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Saturday, March 27, 2010

MLB: Twins tell Jacque Jones he won’t make roster

When the club signed Jones to a Minor League deal in February, he was told of the roster situation and that it was unlikely he’d break camp with the team. But the club wanted to give Jones, 34, another opportunity to show he can still play, and as far as Gardenhire’s concerned, Jones’ play this spring proved that’s the case.

“Jacque’s had a great spring,” Gardenhire said. “I just don’t have a roster spot for him right now.”

After Jones plays in the two exhibition games in Minnesota, he’ll head to Rochester and start the season there. He’s proven, though, that the club can call upon him if there is a need for another outfielder.

“It’s been fun watching him play this spring,” Gardenhire said. “He’s done pretty doggone good, and he becomes a very, very serviceable player in this organization, a guy that can be useful this year.”

Thanks to TTO.

Repoz Posted: March 27, 2010 at 10:59 PM | 11 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
Tags: twins

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1. WillYoung Posted: March 27, 2010 at 11:40 PM (#3487302)

It would have been a fun ride on the nostalgia train to bring Jacque north, but the last thing a team with Mauer, Thome, Kubel, Morneau, and Span needs is for its backup OF'er to be a lefty with a severe platoon split.

However, if this now means the backup CF'ers to DSPAN-2 are Punto, Cuddyer, and the Tolbert/Casilla "winner", then maybe he actually deserves a spot on the roster. I don't particularly want to see any of those four (especially Cuddyer!) anywhere near CF on anything more than an emergency basis.

2. Rich Rifkin Posted: March 28, 2010 at 12:24 AM (#3487309)

When I read that Jones has made $25 million in his career--and hopefully he still is worth half that--my thought was, why bother going back to the minors at age 34 after essentially being out of the majors since 2007? But thinking about it, it's pretty inspiring that a guy loves the game enough and wants to give it everything he has to keep on trying. Hopefully he can find a major league job at some point. His numbers last year at Newark were not too bad. However, that Independent League is a long way from AAA, let alone the majors.

3. Gamingboy Posted: March 28, 2010 at 01:39 AM (#3487339)

The fact he's accepted to start the season with Rochester (Wooo! Rochester!) is probably proof that there is a very good chance he'll be one of the first guys up if there is an injury.

4. RB in NYC (Now with New iPhone!) Posted: March 28, 2010 at 02:40 AM (#3487358)

I saw Jones playing for the independent Newark Bears last year. He didn't climb into the stands and beat me to death despite my repeated shouts of "Allons-y Jacques," so he's ok in my book.

5. Craig in MN Posted: March 28, 2010 at 04:42 AM (#3487395)

the backup CF'ers to DSPAN-2 are Punto, Cuddyer, and the Tolbert/Casilla "winner",

They sent Tolbert down. Casilla's the winner, at least until they can trade him. He's not going to play even once a week, and he's not going to develop sitting on the bench. They might as well trade him for someone who actually knows how to play CF and be of some use to the team.

6. Harry Balsagne's transparent jealousy

Posted: March 28, 2010 at 05:37 AM (#3487404)

From TFA:

Casilla is out of options, and Gardenhire has said numerous times this spring that it would play a factor in their decision-making if no one ran away with the job. Casilla has batted .158 (6-for-38) this spring, while his main competition for the final spot, Tolbert, batted .194 (6-for-31).

Gardenhire said it wasn't easy telling Tolbert for the second consecutive spring that he wasn't going to start the year with the club.

"He hasn't played great in Spring Training, but that doesn't mean he's not a great player," Gardenhire said. "He's a really good player. He just had a little bit of a rough spring here, but I still think he's a big league baseball player and will be for a long time. Just right now, he's not going to start out that way."

Good to see Gardenhire's non-hitting middle infielder fetish hasn't cooled during the offseason. Only Gardy could call a poor man's Nick Punto a "really good player".

7. CFiJ Posted: March 28, 2010 at 06:15 AM (#3487407)

For some reason, the headline makes me imagine Gardenhire, Bill Smith, Terry Ryan, Joe Mauer, and Nick Punto all holding an intervention for Jacque.

8. DL from MN Posted: March 28, 2010 at 09:52 AM (#3487420)

I think they are actually bringing Jacque north - for the exhibition games against the Cardinals. Then they're sending him to Rochester.

9. GotowarMissAgnes Posted: March 28, 2010 at 12:25 PM (#3487432)

Free Jacque Jones!

10. bond1 Posted: March 29, 2010 at 03:17 AM (#3487724)

Why didn't Jones try out with Dusty's Reds? He's probably better than any of Cincy's current outfielders.

11. Kyle S at work Posted: March 29, 2010 at 05:26 AM (#3487762)

Hard not to root for him after reading 'Fantasyland'. Go get em Jacque.

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Saturday, March 27, 2010

MLB: Twins tell Jacque Jones he won’t make roster

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