Intro To The Offseason

Among the 28 teams who fell short of the World Series, most are deep into their offseason planning. Important deadlines come fast and furious after the conclusion of the playoffs, and that's why many front offices spend weeks laying the groundwork and playing through scenarios.

The Twins have had no such luxuries. Derek Falvey's tenure with the Indians lasted as long as it possibly could have, placing him in catch-up mode as he takes over in the Minnesota front office. While he has undoubtedly been in communication with his new organization, up until last Wednesday Falvey remained an employee of the Cleveland Indians, and a very occupied one at that.

Meanwhile, Rob Antony has been running the show. Moving forward he will presumably be third in line behind Falvey and new general manager Thad Levine. The trio will need to come together and make some quick decisions.

The annual GM Meetings get underway on Monday and run through Thursday so Falvey and Levine are reportedly set to head straight to Scottsdale, AZ following the conclusion of their introductory press conference.

This will be their first opportunity to rub shoulders with other execs as official representatives of the Minnesota Twins, so it should be an interesting week.

So, how will their agenda shape up as the new leadership team acclimates? The free agency process has already been set into motion, as we're currently amidst a five-day exclusive negotiating window for impending free agents. The most prominent name in that mix for Minnesota is Kurt Suzuki, who won't be back, so the Twins aren't hindered much by being late to the game.

But after the clock strikes midnight and Monday turns to Tuesday, free agency will officially be open for business. Names can start coming off the market quickly so the Twins need to rapidly identify targets and begin making contacts.

The team's needs heading into the winter are fairly well defined. Of course, you can find an in-depth listing of free agents at positions of need in the Twins Daily Offseason Handbook, which is available for immediate download on a name-your-price basis.

Here's a quick look at some other important upcoming dates as the new regime tackles its first Hot Stove season:

November 18: Deadline to add prospects to the 40-man roster and protect them from Rule 5 draft eligibility. The Twins have some critical determinations to make before this point. A few weeks ago, Seth wrote about some pitchers and hitters who are on the bubble.

December 1: On this date, Major League Baseball's current collective bargaining agreement expires. In order to avoid a work stoppage, the league and players association must reach agreement on a new deal before the end of this month. There is little reason to think they won't, given everything at stake, but the new CBA could include some significant changes. The draft bonus pool system, in particular, is expected to undergo some tweaking. This could have a distinct impact on the Twins, who of course will carry the No. 1 pick in each round next June.

December 2: Non-tender deadline. By this date, the Twins must decide whether to extend offers to their six arbitration eligible players: Trevor Plouffe, Hector Santiago, Brandon Kintzler, Eduardo Escobar, Kyle Gibson and Ryan Pressly. We extensively analyze the cases for each player in the Handbook.

December 5-8: Winter Meetings in Washington DC. This is the heart of Hot Stove season and the most gripping period of the offseason schedule, with non-stop frenetic rumors and breaking blockbusters. The Rule 5 draft takes place on the morning of the final day.

After the Winter Meetings, things quiet down for the most part over the holidays, then kick back into gear in mid-January with arbitration agreement deadline.

If you've been in a slumber waiting for the postseason to play out, the time has arrived. Things are about to get going in a hurry. Make sure you snag your Offseason Handbook, for as much or as little as you want, so you'll be ready for all the action.