{"id":8712621,"date":"2023-01-11T12:35:19","date_gmt":"2023-01-11T20:35:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.eastbaytimes.com\/?p=8712621&preview=true&preview_id=8712621"},"modified":"2023-01-12T04:10:50","modified_gmt":"2023-01-12T12:10:50","slug":"kurtenbach-carlos-correas-twins-deal-doesnt-vindicate-the-sf-giants-it-makes-them-look-worse","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.eastbaytimes.com\/2023\/01\/11\/kurtenbach-carlos-correas-twins-deal-doesnt-vindicate-the-sf-giants-it-makes-them-look-worse\/","title":{"rendered":"Kurtenbach: Carlos Correa’s Twins deal doesn’t vindicate the SF Giants \u2014 it makes them look worse"},"content":{"rendered":"

The third time is the charm.<\/p>\n

Carlos Correa has found a team. The All-Star shortstop agreed to terms on a contract on Tuesday, not with the San Francisco Giants or New York Mets, but with the Minnesota Twins. On Wednesday, he passed his physical. That, of course, was the important part.<\/p>\n

Correa’s incredible free-agent saga will leave some Giants fans \u2014 and perhaps Giants leadership itself \u2014 feeling vindicated that the team walked away from the 13-year, $350 million deal nearly a month ago.<\/p>\n

I’ve had more than a few demands that I apologize for bashing the Giants for backing away from the deal.<\/p>\n

I’m happy to admit when I’m wrong.<\/p>\n

This is not one of those cases.<\/p>\n

The Giants deserved scorn for backing out of their deal and canceling Correa’s introductory press conference hours before it was scheduled to start. If nothing else, it was terrible public relations.<\/p>\n

But the Giants deserve even more scorn now that Correa has signed with the Twins.<\/p>\n

\"Carlos
Carlos Correa of the Minnesota Twins celebrates reaching second base on two errors by the Chicago White Sox in the eighth inning of the game at Target Field on April 22, 2022, in Minneapolis. (David Berding\/Getty Images North) <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

It’s one thing to have cold feet and then be big-timed by the New York Mets. Their billionaire owner has made it clear that he is not the least bit concerned about baseball’s luxury tax. He can toss around millions like we toss around $20.<\/p>\n

And because Steve Cohen has flashed his cash for the last two offseasons, the Mets didn’t need Correa. He was just a fun addition \u2014 a whim Cohen acted upon after a few martinis in Hawaii.<\/p>\n

So when the Mets found the same concerns on Correa’s medicals that the Giants did, Cohen’s team was in a position to back away. The risk wasn’t worth the reward for a team that is a World Series contender with or without Correa.<\/p>\n

But for the Minnesota Twins to big-time the Giants is absolutely unacceptable.<\/p>\n

Both the Twins and Giants needed Correa \u2014 a player like that is the difference between .500 and a playoff berth.<\/p>\n

But while these two teams on the same competitive level, but are night and day when it comes to the financial part of the game.<\/p>\n

Yet the Twins \u2014 a team that under the same ownership was nearly contracted for being so cheap \u2014 was the team willing to take on the risk Correa carries.<\/p>\n

Minnesota is a team with a sub-average payroll. Last season, it was $117.5 million \u2014 a huge number for them.<\/p>\n

The Twins signed Correa to a deal that is six years, $200 million \u2014 possibly 10 years, $270 million if the shortstop stays healthy.<\/p>\n

This is not a team that has money to waste.\u00a0Yet they were the team that could work out a deal to pay Correa the market value he expected at the start of the offseason, even if he didn’t get all the years he once expected. They were the team willing to take on the risk.<\/p>\n

They’re also the team that will receive the reward.<\/p>\n

\"Minnesota
Minnesota Twins’ Carlos Correa, left, talks to New York Yankees’ Aaron Judge after the final out of the ninth inning of a baseball game Thursday, Sept. 8, 2022, in New York. (AP Photo\/Adam Hunger) <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n