Twins general manager Bill Smith answered questions from Minnesota’s season ticket holders on a conference call tonight and Joe Christensen of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune has the details on what we should expect from the club this offseason:
- The Twins are looking for starting pitching, bullpen help and a backup catcher who can contribute offensively.
- It’s unlikely that Smith will try to re-sign Jim Thome, who collected his 600th career home run with the Twins before finishing the season in Cleveland.
- Even if the Twins don’t pick up Joe Nathan’s $12.5MM option for 2012, they’re interested in bringing him back next year. The right-hander has expressed a willingness to stay in the Minnesota organization.
- Though they’ll consider internal shortstop candidates such as Alexi Casilla, Trevor Plouffe and Tsuyoshi Nishioka, the Twins could acquire a shortstop from outside of the organization.
- The Twins have had some talks with prospective free agent Michael Cuddyer and hope to re-sign him. MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes examined Cuddyer's free agent stock last month.
Yay!!!!
More like tsuyoshi nishi-sucka
Cuddyers goina stink next yr, he gettin old
If Cuddyer is old, then what is Jamie Moyer?
Fossilized.
Hardy’s coming off of a good year. Could trade a couple low end relievers for him…
I like where this is going. :P
I have absolute confidence that Bill Smith will do everything in his power to ruin the twins once again this offseason. His nonsensical moves have soured my once revered view of how the Twins were run organizationally. I no longer give them the benefit of the doubt instead I expect the worst and will undoubtedly get it.
Smith if you read this take notes. JJ Hardy doesn’t look so expensive anymore now does he? You will regret giving the Tigers Delmon for years and years to come. We had a japanese player who should be in CLASS A ball hitting 2nd to start the year. Good one. If you let Jason Kubel leave he will go to the White Sox and you will regret it. Blame injuries all you want but it was YOUR MOVES who put this team in position to go from first to worst. A great day will be when you recieve your pink slip because you obviously have NO CLUE!
Kinda hoping Nathan goes the free agency route, since I always wanted him on the Mets and the Mets could use him. I know he would definatly consider for two reasons New York is his hometown and the Mets need a closer.
If he leaves the Twins (and I think they will reach a deal), Nathan will want to pitch for a team that has a chance to win. The Mets – for the foreseeable future – will be battling with Washington and Florida for third place in their division.
Nishioka use was puzzling? Play him then sit him on the bench and play him then sit him on the bench. Let the guy go to spring training to win the SS or 2b role. He broke a leg and you expected him to come back 100% that is crazy. Its better than sending out AAAA players that will never amount to more than a bench player. Twins can rebound but first thing fix the starting pitching which should be the #1 off season move.
The more Nishioka played, the less he looked like a MLB caliber infielder. The broken leg was early in the season; once it healed it didn’t affect his July – September play. Nishioka looks exactly like a AAAA player and there is nothing to suggest he will get any better next year. One more thing: middle infielders who have no power should at least know how to execute a sacrifice bunt. Nishioka can’t even do that.
Twins, sign Hideki Matsui and Jose Reyes. Make it happen!