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Minor Moves: Gomez, Ekstrom, Walters

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Here's a look at some of the Minor League signings that have come in tonight…

  • The Brewers have re-signed infielder Hector Gomez to a minor league deal with an invite to Spring Training, the team informed MLBTR via email. Other non-roster invitees for the Brewers currently include right-hander Darren Byrd and catcher Dayton Buller. The 24-year-old Gomez once cracked Baseball America's Top 100 Prospect list (No. 95 in 2008) but hit just .131 in 95 minor league plate appearances last season.
  • The Athletics have signed right-hander Mike Ekstrom to a minor league deal with an invitation to Spring Training, according to MLB.com's Jane Lee. Ekstrom pitched 15 2/3 innings out of the Rockies' bullpen this season, allowing 11 earned runs but posting a solid 9:2 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
  • The Twins have re-signed right-hander P.J. Walters to a minor league deal with an invite to Spring Training, tweets MLB.com's Rhett Bollinger. Walters' free agency didn't last long; he refused an outright assignment from the Twins just hours ago and elected free agency. The 27-year-old made a dozen starts for the Twinkies in 2012.

Twins, Baker Working On New Contract

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The Twins declined their $9.25MM option on Scott Baker earlier today, but the right-hander tells Joe Christensen of the Minneapolis Star Tribune that the two sides have made progress on a new contract:

"We’re talking, and obviously I think there’s a mutual feeling that I want to be back, and they want me back," Baker said. "But it has to make sense for both parties, and we’re just not there yet. There’s a lot to consider. I’ll just say, we’re not close, but we’re definitely closer than when it started."

Baker also told Christensen that he isn't discouraged by the fact that the team elected not to exercise his option. The 31-year-old is recovering from Tommy John surgery that he underwent this past spring.

A second-round selection of the Twins in 2003, Baker has spent his whole career in Minnesota. In that time, he's pitched to a 4.15 ERA, 7.2 K/9 and 2.1 BB/9 in 958 innings. He broke out in 2011 with a 3.14 ERA and upped his strikeouts to a strong 8.2 per nine innings.

In my view, an incentive-laden one-year deal with a lower base salary and perhaps a vesting option would seem to make sense for both sides. If Baker decides to talk with other teams, this will be his first time exploring the free agent market. Back in March 2009, Baker and the Twins agreed to a four-year extension that guaranteed the Oklahoma State University product $15.25MM.

Twins Decline 2013 Option For Scott Baker

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Scott Baker will hit free agency following a season spent recovering from Tommy John surgery. As expected, the Twins declined their $9.25MM option for the right-hander, Joe Christensen of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports.

Baker will be free to sign with any team starting Saturday morning. However, Twins GM Terry Ryan has said the Twins would like to re-sign the 31-year old. Darren Wolfson of 1500ESPN reported last week that Baker remains a "high priority" for the Twins. Baker's agent has been in regular communication with the Twins about a deal, perhaps a one or two-year contract with incentives.

P.J. Walters Hits Free Agency

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Right-hander P.J. Walters is a free agent after refusing a minor league assignment from the Twins, according to the transactions page at CBSSports.com. The Twins outrighted the 27-year-old off of their 40-man roster last week.

Walters started 12 games for the Twins this past season, posting a 5.69 ERA with 6.1 K/9 and 3.2 BB/9 in 61 2/3 innings. In four seasons with the Twins, Cardinals and Blue Jays, the 2006 draft pick has a 6.39 ERA with 6.6 K/9 and 3.5 BB/9. He has allowed 24 home runs in 112 2/3 career innings.

Quick Hits: Baker, Hunter, Kershaw, LaRoche

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Congratulations to Miguel Cabrera, who was named the Sporting News MLB Player of the Year. Here are some more links from around MLB on an off day for Cabrera's Tigers and the NL Champion Giants…

  • The Twins will decline Scott Baker's $9.25MM option for 2013, but he remains a "high priority" for the team, Darren Wolfson of 1500ESPN reports. Baker's agent has been speaking regularly with the Twins and the sides could agree to an incentive-laden one or two-year deal. 
  • The Twins haven't yet called to inquire about minor league free agent Aaron Laffey, according to Wolfson.
  • Teams are standing by to see if the Angels make Torii Hunter a one-year qualifying offer, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports (Twitter link). If the Angels make Hunter a qualifying offer and he declines, other teams will have to surrender a draft pick to sign the outfielder. Otherwise, he'll be coveted as a free agent. Alden Gonzalez of MLB.com suggested today that the Angels won't extend Hunter a qualifying offer (Twitter link).
  • Dodgers GM Ned Colletti said he will probably think about a long-term contract for Clayton Kershaw this coming offseason, Dylan Hernandez of the LA Times reports (on Twitter). The left-hander's under contract for 2013 and under team control as an arbitration eligible player through 2014.
  • The Nationals and Adam LaRoche have made “some progress” toward a new contract, the first baseman told Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post. There’s nothing definitive at this stage, but the sides have started to establish parameters for a possible new deal.

Outrighted: Vasquez, Walters, Carson

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The latest outright assignments from around MLB…

  • The Twins announced that they have outrighted right-handers Jeff Manship, Luis Perdomo, Esmerling Vasquez, Kyle Waldrop and P.J. Walters and outfielder Matt Carson off of the MLB roster. All six players contributed to the MLB team in 2012. Vasquez (six starts) and Walters (12 starts) pitched out of the rotation while Manship (12 relief appearances), Perdomo (15 relief appearances) and Waldrop (17 relief appearances) spent time in the bullpen. Carson, the lone position player to lose his roster spot, appeared in 26 games as a corner outfielder. The Twins now have 35 players on their 40-man roster.

Twins Decline 2013 Option For Matt Capps

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The Twins have declined their 2013 club option for Matt Capps, the team announced. The option was worth $6MM and veteran right-hander will instead receive a $250K buyout.

Capps, 29, pitched to a 3.68 ERA with 5.5 K/9 and 1.2 BB/9 in 29 1/3 innings for Minnesota this season after signing a one-year deal worth $4.75MM last winter. He saved 14 games in 15 chances but missed almost the entire second half with rotator cuff inflammation. Glen Perkins took over as closer in Capps' absence.

Minnesota originally acquired Capps from the Nationals for catcher Wilson Ramos at the 2010 trade deadline. He posted a 2.00 ERA in 27 innings down the stretch that year and following up with a 4.25 ERA in 65 2/3 innings last summer. Capps was a Modified Type-A free agent under the new collective bargaining agreement last offseason.

Cubs Claim Carlos Gutierrez, DFA Anthony Recker

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The Cubs have claimed right-hander Carlos Gutierrez off waivers from the Twins, reports ESPN Chicago's Doug Padilla (on Twitter). In a corresponding move, Chicago designated catcher Anthony Recker for assignment to clear 40-man roster space.

Gutierrez, 26, has battled injuries since Minnesota selected him with the 27th overall pick in the 2008 draft. He moved to the bullpen full-time last year and posted a 4.62 ERA in 62 1/3 relief innings for the Twins' Triple-A affiliate. Gutierrez repeated the level this year, but only threw 16 innings (5.06 ERA) due to injury.

Recker, 29, hit .143/.263/.245 in 58 plate appearances for the Athletics and Cubs this season. Chicago originally acquired him from Oakland back in August. Recker is a .277/.359/.474 career hitter in over 1,200 plate appearances at the Triple-A level. 

Quick Hits: Cardinals, Athletics, Farrell, Marlins

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While last winter was an offseason of transition for the Cardinals, the club is now set to retain almost everyone after coming just one win away from reaching the World Series, writes Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com.  Kyle Lohse and Lance Berkman are the club's only two free agents, but neither player is expected to return to St. Louis.  Lohse seems bound for a significant payday with another club while Berkman is contemplating retirement.  Here's more out of the Central divisions..

  • Twins General Manager Terry Ryan confirmed that the club "would like to keep" right-hander Scott Baker, tweets Phil Mackey of 1500 ESPN.  Baker, who is seven months removed from Tommy John surgery, said earlier this year that he would like to remain in Minnesota.
  • Jane Lee of MLB.com expects to see the Athletics target veteran pitching this winter to support their young rotation.  Billy Beane & Co. could help achieve that goal by re-signing Brandon McCarthy but they are also expected to comb the open market for one-year options.
  • John Farrell and Blue Jays General Manager Alex Anthopoulos were never a good fit, writes Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.  At today's introductory presser in Boston, Farrell indicated that he and the GM weren't able to communicate effectively during their two years together in Toronto.
  • Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports thinks that the Marlins' dysfunctional ownership could be a deterrent to managerial candidates.

Twins Looking To Add Three Starting Pitchers

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The Twins wrapped up their organizational meetings late last week, and Phil Mackey of 1500ESPN.com has the highlights. Mackey writes that the Twins' front office officials are embarrassed by the past two seasons, and that the majority of the team's offseason budget will be spent on starting pitching.

Mackey goes on to say that while the Twins' goal is to add three starters to what was a dreadful rotation in 2012, the team hasn't necessarily ruled out pursuing top arms like Zack Greinke. It's more likely that they'll pursue a handful of solid starters that can be counted on for quality starts and to spare the bullpen, however.

Of players on the current roster, only Scott Diamond will be penciled in for a rotation spot in 2013. The Twins are hopeful that Nick Blackburn will rediscover himself to provide some form of value next season, but his $5.5MM salary won't guarantee that he earns a chance. Blackburn was removed from the 40-man roster earlier this season.

In addition to free agency, trades will very much be in play for general manager Terry Ryan. Mackey writes that no one, aside from Joe Mauer (who has a full no-trade clause), will be off limits on the trade market.

The Twins also aren't convinced that Trevor Plouffe, who cracked 24 homers in 2012, is the answer at third base, but it sounds like that situation has taken a backseat to improving the rotation.

Only the Rockies had a worse collective ERA than the 5.40 mark posted by Twins' starters this season. According to Fangraphs, the Twins' rotation was worth a meager 3.1 wins above replacement — easily the worst mark in all of baseball. Diamond was the team's lone bright spot, as the 25-year-old broke out with a 3.54 ERA in 173 innings.

In addition to Greinke, the free agent market includes names like Anibal Sanchez, Brandon McCarthy, Shaun Marcum and Ryan Dempster. Jake Peavy and Dan Haren are also expected to become free agents after their options are declined. MLBTR's Ben Nicholson-Smith recently featured the Twins in his Offseason Outlook series.

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