Athletics Claim Luke Hughes
The Athletics have claimed infielder Luke Hughes off waivers from the Twins, according to the A's official Twitter account. Dallas Braden was transferred to the 60-day disabled list in a corresponding move.
Hughes, a native of Australia, signed with the Twins as a free agent back in 2002. Because he was out of options, Minnesota designated the 27-year-old for assignment last week after just 11 plate appearances this season in an attempt to send him to Triple-A Rochester.
Hughes has appearead in parts of three seasons for the Twins, seeing time at third base, second base, and first base. Over his brief Major League career (335 plate appearances), the righty is a .224/.285/.342 hitter. He's fared better in the minor leagues, hitting .257/.319/.440 over parts of four Triple-A seasons. Perhaps Hughes' best asset in the minors was his ability to hit left-handed pitching, but that has yet to show in his Major League career.
The Athletics recently claimed fellow Australian Rich Thompson off waivers from the Angels, and have another Australian, Grant Balfour, currently installed as their closer.
Twins Designate Luke Hughes For Assignment
The Twins have designated infielder Luke Hughes for assignment, the team announced. The move creates room on the roster for Jason Marquis, who was recalled after opening the season in the minors.
Hughes, 27, has hit .224/.285/.342 in 335 career plate appearances. He's spent time at every infield spot other than shortstop and is a .268/.330/.419 career hitter in the minors. Hughes is out of options and could not be sent to the minors without first clearing waivers.
Marquis will be making his first start for the Twins tonight. He made a pair of tune-up starts at Double-A after spending time away from the team because his daughter was in a bicycle accident near the end of Spring Training.
Make Or Break Year: Francisco Liriano
In 2006, Baseball America's sixth-ranked prospect took the American League by storm after the Twins moved him from the bullpen into the rotation. Francisco Liriano was every bit as dominant as fellow ace Johan Santana, and Minnesota looked to have a pair of dynamic left-handers that would be as formidable as any one-two punch in baseball. 
Tommy John surgery that summer derailed that tandem, and set Liriano on the shelf for the entirety of the 2007 season. After 118 innings of work at Triple-A in 2008, Liriano rejoined the Twins' rotation to mixed success, and his dreadful 2009 was forgettable, to put it lightly (5.80 ERA in 136 2/3 innings).
Liriano exploded in 2010 to show that he wasn't done yet, though, winning the American League Comeback Player of the Year Award with 191 2/3 innings of 3.62 ERA ball. As is often the case, the ERA didn't tell the whole tale. Fangraphs pegged Liriano's worth at a whopping six wins above replacement. He struck out 9.4 hitters per nine innings pitched, while walking just 2.7 per nine. His SIERA was 3.02, while FIP liked him for a full run lower than his ERA — 2.66.
Those days seem like a distant memory however, following yet another disappointing season in 2011. Liriano avoided arbitration this winter by settling on a one-year deal worth $5.5MM. After a fantastic Spring Training in which he posted a 33:5 K:BB ratio in 27 innings while featuring a fastball above 93mph, Liriano is looking like his 2011 self. His first two starts have left him with an ERA of 10.00, and he's walked five hitters in nine innings while striking out just six. There's certainly time to turn it around, but it's in his best financial interest to do so sooner rather than later.
Liriano is a free agent following this season, and while he has the talent to be one of the game's most dominant southpaws, his consistency will limit his free agent earnings. A return to his 2010 ways would be enough to entice suitors to pony up on a multiyear deal, perhaps similar to the three-year, $32MM deal signed by Jorge De La Rosa following the 2010 season. With enough interested parties, larger offers wouldn't be out of the question for a 29-year-old lefty with ace-caliber stuff.
A repeat of his 2011 numbers, however, would likely relegate Liriano to a one-year deal in which he'd be seeking to prove that he can still pitch at this level. The next six months could very well mean tens of millions of dollars to the enigmatic lefty.
Photo courtesy of Kyle Terada/US Presswire.
Quick Hits: Twins, Thomas, Damon, Nationals, Rays
Saturday afternoon linkage..
- Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (via Twitter) notes that the Twins finally got Clete Thomas, years after they drafted him but were unable to sign him. Minnesota claimed Thomas off of waivers from the Tigers earlier today.
- Matt Klaassen of Fangraphs examines whether Johnny Damon is worth it for the Indians.
- Nationals manager Davey Johnson pushed for major changes to the bench this year and is happy with the outcome, writes MLB.com's Bill Ladson. This year's bench is clicking so far with the likes of Chad Tracy, Xavier Nady, and Mark DeRosa.
- The Rays signed Dominican shortstop Christian Toribio for $65K, according to a press release from the Dominican Prospect League. The DPL categorizes Toribio as an above average runner and a solid defender with enough arm strength and range to stick at the position.
Twins Claim Clete Thomas
The Twins have claimed Clete Thomas off waivers from the Tigers, reports MLB.com's Jason Beck (on Twitter). The team confirmed the move and announced that they've placed Scott Baker on the 60-day DL to open a 40-man roster spot. Detroit designated Thomas for assignment earlier this week.
Thomas, 28, has appeared in three games this season. He has a .253/.336/.391 line in 443 MLB plate appearances, most of which came during the 2008-09 campaigns. Thomas played for Triple-A Toledo last year, posting a .251/.314/.401 line in 406 plate appearances while playing all three outfield positions.
Central Notes: White Sox, Twins, Carroll, Brewers
Things are looking good on the South Side of Chicago as the White Sox find themselves on a three-game winning streak. They'll look to make it four straight tomorrow afternoon when they take on the Tigers at home. More on the White Sox and other items out of the Central divisions..
- White Sox GM Ken Williams termed the club's quiet hot stove season as "boring," writes Scott Merkin of MLB.com. "At the same time we were confident in our young players," the GM said. "We were still feeling around that veteran deal, something that could bring it all together. It was just different. Not as active. My phone bill was lower."
- Some were skeptical this offseason when the Twins gave 38-year-old Jamey Carroll a two-year deal to be their everyday shortstop. Rob Neyer of SBNation looked at other players who went from utility roles to starting jobs so late in their career and was unable to find a true comparable. Carroll's contract guarantees him $6.75MM with a third year vesting option worth $2MM if he gets to 400 plate appearances in 2013.
- The Brewers reinstated right-hander Mark Rogers from the restricted list, Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports. Milwaukee will assign the 26-year-old to Triple-A.
Quick Hits: Pedroia, Rodney, Expos, Morneau
The Braves played their first ever game in Atlanta on this date in 1966. The contest featured two home runs from Joe Torre, but the Pirates won 3-2. Here are today's links…
- Ian Kinsler recently signed an extension with the Rangers, even though he was already under team control through 2013. How about Dustin Pedroia, who’s under contract through 2014 with an $11MM club option for for 2015? Pedroia tells Rob Bradford of WEEI.com that he wants to stay in Boston and play for the Red Sox. His agent, Seth Levinson, says "Dustin's value far transcends his statistics."
- Manager Jim Leyland said the Tigers were "quietly interested" in Fernando Rodney before he signed with the Rays, MLB.com's Jason Beck reports. The former Tigers reliever has yet to allow a baserunner in four outings with his new club.
- Former Expos GM Omar Minaya explained to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports that the deal that sent Brandon Phillips, Cliff Lee and Grady Sizemore to Cleveland occurred under highly unusual circumstances. “Long-term, we were going to be contracted,” he said. “And if you were going to be contracted, the No. 1 priority was to be as competitive as you can.” Minaya, now the Padres’ senior VP of baseball operations, and Mark Shapiro of the Indians completed the fateful Bartolo Colon trade ten years ago.
- Jim Bowden of ESPN.com couldn’t find any GMs interested in trading for Justin Morneau. The Twins first baseman earns $14MM per season in 2012 and 2013, but Bowden wonders if the Rangers or Yankees could show interest later this summer.
Quick Hits: Hamilton, Baker, Phillips, Martinez
Angels right-hander Michael Kohn will have Tommy John surgery tomorrow and will miss the season according to Mike DiGiovanna of The Los Angeles Times (on Twitter). Here are some assorted links for Wednesday…
- The Rangers recently met with Mike Moye, agent for Josh Hamilton, but the two sides didn't get too deep into contract extension talks according to Jeff Wilson of The Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
- The Twins hope to replace Scott Baker internally, but there's a chance he might not pitch for them again according to MLB.com's Rhett Bollinger (Twitter links). Baker will miss the year with elbow surgery and the team holds a $9MM option for next season.
- Talks between the Reds and Brandon Phillips about a contract extension started last March according to ESPN's Jim Bowden. Phillips' agreed to a new deal this week.
- The Tigers have some hope that Victor Martinez will return late this season, according to Tom Gage of the Detroit News (Twitter links). The switch-hitting DH didn't need ACL reconstruction on his injured knee, and may return before the season's up. The Tigers won't know whether Martinez can play until they get MRI results in July.
- Tom Krasovic of Inside the Padres reports that Padres owner John Moores initially sought $600MM for the team in 2008 and explains why it may sell for more this time around. The Padres are up for sale again, Moores announced yesterday.
- Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram has the year-by-year breakdown for Ian Kinsler’s recent contract extension (Twitter link). The Rangers have a $10MM option for 2018 with a $5MM buyout.
- Jim Callis of Baseball America reports that most teams believe Georgia high school outfielder Byron Buxton is the best prospect available in this year's amateur draft. There's a growing sense the Astros don't want to make a risky pick, yet there's no obvious second choice behind Buxton.
Mike Axisa contributed to this post.
Scott Baker To Undergo Season-Ending Operation
The Twins have announced that right-hander Scott Baker will miss the 2012 season to undergo and recover from elbow surgery, MLB.com's Rhett Bollinger reports (Twitter links). The operation will repair Baker's flexor pronator tendon and rehab will take six months. Fortunately for Baker, his ulnar collateral ligament is fine.
Baker, 30, also dealt with elbow problems in 2010-11. The Twins shut him down during Spring Training and he left a minor league game after feeling discomfort last week, according to La Velle E. Neal III of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.
Baker pitched 134 2/3 innings last year, posting a 3.14 ERA with 8.2 K/9 and 2.1 BB/9. The Twins have a $9.25MM club option for his services in 2013 under an extension signed before the 2009 season. They may face a difficult decision this fall, when they have to exercise the option or let Baker walk.
Offseason In Review: Minnesota Twins
Terry Ryan returned as Twins GM, attempting to keep his team afloat by dabbling in the middle of the free agent pool.
Major League Signings
- Josh Willingham, LF: three years, $21MM.
- Jamey Carroll, SS: two years, $6.75MM. Includes $2MM club/player option for 2014 with a potential $250K buyout.
- Matt Capps, RP: one year, $4.75MM. Includes $6MM club option for 2013 with a $250K buyout.
- Ryan Doumit, DH: one year, $3MM.
- Jason Marquis, SP: one year, $3MM.
- Joel Zumaya, RP: one year, $850K. Released.
- Total spend: $39.35MM.
Draft picks gained: #32 and #72 for Michael Cuddyer, #42 for Jason Kubel
International Signings
- P Mauricio Silva ($370K)
Notable Minor League Signings
- J.R. Towles, Brian Dinkelman, Jared Burton, Wilkin Ramirez, Phil Dumatrait, P.J. Walters, Rene Rivera, Sean Burroughs, Daryl Thompson, Casey Fien, Luke French, Esmerling Vasquez
Extensions
- Glen Perkins, RP: three years, $10.3MM. Includes club option for 2016.
Trades and Claims
- Acquired RP Daniel Turpen from Rockies for SP Kevin Slowey.
- Claimed RP Jeff Gray off waivers from Mariners.
- Claimed SP Matt Maloney off waivers from Reds.
- Claimed SS Pedro Florimon off waivers from Orioles.
- Claimed OF Darin Mastroianni off waivers from Blue Jays.
- Acquired 1B Matt Rizzotti from Phillies for cash considerations.
Notable Losses
- Michael Cuddyer, Jason Kubel, Joe Nathan, Jose Mijares, Kevin Slowey, Matt Tolbert
Bill Smith's Twins teams had success in 2009-10, winning two division titles. However, Smith's 2011 club produced disastrous results, and the Twins decided to reinstate longtime GM Terry Ryan to clean up the mess. Ryan had a decent amount of money to spend on a team with many needs, and his solution was to sign veteran free agents.
Re-signing Cuddyer was the Twins' number one offseason priority, assistant GM Rob Antony told Jesse Lund in February. The Twins appeared to top out around three years and $25MM, but the Rockies went $5MM beyond that. The Twins also failed to find common ground with Kubel, who seemed to prefer a more hitter-friendly ballpark. Ultimately, Ryan was able to sign Willingham for less than he offered Cuddyer. Both 33-year-olds have defensive shortcomings, and Willingham is the better hitter. He's also, however, more prone to injury.
The Twins ranked Delmon Young below Cuddyer and Kubel, so they traded him to the Tigers in August rather than non-tender him. Perhaps the range of right field contributor Ben Revere and center fielder Denard Span will limit the damage caused by Willingham's defense in left.
The signing of Doumit generally compensates for the loss of Kubel, at a lower salary. Like Willingham, Doumit has durability and defense issues. Doumit will spend time at right field, catcher, designated hitter, and first base. He's best-served as a designated hitter, but with Justin Morneau now set to spend more of his time at DH than first, the Twins will deal with more Doumit defense. Another part of the domino effect of Morneau at DH means semi-regular at-bats for former first-rounder Chris Parmelee, which is not justified by his work last year in the 24-year-old's second try at Double-A.
Patching a team through free agency is always difficult, but Ryan was at least able to keep the offense in a similar place for less money by replacing Cuddyer and Kubel with Willingham and Doumit. Carroll could add an OBP boost from shortstop, a position for which Twins hitters posted a .292 OBP in 2011. Tsuyoshi Nishioka's role with the 2012 Twins will be eliminated or greatly reduced, and their middle infield will be better for it. The best hope for the Twins' offense lies in incumbents, as Joe Mauer and Morneau must stay healthy and productive to compensate for below-average hitting at left field and third base.
If you think the three new Twins position players are solid but unspectacular, the pitching additions are something less than that. The Twins had the league's worst bullpen in 2011, and Ryan remedied that by retaining Capps at an above-market price. Joel Zumaya was a decent bullpen flyer, but he went down for Tommy John surgery in March and has been released. Capps has always had a low strikeout rate for a late-inning reliever, and that dipped to just 4.66 per nine in 2011. It was time for a change, especially with Capps wanting $4.75MM. Capps being the team's only real bullpen signing is particularly baffling, especially with Nathan leaving. Ryan did sign Perkins for the long-term, potentially securing three free agent seasons on the hope that last year's breakout was legitimate.
The Twins were unable to put aside their differences with Slowey, trading him to the Rockies prior to the non-tender deadline. Marquis was the team's sole rotation addition. An NL lifer, Marquis is a back-end innings guy in the best case. The team will pray that Francisco Liriano and Scott Baker can stay healthy and pitch at the front end.
Ryan's first offseason back was a safe one, in that the Twins didn't make any aggressive signings or trades. Once again, the team's fortunes will rest on a handful of key players who have had trouble staying on the field in recent years.