First I’d like to say that it’s an out-and-out travesty that Bruce Springsteen’s song “The Wrestler” was not nominated for an Academy Award. Now onto the important stuff.

As a keenly interested observer of the Minnesota Twins, I have spent the offseason asking myself one simple question: “How does Bill Smith still have a job?”

It’s not been any big secret that the Twins went into the offseason with major needs at third base and in the bullpen. The Twins made a half-hearted attempt at signing Casey Blake, but recoiled in horror when he asked for a third year. Blake re-signed with the Dodgers.

They spoke with the Cubs about Mark DeRosa, but wouldn’t pay the Cubs’ exorbitant asking price of Kevin Slowey and Denard Span – or at least that’s what we were led to believe. Cleveland wound up sending the Cubs three mediocre minor league pitchers for DeRosa.

They looked at Ty Wigginton, but were told that Wigginton wanted more than the 3 years and $17 million that the Dodgers gave Blake. Shortly after Smith ran screaming from those negotiations, Wigginton signed with Baltimore for $6 million over two years.

It was looking like a pattern. Either Smith was naïve about the true market of free agency this year, or he didn’t want to spend any money and was lying to the press about it. Either way, to a fan who simply wanted his team to have a good third baseman, it was irritating and aggravating.

But, today, the Twins announced that they had agreed to terms on a one year deal with Joe Crede.  Mr. Smith, I take back every nasty word I’ve said about you in the last three months. The Joe Crede signing is a great move. It’s the kind of low-risk, high-reward chance you have to take in order to contend when your franchise can’t afford a triple-digit payroll.

If it pays off, the Twins will have their best infield since 1991, and their deepest lineup since 1987. (Author’s note: The invocation of those two years does not constitute a prediction of a Twins World Championship in 2009. Yet.)

John Hart said it best on the MLB Network Saturday night “Now, I think for the first time in a while, the Twins have what is considered to be an American League Club. They’ve got power on each corner.” Crede is a better player than Blake, DeRosa, or Wigginton. And, there’s something tasty about plucking an All-Star off of your biggest rival’s roster, even if he never figured into their plans.

If he’s healthy, the guy’s a stud who will measurably help this ballclub. If not, they’re out $2.5 million, and the Twins can go with the Brian Buscher/Brendon Harris platoon that should have always been their Plan B. I’ve ripped Smith plenty during this offseason, but this was a very good move.

Now, on top of the Crede signing, comes word out of Arizona that the Twins are simple details away from adding Juan Cruz to the roster as the 8th inning set-up man they desperately need. Two big moves in three days?

Repent, folks. The apocalypse is at hand.