Search the Community

The annual MLB Winter Meetings kick off in San Diego on Monday, launching what should be a very active week for signings and trades around the league. By all accounts, Terry Ryan has one clear focus heading into this important offseason stretch: pitching.As discussed on Friday, the Twins have no fewer than seven starters in the mix who arguably deserve a shot, creating an interesting dynamic as they seek to address the club's most problematic unit. La Velle E. Neal III reports that the team has interest in bringing back Francisco Liriano, who is returning to free agency after an excellent two-year run in Pittsburgh. That's a reunion I could get behind, in principle. He's a strikeout machine, something that this absurdly contact-heavy rotation could sorely use. He's always got that front-end potential and has displayed it frequently over these last couple of seasons. But even as a huge Liriano backer, I'd be a little squeamish about giving up a second-round draft pick in addition to guaranteeing him big money on a multi-year deal. The Twins are as familiar as anyone with the lefty's talent, but they're also all too familiar with what happens when he goes off the rails. Are they really willing to take that plunge one year after getting burned on the Ricky Nolasco signing? I just can't see it. But I'm a lot more intrigued by another pitcher who is represented by the same agency. According to Neal, the Twins are meeting with Brett Anderson's agent on Monday. To me, he's the most perfect fit on the market. He won't require a long commitment, and he's got huge ability. Plus, he's only 26, so if he can turn a corner with his health, maybe they can find a way to work him into the long-term plans. Meanwhile, Charley Walters wrote in the Pioneer Press that the Twins are interested in Justin Masterson, and that they'll make their push for him this week. Walters suggests that the team sees Masterson -- who's coming off a rough season -- in the same light they did Phil Hughes a year ago. That's a parallel that's been drawn here before, as well. Masterson makes a lot of sense as a target. He'll probably only require a one-year deal, and he's more reliable to deliver innings than someone like Anderson. His peripherals hint that fast improvement is in store after an ugly 2014 campaign. But on that note, it's a little hard to sell a guy who posted a 5.88 ERA last year as a shiny rotation upgrade, and signing Masterson would likely push the Twins' payroll close to $100 million. For what it's worth, Darren Wolfson tweeted this weekend that "every sign has Masterson landing elsewhere," adding that the Twins have no meetings set up with him at the Winter Meetings. Stay tuned this week and we'll keep you apprised on any developments relating to these story lines, as well as any others that emerge. Click here to view the article

The offseason is underway, and although we've already seen a couple notable signings, most analysts are expecting the free agent market to develop slowly this year. Still, with the door now open, conversations are beginning to take place as we build toward the MLB Winter Meetings, which are three weeks away. Let's take a look at the early Twins-related rumblings.* Unsurprisingly, the Twins were listed by Ken Rosenthal as one team that has shown preliminary interest in Torii Hunter. The past history, and Minnesota's need for a corner outfielder who can help mentor the youngsters, make it easy to see why they would pursue him. Hunter has stated publicly that he plans to play in 2015, even though he'll be turning 40 in July. Tigers GM Dave Dombrowsky declared that he "probably won't re-sign Torii," so the veteran will almost certainly be playing elsewhere next year. But considering that he's near the end of his career, Hunter is likely to latch on with a team that has a better shot at contending than the Twins. That's probably just as well, since this club needs defensive help in the outfield and at this point Hunter doesn't really provide that. * Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN reported over the weekend that the Twins have inquired about Justin Masterson. Although he's coming off a rough season, Masterson is only 29 and was excellent in 2011 and 2013. He was the starter we suggested signing in our blueprint for the Offseason Handbook, and was the top name on a list of buy-low starter candidates published here last week. Needless to say, I'm glad to hear that Ryan and the Twins are at least moving quickly to get on his radar. Whether or not they sign him, Masterson fits the profile that Minnesota should be targeting: a youngish guy who won't require a long commitment and offers a realistic chance of being more than a fourth or fifth starter. * Wolfson also put out Alex Rios as a name worth watching with the Twins seeking a right-handed bat for the outfield. Rios is preferable to Hunter, as he's much younger and offers more in the speed and defense departments. As a righty with pull power, Rios seems like a nice fit for Target Field and for the Twins. But his production has been inconsistent and he's almost 34, so it'd be tough to justify a multi-year deal, especially for a risk-averse GM like Ryan. Who's to say Rios will be a better option a year from now than someone like Eddie Rosario, or Aaron Hicks, or even Trevor Plouffe? Ultimately, the length of Rios' desired deal could be a stumbling block. Click here to view the article

By now you are aware that the Minnesota Twins have some level of interest in free agent pitcher Justin Masterson. The big-bodied Masterson is an ideal rebound candidate -- he is only 30 years old, he has big ground ball numbers, solid strikeout rates, averaged 199 innings per season from 2010 to 2013 while working 6.2 innings per start, big BABIP numbers are primed for regression and so on. You know, all the stuff that made Phil Hughes so amazing. On the other hand, because of his delivery and repertoire, he has never fared well against left-handed opponents and he had some shoulder ailments at the end of the 2014 season. The Twins front office will tell you that they are doing due diligence on all the available options, not just Masterson. Beyond the reasons above, here is a more in-depth look at what to expect from him in 2015.Masterson Is Just Another Nick Blackburn, Right? Twins fans probably think of the last few seasons of Nick Blackburn when they think of sinkerball pitchers. Or Carlos Silva. Or, more current, Kyle Gibson. That is not Justin Masterson. Masterson’s sinker is a sight to behold. When looking at the raw Pitch F/X numbers which tells you how much it moved vertically, you will find that he is in rarified company. Of all pitchers who amassed 20 starts in 2014, only Masterson’s sinker fell in the negative numbers in terms of inches dropped at -0.4. This is a number reserved for the submarining sidearmer relievers. On average, the league’s sinkerballers held a 4.3-inch vertical change. That seems impressive, right? For those of you who glazed over when all those meaningless numbers made an appearance: In layman’s terms, Masterson’s sinker shares similar downward movement usually reserved for curveballs only with fastball velocity. Still not convinced? Look at this example from Grantland posted earlier this year: http://giant.gfycat.com/AnimatedInsecureAustralianshelduck.gif What creates this action is both the grip and the delivery that differ from your standard sinkerball pitcher. Whereas most sinker pitchers use a two-seam fastball grip with a three-quarter arm slot delivery which generates more run than sink, Masterson’s grip is slightly different. “It’s nothing too extreme,” Masterson told MLB Network’s analyst and former pitcher Dan Plesac on the 30-for-30 program a few spring trainings ago. “I hold it on the ends [of my fingers] and kinda got my thumb on the side.” What it looks like is a modified version of the two-seamer only with added pressure on the sides from his thumb. Download attachment: Masterson_Grip.png The next factor related to the movement is the release. Compared to someone like Gibson (whose sinker has a career 5.9-inch vertical change), Masterson’s fingers are almost underneath the pitch at the release point -- not behind the ball and driving it towards the plate like Gibson: Download attachment: Masterson-Gibson-Release.png With this grip and release enhanced by the arm slot of a sidewinding slinger, it is easy to see why since 2009 Masterson has a 59% ground ball rate, a 7.8% swinging strike rate (compared to the league-average of 5.5% on the pitch), and a 43.6% in-play rate (the best among sinkerballers in that time). OK. Sure, yeah. But Masterson Was Terrible In 2014. Explain That, Nerd. Yes. Very much so. With a lower velocity and a greater amount of measurable movement in his sinker, hitters were not fooled by Masterson’s favorite pitch in 2014. “Sometimes you get a huge break [on the sinker] but it’s early and hitters can see that,” he said on MLB Network. “But sometimes it tightens up but it's that lateness and that’s what you really want to see.” Masterson’s sinker -- which had long been susceptible to left-handed bats -- was being splattered by right-handed ones as well. Heading into 2014, opponents had posted a line of .279/.357/.388 with a 59% ground ball rate while averaging a velocity of 91.7 but he was able to hump it up into the upper-90s over the five previous seasons. This last year his sinker was pounded to the tune of .333/.442/.525 but with an improved 64% ground ball rate as his velocity dipped to 88.7 and he was barely able to crest 94 at maximum speed. His command of the pitch disappeared. He was walking more with his sinker than he was striking out. In order to locate it better, Indians pitching coach Mickey Callaway said he tried to ease off the gas. "The problem," Callaway said told reporters in early April, "is what he was doing mechanically, and then trying to ease up and throw strikes with his two seamer, it kind of compounded everything and made it worse. He probably should've taken the other route, drive some four-seamers in there, something that doesn't move and work off that.” But later in April, following a few more starts, it became apparent that the velocity on the four-seamer that Callaway really wanted Masterson to mix in never arrived. In 2013, he threw 235 pitches 95 miles an hour or above. In 2014, he reached that plateau just once. “He can’t find that four-seam velocity that he had last year,” Callaway told the media at the end of that month. “I wouldn’t say he’s reinventing himself, he’s just playing the cards that he’s been dealt." As the season wore on, Masterson copped to an injury to his right knee that sidelined him for the bulk of June. Masterson later told people that the knee injury had affected his mechanics to the point of reducing his velocity and command. So What. When the Twins requested Masterson’s medical records, as sources claim, the primary focus could be on the health of his right knee. Following the season with the Cardinals, St. Louis’ general manager John Mozeliak said that Masterson told the team that he regretted not speaking out earlier about his ailments. Masterson’s knee injuries created issues with his mechanics, something the entire state of Missouri attempted to pinpoint on video. As Masterson told the Post-Dispatch there were various recommendations from all sources: he needed to refine his balance point, he needed to drive instead of drop, he needed to stay tall, he needed to keep his front knee closed and so on. All of these suggestions could conceivably help with his sinker command, but only one is aimed at regaining his velocity -- driving off that back leg. Consider these examples which are indicative of the larger collection of video on Masterson. In 2012 when facing the Detroit Tigers, Masterson demonstrates a great amount of exertion and torque off of his back leg when driving towards home plate. This helps generate the high 90s velocity: http://i.imgur.com/B8Fy1RT.gif Meanwhile while in his first start with St. Louis, Masterson merely falls forward off of his back leg. There is little drive or engagement from his back leg. http://i.imgur.com/ZG7A3tx.gif An MRI in September revealed impingement in his right shoulder, which was given a cortisone shot. This could be related to the mechanical flaw seen in the last video. Certainly this type of delivery would place added stress on his arm and shoulder. The question is, to what extent? Wrap This Up Please. We know what Masterson can be. He can be a quality starter who provides 200-ish innings with elite worm-burning skills and that could translate to approximately two wins above replacement (as he was in each season between 2010 and 2013). All of which is possible if he can curb the walks and regain his velocity. That appears contingent on his injuries. If it is just the knee -- and that heals this offseason -- there is no reason to think he cannot rebound to where he was prior to 2014. After all, he will be just 30 years old in 2015. On the other hand, if trying to pitch through a knee injury exacerbated his arm problems beyond what is known, there may be struggles ahead. Still, medical records should shed light on that and provide confidence one way or the other. After turning down a large multi-year contract from the Indians, reportedly seeking $17M per year, Masterson figures to be aiming for a make-good contract. Unless his medical records say otherwise, he should be able to make-good. Click here to view the article

The Twins Daily Offseason Handbook was released a few weeks ago and still available. We always encourage readers to develop their own blueprint for the Twins offseason. Today, Cody Christie shares his blueprint with us. We set up a special forum for Twins Daily readers to post their own blueprints here.There are plenty of ways to go about trying to fix the Twins team but some patience might be required as the club waits for some younger pieces to work their way through the minor leagues. The Twins Daily crew put out some solid information in the 2015 Offseason Handbook. One of the best parts to read about this document is the blueprint plans put together by the writers. There are plenty of options for the Twins but here is how I would go about trying to fix the team. Some of these ideas will happen and some won't but that's what makes this fun. Starting Line-Up C- Kurt Suzuki- $6 million 1B- Joe Mauer- $23 million 2B- Brian Dozier- $1 million 3B- Trevor Plouffe- $5 million SS- Danny Santana- $0.5 million LF- Colby Rasmus- $12 million CF- Aaron Hicks- $0.5 million RF- Oswaldo Arcia- $0.5 million DH- Kennys Vargas- $0.5 million ------------------------------------------------- $49.0 million committed to nine hitters Breakdown: Colby Rasmus is the only free agent acquisition that I have the Twins adding this off-season. He's young at only 28-years-old and he could regain some value by signing a one-year, $12 million deal. This would set him up to hit the free agent market again before his age 29 season. The Twins could use him in a corner outfield spot and have him be a center field fill-in. Aaron Hicks earns the Opening Day starting job for the third straight season. Hopefully Paul Molitor can get Hicks back on the right track to being an everyday player in Minnesota. If things go right, Miguel Sano could be up by the middle of the season but this could be a line-up that scores a decent number of runs after finishing fifth in the AL in runs scored a year ago. Bench C- Josmil Pinto- $0.5 million IF- Eduardo Escobar- $2.0 million 1B/OF- Chris Colabello- $0.5 million OF-Jordan Schafer- $1.5 million ------------------------------------------------- $4.5 million committed to four bench positions Breakdown: Eduardo Escobar proved to be a very valuable asset but I believe his long-term role with the club will be as more of a utility infielder. Jordan Schafer will complement the other outfielders nicely. Josmil Pinto will get some opportunities to catch especially with how much Kurt Suzuki got beat-up last season. Chris Colabello will get one more opportunity to stick on the big league roster but he will be one of the last men to make the 25-man squad. Starting Pitching 1. Phil Hughes- $8 million 2. Ricky Nolasco- $12 million 3. Kyle Gibson- $0.5 million 4. Alex Meyer- $0.5 million 5. Justin Masterson- $10 million ------------------------------------------------- $31.0 million committed to starting rotation Breakdown: The top three spots in the rotation are likely locked in place. This leaves the fourth and fifth spots in the rotation up for grabs. I think the Twins will actually go with Trevor May in the number four spot but I would much rather throw Alex Meyer out there every fifth day. This would also give May the opportunity to pitch out of the bullpen which I think will be his eventual resting spot. Minnesota is going to spend some money on a free agent starter and I think Justin Masterson is the right guy. He's coming off a tough year but he could bounce back nicely in the friendly confines of Target Field. Fingers are crossed that he could be this year's version of Phil Hughes and a one-year, $10 million contract is easy enough to swallow for a team with some wiggle room. Bullpen Righties: Casey Fien, Michael Tonkin, Trevor May, Mike Pelfrey- $8 million Lefties: Caleb Thielbar, Tommy Milone- $4 million Closer: Glen Perkins- $4 million ------------------------------------------------- $16 million committed to seven relievers Breakdown: This is quite a conglomeration of players. I hate having Mike Pelfrey on this team coming out of spring training but the Twins are going to eat his salary at the beginning of the year even if that's what I would do. As I said in the starting pitcher section, May gets moved to the bullpen where he can continue to develop and the Twins can use him in a variety of roles. I don't think the Twins are ready to let Tommy Milone loose after acquiring him at the end of last season. He will get arbitration as a Super 2 player and his salary will be around $3.5 million. Two names you will likely see gone from this list are Brian Duensing and Anthony Swarzak. Duensing is getting too expensive for what his role is and Swarzak gets pushed out by the likes of Milone and Pelfrey. Minnesota Twins 2015 Checkbook Starting Line-Up: $49.0 million Bench Players: $4.5 million Starting Pitching: $31.0 million Bullpen: $16 million ------------------------------------------------- $100.5 million committed to Opening Day 25-man roster What are your thoughts on this roster? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. For more from Cody Christie make sure to follow him on Twitter @NoDakTwinsFan and to read his other work at http://www.NoDakTwinsFan.com Click here to view the article