Article: Slow Going At The Winter Meetings

[Nick Nelson]

The Hot Stove is piping hot! Have you caught the fever?

 

With names like Logan Ondrusek, John Axford, Dustin McGowan and Alexi Ogando floating around as early targets, it's pretty hard to avoid getting swept up in the excitement.

 

OK. Pardon the sarcasm. But indeed, the Winter Meetings haven't yielded many Twins-related rumors worth buzzing about.Francisco Liriano, who had oddly been painted as a player of interest to Minnesota in recent days, came off the market Tuesday when he signed a three-year, $39 million deal to stay in Pittsburgh.

 

Regardless of how much weight those faint rumors held, Liriano was the most high-profile pitcher that has been meaningfully linked to the Twins.

 

Mike Berardino of the Pioneer Press has been trying to play up the Ervin Santana angle, noting Terry Ryan's willingness to forfeit a draft pick and quoting a source that said Santana "loves pitching in the cold." La Velle confirms that the Twins are "in on Santana," adding that they've been in contact with his agent. But I can't see the Twins making a serious play there, largely for the same reasons I didn't buy the Liriano steam.

 

As it stands, the confirmed connections we're getting are to names like Ondrusek, Axford, McGowan and Ogando. All players that will likely end up with minor-league deals. Yeesh. I had a feeling this would be a fairly quiet offseason for the Twins, but it's still a little tough to see them being so passive while the White Sox -- who finished alongside them at the bottom of the AL Central this year -- have been so incredibly aggressive.

 

It sounds like Ryan is at least kicking the tires on some trade options, as Jon Morosi mentioned that they have spoken with the Mets about Dillon Gee. Ultimately, if a big move takes place this week involving the Twins it will probably be a trade; I suspect they've already made their biggest free agent splash of the offseason.

 

And if Ryan is looking to make a trade, I'd have to imagine Josmil Pinto's name is being dangled heavily. He's big-league ready, but there's just no path to regular playing time for him here.

 

What do you think? Will the Twins make a trade this week? Will they surprise us and snag a major free agent? Share your thoughts on Day 3 of the Winter Meetings here.

 

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[NotTorii]

Worst headline of the past week:  "(Terry) Ryan staying put".!

[Brandon]

I also saw the Angels were asking about Escobar and talking about a reliever Pestano.

 

More disappointingly Neshek signed with the Astros.  And Volquez is looking for reasonable money so he may come back up. 

[SarasotaBill]

Relievers are getting re$pect.

 

Perkins contract is looking better and better for the Twins.

 

Also, the bounty of high velocity relievers in the Twins minor looks even better value.

[amjgt]

You know what they say, slow and steady win the top 5 pick.....

 

Not counting losing a tie breaker and having a team not be able to sign a player from the previous draft so they get magically vaulted ahead of you.

[brvama]

Staying put is better than many of the names being floated. If a player doesn't bridge a short term gap or can improve the team longer term than stand pat.

[Rosterman]

The middle reliever dollars are hefty this year. Good money for throwing 60 innings or so.

 

In the past, it always seemed, the Twins made just enough moves to stay competitive in their division and within reach of a post-season run, as many things can happen to a team, no matter how strong they look on paper.But right now, the Twins look so far out of the hunt that I feel sorry for Molitor who is put in a wait and see what the prospects can do and learn in their first half-year on the job and why did we spend money on Hunter if we truly aren't going anywheres.

 

Of course, we spent money on Hunter because us Twins fans do want the front office to spend money rather than keep it. And no matter how much we talk amongst ourselves, the greater smokescreen of major league baseball is how the fans who put their butts in the seat on a whim and a prayer react to things like a Hunter signing coupled with how our starting staff is stronger than it looked last year and we expect to have breakout seasons from numerous players, and Joe Mauer will be the Joe Mauer of old. That will fill the stands for the first 30-35 games or so at home.

 

But at some point, the Twins will have to open their wallets bigtime, or become another Oakland. I'm still amazed at how Billy Beane plays the game.

 

Yes, why are the Twins kicking tires on a #4 or #5 starter when they have a batch of them in waiting...May, Meyer could move up and go beyond that with a little major league experience, Pelfrey and Milone fill those spots adequately, Yohan Pino and Logan Darnell could play those roles. We can salivate on the prospect of Stewart and Berrios in the wings, and maybe the return of Alex Wimmers. But, man, $27 million a year for starting pitching? Kudos to Neshek for his monster salary, too.

 

It will be interesting to see how the off-season continues to settle, although - pinch me - why did the Twins tender arbitration to Nunez, Duensing and the ilk again? As I shuffle 25-man rosters in my mind, I can see them breaking campy with NONE of those bodies in tow.

[dxpavelka]

Staying put is better than many of the names being floated. If a player doesn't bridge a short term gap or can improve the team longer term than stand pat.

Sometimes the best moves are the ones you don't make.

[minnesota transplant]

Agree with the above and I am in the camp of standing pat.  Why sign a tail end starter when we have plenty?  Lets concentrate on the kids, afterall they are our future!

[nicksaviking]

During losing seasons, two of the four most anticipated times of the year are the Winter Meetings and the trade deadline.  It's funny that this would be so, as I always look forward to them only spend my work day trying to control the urge to type in all caps out of sheer frustration.

[amjgt]

I'm fine with standing pat in free agency, but then you can't stand pat in the other 3-4 ways to improve your organization.

[SarasotaBill]

I would roll the dice on Brett Anderson and Kris Medlan.

 

I don't know the guarantee and incentives needed but I would require at least a team option for a second year.

[SwainZag]

I also saw the Angels were asking about Escobar and talking about a reliever Pestano.

 

More disappointingly Neshek signed with the Astros.  And Volquez is looking for reasonable money so he may come back up. 

 

As much I would have liked the Twins to sign Neshek, paying a reliever 6M+ really isn't something the Twins should be doing.  The only really upside would him being a trade chip come the trade deadline.

[KGB]

I hope the Twins hold off signing anyone now, no need to make another Nolasco signing.  Let the market play out for awhile and see if you can add bargins later.  Garza and Santana signed late last year.  If not go with the young players and make the a move in free agency next year.

[Brandon]

As much I would have liked the Twins to sign Neshek, paying a reliever 6M+ really isn't something the Twins should be doing.  The only really upside would him being a trade chip come the trade deadline.

I would agree to but for 2 years it not a lot.  He is a fan favorite from Minnesota so again why not.  If the salary is prohibitive from making other moves then yeah don't sign him but I can't shake this feeling the Twins are going to sign a Vogelsong or Kendrick.

[SwainZag]

Fine with the Twins not trading Eduardo Escobar to the Mets for Dillion Gee. The way things may shape up we will likely need Santana to play center field anyways with Buxton likely a year away and who knows what they will get from Hicks or Schaefer. Escobar proved that he could play at short stop all of last year anyways. The guy can hit a little bit, has a little pop, and he has good range and a great throwing arm, so keeping Escobar in the fold for the Twins would be ideal. Gee is a lot like those also ran guys that are free agents. I can live with the Twins playing Santana in Center field and Escobar at short that makes them defensively strong up the middle something you have to have to make your pitching staff better.

 

Right now the only Free agent starter beyond James Shield that is worth a squirt of something is

Ervin Santana anyways. The rest of the guys are all like people the Twins already have.

Santana would only cost a second round pick and the Twins were awarded a second one this year in the competitive balance draft so this year they have one to spare.

Ervin Santana has a better fastball than Edison Volozquez and he strikes out more people with better control. At age 32 there is still some good innings left and he has been steady 196 innings last year for the Braves, something the Twins desperately need behind Hughes, they need two more starters that can consistently give them 7 innings a game.

 

There is only a handful of starters across the league that give an average of 7 innings per game.  Even your Cy Young winner was short of that this year. Hughes only averaged 6.5 innings. 

[REPETE]

 

Fine with the Twins not trading Eduardo Escobar to the Mets for Dillion Gee. The way things may shape up we will likely need Santana to play center field anyways with Buxton likely a year away and who knows what they will get from Hicks or Schaefer.

 

I certainly hope Santana is our SS this year, & not bouncing around between the SS & CF. Find out if he's our SS, and plug other stiffs into CF for now. We brought in Torii to mentor, so stick Hicks back there, and see if he can get his act together until Buxton gets here!

 

AS for Pitchers, none of those names on the list outside of Ervin Santana do anything for me. We've done the Correia/Pelfrey/Ponson/Nolasco thing, and it hasn't worked. I'm hopeful Nolasco turns things around this year to be respectable (something like 12-10,4.1), so anyone not named Santana would just be someone we need to cut bait on come late June.

[JB_Iowa]

Slow Going At The Winter Meetings ...

 

 

GLACIAL!