The problem is we know the contender thing is a crock. These ex-Astros are stopgaps until we “develop” our version of ‘91 for 2010. If the Twins were committed to winning now, and Pohlad was less rigid on the payroll structure (payroll can’t exceed 50% of total operating costs or something)- or, like Wilf, put a few more bucks of his own money into operating costs - the infielders we’d have to sign to really contend would have bigger price tags.

They could have come clean and admitted they’re rebuilding and went with Casilla, Buscher, Tolbert et al. from the start. But losing Silva and Castillo for nothing and Santana for prospects didn’t look good in light of the stadium fight. Smith had to do more than lock up a few young guys and get Young and Gomez. He had to give the impression he was putting a contender on the field. To do that he had to find veteran free agents.

That’s why, to me, the ex-Astros pickups were a bargain. Cheap enough to fit in the budget and veteran enough to keep the contending facade up. And from hearing TK’s comments, it sounds like he was the only one in the organization who wasn’t who wasn’t buying the hype.

That’s not exactly cheap - if they DFA him, they’re on the hook for the whole thing, if I’m not mistaken. (Everett is $2.8mm, Livan is $5mm - again, not cheap, especially after we just ate $2.475mm for Rincon.)

If it were only that simple. The Rincon situation brings the whole confusion about waivers, trades and contracts to light.

Since I’m not getting paid (or, at least, a COW - and Dave, I’m still rooting for you - to explain in greater academic detail (and the Proprietor should just a post on it) let’s just say we didn’t sign Lamb, Everett, Livan for their talent. We signed them because they came cheap. Just in case we they didn’t play well enough for trade value and we needed to designate them for reassignment.

Livan may be an exception. Although I don’t know why. No one is going to trade for Lamb or Everett unless they really need them and they’re too far down the waiver-wire pecking order.

A very partial illustration is the Wild trading a draft choice for a marginal player who was sure to go through waivers rather than hope they could’ve got him through waivers. And now, may I present my resume for future GM of the Wolves…

“Favre’s wife, Deanna, was described by ESPN’s ombudsman as the first Monday Night Football booth guest whom the viewers approved of.”

ESPN’s ombudsman needs to get their head out of their ***. Deanna Favre was horrible. It was at that point that I realized just how bad the MNF crew’s booth guests were. I don’t think I watched another game with the sound on all year.