4:05pm: Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press tweets that the Twins are planning to wrap up talks one way or another out of respect for Dozier in the near future. ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick notes that there’s agreement throughout the organization that it’s not fair to Dozier nor is it beneficial to the team to allow the uncertainty to drag out much longer. Both reporters note that there’s been no definitive deadline for a decision set by the team.

10:03am: Trade talks regarding star Twins second baseman Brian Dozier are expected to wrap up within the week, according to Jon Morosi of MLB Network (via Twitter). Whether and where he’ll be dealt remain to be seen, but it appears that Minnesota will make a final call well before the opening of Spring Training.

Last we heard, the Twins were said to asking interested organizations to place their final bids for the slugging second bagger. We haven’t heard any indication yet of how that effort is proceeding, but Morosi does note that the Dodgers (quite unsurprisingly) remain involved.

Indeed, it’s fair to wonder whether any other organizations are truly interested in making a competitive run at Dozier. If not, it may simply come down to a test of willpower (and baseball valuations) between the Minnesota and Los Angeles front offices.

So, what to make of this renewed indication that the clock is ticking on any move involving Dozier? Perhaps, it’s a negotiating tactic designed to drive the action and boost a possible return. But it could also legitimately suggest that the Twins’ front office is as torn on the subject as is the MLBTR readership; we may need to hold a recount of yesterday’s poll asking whether Dozier will end up changing hands over the offseason.

Of course, even if Dozier is still a Twin this time next week, it’s wise never to say never in the arena of player transactions. Spring Training injuries routinely open new avenues for trades, of course, or an organization can simply reevaluate its situation. As the stunning, Opening Day-eve Craig Kimbrel swap shows, deals can come together at just about any time.