A Minnesota Twins Christmas Carol – Part Five
Pohlad wakes up on Christmas morning feeling much more refreshed than he thought he would. He calls for his butler, Rudy, and announces he needs to be taken to Target Field immediately.
“But sir, it’s Christmas,” Rudy says. “You have the day off!”
“Yes, Rudy, but Thad and Derek are working today and I have some good news to share,” Pohlad said with an uncharacteristic smile on his face. Rudy offers to take his temperature to make sure he is feeling well, but is waved off by a giggling Jim Pohlad.
Pohlad walks into Target Field to find Falvey and Levine signing Christmas carols over the burning trash in the Astros garbage can. Shocked to see him on Christmas, Falvey and Levine instantly start to panic and explain why their boss just caught them singing songs… and not working.
“Never mind that,” Pohlad said with a warm smile. “I have come to share great news!”
Jim Pohlad explains that he had been working the phones on the way to the office and he personally reached out to Gausman’s agent and agreed to a five-year contract. Derek Falvey instantly fainted upon hearing this and needed to be revived so he could hear the rest.
What’s more, the Twins’ owner had also agreed to re-sign Jose Berrios and made an offer to free agent shortstop Carlos Correa. The news sends Levine into a vertigo-like spin, and Falvey helps him into his seat before he falls to the ground, dizzy from happiness.
“Merry Christmas to all! Merry Christmas Thad and Derek,” Pohlad said while handing them the 2022 Bill James handbook. “From now on, use THIS version to look for only the best current players to sign. After all, we have a World Series to win this year!
Falvey asked Levine to slap him to make sure he wasn’t dreaming. Levine happily obliged, but they were still there.
“Merry Christmas to all of the loyal Twins fans out there that shell out their hard-earned money year after year after year to follow this team,” Pohlad shouted out his office window to the empty playing field below.
News of the big signings soon made their way to the internet. Suddenly, the sound of phones ringing fills the room.
The phones were jammed with Twins fans eager to buy season tickets for this exciting team. A new era of Twins baseball had begun. And all it took was a little spending by the owner.