Winter Meetings Day 4 Afternoon Notes: Twins One of the Favorites for Willingham

by Jesse on Dec 8, 2011 12:48 PM EST in News

Glen Perkins, waiting for his home made venison jerky to finish...

Eventually the Angels and Marlins will get tired of flashing money they may or may not have, and a free agent will sign with someone else. But this is fun: the Marlins may have actually outbid the Angels for Pujols. Maybe.

Josh Willingham

Susan Slusser (via Twitter) believes that, along with the Indians and Rockies, the Twins are one of the more likely landing spots for the slugging right-handed outfielder. This shouldn't come as much of a surprise as we've been talking about this for weeks, not to mention Willingham's market is very similar to Michael Cuddyer's market. Both players figure to make about the same amount of money, Willingham hits both right and left-handed pitchers, while Cuddyer smashes southpaws and can play a couple of different positions. He also has the local love of the Minnesota market.

Glen Perkins

He sent Cuddyer some home made venison jerky. He's doing his part.

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Glen Perkins is awesome

That is all.

by ColossusOfRhode on Dec 8, 2011 12:52 PM EST reply actions

And he might have shot a deer in North Dakota.

I'm a proud fan of the Minnesota Twins and Dallas Cowboys!
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by Jessy S on Dec 8, 2011 12:57 PM EST up reply actions

Have you ever heard Glen Perkins talk?

His accent is almost as bad as Joe’s.

"It happened in the moment, and it happened." - Carlos Gomez

by myjah on Dec 8, 2011 12:56 PM EST reply actions

I believe you

You have been getting the chance to sit near the dugout.

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by Jessy S on Dec 8, 2011 12:58 PM EST up reply actions

Actually Perkins sits in the bullpen mostly

But I hear him on radio shows. Yeah.

"It happened in the moment, and it happened." - Carlos Gomez

by myjah on Dec 8, 2011 5:44 PM EST up reply actions

He was fun to watch on Kent Hrbek's sports show

If there’s such a thing as a Lakeville hick, he’s it.

"You're thinking too much. Just have fun." -- Bennie "The Jet" Rodriguez in Sandlot

by cmathewson on Dec 8, 2011 6:07 PM EST up reply actions

I thought he was from Stillwater

by spanspanspan on Dec 8, 2011 9:59 PM EST up reply actions

From Stillwater, lives in Lakeville

"You're thinking too much. Just have fun." -- Bennie "The Jet" Rodriguez in Sandlot

by cmathewson on Dec 8, 2011 10:58 PM EST up reply actions

There's such a thing

As a Lakeville non-hick?? ;)

(kidding, people)

by amiller92 on Dec 9, 2011 12:28 PM EST up reply actions

Well

I imagine you might have heard him cursing at Matt Capps for blowing a game or two.

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by Jessy S on Dec 8, 2011 6:33 PM EST up reply actions

Joe Mauer has an accent?

Joe Nathan, maybe? Joe Stalin?

"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 8, 2011 12:59 PM EST up reply actions

Mauer has a pretty good Minnesota twang going

If you don’t notice it, chances are you do too

by ColossusOfRhode on Dec 8, 2011 1:02 PM EST up reply actions

I sound like this guy

Luke Rasmussen So I don’t really have an accent.

"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 8, 2011 1:07 PM EST up reply actions

well, i think we can say Cuddy coming back is official now...

no one can withstand the power of venison jerky. it’s pretty much the best thing on earth.

by DJSkillz on Dec 8, 2011 1:01 PM EST reply actions

What happens if Cuddy and/or Kubes accepts?

We aren’t going with all 3, did they give up on them re-signing?

"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 8, 2011 1:02 PM EST reply actions

Nobody accepted arb

by DJL44 on Dec 8, 2011 1:08 PM EST up reply actions

No, I meant the 3y/24m, in Cuddy's case.

"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 8, 2011 1:09 PM EST up reply actions

it's not like all 3 guys are going to agree to contracts within minutes of each other...

they can always rescind an offer to 1 or 2 when they sign 1 of them.

by DJSkillz on Dec 8, 2011 1:15 PM EST up reply actions

You'd think if he (or Willingham) accepts, all the other offers are off the table

by twinscrazy_german on Dec 8, 2011 1:15 PM EST up reply actions

Which is kind of my point.

If we’re a “front runner” for Willingham, we must have some sort of tentative offer out there to him. Cuddy’s probably preoccupied at the moment with his new family members.

"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 8, 2011 1:22 PM EST up reply actions

Well both are courted by the same teams, right?

So if A chooses X, B just takes Y.
Everyone waiting to see who makes the next move?

by twinscrazy_german on Dec 8, 2011 1:25 PM EST up reply actions

Looks like the Twins acquired RP Daniel Turpen from Colorado

http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=turpen001dan

"I learned something yesterday. No use in having rules if there's no punishment for breaking them. You'll be fine if you bite down on the trigger. Enjoy your breakfast."

by John_Locke on Dec 8, 2011 1:21 PM EST reply actions

So nothing.

by archie2227 on Dec 8, 2011 1:27 PM EST up reply actions

He had a 0.94 SO/BB average at AA this year

But I am sure he is a nice guy

by twinscrazy_german on Dec 8, 2011 1:27 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs

we are so dumb.

losing faith quickly in the terry ryan era part deux

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

True

He has a nice upside in the bullpen so I would take him.

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by Jessy S on Dec 8, 2011 1:31 PM EST up reply actions

25, last year in AA with an ERA of 4.8, more walks than strikeouts

If that’s not upside, I forgot the sarcasm font

by twinscrazy_german on Dec 8, 2011 1:53 PM EST up reply actions

I actually thought his numbers looked pretty good.

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by Jessy S on Dec 8, 2011 6:35 PM EST up reply actions

He's only the "interim" GM

With moves like these they’ll find the permanent guy faster.

by DJL44 on Dec 8, 2011 1:54 PM EST up reply actions

I am not sure about the interim tag

Ryan himself didn’t seem sure:

He says he doesn’t know whether he’ll be running the Twins for “one year or 10 years.” But regardless how things turn out, rest assured of this: It will be his call to make.

via ESPN

by twinscrazy_german on Dec 8, 2011 2:06 PM EST up reply actions

I would bet Rob Antony or Tom Kelly would be our next GM.

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by Jessy S on Dec 8, 2011 6:36 PM EST up reply actions

THAT'S who we got for Slowey?

Lame.

"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 8, 2011 2:39 PM EST up reply actions

Well

pitchers who are making nearly 3m while avg 106ip, 90 ERA+ and 0.7 WAR per season since 2007 don’t tend to get good players in return.

by Gunnarthor on Dec 8, 2011 2:46 PM EST up reply actions

but we'll end up paying a worse pitcher (Jeff Francis probably)...

more than $3M/yr to be our 5th starter. Makes no sense.

This has everything to do with Gardenhire and another in a long line of players that he can’t actually manage.

by DJSkillz on Dec 8, 2011 3:32 PM EST up reply actions

Francis was much, much better than Slowey last year

and should be again this year.

by Gunnarthor on Dec 8, 2011 3:46 PM EST up reply actions

disagree...

we shall see.

by DJSkillz on Dec 8, 2011 3:54 PM EST up reply actions

Slowey has had injuries.

Plus he was stuck in the relief spot he’s never pitched from.

by b1 on Dec 8, 2011 5:38 PM EST up reply actions

That was brief

When he wasn’t on the DL, he pitched half of last year at AAA. When he did get another chance, it was as a starter. And we saw the same stuff we had the last two years: Shaking off his catcher four or five times, throwing his fastball 90% of the time, nibbling. What you see is what you get: A guy who can pitch decently for five innings at at time. After hitters time him, he gets hammered. We need more than that.

"You're thinking too much. Just have fun." -- Bennie "The Jet" Rodriguez in Sandlot

by cmathewson on Dec 8, 2011 6:11 PM EST up reply actions

Francis?

by b1 on Dec 8, 2011 7:13 PM EST up reply actions

I'm not a fan of Francis

My progression would be Jackson, Oswalt, Harden

"You're thinking too much. Just have fun." -- Bennie "The Jet" Rodriguez in Sandlot

by cmathewson on Dec 8, 2011 10:59 PM EST up reply actions

I agree but the point is

the Twins are more likely to sign another Francis or Slowey for 3m not Jackson or Oswalt. If we ditch Slowey for a top dollar starter I’m all for it. I don’t see that happening. So I’d have kept Slowey. We’ll see who the Twins pick up, I’m betting they would be any good, will suck for 12-16 starts and then some one from AAA will come up.

by b1 on Dec 9, 2011 4:37 PM EST up reply actions

I think that was more about stamina...

you could see the velocity dip. He was still building up stamina most of those last starts with the Twins following his injury.

by DJSkillz on Dec 8, 2011 11:52 PM EST up reply actions

He had seven starts in AAA

He pitched 38 innings. The last couple of starts, he was pitching 7 innings at a shot. I don’t think it was stamina. It was nibbling and inconsistency. Also, he was pulled early a few times because he gave up too many runs.

Here are his pitch counts and innings pitched upon his return:

Aug 19: 5.2 innings, 104 pitches 6 ER
Aug 24: 4.2 innings, 89 pitches 5 ER
Aug 29: 7 innings, 90 pitches 2 ER
Sep 4: 7 innings, 95 pitches 2 ER
Sep 9: 4 innings, 59 pitches 6 ER
Sep 16: 4 innings, 94 pitches 5 ER
Sep 21: 6.2 Innings, 87 pitches 5 ER
Sep 26: 5 innings, 97 pitches 5 ER

Two good starts. Five bad ones. Lots of pitches. Too few innings.

"You're thinking too much. Just have fun." -- Bennie "The Jet" Rodriguez in Sandlot

by cmathewson on Dec 9, 2011 1:30 PM EST up reply actions

it's his velocity...

his velocity and movement really slowed down when he got to the 5th/6th innings. He’d dominate for 4 and then that would happen. That’s what makes me think it’s stamina.

by DJSkillz on Dec 9, 2011 3:31 PM EST up reply actions

There are lots of reasons to lose velocity

But if you’re afraid to throw your breaking stuff and you think you can get people out by throwing your fastball in just the right spot, you start aiming the ball and it comes out 3-5 mph slower. Nibblers always throw slower than guys who just let if fly.

"You're thinking too much. Just have fun." -- Bennie "The Jet" Rodriguez in Sandlot

by cmathewson on Dec 9, 2011 4:44 PM EST up reply actions

could be cmath...

i don’t think that’s the case with slowey, but could be.

it’s not that i think slowey WILL be awesome. but he’s worth the gamble. and the ridiculous way the twins have managed him and idiots in our press have treated him (souhan should be fired for his comments as far as i’m concerned) makes me want to defend him even more.

by DJSkillz on Dec 9, 2011 10:25 PM EST up reply actions

Well see

I predict a bounce back when he goes to the NL. And he always could come up with a better change-up or fork ball, a la Mike Trombley. That would help him sustain the bounce back.

Parker speculated that the pin in his wrist was preventing him from consistently throwing a good breaking ball and has video evidence to prove it. So I’m not optimistic on that score. The lack of a good breaking ball was one of the reasons they wanted to move him to the bullpen. He seems to do well his first time through the order because he hides the ball well. After that, he suffers from a lack of good breaking stuff.

Once that league figures him out, he’ll need a new pitch to stay in the majors.

"You're thinking too much. Just have fun." -- Bennie "The Jet" Rodriguez in Sandlot

by cmathewson on Dec 10, 2011 10:18 AM EST up reply actions

NL may help

Coors will not.

by DJL44 on Dec 11, 2011 9:56 PM EST up reply actions

I thought we'd get more

I thought the fact that they wanted to wait until after the Rule 5 was that they wanted to make sure they didn’t acquire a guy that they lose to the Rule 5. This guy had almost zero chance of getting drafted. Why even do the whole PTBNL thing if the guy is a fringe 25-year-old at AA?

"You're thinking too much. Just have fun." -- Bennie "The Jet" Rodriguez in Sandlot

by cmathewson on Dec 8, 2011 2:57 PM EST up reply actions

Turpen

Found this on SoxProspects.com:

Big sidearm reliever with a 93-94 mph fastball, complemented by an above-average changeup and an above-average slider. Induces a lot of groundballs. Works in the zone.

And hey, when he comes in the game, we can all say “It’s Turpentime!” No painters out there?

by gbg on Dec 8, 2011 1:51 PM EST reply actions 1 recs

'above-average'

Seems to be watered down. If two of his pitches are truly plus pitches, why are his numbers what they are?

by archie2227 on Dec 8, 2011 1:54 PM EST up reply actions

Well

I mean I have no doubt they are above average pitches…. Compared to you and I at least. Now other professional pitchers on the other hand, that might be a different story.

by Neil34 on Dec 8, 2011 2:04 PM EST up reply actions

The Minnesota Twins, where the mascot is strong, all the fielders are good lookin'

nnd all the pitchers are… above average

"You're thinking too much. Just have fun." -- Bennie "The Jet" Rodriguez in Sandlot

by cmathewson on Dec 8, 2011 4:29 PM EST up reply actions

sounds like another Hoey.

by b1 on Dec 8, 2011 5:40 PM EST up reply actions

But the mascot

Is hated by Stephen Colbert.

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by Jessy S on Dec 8, 2011 6:39 PM EST up reply actions

Turpentime.

I like that one.

by Jesse on Dec 8, 2011 4:10 PM EST up reply actions

Twins

Cuddy’s wife had twins. She’s dong her part.

by Mr. Kwix on Dec 8, 2011 5:44 PM EST reply actions

You're a little late for someone calling themselves "Mr. Kwix."

"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 8, 2011 7:13 PM EST up reply actions

This is from Lindsay Guentzel via twitter

I got the go ahead. Reminder, nothing is confirmed. But looks like Cuddyer wants the Twins but is holding out for $2mil more or 4 years.

DO NOT GO 4 YEARS!

"I learned something yesterday. No use in having rules if there's no punishment for breaking them. You'll be fine if you bite down on the trigger. Enjoy your breakfast."

by John_Locke on Dec 8, 2011 7:17 PM EST reply actions