The Casey Blake free agent sweepstakes is sounding like a two-horse race: Twins and Dodgers. “We’re certainly not that far apart with either club,” Blake’s agent, Jim McDowell, said Tuesday. The Twins view Blake, 35, as an upgrade at third base, and they value his versatility. He can play left field, right field, first base and even played some second base for the Dodgers in the playoffs. Blake, who has had two previous stints with the Twins, batted .274 with 21 home runs and 81 RBI this year with the Indians and Dodgers. — Star Tribune
Archive for the ‘Twins’ Category
Twins, Dodgers front runners for Casey Blake
Wednesday, December 3rd, 2008Twins hand Joe Nathan $47M, 4-year deal
Monday, March 24th, 2008Nathan and the Twins agreed to terms Monday on a $47 million, four-year contract, a deal that includes a 2012 club option on the 33-year-old closer. The Twins weren’t going to get rid of the two-time All-Star, not after deciding to deal Santana and watching Hunter and Silva depart as free agents during the offseason.
Nathan was slated to make $6 million in 2008, far less than several ace relievers around the majors. Mariano Rivera of the New York Yankees got a $45 million, three-year contract in November, and Francisco Cordero signed a $46 million, four-year deal with the Cincinnati Reds after becoming a free agent. With Francisco Rodriguez of the Los Angeles Angels eligible for free agency after this season, the price for closers could soar even higher.
Antony and Nathan’s agent, Dave Pepe, tore up the existing contract and worked out a new one. Nathan gets $11.25 million in each of the next four seasons, starting with 2008, and the Twins have a $12.5 million option for 2012 with a $2 million buyout.
The price of the option can rise to $14 million — going up by $500,000 each for 55 games finished in 2010, 55 games finished in 2011 and 110 games finished in 2010 and 2011 combined. Also, Nathan said the deal contains a limited no-trade clause.
Nathan’s 160 saves over four seasons as Minnesota’s closer are tied with Rivera for most in the AL. Nathan’s ERA since joining the Twins is 1.94. He has converted 90 percent of his 179 career save opportunities.
Twins pick up free-agent hurler Hernandez
Tuesday, February 12th, 2008After trading Johan Santana to the Mets and losing free agent right-hander Carlos Silva to the Mariners, the Twins have signed Livan Hernandez to a one-year contract in the range of $5 million to $6 million, according to major-league sources. The deal, expected to be announced Tuesday, will include performance-based incentives that will enable Hernandez to approximate his $7 million salary with the Diamondbacks last season.
The Twins evidently value Hernandez’s durability. Hernandez leads the majors in innings pitched since 2003, and has exceeded 200 innings in every season since 2000.
However, Hernandez has spent his entire 12-year career in the National League, and some scouts and executives believe he is ill-suited to pitch in the more offensively oriented AL.
Last season with the Diamondbacks, Hernandez allowed 34 home runs, the second-highest total in the NL. He finished 11-11 with a 4.93 ERA, then made two starts in the postseason, beating the Cubs in the Division Series but losing to the Rockies in the NLCS.
Hernandez is 134-128 lifetime with a 4.25 ERA. He also is a career .232 hitter, but will hit rarely — if ever — in the AL.
Twins lock up Morneau for 6 years, $80M
Friday, January 25th, 2008Minnesota has reached multi-year deals with former AL MVP Justin Morneau and outfielder Michael Cuddyer, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported Friday on its Web site. The deal with Morneau, which comes just a week after the two sides agreed to a one-year, $7.4 million contract, is for a reported six years and $80 million. If signed, it would represent both the longest contract in Twins history, as well as the richest, in terms of overall money, the newspaper reported.
Cuddyer gets a three-year, $23 million pact, with an option for a fourth year at $12 million, the newspaper reported, citing unnamed sources.
Morneau won the MVP award in 2006 after hitting .321 with 34 home runs and 130 RBIs. His numbers dipped in 2007, as he hit just .271 with 31 home runs and 111 RBIs.
Cuddyer batted .276 with 16 home runs and 81 RBIs last season.
Morneau gets new deal from Twins
Friday, January 18th, 2008Minnesota Twins first baseman Justin Morneau agreed Friday to a $7.4 million one-year contract, avoiding arbitration. The 2006 American League MVP received a nearly $3 million raise from the $4.5 million he made last year. Morneau is eligible for free agency after the 2010 season.
Morneau hit .271 with 31 home runs and 111 RBIs last year. His power numbers nearly matched his MVP season, but his average slipped significantly from the .321 he hit in 2006. He’s a career .276 hitter, with 110 home runs and 394 RBIs.
His deal leaves three Twins facing possible arbitration: right fielder Michael Cuddyer and right-handers Matt Guerrier and Juan Rincon.
Outfielder Jason Kubel reached a $1.3 million, one-year deal on Thursday.
Sources: Twins, Everett reach deal
Friday, December 14th, 2007One day after losing his job with the Houston Astros to Miguel Tejada, shortstop Adam Everett has agreed to a one-year, contract with the Minnesota Twins, according to major-league sources. The Astros declined to offer Everett a contract on Wednesday after acquiring Tejada from the Orioles for five players. The Twins have been seeking a shortstop since trading Jason Bartlett to the Tampa Bay Rays in the Delmon Young deal.
Everett, considered one of the best defensive shortstops in the majors, missed more than three months last season with a fractured fibula, returning for three games in late September. The Orioles did not want him included in their deal for Tejada.
The knock on Everett is his offense; he has a .248 career batting average, .299 on-base percentage and .357 slugging percentage in seven major-league seasons.
The Twins, however, value defense, and Everett likely will be a favorite to win a Gold Glove, an award he never won in the National League. In 2006, Everett had a .990 fielding percentage, the fourth best in history by a National League shortstop. He had 53 straight errorless games and finished the season with just seven errors.
Everett earned $2.8 million with the Astros last season. His salary with the Twins is expected to be at that level or slightly above.
Twins better act fast on Santana
Monday, December 3rd, 2007According to major-league sources, Santana has informed the Twins that he would not waive his no-trade clause during the season, ending any chance that he could be moved before the July 31 non-waiver deadline.
Players with no-trade protection occasionally adopt such positions when they are in the free-agent years, fearing that their performance could suffer if they change teams and/or leagues just months before hitting the open market.
The Twins have said privately that they will be content to keep Santana if they do not receive the right offer this off-season, then entertain the possibility of trading him in July. But Santana’s stance greatly increases the chances that the Twins will act quickly.
It is in Santana’s interest to be traded now because he will require a monster contract to approve a deal. It is expected that the contract would be at least six years and $120 million, and rather than enter the season with the risk of injury, he would prefer the deal to be struck as soon as possible.
If Santana refused to waive his no-trade clause after Opening Day, it would force the Twins to carry him the entire season — and settle for two high draft picks if and when he departed as a free agent.
Meanwhile, the winter meetings begin Monday, and the Yankees are threatening to pull their offer of pitcher Phil Hughes, outfielder Melky Cabrera and a third player if the Twins do not reach a decision early in the week, sources say.
The Red Sox also remain in the mix for Santana, offering a four-player package that includes pitcher Jon Lester or center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury along with shortstop Jed Lowrie. The Sox would include center fielder Coco Crisp if the Twins chose Lester.
Ellsbury, sources say, has been available to the Twins from the start of their discussions with the Red Sox, but not in a deal with Lester. The Sox have told the Twins they are willing to be creative if the Twins are that adamant that Ellsbury is included in the deal.
The sticking point with the Yankees is the identity of the third player. The Yankees want it to be a mid-level prospect, but the Twins have asked for players such as Class AAA shortstop Alberto Gonzalez and Class AA right-hander Alan Horne.
Yankees and Twins talking about Santana
Monday, November 26th, 2007The New York Yankees and Minnesota Twins have started trade talks involving Johan Santana. Yankees senior vice president Hank Steinbrenner said Monday that discussions are ongoing but it was too early to tell whether they would lead to a deal. He did not detail how far talks had progressed.
Santana is eligible for free agency after the 2008 season, and the Twins have been trying to sign the two-time AL Cy Young Award winner to an extension.
The New York Mets, Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers also are thought to be interested in Santana, who is far better than any of the starting pitchers available on the free-agent market.
Santana’s agent, Peter Greenberg, has not spoken publicly about his talks with the Twins, who last week lost free-agent center fielder Torii Hunter to the Los Angeles Angels.
Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said he has received repeated inquiries from teams about Phil Hughes, Joba Chamberlain and Ian Kennedy.
Santana has a no-trade provision in his contract, and a team acquiring him likely would want to discuss an extension. That means if the teams agreed to a trade, there probably would be a 72-hour window to work out a new contract.
Cubs ship Monroe to Minnesota
Tuesday, November 13th, 2007Outfielder Craig Monroe was acquired by the Minnesota Twins from the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday for a player to be named later. The 30-year-old hit .219 with 12 homers and 59 RBIs this year from the Tigers and the Cubs, who obtained him Aug. 23 after Detroit designated him for assignment.
Minnesota has been seeking outfield help, a need that may grow if free-agent center fielder Torii Hunter signs with another team.
Twins, righty Crain agree on three-year deal
Tuesday, February 27th, 2007The Twins agreed to terms Tuesday with right-handed reliever Jesse Crain on a three-year deal that will keep him in Minnesota through the 2009 season. The 25-year-old Crain went 4-5 with a 3.52 ERA in 68 appearances last season, finishing the year strong to help the Twins rally to their fourth AL Central title in five seasons. In his final 22 appearances, Crain was 2-0 with a 0.38 ERA and allowed just 14 hits.
In two-plus seasons with the Twins, Crain is 19-10 and has emerged as one of the team’s most reliable arms in the bullpen.