\n\t\u00a0\n<\/p>\n
\n\tAfter 3,000 man-hours and nine transactions, the Twins’ front office feels that they are halfway to finding a backup shortstop. In an offseason defined by the gaping holes in the bullpen, the Twins have been single-minded in their pursuit of a backup shortstop who is not Twins legend Isiah Kiner-Falefa<\/a>, the only backup shortstop on the market.\n<\/p>\n \n\tKiner-Falefa spent 19 hours as the Twins’ starting shortstop in March of 2022, and they’re determined not to make that mistake again.\n<\/p>\n \n\t“It seems straightforward to add IKF to backup Brooks Lee<\/a>,” an unnamed executive told Twins Daily. “But, ultimately, sometimes, the most obvious thing is the most obvious wrong thing.”\n<\/p>\n \n\tInstead of paying Kiner-Falefa the five million dollars it would take to purchase his services for the year, the team would prefer to spend that money on [unclear].00\n<\/p>\n \n\tSince the end of the season, the Twins have added significant depth at the position, including recent trade acquisition Tristan Gray<\/a>, waiver claims Ryan Kreidler<\/a> and Vidal Bruj\u00e1n<\/a>, and minor league free agent Orlando Arcia<\/a>. The cost? Pretty modest:\n<\/p>\n \t\tBackup shortstop candidate Ryan Fitzgerald<\/a> (claimed by Los Angeles)<\/p>\n \t\tUtilityman Mickey Gasper<\/a> (claimed by Washington)<\/p>\n \t\t$500,000 owed to Vidal Bruj\u00e1n if he\u2019s in the minor leagues<\/p>\n \t\tCatching prospect Nate Baez<\/a> (traded to Boston for Gray)<\/p>\n \t\tBackup shortstop candidate\u00a0Vidal Bruj\u00e1n (traded to New York)<\/p>\n \t\tLefty relief prospect Kade Bragg<\/a> (traded for heretofor unmentioned backup third base candidate Eric Wagaman<\/a>)<\/p>\n \t\tMany very original comments from Twins fans like “Plan the parade” or “This will get me to renew my season tickets” or “Wagaman? I hardly Knowaman”<\/p>\n \n\tThe offseason is still young, and the Twins have many other levers to pull. They have active feelers out on former shortstop Andrelton Simmons<\/a>, general nuisance Jeff Frye<\/a>, and local businessman Alex Rodriguez<\/a>, hoping to add at least two of the names to their pile of backup shortstops who are not Isiah Kiner-Falefa. The list is now longer than the team\u2019s bullpen hierarchy.\n<\/p>\n \n\tOther options who have been bandied about:\n<\/p>\n \t\tJoe Pohlad, who has a lot of free time on his hands to learn new skills. Putting him on the roster would mean $780,000 of the payroll would stay in Pohlad hands<\/p>\n \t\tNick Punto<\/a>, though this was suggested by your mother. Yes, you, the person reading this. Your mom loved Little Nicky, didn’t she?<\/p>\n \t\tJJ Hardy<\/a>, finally righting that wrong<\/p>\n \t\tRyan Fitzgerald<\/p>\n