Let's take a look at some Twins-related items courtesy of MLB.com's Kelly Thesier..
- The Twins would still like to retain Carl Pavano after the hurler turned down arbitration from the club. However, the big question is whether Minnesota is willing to meet Pavano's asking price. It has been said that Pavano is after something similar to the three-year, $33MM deal Ted Lilly signed with the Dodgers. The right-hander could be in line for a big payday as the events of this offseason have left him as the second best starter on the open market.
- There's still no word on whether Jim Thome wants to return to baseball in 2011 for his 21st season in the majors. However, the Twins continue to be interested in bringing the veteran slugger back. In October, Thome said that he was leaning towards playing in 2011.
- One reader asks Thesier if the club might non-tender Matt Capps in order to spend on a different reliever. That won't be the case though as GM Bill Smith will definitely extend Capps an arbitration offer. The 27-year-old gives the club insurance as a closing option in case Joe Nathan is not healthy at the start of the season.
I sincerely doubt Thome retires without 600 home runs, especially after the season he had last year
Yeah but he won’t get there in Minnesota unless Kubel is traded or Morneau gets hurt again.
….or they go with the same OF/Dh rotation they had last year. worked pretty good, why fix what isn’t broken.
Well with Delmon’s emergence, they have Morneau, Thome, Kubel, Cuddyer, Span, and Young for 5 spots.
they only did that because of Morneau’s injury
Thome was getting plenty of AB’s prior to Morneau’s injury. Thome just became an everyday player when Morneau went down. And you could argue that wasn’t ideal for Thome, because he needs more rest than that.
Even with a healthy Morneau, Big Jim is still going to get penciled in 3 games a week.
they only did that because of Morneau’s injury
Thome came to MN last year because he was confident Gardy would get him AB’s. Gardy will do it again.
If Young/Cuddyer/Morneau/Span/Kubel get injured or slump, Thome will get in the lineup daily. If they’re all healthy and playing well, Thome will still get in the lineup 2-3 days a week. You’re going to see Morneau in particular getting more rest this year. Even if he’s 100% healthy, my money says he doesn’t start more than 145 games.
you know what, i completely forgot about Joe Nathan. my pick for comeback player of the year.
I completely forgot about him as well until yesterday. One guy I deffinitly don’t look forward to seeing again in the 9th inning.
Don’t worry. Nobody in these parts expects him to come back 100%.
he really wouldnt qualify for comeback player of the year…that “reward” is usually given to a player who has had a series of bad years injured players dont really count
Well, the CBPOTY were Tim Hudson and Francisco Liriano in ’10, both after coming back from injuries. In ’09 it was Chris Carpenter and Aaron Hill and both of them were coming off of injuries. And in ’05 and in ’06, both recipients of the award were coming off of injury-plagued seasons.
I’d say injured players more than count.
I know it would hurt to lose his innings but I think the Twins could go Liriano/Slowey/Baker/Duensing and then a fifth starter from the minors and they would be just fine.
kyle gibson should be ready by june ish.
Blackburn ain’t dead either. We’ve honestly got a serviceable five man rotation the way it is. The question is whether we want to count on the fact that they all have decent years…
Right. Blackey was very effective after coming back up from AAA.
Thome’s gotta come back. Go out and get number 600, big fella. Probably the most quiet 600 career homeruns in MLB history. Great guy.
Ya gotta appreciate the way Thome has played the game. Kept his mouth shut and let his production do the talking for his entire career. Total class act, and one of my favorite non-Braves.
I agree.
Well not on the braves part, but you know.
i hope he does it in either a indians or whitesox uni…
Not gonna happen. #600 is gonna be in a Minnesota Twins jersey at Target Field and it’s gonna be a MOON SHOT to right field.
i hope he does it in either a indians or whitesox uni…
I still have trouble thinking of Kelly Theiser as a real reporter/commentator.
I just have too many memories of her utter incompetence around 2004-2005. People would ask “Are the Twins going to reach a new extension with Hunter next year?”, and she’d respond, “Well, they might, or they might not. If they don’t it will be hard to let him go, but if they do it might cost alot of money. LOL!”
My buddies and I used to pepper her with “Why don’t you just quit?”, “Have you tried actually talking to people in the front office?”, and “When does your ‘Be a journalist for a day!’ prize giveaway expire?” in her mailbag.