Bleacher Report - Articles by Jeremiah Graves

CM Punk's Cult-Like Crusade

Jeremiah Graves — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 11:42:11 -0500

CM Punk is NOT wasting away.

Despite what many fans and critics have said lately—myself included—the WWE appears to know exactly what they’re doing with CM Punk.

In my Survivor Series recap, I stated that I felt his talent was being wasted in subpar midcard feuds with the likes of R-Truth and referees.

I’ve since been involved in many conversations regarding Punk’s future direction, and I’ve found myself repeating the same dream scenario for Punk.

I want Punk to become a cult leader.

His recent ranting and raving on Smackdown has him coming off as preacher of sorts and, logically, the next step should be to acquire followers.

The WWE took the first step in the right direction on last week’s Smackdown by having Luke Gallows, formerly Festus, accompany Punk down to the ring.

Punk then proclaimed that he had “saved” Gallows from a life of drugs and neglect.

Festus—who was last seen as a balding, overweight mental patient—was “born again” as Luke Gallows, a menacing giant with newfound loyalties to his personal savior, CM Punk.

Gallows aided Punk in his match with Matt Hardy and eventually laid Hardy out with a sloppy yet effective new finishing maneuver.

When it was all said and done, fans saw a brilliant pose as Gallows sat overtop of a fallen, beaten Hardy, and Punk stood over Gallows as though he were his personal hound who had done his master’s dirty work.

Punk figures to continue his “crusade” to convert those in need to a straightedge lifestyle.

My hope is that they’ll use this as a chance to build Punk an army of his own, a church of followers much like Raven’s Flock from ECW/WCW.

This would serve multiple purposes.

First and foremost, it would allow Punk the chance to shine as the leader of his cult.

He has become a more impressive heel with each passing week and having an army of ruthless—and eternally loyal—minions would only paint him as a more despicable heel as he works his way back into the World Heavyweight Title picture.

Imagine a Royal Rumble that consists of Punk and half a dozen of his reborn, straightedge slaves. The thought is very intriguing.

The second major purpose of a CM Punk Church of Followers would be to put over some lower midcard talent.

Rebranding Festus as Luke Gallows is the first of what could be many superstars shedding dead in the water gimmicks to be “reborn” as Punk’s disciples.

The list of superstars currently going nowhere in WWE is a lengthy one, and if WWE pushes through with a CM Punk faction, superstars like Carlito, Primo, Chris Masters, Evan Bourne, and dozens of others could be brought in to revive their faltering careers.

Thirdly, this faction would provide opportunities for other midcarders who are currently searching for a storyline.

John Morrison is currently without any real direction. The same could be said for Matt Hardy and, for the most part, Christian in ECW.

Any of these midcard faces could use a feud with a diabolic heel stable to push them to new heights in the WWE.

In the end, the WWE may decide that Gallows is all Punk needs for a sidekick, and that’ll be the end of the story.

If the WWE decides to press on with this storyline and give Punk the reins of his own heel stable, it could finally be the move that puts Punk on top for good and helps rebuild an otherwise floundering midcard in the process.

Either way, I’m very impressed with what I saw out of CM Punk last Thursday, and I now know for sure that Punk is not wasting away on Smackdown.

Rather, he’s still evolving, and we’re all going to be the benefactors of his evolution.

Boston Blunder: Red Sox Strike Out in Pursuit of Shortstops

Jeremiah Graves — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 09:17:04 -0500

The Boston Red Sox need a shortstop.

It’s as simple as that.

It’s time for the club to forget about acquiring ace Roy Halladay or a slugging first baseman like Adrian Gonzalez or Miguel Cabrera.

The Red Sox's No. 1 priority needs to be acquiring a legitimate starting shortstop.

The club hasn’t had a reliable shortstop since Nomar Garciaparra left town in the infamous 2004 trade that aided the Sox in breaking an 86-year championship drought.

Since 2004, the Red Sox have run out 19—count ‘em, 19—different shortstops, all with middling levels of success.

Here’s a quick look at the main players in the Red Sox shortstop rotation of the past half-decade.

After the club traded away Garciaparra, Orlando Cabrera manned the position admirably for the remainder of 2004. The club chose to let him walk via free agency, and the black hole opened.

In 2005, the club trotted out Edgar Renteria and his newly minted four-year, $40 million contract. After one uninspiring season at the plate and 30 errors in the field, he was shipped to Atlanta.

In stepped Alex Gonzalez for the 2006 campaign. Gonzo played solid defense but, as is his trademark, couldn’t hit to save his life.

In 2007, the club finally got the shortstop they had coveted for years, Julio Lugo.

Lugo was signed to a very Renteria-like four-year deal, this one for $36 million. He was expected to bring defensive stability to the infield and a legitimate leadoff hitter to the lineup.

Instead, he struggled early on in his Boston tenure and never recovered. Injuries and ineffectiveness lead to Lugo losing playing time to prospect Jed Lowrie and journeyman Nick Green.

In 2009, things got so bad that the Sox cut Lugo, despite owing him more than $13 million that remained on his contract.

The Sox made a late season trade to bring back Gonzalez for a second tour of duty in Boston. Gonzalez responded by hitting well for the Sox. He hit .284/.316/.453 with five home runs down the stretch.

Gonzalez’s strong showing didn’t impress the club enough to warrant exercising his $6 million option for 2010, but the club was rumored to be interested in bringing him back at a lesser salary.

The Red Sox, however, wanted to kick the tires on some other options before inking Gonzo to another deal.

The club reportedly showed interest in J.J. Hardy, but he was dealt from Milwaukee to Minnesota in a very busy opening weekend to the offseason.

The club also has reportedly made overtures to Arizona regarding shortstop Stephen Drew, all the while assuming that Gonzalez would still be waiting by the phone for Theo Epstein’s call.

Unfortunately for the Sox, that’s not exactly what happened.

Last Thursday morning, while Epstein was no doubt preparing for a lovely Thanksgiving dinner, new Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos was busy signing Gonzalez to a one-year, $2.75 million deal with a $2.5 million club option for 2011.

In doing so, the Red Sox' options immediately became very limited.

The club has basically three free agent options.

Marco Scutaro, who will no doubt be overpaid wherever he lands, is the first and seemingly most popular option, especially among Red Sox Nation.

Miguel Tejada, who at this stage in his career is far more suited for a corner infield position, is the second option.

Former Red Sox shortstop Orlando Cabrera is the popular third option.

The Red Sox have shown interest in Scutaro, but it is believed that Scutaro, 34, is looking for a multi-year deal coming off a career year.

If and/or when he regresses to his career averages, the Sox would be on the hook for yet another light-hitting shortstop with diminishing defensive skills.

Additionally, the Blue Jays are expected to offer Scutaro arbitration.

As a Type A, signing Scutaro to an ill-advised multi-year deal would cost a first-round draft pick, in addition to the money the Sox would undoubtedly be throwing down the drain.

Tejada will be 36 years old next season (in theory) and is a liability in the field, but he would offer the offensive production the Sox could definitely stand to have inserted into the lineup.

It also isn’t known what type of contract Tejada is looking for, but anything longer than a one-year pact would be risky business for any club.

Cabrera, 35, has two Gold Gloves to his name and a history of helping clubs reach the postseason. He also has a lot of miles racked up and is quickly becoming a shell of the player he was just a few short years ago.

He is a liability in the field and more suited for a shift to second or third base.

Offensively, he has gone from a table-setter and ideal No. 2 hitter to a prototypical bottom-of-the-order hitter.

Making Cabrera even more of a long shot is that he’s currently looking for a two-year, $10 million deal.

Another free agent who hasn’t been mentioned much is Felipe Lopez.

Lopez, 29, makes a lot of sense if the Sox are willing to sacrifice a ton of defense, as he hasn’t played shortstop regularly since 2007 and hasn’t played it well since—ahem—ever.

He does, however, offer some serious offense.

Lopez posted a very solid .310/.383/.427 line in 2009, which is higher than his career norms, but not out of line with what could be expected if he spent a full season hitting in a bandbox like Fenway Park.

Beyond the aforementioned free agent options, the Red Sox still have Jed Lowrie, but he’s only hit .235/.313/.372 in the big leagues and has missed considerable time with wrist injuries.

For now, it seems that the Sox don’t appear sold on Lowrie as a legitimate answer at shortstop.

None of the other prospects in the Sox farm system are anywhere near ready to make the leap to the big leagues.

That leaves the trade market.

The Sox have already been linked to the aforementioned Stephen Drew and J.J. Hardy, but recent reports have the club interested—yet again—in their former top prospect, Hanley Ramirez of the Florida Marlins.

Ramirez is exactly the player the club needs going forward. He’s young, athletic, speedy, powerful, and—here’s the best part—he’s rapidly improving at shortstop.

After posting abysmal numbers in his first two seasons, he’s quickly becoming a solid defender up the middle.

Undoubtedly, acquiring Ramirez would take a major coup for the Marlins—the kind of coup that would make Marlins fans forget that an already notoriously stingy front office just shipped off the club’s franchise player who was under a very reasonable long-term contract.

That kind of coup would probably equate to starter Clay Buchholz, shortstop/starter Casey Kelly, and reliever Daniel Bard.

The scary part is that it may even cost more than that, and rightfully so. The Marlins have absolutely no incentive to move Ramirez unless they are absolutely blown away in a deal.

In the end, the Red Sox may be best served to sign a one-year stopgap.

In doing so, the club could hope for an extreme amount of growth by 19-year-old prospect Jose Iglesias and/or hope that top prospect Casey Kelly proves he can hit at the big league level and becomes a full-time shortstop.

If neither of those options pan out, the club can simply wait for next offseason, when the crop of potential free agent shortstops includes more enticing options such as Jhonny Peralta, Derek Jeter, Jimmy Rollins, and Jose Reyes.

The options are currently very limited for Epstein and company to do much in the way of improving the situation without destroying the farm system or overpaying for diminishing veterans.

As such, I think we can all safely assume that Epstein is already scribbling out his offseason goals for 2010-2011 in one simple sentence.

The Boston Red Sox still need a shortstop.

Bert Blyleven Makes Another Pitch at Cooperstown

Jeremiah Graves — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 18:54:26 -0500

Bert Blyleven belongs in the Hall of Fame.

In fact, he’s belonged in the Hall of Fame for 12 years.

Yet, for 12 years in a row, the Baseball Writers Association of American has erred by leaving him out in the cold when the voting results are announced.

Now in his 13th year of eligibility, Blyleven is down to his final three strikes.

Blyleven’s inability to get inducted has never been a case of talent.

For Bert Blyleven, the numbers have always been there, however, the votes have not.

In a 22-year career that spanned five teams and both leagues, “The Flying Dutchman” put up some very impressive numbers.

Those impressive numbers include 287 career wins, which is good enough for 27th on the all-time list. Almost every eligible player ahead of Blyleven on the wins list is enshrined in Cooperstown.

In fact, plenty of pitchers with less wins that Blyleven have be inducted. Some notable examples include: Jim Palmer, Juan Marichal, Whitey Ford, Don Drysdale, and Catfish Hunter, among others.

Wins aren’t the only statistic where Blyleven’s numbers are Hall-worthy.

Blyleven’s 3,701 career strikeouts rank him fifth all-time, he’s 11th in games started with 685, he’s ninth all-time with 60 shutouts, and he’s 13th on the all-time innings pitched list with 4,970.

Blyleven’s career 3.31 earned run average tops current Hall of Famers Phil Niekro, Fergie Jenkins, Robin Roberts, and Dennis Eckersley.

Clearly the numbers are there, so what’s the issue?

It seems that voters haven’t yet made a big push to get Blyleven in because of his lack of the so-called “benchmarks” for entry into the Hall of Fame.

Blyleven never won a Cy Young Award, he didn’t reach the 300-win plateau, he was only an All-Star twice in 22 years, he won 20 games in a season just once, and he only led the league in one of the key pitching categories once, in 1985 when he paced the American League with 206 strikeouts.

Despite his lack of a standout season or any of the archaic benchmarks, one needs only look so far as his overall body of work in comparison to his modern-day counterparts to see that he belongs.

How many starters will ever reach 287 career wins?

How many starters will ever strike out more than 3,000 batters again, let alone reach his lofty mark?

How many starters—in the age of pitch counts, specialty relievers, and the six-inning quality start—will ever come close to pitching 242 complete games or 60 shutouts?

Blyleven’s already rock-solid numbers, although unchanged since he retired following the 1992 season, figure to grow more impressive as the era of the workhorse pitcher fades farther into the past.

Blyleven was a pitcher cut from a different cloth.

He wanted to start and finish a game on the mound with the ball in his hand. Too many pitchers now are content to earn the quality start and hit the showers.

Take for instance Blyleven’s 242 complete games and 60 shutouts.

Randy Johnson is the active leader in complete games pitched with 100. The modern-era workhorse, Roy Halladay has just 49.

Johnson is also the active leader in shutouts with 37, followed by Tom Glavine with 25.

No one is going to catch Blyleven any time soon, meaning that his lofty, Hall of Fame-worthy rankings will remain intact long passed the end of his 15th year of eligibility.

Arguments can be made that Blyleven’s numbers are a product of his lengthy career, that he lost too many games, or that he never had one standout season to hang his hat on.

All of those arguments could be valid, but all are easily disputed by simple facts.

Blyleven’s career spanned just as many years as Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, Randy Johnson, and Roger Clemens. All of whom are considered to be first-ballot Hall of Famers.

No one would ever claim that their successes were a result of pitching for two decades, as opposed to raw talent.

All four of the aforementioned pitchers also had the good fortune to pitch for winning, playoff-caliber teams for most of their careers.

Blyleven pitched in two World Series, in 1979 with Pittsburgh and in 1987 with Minnesota. He only played in the postseason one other time, in the 1970 ALCS with the Twins.

Most of his career was spent toiling for mediocre clubs that hovered at or below the .500 mark, no doubt that impacted his won-loss record in a big way.

Finally, the lack of a standout season is a moot point. How many pitchers have won a Cy Young Award or 20 games only to fade into oblivion?

A pitcher’s Hall-worthiness shouldn’t hinge on whether or not he had one stellar year somewhere along a 22-year journey that saw him finish among the game’s elite in numerous categories.

Blyleven didn’t need to win an award or have a standout year to show that he belongs in the Hall of Fame.

The numbers, as they always have been, are there.

Now it’s time for the BBWAA writers to finish what Blyleven, and his infamous curveball, started and vote him into the Hall of Fame.

The voters, despite not yet making the right decision, have been moving in the right direction.

After receiving just 17.5 percent of the vote in 1998, his first year of eligibility, his totals have grown nearly every year.

Last year he finished with 338 total votes for 62.7 percent, still shy of the 75 percent required for induction to the Hall of Fame.

Blyleven’s slow march toward the 70 percent mark is important as well, because every player who has reached 70 percent of the vote has subsequently been elected to the Hall of Fame.

Even more encouraging is that since 1980, only four players have received over 60 percent of the vote and not ended up in Cooperstown.

All signs point toward Blyleven’s eventual induction.

With no sure-fire first-ballot Hall of Famers on the ticket this year and a whole slew of holdovers, this could finally be the year that Blyleven gets his due.

Alex Gonzalez Signs with Toronto

Jeremiah Graves — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 12:57:22 -0500

Alex Gonzalez will be taking his slick defense up north next summer.

Gonzalez, 32, signed a one-year, $2.75 million contract with the Blue Jays on Thursday.

The contract includes a $2.5 million option for 2011.

The deal comes just one day after the club re-signed utility man John McDonald to a two-year contract , leading to speculation that he would be the club’s starting shortstop.

With both Gonzalez and McDonald under contract, this should officially spell the end of Marco Scutaro’s time with the Blue Jays.

Scutaro was high on many club’s wish lists this offseason, including Gonzalez’s most recent employer, the Boston Red Sox.

The Blue Jays still figure to offer Scutaro arbitration to obtain draft picks for the Type A free agent.

Gonzalez became a free agent when Boston declined his $6 million option for 2010.

The club was rumored to be interested in re-signing the shortstop to a one-year deal at roughly half the cost.

It appears as though Boston wasted too much time poking around the free agent and trade markets and was beaten to the punch by new Toronto general manager Alex Anthopoulos.

Gonzalez, split last season between the Cincinnati Reds and the aforementioned Red Sox, playing his usual Gold Glove-caliber defense with both clubs.

On the whole, Gonzalez hit .238/.279/.355 with eight home runs last season. He hit much better after coming to Boston in an August trade with Cincinnati.

Gonzalez has been hampered by persistent knee problems in recent years, but he appeared in 112 games last season, his highest total since 2005.

Gonzalez was an All-Star in 1999 and a World Series winner in 2003.

Overall, he is a career .247/.294/.395 hitter with 114 home runs and 521 RBI in 1,229 games.

The move saves Toronto the cash it would have cost to lock up Scutaro, essentially earns the club compensation picks when Scutaro signs elsewhere, shores up the club’s middle-infield defense, and offers Gonzalez a sense of security for the next two seasons.

All-in-all the deal is a major win-win for all parties involved.

Shelley Duncan's Free Agency Offers a Long Overdue Opportunity

Jeremiah Graves — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 23:23:01 -0500

Shelley Duncan is finally free.

After nine years of indentured servitude in the New York Yankees’ farm system, Duncan is a free agent for the first time.

Unfortunately, Duncan is no longer the long-ball hitting prospect who was drafted in the second-round of the 2001 draft.

He’s now a 30-year-old with just 68 games and 146 at-bats in the big leagues on his resume.

Duncan, the son of St. Louis pitching coach Dave Duncan, is best remembered for his thunderous debut in the Bronx back in 2007.

Through his first 16 games, Duncan looked like the second-coming of Babe Ruth (or Shane Spencer).

Duncan hit an astounding .317/.391/.756 with six home runs and 13 RBIs in his first 46 big league at-bats. He looked like a star on the rise, until someone decided to start tossing him breaking balls.

He only received another 37 at-bats after his hot start, and rightfully so, over his next 18 games, Duncan “hit” .182/.250/.303 with one home run and four RBIs, all the while piling up strikeouts.

In the two years that followed his Jekyll and Hyde debut, Duncan has only appeared in 34 games, amassing a total of 72 at-bats.

Duncan hasn’t exactly made the most out of his limited opportunities, having produced a dreadful .181/.250/.264 batting line with just one home run and seven runs batted in over various stints the last two seasons.

Numerous teams could show interest in Duncan who can play either corner of the outfield or first base. He’s not going to win any Gold Gloves, but he isn’t a butcher in the field either.

Duncan has shown that he can hit left-handed pitching pretty well and, if nothing else, could serve as part of a platoon.

He did, however, post a cumulative line of .271/.368/.533 with 68 home runs and 226 RBIs in parts of four seasons at Triple-A.

In those four partial seasons his total at-bats equaled out to roughly two-full seasons of big league at-bats, thus making his production all the more impressive.

Obviously, the big-time power potential is there, so a starting gig isn’t entirely out of the question.

Given his attachment to the city of New York, it is conceivable that Duncan could sign-on with the Yankees’ cross-town rival, the New York Mets.

The Mets currently have question marks at both left field and first base. Additionally, the club is looking to add more power to the lineup.

The Mets are just one of many logical options for Duncan.

The St. Louis Cardinals are another seemingly perfect fit.

Duncan could be reunited with his father and—barring the club’s attempts to bring back Matt Holliday—there may be an opening in left field next season.

These are just two of the potentially limitless options Duncan should have this offseason.

He is finally free and should be able to choose from what should be a hearty stock of suitors this offseason.

His positional flexibility and power potential will make him intriguing to numerous clubs looking for cheaper alternatives to high-priced marquee free agents.

Duncan should use his new found freedom to choose a team that offers him the one thing the Yankees failed to in nearly a decade, a real opportunity.

Minnesota Twins Gave Plenty to be Thankful for in 2009

Jeremiah Graves — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 18:23:40 -0500

Thanksgiving is upon us once again. We all know that Thanksgiving is supposed to be about families and turkeys and a rapidly-depleting supply of shopping days until Christmas, but—in the minds of baseball fans—Thanksgiving is just a pit stop between the end of awards season and the beginning of the Winter Meetings. I’ve decided to combine the more traditional Thanksgiving festivities with my burning need for more baseball. In doing so, I’ve created a list of things that the Twins have given me to be thankful for in 2009.

Begin Slideshow

Joe Mauer Wins American League MVP

Jeremiah Graves — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 14:11:41 -0500

Joe Mauer can now add American League Most Valuable Player to his already imposing resume.

Mauer received 27 out of 28 first-place votes to runaway with the award.

Detroit Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera received the other first-place vote but the first baseman finished fourth overall.

Mark Teixeira and Derek Jeter of the New York Yankees finished second and third, respectively.

Mauer finished with 327 total points, well ahead of Teixeira, 225, and Jeter, 193. Despite garner the other first-place vote, Cabrera, finished a distance fourth with 171 points.

Mauer becomes just the second catcher in the past 33 years to win the MVP.

Ivan Rodriguez of the Texas Rangers won the award in 1999 and prior to that the last AL catcher to win the award was Yankees legend, Thurman Munson in 1976.

Mauer, 26, becomes the fifth Twin to win AL MVP honors, joining Zoilo Versalles (1965), Harmon Killebrew (1969), Rod Carew (1977) and Justin Morneau (2006).

In a historical aspect, Mauer’s season may have been the most impressive of them all.

Mauer accomplished the “modern triple crown” as he led the American League in batting average, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage with his amazing .365/.444/.587 line.

It was the first time anyone had accomplished the feat in the AL since Hall of Famer George Brett put up a .390/.454/.664 line to pace the league in 1980.

Mauer’s MVP season also saw him reach career highs in other categories including home runs (28), runs batted in (96), hits (191), and total bases (307).

Making Mauer’s accomplishment all the more impressive is that he spent the entire first month of the season on the disabled list recovering from a lower-back injury.

He returned on the first of May and made an immediate impact by hitting a home run in his first at-bat.

After his extraordinary return to the lineup, Mauer played in 138 of the team's remaining 141 games.

Despite missing a month, and starting 28 games at designated hitter, Mauer managed to catch 939 innings, ranking fifth in the American League.

The MVP is just one of many awards that will adorn Mauer’s mantle this winter as he also won his third Silver Slugger, his third batting title, his second Gold Glove, and was voted the winner of the 2009 Players Choice Award for AL Outstanding Player, an award voted on by his peers.

Additionally, Mauer made his third All-Star team and lead the Minnesota Twins back to the playoffs for the first time since 2006.

The Twins were 11-11 while Mauer was out in April, but went 76-65 after he rejoined the club. In September, Mauer played a big role as the Twins overcome a seven-game deficit to win the AL Central.

Mauer is entering the final year of the four-year, $33 million deal he signed prior to the 2007 season. He is owed $12.5 million next season.

The Twins are currently trying to work out a contract extension with Mauer and his agent Ron Shapiro to the keep the MVP in Minnesota for the long haul.

It is routinely believed that Mauer will be traded this offseason or during the 2010 campaign if the club is unable to reach an extension.

WWE Survivor Series: Five Things We Learned

Jeremiah Graves — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 02:53:59 -0500

At the end of every pay-per-view, we are left with many questions and few answers. However, last night at Survivor Series—in a rare change of pace—we were left with plenty of definitive answers. Sure, there are plenty of questions we can still ask: Who’s next in line for Undertaker’s title? Will JeriShow be able to co-exist as partners? Is Rey Mysterio ever going to be the same? Why do they still book awful women’s matches? The list could go on and on, but questions notwithstanding, here’s a look at five things we learned at last night’s Survivor Series.

Begin Slideshow

Joe Mauer's Potential Trade Destinations, Minnesota's Worst-Case Scenario

Jeremiah Graves — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 23:42:58 -0500

It’s almost time to let the real “Hot Stove Season” begin in earnest. Barring some unforeseen blunder by the Baseball Writers Association of America, Joe Mauer will be crowned the 2009 American League Most Valuable Player on Monday afternoon. When that announcement becomes official, the clock starts. The clock will be counting down the remaining days of Joe Mauer’s relationship with the Minnesota Twins. By the time pitchers and catchers report for Spring Training the clock very well may have reached zero—as it did for Johan Santana two years ago—or it may have restarted to the tune of six-years and $100+ million. Mauer’s agent, Ron Shaprio, has no doubt avoided starting any real negotiations regarding an extension with Minnesota until after the MVP announcement, and for good reason. It’s one thing to ask for $100+ million for a three-time batting champion and it’s a whole different business to ask for $100+ million for a three-time batting champion and reigning AL MVP. If Shapiro had started negotiations before the announcement, he’d have been going into a gunfight with an empty chamber. After Monday’s announcement, he’ll come out fully-loaded and guns a-blazing. It should be noted, however, that Shapiro was the agent for both Cal Ripken and Kirby Puckett, both of whom were able to work out deals to stay with their original clubs. Shapiro is the antithesis of Scott Boras, in the sense that although he’s looking for a big payday for his client, he’s not looking to loot and plunder the organization in the process. Mauer, 27, is due $12.5 million next season and, despite saying he is unconcerned with being the highest-paid player in the game, he is due a hefty raise going forward. In fact, to say he is due a “hefty raise” may be underscoring his overall value. Mauer is just entering his prime, plays a premium position, and is undoubtedly one of the game’s best pure hitters. In just five full-seasons in the big leagues, Mauer has been voted to three All-Star teams, won three batting titles, three Silver Sluggers, two Gold Gloves, and should win his first AL MVP Monday afternoon. It would be pure naiveté to assume that Mauer isn’t at least thinking about the big money he could make if he played in Los Angeles, New York, or Boston. Despite historically being one of baseball stingiest franchises, Minnesota figures to make an honest attempt to extend Mauer’s contract beyond 2010 and well into the next decade. No one in the front-office has so much as batted an eyelash at rumblings of the first $100+ million contract in franchise history. That fact notwithstanding, there is still a chance that, much like with Santana, the extension talks could crumble. If that is the case, one has to wonder what Mauer’s trade value would be. Obviously, Mauer would command far more than the package general manager Bill Smith received for Santana two years ago. Any team dealing with the Twins may be reluctant to give up front-line talent, given that acquiring Mauer will also include a substantial monetary investment, but the fact of the matter remains the same as it was with Santana, it’s now or never. You pony-up the prospects and trade for him, or you’ll never get your hands on him. Period. Many fans in New York and Boston were lobbying for the Yankees and Red Sox, respectively, to hold onto their precious young talent rather than trade for Santana two years ago. The mindset among those fans was that their clubs could just buy Santana and, in turn, keep their prospects too the following offseason. Santana, however, never hit free agency. The Mets stepped in with an offer that was considerably less desirable than any the Yankees or Red Sox had reportedly offered, but it was the only offer left and the Twins took it. Take heed now delusional fans of big market ballclubs, Joe Mauer will not hit free agency after next season. His contract situation has an endgame with one of two possibilities. A) The Twins will re-sign the hometown boy to the largest contract in franchise history and the fairy tale will come to a happy ending. Fans along the upper east coast will cry. B) The Twins will trade Mauer to one of baseball’s big market clubs in exchange for a slew of top prospects and the big market club will promptly sign him to one of baseball’s richest contracts. Everyone in Minnesota will cry. With those two options in mind, it’s time to take a look at the potential suitors that could arise for Mauer’s services if contract negotiations with the Twins fall through.

Begin Slideshow

Josh Johnson and Florida Marlins Fail To Ink Long-Term Deal

Jeremiah Graves — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 21:41:22 -0500

Once a cheap team, always a cheap team.

The Florida Marlins have reportedly "reached an impasse ” with ace Josh Johnson regarding a proposed four-year contract extension.

Matt Sosnick, Johnson’s agent, was reportedly seeking a deal very similar to the four-year, $38 million deal that Zack Greinke signed a year ago.

The notoriously stingy Marlins, however, were only willing to guarantee the 25-year-old right-hander three years.

The proposed deal would have bought out Johnson’s first two years of free agency.

Currently, Johnson remains under club control through two more seasons.

According to Sosnick, this now means that Johnson will enter free agency after 2011 rather than make another attempt at signing an extension.

"Based on our conversations, there's no chance of doing a long-term deal with the Marlins," Sosnick said. "We made it clear that it was going to be this year or it wasn't going to happen. It was now or never."

Johnson, coming off a season in which he posted a 15-5 record with a 3.23 ERA and struck out 191 batters in 209 innings, is one of baseball’s brightest young stars.

He was an All-Star for the first-time and became the unequivocal ace of a young Marlins pitching rotation.

Additionally, Johnson is an outstanding 22-6 with a 3.42 ERA in 47 starts since returning from Tommy John surgery midway through the 2008 campaign.

It seems apparent to everyone—excluding the Marlins, that is—that the deal would have been a steal for Florida.

“We were willing to give the Marlins what we thought was a significant break,” Sosnick said, “but they just weren’t comfortable going to the fourth year."

Although a long-term deal is now off the table, this opens the door for discussions about a potential trade.

Numerous teams figure to show interest if Johnson is made available, as he’d immediately be one of the top pitching options on the market.

Making a trade seem all the more likely is the Marlins' reputation for trading away arbitration-eligible players.

Recently the club traded arbitration-eligible outfielder Jeremy Hermida to Boston.

Last offseason starter Scott Olsen and outfielder Josh Willingham were moved to Washington to avoid arbitration.

Recent reports have the club exploring offers for second baseman Dan Uggla, who is expected to earn $7 million or more via arbitration this offseason.

Johnson earned $1.4 million in 2008, and figures to earn more than $4 million next season via arbitration.

"It seems to me that based on his age and performance,” Sosnick said, “Josh falls into that group of two or three starting pitchers out there whose next contracts could very well exceed $100 million."

As it currently stands, Johnson will enter the 2011-2012 free agent class of pitchers that could include Matt Cain, Felix Hernandez, Edwin Jackson, Wandy Rodriguez, and Justin Verlander.

Déjà Vu: Mike Lowell May Be on Boston Red Sox's Trading Block

Jeremiah Graves — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:16:52 -0500

The Boston Red Sox are considering acquiring a marquee first baseman.

The club is reportedly interested in San Diego’s Adrian Gonzalez and Detroit’s Miguel Cabrera.

If either one is acquired in a trade, the Red Sox would move incumbent first baseman Kevin Youkilis to third base on a permanent basis.

Sound familiar?

It certainly does to Mike Lowell.

“I figure I am no stranger to trade rumors,” Lowell said. “I understand the team’s desire to always look to upgrade.”

The Red Sox third baseman was in a similar situation a year ago when the club was looking to acquire All-Star first baseman Mark Teixeira.

The difference between now and then is that Lowell, for the most part, is healthy.

A year ago, Lowell was recovering from hip surgery, and it was likely that he would spend spring training rehabbing with Boston, simply to showcase himself for potential suitors.

Lowell is now a full year removed from surgery and figures to head into spring training healthier than he has been in two seasons.

He was used sparingly down the stretch last year to rest his hip and because the additions of Victor Martinez and Casey Kotchman created a logjam for playing time.

If the Sox are able to acquire Cabrera or Gonzalez, Lowell would have considerable value on the trade market.

He is still an above average defender at third base, despite hip-related limitations on his range, and he can still hit.

Despite struggling through lingering pain, Lowell posted a solid .290/.337/.474 line with 17 home runs and 73 RBI in 419 at-bats last season.

If inserted into a lineup that can get runners on in front of him consistently, Lowell could be a major offensive force.

He did much of his damage in 2009 with runners in scoring position, posting an outstanding .313/.359/.516 line with seven home runs and 57 RBI coming in those situations.

Lowell will be 36 next season and has one year at $12 million remaining on his contract.

That number may be too steep for many teams to take on, but the Red Sox could easily absorb some of the monetary hit to facilitate a deal.

There are a number of teams with a vacancy at third, and Lowell could be just the man to fill that hole.

Personally, Lowell has made it clear that his preference is to remain in Boston, but he also understands the nature of the business and would not combat a potential trade.

“I treat this offseason like any other and maintain how much I like Boston, but this is a business and there are certain things I cannot control,” Lowell said. “I am focused on enjoying my family, working hard, and getting ready for a successful 2010 season.”

Garrett Atkins and Colorado: Stuck Between a Rockie and a Hard Place

Jeremiah Graves — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:56:51 -0500

Garrett Atkins is a man without a job, yet he is still gainfully employed.

It may sound like the ultimate contradiction, but it’s merely a sign of the times in Major League Baseball.

Many teams are currently at a tipping point with overpriced, underperforming veterans.

It is becoming more common for big league clubs to non-tender players who have become too pricey, rather than risk overpaying them in arbitration.

Garrett Atkins and the Colorado Rockies are the latest example of this situation.

Atkins, 29, is still with the Rockies, but only as a formality.

On Friday, the Rockies announced that Atkins would remain on the club’s 40-man roster.

This move serves only to delay the inevitable, as Atkins has undoubtedly played his last game for Colorado.

Thanks to arbitration, the Rockies paid Atkins more than $7 million last season.

That was $3 million more than he’d made in 2008, despite posting a second-consecutive year of declining numbers.

Many in the Colorado front office were hoping for a bounce-back performance in 2009; unfortunately, they didn’t get one.

For their $7 million investment, Atkins gave the club a dismal .226/.308/.342 line with nine home runs and 48 RBI. By midseason, he’d become a backup infielder after losing his job to rising star Ian Stewart.

As such, Colorado is only keeping Atkins on the 40-man roster to allow more time for general manager Dan O’Dowd to try and facilitate a trade before the Dec. 12 non-tender date.

O’Dowd has been actively trying to move the slumping slugger since last offseason.

A year ago, most clubs were wary about pulling the trigger, as Atkins’ numbers suggested that his success had been more a product of Coors Field than his actual talent.

This offseason, the interest has been even more tepid given Atkins’ continued downward spiral at the plate.

His numbers have been in steady decline since his breakout campaign in 2006, when he posted an astounding.329/.409/.556 line with 29 home runs, 120 RBI, 117 runs scored, and 48 doubles.

His below-average defense at third could be put up with when he was posting mammoth power numbers, but a no-hit, no-field third baseman simply won’t do. At this point he projects as a first baseman rather than a third sacker.

A small handful of teams have reportedly shown some interest, including the Baltimore Orioles and Texas Rangers.

Both clubs could use him at either corner or in a designated hitter role, and Atkins could benefit from playing in another renowned hitter's park.

Neither club, however, wants to give the Rockies anything in return, nor should they.

O’Dowd has three weeks until the non-tender deadline. In that time he will make a strong push to move Atkins, for anything he can get in return.

If he is unable to do so, he will undoubtedly have to cut Atkins loose and be left with nothing to show for the former fifth-round draft pick.

In these economic times, this situation is becoming more and more common.

Clubs like the Rockies can’t afford to throw $7 million at underperforming players as other clubs refuse to trade their young, cheap talent for reclamation projects.

And why should they when, in three weeks' time, Atkins figures to be available on a minor-league deal?

If Atkins had posted better numbers, it would make far more sense for a club to make a trade, rather than risk another club beating them to the punch.

Atkins’ wretched season has torpedoed his value, both to himself and to Colorado.

In three weeks, he’ll be a free agent just hoping to catch on with a club for the Major League minimum.

The Rockies will be off the hook for more than $7 million, but they’ll have nothing to show for all of the time and effort they spent developing Atkins.

It's a lose-lose situation, but it's also business as usual in the new baseball economy.

Minnesota Twins: Jason Kubel's Long Road Back Leads To the Top

Jeremiah Graves — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:32:00 -0500

Jason Kubel is finally where he belongs, at the top.

After a career-best season in 2009, Kubel, 27, proved to be one of baseball’s premier designated hitters, while working at a considerably lower rate than many of his contemporaries.

At this point, however, Kubel isn’t worried about getting a big payday.

That will come in time. He’s still young and has plenty of time to earn David Ortiz or Travis Hafner money.

For now, he seems content to be healthy and guaranteed a spot on the roster.

That may seem odd, but it hasn’t always been this way for Kubel.

In 2004 he was named the Twins Minor League Player of the Year after posting an impressive .352/.414/.590 line with 22 home runs, 100 RBIs, 42 doubles, and 16 stolen bases.

He destroyed minor league pitching all-year long, working his way up from Double-A to Triple-A, and eventually earning a September call-up.

In the majors he put up an impressive .300/.358/.433 line in 23 games and continued to establish himself as one of baseball’s most promising young hitters.

Kubel was so highly-regarded within the organization that he was placed on Minnesota’s postseason roster for the club’s first-round clash with the New York Yankees.

Kubel saw limited action in the postseason, but showed the poise and demeanor of a player who belonged in the big leagues.

After the Twins were eliminated, Kubel went to play in the Arizona Fall League to prepare for Spring Training where it was believed he would compete for the right field job.

It was during an AFL game that an outfield collision with AFL teammate Ryan Raburn changed Kubel’s career trajectory forever.

The collision caused severe ligament damage , including a torn ACL and meniscus. It was described in some reports that Kubel’s knee had “exploded” in the collision.

Then-general manager Terry Ryan didn’t try to cut any corners when describing the injury to the media.

“It's a bad deal,” Ryan said. “It's going to be a long ordeal.”

Those pointed comments led many to question whether or not Kubel would ever make it back from the injury, let alone play at anywhere near the level he had before.

Kubel underwent major reconstructive surgery on his knee and missed all of the 2005 season while recovering from the career-threatening injury.

He showed some improvement by Spring Training and was named the club’s Opening Day right fielder in 2006, but struggles relegated him Triple-A by mid-April.

Back in the minors he put up good—but not great—numbers and appeared to regain his once-vaunted stroke at the plate.

Kubel returned re-joined the Twins in May and put up solid numbers, hitting .291/.324/.485 in the first-half. It appeared as though he’d taken the express lane on the road to recovery.

Unfortunately, his surgically-repaired knee proved it couldn’t handle the strain in the second-half as his numbers slipped badly, to .163/.209/.233

In the end he was limited to just 235 at-bats, as a result of lingering knee pain.

He finished the season with a disappointing .241/.279/.386 line and just eight home runs and 26 RBIs.

Kubel knew as well as anyone that 2007 would be an important year.

After fading down the stretch the year before, he showed up with the intention of proving himself healthy and capable of playing every day.

Early in the 2007 season, his performance, or lack thereof, left many wondering if the knee injury had completely destroyed his career.

After his weak finish in 2006, Kubel hit just .237/.287/.301 through his first 100 at-bats in 2007, however, he seemed to finally get things on track in mid-May and hit an astounding .283/.349/.492 over his final 100 games.

By season’s end, Kubel had appeared in 128 games and garnered 418 at-bats, bouncing between designated hitter and left field.

Despite the shaky start to the year, he put up a solid .273/.335/.450 line with 13 home runs, 65 RBI, 31 doubles, and even managed to swipe five bases.

It appeared that he was well on his way back to the top.

In 2008, Kubel became the club’s permanent DH after Minnesota acquired left fielder Delmon Young from Tampa Bay in the offseason.

It was in that role that Kubel began to thrive. With less pressure on his knee from not playing the field he appeared in 141 games and received 463 at-bats.

Kubel made the most of those at-bats by posted a career-best .272/.335/.471 line with 20 home runs and 78 RBIs.

His big 2008, prompted the club to sign him to a two-year, $7.2 million deal that bought out his remaining arbitration years and contains a $5.25 million option for the 2011 campaign.

Kubel showed his gratitude for the investment by busting out in a big way in last season.

He set career-highs across the board by appearing in 146 games, tallying 578 at-bats and posting an imposing .300/.369/.539 line with 28 home runs, 35 doubles, and 103 runs batted in.

He was ranked among the top designated hitters in all of baseball last year. In fact, he was statistically neck-and-neck with Toronto’s Adam Lind for the best in all of baseball.

Kubel finished third in total runs behind Lind and Boston’s David Ortiz. He finished just behind Lind in nearly every other category including home runs, RBIs, doubles, total bases, batting average, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage.

Five years ago, it looked like Jason Kubel’s career was over before it had ever really begun.

Today, he’s finally reached the end of the long road back and can look forward.

And rumor has it the view is pretty good from the top.

Starting Five: A Look at the Contenders for the NL Cy Young Award

Jeremiah Graves — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:25:24 -0500

On Thursday afternoon the Baseball Writers Association of America will announce who they’ve voted as this year’s National League Cy Young Award winner. Unlike the American League Cy Young, there is no single front-runner for the award. Rather, there were many impressive performances in the NL this season, leading many to wonder who will be crowned the winner. A compelling argument could be made for a number of different NL hurlers, but in the end only one will walk away with the hardware. Here’s a quick look at the top candidates for the National League Cy Young.

Begin Slideshow

Is the Minnesota Twins' Ron Gardenhire AL Manager of the Year?

Jeremiah Graves — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 23:43:01 -0500

Ron Gardenhire has long been considered one of baseball’s best managers.

In 2009, he proved his mettle once again by leading the Minnesota Twins to yet another division title in the American League Central.

The pennant marked his fifth division title in eight seasons as the Twins’ skipper.

It very well could have been the sixth, but Minnesota lost to the Chicago White Sox in a one-game playoff to determine the division champion after the 2008 regular season ended with both clubs in a tie for first place.

In addition to the five pennants, Gardy has also amassed a record of 709-558, ranking him 79th all-time on the career wins list and 11th among active managers.

With Gardenhire at the helm, Minnesota has never finished lower than third in the AL Central and the club has only finished with a sub-.500 record once, in 2007 when the team finished a mere four games below the mark.

He has also led the club to six seasons with 87-plus wins and four seasons with 90-plus wins.

At this point, I think you get the idea.

Gardenhire is a pretty good manager.

He often gets credited for “doing the most with the least.” And let’s be honest, anyone who can win with Nick Punto, Brendan Harris, and Matt Tolbert receiving regular playing time deserves all the credit he gets.

Yet, despite all his success and obvious skills as a field general, he’s yet to win the coveted Manager of the Year Award.

In 2002, his first season as manager after eleven years as the club’s third base coach, he finished third in the voting. Since then he’s finished as the runner-up four times, in 2003, 2004, 2006, and 2008.

Gardenhire’s four runner-up finishes are second only to Tony LaRussa, who has finished second five times. For LaRussa, the sting of finishing in second-place is lessened by the fact that he’s brought home the hardware four times.

This season, however, Gardenhire may finally get his due.

In mid-September the Twins were on the skids. The club had lost seven of ten and sat two games below .500 with just 20 left to play. To make matters worse, an already injury-riddled squad lost All-Star first baseman Justin Morneau to a back injury.

The Twins could have folded and simply played out the stretch, and blamed the lost season on injuries and bad luck, but Gardenhire wouldn’t let that happen.

He took the same fiery energy and passion that’s gotten him ejected nearly 50 times in his career and led the club on a torrid stretch, winning 16 of the their final 20 games and forcing a historic one-game playoff with the Detroit Tigers for the division crown.

That final month alone could win him the award, but when you realize what he dealt with all year long, the mere fact that the club was within striking distance that late in the season is a miracle.

Here’s a quick rundown of the mess Gardenhire had to muddle through during the season:

MVP candidate Joe Mauer missed the first month of the season with lower back inflammation.

Free agent signee Joe Crede was limited to just 90 games with back issues before undergoing season-ending surgery in August.

When Alexi Casilla flaked as the full-time second baseman, the club was forced to use a rotating crew of benchwarmers at three infield positions.

The club saw three-fifths of its Opening Day rotation rendered useless by injury or ineffectiveness, and had to rely on Carl Pavano as a rotation anchor down the stretch.

And that was all before Morneau’s season-ending injury in September.

Yeah, I’d say Gardy is pretty good at what he does.

Perhaps this will be the year that the Baseball Writers Association of America finally gets it right.

Miguel Tejada: Plan D for the Minnesota Twins

Jeremiah Graves — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 18:18:52 -0500

“Miguel Tejada signs with the Minnesota Twins.”

Reading that headline now wouldn’t elicit the excitement it would have five years ago, but it’s still an intriguing proposition.

Five years ago, Tejada was one of baseball’s best players and had recently signed a massive six-year, $72 million deal with the Baltimore Orioles.

In the five years since, he has suffered through multiple steroid allegations at the hands of former teammates, inclusion in the Mitchell Report, a perjury charge, and it was revealed that he is two years older than he had claimed.

Those off the field controversies have taken their toll, and along with Father Time, have led to the slow and steady erosion of Tejada’s on field production.

The former American League Most Valuable Player has lost most of his power, having gone from 34 home runs in 2004 to a meager 14 last season.

Additionally, his defense at shortstop has gone from below average to downright ugly.

As a result, Tejada’s next starting gig figures to be as a corner infielder, with third base making the most sense given his strong throwing arm.

No doubt, Tejada is far removed from his glory days with Oakland and Baltimore, but he can still be a valuable asset to a ballclub. He’s certainly no team’s first, or even second, choice this offseason, but he makes a lot of sense as Plan-D for the Minnesota Twins.

Tejada, a six-time All Star, can still hit and knows how to get on base at a good clip, despite not drawing many walks. His ability to get on base would make him an ideal No. 2 hitter for the Twins. He would also serve to break up lefties Denard Span and Joe Mauer.

His .313/.340/.455 line in 2009 was roughly in line with his career averages and, at 35 years old (or so we’re told), he figures to still have a few good years ahead of him before he's relegated to bench duty or retirement.

With that in mind, it makes sense for the Twins to at least consider signing Tejada to man the hot corner for next season.

Tejada, despite his age, has an incredible track-record for durability.

Since 1999, he’s played in 158 games or more every year, except for 2007 when a fractured wrist limited him to 133 games. He also had an incredible six-year run from 2001 to 2006, where he appeared in all 162 games every year.

Given the durability, or lack thereof, shown by last year’s third baseman, Joe Crede, Tejada would be a breath of fresh air.

After years of flip-flopping players in and out at third base, there’s no doubt that Twins manager Ron Gardenhire would relish having a name he could consistently pencil in at third on his lineup card.

Durability notwithstanding, Tejada—much like the aforementioned Crede—only makes sense for the Twins if they can sign him to a one-year deal.

Unlike other third base options (i.e. Adrian Beltre), Tejada can only be viewed as a short-term placeholder for eventual successors, Danny Valencia or Luke Hughes.

At his age and with his skill set declining, Tejada shouldn’t be expecting many offers greater than one year, especially in a deflated market that is overrun with younger, more talented third basemen.

Tejada could seemingly be had on a one-year deal in the $5-7 million base salary range, with reachable incentives that could push the total value up to $10-12 million.

Tejada certainly won’t play for pennies, but someone as durable and steady as he is shouldn’t be worried about playing for incentives that he would figure to reach if he remains his usual healthy self for an entire season.

Obviously, Tejada is not the best option on the market and, in all honesty, is probably not even a top five option, but he is still an option.

If nothing else, he’s certainly a more appealing alternative to seeing Matt Tolbert or Brendan Harris in the starting lineup every day.

No one knows what the free agent market will look like when it opens on Friday and it is entirely possible the Twins will miss out on other, far more attractive, options.

If that’s the case, Tejada would make a solid Plan-D.

“Miguel Tejada signs with the Minnesota Twins.”

It may not be nearly as exciting as it once was, but it sure does have a nice ring to it.

Starting Five: A Look at the Contenders for the AL Cy Young Award

Jeremiah Graves — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 10:51:41 -0500

Later today the Baseball Writers Association of America will announce who they’ve voted as this year’s American League Cy Young Award winner. Although some believe there’s an obvious front-runner for the award, the field is still “technically” wide-open after a number of memorable performances last season. A compelling argument could be made for a number of different AL hurlers, but in the end only one will walk away with the hardware. Here’s a quick look at the top candidates for the Cy Young and why each of them does, or does not, deserve to take home the coveted award.

Begin Slideshow

Third Time's the Charm: Minnesota Twins Should Keep Chasing Adrian Beltre

Jeremiah Graves — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 18:24:18 -0500

If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.

This famous saying serves not only as a motivational tool, but also as a solid offseason philosophy for small-market general managers.

Twins general manager Bill Smith has made overtures for current free-agent third baseman Adrian Beltre on two previous occasions and—if he’s smart—will be making one final effort this winter.

The Twins were linked to Beltre at the 2008 trade deadline and again last offseason. No deal was ever worked out, however, and Beltre finished out his five-year, $64 million contract with the Seattle Mariners.

Now Beltre is a free agent, and the Twins would be wise to make one last ditch attempt to land him. Beltre makes even more sense now that he won’t cost the club any prospects in a trade or an outrageous extension to get him to waive a no-trade clause.

To that same effect, he is also a Type B free agent, so he wouldn’t cost the Twins a draft pick if the Mariners were to offer him arbitration.

And coming off a season in which he missed 50 games and hit just .265/.304/.379 with just eight home runs and 44 RBI, his value is lower than ever. Thus he is potentially affordable for the Twins, figuring he would command much less than the $12 million he made in 2009.

Beltre does have some lingering health concerns after missing time in recent seasons with injuries to his shoulders, thumb, wrist, hamstring, and—worst of all—his right testicle. In the last year, Beltre underwent two shoulder surgeries and ligament-replacement surgery on his left thumb.

Despite being banged up for the past few years, this season marked the first time since 2001 that he failed to play at least 140 games.

Making Beltre even more attractive to the Twins is his age. Although he has seemingly been in the league forever, Beltre won’t turn 31 until April and, if healthy, could have a nice bounce-back year hitting in a lineup that offers much more protection than he’s had in his time with Seattle.

For his part, Beltre would provide the Twins with some much-needed right-handed pop to balance out the lefty-heavy heart of the lineup.

Although he’ll certainly never repeat the monster 2004 campaign that earned him his last deal, he can be counted on for a solid .270/.325/.453 line with 20 to 25 home runs, 80 to 90 RBI, and even 10 to 15 stolen bases.

The prospect of adding Beltre to the lineup is made even more interesting when one accounts for the fact that his numbers have largely been suppressed by playing the majority of his game at Safeco Field the past five seasons.

Safeco is notoriously tough on right-handed sluggers like Beltre.

Outside of Seattle, one could expect Beltre to thrive. He's a career .287/.338/.488 hitter in road games as opposed to the .253/.311/.416 career line he’s posted at home.

Perhaps more important than his offensive contributions is his stellar defense. Beltre is a two-time Gold Glove winner and consistently ranks among the best third basemen in the game.

In essence, he is a healthier version of Joe Crede: decent pop, great glove, and a penchant for swinging at bad pitches. His health, as opposed to Crede’s, makes him the smarter investment going forward.

Many reports indicate that Twins management isn’t sold on the idea of handing top-prospect Danny Valencia the starting third-base job out of spring training, if at all, next season.

It is believed by many in the organization that Valencia still needs more time in Triple-A Rochester to mature as a player and person and to improve his defense at the hot corner.

With that in mind, the Twins may be looking for more than a short-term solution.

It is entirely possible that Beltre—in a market flooded with third basemen—could settle for a two-year deal with an option, thus making him the perfect choice for the Twins.

It is, however, also entirely possible that, despite last season’s injuries and poor production, Beltre may still be out of the Twins' price range.

One thing is certain, Beltre is the exact type of player the Twins should be looking for at third base.

If his market is slow to develop, the Twins must try, try again.

Pirates’ Booty: Pittsburgh Open to Trading Ryan Doumit

Jeremiah Graves — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:21:59 -0500

The air is crisp, the leaves are falling, and Scott Boras is on the prowl. It can mean only one thing. It’s November in Pittsburgh and it’s time for the front-office to rid the ballclub of any remaining veteran talent. Unfortunately, general manager Neal Huntington doesn’t have much veteran talent left after jettisoning Freddy Sanchez, Adam LaRoche, Nate McLouth, Nyjer Morgan, John Grabow, Ian Snell, and Jack Wilson over the summer. With limited veterans left to ship out of town, it only makes sense that recent reports indicate the Pirates “would not hesitate” to move 28-year-old catcher, Ryan Doumit. Pittsburgh would be selling low on the switch-hitter who is coming off an injury-plagued season in which he only appeared in 75 games. Doumit posted a .250/.299/.414 line while suffering from a myriad of injuries including a broken wrist, a mild concussion, and various back ailments. The oft-injured Doumit is, however, just one year removed from a .318/.357/.501 campaign in which he hit 15 home runs and 34 doubles, all while playing primarily behind the plate. In addition to his work behind the plate, Doumit also has experience in right field and at first base. His UZR—the current stat du jour—is below average at first base, but grades out well above average in right field. Doumit reportedly drew plenty of interest at the General Manager Meetings last week and would make sense for a number of clubs looking to fill holes. His price tag makes him even more intriguing as he’s only owed $3.55 million in 2010 and $5.1 million in 2011. He has two club options priced at $7.25 million and $8.25 million for 2012 and 2013, respectively. He has some legitimate power potential and despite his propensity for injuries, could find himself atop the wish list of many clubs this offseason. Here’s a quick look at six teams that could conceivably be in the mix for Doumit.

Begin Slideshow

Is Felipe Lopez a Perfect Fit for the Minnesota Twins?

Jeremiah Graves — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 19:06:23 -0500

If you’ve heard it once, you’ve heard it a thousand times.

The Twins need another infielder and they need a legitimate hitter to handle the two-hole in the lineup.

Both of these facts have been beaten to death by Twins fans this offseason, and for good reason.

If the season were to start today, Matt Tolbert or Brendan Harris would be a starter at either second or third base.

Yikes!

Call me crazy, but that’s not exactly an ideal scenario.

On the offensive side of things, the Twins need to make a serious effort to upgrade the two-hole in the lineup.

In the last decade, the average on-base-percentage out of the two-hole in the American League is .338, a figure which the Twins consistently fail to meet.

Last time I checked, leaving a black hole in the lineup between Denard Span and Joe Mauer isn’t exactly an optimal situation for long-term success.

Numerous names have been tossed around already for players who could fill one or both of the voids in the lineup and/or defense.

Names such as: Joe Crede , Placido Polanco , Brandon Phillips , Orlando Hudson , Akinori Iwamura , Dan Uggla , and a host of others have all been thrown out as possibilities.

Today I’m adding yet another name to the list, one who just might be the perfect fit, Felipe Lopez.

Lopez, 29, is coming off an incredible season in which he split time between Arizona and Milwaukee.

On the whole Lopez hit his way to an impressive line of .310/.383/.427 with nine homers and a career-best 38 doubles.

Although the numbers were better than his career averages of .269/.338/.400, it isn’t hard to believe that Lopez can continue to post good numbers going forward.

Since becoming a full-time player in 2005, the former first-round draft pick has put up a solid .281/.349/.407 line with five different clubs.

Those numbers get even better if you remove his abysmal 2007 campaign which was marred by constant shuffling in both the Washington Nationals lineup and defensive alignment.

For the same time period, with 2007 removed, his line is an even more remarkable .290/.359/.420.

Needless to say, when he is given a full-time job and a consistent spot in the lineup, he handles himself pretty well with the stick.

On the flipside of the coin is his defense.

While he’s not going to be confused for Placido Polanco or Chase Utley with the leather, he can certainly hold his own. Most statistical metrics ranked him as a top five defender at the keystone corner last season, despite his penchant for piling up errors.

Overall, Lopez makes plenty of sense for the Twins.

Acquiring the switch-hitter would give the Twins a viable number two hitter to slot between Span and Mauer in the lineup and a solid, but not great, defensive second baseman.

He may not be the popular addition that many people—myself included—were hoping for when names like Phillips and Hudson were thrown around, but he would fill the two major vacancies in the Twins’ lineup, presumably at a much cheaper cost.

He made $3.5 million last season after signing as a free agent with Arizona. He figures to earn closer to $5 million in 2010, and that would put him right on par with many of the other options the Twins are rumored to be contemplating.

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Lopez is a Type B free agent. As such, it wouldn’t cost the Twins a draft pick to sign him.

He may not be the popular choice, but it is entirely possible that he is the perfect fit.

Dan Uggla's Stubbornness is Hurting His Trade Value

Jeremiah Graves — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 15:43:30 -0500

Dan Uggla has no qualms about changing teams.

Changing positions, however, is a whole different ballgame.

Uggla, 29, is due a substantial raise via arbitration, and finds himself on the trading block as a result.

The Florida Marlins aren’t inclined to give him a raise on the $5.35 million he made in 2009, and with internal options available, an Uggla trade seems inevitable.

The Marlins have received overtures from many teams with interest in the slugging second baseman.

The Red Sox, Braves, Giants, Twins, Orioles, and a host of others have reportedly inquired about his availability—but here’s the kicker—none of those teams view him as a second baseman.

In Boston and Atlanta he’s viewed as a left fielder.

In San Francisco, Baltimore, and Minnesota he’s a third baseman.

To Uggla and his agent, he’s a second baseman, period.

“Danny Uggla's been a full-time second baseman for the last four years," Uggla's agent, Jeff Borris, told Yahoo! Sports. "He's performed exceptionally well at the position.”

Maybe I missed it, but when exactly did Uggla play an exceptional second base?

Common opinion and a whole slew of fancy metrics all say otherwise.

In fact, based on UZR/150 —the current stat de jour—Uggla is a below average second baseman.

He rated an abysmal 9.6 runs below average last season.

How bad is that, you ask?

Well to put it in perspective, only 214 year old Luis Castillo ranked lower among full-time second baseman.

Needless to say, when the only guy you’re ranking ahead of is Luis Castillo, you’re by no means an exceptional second baseman.

Admittedly, Uggla does have every right to object to a position change.

He is, undoubtedly, one of the more prolific sluggers at this position.

In his four years in the big leagues, he’s hit .257/.344/.482 while averaging an impressive 100 runs, 35 doubles, 30 home runs, and 90 runs batted in per season.

Those numbers notwithstanding, he has little leverage to place demands on whichever club he lands with this offseason. Uggla is a below average second baseman with the glove and hits like a corner infielder or outfielder, so it only makes sense that he move to a corner.

Alfonso Soriano was in a similar situation in 2006 after he was acquired by the Washington Nationals. Despite his initial refusal he ended up in left field and has played less than four innings at the keystone corner since his move to the outfield.

In comparison, Soriano had drastically more clout and career success than Uggla when he made—and eventually lost—his stand on remaining at second base.

If an accomplished veteran like Soriano didn’t have power to pick his position, it’s doubtful that a four-year player such as Uggla would be able to call his own shots.

It would be in the best interest of Uggla and his agent to quit fighting the inevitable and accept the fact that a position change may be in order if/when the Marlins finally trade Uggla.

He has nothing to lose by switching positions now, he is still two years from free agency, and by the time he becomes a free agent, it is unlikely that any team would seriously consider giving him a long-term deal to serve as a starting second baseman.

Uggla’s best bet is to accept the change and establish himself as a force at a corner position over the next two seasons.

In doing so, Uggla can still earn his big payday and will be able to market himself as a legitimate power bat with—hopefully—league average defense.

If he is unwilling to accept the move, he can spend the next two years slugging homers and botching plays at second base, all the while proving he’s stubborn and not a team player.

Yeah, that’ll get the suitors lining up to fill his pockets with cash.

Former Met, Edgardo Alfonzo is Keeping His Big League Dreams Alive

Jeremiah Graves — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 14:19:08 -0500

Baseball can be a great game, a dream come true, if you will.

However, baseball can also be a fickle game.

That sentiment rings especially true for Edgardo Alfonzo.

Alfonzo was once one of the top infielders in all of baseball, splitting his time between second and third base while playing for the New York Mets and San Francisco Giants.

From 1997-2004 , Alfonzo hit for an impressive line of .291/.371/.448 and averaged 17 home runs and 77 runs batted in per year.

After that impressive eight-year run, things went south in a hurry.

Injuries and rapidly diminishing skills snowballed on Alfonzo, eventually costing him playing time and his job in San Francisco.

He would catch on again in short stints with the Los Angeles Angels and the Toronto Blue Jays, but by the end of 2006, Alfonzo was out of the big leagues at just 32 years old.

It was a shame for someone as classy and good for the sport as Alfonzo to be prematurely exiled from the game he loved.

Alfonzo has been quoted as saying, "baseball is the one thing in my life that I know how to do.”

In keeping true to that statement, Alfonzo has done his damnedest to not give up on baseball, the way it has on him.

Since his last big league appearance with Toronto in 2006, Alfonzo has plied his trade in the Mexican League, the Venezuelan winter league, for the Long Island Ducks, and, most recently, playing in Japan for the Yomiuri Giants.

Now, more than three years removed from his last Major League at-bat, Alfonzo wants one more shot.

According to Kevin Kernan of the New York Post, Alfonzo is looking for a spring training invite from the team that signed him as an undrafted free agent back in 1991, the New York Mets.

"My dream is to retire with the Mets colors," Alfonzo said. "That's my dream. That's what I'm praying for, maybe it will happen, maybe not, but dreams sometimes come true, you know."

Alfonzo was beloved in his eight seasons with the Mets. He was a major contributor during the club’s deep playoff runs in 1999 and 2000, coming up with clutch hits and playing his usual stellar defense.

He was a selfless player who switched positions twice at the big league level to accommodate aging veterans, Robin Ventura and Roberto Alomar, respectively.

Alfonzo was a classy player who loved playing in New York so much that when he signed with San Francisco as a free agent following the 2002 season that he ran a full-page ad thanking the fans for embracing him during his time with the Mets.

Essentially, Alfonzo is exactly the type of player the Mets need in the clubhouse after last year’s disastrous campaign.

The club lacked a presence like Alfonzo last season, someone who has been there and done that and isn’t—well—Gary Sheffield.

Alfonzo has a .284/.357/.425 line and 1532 career hits in the majors.

Does that mean he deserves a spot with the Mets? Probably not.

He also hasn't had more than 87 at-bats in a season since 2005 and hasn’t shown himself to be anything more than a shell of the player he once was in nearly half a decade.

What it does mean is that the club—coming off a morale-killing 2009—would be wise to bring back Alfonzo, a local icon, if for no better reason than as a reminder of the last wave of Mets’ success.

Sure the odds are against Alfonzo making the club out of Spring Training, despite being three days younger than fellow New York favorite, Johnny Damon and just a year older than Derek Jeter and Hideki Matsui, but his presence would be about more than just the game on the field.

New York is a town that embraces stars of any age, if they can contribute.

Alfonzo may be beyond the point where he can contribute on the field, but his knowledge, approach, and respect for the game could pay huge dividends off the field.

Inviting him to Spring Training seems like a no-brainer and keeping him around in some capacity, no matter the results in February, seems like it would also be a wise move.

Alfonzo, for his part, is doing everything he can to make the decision an easy one for New York.

He is heading back for another year of winter ball in Venezuela with the hopes of keeping the dream alive.

“I love the Mets and I love the Mets fans,” Alfonzo said. “I would like that dream to come true.”

Biased opinion be damned, I'm pulling for Alfonzo. He's one of the good ones and deserves to go out on his terms.

Carlos Lee: Plan-C for Losers of the Bay and Holliday Sweepstakes

Jeremiah Graves — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 19:44:19 -0500

Houston, you have a problem.

Your ballclub is bad, really bad.

The Astros, a perennial contender for much of the last decade, have fallen on hard times.

From 1994 to 2006, Houston was one of the most competitive clubs in the National League.

During that twelve-year run, the Astros finished lower than second-place just once, in 2000, when the club played sub-.500 baseball for the first time since ’92.

The club made the playoffs six times in that stretch and won the National League pennant in 2005 before falling to the Chicago White Sox in the World Series.

As it stands, 2005 was the Astros last trip to the postseason.

Since that magical October, the franchise has been backpedalling into obscurity in the NL Central.

Owner Drayton McLane is largely to blame.

That may be a hard pill to swallow given the Astros have been one of baseball’s most successful franchises since he became owner, but those days are quickly fading in the rearview mirror.

Even during the club’s successful run, McLane bullied his general managers and has all-too-often relied on an aging roster of overpaid stars. It seems that McLane’s formula has finally come back to haunt him.

Despite possessing great young players like Michael Bourn, Tommy Manzella, and Hunter Pence the average age of the ballclub is slightly more than 31 years old.

To put it in perspective, the closest team in the NL Central age-wise is Milwaukee at 29.65 years old, a number which figures to go down significantly now that Braden Looper and Mike Cameron—35 and 36, respectively—are no longer with the club.

The Astros are old and overpaid, and until McLane allows general manager Ed Wade to move the contracts of his aging, yet still-talented, veterans, the club is going nowhere.

The obvious solution would be to trade the likes of Roy Oswalt, Lance Berkman, and Carlos Lee while they still have trade value.

As such, I’ve decided to take a look at the man who is probably the most valuable of the three, Carlos Lee.

(For an overall look at Houston’s future, check out this article by Jesse Mostiff, BleacherReport’s Featured Columnist for the Milwaukee Brewers.)

Carlos Lee is one of baseball’s premier left fielders.

Offensively, that is; with the glove, not so much.

Lee is a career .291/.344/.503 hitter who can almost always be penciled in for 25-30 home runs and 100-plus runs batted in.

Lee, 33, has also shown an ability to play in markets of all-sizes, as the Astros are his fourth big-league club.

He’s also spent time with the White Sox (1999-2004), Brewers (2005-2006), and Rangers (2006) before signing a six-year, $100 million deal with Houston prior to the 2007 season.

Lee has three years and roughly $55.5 million remaining on his contract. As such, he’s really only in play for big market clubs willing to absorb an $18.5 million hit in each of the next three seasons.

Despite the limited trade partners, he still could find a home with whichever team loses out on signing top free agents, Jason Bay and Matt Holliday.

Holliday, 30 on Opening Day, is obviously the cream of the crop as he’s defensively the best of the three and still shows some speed on the bases. Going against Holliday, however, is the fact that he didn’t do much to impress during his short stint in the American League earlier this season.

Bay, 31, comes in a close No. 2 on this year’s market. Unlike Holliday, he has come up big in both leagues and is considered by many to be a more complete player than Holliday.

And then there is Lee.

Lee has plied his trade in both leagues and been successful in every stop along the way. His speed on the bases has dwindled significantly in recent seasons, and with it he’s lost some of his outfield range.

Any team that’s looking to sign Bay or Holliday will admit they’re willing to sacrifice some defense for the offensive prowess those players bring, and Lee would fit the bill in that regard.

Dollar figures for Bay and Holliday are only estimates right now, but it is believed that Scott Boras is looking for “Mark Teixeira money” for Holliday.

Teixeira’s monster eight-year, $180 million deal paid him $20 million this year and he’ll earn another $20 million next season. After that, he will make $22.5 million per season for the six years that follow.

Depending on which rumors you believe, Bay is believed to be looking for a five-year deal with a base salary falling anywhere in the $15-$20 million range.

With that in mind, Carlos Lee offers an intriguing Plan-C for clubs that ultimately lose out on the Bay/Holliday sweepstakes.

Lee also offers a measure of flexibility that neither Bay nor Holliday can match.

Rather than getting bogged down to a long-term deal, any team that acquired the slugger would only be on the hook for three years.

He will probably be overpaid at $18.5 million for the next three seasons, but he’ll offer production comparable to both Bay and Holliday at—what figures to be—a lower price.

Lee has a full no-trade clause that doesn’t expire until the end of 2010, but one would have to assume Lee would accept a trade to a big-market contender that would give him a realistic shot at winning a World Series.

Many clubs meeting that description have been linked to both Bay and Holliday.

When it’s all said and done, only two clubs will land a top free-agent left fielder, and that’s when McLane needs to let Wade open up trade talks.

Despite the big money another club would be taking on, the Astros could still expect to receive at least one top prospect in any trade, in addition to mid-level prospects to help replenish a farm system that has grown relatively thin in recent years.

Additionally, depending on how desperate the loser(s) of the Bay/Holliday sweepstakes is/are, the Astros could potentially receive a package of multiple top-tier prospects, in addition to the obvious payroll relief that trading Lee would provide.

In the end, the Astros may—and probably will—go with the status quo and continue to rely on aging veterans like Lee, Berkman, and Oswalt long beyond the point when they could reap a major return.

There is, however, an opportunity to strike while the iron is hot and move all three to clubs willing to pay big bucks over a shorter time period than most free agents will command.

The Astros can—and should—restock the farm system now, save some serious coin, and prepare for the next stretch of great Astros baseball.

The opportunity is there, but the window is closing.

Houston, it’s time to fix the problem.

Glen Perkins' Grievance is Settled, but His Future in Minnesota is Not

Jeremiah Graves — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 18:47:37 -0500

Glen Perkins has dropped his grievance against the Minnesota Twins.

The two sides were able to reach a settlement earlier today, thus avoiding the hearing that was planned for this Friday in New York.

The grievance came as a result of the Twins’ decision to option Perkins to Triple-A Rochester after activating him from the disabled list at the end of August.

Perkins and his agent felt that he should have remained on the major league roster and been sent on a minor league rehabilitation assignment rather than being sent to the minors.

The grievance insinuated that the Twins had sent him to Rochester in an attempt to keep him from qualifying as a “Super 2” at season’s end.

Had Perkins qualified as a “Super 2” he would have been arbitration-eligible at the end of last year, rather than having to complete three years of big league service to qualify.

As it stands, Perkins won’t be eligible for arbitration—and the big payday that accompanies it—until after 2010.

Sources believe that the settlement gave the lefty some of the service time he feels he was cheated out of, but not enough to qualify for arbitration.

With the grievance now settled, the Twins can decide what’s next for Perkins.

It is widely-believed that Perkins is a candidate to be traded this offseason, and I’d be hard-pressed to disagree with that assessment.

As a result of the grievance, Perkins burned many bridges and now finds himself in the doghouse with a lot of people in the organization.

As such, a trade is probably the best solution for both sides, but what does Perkins have to offer in a trade?

Perkins, 26, has been part of the club’s starting rotation for the past two seasons and was a member of the bullpen to begin and end the season in 2007.

In that time Perkins has been a mixed bag on the mound.

He’s had starts where he looks absolutely brilliant and starts where he looks like a pee-wee league reject.

His lack of consistency has been absolutely maddening to Twins’ fans who don’t know if they’re going to get an eight-inning gem out of Dr. Jekyll or a two-inning implosion from Mr. Hyde.

Despite his inconsistency, Perkins is a very good pitcher.

In a mechanical sense, that is.

He has a three pitch repertoire that consists of a low-to-mid 90s fastball, a very good changeup, and a biting curveball that he can toss with a hard or a slow break. He has tremendous control with all of his pitches and—when he is on—can be nearly unhittable.

In addition to his “raw stuff,” Perkins also has stamina, not commonly found in young pitchers with limited big league experience.

Of his 17 starts in 2009, Perkins went six innings or more ten times and pitched into the seventh inning or deeper seven times.

In 2008, he was even more impressive. Perkins made 26 starts and pitched to the sixth inning or beyond in 17 of those starts.

Clearly, all of the parts of the equation are there, but Perkins simply hasn’t figured it all out.

He will, undoubtedly, be a tough-sell coming off a lackluster season, but his natural talent cannot be overlooked.

Perkins would make a lot of sense for many National League clubs, where his lack of an overpowering fastball would be less of an issue.

The NL is widely-regarded as the lighter-hitting of the two leagues, and many pitchers have seen their numbers and overall value increase by moving to the senior circuit.

The Twins figure to have many irons in the fire this winter and could conceivably include Perkins in any offer.

Although it is the logical move, it would still be a shame to lose someone with the talent he possesses.

He has the stamina and the ability to be a legitimate front-of-the-rotation starter, but hasn’t yet put it all together with the Twins.

Given his falling out with the club, it is likely that the Stillwater, Minnesota, native won’t ever get the chance to put it all together with his hometown team.

For the Minnesota Twins, Brandon Phillips is the Answer

Jeremiah Graves — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:17:09 -0500

In baseball, it’s not always easy to find the answers.

To this day it seems that almost no pitchers have found the answer to Albert Pujols’ bat and no hitters—except Chase Utley—have found the answer for CC Sabathia’s left arm.

Today, however, there is one question that can be answered unequivocally:

Who should be the second baseman for the Minnesota Twins in 2010?

For months we speculated over whether or not the club would make a key acquisition at the deadline. Names like Felipe Lopez, Freddy Sanchez, and Dan Uggla were tossed around, but nothing ever came to fruition.

Since the season ended, we’ve wondered if Nick Punto, Alexi Casilla, or perhaps a returning Orlando Cabrera should handle the keystone corner next season.

Minnesota fans have looked upon the free agent class and asked if veterans such as Placido Polanco, Orlando Hudson, or Mark DeRosa were the solution.

Now all of the speculation can finally come to an end, because we’ve got our answer.

Brandon Phillips is the answer.

It was announced yesterday that the Cincinnati Reds are looking to shed payroll next season after watching attendance at Great American Ballpark fall 15 percent in 2009.

Cincinnati general manager Walt Jocketty said Tuesday that he might have to move some high-salaried players to meet the club’s 2010 goal.

Sources are saying that the projected 2010 goal is roughly $65-70 million, not a far cry from the $71 million payroll the club had last season, but given the significant raises due to many members of the roster, it will be necessary to move some of the club’s larger salaries.

With that having been said, the Twins have found their second baseman of 2010 and hopefully well beyond.

Brandon Phillips, 28, hit .276 with 30 doubles, 20 homers, 98 RBI, and 25 stolen bases last season while playing his typical stellar defense.

Needless to say, Phillips would be a significant upgrade over the Punto/Casilla/Tolbert/Harris quartet that manned second base in 2009.

Phillips wouldn’t come cheap in a trade; most likely costing the Twins a top-level pitching prospect, Glen Perkins, or either Ben Revere or Aaron Hicks, and potentially a few lower-level prospects.

That price, however, is worth paying for one of baseball’s premier second baseman.

Since becoming a full-time player in 2006, Phillips has hit a combined .276/.324/.452 while averaging 22 home runs, 86 RBI's, and 26 stolen bases per year.

That level of production from second base would allow the Twins to shift light-hitting Nick Punto to third base—his best defensive position—to serve as the place-holder for top-prospect Danny Valencia.

In acquiring Phillips, a 2008 Gold Glove winner, the Twins would have arguably the best defensive infield in all of the Major League Baseball and one of the most dynamic offenses as well.

Neither Phillips or recent acquisition J.J. Hardy, can constitute a typical two-hole hitter, but adding both would allow the Twins to shuffle the lineup, perhaps moving Joe Mauer to the two-spot to increase his at-bats and break up the lefty parade at the heart of the lineup.

In addition to his defensive prowess and offensive skills, Phillips also comes with a reasonable contract. He is in the middle of a four-year, $27 million deal with a $12 million option for 2012.

He made $5 million in 2009 and will earn salaries of $6.75 million and $11 million in 2010 and 2011, respectively.

That is big money, but the Twins have made it very clear that they’re ready, willing, and able to add salary going forward.

Additionally, Phillips figures to be worth every penny of that deal, as he will be just 30-years-old and still in the midst of his prime when the decision needs to be made regarding his 2012 option.

Beyond his offense, his defense, and his salary,beyond all of that,Phillips is the answer for another very large reason;Joe Mauer.

The Twins want to sign Mauer to a long-term extension this offseason and in doing so,the front office is making large strides to prove that the club will be a contender for the foreseeable future.

To accomplish that endeavor, the club has already added Hardy via trade and given slugging outfielder Michael Cuddyer an extension.

The next move appears to be acquiring a veteran arm for the rotation, not an easy task given the dearth of topflight talent available,but one that figures to get completed.

All of those moves figure to make the Twins a competitive team, but would that be enough to convince Mauer that the club can be a long-term contender? Maybe.

If Phillips were added to the mix, there would be no doubt about it. The Twins would be competitors, period.

With Phillips in the fold, the Twins would be fielding, arguably, the best team in the club’s history on a nightly basis and that might be what it takes to convince Mauer to stick around for the long haul.

With all of that in mind, Brandon Phillips is the answer.

Risk vs. Reward: A Dozen Free Agent Pitching Options for the Twins

Jeremiah Graves — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 01:43:56 -0500

The Minnesota Twins came into this offseason with three major goals: 1) Sign Joe Mauer to an extension 2) Improve the infield 3) Add at least one veteran arm to the rotation General manager Bill Smith got off to a quick start on his offseason “to do list” by acquiring shortstop J.J. Hardy from the Milwaukee Brewers last Friday. Talks with Mauer don’t figure to go anywhere until after the Twins have addressed the two other goals in full, essentially proving the club is committed to winning. As such, today I’m going to take a look at some of the high-risk, high-reward free agent pitchers who could help the Twins in 2010 and beyond. All of the pitchers featured here have the ability to contribute in a major way when healthy, but all come with their fair share of health hazards. Given their spotty health histories, many—if not all—of these pitchers will probably be forced to settle for short-term, incentive-laden deals this winter. It is entirely possible that whoever signs first will set the market for the rest of the crew. As such, it may be late in the offseason before we see anyone from this bunch sign a deal, but it’s officially hot stove season, so let’s get the speculation started. The list contains many of the usual suspects whom you’ll be hearing rumors about all winter long and some other names that are currently flying under the radar. Without any further ado, let’s take a look at some of the men who could be key members of the Twins’ 2010 starting rotation.

Begin Slideshow

Seven Reasons Why the Twins Should Bring Back Joe Crede

Jeremiah Graves — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 13:21:42 -0500

Minnesota general manger Bill Smith is a busy man. In the last week alone, Smith was rumored to be in on a deal for new Pittsburgh second baseman Akinori Iwamura, he traded away Carlos Gomez for J.J. Hardy, he exercised Michael Cuddyer’s $10.5 million option for 2011, and he’s watched as a handful of players from the 2009 squad filed for free agency. Without a doubt, the Twins are deeply embroiled in the Hot Stove Season, less than a week after the completion of the World Series. As such, today I’m going to dive right into the mix with a look at the seven reasons why the Minnesota Twins should to bring back Joe Crede.

Begin Slideshow

Juan Pierre: Baseball's Best Fourth Outfielder

Jeremiah Graves — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 14:30:21 -0500

Juan Pierre is baseball’s best fourth outfielder.

The problem is that Juan Pierre plays like—and is being paid like—a starting outfielder.

Pierre, 32, has two more years and $18.5 million remaining on the five-year, $44 million pact he signed with Los Angeles prior to the 2007 season.

When he signed with the Dodgers, Pierre was slated to be the club’s starting center fielder for the foreseeable future, yet in his relatively short time with the club he has been bumped from center fielder to left fielder to fourth outfielder.

He was initially ousted from center field when the club signed Andruw Jones to a two-year deal prior to the 2008 season. Jones quickly proved unfit for—well—everything but pie eating contests and cashing paychecks in between DL-stints.

Pierre, however, didn’t regain the starting gig in center field thanks to the emergence of Matt Kemp. Instead, Pierre moved to left field where his noodle-like arm proved to be less of a liability.

It didn’t take long before Pierre was getting bumped again, this time for defensive albatross Manny Ramirez after the enigmatic slugger was acquired in a trade-deadline deal with the Pirates and Red Sox.

Since the Ramirez trade—and subsequent re-signing—Pierre has spent the majority of his time riding the pine as a fourth outfielder and late game option off the bench.

Last offseason, Pierre expressed his dissatisfaction with this situation, stating that he just wanted to play every day.

Personally, I find it hard not to respect a ballplayer who just wants to be in the lineup, especially one as talented and deserving as Pierre.

When a trade couldn’t be arranged last offseason, Pierre kept his chin up and returned to the bench without complaint.

After Ramirez received his 50-game suspension earlier this season, Pierre regained his starting role and made the most of it.

During Ramirez’s suspension Pierre hit .318/.381/.411 with 21 stolen bases, 17 extra-base hits and 32 runs scored in 240 at-bats.

Despite that performance, Pierre returned to a part-time role when the suspension ended.

With the announcement that Ramirez is exercising his $20 million player option to stay in Los Angeles, Pierre is again a man without a position.

Dodgers’ general manager Ned Colletti figures to make an attempt to move Pierre this offseason and plenty of teams should be interested in the speedy outfielder.

Pierre has a career .301 batting average and is one of baseball’s premier table-setters with a .348 career on-base percentage.

Additionally, he averages 52 stolen bases per 162 games played, not too shabby for a fourth outfielder.

Prior to his relegation to the bench in 2008, he’d shown incredible durability by playing in all 162 games in each of the previous five seasons.

He is owed $10 million in 2010 and $8.5 million in 2011, those figures are steep, but not completely out of line given his particular skill set.

Chone Figgins, a player with similar career numbers, figures to cash-in this offseason with a deal similar to the one Pierre signed. Figgins, however, offers more position flexibility as he has spent time at third base, second base, and the outfield in recent seasons.

Teams that are in the market more for Figgins’ bat than his glove could look to the Dodgers as a potential trade partner.

All signs point to Colletti working with a reduced payroll in 2010 as a result of the McCourt’s divorce proceedings .

As such, keeping an outfielder on the bench who is making $10 million doesn’t seem like a fit for the Dodgers in 2010.

With any luck, by Spring Training Juan Pierre will no longer be baseball’s best—and most overpaid—fourth outfielder.

Rather, he’ll be given what he wants—a chance to play.

Chien-Ming Wang: The Arm That Isn't Available…Yet

Jeremiah Graves — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 20:07:07 -0500

Chien-Ming Wang is a member of the World Champion New York Yankees, for now.

The 29-year-old right-handed starter is eligible for arbitration this winter and the Yankees have until the December 12 deadline to offer him a contract for next season, something that doesn’t appear likely.

Wang, who is recovering from shoulder surgery, made $5 million last season after signing a one-year deal to avoid arbitration and is under team control for two more seasons.

It is largely rumored that the Yankees aren’t expected to offer him a contract, thus making him a free agent.

It is quite a different world for Wang than it was a year and a half ago when he was one of the best starters in baseball.

Heading into play on June 15, 2008, Wang had a career record of 54-20 with a 3.79 ERA. He’d finished second in the 2006 Cy Young voting and had won 19 games twice.

Unfortunately, that would be the end of Wang’s success.

During an inter-league game against the Houston Astros, Wang tore a tendon and a ligament in his right foot while rounding the bases and was lost for the remainder of the year.

When he returned this season, he wasn’t the same pitcher he’d been prior to the injury.

Wang started the season by getting shelled in his first three outings. In just six innings pitched, he gave up 23 hits and 23 earned runs.

The Yankees placed him on the disabled list believing that his ineffectiveness was lingering effects of the foot injury.

Upon his return he was used out of the bullpen for a stretch and then returned to the rotation where he continued to struggle with his command.

He was lost for good on July 4 with a capsule tear in his shoulder. He had surgery on July 29 and isn’t expected back in the majors until the middle of next season.

Wang finished this season with 1-6 record to go with a dreadful 9.64 ERA in just twelve games, nine of them starts.

What’s worse is that it seemed as though Wang was finally beginning to get it together before suffering the season-ending shoulder injury.

He’d pitched at least five innings in four straight starts and allowed three or fewer runs in four of his last five starts.

For now, Wang—and 29 other teams—must wait to see whether or not the Yankees let him walk or if they will try to bring him back on a minor league deal.

If the Yankees do decide to let him go, the list of suitors figures to be a lengthy one.

Any team that is willing to invest time into his rehabilitation could probably have the right-hander on short-term, incentive-laden contract.

If the Yankees let him walk, Wang can expect a flurry of phone calls on December 13.

Until then all he can do is wait and bask in the melancholy afterglow of being a World Champion, who was unable to contribute to the effort.

Minnesota Exercises Michael Cuddyer's 2011 Option

Jeremiah Graves — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 17:25:05 -0500

The Minnesota Twins announced today that the club has exercised Michael Cuddyer’s 2011 option valued at $10.5 million.

The option is part of the four-year deal Cuddyer signed in 2008. The right fielder will make $8.5 million in 2010, the third year of the $33.5 million pact.

"Obviously, I was excited," Cuddyer said. "This is where I want to be, I've made no secret about that. To know that I'm going to be here at least two more years is gratifying."

Cuddyer, 30, is coming off a career year in which he batted .276 with 32 home runs, 94 RBI, and 73-extra base hits.

The slugging outfielder was a major contributor to the surge that propelled the Twins past the rival Detroit Tigers to win the American League Central pennant.

Cuddyer moved from his customary right field to first base when Justin Morneau was forced from the lineup with a severe back injury in September.

In his new role as starting first baseman, Cuddyer produced hit .282 with eight homers and 24 RBIs, all while delivering clutch hits, seemingly on a nightly basis.

"He's a leader on the field, he's a leader in the clubhouse, and he had a tremendous year,” Twins general manager Bill Smith said. “We're thrilled to pick this up and keep him here at least through 2011."

Cuddyer’s 32 home runs led the Twins this season, but he was also among league leaders in many other categories.

He ranked in the top 10 in the American League in extra-base hits (sixth, 73), total bases (ninth, 306) and home runs (32, 10th). He was also 15th in slugging percentage (.520).

After two injury-plagued and largely-ineffective seasons, Cuddyer was very happy to be such a big part of the Twins success in 2009 and hopes he can continue to contribute in a big way going forward.

"I continue to mature and continue to try to get better, year in and year out," Cuddyer said. "I feel good about myself, personally, but more than that, I feel good about the direction where this team and this organization is heading."