Deduno gets outrighted to Triple-A

The Twins have announced that pitcher Sam Deduno has cleared waivers and will be outrighted to Triple-A.

Deduno posted a 4.44 ERA in 15 starts with Minnesota in 2012.

Analysis: Deduno probably wouldn't even be able to make the rotation on any team except the Twins. He is really not that great of a pitcher, but got the opportunity to start because of the Twins' rotation depth, or lack thereof.

Orioles claim Alexi Casilla

The Orioles have claimed infielder Alexi Casilla off of waivers from the Twins.

Casilla hit .241 in 326 plate appearances with Minnesota in 2012, and was probably going to be non-tendered by the Twins if he had cleared waivers.

Analysis: Casilla is a good player to have because he is very versatile, and can provide a spark off of the bench. His hitting needs some work, but I have a feeling that if/when Brian Roberts lands on the disabled list in 2013, Casilla will come in and get a boatload of playing time.

Twins claim Roenicke, Field

The Twins have claimed pitcher Josh Roenicke and infielder Thomas Field off of waivers from the Rockies.

Roenicke posted a 3.25 ERA in 88 2/3 relief innings of work for Colorado in 2012. He also posted a 50.2% ground-ball rate, which is very impressive.

Field spent most of the 2012 season in Triple-A, hitting .246 in 494 plate appearances while serving as the team's starting shortstop.

Analysis: Roenicke had a very strong season in 2012, and I think that he is a great pickup by Minnesota. He was a good fit for Colorado because his ground ball rate would keep his ERA down while pitching in Coors Field. The only reason why the Twins would claim Thomas Field is because their shortstop situation is so bleak right now and they are probably looking to claim anyone so they can serve as depth.

Twins re-sign P.J. Walters

The Twins have announced that they have re-signed pitcher P.J. Walters to a minor league deal with an invite to Spring Training.

Walters elected free agency just a few hours ago after refusing his outright assignment.

Analysis: The Twins need pitching depth, so I suppose this is a smart move. Walters isn't anything special - maybe a #5 pitcher at best.

Twins decline 2013 option for Baker

The Twins have announced that they have declined the 2013 option for pitcher Scott Baker. The option was worth $9.25 million.

Baker missed the entire 2012 season following Tommy John surgery, but GM Terry Ryan has stated that he would like to re-sign the 31 year old. Supposedly Baker's agent has been in communication with the Twins' front office, perhaps about a one or two year deal based on incentives.

Analysis: Baker is actually an above average pitcher when healthy, but has struggled to stay on the field over the past few years. Re-signing him should be a priority for Minnesota, because they do not have any pitching depth. If Baker finds himself in 2012, he could be a steal for Minnesota.

P.J. Walters elects free agency

The Twins have announced that pitcher P.J. Walters has elected free agency after refusing his outright assignment to the minor leagues. Minnesota outrighted him off the 40 man roster last week.

Walters started 12 games for the Twins in 2012, posting a 5.69 ERA in 61 2/3 innings.

Analysis: Walters did not really pitch well in 2012 and I don't expect him to really make an impact with whatever team he signs with.

Twins outright 6 players to Triple-A

The Twins have announced that six players have cleared waivers and will be outrighted to Triple-A. Those players are pitchers Jeff Manship, Luis Perdomo, Esmerling Vasquez, Kyle Waldrop (pictured) , P.J. Walters and outfielder Matt Carson.

Manship posted a 7.89 ERA in 12 appearances during the 2012 season. Perdomo put up a respectable 3.15 ERA in 15 appearances. Vasquez spent most of the season in Triple-A, posting a 2.78 ERA in 31 appearances, 8 of which were starts. Waldrop, a former first round pick by the Twins, pitched well out of the bullpen in 2012, putting up a 2.53 ERA in 17 appearances. Walters started 12 games for Minnesota in 2012, but struggled for the most part, posting a 5.69 ERA in 61.2 innings. Carson spent most of the year in Triple-A, hitting .282 in 469 plate appearances.

Analysis: I'm surprised that Waldrop and Perdomo cleared waivers. Perdomo had a decent 2012 season and proved that he could pitch moderately well in the big leagues, so it is a surprise to see him clear waivers. Waldrop is a former first round pick with nice upside, but hasn't been able to put it all together for Minnesota. He pitched well out of the bullpen, and you would think that would be good enough to garner some interest, but I guess not.

Twins decline Capps' 2013 option

The Twins have declined their 2013 club option for pitcher Matt Capps. The option was worth $6 million, but Capps will now receive a $250k buyout instead.

Capps posted a 3.68 ERA in 29 1/3 innings for Minnesota after signing a one year deal worth $4.75 million with them last off-season. He missed most of the second half of the season due to rotator cuff inflammation.

Minnesota originally acquired Capps from the Nationals a few years ago, shipping Wilson Ramos out to Washington in the process.

Analysis: Capps was alright when healthy but is definitely not worth $6 million. However, I expect him to get a decent contract from someone, and serve as their setup man. He still has something left in the tank, and if he can stay on the field he'll be a force to be reckoned with once again.

Cubs claim Gutierrez off of waivers

The Cubs have claimed outfielder Carlos Gutierrez off of waivers from the Twins.

Gutierrez, a former first round pick in the 2008 draft, was originally drafted to be a starting pitcher, but his poor performance in the minor leagues forced him to convert to a relief pitcher. He was injured for most of the 2012 season, and posted a 4.62 ERA in 62 1/3 relief innings in 2012.

Analysis: The upside if there, but Gutierrez has had a rough go of it so far. I actually like this claim by Epstein, because it is a low risk, decent reward move. If he figures himself out, he could be a good bullpen option for the Cubs as they look to rebuild their team.

Looking at the future of the Twins

Miguel Sano, #1 prospect in the organization, hit 28 homers in 2012

The Twins had a rough 2012 campaign, and many people are questioning whether they should full-out rebuild or re-tool for next year. Minnesota has many holes to fill in order to contend in 2013, but if they make a few big signings this off-season, I wouldn't be surprised if they made a run next year. In this article I'll be looking at the long-term future of the Twins and how they will shape up in the AL Central for years to come.

The Twins need a lot of help, and their rotation is a mess. It is honestly one of the worst I've seen in a long time, and GM Terry Ryan has stated that upgrading it will be his main concern this off-season. The rotation is led by Scott Diamond, who actually had a pretty good 2012 season. However he is a ground ball pitcher and I do not see him as an ace. The rest of the rotation consists of Samuel Deduno, Esmerling Vasquez, and P.J. Walters. Those three pitchers are horrible and should not have a job next season. An interesting name to talk about is Liam Hendricks, who has been given several opportunities to prove himself at the major league level. Hendricks put up nice numbers in the minor leagues but struggled in 2012 posting a 5.59 ERA in 16 starts. He is also not a strikeout pitcher, so if he does figure himself out he will probably be a #4 or #5 pitcher at best. Finally there is Carl Pavano, who is as good as gone once he hits free agency when the World Series is over. Now, lets look on the bright side, the Twins have SOME pitching prospects. #7 prospect in the organization Adrian Salcedo had a rough 2012 year, but has nice upside and is still young. Minnesota also has a few other pitching prospects that could be a few years away from making an impact at the major league level, such as Jose Berrios, Hudson Boyd, B.J. Hermsen, Madison Boer, Kyle Gibson, Matthew Summers, and Alex Wimmers. Unfortunately for the Twins, most of those players had rough 2012 seasons, so it looks like Minnesota will have to spend big on the free agent market if they want to compete again.


At the moment, the offense isn't really that bad. One problem with Minnesota has always been keeping their top players like Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau and Denard Span healthy. If they are all in the lineup, they are a force to be reckoned with. A few years ago, if you asked me if the Twins would be willing to trade Joe Mauer and rebuild, I would have thought you were crazy because first of all they had just signed him to a mega deal worth over $150 million and he was going to be a cornerstone player for them. However, after a strong 2012 season his value is very high and the catching market is weak, meaning that a team would be willing to overpay for Mauer. I personally don't think that they should trade Mauer, unless they are getting some sort of amazing pitching prospect in return. At DH there is Ryan Doumit, who actually recently signed an extension with the club. Minnesota clearly likes what Doumit brings to the table, and if Mauer were to get traded this winter, Doumit would probably slide in and take his spot as the everyday catcher. Justin Morneau was/is also a trade candidate. I honestly thought that the Twins were going to trade him this summer when his value was high, but they stuck with him and he will probably stay with the Twins for the foreseeable future. However, I am very high on prospect Chris Parmelee and I hope that he gets a shot at the everyday first base gig. At second base Jamey Carroll is clearly not the long-term answer. Alexi Casilla has been decent during his brief tenure with the Twins, but will probably get non-tendered this off-season. This is when Minnesota could either sign a free agent or rely on a home-grown player to slide in and fill this spot. The Twins are very high on top prospect Eddie Rosario, and his stats look very impressive. I figure that he is at least two years away from being ready for the big leagues, but I wouldn't be surprised if he turns out to be a star. At shortstop we have Pedro Florimon, who is, in my opinion, a bench player at best despite his young age (25.) He really can't hit, and his defense is about average. I am really intrigued by Brian Dozier though. Dozier really didn't hit well during his stint with the Twins in 2012, but is slightly above average when it comes to defense, and I think that the organization wants to see more of him. Unfortunately for the Twins, they really don't have any big shortstop prospects. Niko Goodrum is a somewhat coveted shortstop in the organization, but struggled in 2012 and is years away from making a serious impact. At shortstop there is Trevor Plouffe, who before this season started I would have said that he was a bust. However he put together a solid 2012 season, hitting 24 homers in 119 games. He really started to live up to the hype, and I'm excited to see what he can do with a full season under his belt. If he ends up being a flop again, the Twins could give prospect Travis Harrison a shot. Harrison, a former first round pick, has only one season of minor league ball under his belt so he has a long way to go before reaching the big leagues. Now, on positive note, the Twins' outfield situation is looking very strong for the next few years. I have a feeling that they are going to keep Josh Willingham, especially because he is under contract for the next two years. Willingham is an underrated slugger who can complement Mauer and Morneau in the lineup. Next is Denard Span, who I believe will ultimately be traded this winter. That way they can slide Ben Revere to center field where his natural position is and put #1 prospect Miguel Sano in right field. Sano has very nice upside and will probably develop into a solid player. Luckily for Minnesota if he doesn't work out they will have plenty of other options, most notably Byron Buxton (2012 first round pick), Aaron Hicks, Oswaldo Arcia, Joe Benson, Angel Morales, and Max Kepler.

The bullpen also needs to be addressed this off-season. The Matt Capps experiment has epic-ally failed, considering that the man cannot stay healthy. I like Glen Perkins' stuff, but I don't think that a left handed closer is a good idea. I really like Jared Burton and his arsenal of pitches, and after a strong 2012 campaign I believe that he is ready for a bigger role on the team. There will be a lot of names out there for Terry Ryan to sign this winter, but finding a long-term closer will definitely be a tough task.

Overall, the Twins are currently in pretty bad shape. As I mentioned earlier their rotation is horrific, and it is not getting better any soon. Their prospects are years away from being ready for the show, so if they want to have a good 2013 campaign, perhaps they should consider signing free agents along the lines of Anibal Sanchez, Edwin Jackson, or Chris Young. As for the offense, its future will pretty much be hindered by whether Ryan decides to ship Mauer, Morneau or Span out of town this winter. The outfield is looking very good for the year's to come, but perhaps trading one of those stud outfield prospects would make sense in order to acquire some pitching. And finally the bullpen is going to need some work as well. They need to decide whether they are going to stick with Perkins as their closer, and also need to sign some low risk options to see if they pan out. I don't expect Minnesota to have a fire sale this winter, and they shouldn't, but expect to see them making some moves, because having another 90+ loss season in 2013 while being not sure where the future is heading would definitely not be good.

Terry Ryan named permanent Twins GM

The Twins announced that they have removed the interim label off of Terry Ryan's job title, therefore making him the permanent general manager. Ryan has served as the teams interim GM for the last 11 months.

Ever since Ryan returned to the GM role in 2007, he has signed Jamey Carroll, Ryan Doumit, Matt Capps and Josh Willingham to major league deals.

Analysis: Ryan seems like a well-respected general manager in the game and I'm glad that he is getting some more job security. Most of his signings have worked out so far, and he will definitely have a busy off-season because the Twins have a lot of issues, specifically in the rotation.

Twins release Nishioka

The Twins have unconditionally released infielder Tsuyoshi Nishioka at his request. He was under contract through 2013, but he will relieve the Twins of the remaining $3.25 million on his contract.

"I take full responsibility for my performance which was below my expectations," Nishioka said. "At this time, I have made the decision that it is time to part ways. I have no regrets and know that only through struggle can a person grow stronger."

Nishioka signed a three year, $9 million deal with Minnesota following the 2011 season, and the Twins are no longer responsible for the remaining $3 million of his salary or the 250K buyout on his 2014 contract option.

Nishioka appeared in 68 games for the Twins in 2011, and missed most of the season due to a broken leg that he suffered early on in the season. He has spent most of the 2012 season in Triple-A, where he has hit .258 in 431 plate appearances.

Analysis: This is sort of an odd move from Nishioka's standpoint. The last time a player passed up on guaranteed money was Gil Meche with the Royals a few years ago. I guess the Twins' fans will feel better about him now, but Nishioka simply did not live up to expectations in America. Just another Japanese bust I suppose.

Revisiting the Johan Santana trade of 2008

More than four years ago, the Mets pulled off a big trade to acquire a big name starting pitcher, and that pitcher was Johan Santana. The move surprised many of us, because we didn't realize that Santana was even on the market. Many of us believed that he had a future in Minnesota, and should have stayed there. The Johan Santana trade has actually affected both sides drastically, and the prospects that the Twins received at the time looked very good. Now, fast foward to 2012, Here's a breakdown of the trade: (2012 stats)

Mets get:

Johan Santana- (recently shut-down for remainder of the season)- 4.85 ERA, 21 starts, 117.0 innings, 8.5 K/9.

Twins get:

Carlos Gomez- (playing for the Brewers)-  .257 batting average, 16 homers, 44 RBI, 30 stolen bases, 110 games, .303 on-base percentage.

Phil Humber- (playing for the White Sox)- 5.81 ERA, 24 appearances, 16 starts, 100.2 innings, 4 strikeouts, threw a perfect game earlier in the season.

Deolis Guerra- (Triple-A stats)- 4.87 ERA, 29 appearances, 8.8 K/9 , 57.1 innings.

Kevin Mulvey- (Double-A stats w/ Mets, retired earlier in the season at age 27)- 5.59 ERA, 13 appearances, 19.1 innings.

As you can see, the trade hasn't really benefited both sides, especially the Twins. I'm not just saying that because I may have a little east coast (Mets) bias in me. Santana has been very injury prone since joining the Mets, but, with the exception to this year, he has been effective when healthy. Keep in mind that the Mets signed Santana to a mega-contract after the 2008 season, so that is ultimately why he is still in Flushing through 2013. As for the Twins, the trade has been a mess. The Gomez and Humber experiments didn't work out, and the two of them, especially Gomez, are seeing regular playing time now with opposing teams. Gomez is a good ballplayer, but occasionally strikes out too often, therefore putting up a poor on-base percentage. Humber is nothing more than a #4 pitcher, even though many thought that he was finally coming into his own as he tossed that perfect game earlier in the season. Guerra, a former top prospect with the Mets, hasn't been able to figure it out in the Twins' organization. He is still 23 years old, so he has some time to develop, but it seems like he has been in the minors for a long long time and may want to consider a different job soon. Mulvey bounced around with a few teams before he returned to the Mets this Spring. He pitched poorly in Double-A, and retired. 

Honestly, it's actually tough to truly say who won this trade. Santana was great with the Mets in 2008, but his contract is a head-scratcher right now and will limit New York's payroll flexibility for next season. The prospects, as you can clearly see, haven't worked out for the Twins but the Twins did in fact get SOMETHING for him. I'm going to say that the Mets won the trade, but that is debatable. 

 

Jeff Gray outrighted to Triple-A

The Twins announced that pitcher Jeff Gray has cleared waivers and will be outrighted to Triple-A.   The move creates space for Chris Parmelee, who has been recalled from Triple-A.

Gray posted a 5.71 ERA in 52 relief innings with Minnesota this year.

Analysis: Gray isn't very good so this isn't surprising. However, I'm excited to see what Parmelee can do at the big league level. I know that he's had a few cups of coffee with Minnesota over the last two years, but it is time for him to live up to his hype and become Justin Morneau's successor over at first base.

Is Plouffe really part of the future in Minnesota?

Trevor Plouffe has had a minor breakout season in 2012, and GM Terry Ryan feels like now is the time for Plouffe to establish himself as the team’s long-term answer at third base. Ryan says that Plouffe has the “rest of the year” to prove that he can be a reliable option at third base.

I know Plouffe has had a nice season with the Twins, but I’m not sure whether he’ll be part of the future in Minnesota. Right now, at age 26, he is hitting .241 with 19 homers and 41 RBI in 344 plate appearances. Many people just look at his home runs and think, Wow, this guy must be good. In reality, the .241 batting average is awful and 41 RBI in 88 games is OKAY. He also has a .308 on-base percentage, which isn’t good at all. Now, I realize that Plouffe has high upside since he was drafted in the first round of the 2004 draft, but if he doesn’t get that average up, I can see him being packaged in a trade that will bring a starting pitcher to Minnesota. He is 26, so he hasn’t hit his prime yet, and I suppose that he has the capability of hitting 25+ homers in a season, but the Twins should be rebuilding from scratch and in my opinion, Plouffe will be out of his prime by the Twins are a dominant team once again.

Overall, Plouffe is a talented player, but hasn’t really been able to put it all together throughout his brief MLB career. His 2012 season has gotten a lot of people in Minnesota excited that he could finally break out and become the star. In my opinion, I can see Plouffe hitting a fairly decent amount of home runs next season, but don’t expect that average to get over .250-.260. I know many Twins will disagree with this, but I think that they should have kept Danny Valencia. As you may recall, Valencia was shipped to Boston in early August.

Diamond suspended 6 games

Twins starter Scott Diamond has been suspended for 6 games following an incident on Friday with Josh Hamilton. Diamond threw near the head of Rangers slugger Josh Hamilton.

Blackburn, Nishioka outrighted to Triple-A

The Twins announced that pitcher Nick Blackburn and infielder Tsuyoshi Nishioka have cleared waivers and have been taken off the 40-man roster. Blackburn has been outrighted to Triple-A and Nishioka joined the Triple-A team earlier in the season, and will remain with them.

Blackburn has a 7.39 ERA with 3.8 K/9 in 98 2/3 innings for Minnesota this season, and is under contract through next season at the price of $5.5 million. He signed a four-year, $14 million contract extension after the 2009 season.

Nishioka has spent most of the season in Triple-A, where he has hit .252 in 380 plate appearances. He is under contract through the 2013 season. The Twins have options for both Blackburn and Nishioka for  the 2014 season, but is unlikely that they will pick them up.

Analysis: It's nice to finally see Minnesota making some moves here. I've never really been a big fan of Blackburn and I always questioned why Minnesota kept him in the starting rotation despite his struggles. He isn't much of a strikeout pitcher, and gives up way to many hits, posting a 13.0 H/9 on the season. As for Nishioka, he has been a huge disappointment ever since coming over from Japan a few years ago. Now that he is off the 40-man roster, maybe Minnesota will actually bring up an infielder that they can keep long-term.

Tosoni outrighted to Triple-A

The Twins have outrighted outfielder Rene Tosoni to Triple-A. Tosoni has hit .218 in 293 plate appearances in the minor leagues this season.

Twins release Eric Hurley

The Twins have released pitcher Eric Hurley. Hurley elected free agency from the Angels last month, and inked a deal with the Twins shortly after that. He is a former first round pick, and hasn't appeared in the big leagues since a brief stint with the Rangers in 2008.

White Sox acquire Francisco Liriano

The White Sox have acquired pitcher Francisco Liriano from the Twins in exchange for infielder Eduardo Escobar and pitcher Pedro Hernandez.

Liriano's name has been mentioned as a trade candidate for a few years now. He is eligible for free agency after this year, and is owned about $2.1 million for the rest of this season. Injuries and awful inconsistency has plagued Liriano's career. This year he has posted a 5.31 ERA in 100 innings pitched for Minnesota.

Chicago is getting themselves one of the premier strikeout pitchers in the game. Liriano's pitches are always filthy, and he owns a 9.8 K/9 this year. Unfortunately, he has had trouble with his control, as walks have always been an issue. He will now join a White Sox rotation that figures to include Chris Sale and Jose Quintana, which means that Chicago will have three lefties in their starting rotation.

Escobar has hit .202 in 99 plate appearances this year. He has been used as a utility player in the past, playing second, third, shortstop, and left field. He has a career .270 batting average in the minors, and Baseball America ranked him as the Chicago's tenth best prospect prior to this season.

Hernandez struggled in his first MLB start earlier this year, allowing eight runs in four innings. He played very well in the minors this season, posting a 2.94 ERA in 85 2/3 innings at the Double-A and Triple-A levels.

Both Hernandez and Escobar have been assigned to Minnesota's Triple-A affiliate, the team announced.

Analysis: This a decent, low risk trade by Kenny Williams (White Sox GM.) I've never been much of a Liriano supporter but maybe he just needs a change of scenery. Hopefully he gets his crap together with Chicago. As for Escobar, I don't know where he will play for Minnesota. I see him as either a shortstop or third baseman, but I seriously doubt the Twins will use him at shortstop. I'm sure they'll want to give young shortstop Brian Dozier a look at the position before Escobar. Hernandez looks like a good prospect, however. I'm not alarmed by his poor start earlier this year. His minor league numbers are solid and he is still young (23 years old.) The Twins have been looking to add young arms and they got one in Hernandez.