Twins Today, December 8, 2006

The Winter Meetings were, more or less, as wasted week for Twins’ G.M. Terry Ryan.  “The winter meetings aren’t something that are going to be very kind to the Minnesota Twins, especially in today’s market,” Ryan said. “Once some of these signings started coming in, I knew we were in for a tough go.”

The health of hard-hitting Jason Kubel, 24, has forced the Twins to look for additional options in left field.  Kubel underwent arthoscopic surgery in November to clean up the cartilage in his right knee.  The outfielder nearly completely destroyed his left during the 2004 fall league, forcing him to miss the entire 2005 season.  Soreness in both joints bothered him significantly for most of last season.  “Kubel may be better suited to DH right now,” manager Ron Gardenhire said. “But we can mix and match out there.” And, even ignoring the knees, the team was also unhappy last season about Kubel’s general conditioning and overall fitness in 2006.  “He’s been told enough now, so it’s on his shoulders,” Gardenhire said of Kubel’s commitment to conditioning. “He’s got to do a lot of work this winter, and he needs to go down to Spring Training early. He needs to come prepared to play.” Ryan, who has been trying to re-up 2006 DH Rondell White seemed confident about his team’s left field situation.  “Between [Jason] Tyner, [Lew] Ford, Kubel and Rondell, we should have enough people if any sort of ailments occur.”

However, contract negotiations between the Twins and their 2006 LF/DH Rondell White have reached a deadlock, but a deal may still get done soon since both parties want it to happen.  But, can White, who doesn’t like to DH, play left field, where the Twins seem to have a hole?  “You know, he doesn’t throw great, but he ran the balls down and made the plays,” Gardenhire said, making a silk’s purse out of a sows ear. “That’s all we ask.” White, of course, is wildly optimistic about his health.  Ryan struck the same upbeat note.  “When we did put him out there, he did stay relatively healthy,” Ryan said, while to explain whether he meant “relative” to other major leaguers or just “relative” to White’s own dreadful injury history.  White was sidelined for almost a month last August last season by a lingering hamstring injury that severely limited his mobility.  “This is the best my legs have ever felt in December,” White said. “I’m going to go (into next season) feeling like I’m in my 20s. I’m not a cocky guy, but I’ll make the plays.” White earned $2.5 million from the Twins last season and became a free agent after the club exercised a $750,000 buyout of his option.  The Phillies are also believed to be interested in White. 

Trying to add to their collection of good right-handed National League hitters from the late-1990s, Twins are expected to offer a contract to infielder Jeff Cirillo. Speculation is that the contract will be for approximately $1 million plus incentives.  “I’m not going to get into specifics,” Twins General Manager Terry Ryan said. “We’re looking for a little righthanded production around the infield.” Back in Milwaukee, Cirillo hit .400/.484/.636 and .413/.451/.493 against lefties in 2005-2006.  The Brewers and Reds also are interested in Cirillo. 

Why is Gil Meche is going to make $55 million dollars?  Ask the Twins, who are having trouble plugging several big holes in their rotation, while not spending tons of money or trading any of their own pitching prospects.  So, what are they going to do?  “Next question,” Gardenhire laughed. “I don’t even know the first three [starters] yet.” According to Gardenhire, Johan Santana, Boof Bonser and Carlos Silva “are in” but “we got the kids from there on out.” The best candidates of the kids are Matt Garza, Scott Baker, Glen Perkins and, dark horse prospect Oswaldo Sosa.  Coming of an injury, former prospect J. D. Durbin will also be in the mix since he is out of options. “He’s very talented, another great arm,” Gardenhire said of Durbin, “and if he’s healthy and throwing the ball like he did when he went down, he’s pretty good.” Apparently, Minnesota has ruled out moving Matt Guerrier from the bullpen to the rotation, but may use Dennys Reyes there, if necessary.  “We don’t want to mess with Reyes,” Gardenhire said. “But you always start looking and thinking about all your possibilities, especially because starting pitching is a commodity right now that everybody is looking for.”

The team is eyeing about a half-dozen pitchers that would “be a good fit for the club.” “I’m very confident,” Gardenhire said of the Twins’ ability to add another starter or two. “Another veteran would be nice, and then you’re looking at one slot for one of those young pitchers. Right now, we’re just looking to see what we can find.” Apparently, Aruban knight/drunken brawler/”pitcher” Sir Sidney Ponson is one of those Dirty Half Dozen whom the Twins have targeted.  Ryan spoke to the Ponson’s representative on Thursday, although it is not clear if the team offered him a contract.  The Twins are also interested in southpaw Bruce Chen. 

They also have been begging Brad Radke, 33, to reconsider his stated decision to retire.  Gardenhire expects that the Radke, a 12-year veteran with the Twins whose arm is held in place by horribly ravaged rotator cuff, will not return for 2007.  “We’ve all said, (we hope he stays) one more year,” Gardenhire said. “Brad has pretty much done what he had to do in the game, I think. And until he makes his official announcement in front of you guys, we still got options with him. We are still talking, but it doesn’t look very good, let’s put it that way.”

The Twins are interested in adding a second left-hander reliever to provide help for Reyes.  Gardenhire will not use Perkins in this role.  They did sign lefties Mike Venafro and Carmen Cali to minor league contracts with invitations to the clubs spring training digs.  Venafro, 33, has played with five teams in his seven-year major league career.  Cali, 28, has pitched poorly in two brief stints with the Cardinals and logged an uneven minor league career.

Minnesota claimed shortstop Alejandro Machado, 24, from Washington in the Rule 5 Draft.  “He’s a middle infielder and a veteran player, which is a different sort of player than we usually take in the Draft,” said the Twins pro scouting coordinator, Vern Followell. “He has a lot of experience and is more of a defensive guy. But we are looking for backup help at the Major League level and we’re hoping that he can fit. He’s played a lot in Triple-A and been through a lot of organizations,” Followell said of Machado who has been traded four times in the last five years, “so he’s doesn’t have a problem hanging in there and fitting in on a Major League roster.” In the 2004 Rule 5 draft, Boston claimed Machado, but returned him to the Nationals.  In the minor league part of the draft, the Twins raided the Giants’ organization, taking pitcher Jesse Floyd and third baseman Brian Buscher.  Other teams took advantage of the Twins minor league depth though.  Minnesota lost pitchers Kevin Cameron to San Diego and Levale Speigner to Washington in the major league portion of the draft, while losing outfielder Erold Andrus to Tampa Bay and pitcher Justin Jones (who came to Minnesota from Boston in the Mientkiewicz deal) to the Nationals in the minor league session. 

The club heaped more responsibility on the plate of Rob Antony, director of baseball operations, giving him responsibitly for contract negotiations. The move fills the void that was left when Wayne Krivsky departed last winter to become the Reds GM.  They also named Perry Castellano to be the Major League strength and conditioning coach. Castellano has held the same role for the Twins minor league system for the past six years.  Adding to their scouting department, the Twins brought on board Lee MacPhail and Kenny Compton.  MacPhail, nephew of former Twins G.M. Andy MacPhail, has served as the director of baseball administration and a special assignment scout with the Nationals.  Compton was director of professional scouting with the Mariners.

The Twins and Hennepin County showed off plans for the team’s new ballpark this week.  Designed by HOK, the park will be about the same size as Pittsburgh’s PNC and Cincinnati’s GAB with around 40,000 seats, only 10,000 of which are slated to be in the upper deck.  “This will be the most compact ballpark that HOK has built,” a representative of the firm said. “In fact, it would fit inside most of the ballparks we’ve built. But the concourses will be twice as wide as the Metrodome, and there will be twice the number of bathrooms.” The field dimensions haven’t been finalized, but the power alleys will be deeper than the Metrodome’s.  “Most of the wall is about eight feet high, and the reason for that is we want to see Torii Hunter jump up and catch a home run over the wall,” said Jerry Bell, president of Twins Sports, Inc. “It can’t be so low that it’s easy, but it can’t be so high that it’s impossible.” The Twins hope to develop a supporting community around the ballpark.  “Principles for good urban design have been applied to this project,” said Chuck Lear, the chair of the design advisory committee.  “We want to make getting to the game as exciting as the game itself.” The new park is scheduled to be ready for the Opening Day, 2010.