Twins Territory

We're Moving!

2008-02-29T07:00:00.001-06:00

Since we started Twins Territory in early July 2006, Blogger has been great. It has allowed us to do everything we wanted to -- write about the Minnesota Twins and have a pretty cool look to the site as well.

A few month ago however, we approached Derek Hanson about helping us out with a huge site redesign. When he was interested, we made the plans to make the move shortly in to Spring Training. Spring Training is here, and the project is now done.

The new site allows us to do more with our writing, and allows you the readers to sign up and get more active with your own personal user profile and the forum. We are really excited about the future of the site, and we hope that you’ll follow us over to our new domain.

As of this post, this site will not be updated. The site will remain in tact for archive purposes, but that’s it. Make sure to switch your bookmarks to the domain below and come over.

Some of the new features when you sign up include commenting and a forum name. The biggest feature however is the Clubhouse. You'll get your own profile where you can post FanBlogs, pictures, videos and more. Come over and sign up to join the community!

www.twins-territory.com

Spring Training: Game One

2008-02-28T15:03:00.002-06:00

Spring Training is now officially underway after the Twins kicked off their spring schedule with a game in Sarasota against the Cincinnati Reds. They lost by a final of 6-1, but there were some things to take away from the game.

You can’t judge a lot about stats or performances for the first week or two for a few different reasons. First, the first week or more for pitchers is simply them getting back into game form and getting an inning or two under their belts in each outing. For the hitters, it takes longer, and they normally don’t get their timing back until they see a good amount of action.

I do have some notes from the game, but take them with a grain of salt with it being the first game and all.

* Scott Baker kicked off spring with a nice outing. He pitched two innings in his first stint, and allowed just three hits and no runs. They said some of his pitches were up in the zone, which isn’t all that surprising for his first time out.

* After Baker, Matt Guerrier and Pat Neshek each pitched scoreless innings. Glen Perkins then came into the game to relieve them, and he didn’t get off the start he would have liked. With a bullpen spot open, and Perkins being a leading candidate, he allowed four hits and a three-run homerun in just one inning. Reports are that the homerun was wind aided.

* Casey Daigle and Julio DePaula each pitched scoreless innings after Perkins which gives them good starts in their pursuit of the final bullpen spot. The Twins then put in Ricky Barrett (who is in camp simply to get some work) and he gave up three runs.

* Offensively it wasn’t a very good day for the Twins. They collected just five hits and none of those hits came from any of the young guys outside of the starters.

* Michael Cuddyer, Joe Mauer, Craig Monroe, Jason Kubel and Mike Lamb each collected one hit on the day and accounted for all of the team's hits. It was a nice start for the guys almost certain to make the roster.

* Carlos Gomez started off the centerfield competition with an 0-2 day. He did however make a diving catch which could be a factor in him eventually getting the spot (speed and defense). Jason Pridie followed him up with an 0-2 day as well replacing him in the sixth.

* Alexi Casilla, Garrett Jones, Matt Macri, Matt Tolbert and Tommy Watkins all checked into the came for the team’s infield. With the final bench spot most likely being an infielder, these are guys to watch (along with Buscher). Macri made an error but the rest played well defensively.

Again, take these notes lightly as it was the first game and the first week or so will be games to get the team back into game shape.

First Gomez Pic

2008-02-28T14:25:00.001-06:00

I had to post this. The first visual of Carlos Gomez in a Twins uni!

Its Franchise!

2008-02-27T17:40:00.001-06:00

Franchise is officially back! And look at that new glove. I guess he signed some deal with TPX.

Comparing the Infields

2008-02-25T09:11:00.001-06:00

Looking back to last season and the Opening Day infield, the moves that the Twins have made this off-season don’t seem so bad. On March 31, when the Twins open their season against the Angels, three of the four positions will likely have different starters. This is projecting that Brendan Harris be at second, Adam Everett at short and Mike Lamb at third.

The question is, which infield is better?

Last season on Opening Day, the Twins sent out Justin Morneau at first, Luis Castillo at second, Jason Bartlett at shortstop and Nick Punto at third.

Let go position-by-position for a better look.

First Base:
First off, we’ll skip first base. This is the lone position that will remain the same, and it should provide more productivity assuming that Morneau has gotten even better on defense and will hit homeruns after the break unlike last season.

Second Base:
Last season at second base, the Twins sent Luis Castillo to the field. Castillo wasn’t bad, he put up a .304 batting average with no homeruns and 18 runs batted in. The main upgrade that Brendan Harris will provide is more run support. He is a much bigger power threat, belting 12 homeruns last season from a low-power position and also collecting 59 runs batting in. His average was lower at .286, but their on-base percentages were comparable as Castillo posted a .356 OBP and Harris a .343 OBP.

Its hard to argue that Harris’ defense will be any better than what Castillo did for the Twins, because Castillo was pretty solid. He made about as few errors as you possibly can and even had a shot at the longest streak without an error at one point. The main thing was his health. Harris should be easier to count on with good knees.

I’d have to say that Harris is an upgrade. Castillo has good defense, but Harris should be able to hold his own at one of the easier defensive positions. And for a team starving for offense last season, the 12 homeruns and 59 runs batted in will definitely help.

Shortstop:
Comparing the shortstops for this season and last season is pretty hard since both are basically opposites. Last season, Jason Bartlett hit .265 with 5 homeruns and 43 runs batted in. Adam Everett didn’t play in many games after getting injured early in a collision (66), and returned to hit only .232. Neither player really had a great offensive season, and while Bartlett does have an edge in this spot, the fact that Everett missed so much time does make it hard to compare.

On defense, there is no argument for who is the better player. Last season, Bartlett committed 26 errors in 138 games. In his 66 games, Everett committed 8 errors. This may sound like an unfair comparison because of the big differential in games played, but in his seven major league seasons, Everett has never committed more than 17 errors and only twice committed more than 10. Everett has never won a gold glove, but has always been known as one of the best defenders.

At this position, I’d say its a toss-up. The Twins are swapping a small amount of offense for a lot better defense that will probably save them the runs that Bartlett will score more than Everett.

Third Base:
Last season, the Twins had Nick Punto at third after having a stellar 2006 season. Things didn’t go well at all as Punto hit just .210 in 150 games. Basically any change that the Twins made would have been an upgrade, and Lamb is definitely that. Lamb hit .289 for the Astros is just 124 games last season. Plus these numbers are better because 45 of those games were as a pinch hitter. So change his stats to 79 games with a .289 average, 11 homeruns and 40 runs batted in, and you have the best hitting third baseman for the Twins since Corey Koskie. The biggest key for Lamb will be how he adjusts to playing everyday.

On the defensive side, the advantage goes to Nick Punto. Defense is really the only thing that went right for Punto last season. In 138 games at third last season, Punto made just seven errors, and made about that many spectacular plays as well. On the other side, Lamb has always been known for his hitting and not his defense. Last season, Lamb played in 58 games at third and made eight errors.

The Twins made an upgrade at third this off-season, and Lamb is definitely going to help the Twins a lot more than Punto. If he can adjust to getting 500 at-bats instead of the 311 that he received last season, and still put up the same production, then the Twins will have a huge upgrade offensively. The biggest question will be his defense. As long as he doesn’t cost the team a lot of runs, it shouldn’t be a huge problem. And the Twins will have Punto on the bench for late game defense.

So take your pick, which infield is better, the projected Opening Day infield of 2008, or last season’s Opening Day infield?

2008 Infield:
1B - Justin Morneau
2B - Brendan Harris
SS - Adam Everett
3B - Mike Lamb

2007 Infield:
1B - Justin Morneau
2B - Luis Castillo
SS - Jason Bartlett
3B - Nick Punto

Craving Baseball

2008-02-23T12:31:00.002-06:00

Spring Training is my favorite time of the year. One could argue that October is better, and when I experience more of that in the future with this team, I may change my mind, but there is no denying that Spring is the most exciting time.

Spring is when all thirty teams get off to a new start. Everybody starts clean. Worst team or best team it doesn't matter, they're all starting once again going for the gold in October. Its a time for more than teams, its also a time for hundreds of players to put the past behind and start with a clean slate.

There's something about the way spring feels, something that makes me enjoy it. Maybe its that there is no arguing over big market teams paying huge amounts to swipe away players and maybe its the fact that everyday, the players play the game the right way, for small crowds and with competition hoping that this year will be the year that they finally crack the bigs.

Whatever the case, spring is a fun time. Seeing all of the new faces and some of the old ones too is exciting. This year in particular when the Twins lost key team faces Torii Hunter and Johan Santana, spring is fun. We get to see the next generation of potential faces of the franchise in Carlos Gomez, Delmon Young and others.

Finally, spring is the time when baseball returns and the time when you'll look everywhere and read every little note you can find on your team. Today I experienced the 'baseball craving' looking everywhere hoping to find more information on how the first day went.

I finally found the thing to satisfy my craving, coming from Phil Miller:

I passed the indoor cages, where Carlos Gomez was doing something I had not seen before. He was squaring around to bunt against a pitching machine, then pulling his bat back at the last moment and trying to get a good hack at it. Had the machine totally shocked every time, I’m sure. Bet we see that move a lot this summer.

Man, I can't wait to see Gomez play...

Keeping Up

2008-02-21T19:18:00.002-06:00

This is just a general post to keep up with everything going on right now and to also get everybody up to date on what is going to be going on right here at Twins Territory.

Almost There
Almost everybody has reported to camp after both Jason Kubel and Delmon Young reported today. The Twins now have just two pitchers and one position player not yet in Fort Myers and all three are the visa players. Reyes was supposed to report today, but at the latest report hadn't shown up.

As for Casilla and Liriano, the club doesn't seem to know much, but it sounds like both will be in camp by this weekend.

Ready for Competition
Denard Span mentioned it to us here before players reported that he was ready to go after the centerfield spot. He hasn't let up, and says he thinks he can win the job.

Gomez seems to be the early favorite as one of the fastest players in baseball and a pretty nice glove that could make fans forget Hunter a little easier. Only time will tell however and when camp officially kicks off this weekend, let the games begin.

Site Updates
We're going to finally stop with the hints towards huge site news next week and finally tell you what's going on. I'm not sure of the date, but stay tuned and if nothing else check back daily until you see the news.

Also, I'd like to get the Making the Team first edition up later next week maybe Thursday or Friday. So stay tuned for that.

Good News For Casilla

2008-02-20T20:44:00.003-06:00

Alexi Casilla got some very good news this afternoon when his appointment originally scheduled for the middle of March to get his visa got moved up to tomorrow. There is now hope that Casilla could be in camp by the weekend, and he definitely won't miss the amount of time that he would have had he not gotten the appointment moved up.

This is great news for Casilla, a player who has a chance to go after the second base job as well as a bench spot. Had he not arrived until mid-May, all of those opportunities would have likely been down the drain.

In addition to Casilla, and as I mentioned earlier today, Reyes will be in Fort Myers on Thursday for camp.

As for Liriano, there is still no word on his status, but I'd assume he is still due to arrive no later than Saturday.

For position players still absent, there are just three players: Delmon Young, Jason Pridie and Jason Kubel.

Visa Updates

2008-02-20T15:05:00.002-06:00

The Twins have three keys players still not in camp including Francisco Liriano, Dennys Reyes and Alexi Casilla. Reyes has now picked up his visa according to reports, and is expected to arrive in Fort Myers on Thursday or shortly after. Liriano is getting closer as well. He went through his counseling session and could be in camp by Thursday as well, and if not, he should be in Fort Myers by Saturday as the latest.

For Casilla however, things are not getting any better. He missed his appointment to get his visa because of a family medical emergency, and could be out of camp for weeks to come. Unless the Twins and the MLB can get his appointment moved up, he might not be in the United States until mid-March. His appointment is currently scheduled for March 11.

If Casilla can't get in camp soon, his chances of making the team as the starting second basemen or just a guy off the bench will almost certainly be gone.

New Kids

2008-02-18T13:25:00.003-06:00

Here are some pictures of the newest Twins. Gomez is reportedly there, but I couldn't get anything of him.

Deolis Guerra:

Philip Humber:

Livan Hernandez:

Kevin Mulvey:

Not Much...

2008-02-18T12:47:00.003-06:00

Well, the Twins kicked off Spring Training 2008 yesterday with the official reporting day for pitchers and catchers. According to early reports, it sounds like everybody is there expect for Francisco Liriano who may not arrive until later this week.

Here are some notes from La Velle and Joe that stuck out to me.

From Joe's Blog:

So far, the most notable sight for me has been CF Carlos Gomez. It’s hard
to describe it right here, but this kid’s got a presence.

“I don’t like to have expectations on paper,” he said. “I don’t like to
say Carlos Gomez, center field Twins. I come in here and try to open the eyes of
everybody.”

From La Velle:

Philip Humber - Great guy. It’s Philip and not Phil. The H in Humber is
silent.

Deolis Guerra - Very polite. He’s a biggun’ and it’s pronounced
Day-OH-leece (rough phonetics here).

Maybe it's just the fact that they are talking about the newcomers that gets me excited, I don't know. But I'm very excited and can't wait for these position battles to start. Look out for a preview in the coming days along with site news and our first edition of Making the Team.

Baseball is Here!

2008-02-15T17:51:00.003-06:00

Machado takes ground balls.

Spring Training for the Twins doesn't start until Sunday when pitchers and catchers report, but many players are already showing up such as Michael Cuddyer and Joe Mauer. Baseball is back, and right around the corner!

Liriano Stuck

2008-02-14T19:08:00.002-06:00

One thing that all Twins fans can't wait to see is how Francisco Liriano is doing after having Tommy John surgery. Now, fans will be forced to wait at least an extra week after Liriano learned today that he won't be able to make camp on time.

If you can remember, Liriano was arrested for a DUI back in 2006, and the law has recently changed, forcing all people that have been arrested in the last three years to take a class before entering the country.

Liriano was not aware of this until yesterday, when the United States informed him of the situation.

He is expected to attend the class on Friday, the day that he had previously planned to fly to Fort Myers. Depending on when the paper work gets done after that, Liriano could be in the states within a week after that.

The Twins say they aren't worried. Liriano has been working out in the Twins "camp" over in the Dominican, and he says his arm is fine and ready to go.

Twins Sign Hernandez

2008-02-12T17:13:00.000-06:00

The Twins continued to surprise us all today when they announced the one-year, $5 million contract with Livan Hernandez. We all new that there was a pretty good chance the team would make some kind of veteran signing, but the name had been Josh Fogg all along. Instead the Twins went out and spent a little more money for Hernandez.

Hernandez had been rumored to be going to the Mets before the Twins traded Santana to them. Now, the Twins will be assured of having a rotation with someone over the age of 26.

For me, I like the move and don't like it at the same time. I actually like Hernandez and he seems like a decent veteran to add. The idea of Fogg didn't sit with me well, but this doesn't seem so bad.

On the other hand, in what might be an off-season for the young Twins, I'm not so sure about spending $5 million for a veteran pitcher.

For now however, I can't complain. Especially when we have a total payroll of somewhere in the 50 millions.

By the way, Hernandez went 11-11 with a 4.93 ERA last season for the D-Backs.

TwinsTube: Boof Feature

2008-02-12T07:57:00.001-06:00

Boof Bonser has a pretty cool nickname, and an area TV station did a feature on it.

My Top 10

2008-02-11T07:00:00.000-06:00

Over the past week or so, more and more prospect lists have made their way across the web. I follow the minor leagues, but am far from being and expert on the players.

With that said, I wanted to give my own prospect list a try. I don’t know as much about the minor league players as some of the professionals posting them, but here it goes.

1) Deolis Guerra
2) Carlos Gomez
3) Anthony Swarzak
4) Tyler Robertson
5) Joe Benson
6) Kevin Mulvey
7) Glen Perkins
8) Jeff Manship
9) Trevor Plouffe
10) Ben Revere

Guerra is number one because he seems to have so much upside. At just 18-years old, they say he could turn into something similar to Johan Santana. He is still young, but looks very promising.

I put Gomez at number two, because he is considered one of the fastest guys in all of baseball, and some consider him to be the fastest (faster than Jose Reyes). He’ll compete for the centerfield spot this season, and is close to no longer being eligible for the list.

Swarzak and Robertson were toss ups for me. Basically I kept going back and forth between which one was number three and which one was number four. I finally settled with Swarzak higher mainly because he seems closer to me. Both have major upside though.

Joe Benson is considered to be one of the better outfield prospects within the organization. He has a lot of upside, but is still very raw.

Mulvey and Perkins were both toss ups as well. I put Mulvey ahead of Perkins because I feel he has more upside, and I wasn’t sure that Perkins could be considered a prospect any longer.

Jeff Manship climbed up the list this year after having a tremendous 2007 season. He could be placed higher, but I feel that he is still a few years off, and I’d like to see him make another big move this upcoming season.

Plouffe was placed at number nine, and depending on who you ask, he could be higher or lower. I placed him here because he still needs work on defense, but he is becoming a very good hitter. I see him as possibly being the starting shortstop in 2009 depending on how the 2008 season goes.

The number ten player was Ben Revere. He had a pretty good year with the GCL Twins after being drafted with the team’s first overall pick this past year. He is very highly regarded by the Twins and has a lot of work to do. I thought about placing Duensing, Ramos or Parmalee here, but ultimately he beat them out.

Close, but no cigar…

Brian Duensing – Wilson Ramos - Nick Blackburn – Phil Humber – Chris Parmalee – Jason Pridie – Alexi Casilla – Denard Span – Oswaldo Sosa

From the people that missed the list, the three that were the hardest for me to leave out of the Top 10 were Duensing, Ramos and Parmalee. I feel that all three of these players have a lot of upside, but I just didn’t see them over Plouffe or Revere at this point.

Phil Humber and Alexi Casilla to me aren’t really “Prospects” anymore. I know that technically they are, but both have had shots in the big leagues and might get time right off the bat this season, so I left them off.

I’m not going to lie about Ramos, I simply don’t know enough about him. I’ve seen and heard a lot about him being a “person to watch”, and if I knew more about him, he might have made the list. Much of the same went for Sosa. I know about him much more than Ramos, but I don’t know enough.

As for Pridie and Blackburn, I’d like to see more of each before I include them in the list. Blackburn snuck up on us this past season and I’d like to see him again. Meanwhile, Pridie had a good year in 2007, and I’d like to see him put up the numbers consistently.

This was my first list ever, so go easy. I’ve always liked to follow the minor league guys, and I’m trying to get more involved covering them. With the big site overhaul on the way, more prospect stuff will be coming, so this is a start.

I’d like to know how you’d rank them and what changes you might make.

Spring Outlook: Trevor Plouffe

2008-02-07T07:50:00.000-06:00

With the trade of Jason Bartlett this off-season, the shortstop position opened up. The Twins later signed defensive guru Adam Everett to fill the void, but the deal was for just one season and the Twins will be looking for help at the position as early as next season.

One good option, a person within the organization that can hit, is Trevor Plouffe. Plouffe has been working hard this off-season to get ready for the 2008 season, and he feels that he’s getting closer.

“A group of local pro guys and I have been working out and having our baseball
practice at Pepperdine. Woody Cliffords, a former player for the Orioles, and
his company Sportswest Training have done a great job getting me and other guys
like Ryan Braun and Delmon Young in shape for this season. It's a great
atmosphere to be a part of. We get a lot of work done, but have fun doing it for
sure.”

Plouffe doesn’t feel like the Bartlett trade really affects him this season, and would like to become the everyday guy at short for the Red Wings.

“I don't think it (the trade) affects me as much as people think for this year.
In either situation, I knew going into spring this year I would be trying to
earn a job at Rochester. As for next year, because of Everett's one year deal, I
hope to be competing for the starting job. He is an excellent shortstop, just as
Bartlett was, and I feel fortunate to be able to learn from both of them. My
hope is that we all go out and have great years this year, and next season we'll
see what happens.”

Trevor has been known mainly for his offense so far during his tenure with the organization, and he feels that it's one of his strengths while his defense still needs more work.

“I've had some outstanding coaching coming through the minor leagues and my game has improved greatly. I think that physically the tools have always been there,
it was mostly the mental part that needed some tweaking. Our hitting coordinator
Bill Springman really emphasizes a strong mental approach, and it's something
I've definitely bought into. There's no doubt that I still have a lot to work
on, whether it be staying through the ball on defense, or back on the ball at
the plate, but I'm pretty confident heading into this season.”

Plouffe can’t wait for spring training to roll around so he can get back on the field and get going for the new season.

“Just getting to hang with all the guys, you really don't realize how much you
miss the camaraderie until you're back. It's good to catch up with everyone and
talk about the off-season and what not.”

And going into spring, Plouffe is pretty confident about the season and his chances of progressing and taking that one big step.

“I'm pretty confident heading in. I've had a very productive off-season, and I
really feel that I know now what it takes to have success in such a long season.
Even though I'll still be younger than some of the guys who get drafted this
year, I feel like a seasoned vet. This will be my fourth spring, so I understand
how it works now.”

While Plouffe may feel comfortable starting the season at Rochester and getting ready for the big leagues, he feels he’s ready whenever they do come calling.

“I feel that I'll be ready whenever the Twins need me.”

[All of the quotes are from an interview between Twins Territory and Trevor Plouffe. No quotes are from other sources.]

On a side note, Plouffe seems like a very good kid. I’m not sure if I’ve mentioned it here, but he is one of my favorite minor leaguers and a player I’ve followed closely the past two seasons. I really can’t wait for him to take over the shortstop position in the very near future.

Spring Outlook: Denard Span

2008-02-05T07:17:00.000-06:00

Denard Span felt he was ready to step up and play centerfield last season for the Twins. That viewpoint has not changed with the New Year, and Span says he is still ready to step in and fill the hole.

"I'm definitely ready; I thought I was ready after spring training last year. I
felt like I had proven to others and especially to the Twins organization that I
was ready for the next level and now one year later everyone is writing me off
because of one bad half of baseball in Rochester."

He never got the chance to show his talent at the major league level last season, but the Twins will allow him to go after the job this spring in a competition with other young prospects Carlos Gomez and Jason Pridie. Span feels like he has a chip on his shoulder and is eager to get started.

"I'm ready to compete with whomever, whether it be Pridie or Gomez. I expect it
to be a war in spring training because I gotta believe that they are just as
hungry as I am. I know for a fact that I have a bigger chip on my shoulder
because neither of those guys have been disrespected or slapped in the face
like I've been by others and the Twins this off season."

Span hasn’t been doing anything out of the ordinary to gear up for the competition. He says he’s always worked hard and that has remained the same.

"I've been doing the same thing I've done every off season since the Twins
drafted me in 2002. I've always worked hard and never needed anyone or anything
to motivate me except for this year."

With spring training now just weeks away, you can be sure that Span is ready to go.

"My favorite part is just getting back down to Fort Myers and gearing up for
another season."

And this season will have much more attached to it than any other that Span has encountered.

[All comments were made in an interview with Twins Territory and were not taken from any other source]

Spring Outlooks

2008-02-04T19:50:00.000-06:00

Something that I'm going to be doing leading up to February 17 and the start of spring training is giving you some thoughts from players within the Twins organization. I have asked several players to share their feelings towards spring training and their thoughts on a few different things. I currently don't have a lot of responses yet, but I do have a few and if everything goes well, I hope to have a good amount to get everybody ready for some baseball.

The first will be up tomorrow morning, and will feature thoughts from Denard Span.

Site Improvements Coming

2008-02-04T06:50:00.000-06:00

With the team's new look, and the new season on the way, what better way to adjust than to give the site a completely different feel?

In less than a month, we'll unveil months of work to the public. There are a number of new features for the readers, and a number of new features that will help us do a better job as well.

Right now I'd rather not go into detail on the features and the plans, but I did want to let everyone know that changes are on the horizon and if everything goes according to plan, are less than a month away.

Stay tuned...

Gomez Controls Future

2008-02-03T09:11:00.000-06:00

Whether or not Carlos Gomez is the starting centerfielder on March 31 will all be up to one person -- Carlos Gomez.

In their teleconference with the media yesterday, the Twins stressed that Gomez will control his own destiny this spring when he competes with other young centerfielders Denard Span and Jason Pridie.

"We're going to have competition for pitchers; we're going to have competition in center field. We will put Gomez in a competition with Jason Pridie and Denard Span."

Gomez could be called the leader after playing in the majors last season, and clearly being the better prospect with arguably the most speed in all of baseball and a good arm and glove that could make fans forget Hunter's gold glove status.

One thing that should make Twins fans happy is that the Twins didn't make any mention of adding a veteran to play center. In what may be more of a down year for the Twins, most fans would probably agree -- don't waste time and money, play the young guys.

Veteran Pitcher?
The Twins have always been known to like veteran leadership in the rotation. Last season, even though they had two-time Cy-Young winner Johan Santana, they added two veteran pitchers, Ramon Ortiz and Sidney Ponson.

So it should come as no surprise, now that the Twins no longer have Santana, that they are talking once again about brining in a veteran pitcher.

The leading candidate is currently Josh Fogg. Fogg is the only free agent that the Twins have reportedly talked to, and the Twins are supposedly pretty interested.

Twins fans will undoubtedly have mixed emotions about adding veteran presence. With a bunch of young guns, it might be a good move. But with the history of the last two seasons, many fans still have the bad taste of wasted contracts with guys like Tony Batista, Ramon Ortiz and Sidney Ponson.

Done Deal

2008-02-02T14:43:00.000-06:00

Johan Santana has offically pitched his last game in a Twins uniform after agreeing to a longterm deal with the Mets yesterday. The details of the deal have not yet been made official, but some things that we do know are that it will be for six-years, and seven if you count the contract for the 2008 season. In addition, the Mets are expected to pay Santana an additional $7 million on top of the $13 million that he was supposed to make in 2008. On top of all of this, there are reports that there will also be an option when the whole thing is done.

Now that everything is done, we can all take a deap breathe and move on.

There is still no word on whether the Twins will have a press conference to introduce the four players coming over, but before I go into more detail on the whole thing, I would like to hear the reasoning behind some of the different things from genreral manager Bill Smith.

I'll have more when that happens, but until then, enjoy the big game tomorrow and the rest of the weekend.

First Look: Santana Trade

2008-01-29T19:07:00.000-06:00

Assuming that the Mets and Santana work out a contract within the next two or three days, Santana's days with the Twins are now over, and Carlos Gomez, Phil Humber, Deolis Gurerra and Kevin Mulvey will all be heading to Fort Myers come mid-February.

I can't say that I'm all that disappointed in the outcome, and the following reasons pretty much tell you why:

* First off, I'll take four prospects with high ceilings over two draft picks any day. Sure, they may not all be top level, but keeping Santana and trying to make a run in a tough AL Central, only to lose him for a pick at the end of the season would have been silly.

* Bill Smith had no choice, and it wasn't his fault that the whole situation came to this. Terry Ryan made the choice not to lock up Santana long term, and it came back to bite them. But in no way is Smith to blame. He made the best deal he could have possibly made.

* You might say that the Yankees and Red Sox were out there too, but what were they offering? We might never know. One thing that always happens when big players are involved are wild rumors. And, in this case there is probably no exception. Hughes didn't seem to be on the table any longer and the Red Sox didn't seem like serious contenders.

* Finally, I place a small amount of blame on the man himself, Johan Santana. Had he really wanted to be a Twin, he would have accepted the offer that the Twins reportedly made to him shortly before they traded him -- 5-years and $100 million. He is said to be seeking a 7-year, $140 million deal, and other than the years, it offers the same cash per season.

Now, lets move on and take a look at the four players coming over to Minnesota. Below you'll find strengths, weaknesses and a little added analysis.

Carlos Gomez:
Whether or not Gomez will be the starting centerfielder on March 31 is still unknown, but one thing that we do know is that Gomez immediately becomes the team's future guy at the position.

Gomez's strengths are his speed and his defense. On the scouting scale (20-80), Gomez was given a 70 for both sections. He has an above-average arm, and his speed helps as well. Some scouts question whether or not Gomez is faster than Mets shortstop Jose Reyes. Last season, he stole 41 bases on 50 attempts.

His major weaknesses are that he is a very raw player and that he is over aggressive at the plate. He has a lot of potential at the plate, and has shown that. But he is still very young and needs time to work out some kinks in his game. He has also shown poor plate discipline at times especially against left-handed pitchers.

Kevin Mulvey:
With the subtraction of ace Johan Santana, the Twins now have a very young rotation. They also have another spot open for competition, and newcomer Mulvey could very well be involved when Spring Training rolls around.

Mulvey has a total of four pitches, a fastball, a curveball, a changeup and a slider. His fastball ranges from 87-91 MPH, and can get up to 94. The fastball dives in on right-handed hitters which explains their .224 average against him. His curveball reaches mid-70's, and has 11-to-5 break. His slider is his put-away pitch reaching the mid-80's. His changeup is his worst of the four, but is overall and average pitch.

Kevin's major weakness thus far his been his production against left-handed hitters. He pitches poorly to them because he can't jam them with his fastball, one of the things that makes him so affective against right-handers. His changeup also needs work, something pitching coach Rick Anderson might be able to work with.

Phil Humber:
Along with Mulvey, Phil Humber will also be competing for a rotation spot come spring. Humber may have the upper hand because Mulvey has not yet pitched at AAA and the Twins have not been known to rush players through the system.

Humber has four pitches, a fastball, changeup, curveball and a splitter. His fastball reaches speeds of 93 MPH and has a lot of sink to it. His curveball, like Mulvey, has 11-to-5 break and according to scouts is a major league out-pitch. He also has his change and splitter. His changeup is his fourth pitch, and his splitter number three.

One major thing about Humber is that he has had Tommy John surgery. However, he made a fast recovery and scouts say he has been better after the surgery than before. His health is apparently no longer a question.

Deolis Guerra:
Deolis Guerra is only 19-years old, and is one of the biggest pieces to this deal. He is by no means a throw in, but he is a low level player with a very high ceiling.

Guerra has two above-average pitches that according to scouts coule become very good. The pitches are his fastball and changeup. His fastball reaches speeds of 89-94 MPH and sometimes reaches 96. His changeup is his best pitch mainly because of the motion he throws it with. The changeup is already considered a major league out-pitch.

Guerra's major weaknesses are his third pitch and his age. His third pitch is a curveball, and although it has good rotation, he at times has trouble controlling it. At age 19, he is still working on holding runners and fielding the pitcher position.

There you have it, reports and notes on the four players that will most likely be heading to Fort Myers come February 17.

I'll have more on these players as time goes on along with news on the contract situation.

TwinsTube: Carlos Gomez

2008-01-29T16:43:00.001-06:00

Well, Santana is gone if a contract is agreed to, and what better video to show you than one of the soon to be Twin -- Carlos Gomez.

Santana to Mets

2008-01-29T15:25:00.000-06:00

According to the USA Today, the Twins and Mets have agreed to a deal that will send four players to the Twins for two-time Cy-Young winner Johan Santana. According to the sources, the Twins will be getting Carlos Gomez, Phil Humber, Kevin Mulvey and Deolis Guerra.

I can't say much about this right now, because I want to make sure the players are right, and let it sink in, but I must say that I'm a little disappointed that the Twins wouldn't push for Martinez or go with the Sox offer. I would have been much happier with Church, Martinez and two of those pitchers than this deal.

Before the deal can be 100% finished, Santana and the Mets must agree to a contract. There will be a 48 hour timetable before the deal goes dead.

More to come...

Deal Nearing End

2008-01-29T11:50:00.000-06:00

According to multiple sources, a deal involving Twins ace Johan Santana is nearing a finish. Sources close to the Twins have said that the team has told all three teams to come forwards with their final and best offers, and according to these people, a deal could come as early as today.

Stay tuned, I'll have any news here...

Building The Future

2008-01-26T07:05:00.000-06:00

With the moves that rookie general manager Bill Smith has made thus far, the Twins have begun to solidify the future of the team. Smith started his tenure with a bold move, trading away prized pitching prospect Matt Garza for a very much needed bat in Delmon Young. The move woke up many Twins fans, and since that moment, the off-season hasn't slowed down one bit.

Shortly after Smith's first move, the Twins signed Adam Everett to replace Jason Bartlett at short. This particular move might not affect the future of the club, but it was a nice signing to bring in some veteran leadership and great defense at one of the most important positions on the field.

The next day, Smith filled the hole at third that has been pretty much empty since the departure of Koskie just a few years ago. The signing of Lamb could actually play out well into the future. With the third year option, Lamb has the chance of playing in a Twins uniform when the park opens in 2010, a very pivotal year.

With all of these moves made, Smith still had a lot of work to do. Fans couldn't be satisfied with guys like Santana, Morneau and Cuddyer all going year to year with contracts. Smith and company took care of two-thirds of their remaining problems Friday afternoon with the huge signings of former MVP Justin Morneau, and the highly overlooked right fielder Michael Cuddyer.

Morneau's deal calls for six seasons, which if my math is right will lock him up through the 2014 season. This puts Morneau in a Twins uniform for a good chunk of time after the new ballpark, and this if definitely a good move.

Cuddyer's deal calls for three seasons, and if the production is there, an option is in the contract for a fourth season also. Overall, without the option added in, Cuddyer is set to make $24 million over the period of the contract.

With Morneau earning $80 million and Cuddyer $24 million, this does up the Twins payroll, but with times changing, and a new ballpark on the way, the Twins can definitely afford to do it.

With all of the moves made so far, Smith is off to a great start as the general manager of the Twins. But with that one huge move still lingering, people won't be happy. And that one move, could easily push Smith forward as a fan favorite or back if the deal isn't right.

Big News Coming!

2008-01-25T15:27:00.000-06:00

The Twins have scheduled a 4 p.m. press conference to be held today at TwinsFest, and word is that they are set to announce long term deals with outfielder Michael Cuddyer and former MVP winner Justin Morneau.

According to reports, Morneau's deal will lock him up for six seasons, and pay him around $75 million. Cuddyer on the other hand will be getting a three-year deal worth around $23 million. Indications are that Cuddyer's deal will possibly have a option for a fourth season.

I'll have more when the news is official, but what a great way to open up TwinsFest, and what a great day to be a Twins fan.

Will this signify Santana staying possibly long term also? Time will tell...

Guerrier Signs

2008-01-24T17:48:00.000-06:00

The Twins now have just one arbitration eligible player remaining after agreeing to terms with setup man Matt Guerrier today. Guerrier had asked for $1.15 million and the Twins had offered $750,000 -- a $400,000 difference. The deal will pay Guerrier $950,000 for his services in the 2008 season.

Last season, Guerrier went into the season as the team's long reliever, and after a combination of great pitching and a poor performance by Juan Rincon, Guerrier stepped into the set-up role and did a nice job for the team.

In 73 games, Guerrier went 2-4 with a 2.35 ERA.

Santana Note
According to the Boston Herald, citing sources with both the Mets and Twins, the Mets are proposing a deal that fills the Twins centerfield needs, but doesn't force the Mets to give up both Carlos Gomez and Fernando Martinez. The reported deal would include Fernando Martinez, Ryan Church and 'at least two other prospects'.

If this is the deal, and it also has Phil Humber, Kevin Mulvey and the one other pitching prospect, I like it.

Yeah, there is no Gomez, but the holdup all along has been that the Mets don't want to lose both of their best outfield prospects. I think it'd be best to get this done with, and if the only difference is swapping Church and Gomez, it isn't all that bad.

Martinez is clearly the more highly touted prospect, and Church was pretty decent last year in 144 games for the Nationals. He hit 15 homeruns and drove in 70 runners.

I'll have something on TwinsFest tomorrow, and maybe some site news this weekend. Stay Tuned.

Two More Remain

2008-01-19T13:00:00.000-06:00

With the three signings at the end of the week, the Twins have just two more players left to sign. Yesterday both Michael Cuddyer and Matt Guerrier exchanged offers with the Twins. The sides filed for the following amounts:

Michael Cuddyer:
Cuddyer - $6.2 million
Twins - $4.7 million
Difference - $1.5 million

Matt Guerrier:
Guerrier - $1.15 million
Twins - $750,000
Difference - $400,000

In arbitration, if the two sides can't agree to a deal, then they head to an arbitrator to get the deal done. There is no compromising in this situation. The arbitrator picks one of the two figures, no meeting in between.

Last season, the Twins avoided arbitration with all players. Cuddyer was the last to sign, and that happened just minutes before his hearing.

On a side note, last season Cuddyer and the Twins were off by $1.25 million, so the figure this season isn't anything out of the ordinary.

Three New Deals

2008-01-18T14:37:00.000-06:00

The Twins have agreed to terms with three players for the 2008 season. The players include Jason Kubel, Juan Rincon and former MVP Justin Morneau. With the signing of these three players, the Twins now have two players remaining -- Matt Guerrier and Michael Cuddyer.

Jason Kubel's deal was announced last night. The contract will pay him $1.3 million in this upcoming season along with another $25,000 depending on his plate appearances. Kubel hit 13 homeruns last season and drove in 63 runners. If he keeps up his late season streak, Kubel could turn in to a pretty good designated hitter in the 2008 season.

Juan Rincon had a pretty poor season in 2007, and pitched so poorly that he lost his setup role to Matt Guerrier and Pat Neshek. His deal for the 2008 season will pay him $2.475 million. His name was mentioned in trade talks earlier this off-season, but he remained a Twin after questions arose about his health. He has pitched well so far in the Winter Leagues.

The final player that the Twins have agreed to terms with is left-handed slugger Justin Morneau. Morneau won the MVP award in 2006, and agreed to a $4.5 million deal last off-season to avoid arbitration. With another stellar 30 HR, 100 RBI season, Morneau's stock rose. The agreement will pay him a hefty $7.4 million this upcoming year. In addition to this, when all of the Santana stuff goes away, the Twins will most likely be looking to extend that deal to four, five or possibly even six seasons.

The Twins are expected to exchange numbers with Guerrier and Cuddyer later today, and when that happens we'll see how close the sides are. Last season, the Twins agreed to terms with Cuddyer at the very last minute.

TwinsTube: Craving Baseball

2008-01-15T16:34:00.000-06:00

There hasn't been anything going on lately, but I found this video with actual highlights from last season to get baseball back on the mind as Spring Training slowly approaches.

Twins Sign Day

2008-01-11T11:43:00.000-06:00

The Twins today made a move that might affect the starting rotation next season, but it had nothing to do with Santana. According to Joe Christensen, the Twins have signed Zach Day to a minor league contract with an invitation to Spring Training.

Day has show some signs of hope throughout his career, but overall he hasn't been more than a end of the rotation guy.

I personally like this move if it doesn't mean that guys like Slowey are forced to the minors like Matt Garza was last season after the Twins signed veterans Ramon Ortiz and Sidney Ponson. The young guys deserve the chance, so Day shouldn't be put in front of them.

But I must say that I like him as insurance in case of any injuries. Plus, if Boof proves to be inconsistent, it'd be wroth giving Day a shot.

I'll have more about him later today or this weekend...

Mets Gaining Ground

2008-01-10T16:10:00.000-06:00

According to a report in the Star Tribune today, the Mets may now be the front-runners in the Santana Sweepstakes with an offer of centerfielder Carlos Gomez and pitchers Deolis Guerra, Kevin Mulvey and Phil Humber. In addition to this, the Twins have told the Mets that they'd be the winners if they throw in prized outfield prospect Fernando Martinez.

This deal is pretty good for the Twins, but overall it doesn't seem to provide much more than a lot of potential.

Obviously every deal is going to have risks, and players that simply have just potential. But the deals with both the Yankees and Sox have players that have proven things at the major league level (Hughes, Cabrera, etc.)

Nothing is imminent, but if one of the three teams decides to throw in that one player, things could progress very quickly.

Twins Have Arms

2008-01-07T22:07:00.000-06:00

John Walsh of The Hardball Times just did an overview of the best arms in baseball, and surly enough, the Twins had multiple players near the top of the three outfield lists.

Michael Cuddyer not surprisingly took the crown for the best arm in right field. This past season Cuddyer was near the top of the league with his 15 assists. And they had this to say about his overall job.

Holding a runner is great, but after the play he's still out there on base,
isn't he? Throw him out and you can be sure of one thing: that runner is not
going to score. Cuddyer nailed 15 base runners when his expectation was only
six. He also picked up one run from extra assists. Cuddyer was also above
average in holding runners, but it was the kills that helped the most.

Interestingly enough, Cuddyer isn't the only Twin on the list. In fact, the Twins have already acquired two outfielders this off-season who are at the top of the lists.

Delmon Young is ranked fourth respectively on the right field list. This past season, Young collected 16 assists. The other player is Craig Monroe. This one really stood out to me, but surly enough he is there ranked at number two for the left fielders behind only Alfonso Soriano.

In addition to these three players, there is a good chance that the Twins get a center fielder that made the list. Melky Cabrera is ranked number six on the center field list, and Coco Crisp is ranked number 18.

On a side note, Torii came in at a surprising number 25.

The Best Offer?

2008-01-03T15:39:00.000-06:00

Today in the NY York Daily News, they shared some quotes made by Yankee owner Hank Steinbrenner. We've heard most of this stuff before, but some of the stuff is new, and it all gives me courage that the Twins will soon end these rumors, make a deal and just move on.

Steinbrenner said that he feels his team has the best offer on the table, and also said that when he returns to his office today, his game plan was to begin working on a ''a final decision'' regarding the two-time Cy-Young winner.

According to several reports, the Yankees current offer, and likely their last includes Melky Cabrera, Phil Hughes, Jeff Marquez and a fourth prospect.

If true, I must say that I agree with Hank on this one, it's the best deal.

The two other teams involved are the Boston Red Sox and the New York Mets. The Red Sox are offering a decent package with Ellsbury, Lowrie and Masterson along with another package that has much of the same except with Crisp and Lester instead of Ellsbury. To me however, these deals don't compare for the main fact that we don't get the two main parts we need in return -- a good center fielder and a starter to potentially fill Santana's shoes.

The Yankee deal offers both. Hughes to me is the best pitcher being offered. And this deal also gives us a center fielder that could start for years to come.

The deals being offered by the Red Sox offer one or the other, but neither one would fill both major needs.

As for the Mets, they have some good prospects, but would need to give up a lot since they don't seem to have that one 'star prospect', and unless that changes, it's hard for me to see him going there (although I wouldn't mind it).

We've known what many teams have been offering, but now we also know that the Yankees are truly involved, and what the Twins have in front of them.

I'm hoping something happens in the next week. I'd like to get this all over with and move on with our new center fielder and new-look rotation.

Happy New Year

2008-01-02T14:36:00.001-06:00

Hey everybody, hope you had a great Christmas and New Year.

I wanted to post something, so you know we're still alive here at Twins Territory. There isn't much going on right now, but with the year changing to 2008, the sense is that the Santana talks will heat back up, and maybe we'll even get some sort of resolution soon.

We have a lot of big things happening behind the scenes with the blog, and we'll talk about those shortly into the New Year.

I'll try to get some stuff regarding the Twins posted later this week. If any news or new rumors break, I'll talk about those too.

One Big Issue

2007-12-29T10:32:00.000-06:00

Today in the Star Tribune, we didn't get any new news or rumors on the Santana situation, but we still got something. In a somewhat 'interview' with Twins general manager Bill Smith, we finally got the sense that Johan Santana will more than likely be traded, and for some kind of centerfielder.

Patrick Reusse was at the team's front office, and Bill Smith was the only man around. In their conversation, Smith spilled out this quote:

"We have one big issue to deal with, maybe if we get that taken care of, we'll
answer the other questions."

That one big issue is obviously Johan Santana, there isn't anything else that it could be. And this quote solidified the fact that the key piece that the Twins are looking for is indeed a guy to man center.

Whether it be Gomez, Ellsbury, Cabrera or someone else, one thing is becoming more clear. Santana will likely be traded before the season and the guy that finishes out the lineup redo will come in that deal.

Santana Updates

2007-12-26T19:05:00.000-06:00

First off, Happy Holidays to everybody. I meant to get something up yesterday, but never got around to it...

Now, back to the Santana trade updates.

According to La Velle, the Twins talked with the Mets, Yankees and Red Sox at the end of this past week before a Christmas Break. At that point, nothing seemed imminent, but it does show that A) the Mets are one of the possible candidates, and B) those seem to be the final three teams unless some team makes some sweet offer.

Today, the New York Times reported that the Twins have lessened their demands from the Yankees. Instead of asking for Phil Hughes, Melky Cabrera and Ian Kennedy, the Twins are now telling the Yankees that Hughes, Cabrera and Jeff Marquez would be enough.

For some reason however, this seems a little odd. That's because on the last day of the Winter Meetings, I read another New York rumor that stated that the Twins had been asking for that same package with one other prospect.

Other than these two rumors, there isn't a lot.

But, one other note is that the Twins seem to be taking their time looking over offers from these three teams. According to several reports, they are expected to get more serious after the New Year.

Yankees Out Again?

2007-12-22T09:27:00.000-06:00

According to a report in Newsday, a source close to the Yankees says that he doesn't expect the Yankees to acquire Santana or make a strong run at him. In the report, the source says that since the Winter Meetings ended, the Yankees have not put an offer on the table for the Twins.

If this is true, and the rumors that the Yankees have still not even agreed to put Phil Hughes into a deal are true, the Twins will most likely be down to just the Red Sox as serious contenders.

Nothing can officially happen over the next week because the Major League offices are closed until the New Year. But, if the Red Sox are the only team really making a strong push for the two-time Cy-Young winner, the two sides could possibly begin to work out the fourth player in the deal -- something several reports have said is the holdup.

Whether the Twins are leaning towards a deal with Lester or Ellsbury isn't known, and it has been rumored both ways.

While no rumors have really surfaced in a week, one thing is becoming more clear. Santana will likely be a Twins on opening day, or he'll be in Boston.

Quick Friday Thoughts

2007-12-21T17:35:00.001-06:00

The week is almost over, and the MLB office officially closed for business this afternoon with final moves being announced before the holidays. The office won't be open again until the new year, so it looks like Johan Santana will be a Twins at least until 2008.

The MLB office being closed doesn't mean teams can't talk, or even that players can't agree to deals, but it does mean that nothing can be official since the MLB would need to approve any kind of Santana deal and huge contract that he would be signing.

So, for the next week it looks like we'll just be getting rumors. Hopefully the Twins will have some good talks over the little break, and when the new year rolls around we'll get some action. If the Yankees pull Hughes out of a deal as rumored, they could make the decision very easy.

White Sox Sign Ramirez
One name that I mentioned here as an option for center in 2008 was Alexei Ramírez from Cuba. That option is no longer available as the White Sox have reportedly signed him to a 4-year deal this afternoon.

I wasn't really sure if the Twins had any interest, but thought he'd be worth a look. And, from the initial report, it looks like the Twins were a little curious about him:

He also had individual sessions for the Boston Red Sox, Cleveland Indians, Cincinnati Reds, Chicago Cubs, New York Mets, New York Yankees, Minnesota Twins, Oakland Athletics and the White Sox, the source said.

Pretty interesting...

Anyways, this is all I have for now. I'll try to get something up this weekend, and if any rumors come out, I'll have those too.

Silva Signs, Santana Rumors

2007-12-20T07:22:00.000-06:00

According to several reports, Carlos Silva and the Seattle Mariners have agreed on a 4-year, $44 million deal. The deal is done, and after the physical, it could be announced later today. This officially ends Silva's career with the Twins, and it is very clear that the Twins had no shot at signing Silva for that ridiculous amount of money.

With a payout of $11 million per season, in just one year of the deal, Silva will make more than he has made throughout his whole six year career ($10.1 million). And for that much money, Silva isn't worth it.

At best, Silva is probably a number four starter, maybe number three. He relies on ground balls, double plays and few walks. In addition, he was very inconsistent in his four seasons with the team. Silva has a tremendous first season for the Twins. He went 14-8 with a 4.21 ERA, and surprised all of us.

In 2005, he we a pretty decent pitcher overall. He went 9-8 with a 3.44 ERA. The next season, Silva was flat-out horrible. He finished with an 11-15 record to go along with a 5.94 ERA. And, in his final season, Silva went 13-14 with a 4.19 ERA.

These numbers are decent, but not anywhere near being worthy of an $11 million per season contract.

Overall, I'm not all that sad to see him move on, but I do have to say that he was a pretty good player for simply being part of an Eric Milton trade.

Santana News
There is still no major Santana news, but the Pioneer Press seems to think a deal with be done very soon.

I don't like to take rumors very seriously when they are reported by just one source, but that doesn't mean I don't still read them, and take them with a grain of salt.

I do agree that the Twins should make a deal before Christmas, and I have read previously that they are likely to do so. With any team needing between 48 and 72 hours to sign him, it would indicate that they'd need to agree to a deal soon with Christmas next Tuesday.

With no true news on the sweepstakes in more than a week however, I'm not going to get my hopes up until we at least hear more from behind the scenes.

One interesting note however is that if a deal isn't done before Christmas (contract and all), nothing will be done until after the New Year as the MLB office is closed.

Twins Staying Quiet

2007-12-18T17:39:00.000-06:00

Just a week after signing multiple players and making various other moves, the Minnesota Twins are staying quiet. There have been basically no rumors on any Johan Santana situation other than a small bit of news from the Yankees letting everyone know that they are indeed still interested.

Some people close to the teams involved have said that the Twins are likely to field offers for the remainer of the week and then proceed to make a decision by Christmas or shorty after. I don't buy it the way things have been moving.

Personally, I'd like the Twins to move Santana now and move on. They know they can't sign him, so there is no point holding out any longer. I do applaud them for not giving in to demands and deadlines set by other teams, but now they've probably gotten the best offers they will get, and need to make a choice.

I fully expect the Sox to win the sweepstakes, giving us a guy that will finish out our lineup redesign.

[Sorry for the short post, and lack of posts the last few days. It has nothing to do with time, but more so the lack of material. Man, when does Spring Training start?]

Yankees Still Interested

2007-12-15T12:23:00.000-06:00

According to several reports today, the Yankees are still interested in Santana, and the two sides have talked in recent days. It was mentioned here when Andy Pettitte's name came out in the Steroid Report that the Yankees might again look at Santana. With Dan Haren traded to Arizona yesterday, the Yankees may have just one choice left, and that is Johan.

Joe Christensen also has the latest, and wrote on his blog today that a source close to the team has said that the Yankees have told the Twins that they are interested, but need to get Hideki Matsui moved first.

If the Yankees do enter the bidding again, it is likely that the Twins would still look for the Yankees to give them a package of Phil Hughes, Ian Kennedy and Melky Cabrera. If the Yankees did finally give in, the Twins would most likely let Boston know and see if their offer changes.

Christensen also mentioned that the team that loses out in signing Hiroki Kuroda (Dodgers and Mariners) could make one final run at Santana.

He also mentions that the Twins will probably field offers from all teams in the coming days and weeks, and then pick the best one by Christmas.

Things have heated up this week with signings by the Twins, and it doesn't look like they'll slow down anytime soon. It has already been a fun off-season, and very unpredictable.

Another Day, Another Move

2007-12-14T17:14:00.001-06:00

It has been a busy week for the Twins; they've signed Craig Monroe, let Jason Tyner go, offered contracts to five players, signed Adam Everett to play shortstop and now today they have signed Mike Lamb to a two-year deal (presumably to be their starting third baseman).

Adam Everett was signed much more for his defense than offense, and Bill Smith even came right out and said that the Twins were willing to sacrifice some offense at one position in order to get some leadership and good defense at one of the most critical infield spots..

Mike Lamb is also from Houston, and is basically the opposite of Everett. He is not anything special in the field, and is definitely not considered one of the top defensive players at his position. But, he has a much better bat, something the Twins have longed for at the third base position.

Last season, Lamb played in 124 games, and racked up 311 at-bats. Simply looking at his numbers might make it look like a poor signing. In those games and at-bats, Lamb hit .289 to go along with 11 homeruns and 40 runs batted in.

Comparing those numbers to Punto, the better player by far is Lamb, no question. Plus, Punto batted 161 times more than Lamb, and if you give him in the range of 100-200 more at-bats next season, there is a good chance that he'll hit for a pretty good average and somewhere near 20 homeruns and 60-80 runs batted in.

It'll take some time to see if this is a good move for the team, but in just three days, the look of this team has taken a turn. We now have two possible designated hitters, a starting shortstop, a starting third baseman, and a better idea of what the plan is for the 2008 season.

There is still a lot of work to be done, and it'll be interesting to see if these signings influence the decision on Johan Santana. Will the Twins use these signings and keep Santana, or will they still trade Santana to fill their other needs?

Only time will tell...

TwinsTube: Baseball Game

2007-12-14T10:15:00.000-06:00

The game doesn't work, so here is the link:

Morneau Game

Here is a game that I made. Check it out, and then see if you can make one of your own. There are many different types of games, and I'd like to see how many we can come up with. This was a quick one to make, so I made it as an example. If you make one, leave the link in the comments, or send them to me at mailto:twinsterritory@hotmail.com

Twins Sign Everett

2007-12-13T17:18:00.000-06:00

When Miguel Tejada was traded from the Orioles to the Astros yesterday, it had an affect on the Twins. The Astros, no longer needing Adam Everett at shortstop, non-tendered him. The Twins had obviously been looking closely at him, because less than 24 hours later, the Twins have swooped in and picked Everett up presumably to be their starter next season.

Everett has never been known much for his offense, but has always been thought of as one of the best fielding shortstops in the league.

Last season, he was limited to just 66 games after breaking him leg. In those games, Everett hit .232 with 15 RBI.

It should be interesting to see how this works. If he can put up similar offensive numbers that Bartlett did, it'll probably be a big upgrade with his defense. It'll also be interesting to see if this affects how the Twins look at a trade with the Red Sox. Will they still want Lowrie?

Yes, No Twins!

2007-12-13T17:04:00.000-06:00

The long awaited Steroid Report came out today, and no current Twins showed up on the list. There were a few former Twins including Rondell White and Chuck Knoblauch but this is small considering the fact that there were 80-some major leaguers named and no current Twins. All I can say is that I'm ecstatic.

Some of the big names that came out were Roger Clemens, Andy Pettitte, Miguel Tejada, Eric Gagne, Gary Sheffield, Jason Giambi, Troy Glaus, Gary Matthews Jr., Paul Byrd, Jose Guillen, Brian Roberts, Paul Lo Duca and Rick Ankiel.

Make sure to check out these links for the complete coverage:

The Mitchell Report

Complete List of Players

Recommendations

[Oh, and a quick question: Will this affect how the Yankees look at Johan?]

Tyner Let Go

2007-12-12T18:45:00.000-06:00

Today was the deadline to offer contracts to players eligible for arbitration, and according to Christensen, the Twins offered everybody contract except for Jason Tyner.

The move doesn't come as a surprise. With the Twins agreeing to a contract with Monroe last night, and having Young, Cuddyer and Kubel already in the fold, there simply wasn't room for him. Especially when we'll still be adding a center fielder sometime later this off-season.

The one player that I'm a little surprised (or upset) that the Twins kept was Juan Rincon. Since getting caught for steroids, Rincon's numbers have declined, and after the Rays didn't take him in the Delmon-Garza deal, I thought maybe the Twins would just move on.

I think there is still a chance that he won't be a Twin next season. The Twins will most likely shop him with guys like Crain, Guerrier and Neshek all ahead of him in the bullpen.

Tomorrow the much anticipated steroid document will get released, and I'm hoping no major Twins are included.

One other note is that Aaron Rowand is no longer an option for the Twins. I'm not sure how serious they were, but I know his name showed up from time to time. Rowand signed with the Giants today for a reported 5-year, $60 million contract.

[Quick Update: The Cubs non-tendered Mark Prior. I'm not sure if the Twins would want him, but it's still interesting. Also, I'll have something Thursday evening on the steroid report and other news.]

Twins Sign Monroe

2007-12-11T22:48:00.000-06:00

A day before the deadline to offer contracts to arbitration eligible players, the Twins cut their number of players from seven to six. Late tonight, the Twins and Craig Monroe agreed to a one-year deal that will pay Monroe $3.82 million plus incentives.

This deal is not totally guaranteed. If the Twins let Monroe go up until 16 days before the season starts, the Twins will pay him only $636,667. If Monroe makes the Opening Day roster, the whole contract becomes guaranteed.

Also, the contract includes two incentives. One pays him $155,000 if he reaches 450 plate appearances and the other pays him $25,000 if he is named comeback player of the year.

The deadline to offer contracts to players is tomorrow, and the Twins now have Justin Morneau, Juan Rincon, Jason Kubel, Michael Cuddyer, Matt Guerrier and Jason Tyner still left.

Information from Joe C.

Santana Talks Continue

2007-12-11T15:24:00.000-06:00

Since the Winter Meetings ended, everything on the Johan Santana front has been pretty quiet. But today La Velle reported that the Twins and Red Sox are still talking, and that the Twins are currently leaning towards a deal that would have Jacoby Ellsbury as the main part coming to Minnesota.

The deal would be Jacoby Ellsbury, Jed Lowrie, Justin Masterson and one other prospect. The main holdup for the Twins right now is who the fourth player would be.

Now, he did mention that nothing in imminent, and the Twins will most likely continue to take their time and wait this thing out. But, from everything I have read recently, the Twins would much rather move him before the season, and get something out of him.

As far as the players that Boston is offering, they aren't really that bad.

The deal that the Twins are leaning towards with Ellsbury, Lowrie and Masterson actually has three top five prospects according to SoxProspects.com.

They have Ellsbury listed at number two, Masterson at number three and Lowrie listed at number four. Plus, a fourth player could possibly be listed in their top ten such as a guy like Bowden (5), Kalish (8) or Moss (10).

When talks with teams first started, I never liked the idea of trading Johan in a deal that didn't bring a currently-ready top of the rotation pitcher back to Minnesota. This deal doesn't, but I still like it better than a deal with Lester as the main part.

After looking at all of the players, and knowing there would be one other piece, it doesn't seem all that bad.

Masterson might not be ready until mid-2008, but from everything I've found, he is projected to be a two or three starter in the league. He'd fit in nice with Liriano, Baker and Slowey if he pans out.

Plus, I fully expect the Twins to sign some kind of starting pitcher this off-season anyways, they always do. And, even if they don't, couldn't Nathan bring us one?

Arbitration Talk

2007-12-10T07:00:00.000-06:00

The deadline to offer contracts to arbitration-eligible players is this Wednesday, and the Twins have seven players that they must deal with. The seven players include Justin Morneau, Juan Rincon, Jason Kubel, Michael Cuddyer, Matt Guerrier, Craig Monroe and Jason Tyner.

Lets take a look at each player and see how each situation might play out.

Justin Morneau
It’s obvious that Morneau will be a Twin next season. The big question is whether they can get him to accept their initial offer, or if they’ll have to go to an arbitrator later this off-season to settle it. Whatever happens, there is a very good chance that the Twins and Morneau at least begin talking about a big long-term deal.

Juan Rincon
The Twins have already tried to trade Rincon, but his health prevented the move. If Rincon doesn’t accept a small offer, there is a good chance that the Twins trade him or possibly even release him if no team wants him.

Jason Kubel
Kubel, much like Morneau, will almost certainly be a Twin next season. If the two sides can’t agree to terms, the Twins will most likely settle for whatever the arbitrator rules is fair.

Michael Cuddyer
Last season, the Twins and Cuddyer couldn’t agree to a contract before the deadline. So, the two sides headed to Arizona to let the arbitrator make the judgment. In the hallway before the hearing, the two sides worked out the deal and avoided the situation. Cuddyer will obviously be here next season, the question is for how much.

Matt Guerrier
Guerrier is in for a pretty big raise after putting together a very solid 2007 season. The Twins will pay the price to keep him, the question is exactly how much will he demand.

Craig Monroe
Monroe was acquired earlier this off-season from the Chicago Cubs for a player to be named. The trade was strange because the Cubs were expected to non-tender him and make him a free agent. The Twins reason for the trade was to have exclusive time to get a deal done. With no new deal yet, we’ll find out Wednesday whether the two sides could agree to a reasonable contract. If the move wasn’t a success, the Twins are expected to non-tender him and keep their player that would otherwise go to the Cubs.

Jason Tyner
Last season, Tyner was the team’s fourth outfielder. With Young, Cuddyer and Kubel in the fold, along with a future center fielder, there is a chance that the Twins will simply let Tyner go. This will all depend on how much he would cost and could also depend on if the Twins view Jason Pridie as a better option.

Final Note
The Twins have never been a team to head to an arbitrator often. Most of the time they get their players locked up and avoid the hassle.

Oh, and for those readers a little bit confused by all of this arbitration talk, check out this guide.

TwinsTube: Mauer Power

2007-12-09T14:52:00.000-06:00

There hasn't been a lot going on lately, so I thought I'd post a TwinsTube. This video is one of the few good things from the 2007 season.

Winter Meeting Quick Hits

2007-12-06T07:00:00.000-06:00

The Winter Meetings wrap up soon, and while a Santana deal doesn't look likely before the end, there is still a good chance it happens within the next month. And, while you may not know, some other things happened during the meetings involving the Twins other than rumors about Johan Santana.

Here are some different links to get caught up on everything that happened.

- Here is the most recent update on the Johan Santana situation. If you want to follow everything from here on out before we post about it, make sure to check out RotoWorld often.

- It was reported that about 10 different teams have talked with the agent of third basmen Pedro Feliz. The team names were not in the report, but there is a decent chance that the Twins were one of those teams.

- One player that we know the Twins have talked to is Luis Gonzalez. There were a few other teams that talked to his agent, but the Twins apparently have some interest.

- This might have slipped under your nose, but the Twins freed up another spot on the 40-man roster by removing Chris Basak. He was signed to a minor league deal, cleared waivers, and was then removed. So, he is still with the organization.

- According to La Velle, the Angels have not talked to the Twins about Santana yet, but have talked to the Twins about some other players. Names weren't mentioned, but it's still pretty interesting.

- Speaking of La Velle, make sure to also check out Joe Christensen's blog over at the Star Tribune.

Not So Fast

2007-12-05T20:12:00.000-06:00

Last night, we posted that a deal was close to getting done with the Red Sox and Twins. This was after all what a bunch of different reports were saying. Apparently they were a little off, or the Twins changed their minds, because today the big news all day was that the Twins were likely to hold onto Santana for the time being.

This doesn't mean there isn't a chance he won't get traded still. More so, it means that Johan will probably be a Minnesota Twin when the Winter Meetings end tomorrow, and most likely for at least the rest of the week.

However, according to the same reports that said the Twins are likely to hold onto Santana, the Twins have decided not to trade him now simply because they aren't in any hurry to make the move, and no trade proposal has blown them away.

The Twins are thought to still be very interested in trading their two-time Cy-Young winner, but with Cabrera now traded, they may be hoping to get other teams such as the Angels and Dodgers in on the talks.

The chances that a deal gets complete sometime this off-season are still pretty big, but when things will go down is the big question.

One side note: The Twins and Red Sox have reportedly started talking again for the night. Not sure what it means, but it's possible the Twins are using this time (Winter Meetings) to get further in discussions to help make a decision at a later date. Also, there is word that the Twins, if they accept a trade with the Sox for Lester, would want his arm to be examined first.

Deal Almost Final

2007-12-04T15:24:00.000-06:00

This morning, I wrote that late last night, the Red Sox and Twins exchanged medical records for pitchers Johan Santana and Jon Lester, and that a deal was closer than ever before. The Red Sox reportedly offered two separate deals. One would be Jed Lowrie, Coco Crisp, Jon Lester, and Justin Masterson. The other deal would be the same, but instead of Crisp and Lester, it'd include Jacoby Ellsbury.

The Twins and Sox didn't talk for a good part of the day, but according to new reports, the Red Sox have added a fifth prospect to the deal, and it could be finalized very soon. In case you're wondering, the fifth prospect appears to be Ryan Kalish. Kalish is thought to be a Top 10 prospect according to RotoWorld.

There was also a rumor today that the Angels made an attempt to get into the bidding. The Twins would be expected to demand Jered Weaver in any deal. How serious the Angels are about obtaining Santana isn't known.

So, it looks like it will be a 5 for 1 deal, and could be done later this afternoon, or for sure this evening. A new report that just came out from the Boston Herald is saying the Twins have told all teams that have interest that they'd like to get this resolved by the end of the day.

Remember, Johan would have to sign an extension whenever any deal is agreed upon.

Santana Deal Close

2007-12-04T08:01:00.000-06:00

With the Yankees unwilling to throw in Ian Kennedy, the Twins have reportedly decided to go with the Red Sox. Late last night, according to a several reports, the Twins and Red Sox exchanged medical reports on pitchers Johan Santana and Jon Lester.

The Twins have obviously decided to go with Lester over Ellsbury, and the deal would be Jon Lester, Coco Crisp, Jed Lowrie, and Justin Masterson.

I don't have a lot of time to post much more, but I personally expect a deal today. Maybe the Yankees will see what is happening, and give in with the Kennedy demands?

Also, I'm hoping the deal is Ellsbury, Lester, and Lowrie. There are rumors the Twins went to the Sox to see how they could get him added. Stay tuned...

Yankees or Red Sox

2007-12-03T08:30:00.000-06:00

It looks like it'll all come down to keeping Santana, trading him to the Yankees or trading him to the Red Sox. According to a report this morning, in addition to telling the Twins he won't waive his no-trade clause after the season starts, Santana has also told the club that he will only waive it for a trade to one of the two teams.

With the Yankees deadline set for the end of the day today, this could change how quickly the Twins decide to act.

If anything happens, I'll try to get something up later tonight, but until that time, feel free to use the comments section as an open thread, and also make sure to check out the other six or so articles from the weekend to get caught up on all of the happenings in the Santana Sweepstakes.

Now or Never

2007-12-02T19:00:00.001-06:00

The Santana Sweepstakes took a turn today. After reports that the Twins would be happy to keep Johan if their offers weren't good enough, word came out late Sunday evening that Santana had told the Twins that if they wanted to keep him, fine, but don't count on trading him at the deadline, because he wouldn't waive his no-trade clause.

The Twins will now be forced to decide whether or not they want to trade him for possible lesser value than they have been looking for, or hold onto him, and hope something changes in negotiations, or lose him for mere draft picks.

Whatever happens, we should know soon as reports also came out Sunday evening that the Yankees have put a Monday deadline on their offer.

That is all I have for the night, but I want to add a few of my own thoughts.

Who do the Yankees think they are to come to the Twins and set a deadline? The Twins are the team offering the player, and the move is potentially a franchise altering move. The Twins need to make sure they get max value, and make sure the trade doesn't hurt their future. The Yankees don't set the deadline, the team offering does.

And second, are we really suppose to believe that they will stick to a deadline? This is the same team that said they wouldn't talk to A-Rod if he opted out, yet they signed him to a huge deal just weeks later.

I'm confident that the Twins will make the right decision, and I hope Smith and Co. don't give in to the big market pressure.

Lastly, how about a team steps up and makes an offer to take it over. If the Yankees would realize that they are overvaluing their prospects and throw in guy, they'd get Santana. Same goes with Boston expect they'd just have to throw in a pitcher.

Sox Add Ellsbury

2007-12-02T12:58:00.000-06:00

Here is a quick update on how things are shaping up today:

According to ESPN, the Red Sox have told the Twins that they will add Jacoby Ellsbury to their offer. However, it doesn't come without a little alteration to the deal. The Sox have also told the Twins that if Ellsbury gets put into the deal, that Jon Lester will be taken out.

That would leave the Twins with an offer of Jacoby Ellsbury, Jed Lowrie, and a minor league pitcher. I can't see the Twins being interested, but if they can get Lowrie, Ellsbury and Lester/Buchholz it'd likely be a done deal. There is a chance that the Twins add one other player to get Buchholz and Ellsbury together.

In addition, there is a rumor that the Yankees have set a timetable for the Twins to accept the offer, and the deadline is Tuesday. If this is true, I guess we'll know if Johan will be here next season or in Boston or New York within the next two days.

The Saga Continues

2007-12-02T12:10:00.000-06:00

It all started when Twins general manager Bill Smith apparently made it clear that the Twins were seeking trades for their former Cy-Young winner. All of the big market teams quickly became interested, and since the Yankees and Red Sox have emerged as the favorites to land Santana.

The Yankees right now appear to be the front-runner for Santana leading the Red Sox with a package of Phil Hughes, Melky Cabrera, and a second-tier prospect. The Red Sox have been unwilling to throw in Jacoby Ellsbury or Clay Buchholz into their package of Jon Lester, Jed Lowrie, and Coco Crisp, but if they did, rumor is that the Twins would prefer that deal over the Yankees current offer.

Rumors have become wild over the past few days, and the latest is that the Twins and Yankees have agreed on the first part of the deal which would include Phil Hughes and Melky Cabrera. The part that is currently holding the two sides from completing a deal is that the Twins want another prospect such as Ian Kennedy, Austin Jackson, or Alan Horne. The Yankees want to give up only a second-tier guy, and the two sides are currently on stand-still.

If the Red Sox give in, and give up one of their other prized prospects, a deal could get done with them, but so far there is no indication that they will.

The Twins have let the Yankees and Red Sox both know, that if they don't give them what they want, they will keep Santana. According to reports, one way or the other, this could all be settled within the next two days.

Deal Coming Soon?

2007-12-01T11:28:00.000-06:00

Ken Rosenthal more than not is very reliable, and according to a recent report by him, the Twins are expected to talk to the Red Sox today and tell them what they need to offer for the Twins to change thier minds about trading Santana to the Yankees.

Yesterday, the apparent reason for the Yankees deciding to include Hughes in the deal was because the Twins went to them and told them they were prepared to deal Santana to the Red Sox unless they added Hughes to the deal.

The Yankees didn't want to lose their chance, and as we've mentioned here a few times now, told the Twins that they were finally willing to part with their prized Hughes.

The Red Sox have told the Twins that Buchholz will not be part of any deal, and have also said that in order for the Twins to get Ellsbury, they will need to add an extra piece to the deal. The Twins aren't interested, and if talks don't go well today, the Yankees could be close to finishing off the long anticipated trade.

Boston Falling Back?

2007-12-01T09:57:00.000-06:00

With the Yankees finally willing to add Phil Hughes into a trade, the Boston Red Sox may be falling behind in their pursuit for the former Cy-Young winner. According to a report, the Twins like Ellsbury better than Cabrera, and Buchholz more than Hughes. But the Sox have been unwilling to offer Ellsbury, and that alone could eventually take them out of the running.

Even if the Sox were willing to trade just Lester, Lowrie and Ellsbury for Johan, the Twins might accept. They'd have a center fielder who they feel is better than anybody in their other offers, and they seem to be pretty high on Lester as well. The Twins have been said to be looking for a shortstop as well, with Harris more of a second basemen.

But since the talks have started, the Sox have not budged, and it doesn't look like the Twins will either.

Hughes and More?
The Yankees according to several different reports, have finally agreed as an organization to trade Phil Hughes in a deal for Santana. The team was split in the front office, and rumor is that their owner put everything to rest by telling everybody that Hughes would be included if it meant Johan Santana would be in pinstripes.

Even with Hughes however, it might not be enough.

The Twins reportedly would like to get another highly regarded player from the Yankees, and a deal of Melky Cabrera, Phil Hughes, and Ian Kennedy would likely finish all talks, and send Santana to New York. But, according to Christensen, this might also be a deal breaker for the Yankees as well.

Twins Want Hughes

2007-11-30T19:46:00.000-06:00

The trade talks for Johan Santana are still in the early stages, but there has been plenty of time for the Twins to tell teams what they want, and also for teams to respond and let the Twins know where they stand.

So far in the discussions, rumor has it that the Yankees have been offering Ian Kennedy, Melky Cabrera, and one other prospect. But, according to a SI.com report, the Twins have told the Yankees that no Hughes means no deal.

Now, there are reports that the Yankees have softened on their stance with Hughes, and might be willing to trade him, Cabrera, and one other player for the two-time Cy-Young winner.

There is a similar debate going on with the Red Sox, who are said to have offered the Twins Coco Crisp, Jon Lester, and Jed Lowrie. The Twins are said to be standing firm on their demands from the Red Sox, and insist that along with Lester, the Sox must give up Jacoby Ellsbury to get Santana.

Several reports say that the trade will likely come down to the Yankees and Red Sox. The Mets seem out of the running already. They traded away Lastings Milledge today, and have told the Twins that Reyes is off-limits. So, they probably won't have the prospects to compete with other teams.

The Dodgers have shown some interest, and the Twins would like a few different players from their system. But they have been unwilling to deal prospects, and unless that stance changes, won't have much of a chance either.

Other than these four teams, the Angels and Mariners have interest, but neither team has really made headlines.

Don't Do It...

2007-11-30T07:11:00.000-06:00

There are reports today that the Red Sox are gaining ground on getting Johan Santana, and the deal would be Coco Crisp, Jon Lester, and Jed Lowrie. The Twins would like to get Jacoby Ellsbury and Clay Buchholz, but the Red Sox have said that neither will be available.

For me, I think this trade sucks. Coco Crisp? The Twins have control in the trade talks, and should demand that the Red Sox give us Ellsbury.

At the same time, Hughes and Cabrera are way better options in my opinion.

I don't have a lot more than this today, but discuss what you think of this trade, and lets hope that this trade doesn't happen any time soon.

Twins-Rays: Comparing Players

2007-11-29T07:20:00.000-06:00

UPDATE: The deal became official after this was finished, and Juan Rincon was taken out of the final trade. Instead, the Twins have included Eduardo Morlan. Make sure to check out the full details.

The deal that would bring Delmon Young to the Twins is currently not official, and there is even a rumor that it is being held up by Juan Rincon's elbow. Whether or not the deal gets finalized soon, I've decided to compare the players the Twins will be sending to the Rays with the players they will be receiving.

It won't exactly be perfect, because comparing pitchers and position players is a little difficult. Nonetheless, I'll try to point out some different things out.

Matt Garza vs. Delmon Young
This is the base of the deal, and the biggest players going both ways. While it might be hard for the Twins to give up Garza, pitching is their only way to get offense other than signing players, and that is sometimes difficult with their low budget.

Delmon Young will step into the lineup immediately, and becomes one of the team's best hitters. With Hunter gone, there is a chance that Young could play center, but there is an equal chance that he plays left, and the Twins either sign someone else to play center, or Pridie gets a shot.

Matt Garza went 5-7 last season, and posted a 3.69 ERA. In 83 innings of work, Garza struck out 67 batters, and walked 32.

Delmon Young, in his rookie season, played in all 162 games for the Devil Rays. He hit for a .288 average, and hit 13 homeruns while driving in 93 runners. He is very athletic, and has a very strong arm in the outfield. You may have heard his name for more reasons that his play, and that's because while in AAA, Young received a 50-game suspension for flipping the bat at the umpire's chest.

Jason Bartlett vs. Brendan Harris
This part of the deal is basically the swapping of shortstops. You may ask why the Twins would give up Bartlett, or why the Rays, if Harris is potentially better than Bartlett, would give him up.

The reason the Rays are willing to give him up, is because they are looking for a permanent shortstop, and don't see Harris as a shortstop. Last season, he played at short, but played a lot of his games at second base as well.

Jason Bartlett played in 140 games for the Twins this past season, and missed some time due to a couple different injuries. In his 140 games, Bartlett hit for a .265 average, and drove in 43 runners. In addition to this, he hit 5 homeruns, and stole 23 bases.

Brendan Harris can play both second and short, and if the Twins do get him, there is a big chance that he'll be the everyday guy at short. This past season, Harris hit .286, and knocked in 59 runners. Harris also has more power than Bartlett, and hit 12 homeruns.

One other thing that I should point out is that Harris is a year younger than Bartlett at 27 years old.

Juan Rincon vs. Jason Pridie
The final two players really aren't comparable for a couple different reasons. Not only are their positions completely different, but Pridie is by far a much more valuable asset to the Twins than Rincon could ever be.

This past season, Rincon pitched in 63 games for the Twins. He lost his setup role early in the season, and became a middle innings guy. In his 63 games, Rincon pitched 59.2 innings, and posted a 5.13 ERA. Rincon walked 28 hitters, and struck out 49.

Jason Pridie, if Delmon Young takes over left instead of center, could have a chance to compete for the starting role if the Twins make no other move to fill the void. He has never played in the majors, but this past season put up great numbers at AAA.

In 63 games at AAA, Pridie posted a .318 average, and knocked in 39 runners. He also hit 10 homeruns, and collected 12 stolen bases. Pridie is a rising prospect, and could be a good pickup for the Twins.

One other thing on Rincon is that he is set to make more than $3 million this next season, and isn't worth that for the Twins since they already have Crain, Neshek, and Guerrier.

One More Thing
I'll have an actual post with thoughts on this, but I wanted to mention it here right away.

This trade has a good shot to change what the Twins look for in a Santana trade. With Young, and Pridie in the outfield, there is a great chance that the Twins will not want anymore outfielders in the trade. This could hurt the Yankees chances as Melky would be out of the deal, and they'd have to throw in something else.

Instead, I'd expect them to try and fill the third base position, possibly second base, and then obviously some starting pitcher to take not only Johan's spot, but also Garza.

Done Deal: Rays, Twins Finish Trade

2007-11-28T21:17:00.000-06:00

The rumored deal with the Rays was completed tonight, and the details are a little different than before. The original rumor called for the Twins to send Jason Bartlett, Juan Rincon, and Matt Garza to the Rays for Delmon Young, Brendan Harris, and Jason Pridie. But, late in the discussions, the Rays became concerned with Rincon's elbow, and halted the deal.

The Twins and Rays have instead agreed to take Rincon out of the deal, and add minor leaguer Eduardo Morlan.

I'll have more on this tomorrow...

Twins-Rays Deal Close

2007-11-28T18:26:00.000-06:00

According to reports, the Twins and Rays are close to making a trade that would send Delmon Young to the Twins. This deal has been rumored for quite some time, but rumor now is that the Twins will send not only Matt Garza, but also Jason Bartlett and Juan Rincon to the Rays. In return, the Twins are expected to get Young, and two mediocre players -- Brendan Harris and Jason Pridie.

This deal seems very bad to me from a fan standpoint. Matt Garza for Delmon Young has been the rumored deal all along, and it has been said that this alone could get a deal done. But now they want to add two more valuable pieces to the deal, and get two players that really don't have that much upside?

Now, Juan Rincon is nothing special, but there is a shortage of relievers this off-season, and the trade value seems pretty high. Plus, Rincon seems to be an add-in, and defiantly isn't something that needs to be included to get a deal done.

Aside from this, the part that I mainly don't like is Jason Barlett being added. Who exactly do the Twins want to play shortstop next season, Brendan Harris? You may say that this deal would fill a void in center, but it would also open a new one at shortstop, and potentially another in the rotation is Johan gets moved as well.

I guess we'll have to see how the whole thing comes out, but if the Twins are giving up Barlett and Garza, they better get Young and Upton.

UPDATE: I want to say that Harris and Pridie are better than mediocre as I stated above. They actually seem to be decent players. Harris hit 12 homeruns and had 59 RBI at the MLB level this past season, and Pridie had a nice 60+ games at AAA.

Twins Trim Roster

2007-11-27T15:34:00.000-06:00

The Twins made a surprising move today, cutting two players from their 40-man roster. The rosters were due to the league about a week ago, so it's a bit weird that they waited until now to make the moves. This could come as a hint that the Twins expect to either make a move soon, or use those spots in a Santana trade.

I guess we'll have to wait and see...

Anyways, the two players that were taken off the roster were Errol Simonitsch and Ricky Barrett. Both players cleared waivers, and were assigned to AAA Rochester.

With the moves, the Twins now have 37 players on the 40-man roster, and have space to make additional moves without removing other players.

TwinsTube: A Torii Tribute

2007-11-27T07:30:00.000-06:00

This is one of the very few Torii Hunter tributes around...

Another Santana Rumor

2007-11-26T07:00:00.000-06:00

Now that we know that the Twins and Santana are committed to at least seek trade options, we can be sure that over the next few weeks, into the Winter Meetings, there will be a boat-load of rumors.

The first major rumor comes from Peter Gammons of ESPN. According to Gammons, the Twins are asking the Yankees for Phil Hughes, Melky Cabrera and Austin Jackson for their two-time Cy-Young winner.

Now, there are going to be a lot of rumors, and until we get further in, we have to take each with a grain of salt. The Mets are also expected to work hard to get Johan, and the Dodgers and Red Sox are expected to make some kind of offer as well.

This might seem like a big amount for Johan considering Hughes and Jackson are considered top prospects, and Cabrera seems to be a pretty good player, but I don't like the deal.

I don't mind the Hughes and Cabrera part, but I'd like something better than Jackson. He is a top prospect and all, but he really only gained that by playing well over the last few months of this past season. I'd like to see him play more, and at the same level before taking him over some other players the Yankees have.

Plus, I want Cano...

Anyways, this is really the first rumor involving packages that has surfaced, and I'm sure when the Winter Meetings roll around at the start of December, a lot more rumors will start to make their way out.

[I'll have more tonight or tomorrow on rumors that the Twins would like Reyes or Cano in a deal with the Mets or Yankees.]

Santana May Be Next

2007-11-23T17:14:00.001-06:00

According to Joe Christensen, the rumor that the Twins offered Johan a 5-year, $93 million extension is a tad bit off. The deal that was actually rejected by Santana called for this years contract to be terminated, and the 5-year, $93 million deal to take its place. So, you can look at it as a 4-year, $80 million extension offer.

Yeah, you read that right, the Twins basically offered their two-time Cy-Young winner only a 4-year extension.

When Santana rejected the deal, he told the Twins that he wanted a deal somewhat like Barry Zito's. However, only in the regard that he wants long term stability with a 7-year contract. How much money he wants in all isn't known, but there have been rumors that he wants $18-20 million per season, and one report says that in the open market he could get up to $25 million per season.

With the Twins for some reason unwilling to make a long term commitment, the Twins and Santana have both reportedly agreed to seek trade options.

A few more things to keep in mind going forward...

1) Johan controls his own destiny, and even if the Twins found a perfect deal that would bring them four top-notch prospects, Santana could reject any deal he doesn't like with his complete no-trade clause.

2) This doesn't mean that Johan and the Twins won't talk about an extension anymore, but the chances of a deal getting done now seems small. Look for the two sides to explore numerous options at the Winter Meetings.

3) Finally, any deal that was completed, would most likely require Santana to sign an extension first.

Moving On

2007-11-23T16:39:00.000-06:00

Torii Hunter is officially gone. After agreeing to a 5-year, $90 million deal with the Angels yesterday, Hunter's 15 year tenure with the Twins organization is now over. And, I'm really not that upset. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to not have to worry about who will play in center next season, and I'd love to know what I'll be getting each night. But for $18 million per season, it isn't worth it.

We knew this was coming all off-season, we just didn't know where it would happen or when. Hunter had always said that the Twins were his first choice, but we knew that wasn't true. His first choice was wherever the money was. Every team offered the same $15 million per season, only they all offered two more seasons than the Twins did. Hunter said he'd wait a week or two to make his decision, and then the money came. When the Angels came knocking with the biggest deal yet, it was over, Hunter became a Halo.

But for $18 million per season, it isn't worth it for the Twins. They can't spend that much per season on an aging Hunter. This past season was a career year, and before that he put up good numbers, but wasn't an $18 million player. Hunter will most likely never duplicate this past season, and paying him that much when he is 36 years old wouldn't be a smart move for the organization.

Letting him move on, will be the best move. The Twins will now have cap room to sign other players this off-season, and for the Twins original offer of $45 million to Hunter, I'm sure they can sign one or two guys.

And, there are some other positives...

1) One of the best things was that Hunter decided to sign with the Angels. Had he signed with any of the other teams that offered him a contract, the Twins wouldn't have gotten two draft picks. The Dodgers, Nationals, Royals, White Sox, and Rangers were all below the .500 mark last season, so they wouldn't have had to give up the picks. The Angels won 90 games and made the playoffs, so we'll be collecting a first rounder and a sandwich pick between the first and second rounds.

2) Another positive is the cap room. The Twins will now have more money to sign other players. With the money they were going to fork out for Hunter, they should be able to find a pretty decent player. Whether the front office does anything smart is another thing.

3) Lets be thankful that the White Sox didn't sign him. Not only would we have had to see him playing for one of our biggest rivals, but we would have also had to watch him go up against us 18 times in each of the next 5 seasons.

4) The final positive is that he signed with a team so early. This should give the Twins plenty of time to decide what direction to head in, and should also give them more time to find a replacement.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2007-11-22T08:00:00.000-06:00

I'd like to wish everybody a Happy Thanksgiving. I hope you all enjoy your time with family and friends.

One of the many things that I'm thankful for is this blog, and all you readers. I appreciate your kind comments, and your involvement in the site whether it be commenting on articles, or just visiting and reading daily.

Twins Territory has been alive for nearly a year and a half, and near the end of the off-season, there will be huge things happening, that I think everybody will like.

Again, thank you for stopping by Twins Territory, and enjoy the holiday.

UPDATE: Torii signed with the Angels last night for 5-years, and somewhere between 80-90 million dollars. I don't want to write about it on this day, but thought I should post it nonetheless. I'll have more on this tomorrow.

As I mentioned, there are huge changes coming to Twins Territory at the end of the off-season. Please visit this link, and support the site.

Rumor: Santana Rejected Offer

2007-11-21T13:42:00.000-06:00

There is a rumor swirling around thanks to Buster Olney that Johan Santana has rejected the Twins 5-year, 93 million dollar offer. This deal would have been in the range of what Jayson Stark said Johan is reportedly looking for, but maybe Johan is determined to get traded, and sign for a crazy amount with a big market team.

I don't have ESPN Insider, so I couldn't read exactly what he wrote. But I've been told that he cites no source. I hope he is wrong, but I have a feeling he might be right. I'll have more if I can find anything. Also, Joe Christensen has heard nothing yet.

Santana Wants...

2007-11-21T13:27:00.000-06:00

Since the rumor started about the Twins offering Johan Santana a 5-year, 93 million dollar deal, there has been no word on whether it is true or not. There still isn't, but after reading a story over at ESPN, I wanted to elaborate a little bit.

According to Jayson Stark, word around baseball is that if Johan got traded, or even if he signed an extension with the Twins, he's reportedly looking for a 7-year deal in the range of 18-20 million dollars per season.

I read this, and then took a step back...

The rumored offer the Twins made was 5-years, and 93 million dollars. That comes out to 18.6 million per season, which is indeed in the range of what Santana is reportedly looking for.

The one thing I mentioned earlier was that if the rumor is indeed true, I'd expect the Twins to be willing to add at least one more year to the deal. If they did, and kept the money the same, how could Johan turn something down that is what he's been looking for?

Please, let Sid be right!

[Make sure to read this whole story at ESPN. They talk about what the Twins could command for Johan if they decided to trade him.]

Hunter Will Soon Decide

2007-11-21T10:00:00.000-06:00

The chances that Torii Hunter will be in a Twins uniform next season took another huge hit yesterday. With the Twins not having offered Hunter a contract all off-season, Hunter announced that he plans on selecting a team within the next 10 days.

Now, the Twins will be working against not only money, but also a short negotiating period. There are already five teams that have made Hunter offers, and there is a sixth team that is expected to enter the bidding. The Twins will be up against higher offers, and with only ten days to talk with Hunter, time might be running out.

In addition to money and a short period of time, the Twins will also have no time to show that things will be changing in Minnesota. If you can recall, earlier this off-season, Hunter said that a factor that came before money was how competitive the team wanted to be.

At this time, he mentioned that things in Minnesota needed to 'change', and hinted that he wanted Santana and Morneau locked up, and also wanted to see the Twins change their philosophy on trading their prospects to improve the offense. That will now be tough to do in such a short time frame.

The leading candidates for Hunter are believed to be the Texas Rangers and the Chicago White Sox. Hunter has met with the Rangers multiple times, and met with their owner on Monday. Other teams that are believed to have interest include the Kansas City Royals and the Los Angels Dodgers.

40-Man Roster Set

2007-11-20T18:10:00.000-06:00

The Twins added three players to their 40-man roster today. Rosters were due to the league office by tonight's deadline, and while players could be added or dropped through free agency and trades later in the off-season, none of the players on the roster can be selected by other teams in the the Rule 5 Draft in early December.

The three players added to the roster were Matt Macri, Bobby Korecky, and Matt Tolbert. None of the three players come as a surprise, as all three needed to be protected from other teams.

Matt Macri came over to the Twins in the Ramon Ortiz trade, and played well for the Red Wings after the trade, and also played well in the AFL after the season ended.

Korecky is a stud reliever, and led the International League, and set a new Rochester team record in saves with 35. Korecky already has 105 career saves in the minor leagues, and could be a future setup man (or closer I suppose) for the team.

The final player was Matt Tolbert, and this isn't even a tiny bit surprising. Tolbert probably should have been added in September, but the Twins chose Buscher and a few other over him. Tolbert can play second and third, and hit in the upper .300's for most of the 2007 season.

While none of these players come as surprises, there are two players that I expected to be taken off. I didn't expect the Twins to keep Darnell McDonald or Chris Basak on the 40-man, but they did. There is a chance they'll come off later, and I'd be very surprised if Basak was on the roster when the season rolls around.

[Torii Hunter has said that he plans on selecting a team after the holiday. I'll have more on that tomorrow.]

TwinsTube: Spring Training Yet?

2007-11-20T07:55:00.000-06:00

Is it spring yet?

Johan Contract Rumors

2007-11-19T08:00:00.000-06:00

There is a rumor going around that the Twins have finally made Johan Santana a contract offer. The offer calls for a 5-year, 93 million dollar deal. If the rumor is correct, it'd be a very nice starting point for the Twins.

At 93 million dollars and 5 years, Johan would make 18.6 million dollars per season. The Twins have made Johan one other offer, but it wasn't near this, and can't even be called a serious offer.

Last off-season, Barry Zito received a 7-year, 126 million dollar deal from the Giants. This Zito deal looks bigger, but it has two more years, and is actually 600,000 dollars per season less than the rumored offer.

This season, Carlos Zambrano agreed to a 5-year, 91.5 million dollar deal. This deal is almost exactly the same as the one the Twins offered to their 2-time Cy-Young winner, and is just 300,000 dollars per season less.

There are really two major things that might hold Johan back from this deal. First off, the thought is that Johan would like more than a 5-year deal. I personally don't see why this would be hard for the Twins. They should be able to at least offer a sixth year, and possibly a club or player option after that.

The one other thing would be the market. If Johan waited it out, there is a chance that the New York clubs or a bigger market team would offer something bigger.

I don't expect Johan to accept this rumored offer, but I think there is a chance that the Twins are moving closer. I think if they offer one more year, and a little bit more money, they could get Johan locked up. Just seeing that he'll already be making more per season in the first offer than some other recent big signings will make in their final contracts is great.

Now, all we have to do is wait and see if the rumor is true, and if it is, watch how Johan approaches the situation. If the rumor is true, and they can move closer, it'd be a great way to move into the Winter Meetings.

Land O' Links 11/18

2007-11-18T09:07:00.000-06:00

Charley Walters/Pioneer Press on interest in Koskie and Kielty:
The Twins have no interest in free-agent former Twins third baseman Corey Koskie, still recovering from postconcussion syndrome, nor free-agent ex-Twins outfielder Bobby Kielty of the Boston Red Sox.

Nick Cafardo/Boston Globe talks about Johan and Crisp:
Even if the Twins and Red Sox don't get deep into Johan Santana talks, Minnesota is very interested in Coco Crisp. He's someone the Twins believe could replace Torii Hunter for less than half the cost. Crisp is a major chip for the Sox in any trade discussions. The Rangers and Braves also are interested in him.

Sid Hartman/Star Tribune says that the Twins have made Johan an offer:
The word in baseball circles is that the Twins have made a five-year offer to two-time Cy Young Ward winner Johan Santana calling for $93 million.

It's doubtful that Santana will accept this offer, but at least it's a start in an attempt to lock up the pitcher many consider to be the best in baseball.

Hartman also talks about Hunter:
Meanwhile, there isn't any doubt that the Twins are waiting for free-agent outfielder Torii Hunter to get some offers, and if Hunter wants to return here as he claims, he will give the Twins a chance to match.

Kelsie Smith/Pioneer Press on the Twins options with Johan:
Smith knows what's at stake with each option - sign Santana, trade him or let him become a free agent.

AFL Wrapup

MLB.com Coverage:
Game Notebook

Photo Gallery

Dogs Win AFL Title

2007-11-17T21:52:00.001-06:00

All of the players from the Minnesota Twins organization were on the Phoenix Desert Dogs again this season, and they played a huge part in helping the team collect it's fourth straight Fall League Title.

This season, the players from the Twins organization included Nick Blackburn, Anthony Swarzak, Eduardo Morlan, Ryan Mullins, Matt Macri, Trevor Plouffe, and Drew Butera.

All of the players received playing time for the team, but the stars from the organization were obviously Nick Blackburn, Anthony Swarzak, and Eduardo Morlan.

Nick Blackburn was the biggest of the three, and helped carry the Dogs the whole season. The final game was handed to Blackburn, and he pitched his team to the title. Blackburn lasted 6 innings, and allowed just 1 run. He also struck out 2 hitters while walking just one.

In the title game, both Macri and Butera also played. Macri went 1-3 with an RBI and a run scored. Butera went 1-4.

Box Score

Official Recap

Recap #2

Land O' Links 11/17

2007-11-17T08:38:00.000-06:00

Just want to make it clear that this "Land O' Links" is now our link dump. When the season starts, it could be daily, but at times like these when not a lot is going on, it could be just a couple times each week.

La Velle talks about Clark:
The Twins are one of seven teams interested in veteran switch-hitter Tony Clark to help boost their offense next season.

Clark, 35, hit .249 with 17 homers and 51 RBI last season with Arizona, where his leadership was integral to the Diamondbacks reaching the postseason.

Diamond Leung/Press-Enterprise on Colletti's viewpoint in trades:
Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti is finding the price he would have to pay in terms of players in any trade for a much-needed power hitter to be overwhelming. So much so that signing such a hitter from a weak free-agent class to a big contract seems to be the better way to go, as Colletti expressed interest Friday in available center fielders Torii Hunter, Andruw Jones and Aaron Rowand.

Twins Fall League Reports:
Phoenix 8, Surprise 0

Aragua 3, Margarita 2

Nothing Big...

2007-11-16T17:33:00.000-06:00

This isn't anything big, but I was so happy to see the move that I wanted to post it anyways. The Twins today according to the official site, placed catcher Chris Heintz on unconditional release waivers.

I assume this means that he is no longer on the 40-man roster, which also means he shouldn't be in the majors at all next season for the Twins.

Again, this is small, but good news from my standpoint. Last season, Morales deserved the shot over Heintz, but over the past two years, the Twins just wouldn't let him go. Finally it has happened.

That now leaves Rodriguez, Ford, Rabe, and Heintz that the Twins finally got rid of so far this off-season.

Open Discussion: Bonds, A-Rod, and More

2007-11-16T08:15:00.000-06:00

There isn't a lot of news on the Twins front right now, and until December rolls around, I don't expect any more news. There were a few big things that went on around the MLB on Thursday however, and this will be an open discussion to talk about those things along with anything Twins.

1) First of all, a quick update on Monroe. La Velle has confirmed that the Twins can offer him up to 20% less than what he is already making. This is rule, and it would leave Monroe with a minimum contract next season of somewhere around 3.92 million dollars at the minimum. For some reason, I think the Twins may just non-tender him and possibly work something out later.

2) The A-Rod saga continues. Just about a week or two after saying that they wouldn't even considering taking him back, Rodriguez and the Yankees have agreed to a 10-year $275 million deal. That is quite a bit less than the $350 million that his agent said he'd be getting.

3) And maybe the biggest news, is that Barry Bonds has been indicted. It comes at a weird time, and I think it'll end any thoughts that the Twins might have had at pursuing him (if they had any before).

4) Other than these topics, feel free to share thoughts on Torii, Silva, or anything else Twins.

I'll have more in-depth things this weekend.

Monroe a Twin, For Now

2007-11-15T08:12:00.000-06:00

Yesterday, the Twins made a low-risk deal to acquire a right handed bat for next season. Monroe has always hit well in the Dome, and other than this past season, has been a very good player.

The surprising part of the deal was that Monroe was expected to be non-tendered by the Cubs on December 1st, and had the Twins waited, they could have kept their player to be named, and just signed him to a deal less that the nearly 5 million dollars that he will make over the course of the the 2008 season.

However, according to a report, the Twins plan on non-tendering Monroe at that deadline if he doesn't agree to a lower contract.

The move for the Twins, was simply to get them exclusive negotiating with Monroe. If the Twins can't get a deal done, they'll simply let him go, and the deal made with the Cubs, calls for the Twins to send them a player only if Monroe remains with the team.

So, while the Twins did get a pretty good bat (if he gets on track), they also made a pretty smart move here. They aren't going to waste 5 million dollars on a chance, and they also made a nice decision to try and get him at a lower cost and get a chance to talk with him exclusively.

Hunter Says No
After the move was made yesterday, there were a number of people wondering whether the Twins made the move because they thought the fact that Monroe and Hunter are very close friends would lure Hunter in.

Bill Smith didn't sound like that was the reason, but said that if that is what the deal does, great.

"Without Craig Monroe we would like to have Torii back and with or without Torii we're glad to have Craig Monroe. If it's a package, great."

On the other hand, Torii said that the Twins made a nice move with this trade, but also said that it'll depend on much more.

"Trading for Craig is not going to get me back there. It looks good, I can
tell you that. But that's not all of it. Can you guarantee that Johan is going
to be back? Joe Nathan? There's other stuff right now. But it's open. It's time
to talk."

Fall League Updates

2007-11-14T08:20:00.000-06:00

Each major league team must send seven players to the Arizona Fall League each season, and this year the Twins sent Nick Blackburn, Anthony Swarzak, Eduardo Morlan, Ryan Mullins, Matt Macri, Trevor Plouffe, and Drew Butera.

Since the league started sometime around the end of the regular season, theses players have been playing in several games with players from various other teams. But, there have been no updates on how they are doing, and after looking at their stats, it turns out they've all been playing pretty well.

Here are some stats and notes on each of the seven players.

Nick Blackburn
Blackburn made it to the majors at the end of the season after having a nice year at AAA. With the Twins, he had a few rough outings with the team, but he had some very good ones as well. So far in the Fall League, Blackburn has pitched very well. In 6 games, Blackburn is 4-0 with a nice 1.64 ERA and 20 strikeouts.

Anthony Swarzak
Swarzak is regarded as one of the Twins' top minor league prospects. He missed some time this past season after being suspended for substance abuse, but came back and pitched well at AA. So far in the Fall League, Swarzak has pitched in 7 games, and has posted a 2.05 ERA to go along with 12 strikeouts. Swarzak is also tied for the team lead in innings pitched with Blackburn.

Eduardo Morlan
Morlan is a reliever in the Twins farm system, and pitched for the Miracle and Rock Cats this past season. After putting up solid numbers at both stops, Morlan was chosen to represent the organization. So far, he has been awesome out of the bullpen. In 11 total games, Morlan has yet to allow a run (0.00 ERA). He is 1-0 with 7 strikeouts.

Ryan Mullins
The final pitcher for the Twins in the Fall League is Ryan Mullins. This past year, Mullins pitched for the Miracle before getting promoted straight to AAA. He went on a little slump, before getting sent to AA where he finished the year. In 5 outings so far (4 starts), Mullins has went 0-0 with a nice 2.40 ERA. He also has 17 strikeouts in just 15 innings of work.

Trevor Plouffe
Plouffe is a future shortstop for the Twins, and is their best hitter so far in the Fall League. This past season, he played at AA New Britain. He is currently third on his team in hitting with a .280 average. In 15 total games played, Plouffe has 14 hits and 8 RBI.

Matt Macri
You may have heard Macri's name this past season, that's because the Twins acquired him when they traded away Ramon Ortiz. Macri is thought to be a pretty good hitter, and has shown that so far. In 26 games, Macri is hitting .275 (4th on the team), with 2 homeruns and 9 RBI.

Drew Butera
The final player from the Twins on the Fall League team is Drew Butera. Butera may also be a familiar name as his father played for the Twins, and the Twins also acquired him this past season when they traded away Luis Castillo. Butera is a catcher, and is thought to be one of the better ones in the system. So far in the Fall League, Butera has played in 11 games and has a .241 average. He has a total of 7 hits and 4 RBI.

After looking at all of the stats of each of these players, it looks as if the pitching in the Twins farm system is still at the top of the majors. It also looks like there are still an abundance of pitchers that could be making their way up to the top over the next few seasons.

I can say that I personally am pleasantly surprised with how we are doing in the Fall League, and I like to see that guys like Morlan are dominating.

If you would like more stats from any of these players, you can find them at the Phoenix Desert Dogs roster page.

Twins Get Monroe

2007-11-13T18:07:00.000-06:00

The Twins have made some minor moves so far this off-season such as dumping some guys off the 40-man roster and resigning some minor league players. But today, they made their first real move, acquiring Criag Monroe from the Cubs for a player to be named later.

You may know Monroe's name from the Tigers, or from him always being a bully to the Twins. Although Monroe had a poor season this past year, he had been a pretty good player in the years before that.

Over the 2007 season, Monroe hit just .219 with 12 homeruns and 59 RBI in a total of 122 games. But, before that, in 2006, Monroe hit 28 homeruns with 92 RBI. In 2004 and 2005, Monroe hit 18 and 20 homeruns respectively.

If nothing else, this move gets a true Twins Killer off of the streets. In his career, Monroe has hit .322 against the Twins with 13 homeruns.

To get Monroe, the Twins will give up a player to be named later. According to a few different reports, the Cubs had planned to non-tender Monroe in December, and this would have allowed the Twins to sign him as a free agent.

It looks like the Twins wanted to make sure that he'd be here, and didn't want to risk it. Smith has said that he and Monroe's agent will talk, whether that is about getting a lower contract, or extension isn't known.

Key Points...

...I like Monroe, and I liked him even when he was in Detroit (except when he played the Twins). I always viewed him as a weapon, and I called for the Twins to get him when he was dropped last season.

...I'm not sure how the Twins view him. Do they seem him as another outfielder competing for a job, a starter in center, or the designated hitter. Personally, if he is the guy they got to be the DH I'll be happy. As long as they plan on spending money (or prospects) to get people at CF and 3B.

...one other thing that Joe mentioned is that Monroe and Hunter are close friends, and work out together in the off-season. Maybe this move will help?

..What are your thoughts on the deal, and how do you see Monroe with the Twins (what role will he have, etc.)

TwinsTube: Cuddyer Wins Derby

2007-11-13T08:15:00.000-06:00

Apparently Michael Cuddyer took part in a HomeRun Derby contest not that long ago in his hometown. He went up against Mark Reynolds, B.J. Upton, Justin Upton, Ryan Zimmerman and David Wright (what a baseball hometown!). Cuddyer made it to the finals, and represented the Twins well hitting 14 homeruns to win it all.

You can read more about this derby, and thanks to AZSportsHub.com for posting it first.

[Sorry for the new window. I couldn't find anything to place the actual video here. Also, the video is after a quick ad.]

Twins Can Deal One

2007-11-12T07:54:00.000-06:00

While the Twins have never been a team to trade away their prospects, or young players for that matter, this off-season they look determined to change that attitude in order to acquire more offense. And it might not be such a bad idea. With more than five major league ready starting pitchers, the Twins can afford to deal one of their prized players.

Next season, the Twins will have Johan Santana, Matt Garza, Kevin Slowey, Boof Bonser, Francisco Liriano, and Scott Baker competing for rotation spots. Plus, that doesn't include other major league ready pitchers such as Nick Blackburn and Glen Perkins. So, to say the least, the Twins could deal one, maybe two of them.

The most prized pitcher for other teams seems to be Matt Garza. Not only have the Rays talked to the Twins about him, but multiple other teams have inquired about him according to several reports.

Also according to the reports, the other most intriguing pitchers seem to be Scott Baker and Kevin Slowey.

If the Twins could get their centerfielder and third basemen out of one or two of these pitchers, I'd be happy. However, this would be under one condition.

That condition is that only one could be one of their top-tier guys such as Garza or Slowey. After that, the other guy would need to be a Bonser or someone from AAA or below. Right now it is strictly rumors, but it'll be interesting to see how the Twins use their prospects this off-season.

[Star Tribune]

Below is a poll, and an open discussion on the Johan Santana situation. Make sure to vote and share your thoughts.

Open Discussion: Johan Trade Talk

2007-11-11T10:44:00.000-06:00

Since the World Series ended, and more so when the GM meetings started, the Johan Santana trade rumors have really heated up.

A number of teams have talked with the Twins, and been told the same thing -- Johan is not available. The Twins first priority is to keep him, and sign him to a deal. Every team that has been told this, has told the Twins to let them know if they change their mind.

The teams include the Red Sox, Yankees, Mets, Dodgers, and the Angels. Out of these teams, there are some good parts the Twins could get.

The question is, what team would you like to deal with if the Twins decide to trade Johan. What team do you think has the best deal for us?

So, the question is up for debate. Answer the poll, and then in the comments, share why or a deal that you'd like.

TwinsTube: Remembering Kirby

2007-11-10T12:34:00.000-06:00

As Torii Hunter gets ready to leave Minnesota, we look back at his idol, Kirby Puckett.

Maybe Not Rocco

2007-11-08T19:06:00.000-06:00

Although some Florida newspapers suggested that the Twins long meetings with the Tampa Bay Rays yesterday were to talk about Rocco Baldelli, the Star Tribune says otherwise. According to the report, the Twins are interested in getting either Delmon Young, B.J. Upton, or both, and in return would likely give up Matt Garza.

I'd like this deal a lot more than one for Badelli, as long as both Young and Upton are in the deal. Upton provides everything we need at third. He hit 24 homeruns last season compared to Punto's one, and he collected 80 RBI compared to Punto's 25. Obviously Punto won't be the guy at third next season no matter what, but this does show the improvement from this upcoming season to last season if we could get him.

As for Young, he is an upcoming outfielder, and could definitely play center for the Twins. His numbers, combined with Young's should give us Hunter's stats and possibly more.

The big thing however, is that Garza would likely get us one of these guys, and who else would we throw in to get the other?

Rocco or Coco?

2007-11-08T08:00:00.000-06:00

With the Winter Meetings underway, the Twins look determined to fill the third base and centerfield positions. In centerfield, there are a few free agents out there after Torii Hunter, but anything much cheaper than him on the free agent market isn't worth it.

Instead, the Twins look like they are planning on making a trade to get their new guy in center, and the two names that have surfaced are Rocco Baldelli and Coco Crisp. Both would be good candidates for the Twins, but which one would be better?

The first thing that needs to be brought into account is what we'd have to give up in each situation.

For Baldelli, it looks like the Rays are interested in obtaining a shortstop and bullpen help. The Twins could definitely give them bullpen help as long as they aren't demanding a Pat Neshek. Maybe Juan Rincon and something else?

As for Crisp and the Red Sox, they seem to be intent on getting just bullpen help. There really isn't a lot that they need on offense, but their bullpen could defiantly get better, and again, the Twins could help them out.

After this, there would be the question as to if the Sox and Rays would give either player up. The answer seems to be yes, and the Twins have reportedly talked extensively to both teams.

With Jacoby Ellsbury young, and their future guy in center, the Sox are looking to move Crisp to make room for him. There is no way Crisp would accept a spot on the bench, and there really is no other spot for him.

As for Baldelli, the Rays don't need to move him, and he'd start if he was there, but with Crawford, Young, and an abundance of other outfielders making their way to the majors, he is expendable.

Aside for what the Twins would need to give up, the biggest thing might be who the better player is. This is a tough question, because both players have different strengths and weaknesses.

For Coco Crisp, it has mainly been being consistent. This past season, there were numerous times that he hit well for periods of time. But he'd go into a slump right with those times. Some of his positives are his speed (28 steals), his fielding (makes some nice plays), and his bat when consistent. Last season, he had 7 HR and 60 RBI. Both would be a step back from Torii, but you have to remember that nobody of Hunter's stature will be available, and Crisp can be very good if he doesn't slump.

As for Rocco, his main problem has been his health. He was fine before last season, but because of a hamstring injury last year, he played in just 35 games for the Rays. He did however hit 5 homeruns in that short period of time, an also stole 4 bases. Rocco's main strengths when healthy are his speed and average. He has decent power, and has hit 16 homeruns in two different seasons. He has also hit .280 and .302 respectively.

I'm not sure which one I'd rather have, or which one is better. Both are pretty similar, and both have one major thing holding them back (Crisp - consistency, Rocco - health). If the price was the same for both, I might go with Crisp, just because we know he is healthy and we know about what we're getting.

Twins Interested In Rocco?

2007-11-07T18:17:00.000-06:00

As we know, the chances that the Twins will be looking for a new centerfielder this off-season are very big. Some of the people that we have talked about are Coco Crisp and Aaron Rowand. But, according to a few different reports, the Twins are interested in Rocco Baldelli from the Tampa Bay Rays.

Baldelli battled hamstring problems last season, but if healthy he can be a pretty good player. The Rays are reportedly looking for shortstop and bullpen help, something the Twins might be able to provide.

While trading for a guy like Baldelli might be a risk for the Twins, his price might be lower than someone like Crisp because of his injury troubles, and this could be a low-risk, high-reward situation.

While the off-season is still early, seeing that the Twins are talking to teams (for long periods of time) is a good sign.

[St. Petersburg Times]

Hunter, Santana Among Gold Glove Winners

2007-11-06T17:36:00.000-06:00

We're have all become accustomed to seeing Torii Hunter's name when the Gold Glove awards are announced, but Johan Santana not so much. Since coming into the league, fielding has been something that people have always overlooked with Johan. Today however that changed as Johan was named the pitching Gold Glove winner for the American League.

Torii Hunter also won the award for the outfield, and this marked his seventh one of his MLB career, and possibly his last with the Twins. This past season, Hunter played in 155 games for the Twins, and collected 5 assists and just 2 errors.

For Santana, this is his first award, and he played in 33 games for the Twins. In those games, Johan collected 26 assists, and had no errors.

With the win, Johan becomes the first pitcher since 1995 to win the award other than Mike Mussina and Kenny Rogers. For the Twins, the last time a pitcher won the award was in 1973 when Jim Kaat won it.

Off-Season Posting

2007-11-04T12:08:00.000-06:00

One of the worst things about a blog in the off-season, is there isn't much stuff to cover. Other than the occasional breaking news, or rumors, there really isn't a lot. So, here are a few new things that I'll be doing this off-season to keep this blog readable.

TwinsTube Tuesday
Each Tuesday, I will post a YouTube video that features the Minnesota Twins. It might be a key play from last season, something from a long time ago, or it could be something that you make!

Make your very own Twins video with highlights and whatnot, and if it's good enough, I'll feature it on TwinsTube Tuesday.

Link Dumps
Another thing I'm going to try to start doing is link dumps. I can't guarantee that this will be daily, because some days there really isn't anything to share. But, I'll try to do at least two each week (for now). If you've got a name suggestion, let me know. I know that Athletics Nation does DLD (Daily Link Dump), but I can't just steal their name.

Outlooks
Finally, one of the main new things will be looking at certain players, the team, and some positions on the team. This will in a way, just be the continuation of the position questions series that is still going on, but more in depth.

Other
There will also be other posts, including everything else I've always done along with big rumors, news, and basically everything else involving the Twins.

Oh, and did I mention that later this off-season, Twins Territory will have some big news to share?

Odds and Ends

2007-11-04T11:32:00.000-06:00

Other than a few minor things right after the end of the World Series, it has been a pretty slow off season so far. The Twins could face the most challenges ever this off season, and they may lose their centerfielder Torii Hunter. There is really no telling what the roster will look like next season, and it'll be interesting to see how the Twins go about filling the third base, centerfield, and designated hitter positions.

With big roster moves still a while off, here are some stories to keep you tuned into the Twins.

- With each passing day, the chances of Torii Hunter returning decrease. This past week, we even found out that Torii will meet with the GM from our rival, the Chicago White Sox.

- If Torii does leave via free agency, there is a little bit of good news. Since Torii is classified as a Type A free agent, the Twins would receive a first round pick from the club that signs him, along with a compensation pick between the first two rounds.

- Don't look for the Twins to sign Silva this off season. With the starting pitchers market small this year, word has it that he could get up to 10 million dollars per season.

- Finally, the new ballpark model was presented this week, and based off of the pictures, it looks very cool. Make sure to check it out, and if you're heading to TwinsFest this year, it'll be set up there as well.

Don't Worry...

2007-11-04T11:26:00.000-06:00

We are currently changing some things up with the sidebars. We are getting rid of the things that are no longer needed, and some things that just took up space. Over the course of the off-season, there will be more changes coming, including one major one near the end.

Stay Tuned...

By the way, we will have a new post up sometime today.

Slowey, Buscher Rewarded

2007-11-01T13:25:00.000-05:00

Kevin Slowey and Brian Buscher both took huge strides to reach the major leagues this past season, and today they were awarded for all of their achievements. Buscher was named the 2007 Minor League Player of the Year and Slowey was named the 2007 Minor League Pitcher of the Year.

Buscher started the season at Double-A New Britain, and after hitting .308 in 63 games for the Rock Cats, Buscher was promoted to Triple-A Rochester to replace the struggling Matt Mosses. With the Red Wings, Buscher played in 40 games and hit .311 with 7 homeruns. He was then promoted to the majors where he hit .244 with 2 homeruns in 33 games for the Twins.

Pitcher Kevin Slowey had a quick path to the majors just like Buscher, but started his season in Rochester. With the Red Wings, Slowey started 20 games and posted a 10-5 record to go along with a 1.89 ERA. Slowey pitched so well at AAA that he was named to the International League All-Star Team. Slowey was then promoted to the majors where he pitched well for the Twins. In 13 games (11 starts), Slowey posted a 4-1 record and a 4.72 ERA. In addition to this award, Slowey was also named the International League Pitcher of the Year.

Previous winners of the two awards include Joe Mauer, David Ortiz, and Francisco Liriano.