I speculated Monday that the Twins had a terrible choice to make: trade Jason Kubel or fail to re-sign Jim Thome. Minnesota picked up Kubel's $5.25 million option for 2011, and with Thome set to get a major raise on the free-agent market from last season's $1.5 million salary, I thought the team wouldn't be able to keep both - not without putting a hole in the bullpen or in the middle infield.
↵ESPN1500's Phil Mackey, however, reports that Twins GM Bill Smith is thinking differently.
↵↵↵News via Bill Smith: Twins likely to pursue Thome, Revere unlikely to crack 25-man roster w/ Kubel, Delmon, Cuddy and Span in mix.
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Of course, Thome may well walk anyway, but the Twins appear to be at least interested in having both big lefties on their roster again in 2011. We'll see what effect this has on JJ Hardy's situation, and on the Twins' depleted bullpen.
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