Category: Dailies

January 8, 2010

Random Notes: Bonuses and Former Players

Things are moving slowly in Twins Territory as the date nears mid-January. The Minnesota Twins have uncertainty remaining at both second and third base, and options are falling off the table with each passing day.

Despite the slow move through the winter, there are some interesting notes to pass along.

Award Bonuses

It is common for players to receive award bonuses in contracts, and if calculations are correct, the Twins paid out $200,000 worth of bonuses last season. How did it all stack up?

Justin Morneau received $25,000 for his All-Star selection.

Joe Nathan received $25,000 for his All-Star selection.

Joe Mauer received $25,000 for his All-Star selection, $25,000 for his Gold Glove award, and $100,000 for his Most Valuable Player award.

Paying Lamb

Next season, Mike Lamb will be nowhere in sight. Nonetheless, the Minnesota Twins will be paying him for one more year. For the 2010 season, the Twins will pay the former Twin $100,000.

The Twins signed Lamb to a two-year contract prior to the 2007 season, and designated him for assignment before he completed even one season. Lamb was paid by the Twins last season, and the money he’ll receive this upcoming season will be for an option year that was included in the deal.

Hocking an Oriole

Denny Hocking played for the Minnesota Twins for 11 seasons before moving around at the end of his career. Hocking has been in the radio business since, but now is moving back to baseball.

After sending messages to three teams, Hocking has joined the Baltimore Orioles and will be a minor league coach next season:

“Once I decided to get into pro coaching I sent out e-mails to the Twins, Angels and Orioles. The Orioles’ David Stockstill called me back within three hours and it didn’t take me too long to join the organization.”

Hat tip: Cot’s Contracts

January 7, 2010

Mauer on the Cover

It was announced in the final weeks of December that Minnesota Twins’ catcher and American League MVP Joe Mauer would grace the cover of MLB ’10: The Show. Sony has released the cover with the Minnesota idol:

The game will hit stores on March 2 for the Playstation Portable, Playstation 2, and Playstation 3.

January 2, 2010

All-Decade Team: Pitchers

The infielders and outfielders are wrapped up, and now is the final group, the pitchers. Over the past ten years there have been many pitchers who have gone through the bullpen and rotation, but there were definitely a few who stuck out as potential pitchers of the decade for the Minnesota Twins.

In this final section of the All-Decade Team, the best three starters, the best bullpen arm, and the best closer of the last ten years is unveiled.

Starters

Who pitched: Brad Radke, Joe Mays, Mark Redman, Eric Milton, Sean Bergman, Kyle Lohse, Rick Reed, Johan Santana, Kenny Rogers, Carlos Silva, Francisco Liriano, Boof Bonser, Scott Baker, Matt Garza, Kevin Slowey, Nick Blackburn, Glen Perkins, Ramon Ortiz, Livan Hernandez, Carl Pavano

	Seth Stohs	John Bonnes	Nick Nelson	Michael Rand	Alex
Starter #1	Johan Santana	Johan Santana	Johan Santana	Johan Santana	Johan Santana

Johan Santana is an obvious unanimous selection as one of the three best starters of the decade. Santana pitched for the Twins in eight seasons during the decade, and started at least 14 games in six of them.

In his time with the Twins, Santana posted a record of 93-44 to go along with a 3.22 ERA and a total of 1,381 strikeouts. Santana appeared on five Cy Young ballots in his tenure with the Twins, winning the award in 2004 and 2006. The lefty made three All-Star Games, won the pitcher’s Triple Crown in 2006, won the Warren Spahn award twice, and won the Gold Glove award in 2007.

	Seth Stohs	John Bonnes	Nick Nelson	Michael Rand	Alex
Starter #2	Brad Radke	Brad Radke	Brad Radke	Brad Radke	Brad Radke

Brad Radke was also a unanimous selection after pitching for the Minnesota Twins for his entire career. Radke began with the team in Minneapolis in 1995, and played for the Twins through 2006.
In his tenure with the Twins, Radke went 148-139 with a 4.22 ERA and 1,467 strikeouts. Radke pitched for the team for seven seasons during the decade, and pitched in the postseason during four of those years. The decade ended on a strong note for the retiree as the team inducted him into their Hall of Fame during the 2009 season.

	Seth Stohs	John Bonnes	Nick Nelson	Michael Rand	Alex
Starter #3	Scott Baker	Scott Baker	Francisco Liriano	Scott Baker	Scott Baker

Scott Baker began his career with the Minnesota Twins during the 2005 season, and pitched for five seasons during the decade.
In the past five seasons, Baker has posted a 43-33 record to go along with a 4.27 ERA and 499 strikeouts. His greatest feat of the decade was his near no-hitter against the Kansas City Royals in 2007 when he came two outs from completing the feat.
BullpenWho pitched: Juan Rincon, Eddie Guardado, LaTroy Hawkins, Pat Neshek, Joe Nathan, Matt Guerrier, Jesse Crain, J.C. Romero, Grant Balfour, Jose Mijares, Jon Rauch, Tony Fiore, J.D. Durbin, Willie Eyre, Dennys Reyes, Craig Breslow, Boof Bonser

	Seth Stohs	John Bonnes	Nick Nelson	Michael Rand	Alex
Reliever	Jesse Crain	LaTroy Hawkins	LaTroy Hawkins	Juan Rincon	Jesse Crain

No clear winner emerged from the reliever section as both Jesse Crain and LaTroy Hawkins received two votes apiece. Hawkins pitched for the Twins for nine seasons, and four of them came during the decade. Meanwhile, Crain has pitched for the Twins for six seasons, all coming in the past 10 years.
Hawkins’ best seasons were during the decade as he posted ERAs of 3.39, 5.96, 2.13, and 1.86. Hawkins hadn’t had an ERA below 5.25 in the previous five seasons with the team. In his final seasons with the organization, Hawkins saved a total of 44 games before leaving for Chicago.
Crain began his career in 2004, and has a combined ERA of 3.50 with the Twins. In his first two seasons, Crain posted ERAs of 2.00 and 2.71. Those were followed by ERAs of 3.52, 5.51 and 4.70. Crain has pitched in 314 innings for the Twins and has two total saves.

	Seth Stohs	John Bonnes	Nick Nelson	Michael Rand	Alex
Closer	Joe Nathan	Joe Nathan	Joe Nathan	Joe Nathan	Joe Nathan

Joe Nathan was the obvious selection for the closer of the decade. After coming to Minnesota from the San Francisco Giants in 2004, Nathan was converted to a closer and his career officially took off. He has spent six seasons with the Twins, and has become a perennial All-Star closer.
In six seasons with the Twins, Nathan has posted a 1.82 ERA in 412 appearances. The closer has 246 saves, just eight shy of the team record. In addition, Nathan has struck out 518 hitters in his tenure with the organization. Nathan has been selected to the All-Star Game four times, and holds the Minnesota Twins single season saves record with 47.

January 1, 2010

All-Decade Team: Outfield

The infield side of the All-Decade Team was rather simple considering the results; each selection was unanimous. Now it’s time to see who the best outfielders and utility man of the past ten years were.

Seth from SethSpeaks.net, John from TwinsGeek, Nick from Nick’s Twins Blog, and Michael from RandBall, were again the participants who helped choose the players on the All-Decade Team.

Left Field

Who played: Jacque Jones, Lew Ford, Shannon Stewart, Jason Kubel, Delmon Young

	Seth Stohs	John Bonnes	Nick Nelson	Michael Rand	Alex
Left Field	Jacque Jones	Shannon Stewart	Shannon Stewart	Jacque Jones	Jacque Jones

Jacque Jones and Shannon Stewart occupied left field for the majority of the decade. Jones was in the outfield for seven seasons in Minnesota, while Stewart played in Minnesota for three and a half seasons.
Stewart’s biggest credit was becoming an integral part of the lineup in 2003 when the Twins acquired him from Toronto in a mid-season trade. Jones began his career in Minnesota in 1999, and played six of his seven seasons during the decade. In seven seasons with the Twins, Jones hit .279 with 132 homeruns and 476 RBI.
CenterfieldWho played: Torii Hunter, Carlos Gomez, Denard Span

	Seth Stohs	John Bonnes	Nick Nelson	Michael Rand	Alex
Centerfield	Torii Hunter	Torii Hunter	Torii Hunter	Torii Hunter	Torii Hunter

Torii Hunter is the unanimous selection for the centerfield of the decade, and he’s the most sensible option. Hunter manned centerfield in Minneapolis for 11 seasons, and was in the outfield in eight of the ten years during the decade.
In 11 seasons with the Twins, Hunter hit .271 with 192 homeruns and 711 RBI. Hunter made the All-Star Game twice, won eight Gold Glove awards, and was the 2007 recipient of the Marvin Miller Man of the Year award.
Right FieldWho played: Matt Lawton, Dustan Mohr, Jacque Jones, Michael Cuddyer, Denard Span

	Seth Stohs	John Bonnes	Nick Nelson	Michael Rand	Alex
Right Field	Michael Cuddyer	Michael Cuddyer	Michael Cuddyer	Denard Span	Michael Cuddyer

Michael Cuddyer was on the Minnesota Twins’ roster in nine of the ten years during the decade. While his position was changing each year and in some cases each day, the past four years have seen Cuddyer primarily in right field.
In nine seasons with the Twins, Cuddyer has hit .270 with 107 homeruns and 429 RBI. Last season, Cuddyer received an MVP vote after he helped lead the Twins to the playoffs with a late season run. Cuddyer hit .276 in 2009 with 32 homeruns and 94 RBI while switching to first base in September to once again show off his flexibility.
UtilitySome options: Denny Hocking, Nick Punto, Michael Cuddyer, Denard Span, Jason Bartlett

	Seth Stohs	John Bonnes	Nick Nelson	Michael Rand	Alex
Utility	Nick Punto	Nick Punto	Jason Bartlett	Michael Cuddyer	Nick Punto

Michael Cuddyer is a sensible choice having played first base, second base, third base, left field, right field, centerfield and designated hitter over the past nine seasons. Already the right fielder on most ballots however, the titles falls to another player.
Nick Punto has been with the Twins for six seasons, and has played seven of the nine positions as well. During his time with the Twins, Punto has hit .239 with 11 homeruns, 174 RBI and 83 stolen bases.
Bartlett doesn’t get the title, but he spent three seasons and a handful of games in Minnesota. During that time, he hit .272 with 10 homeruns, 92 RBI and 39 stolen bases.

December 31, 2009

All-Decade Team: Infield

The year is changing to 2010, and the first decade of the 21st century is coming to an end. It has without a doubt been an interesting 10 years for the Minnesota Twins as they’ve faced contraction, made the playoffs in five of the past eight seasons, and put forth two great comebacks.

Several Minnesota Twins’ bloggers and writers were sent questionnaires to help put together the All-Decade team, and four responded: Seth Stohs from SethSpeaks.net, John Bonnes from TwinsGeek, Nick Nelson from Nick’s Twins Blog, and Michael Rand from RandBall, all made their picks for the best of the decade.

Catcher

Who played: Matt LeCroy, A.J. Pierzynski, Henry Blanco, Joe Mauer

	Seth Stohs	John Bonnes	Nick Nelson	Michael Rand	Alex
Catcher	Joe Mauer	Joe Mauer	Joe Mauer	Joe Mauer	Joe Mauer

Joe Mauer was the unanimous selection at catcher, and the reasoning in pretty simple. After being injured during his rookie season in 2004, Mauer began taking off with his first full season in 2005.
In 2006 Mauer became the first American League catcher to ever win a batting title, and he won a second in 2008 and a third in 2009. He made the All-Star Game three times, won two Gold Glove awards, was chosen as a Silver Slugger winner twice, and capped off the incredible decade with an American League MVP award.
The decade was great to Mauer, and the greatest hope for the new decade is that Mauer will again be in Minnesota.
First BaseWho player: Ron Coomer, Doug Mientkiewicz, Justin Morneau

	Seth Stohs	John Bonnes	Nick Nelson	Michael Rand	Alex
First Base	Justin Morneau	Justin Morneau	Justin Morneau	Justin Morneau	Justin Morneau

Much like his good friend and teammate Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau was the unanimous selection at first base. Morneau received his first opportunity in 2003, and took over first base full time when the team traded Doug Mientkiewicz in 2004.
In 2006, Morneau broke out. He hit 30 homeruns on his way to winning the American League MVP award, and was an integral part to a historic second half comeback. In the past decade, Morneau made the All-Star Game three times, won two Silver Slugger awards, and won the 2008 Homerun Derby.
Second BaseWho played: Jay Canizaro, Luis Rivas, Nick Punto, Luis Castillo, Alexi Casilla

	Seth Stohs	John Bonnes	Nick Nelson	Michael Rand	Alex
Second Base	Luis Castillo	Luis Castillo	Luis Castillo	Luis Castillo	Luis Castillo

Rolling along with the unanimous selections, Luis Castillo was selected as the second baseman of the decade. The Twins acquired Castillo before the 2006 season, and played in Minnesota for two years.
In 2006, Castillo was an integral part to the historic comeback, hitting .296 with 25 stolen bases. In his two seasons combined in Minneapolis, Castillo hit .299 with 3 homeruns and 67 RBI.
Third BaseWho played: Corey Koskie, Michael Cuddyer, Nick Punto, Brian Buscher, Joe Crede

	Seth Stohs	John Bonnes	Nick Nelson	Michael Rand	Alex
Third Base	Corey Koskie	Corey Koskie	Corey Koskie	Corey Koskie	Corey Koskie

Corey Koskie was a fan favorite, and he was also the last player at third base before the position became a consistent question mark. Koskie played in Minnesota for seven season, with five coming in the decade.
In seven seasons with the Twins, Koskie hit .280 with 101 homeruns and 437 RBI. He played a solid third base defensively, and appeared in the playoffs in three seasons for the team.
ShortstopWho played: Cristian Guzman, Jason Bartlett, Nick Punto, Orlando Cabrera

	Seth Stohs	John Bonnes	Nick Nelson	Michael Rand	Alex
Shortstop	Cristian Guzman	Cristian Guzman	Cristian Guzman	Cristian Guzman	Cristian Guzman

Rounding out the unanimous selections in the infield is shortstop Cristian Guzman. Guzman played in Minneapolis for six seasons, and five of those seasons came in the decade.
Guzman began his career in 1999, and in 2001 he established himself as he represented the Twins in the All-Star Game. In six seasons with the Twins, Guzman his .266 with 39 homeruns, 289 RBI and 102 stolen bases.

Designated Hitter

Who played: David Ortiz, Matt LeCroy, Jose Offerman, Rondell White, Jason Kubel

	Seth Stohs	John Bonnes	Nick Nelson	Michael Rand	Alex
Designated Hitter	Jason Kubel	Jason Kubel	Jason Kubel	Jason Kubel	Jason Kubel

Had David Ortiz played longer in Minnesota, he may have been the choice as the designated hitter of the decade. He didn’t however, and the title deservingly goes to Jason Kubel. Kubel has been in Minnesota for six years, and has played five seasons.
Knee injuries hindered Kubel’s career in the early years, but in 2007 he started becoming the player everybody expected. In five seasons as a Twin, Kubel has hit .278 with 71 homeruns and 279 RBI. He nearly hit 30 homeruns during the 2009 season, and received an MVP vote.

December 29, 2009

What About Second?

Since the off-season first began, the reports have been centered around various third basemen, and the talk has been about who will play next to J.J. Hardy on the left side of the infield next season. Just weeks after the Winter Meetings came to a close, most of the Minnesota Twins’ options have signed elsewhere, and what they’ll do is now uncertain.

Chone Figgins is off to Seattle, Pedro Feliz is going to Houston, Troy Glaus will be in Atlanta, Garrett Atkins is headed to Baltimore, and Mark DeRosa is now headed to the west coast and San Francisco. One potential upgrade remains in Adrian Beltre, but his price might be too steep.

Joe Crede could return or the Twins could go with Danny Valencia to fill the third base void. But there is one other option that might just make sense. If Nick Punto is bound to be in the lineup, why not place him at third and go after a second baseman?

Two primary second basemen remain on the free agent market in Orlando Hudson and Felpiz Lopez. Both would be solid upgrades for the team at the right price, and they’d fill not only the second base void, but also the second spot in the lineup.

Last season, Hudson hit .283 with 9 homeruns, 62 RBI and 74 runs scored. Lopez meanwhile hit .310 with 9 homeruns, 57 RBI and 88 runs scored. Lopez is three years younger, but Hudson is just 32 and a deal would likely be for two or three seasons.

If the Twins were to add Hudson or Lopez to the roster, a potential 2010 Opening Day lineup might be as follows:

1. Denard Span (cf)

2. Hudson/Lopez (2b)

3. Joe Mauer (c)

4. Justin Morneau (1b)

5. Michael Cuddyer (rf)

6. Jason Kubel (dh)

7. J.J. Hardy (ss)

8. Delmon Young (lf)

9. Nick Punto (3b)

Last season, the Minnesota Twins hit just .262 in the second spot in the lineup to go along with a .306 on-base percentage. Their second basemen combined meanwhile, hit just .209 with a .302 on-base percentage. Both Hudson and Lopez had on-base percentages around or above .360, and each could get on in front of Mauer rather than empty the bases.

The general consensus has been that the Twins would obtain a third basemen and fill second base with Nick Punto. With options running out however, it might be just as wise to go after Orlando Hudson or Felipe Lopez and stick Punto on the left side.

December 28, 2009

On Joe Crede…

The biggest question remaining for the Minnesota Twins this off-season, outside of the Joe Mauer contract situation, is what to do at third base. Second base too is a gaping hole as December nears an end, but the team has several in-house options to fill the void if only they can put someone next to shortstop J.J. Hardy on the left side of the infield.

With half the options joining teams across baseball, three primary options seem available for Minnesota: sign Mark DeRosa, sign Adrian Beltre, or trade for Kevin Kouzmanoff.

If no trade occurs or the other options sign elsewhere, the Twins will have a backup option in the form of third basemen Joe Crede. While Crede played in just 90 games last season, there are some reasons he could make sense if other options don’t develop.

Why Crede Makes Sense…

He’ll be cheap: A back injury ended Crede’s season early in 2008, and after playing in 90 games last season, he was done yet again. Crede may have one more opportunity to stay healthy, and where he receives that opportunity, he’ll likely go cheaply.

Shortly before spring training earlier this year, Crede signed a one-year, $2.5 million contract with incentives that could have pushed it to $7 million. Crede earned very few of those incentives with just 333 plate appearances, and so the Twins got him relatively cheap.

A deal this off-season would again be incentive-laden, would likely have a cheaper base salary, and possibly include fewer incentives.

Low-risk, high-reward: The same was said when the Twins signed Crede before, but the same would be the case if they sign him a second time. Crede has potential to put up solid power numbers and play decent defense at third base. He’d be a cheap option who would be underpaid if he played a full season at his capable level.

Better than nothing: The Twins do have other options to fill third base if the primary ones run out. They could put Nick Punto there and sign a second basemen, or they could go with upcoming prospect Danny Valencia.

Nonetheless, Crede makes sense even if he has a high likelihood of being injured again in 2010. If the team doesn’t feel Valencia will be ready until mid-season or the beginning of 2011, Crede could push his debut date back, and even if he lasted only until mid-season, Valencia would have a half-season at triple-A Rochester to improve his game.

Why Crede Doesn’t Make Sense…

There are second basemen: If the Twins can’t get DeRosa, Beltre or Kouzmanoff, they could always switch their focus to second base. Two key second base options are Orlando Hudson and Felipe Lopez, and both would also fit nicely into the lineup.

Nick Punto seems like a lock to be in the lineup at some position, and whether he’s at second or third isn’t a big issue. Punto will be inserted much more for his defense than hitting capabilities, and he’s an above-average defender at both second and third.

Crede’s injury history: While Crede would come on the cheap, it may be better to just go in-house. If Danny Valencia is closer to the majors than some believe, would it be a terrible move to let him take a shot at starting from the first day of spring training and use the money elsewhere?

December 26, 2009

Third Base Options Dwindling

The off-season plan is much of the same for the left side of the infield after the Minnesota Twins again received little production at both third base and shortstop in 2009. Less than two days after the World Series, the Twins upgraded at shortstop, but as the year nears an end, third base remains uncertain and time is running out.

In recent weeks the list of third base options has been nearly cut in half. Garrett Atkins is off to Baltimore, Troy Glaus is off to Atlanta, and Pedro Feliz is headed to Houston. Remaining are Mark DeRosa, Adrian Beltre, trade candidate Kevin Kouzmanoff, and the often injured Joe Crede.

The price tag for both DeRosa and Beltre has been high. At the Winter Meetings nearly three weeks ago, reports put their price at $9 to $10 million per season for three seasons. While the Twins will see an increase in payroll for the 2010 season, that price is far too high for most major league ball clubs.

Earlier this week, DeRosa reportedly was offered a two-year, $12 million contract by the San Francisco Giants. If the price has fallen to that point, the Twins could be in on the veteran third baseman capable of playing second base and the corner outfield positions as well.

Outside of the two remaining premier free agents lies Kouzmanoff. The Twins had interest last off-season according to reports, and had several talks with the Padres at the Winter Meetings in Indianapolis earlier this month.

Kouzmanoff is expected to make around $5 million next season and is under control for three more years. The Twins have offered Glen Perkins according to reports, but on Thursday it was reported that talks have “cooled” and there is a possibility he could now stay in San Diego.

When all is said and done, the team’s only option just might be to re-sign Joe Crede. After playing in just 90 games last season, Crede will be cheap on an incentive-laden deal, and he is willing to return to Minneapolis for the first season at Target Field.

Fans almost certainly would favor DeRosa, Beltre or Kouzmanoff, but the options at third base are dwindling, and unless the team acts fast, they may have the same starting third baseman on Opening Day for the first time since 2007.

December 24, 2009

Merry Christmas!

It’s been an exciting year in Twins Territory, and many presents are on the way courtesy of the Minnesota Twins. Target Field might be the great of all, and after 28 seasons of outdoor baseball in Minneapolis, the Twins will be back under the sun in just over 100 days.

Enjoy the Holiday season wherever you may be, and hopefully the Twins will put some players under the tree in the coming weeks. Third base and second base remain questions, and so does Joe Mauer’s contract. But there is still time to get work done, and you can bet the front office is hard at work.

Merry Christmas!

December 24, 2009

Prospect Ranking: #18 Aaron Hicks

Baseball America is regarded as the evaluator of major league talent on the Internet. Each year they publish their list of the best prospects from each organization, and the best of the entire league combined.

Editor John Manuel has posted his personal Top 20 Prospects list, and one player from the Minnesota Twins organization made the cut. In the 18th spot is the team’s 2008 first round selection, Aaron Hicks.

Hicks hit .318 in 45 games for the Gulf Coast League Twins in 2008 after signing. Last season he spent the year with the Beloit Snappers where he hit .251 in 67 total games.

Manuel had the following assessment:

Why he’s here: Five-tool ability to go with the ability to take a walk and premium defensive tools make Hicks an exciting prospect, even if he’s never played above Class A.

What he’ll be: Hicks has some similarities to the Phillies’ Domonic Brown, though he might actually have more speed and a bit less power. He’s a tremendous athlete who was a scratch golfer as a teen, so it’s hard to put a limit on his talent.

When he arrives: The Twins know what they’re doing with raw, toolsy center fielders, having developed Torii Hunter and Denard Span in succession. Hicks is next in line and has more offensive polish at a similar stage.

From Kirby to Torii to Denard, centerfield has been a position long developed through the system. Will 2007 first round selection Ben Revere or Hicks be next in line?