Since the 1994 season was washed away by labor unrest and the seats emptied a bit, Major league baseball has taken few steps backward.
The steroid induced homer barrage that followed brought folks back to the game in record numbers and the coffers have been filling and re-filling since.
Somehow major league baseball has been able to sidestep most of the mess like a tiptoe through a poop field.
While sports fans somehow seem more upset about baseball players using performance enhancing drugs than about their football playing counterparts, they seem willing to forgive and forget about the time spring training rolls around every year.

This season surprisingly is no different.
Despite the Mitchell report, hall of famers potentially on their way to prison and ‘60 minutes’ proclamations, baseball fans are starting to focus on the field once again and blockbuster trades and rumors are paving the way.

The Johan Santana possibilities have permeated the off season.
Red Sox or Yankees?
Red Sox or Yankees?
Red Sox or Yankees?
No…It’s the Mets!
Therefore art thou Omar!

A large group of critics have panned the assembled prospects coming Minnesota’s way in comparison to the packages that were reportedly offered by the Yanks and Red Sox and they may be right, but projections are a difficult thing and history has shown the Twins to be dead on in these kinds of deals in the past.

Three beauties to be exact:

The 1989 trade of then ace and Cy Young award winner Frank Viola in a situation much like the Santana deal, also to the Mets.
Two years later Kevin Tapani won 16 games and Rick Aguilera saved 42 and the Twins won the World Series.

The year Viola was traded; The Twins drafted second baseman Chuck Knoblauch.
Nine years later they sent him to the Yankees for four players.
First round pick Brian Buchanon didn’t amount to much but Cristian Guzman started at shortstop for six years including 2001 when he received several MVP votes.
The prize of that trade was pitcher Eric Milton, a mainstay of a team that went to the American League championship series in 2002.
Knoblauch was the gift that kept on giving when Milton was eventually shipped to Philadelphia.
That trade brought infielder Nick Punto and pitcher Carlos Silva.

The last was out and out highway robbery.
Catcher A.J. Pierzinski to San Francisco for Joe Nathan who has turned into one of baseball’s best closers, starting pitcher Francisco Liriano who was on the fast track to stardom before blowing out his arm and current starting pitcher Boof Bonser.

So before you point your finger at the Twins for taking less than you think they could have received elsewhere,
History suggests that you may be wrong.

And now on display for your perusal…another lefthander.
The Orioles Eric Bedard.
Red Sox or Yankees?
Red Sox or Yankees?
Red Sox or Yankees?
No…It’s the Mariners!
Or is it?