Whatever holiday you're celebrating today or this week or this month, Happy Whatver-It-Is! If you're not celebrating or at the office today, then Happy Thursday! My family is doing Christmas, and my dogs have already been worn out on an exceptionally long morning walk. We have a couple of Twins features lined up for you today, starting off with a few nuggets from around the league that are somehow all loosely Twins-related.
- FanGraphs' Mike Petriello talks about how the Twins haven't addressed their awful defense. He's absolutely right, of course, which is why I'm still waiting on the club to find themselves not just another good defensive outfielder - but an exceptional one. Yes, I'm still on the Peter Bourjos bandwagon.
- Baseball America's Matt Eddy chronicles this week's minor league transactions, noting that the Twins have released RHP Damian Defrank, RHP Jhon Silva, and OF Jeremias Pineda. In return, they've re-signed C Dan Rohlfing, signed LHP Will Ledezma, C Carlos Paulino, 2B Jose Martinez, and former Twins prospect 1B Brock Peterson. Martinez will receive an invitation to spring training, according to Dustin Morse. You'll also notice that the Indians have signed Jeff Manship.
- Jon Heyman notes that the Blue Jays are looking for a veteran closer via trade before they look for him in free agency. Don't worry: Glen Perkins isn't going anywhere. If the organization didn't trade him these past two winters, they won't trade him during this one.
- Roch Kubatko notes that Delmon Young was looking for a two year deal before signing with the Orioles on a one-year, $2.25 million dollar contract. You shoot high, I guess. I feel like he's lucky he performed so well in a small sample size in 2014, or he may have had a hard time finding work at all.
- Mark Bowman tweeted that the Braves will sign A.J. Pierzynski to a one-year deal. Catchers can work forever, if they want to.
That's all for now. We'll see you back here later today for Round 4 of our 2015 prospect vote!