You've read about the TwinsCentric Offseason GM Handbook, and as the World Series now has a team that is one win from a title, the Handbook will be available very soon. It is currently available for pre-orders for just $5.99. When the World Series ends, it will become available at $9.99.
The TwinsCentric Offseason GM Handbook essentially puts the reader into the role of Twins GM. We provide over 130 pages of content that a GM needs to know. There are mini-bios on most of the free agents and several potential trade targets. There are decisions that need to be made on the team's arbitration-eligible players and its own free agents.
However, I believe that before any of those decisions need to be made, the Twins front office has to make a determination on something that will dictate the rest of their decisions throughout the offseason.
Will Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau and Denard Span be able to play in 2012? Will they be healthy? Obviously no one fully knows the answer to that question. The most durable player can suddenly tear an MCL or break an ankle or get a concussion from sliding.
However, those three players are key to the 2012 team. The Twins can add a solid starting pitcher or two, maybe a quality bullpen arm or two, and a decent shortstop to the mix, but if those three players aren't able to play, it will make the task of moving up the AL Central standings much more difficult.
Not impossible! The Twins have shown that before. The year after they lost Johan Santana and Torii Hunter, they went to a playoff game. But having the impact players, the former MVPs and the catalyst at the top of the order would be vital to being able to go from worst to first again.
How the front office feels about how much those three players can be counted on has to be decided before all other decisions. For instance, if they don't think they will be healthy and able to contribute, then that may alter their decision-making process on bringing back Michael Cuddyer, or at least how high they're willing to bid on him. It certainly affects the thought-process on bringing back Joe Nathan and Jason Kubel.
That one question (which is really three questions) plays a huge part in whether the Twins decide to be reloading or rebuilding for 2012. Unfortunately, especially with Morneau and Span, it is really difficult (probably impossible) to know the answer, and they're just going to have to make an educated guess.
