Twins Interested In Kawakami, Uehara

Bomko????

Maybe they should ask Giants / Dodgers / Padres how that signing worked out for them??

The signing of Brett Tomko has never resulted in anything but pure disaster.

How can an organization that is so good at developing pitching, such as the Twins, can be so clueless when it comes to some pitching decisions, ala Livan Hernadez over Llariano?

It's not like they're saying they're going to pay him millions of dollars.

Take a look at Dennys Reyes' stat line in the years before the Twins signed him. It's not like they're total idiots when it comes to evaluating pitching talent.

"That said, if they want to bring in another vet in '09 and are looking at a Tomko when they can afford a Peavy...don't get me started."

I am pretty sure the Twins have no chance of convincing Peavy to waive his NTC.

As for Bombko, I agree with the sentiment here. He is nothing but a liability. He is not even 5th starter quality. If they want to bring him in for $500k to mop up and be the emergency, emergency starter, that is fine. Anything else is insane.

I hear the Braves sent a signed contract to Kenshin Kawakami but when they got it was in english...they couldn't read it so they thought it couldn't be important....

Oh this offseason better turn around for us Braves fans...I would love to see Heyward, Hanson, and Schafer start the season in the Bigs and just give us hope...

"Oh this offseason better turn around for us Braves fans...I would love to see Heyward, Hanson, and Schafer start the season in the Bigs and just give us hope..."

Why would you want to see Heyward rushed up to the bigs? He hasn't played above A ball, right? Let him take his time; rushing prospects is never a good idea. Same with Schafer. Hanson is the only one of the three who should have a shot at starting the season with the MLB club.

I know Heyward isn't coming up I'm just saying I would rather see full blown rebuilding and let our young players shine, then keeping having disappointment and end up doing something stupid like sign we almost did with Burnett...

Ok, I see.

bartender

I hope Hanson And shafer Get the job out of spring and if not i would expect them up within a month.

Heyward Should and will not be called up this year let alone start - he just turned 19 in August and hasnt played above A ball - there is no reason to rush him and it would be very dumb on the braves part if we see him this year. this kid will probably be the #1 prospect in all of baseball by his 20th birthday.

"Oh this offseason better turn around for us Braves fans...I would love to see Heyward, Hanson, and Schafer start the season in the Bigs and just give us hope..."

Why would you want to blatantly rush your best prospects up to the majors?

Hanson has ace potential, Heyward has the potential to be one of the best players in baseball, and Schafer has the potential to be an all star CF.

But none of those guys are ready to be that now.

Just let them develop a little longer in the minors, and don't screw it up by throwing them at bats/innings against competition they don't stand a chance against.

Be patient, the talent is there.

I hope for the sake of the Twins that their Tomko interest is in regards to filling a batting practice pitcher slot on their coaching staff. If so, he'd be outstanding.

"Honestly I'd rather have Brandon Lyon.

But relief shouldn't be the focal point anyways for the Twins right now ...

Posted by: twinsfan | December 19, 2008 at 12:29 PM"

I disagree. Not about Lyon, about what the Twins priority should be right now. I imagine you are referring to upgrading third base as the top priority.

The Twins came a game away from the playoffs last season with the Harris/Buscher platoon at third the bulk of the year. Tolbert and Macri also looked ok, and they should both be healthy again for '09.

I think solidifying the pen is the most important thing right now, it cost the Twins a lot of key games down the stretch last year - remember the abysmal west coast road trip during the RNC?

Down the stretch last season, Crain faltered in august, but rebounded in september. Meanwhile, Guerrier was flat out awful in august and september, posting an ERA of over 10 each month. Breslow, Korecky and Mijares performed well, but Breslow is relatively untested, Mijares and Lorecky have a combined 28 IP in the majors. Fingers crossed they all pitch as well. Reyes, to my knowledge, hasn't signed elsewhere, but the Twins could easily not have his presence next year.

So considering the current 'pen, no neshek in 2009, and the "success" of the harris/buscher/tolbert mix at third and the fact that whatever it would take to get beltre or atkins would likely be too much (in my opinion) and because it seems like the Twinks are going to be too cheap to go after wiggington, I think upgrading the pen should absolutely be their first concern.

tomko should get no more than a minor league deal.