Category: Dailies

Mauer Catches ‘The Show’ Cover

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Joe Mauer has had quite the off-season. From the final regular season game to date, Mauer has collected the Batting Title, Silver Slugger, Gold Glove, and the American League Most Valuable Player award. Now, he has grabbed the cover of MLB ’10: The Show, which will come out on Playstation systems next March.
The moment will mark the first time in franchise history that a player has made a video game cover. Several new features will make the game, one closely related to Mauer’s position. With the MVP and catcher on the cover, ‘The Show’ will now offer gamers the chance to call the pitches in the ‘Road to the Show’ mode as Mauer does with his own pitching staff.
Not only will Mauer grace the cover, MLB ’10: The Show will also be worth waiting for as it’ll include the all-new Target Field. 
Watch for more information on the cover, Target Field, and the game in the coming weeks. 

Game of the Decade

It’s difficult to put the final regular season Metrodome game into words. After fighting in the final month and overcoming a seven-game deficit in the American League Central by ending the season on a 17-4 run, the Minnesota Twins made the playoffs with a victory in Game 163.

It wasn’t just an ordinary victory. It was a victory consisting of ups and downs and gut-wrenching moments inning after inning. The Twins fell behind, drew closer as the game progressed, took a lead, blew a lead, fell behind, tied the game, and then eventually won in the 12th inning.
Joe Nathan got an improbable double play, Bobby Keppel came up with a huge strikeout, and two players who didn’t even start, entered the game in the final innings to get the winning hit and score the winning run.
All of these things are why Sports Illustrated has dubbed Game 163 on October 6, 2009 at the Metrodome, the Greatest Regular Season Game of the past decade:

The beautiful thing about baseball is a great game doesn’t necessarily have to be a well-played game. The Twins-Tigers tiebreaker to decide the AL Central had blunders, errors, pickoffs and all sorts of confusion. But it was loaded with drama. The Tigers had a lead going into the bottom of the 10th inning. The Twins tied it up and had a chance to win, but Alexi Casilla was thrown out at the plate by Ryan Raburn. The Tigers had the bases loaded in the 12th but could not score. The Twins scored in the bottom of the 12th to win 6-5. Sometimes sloppy, sometimes brilliant, always exciting — that’s baseball at its best.

Winter Meetings: Third Base Talks

There is still no action on the Minnesota Twins’ front, but there have been several rumblings in the past day regarding the team and several players. There has been no talk of starting pitchers or second baseman, just third basemen. 

With just three days to go by, indications are that the club is looking at third base as the position of choice to upgrade. Currently it seems that they’ll go in-house to fill the second base void and sign a free agent or make a trade to finish off the left side of the infield. 
So who have the names been?
Mark DeRosa 
The Twins apparently have “strong” interest in DeRosa. The veteran apparently is looking for a three-year, $27 million deal. That won’t happen in Minnesota, but if the price drops, he could be a fit. 
So far it seems, there have been only preliminary talks:

Just spoke with Mark DeRosa’s agent, Keith Grunewald, and he confirmed that he’s talked with the Twins about the free agent third baseman. They haven’t talked much and it’s just been preliminary. Grunewald said there’s a great deal of interest in DeRosa and called him one of the best commodities in the third base market.

Pedro Feliz
While FoxSports reported yesterday that Pedro Feliz was interested in Minnesota and the Twins were potentially interested in him, that doesn’t seem to be the case. It seems the Twins especially haven’t been looking in his direction:

…The agents for Feliz have not heard from the Twins. 

…Indications are that the Twins just aren’t feeling Pedro Feliz.

Kevin Kouzmanoff
The Twins seem to have the most interest in Mark DeRosa as far as free agents are concerned, but the name Kevin Kouzmanoff has been a popular one recently. There were several indications Wednesday that there is mutual interest between the Twins and Padres. 
The talks were first reported on Tuesday night when it was learned that the Twins had offered the Padres Glen Perkins and were rejected with San Diego asking for another player. Wednesday talks apparently continued:

The Twins and Padres have had several discussions about Kevin Kouzmanoff, perhaps a better (cheaper) fit for Twins than other 3B options.

Later in the day the Padres heated talks and continued to talk with the Twins:

Padres now “aggressively” trying to move Kevin Kouzmanoff, says one source who spoke with them. Hear Twins & Giants have been most interested. 

Hearing that Padres offered Kouzmanoff to Giants for Fred Lewis & Kevin Fransden. Asked Twins for Glen Perkins & 2nd player.

With all of those talks, the general feeling is that nothing will happen at least until the non-tender deadline passes Saturday. Several infielders are expected to be let go by their teams rather than offered contracts, with Garrett Atkins being one potential player. 
The Twins are apparently not keen on giving up more than Glen Perkins in a Kouzmanoff deal, but he’s cheap with pretty good production, and if other options don’t become available, something could happen. 

Winter Meetings: Day Two Rumblings

The Minnesota Twins are traditionally a quiet team at the Winter Meetings, and halfway through the 2009 session they’ve maintained that quietness. The Twins have locked up Carl Pavano for next season, but no other moves have been made with one full day remaining in Indianapolis.

No moves doesn’t mean no news however. The Winter Meetings are a time for many talks and many rumors, and the Twins can be found sparingly in the Tuesday rumblings.

Perkins Trade? Kouzmanoff Coming?
When Carl Pavano was signed it secured four of five rotation spots for next season. Only one spot now remains, and several pitchers including Francisco Liriano and Brian Duensing will likely compete next spring to fill it. 
A fallout between the organization and lefty Glen Perkins along with a crammed roster has many believing Perkins may be traded rather than tendered a contract by this Saturday’s deadline. 
Tuesday afternoon reports broke that the San Diego Padres were interested in talking with the Twins regarding third basemen Kevin Kouzmanoff. Late Tuesday evening it was reported by USA Today sportswriter Bob Nightengale that the Twins had made an offer:

“The Minnesota Twins are offering pitcher Glenn Perkins for Padres 3B Kevin Kouzmanoff, but the Padres are seeking more.”

How much more the Padres want, and how interested the Twins truly are remains to be seen. But for the first time at the 2009 Winter Meetings, Minnesota seems to be active. 
Third Base Options
Outside of Kevin Kouzmanoff third base options remain on the free agent market. FoxSports.com says the Twins have interest in four players thus far:

The Twins are sifting through a number of free agent options at third base, including Adrian Beltre, Pedro Feliz, Mark DeRosa and Juan Uribe, according to a major league source. 

Beltre will probably be out of the team’s price range. DeRosa might be, too. But Feliz and Uribe could fit.

Bonser Designated

With the 40-man roster full and no room for Carl Pavano, the Twins were faced with a decision Monday night. On Tuesday they announced that Boof Bonser had been designated for release or assignment.
The Twins now have until Saturday to non-tender him (release him) or trade him according to the Pioneer Press. 

Blockbuster in Detroit
Finally, the Detroit Tigers may have moved on to the future after trading away both Edwin Jackson and Curtis Granderson. They received a pretty good package, but it seems as though they’re now looking past the 2010 season. 

Pavano Picks Minnesota

It was an uneventful start to the 2009 Winter Meetings, but the Minnesota Twins did make the news when day one was all said and done. A week after offering starting pitcher Carl Pavano arbitration, he officially became a part of next season’s roster when he accepted the offer late Monday night.

Pavano came over from the Cleveland Indians last season and played a major role in a September run that put the Twins in the playoffs for the fifth time in eight seasons. As a member of the Twins, Pavano made 12 starts posting a 5-4 record and a 4.64 ERA.
The righty is expected to agree to terms on a contract and avoid an arbitration hearing. Reports believe Pavano will make around $7 million next season.
With Pavano locked up, the Twins now have four of five starting rotation spots filled. Scott Baker, Nick Blackburn, and Kevin Slowey will join Pavano in the rotation, and the fifth spot will likely be decided with a spring competition. 
Reaction
Dave Cameron/FanGraphs likes the move:

“So, in all likelihood, the Twins will end up paying Pavano something between $6 and $8 million next year. Even with a market that looks to be paying a depressed rate for wins, that’s still valuing him as a two win pitcher. Even with the health concerns, he’s got a good chance of besting that.”

“…Having Pavano back at a reasonable salary, along with the acquisition of J.J. Hardy, will strengthen the Twins significantly next year. Without expending much money, they’ve made a couple of moves with legitimate upside and minimal risk. It’s been a good off-season for Twins fans so far.”

Joe Christensen/Star Tribune looks at the updated 2010 payroll:

When Carl Pavano accepted the Twins’ salary arbitration offer Monday, it pushed the team’s 2010 projected Opening Day payroll close to $90 million, based on salary estimates for those players currently in the fold.

Estimate to date – $89.8 million

La Velle/Star Tribune has quotes from Pavano’s agent:

Twins players and pitching coach Rick Anderson remained in contact with pitcher Carl Pavano in recent days, reminding him constantly how much they wanted him to be a part of the 2010 team. 

“He feels tremendously comfortable in Minnesota,” Pavano’s agent, Tom O’Connell said. “He has tremendous respect for his teammates and thinks they are united in trying to win. 

“We had to explore free agency, no doubt. But, at the end of the day this was a very easy decision because has made a lot of money in his career and its important to win a championship and the Twins give him the best opportunity to win.”

Winter Meetings Primer

The Minnesota Twins have been relatively quiet since shoring up the shortstop position with the acquisition of J.J. Hardy one month ago. As December begins and the year winds to an end, the hot stove is heating up, and this week transactions will begin to come one after another.

Baseball officials began arriving in Indianapolis for the 2009 Winter Meetings on Sunday, and the event will run through Thursday when it concludes with the Rule Five Draft. As Bill Smith and company settle in, they’ll begin work on a roster that has questions remaining at second base, third base, and in the rotation. 
Over the next four days rumors will run rampant; some will be legitimate while others will be blown out of proportion or possibly completely fabricated. Here are some players and teams to watch as possible connections this week.
Second Base
Second base and the second spot in the lineup are a huge hole for the Twins. Both Nick Punto and Matt Tolbert are capable of filling the hole, but neither will upgrade it to the level that several potential targets might.
Felipe Lopez and Orlando Hudson are the two premium second basemen remaining on the market after Placido Polanco signed last week, and they may be the team’s key chances to upgrade plate production in the infield.
Third Base
Chone Figgins is gone, but the Twins never likely had interest anyways. Mark DeRosa and Pedro Feliz remain available, and the Twins could potentially talk with both of their agents this week.
While the team has had interest in free agent Adrian Beltre, unless his reported demand of $10 million annually drops, he won’t be signing in Minnesota anytime soon. 
The best solution for the infield seems to be to fill second base and then look toward third base when that task is completed. The third base options are less desirable than Hudson and Lopez.
Starting Pitchers
Four starting pitchers should be watched this week: Carl Pavano, Jarrod Washburn, Ben Sheets and Rich Harden. 
Unless Pavano accepts the team’s arbitration offer by the Monday deadline, he’ll be on the free agent market. The Twins are expected to continue work on a potential multi-year deal, and there seems to be a decent chance he stays in the Twin Cities.
If not, the Wisconsin native Washburn and the Twins seem to have mutual interest. After the two veterans, formerly injured starters Sheets and Harden have both reportedly drawn some level of interest from the team as well. 
Teams 
The Florida Marlins are one key team to keep an eye on. Starter and Minneapolis native Josh Johnson isn’t likely going anywhere, but second basemen Dan Uggla may. If the Twins are unable to sign a free agent there may at least be some talks.
Another team with a second basemen is the Cincinnati Reds. As they cut payroll this off-season, one player reportedly available is Brandon Phillips. If the Twins run out of options elsewhere, he too may be talked about. 
Dark Horse Names 
Ronnie Belliard, 2B – Playing in favor of Orlando Hudson at times last season, Belliard did a decent job. He hit .277 with 10 homeruns and 39 RBI in 110 games.
Robb Quinlan, OF/1B – The utility man has reportedly had talks with the team thus far and could join the roster as the backup outfielder and first basemen. 
Joe Crede, 3B – If the Twins decide the third base options aren’t worth the price, it remains very possible that Crede could be re-signed late this off-season. 
Glen Perkins, SP – While Perkins is on the Twins roster, he is a potential trade target to watch. Eligible for arbitration and a raise, if the Twins don’t feel they have room in the rotation or bullpen, he could be moved. 

One Final Award

Mauer MVP.pngFor the first month of the season fans anxiously awaited the arrival of the hometown catcher while backups Jose Morales and Mike Redmond held down the fort. An injury and a late start weren’t enough to hold Joe Mauer back in 2009 however, and as November comes to a close the All-Star catcher has accomplished things that may never be accomplished again.
Some of the best catchers in baseball eternity never did the things that Joe Mauer did over the course of the past six months. Yogi Berra and Johnny Bench were two of the greatest catchers of all time, yet neither did some of the things Mauer did in his sixth major league season.
Mauer became the first player since 1980 and the first catcher ever to lead the league in batting average, slugging percentage, and on-base percentage, his .365 average is now the best by a catcher in baseball history, and his third batting title matches the total of all catchers to ever play the game combined. 
Despite doing things nobody has ever done, Mauer had yet to win the Most Valuable Player award until now. He becomes the tenth catcher to win the award, joining the likes of Berra, Bench, Ivan Rodriguez and others.
The MVP award caps off an eventful early off-season for Mauer, who had already won the American League Batting Title, the American League Silver Slugger, the American League Gold Glove, and the American League Outstanding Player award.
Mauer’s off-season will now fully begin with the awards all handed out, but his schedule isn’t likely to slow down. The rising star has already been in Chicago on behalf of Gatorade this month and his contract, which expires after next season, will be a hot topic as winter moves forward. 

MVP: ESPN Picks Mauer

The American League Most Valuable Player will be announced on Monday afternoon, and if the 22 baseball personalities at ESPN are any indication of the actual voting, Minnesota Twins catcher Joe Mauer will become the fifth player in franchise history to walk away with the award.

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Mauer has already been awarded the American League Batting Title, the American League Gold Glove, the American League Silver Slugger, and the American League Players Choice Award for Outstanding Player.
By Monday night he just might cap off his historic year with one more piece of hardware. 

Free Agency Underway

It’s a time of the year to guess, predict and hope, and after 15 days of an exclusive negotiating period, free agency has finally begun. The Minnesota Twins may have crossed one position off their list, but in the coming months they’ll be faced with several more decisions. 

The infield is partially settled with Justin Morneau and J.J. Hardy, but to their sides holes remain. After watching Joe Crede and a platoon of others play at third last season and after seeing Nick Punto, Matt Tolbert and several others man second, both positions are now empty.
Meanwhile the rotation is unsettled with two spots open for the team to fill with in-house competition, trade or free agency. While Scott Baker, Kevin Slowey and Nick Blackburn will fill three of the five spots, the remaining options outside of Brian Duensing were injured or underperformed in 2009.
Team President Dave St. Peter recently said the team would like to move from being a low-market team funded partially by Major League Baseball to a mid-market team receiving no additional funds. Such a change would push their payroll up, and estimates seem to place it around $90 million.
With the current roster, and arbitration and other raises included, the Twins will have an estimated $80-$83 million invested before making another move. Putting everything together, the Twins have about three holes and $7-$10 million to fill them.
So, what should they do?
Fans and others will guess, but ultimately what the front office does is unpredictable. With options available within the organization at each open position, the Twins have several ways to go about spending their funds and putting together a roster for the inaugural season at Target Field.
In the rotation the Twins could settle with Francisco Liriano, Glen Perkins and Brian Duensing as options outside of their three current locks. Their other option is to pursue three free agents they reportedly like: Jarrod Washburn, Carl Pavano and Rich Harden. 
In the infield the Twins could go with their rising third base prospect Danny Valencia to fill the left side and Nick Punto, Matt Tolbert or Alexi Casilla at second. Another option is to sign a player like Felipe Lopez to play second or Adrian Beltre, Mark DeRosa, Joe Crede or Pedro Feliz to play third.
The off-season is a time to dream of the big moves, but it too is very unpredictable. What the Twins will do remains uncertain, but the best bet is a combination of mid-level free agent signings and in-house alternatives. 

A New Identity

Span:Baker.pngThe roster and ballpark won’t be the only things changing in Minnesota for next season, the identity and wardrobe will be new as well. The Twins have announced new logos, patches and uniforms that the club is set to begin wearing for the 2010 season. 

While the home jersey will be nearly identical to previous seasons with the exception of the updated “Twins” wordmark, new road and throwback jerseys will be found in the lockers next spring.
The new solid grey road uniform no longer has pinstripes, and now contains a “Minnesota” script last featured on player jackets from 1961-1968. Meanwhile, the club has moved to a new throwback uniform that will be worn on Opening Day and each Saturday home game. 
After wearing a white throwback last season for Saturday home games, the team will wear a new beige colored jersey similar to the wool version worn during the organization’s first season in Minneapolis back in 1961.
New jerseys aren’t the end to the altered identity for the Minnesota Twins. The club has updated their wordmark and logos and unveiled patches to commemorate the Inaugural Season at Target Field and the franchise’s 50th Season in Minneapolis. 
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While the updated wordmark is simply redefined with sharper lettering, the logo has been further altered. The new primary logo now includes the words “Minnesota Twins Baseball Club”, and the stitches on the baseball have been readjusted. 
Patches.pngThe Inaugural Season logo will be found on commemorative baseballs, bases, the team’s home uniform and hats for the entire 2010 season. Meanwhile, the 50th Season logo will be worn on the road and home throwback jerseys.
After 28 seasons of indoor baseball, the Minnesota Twins will finally find themselves under the sun next season, and they’ll step out onto the grass with a new brand and uniforms.