Tigers sign Rincon

According to the Associated Press, the Detroit Tigers have signed right-handed reliever Juan Rincon to a minor league deal.

The soon to be 30-year old posted a combined 3-3 record with a 5.86 ERA with the Twins and Indians in 2008.

Twins, Nathan agree on new 4-year deal

The Minnesota Twins finally got a contract extension done with one of their top players.  This time is was closer Joe Nathan.

Nathan and the Twins agreed on a 4-year $47M contract on Tuesday which will include a team option for 2012.

Joe Nathan, “We’ve shown that we’re committed to winning. A lot of people are counting us out, but we’re going to be good this year and for years to come, because we’re young and a lot of our guys are hungry.  With the way they handle the pitchers here, they take care of us.  They worry more about careers than they do seasons. They think long term more than they do short term.”

Rangers almost completed blockbuster for Santana?

Before the Twins consummated the trade that sent ace Johan Santana to the Mets, did Santana almost end up with the Texas Rangers?

According to SI.com's Jon Heyman he did. The Rangers were said to be the most aggressive pursuers of Santana and it was rumored that there was an agreement between the teams or the teams were close to an agreement on the young players going back to Minnesota.

The holdup, according to Heyman's sources, was the enthusiasm or lack thereof , of Santana wanting to go to the Rangers. When asked Santana said he'd "consider it," which the Twins took a less than face value and ended negotiations with the Rangers. During the discussion, the Rangers were prepared to give Santana as much or more than the 6-year $137.5M contract the Mets paid.

Looking Forward to 2008: Minnesota Twins

The Minnesota Twins looked like they could be in the hunt to win the AL Central, that was before Torii Hunter departed via Free Agency and they traded their ace Johan Santana to the NY Mets.

Now, the Twins seem in a little bit of a rebuilding mode, though they are a young team, they should still be a fun team to watch in 2008.

The Twins did show, however, that they were willing to keep around a few familiar faces of their franchise, locking up Michael Cuddyer and Justin Morneau to long term deals. Along with those familiar faces, will be some new ones that should bring veteran presence, guys like Adam Everett, Craig Monroe and Mike Lamb.

Arrivals:

SS Adam Everett

3B Mike Lamb

IF Brendan Harris

OFs Delmon Young

Craig Monroe

Jason Pridie

Livan Hernandez

Carlos Gomez

Deolis Guerra

Kevin Mulvey

Phil Humber

Departures:

Torii Hunter

Johan Santana

Rondell White

Lew Ford

Jason Tyner

Jason Bartlett

Matt Garza

Carlos Silva

With Johan Santana, Matt Garza and Carlos Silva missing from the rotation, the Twins will have to see who they will fill those rotation spots with. Will it be nearly as strong without those 3? That's still yet to be determined. Though, even with those 3 in the mix, the Twins still finished 4 games under .500.

Though their pitching staff will be different from that of 2007, offensively, this team might surprise some people. Catcher Joe Mauer, 1st baseman Just Morneau, outfielder Michael Cuddyer and DH Jason Kubel lead the Twins' offense, but let's not forget new additions Adam Everett, Mike Lamb and Craig Monroe who can also give opposing pitchers fits.

Prediction Time:

I can't imagine losing Santana, Hunter and Silva is going to help this ballclub, but if the players they received in return from the Mets for Santana can pull their weight and the trio of Mauer, Cuddyer and Morneau can have big years, maybe the Twins can be a pain in the sides of the Indians and Tigers.

Twins - 70-92

Livan signs with Twins

The Minnesota Twins and right-hander Livan Hernandez have agreed on a 1-year $5M contract on Tuesday. It will include an additional $2M in incentives.

Last season with the NL West Champion Diamondbacks, he was 11-11 with a 4.93 ERA in 33 starts.

Orioles have interest in Josh Fogg

Troy Renck of the Denver Post reports, the Baltimore Orioles have interest in free agent right-hander Josh Fogg, especially since a void will be left if or when left-hander Erik Bedard is dealt to Seattle.

The other team that has interest in Fogg is the Minnesota Twins, especially since they dealt Johan Santana to the NY Mets.

Mets land Santana

The New York Mets pulled off their biggest deal in the last few years, a deal that may make them the shoe-in favorites in the National League going into 2008.

The Mets sent Carlos Gomez and young pitchers Philip Humber, Kevin Mulvey and Deolis Guerra to the Twins for Johan Santana. The Mets now have 3 days to sign Santana to a long term extension.

Morneau, Cuddyer sign long term extensions

The Twins, on Friday, signed both Justin Morneau and Michael Cuddyer to long term extensions. Keeping both in a Twins uniform for a combined 9 more years.

Justin Morneau signed a 6-year $80M extension while Cuddyer signed a 3-year $24M contract.

Justin Morneau reaches agreement with Twins

Kelly Thesier of MLB.com reports that 1st baseman Justin Morneau has signed a 1-year $7.4M deal with the Twins, avoiding arbitration.

Morneau, after winning the AL MVP Award in 2006, followed that up with a .271, 31 home runs and 111 RBI year in 2007.

Even though Morneau's batting average dropped from 2006, I don't think the Twins are complaining about his 31 HR's and 111 RBI's do you?

Twins looking to sign Santana?

After all the trade talks between Minnesota, Boston, New York and various other teams, are the Twins now going to call off any trade for Johan Santana and, instead, try to sign him long term?

According to Charley Walters of the Pioneer Press, Twins' President David St. Peter is serious about signing Santana. "That remains our goal, our first choice, and I'm not going to veer from that," St. Peter said. "We are comfortable with that scenario if that's the best thing for the Twins' organization."

Prior to this article Red Sox slugger David Ortiz, a close friend of Santana's, told the New York Daily News that the Twins do not want to let [Santana] go.

Mariners in "serious talks" with Silva

According to Ken Rosenthal, the Seattle Mariners are in "serious talks" with free agent Carlos Silva and have apparently offered a 4-year $44M deal.

Twins add another former Astro in Mike Lamb

The Minnesota Twins reunited former Astro teammates Adam Everett and Mike Lamb after they signed Lamb to a 2-year deal plus an option for 2010.

Cubs interested in Joe Nathan?

Apparently, if Twins' closer Joe Nathan becomes available, the Chicago Cubs might try to make a deal for him.

I'm not sure why the Cubs need a closer since they already have a combination of Kerry Wood, Bob Howry and Carlos Marmol to handle the 9th inning.

Twins sign Adam Everett

The Twins wasted no time on signing a shortstop.

Less than 24 hours after the Astros cut ties with the long time shortstop after trading for Miguel Tejada, the Minnesota Twins signed Adam Everett to a 1-year deal, reportedly in the $3M+ range.

Twins re-sign Craig Monroe

According to Joe Christensen of the Minneapolis Star Tribune, the Twins reached an agreement with outfielder Craig Monroe on a 1-year $3.82M deal.

Did the Twins forget they made a trade for Delmon Young? Just curious as to where Monroe fits in...

Johan Santana Update

Joe Christensen of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports that the Twins and Red Sox talked yesterday about Johan Santana and what players would be involved.

It looks like the Twins want a package highlighted by Jacoby Ellsbury, the Sox young outfielder, infield prospect Jed Lowrie and relief prospect Justin Masterson along with a 4th player that both teams are discussing.

Padres to non-tender Ensberg?

The Padres have not decided if they are going to keep 3rd baseman Morgan Ensberg, but if they do decide to non-tender him, look for the Phillies, Twins and Giants to come calling.

Johan Santana Rumors

12.4.07 9:04pm PST
Looks like the Red Sox are the only show in town at this point. Sox GM Theo Epstein has said that talks between the 2 teams will continue well into the night.

On a lighter note on Santana, the Rangers met with the Twins to "kick the tires" so to speak, but I think that's the last we'll hear from the Rangers on this one.

12.3.07 7:58pm PST
There's word from Nashville that the Twins have started calling other teams and gauging their interest in Twins' ace Johan Santana. Does that mean the Twins have rejected the Red Sox and Yankees' offers? There's no confirmation of that yet, but it seems curious that the Twins are making phone calls to other teams, unless they'll try to find another team to raise the offers from both the Sox and Yanks.

12.2.07 6:58pm PST
Hank Steinbrenner weighed in on the Yankees' negotations for Twins' Ace Johan Santana. He says he wants to hear from the Twins sometime tomorrow on their offer and that it is "a final offer".

12.2.07 5:49pm PST
According to Jon Heyman of SI.com, the Yankees have set an, end of day Monday, deadline on the Minnesota Twins to respond to their last offer for Twins' Ace Johan Santana. The deal is reportedly Melky Cabrera, Philip Hughes and another top prospect.

12.2.07 1:04 PM PST
As of last night, it looked like the Yankees have the best offer on the table, but now ESPN's Buster Olney is reporting that the Red Sox have upped their offer, informing the Twins that they will offer Jacoby Ellsbury in their deal for Santana, but will not offer Lester in the same package.

Meanwhile, Olney also reports that the Yankees may pull their deal off the table before the end of the day if no agreement is reached between them and the Twins, meaning it could be the Red Sox that are able to acquire Santana, which would be a HUGE blow to the Yankees.

Johan Santana to Red Sox?

12.4.07 6:56am PST
La Velle Neal of the Star Tribune says there could be a deal between the Twins and Red Sox and we could hear an announcement sometime today.

The Yankees are officially out of the running and have moved on to the Oakland A's Dan Haren.

12.3.07 10:45pm PST
SI.com's Jon Heyman has the real story on the Yankees and Twins discussions. The Twins had apparently asked the Yankees for a package of Melky Cabrera, Philip Hughes and had asked for pitching prospect Ian Kennedy, but are now asking them to include pitching prospect Alan Horne and outfield prospect Austin Jackson. However, the Yankees are not willing to part with 4 players for Santana.

At midnight local time, the Twins brass then made a phone call to the Red Sox suite and have asked the Sox to put together a package that included pitcher Jon
Lester.

12.3.07 10:40pm PST
According to Jayson Stark of ESPN, the Yankees deadline of midnight local time on Monday came and went without a deal struck and the deal between the Yankees and Twins may be dead.The Twins continue to ask for Ian Kennedy as the 3rd player in the deal, but the Yankees will not include him.

Yankees-Twins talks dead?

12.3.07 10:45pm PST
SI.com's Jon Heyman has the real story on the Yankees and Twins discussions. The Twins had apparently asked the Yankees for a package of Melky Cabrera, Philip Hughes and had asked for pitching prospect Ian Kennedy, but are now asking them to include pitching prospect Alan Horne and outfield prospect Austin Jackson. However, the Yankees are not willing to part with 4 players for Santana.

At midnight local time, the Twins brass then made a phone call to the Red Sox suite and have asked the Sox to put together a package that included pitcher Jon Lester.

12.3.07 10:40pm PST
According to Jayson Stark of ESPN, the Yankees deadline of midnight local time on Monday came and went without a deal struck and the deal between the Yankees and Twins may be dead.

The Twins continue to ask for Ian Kennedy as the 3rd player in the deal, but the Yankees will not include him.