NASHVILLE – Good thing for the Twins that the offseason doesn't end with the winter meetings. There are several weeks to go before pitchers and catchers report to Fort Myers, Fla., which is more than enough time to find a lefthanded reliever and fourth outfielder.

"I'm a little disappointed in myself," Twins General Manager Terry Ryan said. "It hasn't happened yet. But I don't worry about it too much until we get into March."

The dozens of conversations and 1 a.m. nights in the suite yielded nothing but fatigue so far. The Twins looked at many options. They spoke to the Yankees about Justin Wilson before he was traded to Detroit. They looked at every lefthander on the free-agent market, including Jerry Blevins and Matt Thornton. They haven't found the right deal for the right player yet. Some believe their best bet will be to trade for a lefthander. The search continues.

See you next year, when the winter meetings head for Washington, D.C.