La Velle states "[t]here are indications" that some Japanese clubs would be interested in Tsuyoshi Nishioka if he were available this offseason.

 

http://www.startribune.com/sports/twins/171441591.html

That would be a nice way to knock a couple of million dollars off the payroll, if they dan do it. It sounds like the Twins would likely need to eat some of that money, but if another team is intetersted in Nishi, and he wants to go to them, the TWins might not need to pay a good chunk of the $3M they owe him next year.

 

(Think we can find a Japanese team interested in Blackburn, too?) :-)