Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Willingham on the horizon

It looks like Josh Willingham is going to sign for 3 years and $21 million. This means that Michael Cuddyer will be going elsewhere and it means that the Twins will get compensated with two picks. Add in the likelihood that Jason Kubel goes elsewhere and the Twins will be getting three compensation picks. This should mean five picks in the first 55-65 picks taken, which is huge for replenishing the minor league system.

In other news: Jose Mijares was non-tendered, which is something that I like (though I would have preferred a trade). The Twins have Perkins and Duensing in the bullpen and have no need for a third lefty. I would assume that the emergence of Tyler Robertson in the second half of the season in New Britain might be a factor in this decision.

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Capps, Slowey, and Cuddyer

I have waited awhile before posting about the Matt Capps signing. It still does not make a lot of sense to me, but the following seems clear:

1. The Twins wanted the cheapest "proven closer" out there. Many things about this are preposterous, but this means that they are paying about 1-1.5 million more than the other viable (and a few of them, better) relievers on the market, but none of those guys are "proven closers" (Dotel, Hawkins, Coffey). 
2. The Twins are being very loyal. They love Matt Capps and he is a great guy. So they wanted him around for that reason.
3. The Twins don't care about having a bunch of draft picks in this draft. Consider the first two rounds of the 2012 draft. With the normal two picks, the one coming for Capps, the one coming for Kubel, and the two coming for Cuddyer, the Twins could have had 6 of the top 60-65 picks (depending on how big that supplemental round will be). I suspect that the Twins are going to end up with only three of them now. Maybe this is a financial decision. 
4. The Twins are serious about the recent bullpen arms they have added (Gray, Maloney, Burton, Vasquez, etc.). 

The trading of Kevin Slowey was inevitable after a *ridiculous* year last year. There is no reason whatsoever to have Nick Blackburn starting instead of Slowey. Slowey fell victim to a dumb contract given out of the blue to a 6th starter in Blackburn. The treatment from Souhan and Blyleven, etc., was appalling. What a disgrace. Souhan is a total joke on every level, and Blyleven needs to find a new job.  I wish Kevin the best in Colorado.

Cuddyer will be a Twin next year. The market fell out and no one else wants him. They know that Cuddyer is due for an average year. It's unfortunate that Cuddyer is coming back, but I don't know if I trust the Twins to properly replace him anyway (Derrek Lee and Andruw Jones/Jonny Gomes on one year deals with option years). A three-year deal is a problem. I think that it should be clear now that players like Rene Tosoni, Chris Parmelee, Joe Benson, and even Ben Revere could be playing this year to show potential and to develop serious trade value.

Saturday, December 3, 2011

Bullpen

I have changed my mind about the path the Twins ought to take. I have been convinced by Seth Stohs here that Brad Lidge is a worthwhile pickup (instead of Dotel). I think the Twins should groom Gutierrez as the closer, and Robertson and Guerra as setup men in Rochester. I would like to see Alex Burnett start at Rochester and Jose Mijares to be traded (packaged with Slowey?).

The Twins bullpen would look like this, then:

Long: Swarzak
M: open
M: open
LOOGY: Duensing
SU LH: Perkins
SU RH: open
Cl: Lidge

Scared about rumors

There is a lot of talk about the Twins "madly" pursuing Cuddyer and "strong interest" in Capps. Cuddyer at 2 years, 22 million isn't terrible. Maybe even 2/24, but that is it. Capps should in no way, shape, or form be re-signed given that the Twins would get a pick (around 60-65) when he signs elsewhere. It makes absolutely no sense to think of Capps as anything, much less a 4+ million dollar closer!