Pitchers a priority for Minnesota Twins in Winter Meetings - MLB News
Minnesota Twins agenda at this year’s annual Winter Meetings will be to get some good pitchers on board for the ball club. Terry Ryan, the general manager for the Twins and his staff will be attending the meetings in Nashville, Tennessee in early December.
The team lost 96 games in 2012 and it was the club’s second season at the bottom of the American League. Terry Ryan has expressed the view that the Twins want to turn things around and get back on track.
"We've got to find pitching, however we go about it," Ryan said. "When you lose 90-plus games two years in a row, there shouldn't be too many untouchables on the club. You've got to find a way to get better."
For the moment, Scott Diamond is the only pitcher to be a certainty in next year’s opening pitching rotation. The other four spots are up for grabs. The team’s pitching hit a new low in 2012, with an ERA of 4.77, the third worst in the Major League.
Twins may consider some trades to get good pitchers in for the team. Outfielders Josh Willingham, Denard Span and first baseman Justin Morneau could prove to be useful trade chips for the Minnesota ball club.
The Twins’ general manager believes that money is not the only object that will be useful in landing a good pitching unit. The team will need to be smart and make the right choices that will benefit the team.
"I think we can quit fooling ourselves that money is the answer," Ryan said. "We're going to have to make good decisions to create a pitching staff that's going to give us a chance."
Minnesota has about $25 million more to spend. The expected payroll is around $100 million and the current figure is around $75 million. The club has already been in touch with most free agents available in the market.
The main pitching interest for the Twins remains in the starting department as the team posses a strong relief pitching unit. Though they would not mind some good arms in the bullpen added if the price was according to the liking of the ball club.
The club may also add some players in the Rule 5 draft. In that case, the club will have to clear some names from their 40-man roster. The Twins will be getting the Number four picks this year. They have previously picked some good players from the Rule
5 draft including Scott Diamond.
Twins will do well to sign some good pitchers via any possible route. Batting units cannot win matches if pitchers are leaking runs all the time from the other end. It will be in the best interest of the Minnesota Twins to have a settled opening rotation
if they want to return to their winning ways.
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