Ex-Minnesota Twins’ pitcher Scott Baker will throw for Chicago Cubs in 2013 - MLB Update
After Minnesota Twins declined team options on Scott Baker, many predicted that it will be hard for the 31-year-old to make a potential comeback with another leading Major League Baseball team.
However, with a huge amount of self-belief and hard rehab work, worked well for the former Twins' starter as he has recently signed with the Chicago Cubs with a one-year deal worth $5.5 million, including $1.5 million in workload incentives.
“If you have to sign a pitcher who is coming off surgery, Tommy John is the one you want him to come off because it’s a very predictable rehab with a very strong success rate, upwards of 95 percent," team president Theo Epstein said of the ligament-replacement procedure in Baker's elbow and explained about his new relationship with the Cubs.
Epstein added with more confidence, “You don’t set out looking for Tommy John guys, But the reality is it’s not exactly a buyer’s market for pitching out there right now. You have to take your risks. Do you want to take a risk on the guy with bad makeup? Do you want to take a risk on the guy with bad command?”
Chicago Cubs’ deal with Baker also shows that their management was looking for an experienced pitcher and as they explored free agent market, they picked him with a mutual understanding.
Cubs performed badly in 2012 competition but as the season ended, they started to restructure their previous game plan.
They evaluated their current players and noticed two openings in the starting rotation to be fulfilled. As they were looking to add some fire power in the roster, their head of baseball affairs and team President Epstein initiated talks with Baker’s agent that in the end came out successful and both side signed a one year deal.
Baker, a former Twins' ace starter, started his Major League career in 2005 and since then has been playing with consistency.
He was injured in 2011 and could not play the entire 2012 season which provoked the Twins to decline his team options and Scott Baker filed for free agency.
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