Twins look for offense at meetings
12/02/2005
MINNEAPOLIS -- The name of the game during baseball's Hot Stove season is usually quite often just that -- names.
Free agent names, trade names, you name it.
Lots of players' names have been circulating through the rumor mill, and many more are likely to come up while the Twins contingent attends the annual Winter Meetings from Dec. 5-8 in Dallas. How many of them actually join new clubs remains to be seen.
Will offense-seeking Minnesota, on the heels of Friday's trade for second baseman Luis Castillo, try for free agent third baseman Bill Mueller? What are the chances that Mike Piazza could be the new DH? What's up with Nomar Garciaparra, anyway? What about Reggie Sanders, Frank Thomas and the Twins' own free agent right fielder, Jacque Jones? What about swinging a deal for Cincinnati's Adam Dunn?
All of these names, and many more, have been part of the speculation that's consumed radio airwaves, columnists' notes and beat reporters' e-mail inboxes from inquiring fans.
"I think we've contacted everyone we think can help us, without going into specific names," Ryan said. "Almost everyone that would add and help our offense -- we've talked to their agents."
After the offense sputtered and the defense made fundamental mistakes in the field last season, the Twins have made upgrading their lineup and improving defensively their top two priorities. They made upgrades in both categories by acquiring Castillo on Friday. But starting spots appear to remain open at third base, second base, right field and designated hitter.
Largely inactive until Friday, the Twins marked a growing trend of activity when they acquired Castillo for pitching prospects Travis Bowyer and Scott Tyler. Things picked up around baseball around Thanksgiving when the payroll-slashing Marlins traded pitcher Josh Beckett to Boston and first baseman Carlos Delgado to the Mets. Then the White Sox made two big moves when they acquired slugger Jim Thome, someone Minnesota was rumored to have interest in, and locked up All-Star first baseman Paul Konerko with a five-year deal.
The free agent market is considered quite thin this winter, and has grown thinner in recent days with the signings of Billy Wagner, Tom Gordon and Brian Giles. That could drive prices up if bidding wars begin for the few coveted players that are available. Ryan was optimistic that activity would become brisk once everyone converges in Dallas.
"There's a lot of people on that board," Ryan said. "My guess is some guys will start signing at any time. It usually starts with some of the bigger names. And when that happens, we'll see some rapid procedure because people aren't going to want to be left without."
The market landscape could shift during the meetings that start Dec. 7. That's the deadline for clubs to offer arbitration to its free agent players. If a free agent isn't offered arbitration, another club could sign him without having to provide the former team with 2006 draft picks as compensation. Top-level free agents offered arbitration usually require giving up a first-round pick as compensation.
Ryan downplayed the Dec. 7 deadline, as it affected the Twins' plans.
"I don't see it making much of a difference," he said.
Last year and in 2003, the Twins made no significant moves during the Winter Meetings. The club feels no added pressure in making something happen this year as team executives, player agents and baseball media prepare to gather again.
"I would hope we would be able to get something done," Ryan said. "But I'm more interested in how things look in April than I am in December."
Source: http://minnesota.twins.mlb.com/
MINNEAPOLIS -- The name of the game during baseball's Hot Stove season is usually quite often just that -- names.
Free agent names, trade names, you name it.
Lots of players' names have been circulating through the rumor mill, and many more are likely to come up while the Twins contingent attends the annual Winter Meetings from Dec. 5-8 in Dallas. How many of them actually join new clubs remains to be seen.
Will offense-seeking Minnesota, on the heels of Friday's trade for second baseman Luis Castillo, try for free agent third baseman Bill Mueller? What are the chances that Mike Piazza could be the new DH? What's up with Nomar Garciaparra, anyway? What about Reggie Sanders, Frank Thomas and the Twins' own free agent right fielder, Jacque Jones? What about swinging a deal for Cincinnati's Adam Dunn?
All of these names, and many more, have been part of the speculation that's consumed radio airwaves, columnists' notes and beat reporters' e-mail inboxes from inquiring fans.
"I think we've contacted everyone we think can help us, without going into specific names," Ryan said. "Almost everyone that would add and help our offense -- we've talked to their agents."
After the offense sputtered and the defense made fundamental mistakes in the field last season, the Twins have made upgrading their lineup and improving defensively their top two priorities. They made upgrades in both categories by acquiring Castillo on Friday. But starting spots appear to remain open at third base, second base, right field and designated hitter.
Largely inactive until Friday, the Twins marked a growing trend of activity when they acquired Castillo for pitching prospects Travis Bowyer and Scott Tyler. Things picked up around baseball around Thanksgiving when the payroll-slashing Marlins traded pitcher Josh Beckett to Boston and first baseman Carlos Delgado to the Mets. Then the White Sox made two big moves when they acquired slugger Jim Thome, someone Minnesota was rumored to have interest in, and locked up All-Star first baseman Paul Konerko with a five-year deal.
The free agent market is considered quite thin this winter, and has grown thinner in recent days with the signings of Billy Wagner, Tom Gordon and Brian Giles. That could drive prices up if bidding wars begin for the few coveted players that are available. Ryan was optimistic that activity would become brisk once everyone converges in Dallas.
"There's a lot of people on that board," Ryan said. "My guess is some guys will start signing at any time. It usually starts with some of the bigger names. And when that happens, we'll see some rapid procedure because people aren't going to want to be left without."
The market landscape could shift during the meetings that start Dec. 7. That's the deadline for clubs to offer arbitration to its free agent players. If a free agent isn't offered arbitration, another club could sign him without having to provide the former team with 2006 draft picks as compensation. Top-level free agents offered arbitration usually require giving up a first-round pick as compensation.
Ryan downplayed the Dec. 7 deadline, as it affected the Twins' plans.
"I don't see it making much of a difference," he said.
Last year and in 2003, the Twins made no significant moves during the Winter Meetings. The club feels no added pressure in making something happen this year as team executives, player agents and baseball media prepare to gather again.
"I would hope we would be able to get something done," Ryan said. "But I'm more interested in how things look in April than I am in December."
Source: http://minnesota.twins.mlb.com/
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