So far, the remaking of the Twins has the feel of reassembling a hair band that used to play arena shows and sending it on a casino tour. First, the manager. Then, some of the coaches. Now, Torii Hunter, returning to the city that loved him as a young player and lamented his departure via free agency for California around this time seven years ago.

In our house last night, amid both skepticism and excitement, we wondered who else the Twins would bring back. It was a five-minute parlor game that fortunately never got as far as mentioning Tony Batista, but that's how we greeted the news. On social media, it turned the night angry in some of the discussions between supporters and detractors of the deal.

From those who have worked the Twins clubhouse since the terrible years started, one of the themes has been of a lost clubhouse that suffered for lack of personality. As Jim Souhan points out in his column, Hunter, Guardado and Paul Molitor will create change there.

From those whose following of the game includes advanced defensive metrics, adding Hunter to right field and moving the defensively suspect Oswaldo Arcia to left doesn't do anything to help a team that has been suffering for its outfield defense. The blogger Parker Hageman offers this breakdown of Hunter's defense, which has certainly broken down from his days as an elite center fielder. Current numbers speak in ways that counter what we remember from a decade ago.

The best case for the Hunter signing is that it combines the joy of bringing back someone of whom we were pretty much unconditionally fond with the pain of knowing that bringing him back doesn't help on the field. And considering we're talking about someone who will turn 40 during the 2015 season, it has the potential to be an even greater liability than it looks right now.

By the way, I'm dismissing those who think that Hunter has given up on his dream of playing for a World Series team. If the Twins are what we think they'll be, Hunter is a best bet to end up with a contender come the trading deadlines. I'd argue that coming to Minnesota actually increases his chances of reaching that goal.

I'm also not at all concerned about the $10.5 million salary. Last time I checked, Twins ownership is pretty deep pocketed. End of that discussion here.

The bigger issue is: What else? Do the Twins think they can sell a reunion tour of a manager, coaches and a past-his-prime player as acceptable baseball, even when combined with the promise of those talented young players working their way through the minor-league system (when they're not injured or serving drug suspensions)? So far, including the just-announced plans for a new bar and megasuite, the Twins are spending their energy at the cosmetics counter.

Over the next few weeks as free agency boils up and the next few months as Terry Ryan shapes the team for the season, the Twins need to move to the meat counter and make moves intended to create hope for 2015. In his press conference after signing on as manager, Molitor talked about having little interest in selling the future. It was nice to hear that, but what was he supposed to say? "I'm good with carrying on the failed policies of the previous administration."

I'm patient enough to know that the Twins as constituted on December 3 will not be the same as the team training Florida on March 3 or the team preparing for its opener in Detroit a month later.

I'm also frustrated enough to be annoyed by the half-measures and failed measures that have been taken to ready the Twins for recent seasons -- everything from the Nishioka-for-Hardy idea that marked the beginning of the slide in 2011 to the embarrassing roster construction with which the Twins entered last season.

When I think about the Twins, I hear Herb Brooks telling me "Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me," in my left ear and Great White singing "Once Bitten, Twice Shy," in my right.

The Twins need to show us something more off the field that will give fans hope for a better product on the field in 2015. Torii Hunter's presence may well improve the team's make-up and be a great thing for sportswriters.

Now it's time to go shopping for some meat.