Pavano accepts arbitration
December 8, 2009
Kelly Thesier is reporting that Carl Pavano has accepted the Twins arbitration offer.
Thesier reported that Pavano informed the club before the 10:59 CST Monday deadline. In agreeing to arbitration, the right handed pitcher is now locked into the Twins 2010 roster. He joins only two other players to have accepted arbitration before the deadline.
Rafael Soriano of the Atlanta Braves and Colorado Rockies Rafael Betancourt also agreed to arbitration before the deadline. Soriano agreement with Atlanta give the team one of the most impressive bull pens in the league on paper. Betancourt became the Rockies key setup man for the NL team after they acquired him from the Cleveland Indians in late July.
Carl Pavano
Although Pavano was a disappointment in New York, the pressure of being out of the big apple seems to have done him well. After moving out of New York and signing with Cleveland, Pavano managed to stay healthy and put up a 14-12 record in 33 starts after going 9-8 in four years with the Yankees.
Since becoming a free agent last month, Pavano has drawn the interest from a handful of teams, including the Indians and the Brewers. Thesier reported that Tom O’Connell (Pavano’s Agent) met with those teams to explore the possibility of Pavano going elsewhere, but, in the end, the pitcher felt the best fit for him was to return to the Twins.
“Carl just really thinks that team is ready to win now,” said O’Connell. “He thinks it’s a tremendous group of guys. He loves the coaching staff and we felt it was the best opportunity for Carl Pavano to win another world championship.
Pavano saw his career gain new life in 2009 when he bounced back from four injury-plagued seasons in New York to go 14-12 with a 5.10 ERA over 199 1/3 innings combined for the Indians and Twins.
“Carl was a huge contributor to our division championship this year in two months,” Twins general manager Bill Smith said. “We had a lot of good reports on him. He’s great in the clubhouse. He’s a competitor, as evidence he pitched that last Sunday [regular-season] game on three days’ rest. We know that he’s a hard worker and that he’ll do everything he can to carry over the success he had this year with us to 2010.”
Last year Pavano signed a one-year, $1.5 million base salary contract with the Indians as a free agent. The contract was incentive-laden, so with he was able to capitalize on his good season and wound up earning close to $4.35 million. Through arbitration Pavano should expect to see a large raise this year, but that is still to be decided later as the two sides will try to work out a deal before an arbitration hearing is necessary.
The Twins now have four starters on paper for their 2010 rotation. The Twins will have a rotation of right-handers Nick Blackburn, Scott Baker, Kevin Slowey and Carl Pavano.
Pavano pressing for multi-year deal
December 7, 2009
According to a few, Carl Pavano is rumored to be pressing the Twins for a multi-year deal.
Ken Rosenthal tweeted that Pavano is still undecided about accepting the Twins arbitration offer according to Pavano’s agent.
Another tweet from Tim Brown says that Pavano’s agent Tom O’Connell, has been pressing the Twins for a multi-year contract in a Sunday night meeting with the team.
It shouldn’t be a surprise that Pavano is looking for a multi-year deal, but many Twins fans were hoping the Twins could sign him with an incentive laden short term deal. With a career filled with injuries, a multi-year deal could be a hard pill to swallow for the Twins assuming Pavano accepts arbitration.
Miguel Jean signs with Twins
December 6, 2009
The Twins have formally signed the young Dominican shortstop Miguel Jean writes Enrique Rojas of ESPN.
The youngster has long been suspected of having an age discrepancy on his records, which slowed progress to formally grant his U.S. work visa and completing his deal with the Twins.
The 16-year-old agreed to the Minnesota offer in September, but the agreement wasn’t official until the work visa was completed. Jean deal includes a $3.15MM signing bonus.
Jean changed his name upon coming to the US. According to Kelly Thesier earlier this year, Miguel was using his mother’s maiden name as a sign of respect in his native Dominican Republic, but would be using his actual last name of Jean.
Why Joe Mauer will stay in Minnesota
December 4, 2009
With the season over and baseball taking a backburner to football, basketball and hockey, many Twins fans are interested in what the direction of the Twins will take for the upcoming season. Despite the country mile hole at third base, the need for a shut down starter, and the fact that they have three second basemen, all of who are the same talent-wise, most of us are more concerned about the future of Joe Mauer in a Minnesota uniform. If you are a die hard Twins fan like myself, nothing makes me want to go on shooting spree more than the thought or sight of Joe in a Yankee uniform. But I am here to tell you that day is not going to happen. Joe Mauer is going to resign with the Twins and I’m going to tell you why!
There are several reasons why Joe will sign with Minnesota but let’s start with a few obvious ones shall we. First of all, Joe Mauer was born and raised in St Paul. That makes him a Minnesotan by birth. So he is playing in the state that is near and dear to him. Loyalty above all else except honesty. He was already a legend in the state long before he even was drafted by the Twins in 01 draft. At Cretin-Durham High School he was all-state in baseball four times, twice in basketball, and was the National Player of the Year in football his senior year. He chose the Twins over a full ride scholarship to play football for Bobby Bowden at Florida State. He chose to sign with the Twins, loyalty above all else except honesty. Secondly, Joe has been quoted saying that playing in front of his grandparents as one of the “highlights of his career”. He has that opportunity 81 times a year right here in the great state of Minnesota. He owns a home outside of the Twin Cities where he told Sports Illustrated, that he still mows his own grass and enjoys doing that on a day off. To Joe Mauer, his family is his home, and his home is Minnesota.
Anyone who knows anything about the Minnesota Twins know that they are a club that rewards loyalty. Kirby Puckett and Kent Hrbek were both offered more lucrative contracts by other teams to sign with them. Each time, Twins management would step up and sign them for similar money. After his MVP season of 06, Justin Morneau was rewarded with a 6 year 80 million dollar contract extension. Both Tom Kelly and Ron Gardenhire were promoted to manager of the Twins after years of instructing and coaching in the Minor Leagues. I only mention this because on October 21, Joe’s older brother Jake was named the Manager of the Fort Myers Miracle, a Class A advanced team in the Minnesota Twins farm system. So not only is his family in Minnesota, but his older brother and hero, Jake, is now a manager in the Twins organization. And again I mention the word Loyalty!
Let’s not also ignore the fact that the Twins have a really good young team. There is an advantage to being on a team that can fly under the radar. Although that may be tougher with a former MVP hitting clean up, and the current MVP hitting in front of him. The Twins have alot to look forward to with the talent they have on the roster. Michael Cuddyer, Denard Span, and Jason Kubel are coming of great productive seasons. Delmon Young seems to be over the hump and is clear to play everyday with the trade for JJ Hardy. Four starting pitchers, Scott Baker, Kevin Slowey, Nick Blackburn and Brian Deunsing under the age of 30.And in Joe Nathan, one of the three best closers in the game. Not to mention a healthy Justin Morneau back, who just happens to be Joe Mauer’s best friend. Loyalty. Joe has mentioned that he wants to be in a place where he can win. That place is right here in Minnesota.
My last point on this issue lies with Ron Shapiro. He is the man who has been the agent for Joe Mauer since he was drafted eight years ago. Ron Shapiro has ties to Minnesota as he was the agent for Twins great Kirby Puckett. Ron Shapiro isnt one of those agents that has hundreds of clients. He runs a small operation with his client list looking like a who is who of professional baseball. Aside from Joe and Kirby Puckett, he also has represented Cal Ripken Jr, Jim Palmer, Brooks Robinson, Eddie Murray, Sean Casey, and Raul Ibanez. Now when I look at that list a couple things jump out to me. One, he has a thing with representing Oriole players. But the second point is one who have to look deeper at. He represented and negotiated contracts for 4 players that played all of their careers with one team. Now with Murray, Casey and Ibanez, they are all modern day players where people switch teams like underwear. Robinson, Palmer, and Ripken all played 20 plus years with one team. Kirby would have played forever with the Twins had glaucoma not shortened his career. Shapiro is noted to be one of the most well respected agents in sports, and has written a book titled, “The Power Of Nice: How To Negotiate So Everyone Wins- Especially you!”. To me he seems like the perfect agent to represent Joe, because he isn’t driven by money, much like Joe, and he will stand up to the players union reps when they try to pinch him to sign with someone else for a ridiculous amount of money.
So in a round about way that is why Joe Mauer will sign with the Twins. Baseball may be a business, but it is still a game. It is the game that still motivates Joe to be the best, not money. Money may make some people rich, but is loyalty that will keep Joe Mauer in Minnesota for the next decade.
Buscher signs with Indians
December 3, 2009
The Star Tribune is reporting that infielder Brian Buscher has agreed to terms with the Cleveland Indians on a mior league contract.
Buscher joins Indians
Buscher became a minor league free agent last month, when the Twins moved him off of the 40-man roster to make room for Rule 5 draft.
Buscher had hopes of going into spring training in 2009 with a chance to compete with Brendan Harris for the third base position, but the Twins ended up signing Joe Crede to play third.
Buscher was hitting .294 with four home runs and 47 RBI in 70 games for the Twins in 2008.
Buscher ended up hitting .235 with two homers and 12 RBI in 61 games, before getting demoted to Class AAA Rochester in August to open up a spot for newly acquired shortstop Orlando Cabrera.
Cleveland also picked up the minor league contract of Luis Rodriguez, who hit .202 in 93 games last season for San Diego.
Twins offer Arbitration to Pavano
December 1, 2009
According to a “tweet” by La Velle E. Neal of the Star-Tribune, the Minnesota Twins have offered arbitration to Carl Pavano.
Carl Pavano
The Twins have expressed a sincere interest in signing Pavano who provided the Twins a much needed boost the second half of the season. Pavano had a 5.1 ERA with 147 strikeouts and 39 walks over almost 200 innings for both the Indians and the Twins in 2009.
Pavano is a Type B free agent, so if Pavano departs the Twins, the organization will be compensated with a draft pick. His salary in 2009 was $4.35M.
