Twins' frustratingly frugal trade deadline plans somehow just got even worse

It seems the Minnesota Twins didn't learn any lessons from what ended up being one of the most frustrating offseasons fans have been forced to endure.

Technically the Twins did learn a lesson, it was just the wrong one. Minnesota chased its most succesful postseason run since 2002 by slashing the payroll by $30 million. This came amid concerns over lost future revenue thanks to Diamond Sports Group's bankruptcy leaving the Twins without a television deal.

Ownership eventually cut a check to return to Bally Sports North, although soon after the network was dropped by Comcast and fans haven't been able to watch games. The money the team received from the deal wasn't reinvested into the team, and it doesn't appear that mindset will change as the trade deadline nears.

Twins trade deadline plans somehow got even more frustrating than they already were

We had already heard rumblings that the Twins were unwilling to take on contracts at the deadline that added payroll next season, but somehow that plan has gotten even worse.

In what is a completely on-brand level of frugalness, USA Today's Bob Nightengale reports that Minnesota isn't just looking to avoid taking on money, it actively wants to dump salary if it makes a trade.

Nightengale writes:

"The Minnesota Twins, who cut their payroll by about $35 million this year, are hamstrung in their pursuit of trade acquisitions unless they’re able to dump a contract."

It's bordering on parody at this point, but this latest update is somehow not the least bit surprising knowing how cheap ownership has been. While the Twins have surged after a rough start to the season and show all the signs of a team that can compete for a World Series, their biggest opponent isn't any team on the field rather the team in the owner's box.

The Pohlads have been deeply unserious for most of their tenure, although green lights to spend on guys like Carlos Correa, Pablo Lopez, and Byron Buxton have been surprising breaths of fresh air. For the most part, though, being a Twins fans has meant living through this sort of purse string tightening that truly holds the team back.

To be fair, the last time the Twins went all-in at the deadline it blew up in their face -- so there's that to consider when thinking about the cautious approach being taken. Still, it's hard to not feel completely demoralized when a team that seems a few moves away from being true World Series contenders refuses to do what it takes.

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