Questioning the productivity and the value of Minnesota United striker Ángelo Rodríguez is something of a popular trend these days.



The Colombian faced an uphill battle he didn’t request when he was brought in as the new target man, supplanting longtime franchise face Christian Ramirez. It has inevitably linked the duo for the rest of their MLS tenures. Any time the current Los Angeles FC striker scores a goal or makes a U.S. men’s national team roster, it elicits a chorus of groans across the state of Minnesota.



Those groans amplify when Rodríguez or Romario Ibarra—the two current options up top for the Loons—send a shot off frame.



As Rodríguez continues to find his bearings in MLS and the winter transfer window decrescendos, it may be time to revisit two crucial questions from last summer. What does Minnesota hope to get from the designated player? And why did they trade Ramirez as a result?



When...