Three days after the Yankees clinched a World Series win, the Twins' offseason officially started rolling. Minnesota picked up right fielder Michael Cuddyer's $10.5 million option for the 2011 season.

The Twins could have bought out the option for $1 million, and the decision had to be made within five days of the end of the World Series.

Either way, Cuddyer would have been slated to be a Twin next season and make $8.5 million. In 2009, he made $6.75 million and earned it by hitting a career-high 32 home runs with 94 RBIs. Asked the day after the Twins were eliminated from the postseason whether he was concerned about a level of awkwardness that could be caused if the team decided against the option and Cuddyer still had one year left on his contract, the right fielder said he wasn't concerned about that.

"That stuff tends to work itself no matter which way it goes," Cuddyer said in October. "I don't really worry about that stuff because, frankly, it's out of my control. Obviously I'd love to be here my whole career, so hopefully it's not one year, hopefully it's many years."

Chosen by the Twins in the first round of the 1997 draft, Cuddyer had a breakout September this year, propelling the Twins down the stretch by making up for Justin Morneau's bat and glove while the All-Star first baseman sat out with a fractured back. Cuddyer moved from right field to first base seamlessly and slugged 10 homers in September and October combined.

The Twins should be able to afford Cuddyer's 2011 price tag considering they are moving into a new stadium, but they also have an influx of promising outfielders moving up through the minor league system. Cuddyer's cannon arm has established him as one of the AL's most feared right fielders, but in his absence over the past couple of seasons, Denard Span has become an equally formidable defensive presence in right.

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