"In four days of baseball's winter meetings, the Twins made a few minor moves, made their best pitch at Michael Cuddyer and watched the market for a thin free-agent pitching class inflate to unreasonable proportions.

Yet on his way out, Terry Ryan vowed to find a starter before his team reports for spring training Feb. 18.

"This was a little bit of a lean free-agent class, there's no doubt," the Twins' general manager said. "I think in years past there might have been a little bit more of an opportunity, but there are still some pitchers out there that we have an interest in.

"Going in, the class was lean; I think everybody acknowledged that."

The Miami Marlins and Los Angeles Angels set the bar high this week, signing veterans Mark Buehrle and C.J. Wilson to long-term deals that will pay them, respectively, $14.5 million and $15 million annually. What remains are right-hander Edwin Jackson and a bunch of veterans who might be long on grit and experience but are short on arm strength and career longevity.

Still, Ryan insisted, "There are still some opportunities out there."

If Jackson was ever in the Twins' neighborhood, he has moved on. A career .500 pitcher (60-60) with an earned-run average of 4.46, he is nevertheless 28 - younger than Wilson and Buehrle - has a no-hitter under his belt and was 12-9 with a 3.79 ERA last season with the Chicago White Sox and St. Louis Cardinals. "