Passing along a few notes from the Central divisions, where there was plenty of news earlier today. Kosuke Fukudome found a new home, the Brewers won an arbitration case, and the Royals picked up their manager's option. On with the links …
- The Pirates may end up signing utility man Chris Gimenez, tweets Greg Johns of MLB.com. Gimenez elected free agency from the Mariners earlier today after declining an outright assignment to Triple-A and will be eligible to sign with a new club on Thursday.
- The Pirates will not sign Dmitri Young, whom they worked out at on Monday, according to Tom Singer of MLB.com.
- Phil Mackey of ESPN 1500 Twin Cities radio looks at seven of the Twins' intriguing non-roster players, including infielder Brian Dozier, third baseman Sean Burroughs, catchers J.R. Towles and Chris Herrmann, righties Jason Bulger and Jared Burton, and utility man Steve Pearce. One Twins executive said he's particularly curious about Bulger and Burton, tweets Mackey
- The Cardinals won't have their hand forced into roster decisions based on options this spring, explains Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com, as only Skip Schumaker and Tyler Greene — both projected to be on the Major League roster — are out of options.
I hope Dozier makes the Twins at some point in the season, it’d be nice to have a decent second baseman. I’d like to see Chris Parmelee and Joe Benson make the team at some point, but there really isn’t any place in the lineup for them.
There’s hope. Morneau is good for an extended DL trip a season nowadays, and if the Twins are out of it by mid-season I would expect them to move Span. Parmelee and Benson will get some decent playing time with the big club in 2012…
Morneau just needs to be limited to an amount of games on the field. Span can be replaced easily when he is traded, and he’ll likely be used to get Storen or Espinosa.
Burroughs strength is pinch-hitting which makes the decision to sign with an AL team curious. Plus his batting average was kind of the result a terrible start.
If the bullpen would stay healthy next season, a combination of Jared Burton, Joel Zumaya, Glen Perkins, and even Matt Capps could be very effective. If Brian Duensing can regain his 2010 form, and Anthony Swarzak can be as durable as last season, the Twins’ 2012 bullpen could be really good overall. Jason Bulger, Alex Burnett, Phil Dumatrait, Esmerling Vasquez, Lester Oliveros, Terry Doyle, Jeff Gray, and some others should be interesting to watch.
Yeah the Twins pretty much took 1/3 of the Reds pitching staff from last year, lol.
Jared Burton
Matt Maloney
Daryl Thompson
Jason Marquis, Esmerling Vasquez, and Sean Burroughs were all members of the 2011 Diamondbacks. Although Burroughs isn’t a pitcher.
Here’s an interesting stat on Tyler Greene: dude is 16-0 in major league stolen bases, never been caught. And, his minor league totals are 144-22. Great averages…but you can’t steal first
Can you imagine if he was an every day starter and could actually hit? He could probably steal 25-30 bases
I’m missing something on Tyler Greene. I don’t see him making the cardinals roster let alone starting at 2nd base.
If I’m not mistaken, he’s all out of options so he will definitely make the roster. I heard it’s his job to lose at 2nd.
Did anyone else notice that the title of this article is missing a comma? Under no circumstances should the Twins, with the veteran acquisitions this offseason, be considered “Young Twins”.
Good catch.
They act as if schumaker and tyler greene don’t deserve to be on the major league roster. If they are basing this upon stats, someone needs to do their homework. Schumaker, since he’s been with the Cards has hit .290 with a .346 OBP. Let me remind this Jenifer Langosch that .346 means more than a third of the time he comes up to the plate, he gets on base. His team role is to essentially lead off (not to be consistently hititng long balls) so that his teamates that are in those spots in the lineup can hit him in or at least put him in scoring position. That is how baseball works the last time I checked and he seems to fulfilling his role on the team. Tyler Greene has obviously struggled in the big leagues, but if you look at his stats in Triple-A, it’s pretty impressive to see what he can do. He can mature in the middle infield spot he’s looking to fill but, no one has ever given him a chance to ever prove himself.
All of what you’ve said is so wrong.