For baseball’s free agents, it’s been one strange offseason. The big downturn in the economy led to a slow free-agent market, leaving the likes of Manny Ramirez, Adam Dunn, Bobby Abreu, Orlando Hudson and numerous others still unsigned in February.

The free-agent storyline took another odd turn Saturday, when the Minnesota Twins, of all teams, signed a Scott Boras client. Except for reliever Luis Ayala, the Twins hadn’t signed a major leaguer from outside the organization all winter. Now, one week into spring training, Minnesota has inked former White Sox third baseman Joe Crede to a one-year contract.

The Twins and Giants were Crede’s suitors, and a week or two ago, it was rumored that a $5 million guarantee was a sticking point in negotiations. Boras found neither team was willing to take much risk with his client, who has had two back surgeries in two years to repair the same herniated disk. When the 30-year-old veteran agreed to a one-year deal with a $2.5 million base salary, and incentives that could tack on another $4.5 million, the Twins had acquired a regular who could make a significant impact if he stays healthy.

Playing at the Metrodome, one of just three major league parks still using artificial turf, wouldn’t seem conducive to avoiding a recurrence of Crede’s back ailment.

"I've never had much of a problem playing on the turf," Crede told St. Paul Pioneer Press sportswriter Kelsie Smith. "Even in Toronto and Minnesota, it was never a thought even in my mind when we went there. “ That’s different, of course, than playing 81 games at home on an artificial surface, plus roughly another 10 in Toronto and Tampa.

If Crede is up to it, and the Twins settle on a long-term relationship, the good news is the team moves outdoors to Target Field in 2010. He seems like a solid fit in Minnesota -- a quiet, hard-working guy who excels defensively. And the Twins, who finished last in the American League in home runs and ranked near the bottom in slugging in 2008, sure could use his bat.

If Crede can approach the 30 home runs and 94 RBIs he produced in his last healthy season in 2006, the Twins will contend in 2009. Even with their power shortage last season, the Twins ranked third in the AL behind Texas and Boston in runs. Add in another power bat and the return of Michael Cuddyer from a finger injury, and Minnesota could see a huge boost in run production. If the young, up-and-coming rotation improves on a 4.32 starter ERA that ranked in the middle of the league in 2008, the Twins could be the front-runner in what looks like at least a three-team AL Central race.

Crede’s move to Minnesota will bring a new twist to the Twins-White Sox rivalry. It already includes lingering memories of a hard Torii Hunter slide at home plate a few years ago, Sox manager Ozzie Guillen labeling the young and hungry Twins “piranhas,” and a Jim Thome home run in Game No. 163 last September, lifting Chicago to a 1-0 win, the AL Central crown and the final playoff berth. Crede can’t help anticipate the showdowns with his former club, as he explained to Smith.

"I just spoke with (Paul) Konerko last night and said this might get a little awkward, and he said, 'It's only going to be awkward when me and B.A. (Brian Anderson) are yelling at you from the dugout.' "

Konerko isn’t the only White Sox player bantering about hosting a reunion for his former teammate. Over the weekend, White Sox southpaw Mark Buehrle reminded Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune that in Minnesota, the White Sox dugout is on the first-base line. It’s a different story on the south side of Chicago, where the home team resides along the third-base side.

“When we’re in Minnesota, he’ll be far away,” Buehrle joked. “But at our place, he’s going to be worn out.” He expects Konerko and others to test Crede’s focus when the two teams first meet.

The reunion takes place early in the 2009 season. Before it is two weeks old, the Twins and Sox open a weekend series in Chicago on Friday, April 10.