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Offseason In Review: Minnesota Twins

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The Twins added pitching, but they still don't project as a contender in the AL Central.

Major League Signings

Notable Minor League Signings

Trades and Claims

Extensions

  • Jared Burton, RP: two years, $5.5MM. $3.6MM Club option for 2015.

Notable Losses

Needs Addressed

The Twins needed pitching badly after a season in which they allowed more runs than all but two MLB teams. GM Terry Ryan added to his pitching staff by trading from enviable outfield depth and spending on free agents. 

Vance Worley - Twins (PW)

The Twins sent Denard Span to Washington to acquire Alex Meyer then traded Ben Revere to Philadelphia for Vance Worley (pictured). It’s not surprising that the Twins decided to listen to offers for Span, but it is surprising that they didn’t get an MLB pitcher back for an above-average outfielder playing on a team friendly contract. At least Meyer and Worley address the organization's most apparent need.

Free agents Mike Pelfrey and Kevin Correia signed with Minnesota, adding depth to the team’s rotation (more on Correia in the Deal of Note section). It made sense for the Twins to target free agent arms after seeing the contracts of Scott Baker and Carl Pavano expire. Even with prospects advancing through the minor leagues, the club needed outside help.

The Twins also acquired relievers such as Rafael Perez, Josh Roenicke and Rich Harden in a series of low-risk moves. Ryan successfully picked up Jared Burton and Casey Fien in similar moves a year ago, an indication that the Twins can find relief in unexpected places. Minnesota's rotation completed fewer innings than any American League team in 2012, and unless there's significant improvement from the 2013 group, the bullpen will again be absorbing lots of innings.

Questions Remaining

The Twins didn’t make major additions to their existing group of position players this offseason, which leaves them exposed at some positions. For example, the Twins will rely on Pedro Florimon, Jr. at shortstop and Chris Parmelee in right field.

It’s hard not to wonder if the Twins missed out on the chance to sell high on Josh Willingham, who had a tremendous offensive season in 2012. Teams would presumably have had interest in the outfielder given his strong 2012 numbers and reasonable contract. Expect Willingham and Justin Morneau to surface in midseason trades, assuming the Twins aren’t in contention.

Deal of Note

I still haven’t heard a convincing explanation for the Twins’ decision to spend $10MM on Kevin Correia (Phil Mackey of 1500 ESPN relays the most compelling arguments I've seen). No disrespect to Correia — in fact, credit to his representatives at Lapa/Leventhal — but he’s not a $10MM pitcher in this market. Not when Freddy Garcia, Chris Young and Erik Bedard signed minor league deals after pitching 100-plus innings in 2012. Not when Joe Saunders and Shaun Marcum combined to sign for $10.5MM.

The Twins’ push for rotation depth is understandable. Every team needs enough arms to get through the 162-game schedule without over-exposing developing players. Outside reinforcements are vital, even to a team in transition such as the Twins.

In Mike Pelfrey the Twins obtained a pitcher who could have trade value at the non-waiver deadline, health permitting. In Vance Worley they got an affordable player under long-term control. These moves make sense for a team in the Twins' position. But the Correia deal won't net the Twins a key trade chip and it doesn't provide them with a low-cost piece for the future. Simply put, Ryan invested in a high-cost, low-reward pitcher when other more appealing options were available.

Overview

The Twins needed pitching, and they got some. But the fulfillment of offseason goals doesn’t always lead to competitive teams. In the Twins’ case, contention seems like an unrealistic goal for 2013. Instead, they can hope that the continued development of an exceptionally strong minor league system has them back in the playoff mix relatively soon.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Yankees Sign Ben Francisco

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The Yankees have signed outfielder Ben Francisco, Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports (on Twitter). The Indians released the John Boggs client earlier today, making him a free agent.

Francisco is on his way to Florida, where he'll join the Yankees and compete for an outfield job, Sherman reports. The 31-year-old played for the Blue Jays, Astros and Rays in 2012. He began the year in Toronto and joined the Astros in a July trade before being dealt to Tampa Bay in August. In total he posted a .240/.285/.385 batting line with four home runs in 207 total plate appearances, playing both corner outfield positions. Francisco, a right-handed hitter, has a career line of .252/.329/.414 against left-handed pitching.

The Mets had some preliminary interest in Francisco, Mike Puma of the New York Post reported today (Twitter link).

Cashman Eyeing Derrek Lee, Chipper Jones, Rolen

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It’s no secret that the Yankees are searching for corner infield depth following Mark Teixeira’s wrist injury. GM Brian Cashman updated reporters on the team’s search earlier today, detailing interest in some veteran players. All links courtesy of Jack Curry of the YES Network and Joel Sherman of the New York Post on Twitter, unless noted otherwise..

  • Jones got a "good chuckle" upon learning of the Yankees' interest in him, agent B.B. Abbott told Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com (on Twitter). 
  • Cashman called Derrek Lee a Yankees type because of his approach and makeup, Curry reports. The Yankees recently reached out to Lee to see if he’d come out of retirement to play in New York. Asked about the chances of completing a deal, Cashman noted that Lee isn’t with the Yankees now. The GM is not currently optimistic about signing Lee, according to Sherman.
  • Cashman said he’d sign Chipper Jones if the third baseman were willing to come out of retirement, Sherman reports. The GM said his interest in Jones was serious and that he intended to call his agent, Curry notes. However, B.B. Abbott told Sherman that he can’t see his client coming out of retirement. "I don't think [playing for the Yankees] is something he would consider, but he would be flattered,” Abbott said.
  • Cashman also investigated the possibility of signing free agent third baseman Scott Rolen, Curry reports. The GM hinted that Rolen wants a guarantee of playing time and/or money, however.
  • The Dodgers and Reds both offered Rolen $4MM only to have him turn the proposals down, according to Sherman, who has heard that Rolen would only play for a guaranteed salary.

Indians Release Ben Francisco

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The Indians announced that they released outfielder Ben Francisco. The team selected the contract of Rich Hill and placed right-hander Blake Wood on the 60-day disabled list in related moves.

The Indians signed Francisco to a minor league deal with an invitation to MLB Spring Training in January. Francisco played for the Blue Jays, Astros and Rays in 2012. The 31-year-old began the year in Toronto and joined the Astros in a July trade before being dealt to Tampa Bay in August. He posted a .240/.285/.385 batting line with four home runs in 207 total plate appearances, playing both corner outfield positions. The John Boggs & Associates client has a career line of .252/.329/.414 against left-handed pitching.

Latest On Padres, Chase Headley

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The Padres haven’t settled on a long-term strategy for handling Chase Headley, but they aren’t going to trade him any time soon. Andy Martino of the New York Daily News hears from a high-ranking NL West executive that the Padres front office will see how the team plays before determining whether to trade Headley or pursue an extension with him.

Padres general manager Josh Byrnes recently told Peter Gammons of MLB Network that he doesn't intend to trade impact offensive players such as Headley. However, some evaluators aren’t convinced that the third baseman will replicate his breakout 2012 season, Martino reports.

The Yankees are considering corner infielders and, on paper, seem like a possible suitor for Headley. As they wait for the Padres to determine a course of action with Headley, the Yankees will look to the Astros for potential trade targets, Martino reports. The Astros have depth at first base and could move a player such as Carlos Pena.

Headley, 28, posted a .286/.376/.498 batting line with 31 home runs in 2012. He'll earn $8.575MM in 2013 and will remain under team control through 2014.

Haren Ready To Prove Himself With Nationals

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It wasn’t supposed to happen like this for Dan Haren.

A three-time All-Star with impressive career credentials, Haren figured he would someday hit free agency and cash in with a long-term and lucrative deal.

But Haren, a ten-year big league veteran who has been traded three times, became a free agent for the first time in his career this past offseason coming off a down year and injury concerns to his hip and back.

“I didn’t necessarily hit free agency at the high point of my career,” Haren admits. “I had a lot of good years that if I would have hit the free agency at any of those times I would have been paid extremely well, not that I’m not paid well, but it just so happened that I got a little banged up last year. I’ll just have to prove myself again this year.”

Haren, 32, posted a 4.33 ERA in 176 2/3 innings with the Angels last season, the highest ERA he’s had in any of his eight full seasons. But must of his struggles were due to lower back tightness that he pitched through before eventually landing on the disabled list for the first time in his career in July.

With teams scared due to the back injury and a hip issue that hasn’t bothered him but always shows up during physicals, Haren was forced to take a short-term deal and try his luck again in free agency next year.

The right-hander signed a one-year, $13MM deal with the Nationals in early December, choosing a chance to compete for a World Series over more lucrative offers from other teams.

“I understood,” Haren said of the medical concerns. “I think baseball, their physicals are a lot more thorough these days. I think there were some red flags about my hip issues that I’ve had since my days in Oakland but I’ve never missed a day because of it. I had some back problems, which a lot of people obviously have back problems but structurally everything is fine in my back. Really it was my hip which was a little bit frustrating just being that I had never missed any time because of it.

“I was on the disabled list for a little less than three weeks for my back but I came back and I finished off the season pretty well. I saw the way the market was going and I just wanted to come to a team that was going to give me the best chance to win.”

Haren has proven to be one of the most durable pitchers in recent years, ending a streak of seven straight seasons of at least 200 innings pitched when the short stint on the DL left him at 176 2/3 innings last year. He’s also proven to be one of the best pitchers in recent years, posting a career 3.66 ERA in nearly 1,900 innings since breaking into the big leagues with the Cardinals in 2003.

But it’s been an interesting career path for a pitcher of his caliber. The former second round draft pick of the Cardinals was traded to the Oakland Athletics in a deal for Mark Mulder after making 28 appearances for the Cardinals in 2003 and 2004.

Haren pitched three seasons in Oakland before he was traded again, this time to the Arizona Diamondbacks prior to the 2008 season. He signed a four-year, $44.75MM extension midway through his first season with Arizona but was traded to the Angels at the 2010 trade deadline.

With an option remaining on his contract with the Angels for 2013, Haren wasn’t sure what would happen this offseason. The Angels could have picked up the option to bring him back or released him and allowed him to become a free agent.

Then came news that he had been traded a fourth time, this time to the Chicago Cubs for reliever Carlos Marmol.  Or so he thought. The trade appeared to be all-but-done but fell through at the last minute.

“I thought it was happening,” said Haren, who was in communication throughout the day with Angels GM Jerry Dipoto. “We had been texting back and forth all day that day and he told me the deal is pretty much done but it’s not completed so you’re not traded yet, even though everyone was calling me and saying I had been traded and it was on the internet that I was traded.

“I was assuming that I was traded. My family was there and we were all prepared to be with Chicago. It kind of prepared me for free agency, the chance of being on the east coast or the Midwest.”

The Angels declined the $15.5MM option on Haren’s contract by the deadline after being unable to complete the deal or find another willing trade partner. Haren received a $3.5MM buyout and became a free agent.

He went nearly a month before signing, eventually deciding to join an already stacked Washington rotation for a one-year deal shortly before the Winter Meetings. 

“Part of it is me proving myself and part of it is coming to a team with one of the best chances to win a World Series,” Haren said. “Obviously their offer financially was competitive with other offers I was getting. That’s always a factor. If anyone tells you that money isn’t a factor, that’s a lie, but their offer was competitive with other teams and then it just gave me the best chance to succeed both personally and team wise.

“As the offseason went along and I was a free agent and taking a short term deal was going to happen, when taking a short term deal, you want to come to a team that is set to win that year and I think the Nationals give me the best chance. To be surrounded by a good rotation, a great bullpen, this lineup and what they did last year, it was kind of a no brainer. It just made sense for me to come here.

“Probably if I waited a little while longer I probably could have gotten another year or two (from another team) but when the Nationals showed interest I was just kind of content coming here for a year and seeing what I could do and seeing how far this team can go.”

And if he proves to be healthy, Haren just might finally get the chance he's waited for next winter.

NL Notes: Goldschmidt, McCann, Nationals, Stewart

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Diamondbacks GM Kevin Towers says he has discussed a contract extension with first baseman Paul Goldschmidt, according to AZCentral.com's Nick Piecoro. Goldschmidt is represented by Joe Sambito of SFX. Piecoro quotes a source saying that it would be "a surprise" if Goldschmidt and the Diamondbacks were to strike a deal in the near future, however. Last month, the Diamondbacks attempted to initiate talks with Goldschmidt, but Goldschmidt had indicated that he wanted to go year-to-year in an attempt to build up more value.

Goldschmidt, 25, would be eligible for arbitration after the 2014 season and eligible for free agency after the 2017 season. MLBTR's Extension Tracker reveals that, in the past five years, no first basemen with between one and two years of service time have signed long-term deals, so establishing a baseline value for Goldschmidt is difficult. (Goldschmidt himself had told Towers in February that he wanted to build up more service time before discussing an extension in order to get a clearer sense of who is "peer group" was.)

Allen Craig, who recently signed a five-year, $31MM extension with the Cardinals, shares passing similarities with Goldschmidt as a hitter, but also has a year more service time than Goldschmidt. Craig will make $11MM in the final guaranteed year of his contract. Replacing that year with a pre-arbitration salary for the first year of a potential Goldschmidt deal produces a starting point of five years and $20.5MM, which would cover all of Goldschmidt's remaining pre-arbitration seasons. The Diamondbacks would presumably also want to add a team option or two at the end of the deal, giving them the chance to buy out one or more of Goldschmidt's free agent years.

Here are more notes from the National League.

  • A return to form by Brian McCann will likely ensure that the he signs with a new team next winter, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports writes. McCann, who is recovering from labrum surgery, will likely return to the Braves' lineup about two weeks into the season. Some of McCann's old teammates tell Rosenthal that McCann was unhappy last season, when he played through injury and hit only .230/.300/.399, down from .270/.351/.466 in 2011. A phone call from GM Frank Wren to McCann after the season may have helped improve the relationship between the team and its star catcher, but that might not matter once he becomes a free agent at the end of the season. If McCann hits well in 2013, the Braves might not be able to afford him, Rosenthal says; if McCann hits poorly, the Braves might not want him, at least not an expensive long-term deal.
  • The Nationals added Rafael Soriano this offseason, but not a lefty reliever, despite the departures of Sean Burnett and Tom Gorzelanny, MLB.com's Marty Noble notes. That likely leaves Zach Duke as the only lefty in the Washington bullpen. But manager Davey Johnson, who can count on tough righty relievers like Drew Storen, Tyler Clippard and Craig Stammen in addition to Soriano, says it's no problem that the Nats didn't acquire another lefty. "I don't have room for another lefty reliever," he says.
  • Cutting Ian Stewart, who is suffering from a quad injury, doesn't make sense for the Cubs, Bruce Levine of ESPN Chicago argues, since the savings from cutting Stewart would be insignificant. The Cubs can avoid paying most of Stewart's one-year, non-guaranteed contract if they release him in Spring Training, but the entire cost of the deal is just $2MM.

AL Notes: Lee, Porcello, Red Sox

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The Yankees, who are hunting for a corner infielder to replace the injured Mark Teixeira, have asked Derrek Lee if he would be interested in returning to baseball, David Waldstein of the New York Times reports. Waldstein reports that Lee did show interest, although no deal is in place. Lee last played in 2011 for the Orioles and Pirates, hitting .267/.325/.446. Here are more notes from the American League:

Dodgers Notes: Rotation, Uribe, Mattingly

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Despite their rotation surplus, Ned Colletti and the Dodgers are "in no rush" to trade a starting pitcher, MLB.com's Ken Gurnick reports. Zack Greinke and Chad Billingsley are dealing with minor injuries, and Ted Lilly is coming back from shoulder surgery. Even if all the Dodgers' starting pitchers are healthy, one scenario might be for Hyun-Jin Ryu, Chris Capuano and Aaron Harang to begin the season in the bullpen.

Previous reports have indicated that other teams may be trying to force the Dodgers into a tough spot by lowballing them on trade offers until the need to set their 25-man roster forces L.A. to make a decision about how to handle its eight starting pitchers. If one of their starters isn't healthy or if the Dodgers are willing to use several of their starters in relief, that negotiation tactic might not work. Forcing a number of starters to the bullpen, though, would simply move the logjam from one part of the team to another, where it might affect pitchers like Matt Guerrier and a number of younger relievers. Here are more notes from the Dodgers.

  • The Dodgers may eat the remaining $8MM on Juan Uribe's contract, Steve Dilbeck of the Los Angeles Times reports, but Uribe is trying to recast himself as a utilityman who can also back up Adrian Gonzalez at first base. Uribe's three-year, $21MM contract, signed after the 2010 season, almost immediately proved to be a poor investment, as Uribe hit .204/264/.293 in the first year of the deal, then .191/.258/.284 in 2012.
  • Dodgers manager Don Mattingly says his team should consider letting him go if the team does not make the playoffs, Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times reports. "If we can't get them to play the game right, they may have the wrong voice. There's a ton of talent here," Mattingly says. Mattingly is not under contract for 2014, and Shaikin reports that Mattingly does not expect to receive a contract extension before the season starts.

MLBTR Originals

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A look back at the original reporting and analysis found on MLBTR this past week:

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