The Rays have acquired a new shortstop, getting Yunel Escobar from the Marlins for middle infield prospect

Derek Dietrech

I wish the Twins had done this. According to Jeff Passan, the Marlins really wanted to get rid of Escobar. The word he used was "panicked":

which means the guy that the Rays gave up wasn't too high on their prospect list. Despite his attitude, Escobar would have solved the Twins' SS issue for the next 3 years for $5 million each year. And if he really was too much for the Twins to deal with, the 2014 and 2015 years of his contract are team options.

Good for them. Gardenhire would have had to go to the mountain, and perhaps meet with Phil Jackson to have any chance of being Escobar's manager. The skipper has not been able to do it with any others that have presented unique personalities, and Yunel is pretty set in his caustic ways according to my Atlanta friends. For the Twins to ever have unique personalities last, it has to be when Gardenhire is gone.