With back-to-back AL Central banners hoisted, it would have been simple for Minnesota Twins GM Terry Ryan to rest on laurels in 2004. In 2 calendar years, he brought the group back from the brink of tightening and turned it from laughingstock to genuine contender.But with a generational talent prepared to hit The Program and a few broader boxes to be examined, Ryan drew off two of the greatestat very least most substantialtrades in franchise history in hopes of a three-peat. A hectic offseason for the team architectPhoto by Corey SipkinNY Daily News Archive by means of Getty ImagesTrade 1: A. J. Pierzynski to San Francisco for Joe Nathan https://www.twinsshorts.com, Francisco Liriano, Boof Bonser.From 2001-2003, A.J. was as big a component of the "Get to Knowem" Gang as anyonean extremely long lasting backstop who also pinched hit typical and a little pop. Yet with Joe Mauer clearly ready for significant organization play after a scant two-and-a-half year minor league job, Pierzynski showed expendable.Had the return been Joe Nathan alone, this trade would have been a slam-dunk. Then a struggling starterreliever in Frisco, the Twins instantly set up Nathan as permanent closer and he ended up being the best reducer in franchise history.Francisco Liriano was the clear "ideal possibility" in the swap, and largely supplied more worth than not to the Twins organization. After a transcendent 2006 caused an arm blowout, he at some point went back to strong starter status.Boof Bonser was a temporary and greatly inefficient asset in MN, however his name, girth, and basic existence on the '06 squad gained The Boofster a cult complying with. Boofthere it is!Considering that A.J. showed so unpleasant to his brand-new teammates that he left the City by the Bay after just one period, there is a solid instance for this exchange being the biggest heist in Minnesota Twins history.Trade 2: Eric Milton to Philadelphia for Carlos Silva, Nick Punto, Bobby KoreckyAfter a few of the most awful throwing in franchise history in the mid-1990s, the Doubles finally developed a solid SP to pair with Brad Radkeand that male was Eric Milton.Despite a solid 1999-2002 stretch, Milton was coming off knee surgical procedure that scuttled '03. So, the Doubles traded the 27-year old lefty to the Phillies for overall depthagain appearing more powerful on the other side.Carlos Silva was just one of the strangest beginning pitchers to toe the Dome rubber. He didn't strike anyone out, really did not walk a spirit, surrendered crowning achievement in bushels, and nurtured a profession 1.40 WHIP. Yet, he was mostly an above-average starter for the Twins from 2004-2007even assembling a 130 ERA+ project in05.Nick Puntothe guy, the myth, the legendquickly manifested Ron Gardenhire's brand name of "hustle sphere" on the bases and in the area. Though his bat changed in between "concerningly inept" and "surprisingly strong", his severe positional flexibility would play in any kind of period. Without him, the Piranhas don't cut Ozzie Guillen's White Sox down to size. Bobby Korecky pitched 17.2 relief innings in 2008 his entire Minnesota result. But he did accomplish the rare featfor a reducer in the DH eraof scratching a success and collecting a hit in the same big league contest.While Eric Milton would certainly produce a strong '04 for the Phils, his result swiftly decreased in succeeding Cincinnati seasons. Silva was easily his equaland mainly superiorto state absolutely nothing of Punto's organizational impact. Another notch on Terry Ryan's belt, to be sure.While these 2 professions were not the only swap-a-roos that specified 2004 for the Twins or MLB in generalmore on that particular later on this summerthe separations of Pierzynski Milton created largely favorable instant and long-term influences for the Twins https://www.twinsshorts.com/Joe_Ryan_Shorts.