The Twins are usually not big players on the free agent market for a simple reason: they don’t have a lot of money to spend. The Metrodome was not much of a cash-generator, and for years the team dealt with below average revenue. When Target Field opened, the revenue started flowing in, but the Twins had a lot of payroll committed to veterans like Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau, Joe Nathan, and Michael Cuddyer for the first two years.

This year, things are about to change. The Twins have quite a bit of money coming off the books, money they can use to attract free agents like Edwin Jackson, C.J. Wilson, or even (dare we dream) Jose Reyes. How much will they have to toss around? Well, let’s take a look.

According to Baseball Reference, the Twins are paying a total of $104.4 million to players currently on their 25 man roster. As Baseball Reference states, the salary data are not 100% accurate, since we can’t actually see the players’ contracts. But these figures are probably the most reliable ones available. The actual 2011 payroll was quite a bit higher, because these numbers don’t include the salaries paid to Jim Thome and Delmon Young before they departed. Also, the Twins have called up dozens of prospects to fill in for injured veterans over the course of the year. All of them make some portion of the $415,000 Major League minimum salary while they’re with the team. When all was said and done, the team payroll was probably about $115 million.

They don’t owe nearly as much for next year. (more…)