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Are These the Guys We Wanted?

Every year we have a little wish-list of guys we hope the organization targets.  Here are a select few who garnered interest from Twinkie Town or from the Twins organization.  In no particular order...


W-L G GS CG SHO SV BS IP H R ER HR BB K ERA WHIP
2009 - Juan Cruz 3-4 46 0 0 0 2 4 50.1 46 34 32 6 29 38 5.72 1.49

He's always been a bit of a loose cannon, but at least he was striking out people with such regularity and consistency that he could get himself out of as much trouble as he got himself into.  This year the strikeout rate was nearly cut in half, his LOB& dropped from 83.6% in 2007 to a miserable 62.1% this season.  He was around the strike zone more often, hitters stopped swinging at anything he threw outside of the strike zone and contact was way up.  It was a bad season for Cruz, and suffice it to say I'm glad the Twins didn't gamble here.


G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB K SB CS AVG OBP SLG
2009 - Joe Crede 90 333 42 75 16 1 15 48 29 56 0 0 .225 .289 .414

I think we pretty much got what we expected out of Joe.  He was a good defender when he was on the field (15.9 UZR/150), and was a power bat you had to show some respect if you were a pitcher who survived the first half of the Minnesota batting order.  Too bad he wasn't around for the post-season, we could have used him.


G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB K SB CS AVG OBP SLG
2009 - Orlando Hudson 149 551 74 156 35 6 9 62 62 99 8 1 .283 .357 .417

Hot start, and that led to a pretty decent season for the 32-year old second baseman.  The Dodgers phased him out toward the end of the season.  His defense was better than last year, but was still just south of average if we go by his -2.9 UZR/150.  His $3.38 million base salary wasn't bad, but if he signed for that to play with the Dodgers then I'm sure the Twins would have had to pony up a bit more.  His incentives made it possible for the year to be worth a full $10 million, all based around plate appearances:  $150K for reaching both the 150 and 175 plate appearance mark; $200 K for every 25 plate appearances from 200 - 300; $250 K for every 25 from 325 - 575; $10,000 for EVERY SINGLE plate appearance from 576 - 632.  How many PA's did he have this year?  631.


W-L G GS CG SHO SV BS IP H R ER HR BB K ERA WHIP
2009 - Russ Springer 0-1 48 0 0 0 0 1 41.2 52 20 19 5 14 47 4.10 1.58

Great walk and strikeout rates, but he was an extreme fly-ball pitcher again this year and allowed a bunch of homers as a result--19 is enough for a guy who pitches 200 innings, much less 41.2.  His breaking balls and off-speed pitches were almost non-existant, making almost exclusively a two-pitch pitcher with his fastball and cutter.  Lots of good peripherals for Springer though, and so even though he'll be 41 in November he should still get some interest in the coming months.


W-L G GS CG SHO SV BS IP H R ER HR BB K ERA WHIP

2009 - Jarrod Washburn

Mariners

Tigers

 

8-6

1-3

 

20

8

 

20

8

 

1

0

 

1

0

 

0

0

 

0

0

 

133.0

43.0

 

109

51

 

42

35

 

39

35

 

11

12

 

33

16

 

79

21

 

2.64

7.33

 

1.07

1.56


There were a lot, and I mean a LOT of rumors tying Washburn to the Twins last winter.  As good as he was with the Mariners this season, seeing how horrendous he was in his short stint with the Tigers just confirms exactly how much Minnesota didn't need him around.  He may have lucked the Twins into an extra win or two early in the season, but he would have given them right back at the end of the year when it counted:  barely five inning a start, almost as many runs as he'd had in three times the innings, a disgusting number of homers...no, thank you.


G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB K SB CS AVG OBP SLG
2009 - Ty Wigginton 122 410 44 112 19 0 11 41 23 57 1 2 .273 .314 .400

The walks dipped slightly after a career year in 2008, but it was the power that literally just disappeared.  He couldn't hit fastballs, which is never good, but he wasn't really having success no matter which pitch type he'd swing at.  Wigginton's overall contact percentage was constant, and he was even swinging at fewer pitches outside the strike zone, but he was making more contact on the ones he did swing at.  Which, probably, meant easier outs.  It looks like Wigginton's pitch selection just disappeared this year, along with his power, and along with a little bit of bad luck (or maybe just not as much luck as he had last year) his numbers took a major dip.  He's a guy I really wanted the Twins to go after.


G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB K SB CS AVG OBP SLG
2009 - Nomar Garciaparra 65 160 17 45 8 0 3 16 8 28 2 0 .281 .314 .388

This could be the end for Nomar.  I did entertain the idea of picking him up for a bench option, as a guy who could start as a DH versus southpaws while playing a couple innings at third here and there.  Another one of my crackpot ideas, clearly.


G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB K SB CS AVG OBP SLG
2009 - Casey Blake 139 485 84 136 25 6 18 79 63 116 3 4 .280 .363 .468

Knowing what we know now, seeing how decent of a year Blake had, would you sign him to the deal the Dodgers did?  I said no when it happened, and in spite of his good year I wouldn't change my answer.  Three years plus an option in 2012, that at a minimum will pay out $17.5 million dollars including '12's buyout...and in reality it's still probably safe to say that Minnesota would have had to beat that offer somehow land Blake in a Twins uniform.


W-L G GS CG SHO SV BS IP H R ER HR BB K ERA WHIP
2009 - Mike Lincoln 1-1 19 0 0 0 0 0 23.0 29 21 21 7 19 9 8.22 2.09

His name came up just before the Winter Meetings kicked up.  Not good, ladies and gents, not good.


G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB K SB CS AVG OBP SLG
2009 - Garrett Atkins 126 354 37 80 12 1 9 48 41 58 0 0 .226 .308 .342

Definitely dodged a bullet here.


G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB K SB CS AVG OBP SLG
2009 - Adrian Beltre 111 449 54 119 27 0 8 44 19 74 13 2 .265 .304 .379

No doubt this was a bad, bad year for Adrian, but considering his prowess with the glove (14.7 UZR/150) I can still see the Twins showing some interest.  He'll be 31 next season, so a breakout season is likely out of the cards but I do believe he could quite easily be a moderately productive offensive third baseman.  But considering how much the Twins would have had to give up to get him last winter, it's a good thing they didn't work it out.


G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB K SB CS AVG OBP SLG
2009 - Miguel Tejada 158 635 83 199 46 1 14 86 19 48 5 2 .313 .340 .455

I'm not sure Tejada would have had this good of a season in the American League, but no doubt 46 doubles is a fantastic number and slightly off-sets his steady but definitely suppressed power numbers over the last few years.  Still, the reason the Twins didn't continue to pursue him during the Winter Meetings was because of what the Astros, allegedly, were asking for in return.  And I know that last winter, given the option between Tejada and Crede for third base, I'd have gone with Crede.


G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB K SB CS AVG OBP SLG

2009 - Orlando Cabrera

Athletics

Twins

 

101

59

 

414

242

 

41

42

 

116

70

 

23

13

 

0

3

 

4

5

 

41

36

 

25

11

 

39

32

 

11

2

 

4

0

 

.280

.289

 

.318

.313

 

.365

.430


O-Cab finished strong with the Twins.  Having him all season would have been better than who we had on board, and we found out the kind of fire, energy and leadership he can bring to a team.  He's someone guys like Carlos Gomez and Alexi Casilla can look up to as a leader.  My hesitation in wanting him back in 2010 has to deal with A) how much money he wants and B) how much worse his range can get.  But yes, this is a guy that, in hindsight, would have been a good addition.  At the same time I know that had the Twins brought him in last winter, I'd be wondering why they didn't try for someone better.  Just goes to show you how perspective can change your mind.


G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB K SB CS AVG OBP SLG

2009 - Jack Wilson

Pirates

Mariners

 

75

31

 

266

107

 

26

11

 

71

24

 

18

5

 

1

0

 

4

1

 

31

8

 

15

6

 

31

17

 

2

1

 

1

0

 

.267

.224

 

.304

.263

 

.387

.299


Very good defense at shortstop (15.3 UZR/150), but miserable offense.  He's the kind of guy that, with a better offense around him or more depth off the bench, I'd be happy to have as a starter.  I didn't want him last season, but knowing what I know now I think I probably could have dealt with what he brings to the table.  Middle infield talent was clearly an issue this season.


G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB K SB CS AVG OBP SLG

2009 - Mark DeRosa

Indians

Cardinals

 

71

68

 

278

237

 

47

31

 

75

54

 

13

10

 

0

1

 

13

10

 

50

28

 

29

18

 

63

58

 

1

2

 

1

1

 

.270

.228

 

.342

.291

 

.457

.405


Would DeRose continued to have a good season had he spent an entire season in the American League?  Who knows, but considering Cleveland got him for a song I'm still shocked the Twins didn't move on him.  Maybe they just didn't like him for one reason or another, but I was a fan.  No doubt he'd have spent his whole season in Minnesota had be been healthy.


G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB K SB CS AVG OBP SLG
2009 - Kevin Kouzmanoff 141 529 50 135 31 1 18 88 27 106 1 0 .255 .302 .420

Quite a bit of chatter about Kouz around the Winter Meetings, and I know some people were fans.  I wasn't.  His defense wasn't bad at third this year, but offensively he's a guy like Crede--pop but no real on-base skills.

Is there anyone that I've missed?  Just a little nostalgic look at last year's off-season, making me wonder what does this one have in store?  I'm thinking...well, I'm thinking something to do with one of the best-hitting catchers of all time.

I'll catch you all later.