The actions were dramatic; the reactions swift and joyful.
Fortune favors the bold? Risk-reward ratio of three Minnesota teams' new additions
Carlos Correa, Marc-Andre Fleury and Za'Darius Smith could boost their teams to glory, but nothing is set in stone.
March 26, 2022 at 10:00PM
In recent weeks, Minnesota's professional sports teams have served a buffet of aggressive moves to a hungry populace, earning compliments containing words like "committed,'' "aggressive'' and "ambitious.''
The Twins signed Carlos Correa, a great player. The Wild traded a potential first-round draft pick for Marc-Andre Fleury, a three-time Stanley Cup champion. The Vikings overhauled their front office and coaching staff, extended the contract of Kirk Cousins again, then signed former Packers pass rusher Za'Darius Smith.
The Twins signed Correa to the largest per-annum contract in franchise history, signaling the willingness of ownership to compete with the sport's coastal elites in free agency.
The Wild paid a high price to upgrade the most important position in hockey, signaling that the jettisoning of Zach Parise and Ryan Suter was not the beginning of a rebuild, but an attempt to win quickly.
The Vikings made a strategic raid of their primary rival's roster, adding a pass rusher who fits snugly into their new defensive scheme.
Each player rewards fans who have invested heavily in their teams. Watching Correa play in front of, and bat behind, Byron Buxton will be worth even a high price of admission to Target Field. Fleury should give the Wild a chance at a lengthy playoff run. Smith could elevate the Vikings in what today appears to be a mediocre conference and division.
Each move is ambitious and shrewd, and each, like alcohol or automobiles, should be enjoyed responsibly.
Does Correa make the Twins a World Series contender? Only if they can similarly upgrade their pitching.
Does Fleury make the Wild a Stanley Cup favorite? No.
Does Smith make the Vikings favorites to win the NFC North, or the NFC? No.
Think of the most expensive acquisitions by men's professional sports teams over the last 35 years. How many of them worked out?
When the Vikings traded for Herschel Walker, they were initially lauded for adding the running back who would make them great. Now he's the least-funny punchline in Minnesota sports history.
Parise and Suter did not make the Wild title contenders, although they returned the franchise to competitiveness.
Before Correa eclipsed him, Josh Donaldson owned the richest contract per annum in Twins history. The Twins won zero playoff games with Donaldson before trading him.
Championship teams feature roster depth, quality coaching and a certain kind of competitive cohesiveness. Adding one player rarely changes that equation. Usually, teams that believe they are one player away from a title are overestimating themselves.
Once the initial euphoria wanes, what are the teams left with? Risk and potential reward. Let's break down each acquisition:
Carlos Correa
Risk (on a scale of 1-10): 1. Correa is an excellent player with leadership qualities who could opt out of his contract after one or two seasons. In a league without a salary cap, the only real financial risk is that the Pohlads could experience a small dent in their portfolios, but owners make so much money off their baseball teams that they frequently look to buy other sports teams. They'll be fine, and their willingness to spend is a reward and a lure to a jaded fan base.
Potential reward: 6. Correa can't pitch, so he doesn't instantly make the Twins a championship contender, but if the team's best pitching prospects rise quickly, it will be helpful to have a quality shortstop and hitter in place.
Marc-Andre Fleury
Risk: 7. Bill Guerin traded a conditional first-round pick. That's a high price for a player who may be with the team for only a few months.
Potential reward: 10. If Fleury gets hot and carries the Wild to a deep playoff run, he will have been worth it, and Wild ownership should do all it can to reward a fan base that fills the Xcel Energy Center regardless of the quality of the team.
Za'Darius Smith
Risk: 5. Smith and Danielle Hunter could become one of the best pass-rushing duos in the NFL, or they could continue to miss time with injuries. If Smith can't stay healthy, the Vikings will have a hole in their roster and wasted money on their ledger.
Potential reward: 7. Smith could become the ideal free-agent signing: affordable because of an injury but capable of playing like a star.
Sport is entertainment. Correa, Fleury and Smith make three of Minnesota's most prominent teams more entertaining.
Minnesota shot nearly 60% during a 20-8 start to erase a fresh loss to Nebraska, but guard/forward Taylor Woodson suffered a knee injury early in the game.
