Drew Voelker calls himself a longtime RandBall reader who seldom comments. Must be all the intimidation from the bouncers at the door. But he has submitted some Twins’ food for thought. Drew — have at it:

If there is one thing Twins fans like arguing about more then the current season, it’s the future of the team. While the current season always holds our attention, it is the off-season and future of the team that really stirs up a debate. Whenever the subject of the future comes up, Twins fans are reminded of the financial constraints that play a large part in trades, free agency and the draft.

This off-season will be no different for the Twins. There has been a lot of talk about the free agency of Torii Hunter. The decision seemed to be an easy one before the season started; a soon-to-be 32 year old centerfielder was becoming a free agent while three other key players — Michael Cuddyer (28), Justin Morneau (26) and Joe Nathan (32) (really 32??), were all in line for long-term contracts. The aging Hunter would seem to be the odd man out.

Hunter’s play so far has made Terry Ryan’s decision much more difficult. Hunter has been the face of the franchise since he came to the team and is putting together arguably his finest season yet.

While it may be possible to sign all four to new contracts, it seems unlikely. Terry Ryan is likely going to have to make a one or the other decision. Morneau seems to be a lock to get a new deal with Cuddyer, Hunter and Nathan playing musical chairs for the final two spots. While the loss of the players due to a lack of money can be frustrating, it is also keeps things interesting. Similar to the salary cap in football, the Twins must make smart decisions while constantly looking to the future.  The Pierzynski-for-Bonser/Lirano/Nathan trade is just one of the many brilliant moves Terry Ryan has made that has allowed the team to continue to be competitive. While I don’t think there is any Twins fan who doesn’t want Torii Hunter to be the starting center fielder in the new stadium, it is a possibility we may have to accept.
Two questions:

1) If you had to choose between signing Nathan and Hunter, who would you take?

2) Is Joe Nathan really a “must-sign” player or is there a replacement either in the minors or on the current roster?

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