Who Was the Last Twins Closer Acquired as a Free Agent?

by Jesse on Dec 1, 2011 9:00 AM EST in Quick Hits

When the Rangers signed Joe Nathan last week, I took the easy route when discussing the future of the closer role in Minnesota. I just went through the free agent list and talked about how likely it might be for Minnesota to sign any of them. That was just an introduction to the conversation.

Because let's be honest: how likely is it that the Twins sign a big name closer? It's not likely at all. For any number of reasons, not the least of which being that the one proven, high-upside closer went to Kansas City as a setup man. We all know, though, that paying for a proven closer isn't the best use of anyone's resources - much less a team like the Twins which has many holes to fill. Not only that, but club history is against it. Can you remember who the last free agent closer for Minnesota was?

Twins Closers
Joe Nathan (2004-2009, 2011): Trade
Matt Capps (2010-2011): Trade
Jon Rauch (2009-2010): Trade
Eddie Guardado (2001-2003): Draft
LaTroy Hawkins (2000-2001): Draft
Mike Trombley (1999): Draft
Rick Aguilera (1997-1999): Free Agent

Aguilera, who the Twins traded for at the 1989 trade deadline, was dealt in July of 1995 before his 10-and-5 rights kicked in. They re-signed him in December of that season, but used him as a starter in '96 before sending him back to the closer's role.

When I asked this question on Twitter and Facebook last night, a lot of you had the answer pretty quickly. But here's one that will really make you dig deep: who was the last free agent closer for the Twins before Aguilera?

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Comments

Was it...

…Mike Marshall, everyone’s favorite Ph.D./fringe screwball mechanics theorist?

by Cooperstown Needs Bert on Dec 1, 2011 9:39 AM EST reply actions

It was indeed!

by Jesse on Dec 1, 2011 9:51 AM EST up reply actions

I'm kind of surprised at how quickly people got that one.

In spite of the internet, people were all over this last night too. Good for Mike Marshall, I guess!

by Jesse on Dec 1, 2011 10:00 AM EST up reply actions

Admittedly,

I had to root around a little bit—his Twins tenure is beyond my memory (though not life). That having been said, I was anticipating someone more obscure—he was sort of a titan, if only for a few years.

by Cooperstown Needs Bert on Dec 1, 2011 10:31 AM EST reply actions

I thought it was Reardon, but that was a trade

by DavidRF on Dec 1, 2011 11:02 AM EST reply actions

Just my opinion...

Take any strikeout-capable reliever, put him in the 9th inning, and you have a closer. Nothing fancy about it. And I still think that a reliever getting 1 guy out in the 7th or 8th with 2 runners on base is just as valuable (or more) than a closer getting 3 guys out starting a blank 9th inning.

by spanspanspan on Dec 1, 2011 5:19 PM EST reply actions

Well

There is the counter-example of The Hawk. For whatever reason, he blew up when you put him in the 9th, but dominated in the 8th.

by amiller92 on Dec 1, 2011 5:40 PM EST up reply actions

Absolutely.

I think most people are on board with this by now. I hope.

I do believe that there are some aspects of a closer that can’t be defined: I think there is a certain level of pressure associated with the role, as in – you’re it – you win the game or you let it slip away. So there’s some mental dexterity and resolve that needs to be there, and you need to want the spotlight. But certainly, a vast majority of the time if you’re a good reliever you can be a good closer.

by Jesse on Dec 1, 2011 5:45 PM EST up reply actions

Ron "Boom Boom" Davis

"Don't take life for granted, because tomorrow isn't promised to any one of us." -Kirby Puckett
#OccupyTwinkieTown

by less cowbell, more 'neau on Dec 1, 2011 7:17 PM EST up reply actions

Yeah, there are certainly exceptions, but the general formula works

Davis was actually “OK” in 83 & 85, but 1984 was one of the worst seasons by a closer in history and cost us a division title. Then in 1986, he was even worse than 84 but we gave up on him… took him out of the closer role and traded him to the Cubs.

The lesson I take is that we shouldn’t ride the player too long in that position if its not working out. That’s the annoying thing about this position is the whole ego thing of anointing a player in the role and all the drama involved if you want to start bringing someone else in instead for a save situation. It makes finding a “proven” player an appealing cover-your-:a** strategy for a GM.

But we made a closer out of Nathan, Guardado and Aguilera. I even thought Rauch was serviceable, but the desire to improve on that led us to making an unpopular trade.

by DavidRF on Dec 1, 2011 8:29 PM EST up reply actions

I was at the game that made us trade for Capps.

It was against the WSox, the second game after the all star break in 2010. Rauch in for a save situation. I don’t remember the specific details, but I think he gave up a run and loaded the bases. They brought in Crain to close for the closer, and he struck out Konerko with the bases loaded to get the save.

My thought not long after that was: Why did we have to trade for Capps when Crain was right there, having a great year?

by spanspanspan on Dec 1, 2011 9:04 PM EST up reply actions

box score

“Thank You”http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/MIN/MIN201007160.shtml bb-ref.

by archie2227 on Dec 1, 2011 9:22 PM EST up reply actions

Ahh, even worse than I remember

Rauch: 1/3 IP, 3 BB, 2 R

I also remember that it was a great performance by Liriano (7 2/3 IP, 2 R) and he got a standing ovation when Gardy took him out.

by spanspanspan on Dec 1, 2011 9:32 PM EST up reply actions

The big guy with glasses

Had not thought about him in a long time and good thing……I remember in 1984 I would read the sports page the next day after he got rocked the night before and there would be little blurbs in there that his fastball was being clocked at 82 mph the night before…..oops

richman

by anderson800 on Dec 2, 2011 12:31 PM EST up reply actions

oops forgot a colon

Man, I suck at links today. Link

by archie2227 on Dec 1, 2011 9:22 PM EST reply actions

and replys

I quit.

by archie2227 on Dec 1, 2011 9:22 PM EST up reply actions

And spelling

by ColossusOfRhode on Dec 1, 2011 9:59 PM EST up reply actions

Nope

replys is obviously correct.

by archie2227 on Dec 1, 2011 10:07 PM EST up reply actions

Wait...

Are you advocated expanded replays in MLB?

by spanspanspan on Dec 2, 2011 12:50 AM EST up reply actions

I actually don't think it's a terrible idea...

for a team to grab a new closer every year on the FA market that has never closed before, or at least not in that previous year or two. Then you put him in the closer role, let him rack up saves for a year, and likely turn him into a Type A or Type B guy on the market and gain a pick in letting him go. Rinse, lather, repeat, each year.

Course now that will change some with the new CBA, though…

by DJSkillz on Dec 1, 2011 11:23 PM EST reply actions

That just seems too logical.

It would work for a couple years until all the other GMs started doing it.

by spanspanspan on Dec 2, 2011 12:52 AM EST up reply actions

right...

it’s really not THAT different than what the Blue Jays and Rays have been doing the last couple years stockpiling new, cheap, effective relievers each year and turning them into high picks. It’s brilliant on their part. This is just basically an extension of that.

by DJSkillz on Dec 2, 2011 2:32 AM EST up reply actions

That's gone for good

The new method would be to acquire pending free agents that are worth the $12M tender from teams that aren’t willing to make that offer in order to pick up first round draft picks.

by DJL44 on Dec 2, 2011 12:20 PM EST up reply actions