Twins Rumors

Bronson Arroyo In Talks With Twins

By charliewilmoth | November 12, 2013 at 11:06pm CDT

The Twins are in the market for a starting pitcher, and they're furthest along with Bronson Arroyo, Mike Berardino of the Pioneer Press writes. The Twins are inspecting Arroyo's medical records and have discussed some contract language with Arroyo's agency, Gaylord Sports Management. Berardino earlier tweeted that the two sides have not yet begun discussing terms of the contract, but noted that the work the Twins have already done indicates that they are "serious."

Arroyo has pitched at least 199 innings in each of the last nine seasons, so the Twins would look to him to eat innings in what was baseball's worst rotation in 2013. He posted a 3.79 ERA with 5.5 K/9 and 1.5 BB/9 with the Reds last season. MLBTR's Tim Dierkes predicted he would receive a two-year, $24MM deal.

AL Central Notes: Wilson, Royals, Pierzynski

By charliewilmoth | November 12, 2013 at 8:47pm CDT

The Tigers have interest in Brian Wilson as well as Joe Nathan, Jon Morosi of FOX Sports tweets. Wilson was terrific in 2013 after making his return from Tommy John surgery in late August, allowing one run in 13 2/3 late-season innings with the Dodgers and also pitching well in the playoffs. In late October, MLBTR's Steve Adams predicted Wilson would get a one-year, $8.5MM deal in free agency. Here's more from around the AL Central.

The Royals would sacrifice their 2014 first-round pick for the right free agent, the Kansas City Star's Bob Dutton reports. After winning 86 games in 2013, the Royals have the No. 19 pick in next year's draft. "It’s part of the evaluation process," says GM Dayton Moore. "[I]f a player really makes sense and can help us win, we’re not going to be overly concerned with that." Dutton notes that Carlos Beltran, Nelson Cruz and Curtis Granderson, all of whom rejected qualifying offers, might be possibilities, since the Royals are looking for extra power in the outfield.
The Twins are interested in signing catcher A.J. Pierzynski, who played in Minnesota from 1998 through 2003, writes CBS Sports' Jon Heyman. With Joe Mauer moving to first base, the Twins have an opening at catcher. Heyman reports that they would like to sign Pierzynski for one year, and it's probably unlikely any team would sign the soon-to-be-37-year-old Pierzynski for more than one year. Steve Adams predicts Pierzynski is in line for a one-year, $6.5MM deal.

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2013/11/12/4616487/royals-willing-to-lose-first-round.html#storylink=cpy

AL West Rumors: Castro, Astros, Rangers

By Zachary Links | November 12, 2013 at 3:23pm CDT

The Astros are receiving significant interest in catcher Jason Castro, and interest could pick up once big free agents like Brian McCann and Jarrod Saltalamacchia go off the board, writes Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com. Their interest in trading Castro isn't known, but Houston is said to like catching prospect Max Stassi very much. Heyman sees the Yankees, Rangers, Red Sox, Blue Jays, Angels, Rockies, and Twins as teams that could possibly have interest if Castro is on the block. Here's more out of the AL West..

The Mariners are more immersed in the Carlos Beltran–Jhonny Peralta–Kendrys Morales market than Jacoby Ellsbury at this point, tweets Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com.
Brian McTaggart of MLB.com (Twitter link) doesn't see the Astros trading Castro. Even though Castro is starting to make some money – the catcher is projected to earn $2.2MM in arbitration this year – they're not deep enough at catcher to lose him and the club needs to take a step forward.
Richard Durrett of ESPNDallas.com examined Carlos Ruiz as a possible fit for the Rangers if they don't land top catcher Brian McCann.
More from Durrett, who believes that Jurickson Profar's trade value hasn't decreased much despite a down year in 2013.
The Angels' best bet for acquiring quality pitching via trade would be to part with Mark Trumbo, even though losing him would hurt, writes Alden Gonzalez of MLB.com.

AL Central Rumors: Pierzynski, Kazmir, Beltran

By Zachary Links | November 12, 2013 at 2:26pm CDT

The latest from the AL Central..

Free agent catcher A.J. Pierzynski and White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf had breakfast together at the GM Meetings in Orlando, Florida, but Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe (on Twitter) cautions not to read into it.
The Indians aren't optimistic about their chances of re-signing Scott Kazmir this winter, writes Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com. The Tribe would be interested in a one-year deal for the left-hander but believe he's certain to have multi-year offers after resurrecting his career in Cleveland this past year, posting a 4.04 ERA with 9.2 K/9 and 2.7 BB/9.
The Royals would like to reunite with Carlos Beltran but they fear being outbid by large market clubs like the Yankees, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.
Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports wonders if the Twins might give Bronson Arroyo a three-year deal to anchor their rotation. Meanwhile, sources tell Rosenthal the Giants are among the teams considering Arroyo, but they would prefer to strike a quick, affordable two-year deal for a No. 4 starter.
The White Sox like Curtis Granderson, but they may feel that he's not worth the type of contract that he will command or losing a second-round pick, writes Dan Hayes of CSNChicago.com.
Paul Hoynes of the Plain Dealer looks at some of the Indians' internal candidates that could help fill the void if Ubaldo Jimenez goes elsewhere. “I think Danny Salazar, Corey Kluber, and Zach McAllister are capable of doing that,” said pitching coach Mickey Callaway. “But we need them to stay healthy and log innings like Ubaldo did the last two years.”
Mike Berardino of the Pioneer Press examines Jeremy Hellickson of the Rays as a possible trade target for the Twins.
Jeff Sullivan of Fangraphs tackles the question of whether the Tigers should trade Max Scherzer or Rick Porcello this winter. Yesterday, we learned that Detroit is open to dealing one or the other.

AL Central Rumors: Hughes, Royals, Pierzynski, Twins

By Zachary Links | November 12, 2013 at 12:32am CDT

The Royals are among the clubs with interest in free agent pitcher Phil Hughes, according to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com. Kansas City pitching coach Dave Eiland knows Hughes well from his time spent with the Yankees and is a fan of his. A return to New York isn't in the cards as both sides recognize that a change of scenery would be best. The latest from the AL Central…

With Ervin Santana looking for a $100MM contract, the Royals are prepared to move on to look for other pitching options, Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star writes. Besides Hughes, the Royals also have interest in Tim Hudson and Josh Johnson. "We want a bat, but in our meetings, the main thing we talk about is finding someone to put between [James] Shields and [Jeremy] Guthrie," one Royals official said.
In regards to those bats, Dutton says the Royals have interest in bringing Carlos Beltran back to Kansas City and maybe signing Rafael Furcal as a second baseman. Furcal may have enough suitors to remain at shortstop if he wants.
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Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2013/11/11/4613843/royals-ready-to-move-on-to-other.html#storylink=cpy
A Twins source tells 1500 ESPN's Darren Wolfson that "we can only hope" on the possibility of A.J. Pierzynski signing with the team. Wolfson notes that Pierzynski might be more apt to sign with a contender, however. The Twins are rumored to be taking an interest in the catching market since Joe Mauer will be a full-time first baseman in 2014.
With Rick Porcello reportedly being shopped, Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press wonders the Tigers and Twins could swing an intra-division trade.
In his latest piece on fixing the Twins, Phil Mackey of 1500 ESPN looks at how much money Minnesota can spend this winter and how they can best allocate it.
While the top catching option available (Brian McCann) could land a nine-figure deal, the White Sox appear to match up with free agent Jarrod Saltalamacchia, writes Dan Hayes of CSNChicago.com. Chicago would like an improvement behind the plate after neither Tyler Flowers nor Josh Phegley impressed last season.

MLBTR's Mark Polishuk also contributed to this post

Giants Notes: Sabean, Qualifying Offers, Lopez

By Mark Polishuk | November 11, 2013 at 9:38pm CDT

Here's the latest from the Giants, courtesy of Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle…

General manager Brian Sabean says it is "highly doubtful" that the Giants will sign a qualifying offer free agent since the team isn't keen on forfeiting its first round draft pick (14th overall) as compensation. Sabean's thinking "could change up the line," as Schulman believes the Giants might only jump on such a player if teams are scared off by the draft pick price tag and the player can be had for a relatively low price, a la Kyle Lohse last offseason.
In addition to seeking free agent pitching, the Giants are also exploring the trade market for arms. Schulman doesn't see Max Scherzer as a fit and he says the Giants aren't interested in Jake Peavy. He calls John Lackey "an interesting case" but that could be just because of Lackey's relative bargain contract rather than any specific interest the Giants have in the Boston right-hander.
The Giants will listen to offers about players in their lineup but aren't interested in trading any since the team doesn't have any young replacements ready to step up.
One of the few depth positions San Francisco has is at catcher, and Schulman cites the Cubs and Twins are possible trade partners in that regard.
The Giants won't bid on Masahiro Tanaka if the current posting system is in place, Schulman reports (Sulia link). The Giants are surely paying close attention to the ongoing negotiations between MLB and NPB about a new posting process.
Javier Lopez tells Schulman that he and the Giants are "continuing the dialog. No rush." Other teams have called Lopez but Schulman suspects the southpaw would give the Giants a chance to match any offer (Twitter links).

Twins Showing Interest In Jarrod Saltalamacchia

By Zachary Links | November 11, 2013 at 2:41pm CDT

Just hours after announcing that Joe Mauer will be transitioning to first base full-time in 2014, the Twins have already started looking into out-of-house options at catcher. Minnesota is showing preliminary interest in free agent Jarrod Saltalamacchia, a baseball source tells Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN.

The 28-year-old Saltalamacchia enjoyed his best season in 2013, batting .273/.338/.466 with 14 home runs in a career-high 470 plate appearances. Not only is he one of the best catchers available, but he is one of the youngest free agents on the market this offseason.

A separate source indicated to Wolfson that A.J. Pierzynski would be a good one-year stopgap to keep the seat warm until Josmil Pinto is ready to take over. The 36-year-old has been incredibly durable, averaging over 130 games per season for more than a decade.

Twins Sign Jason Bartlett

By Zachary Links | November 11, 2013 at 10:13am CDT

The Twins have signed Jason Bartlett to a non-roster deal, according to Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Bartlett is represented by LSW Baseball, according to the MLBTR Agency Database.

The 34-year-old saw 29 games of big league action for the Padres in 2012, hitting .133/.240/.193 in 98 plate appearances. For his career, Bartlett owns a .271/.336/.366 across nine major league seasons. With the deal, Bartlett returns to the club that he spent the first four seasons of his career with.

The Twins also announced that Joe Mauer will transition to being a full-time first baseman in 2014. The move was made "after consultation with doctors from Mayo Clinic and team doctors," according to the press release. Moving Mauer, who is owed $115MM over the next five years, to first base opens up a starting spot for 24-year-old Josmil Pinto behind the plate.

Cafardo On Trumbo, Ethier, Kemp, Arroyo, Red Sox

By Zachary Links | November 10, 2013 at 10:15am CDT

In today's column, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe offers up a primer for this week's GM Meetings. Cafardo's first rule for the meetings is to never believe a GM when he says that a player will not be traded. New Marlins GM Dan Jennings has said that Giancarlo Stanton won't be moved, but everyone has a price. Cafardo also cautions not to buy into the notion that the Tigers won't find a way to enhance the team and also keep Max Scherzer after next season. Here's more from today's column..

If the Red Sox don’t re-sign Mike Napoli, the 27-year-old Mark Trumbo will be on their list of players to pursue. Trumbo, who would come at half Napoli’s price, is under club control until after the 2016 season and boasts tremendous right-handed power. The Angels could use a third baseman and a pitcher and Cafardo wonders if Will Middlebrooks and Felix Doubront might suit them. The Pirates and Rays could also be fits for the Halos slugger.
One or both of Andre Ethier or Matt Kemp could be dealt this offseason thanks to the Dodgers' surplus. The Mets, Phillies, Red Sox, Yankees, Tigers, and Blue Jays are among the clubs that could have interest.
The Phillies are among the clubs that have shown interest in Bronson Arroyo, but no offer has been made just yet. The Giants and Twins have also been reported to have interest in the durable veteran, but none of the interested teams have put an offer on the table just yet.
While the Blue Jays have other priorities, they’ll also dip into the outfield market if they feel Melky Cabrera can’t give them what they expected. Cabrera recently had a spinal tumor that was causing him leg pain removed.
Despite having a glut of pitchers, the Red Sox are still high on Tim Hudson. To make room for the 38-year-old, the Red Sox could move Jake Peavy or Ryan Dempster if they have to. However, teams seem more interested in John Lackey since he'll earn the minimum salary in 2015. A clause in Lackey's contract called for him to get the minimum in '15 if he underwent Tommy.John surgery.
The Red Sox probably won't offer more than a couple of years to retain Stephen Drew with his market rapidly expanding. The Yankees could be a fit with Derek Jeter being in the final year of his contract and likely to see more DH time.
A few GMs are already lamenting the cost of free agent pitching with possible $80MM-$100MM price tags on the likes of Ervin Santana and Ricky Nolasco. That's why the Yankees' pursuit of Masahiro Tanaka, a potential No. 2 starter, makes more sense than paying big bucks for a No. 3 or 4 type.
The Blue Jays picked up Adam Lind's option, but don't be surprised if Toronto tries to move him.

Central Notes: Cubs, White Sox, Twins, Indians

By Aaron Steen | November 9, 2013 at 10:40pm CDT

Matt Murton and Randy Messenger are close to extensions with the Hanshin Tigers in Japan, Kyodo News reports. It's possible that both could have drawn interest from major league teams, as each was excellent in 2013 for the Tigers. Murton, who had a nice .297/.365/.444 campaign all the way back in 2006 with the Cubs, led Japan's Central League in hits in 2013 for the third time in four seasons. Here's a look at the latest from MLB's Central divisions:

Cubs hitting coach James Rowson will leave for the Yankees organization, a source tells Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune. Rowson, who was named the Cubs' top hitting instructor in June 2012, will assume the title of minor league hitting coordinator in the Bronx.
Rick Renteria's journeyman career included stops in four organizations and three tours in Mexican baseball, Gonzales writes in a profile of the new Cubs manager. Padres first base coach Dave Roberts had high praise for his former colleague, commenting that "there's not a player who has come across Rick Renteria and hasn't gotten better."
Gonzales and Colleen Kane, also of the Tribune, preview the offseasons ahead for the Cubs and their South Side neighbors. In the article, Cubs President Theo Epstein reiterated that free agent signings must help the Cubs both now and in the future. "We wish there were a free agent market for young players … There's not," Epstein lamented. While the Cubs' strategy is to bide time and wait for "that one guy who might make sense," the front office may target a starter or bullpen help this offseason, Epstein adds.
While the White Sox's signing of Jose Dariel Abreu in October will likely be their largest offseason move, they must still address team legend Paul Konerko's status with the club, Kane and Gonzales write. Catching also looms as a prominent need for the Sox, and could be addressed via the trade market. As the article notes, the Blue Jays are believed to have interest in second baseman Gordon Beckham.
The Twins will have to add minor leaguer A.J. Achter to their 40-man roster by Nov. 20 if they want to protect him from the Rule 5 draft, Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press writes. Achter looks to vie with around 10 other players for two Twins 40-man spots.
Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer writes that money was likely a factor in the Indians' decision to draft Tyler Naquin, whom they selected 15th overall in 2012, over Michael Wacha. A teammate of Naquin's at Texas A&M, Wacha was eventually selected with the 19th pick by the Cardinals and signed for the full slot value of $1.9MM.

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