So far this offseason, the Twins have made a number of minor league deals, traded J.J. Hardy to the Orioles and added Japanese infielder Tsuyoshi Nishioka. Twins GM Bill Smith isn't done yet, though. The club could still add Jim Thome, Carl Pavano and/or others. Here's the latest on the defending AL Central champions from La Velle E. Neal III of the Minneapolis Star Tribune:
- There are indications that Thome’s representatives raised some “eyebrows” when Lance Berkman signed for $8MM. Thome, who signed for a $1.5MM guarantee last winter, posted a .283/.412/.627 line, while Berkman hit just .248/.368/.413.
- There are no indications that Pavano has a three-year offer, according to Neal, who wonders whether the Twins have even offered a two-year deal.
- It’s not clear that the Twins can afford both Thome and Pavano, since both are coming off strong seasons and the Twins’ payroll is already high.
- There’s word that the Royals were not interested in discussing potential Zack Greinke trades with their AL Central rivals. The Indians and Twins did appear to have interest in Greinke, Neal writes.
