 OPS through Tuesday. Nobody will deny the Twins have been searching for a solid replacement for Bartlett since pretty much the day after dealing him. But aside from his career year in 2009 -- .320 BA, .879 OPS, 14 homers -- he's had an unassuming career as an OK hitter and declining defensive player. Bartlett and Garza certainly contributed to the Rays' two postseason berths in 2008 and 2010, and both helped stock the Rays' minor league system this offseason in trades. But Young is still with the Twins, while they are not with Tampa Bay.

• Roy: Knee injuries have ravaged him to the point that he's a bit player with the Blazers in the playoffs -- and he's not happy about it. After playing just 8 minutes Tuesday while Portland fell into an 0-2 series hole against Dallas, Roy reportedly told the Oregonian he "always thought I would be treated a little better" and added, "There was a point in the first half, and I was thinking, 'You better not cry.'" His days as a franchise player and All-Star could be permanently over. Foye, meanwhile, was part of the bait that netted the draft pick that led to Ricky Rubio -- whose NBA career hasn't even started yet.

MICHAEL RAND