Throw another log on the off-season blueprint fire because here's one more opinion about how the Twins should approach the winter. I believe this game plan is realistic and it would make the 2020 Twins a more complete team than the 2019 Twins. This off-season is all about adding quality pitching (hopefully a lot of it!), and my blueprint does just that.

Assume that I was named honorary GM for the winter and let's fast forward to March 2020 to look at what I did before handing the keys back to Falvey and Levine:

Major transactions - offense:

1. Non-tendered CJ Cron

2. Signed Mitch Moreland to a 1 year/$7M contract with an option for 2021

3. Signed Brock Holt to a 2 year/$12M contract

4. Signed Alex Avila to a 1 year/$5M contract

I gladly moved on from both Jonathan Schoop and Jason Castro. Non-tendering Cron was not an easy decision, but I liked adding Moreland for his defense and left-handed bat. A rotating platoon of Moreland, Marwin Gonzalez and Miguel Sano makes sense at first base. Holt is a versatile player who has played multiple infield and outfield positions and has a lot of winning experience from his days in Boston. I'm not entirely sure that he fits in 2020 but I've long liked him as a player and couldn't say no when he price tag was reasonable. Also, he will replace Gonzalez in 2021 as the Twins' super utility player. Avila is likely just a one-year fill-in at catcher, but his left-handed bat should form a solid offensive platoon with Mitch Garver.

The Offense:

C Mitch Garver 575,000

1B Mitch Moreland 7,000,000

2B Luis Arraez 575,000

SS Jorge Polanco 3,830,000

3B Miguel Sano 5,900,000

OF Eddie Rosario 8,900,000

OF Byron Buxton 2,900,000

OF Max Kepler 6,250,000

DH Nelson Cruz 12,000,000

UTIL Marwin Gonzalez 9,000,000

UTIL Brock Holt 6,000,000

C Alex Avila 5,000,000

OF Jake Cave 575,000

IF Ehire Adrianza 1,900,000

Total Position Players 70,405,000

Major transactions - pitching:

1. Jake Odorizzi accepted the qualifying offer and signed a 1 year/$17.8M contract

2. Signed Zack Wheeler to a 5 year/$110M contract

3. Traded Trevor Larnach and two minor leaguers to Arizona for Robbie Ray

4. Traded two minor leaguers to Toronto for Ken Giles

I watched in horror when Cody Stashak pitched in the sixth inning of a one-run playoff game, and when Randy Dobnak STARTED a playoff game, and vowed that such silliness would never happen again on my watch. The winter started with Odorizzi accepting his qualifying offer, which was a win for both sides in my opinion. I called Kyle Gibson's agent and said that I have no interest in a reunion no matter the contract. I moved quickly and signed Wheeler while other potential suitors were busy talking to Cole and Strasburg. I believe that the Wheeler contract could prove to be a good value to the Twins, as he is still fairly young and may have untapped potential.

I read the rumors back in July 2019 and knew that the Twins had been in contact with both Arizona and Toronto about potential trades, so I picked up the phone and re-ignited those conversations. I reluctantly agreed to trade Larnach to Arizona, but I was happy to acquire Ray without giving up any major league players in the trade. I am in win-now mode, and believe that trading a player like Eddie Rosario may actually weaken the 2020 club more than it may strengthen it. The Toronto trade talks began a little frosty, as I chewed out their front office for never calling the Twins back last summer before trading Marcus Stroman to the Mets. But we got past it quickly, as the Blue Jays were eager to shed Giles' salary and receive two low-level minor league prospects in return.

The Pitching:

SP Zack Wheeler 22,000,000

SP Jose Berrios 5,400,000

SP Robbie Ray 10,800,000

SP Jake Odorizzi 17,800,000

SP Brusdar Graterol 575,000

RP Ken Giles 8,400,000

RP Taylor Rogers 3,900,000

RP Trevor May 2,100,000

RP Tyler Duffey 1,100,000

RP Zack Littell 575,000

RP Lewis Thorpe 575,000

RP Cody Stashak 575,000

Total Pitchers 73,800,000

Other:

Martin Perez buyout 500,000

Total Team Payroll 144,705,000

Jim Pohlad wasn't thrilled that I pushed the payroll to nearly $145M but I reminded him that the window for winning is wide open in 2020. If my roster meets expectations, the Twins will win the AL Central again and will be positioned for a deep playoff run.