The Twins made a good move by picking up the Marlins 30 year old second baseman Luis Castillo for two mid-level pitching prospects. Castillo's career numbers and good, especially when you take the park effects of Pro Player Stadium into account. Player Stadium. He had an OBP of over 400 on the road last year and will fill a huge void at the top of the Twin's order. The Twins have received horrible production from the middle infield over the last couple of years making this move a definite upgrade.
The only silver lining for the Sox may be the added payroll Castillo brings as he is owed over $5 million in each of the next two years. This may suggest that the Twins not be able to make any more significant moves as their owner, Carl Pohlad, keeps a tight lid on the budget.
I think this move is a definite positive for the Twins, but not enough to make them favorites in the Central. The Sox won the division last year with great pitching and a below average offense. The Twins finished near 500 with great pitching and an awful offense. I think the Sox upgraded to above average while the Twins still hover a bit below. Regardless, the AL central may turn out to be quite an exciting three team race next year.