Twins agree to minor-league deal with Grudzielanek
Posted on July 19th, 2009 – 12:47 PMBy Joe Christensen
ARLINGTON, TEXAS — The Twins have agreed to terms on a minor-league deal with second baseman Mark Grudzielanek, General Manager Bill Smith said today.
The move, first reported at www.sethspeaks.net, gives the Twins another option at second base, though Grudzielanek hasn’t played all season.
Smith said Grudzielanek will report to the Twins’ Gulf Coast League squad in Fort Myers, Fla., and then join one of the Twins’ minor-league affiliates.
Grudzielanek, 39, batted .299 with three home runs and 24 RBI in 86 games for the Royals last season. He has batted .294 or better every year since 2003, and has racked up 2,010 hits over 14 major league seasons, posting a .290 career average.
Grudzielanek was a Type B free agent last offseason, so he wouldn’t have cost teams a first-round draft pick, but apparently didn’t get an offer he liked. (Corrected.) He made $4.5 million last season with the Royals.
“He has a tremendous history over the last seven or eight years,” said Smith, who is following Class A Fort Myers this weekend. “He’s an offensive player. He hasn’t played in the first half. We’ll see how he does.
“We are still hoping Alexi Casilla is going to take the second base job and run with it. That’s our first choice, that he can bring energy and spark our lineup. This gives us another option.”
Casilla, who turns 25 on Monday, is batting .175. He has been sent to Class AAA Rochester twice this season and is 1-for-9 in two games in his latest return.
Twins second basemen — Casilla, Nick Punto, Matt Tolbert — have combined to bat .190 with a .270 on-base percentage and a .242 slugging percentage. Each of those totals rank dead last among 30 MLB teams.
223 Responses to "Twins agree to minor-league deal with Grudzielanek"
Wow, confirmation.
Interesting. What your take on this signing?
The second coming of Brett Boone. What a waste!
Signature Twins move. Who knows, it may work out.
Man, I bet this just rings excitement in the Twins clubhouse.
I just ordered my shirt.
Amazing scoop by Seth.
Not sure why I’m surprised by this move, it’s quintessential Twins. But here’s the thing: it’s not going to take much to get better production at second base than we’ve had this season. In this situation, it really is something is better than nothing.
boooooooooooorrrrrriiiiiiiiiiiiiinggggggggg!
I’ve always liked Grudzielanek. For a couple of years, I had hoped they would make a deal with KC to pick him up. But that was at least one injury ago so I’m not nearly as excited at this point.
It will be interesting to see what he has left in the tank.
Yeah! Between this and Smith saying in the paper they won’t be making a deal, they are just telling Mauer to leave.
oh my, only about 3 years too late..i hope i am wrong, but this looks like dumbass bill smith at work again….we need to send bill smith to the minor leagues- after reading sids column today, i have this tremendous desire to just throw up. never have i heard a man so damn stupid and how the pohlands keep this guy around to run such a great org as the twins is beyond comprehension…go ahead bill and make all the moves you want, but until someone moves you out, we are the biggest losers…..
Is Casilla on a 10 day tryout to stay in the big leagues?
Agree with OB. This reeks of Brett Boone. Why are the Twins so afraid to make a trade. This just signals that the Twins will do NOTHING when it comes to trades.
Also, was anyone else disgusted seeing Punto and Casilla both in the lineup yesterday. I feel bad for Brendan Harris as he is clearly better than both of those terrible players. What’s the deal with crappy middle infielders. I know it was just one game. But I feel that it signals what is to come.
I agree with Jesse. Low risk, medium reward. Grudz certainly cannot provide worse production at 2B.
His production never really dropped. Back issues, I believe, have been his problem.
The Twins have never signed players 5 years past their prime before…..
He may have just enough to make a difference………this is no risk……..give Smith a break…..this is worth the shot…..do some of you wake up pessimistic everyday?
remember phil nevin, and countless others…
I’d like to think that if Grudz has anything left in the tank (which, not having hit below .294 in years indicates he does), that he should be able to ramp it up to be ready by August 1st and give the Twins two (hopefully three!) quality months.
The more stats I look at, the more optimistic I become. What is the missing piece of information? There must be a reason he was still available.
wonder who gets the trip to rochester now?? buscher, harris, casilla — i really dont mind them signing grudz, but its the idea of always trying to do things on the cheap that gets my ass…i want them to make a legitimate deal for proven players that can turn this pretend contender into a winner…and you cant continually do that by signing the grudzs of the world….
In looking at this, I’m reminded of the Baylor move of 1987
The guy has been an average/slightly above hitter with average to maybe slightly above average defense. Nothing spectacular but alot better than what we have had this entire season. If his “D” worries you, that is why you have LNP to come in for later in the game. We all agree this a typical Twins move, but who else is out there? The Pirates are talking about signing Sanchez to an extension so where else do we go?
I’m not being pessimistic. I agree it is no risk, but it is also no reward. His career is over, but his presence reduces the Twins willingness to address their 2B hole with an actual major league player. This is just the Twins being the Twins.
It’s the same as Tony Bautista, Craig Monroe, Rondell White, Brett Boone, Phil Nevin, Mike Lamb, Sidney Ponson, Livan Hernandez, fill in the blank for washed up veterans who are relatively cheap.
Gripe gripe gripe……the guy hit TWO-NINTY-NINE in 86 games last year. Yet, he’ll still have to earn his way on to the 25-man.
No problem with this signing. All realistic options are still there where they’ve been. Nothing’s changed.
I hope the guy does well.
League average play at 2B would be a major upgrade for the Twins.
this should show mauer that smith is working hard to bring in the top talent for a big playoff run.
The Pirates low balled Sanchez to save face if they trade him. They can now say we tried to sign him but he didn’t want to be here. He IS available, so is Felipe Lopez.
He’s not league average. He hasn’t played a game this year.
“There must be a reason he was still available.”
He’s 39. It’s unlikely he has quick reactions on defense. Definitely not the future for any MLB team. So who would want him? Unless there’s another MLB contending team which needs a little shoring up at 2B for a couple months.
His D has declined, but it wasn’t a liability. I wonder about his back.
This clown is a poor man’s Bret Boone. The only positive thing to say about this is you don’t have to watch the over-rated trainwrecks Casilla and Tolbert play everyday.
This is purely a back-stop move on Casilla. As such, I see no downside. Alexi is being given yet another chance to perform. But down the stretch, if he is not performing, they will throw Grudzielanek in to improve the offense. This is a late-season, down the stretch replacement scenario.
Who is overrating Casilla and Tolbert? Those guys are bad.
Everyone says what’s the problem. It’s a no risk move. My problem with this as this is how the Twins have chosen to address 2nd base. They will not make a trade because they signed this guy. Grudz will not make them any better and will not make them worse. It just keeps them from actually making a move to improve the club. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!
Sorry I’m freaking out. Bill Smith is a coward.
wonder if bill knows bonds is available
Hook me up with that crystal ball Tedge. I could use it.
“He IS available…”
And the Twins giving up too much for him is available too. And probably the only thing available at this point.
And the Twins aren’t exactly loaded with minor league talent. So, why mess with the future in giving up a lot of talent for Sanchez when the Twins starting staff is still in a bit of flux?
Check back in a week or two after we see how the young Twins starters are doing.
I didn’t know Grudz was a type A. THAT
was the info I was missing.
The Twins won’t give up too much? They won’t give up anything. Look at what the Indians gave up for DeRosa in the offseason. We wouldn’t top that offer. Also, it’s not a crystal ball. It’s just using the Twins history to predict what they are going to do at the trade deadline; which is nothing. This is their move, except maybe adding a reliever.
Bravo BS.
Typical Twins move. We all want some sort of “BIG TIME” move to trade for a Roy Halladay or some other superstar, but that won’t happen as long as Smith is in charge. It’ll take a “Wild” like move with Smith getting canned and the Twins bringing in a “Theo” for a GM for us to make moves that we want as fans!
Tedge, I was referring to your prediction that Grudz will perform equivalently to the current 2B poo poo platter.
Just to be clear. The Twins do not give up a draft pick, because the draft already happened. The one good part of this move.
Checking in from Texas:
Rangers Ballpark is very nice, and the people working here are absolutely the nicest group of any stadium I’ve been to (and I think I’m up to 19 MLB stadiums now).
I’m now 5-0 at visiting ballparks over the past year and a half…if ya’ll want to get together and pay for my trips I’ll follow the Twins on the road the rest of the season and together we’ll go undefeated the rest of the way on the road!
Grudz: Can there be any more blatant admission by the front office that they desperately need middle infield help…while at the same time refusing to make any serious attempt to help themselves?
I agree that Grudz can do no worse than Casilla/Tolbert/Punto. I just want someone that is actually, ya know, good. Everyone is saying that at best he is league average. I want a better player than that.
He wasn’t a Type A, he was a Type B… just corrected by Joe:
Ideally, Tedge, I would too. However, 2B for the Twins, thus far, has been one of the worst positions in all of MLB. If Grudz can provide league average play, it would be a major upgrade.
what a retarded move, if that is the only crap they do, then god help the twins and their ability to sign mauer
Bill Smith Sucks. This is all he can muster? It’s not even worth reporting, 39 year old has been, who really never even was.
Your missing my point. It’s not a foregone conclusion that he will be league average. That is his upside. He’s 39 and hasn’t played in 1 year. I’m not sure he will reach that potential. I do agree that league average would be nice.
Yeah, God forbid the Twins add a professional bat at a position of need. What is BS thinking?
its more a spit in the face than an actual attempt at improving the team. the twins fo are a bunch of cowards, boooooooo!!!!
Presuming Grudz is healthy, his recent history suggests that he will be league average.
OB you are overestimating Grudz. Calling him a professional doesn’t make it so. You sound like Dick Bremer.
I do agree there is no guarantee that Grudz will be league average. I can’t find any reason to expect it, though.
Yeah, God forbid the Twins add a professional bat at a position of need. What is BS thinking?
When did the Twins add a guaranteed ‘professional bat’ at a position of need?
Did they make a trade in addition to taking a flyer on Grudz?
mj1 says:
July 19th, 2009 at 1:24 pm
wonder if bill knows bonds is available
I’m sure someone would have to tell him who Bonds is first.
My hope is that this doesn’t mean that the Twins completely pull themselves out of the Sanchez equation. The one thing I’m still afraid of is someone else getting Sanchez at the deadline for next to nothing (ala DeRosa). That would be another (of the many) moves that give me zero confidence in Smith.
Can we trade for Tom Herr?
A career .290 BA is the basis for calling him a professional bat.
“39 year old has been, who really never even was”
Never was?
Your @#$%@#$%!
Grudz had a higher OPS than Placido Polanco three of the last four years.
He is a professional hitter who will out-hit Tolbert, Punto and Casilla AFTER HE IS DEAD.
Year OPS
2003 .782
2004 .779
2005 .741
2006 .740
2007 .772
2008 .743
Here are the reason’s working against this working.
1. He’s 39
2. He hasn’t played since last August 1, 2008
3. He has a history of back problems
4. He was actually below average as hitter last year. He had the 2nd worst WPA among 2nd baseman last year, min. 300 PAs
5. Defensively he was average last year. What will he be now.
Color me unexcited.
I think it’s a good pick up. The guys a .290 career hitter and was a Gold Glover two years ago (which is more than webgem Nick Punto can say…) - so he’s 39 and has had back problem… If he can’t play, they’ll just get rid of him. It’s not like they signed him for 4 million a year … And if he can hit anywhere near his career line, he’s a giant upgrade, especially if Gardy refuses to bat anyone except 2nd basemen in the 2 hole …
boys and girls, there has to be more to come. its hard to imagine that this is the front offices way of helping out the twins on the way to the pennant…i know i dont like bill smith, but even he cant be that stupid, to try and push this off as his way of saying, that he tried…..
but after reading his comments with sid it might just be, that he is that damn dumb
scuse the poor grammar-should have proof-read
That WPA is concerning Tedge. From what I can tell (I know very little about this type of stat), though, his poor WPA was largely derived from poor performance in high leverage situations. How much of that does one attribute to luck? His WPA/LI was -.01 or almost exactly league average.
Yeah, I don’t see a problem with this signing. Seriously, stop whining. If you don’t like the product, don’t buy it. Start cheering the Yankees or some team that is insistent on buying talent, instead of cultivating it.
Guy won a Gold Glove in 2006. He’ll be a very serviceable second baseman. Hit around .270, provide some veteran leadership and not play boneheaded (read this, Alexi).
Hey, maybe this means Buscher is getting the door.
Tedge: Reasons for this working-
He’s not Tolbert,Punto, or Casilla
While many of you are bashing on the Twins for signing Grudz instead of going out and getting Lopez or Sanchez, consider this: The Twins’ pitching staff is still a year away. Use Grudz as a stop-gap to get Casilla, Tolbert or someone ready to play, get Mauer’s long-term deal done and get ready to win in 2010 in the new ballpark.
I have been asking for this signing since last season.
Grudz
Year OPS
2003 .782
2004 .779
2005 .741
2006 .740
2007 .772
2008 .743
2009
Casilla .449
Tolbert .497
Punto .553
For that possible improvement, the Twins are giving up ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!
And the blog thinks that it’s a bad deal!!!!!
Amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!
not a bad move with little if any down side. a decent backup plan and a possible short-term solution.
why all the hyperventilating?
sane,
Time will tell…an encouraging sign is that the blog concensus opinion on players is almost universally wrong.
Regards,
The tone is turning. Rationality prevails.
Don’t give up on Casilla..he will hit around .290 the rest of the way and you can all apologize then. meanwhile, there is absolutely NO down side to signing Grudz…. costs nothing and could help if things go well. Much better than giving up too much for Sanchez..who doesn’t want to be here…he sounds like Tommy Herr to me.
Sane,
You’re not really amazed by anything that happens on this forum, are you? You’ve been around long enough to know better.
Good idea signing this guy. As Smith mentioned, he has hit at least .290 in every year since ‘03 and has over 2,000 career hits (how many current Twins can say that?). That means he is already likely to hit about 100 points higher than any of our current 2nd basemen. I say give him a month in the minors, then, when Casilla is still hitting below .200, call him up. We need this.
A limerick to let every blogster in on what they comment about:
There once was a man with a hernia.
Who said to me, “Doc gosh dern ya.
When ya feel my middle, please do not diddle,
With things that do not concern ya.”
GBG,
“You’re not really amazed by anything that happens on this forum, are you?”
Stupid no longer amazes me, but criticizing this clear-headed (in my opinion) no-risk (in anyone’s opinion)signing goes BEYOND STUPID, imo.
It’s not a bad signing. I just wonder what took them so long.
sane, I agree with you that this signing in no way negatively affects things. What I try do by reading some of the comments is make sense out of nonsense. Keep up the good work, sane. 
I’m not sure what’s worse … the Twins signing a 39-year old player past his prime or the fact that he’ll be better than Nick Punto.
“to try and push this off as his way of saying, that he tried…..”
I’m guessing that Bill Smith made this deal to help win, and doesn’t give a @#$% about convincing the public that “he tried”.
Why’d it take so long? BS didn’t want to give up a supplemental pick.
OB,
“Why’d it take so long? BS didn’t want to give up a supplemental pick”
He should have pulled the trigger the day after the draft.
Fair enough sane. BTW, I’m wrong about the supplemental pick. Waiting until after the draft prevents the Royals from getting a supplemental, though.
There are 12 more days, as long as this isn’t the only move they make it is a good move. The pitching seems to be working itself out, I would like to see another good middle infielder.
sane: “”"He should have pulled the trigger the day after the draft.”"”
How do we know that he wasn’t working on the day after the draft…. contract agreements take a little time, my friend.
Thank you lord our Prayers have been answered!!!!
Sooooooo Dang excited….This guys is something special.
Grudz was one of the best hitters in MLB against LHP last year.
The Twins badly need someone to help drive LHP’s out of the game for Kubel(especially)and the other LH hitters.
I have been wondering why they didn’t sign this guy 2 months ago. Great move.
I will not be convinced until he produces. I am skeptical that he will produce. Just because the moves doesn’t have many negatives, does not make it positive. It is nothing, but is going to be portrayed as something.
“as long as this isn’t the only move they make it is a good move”
THIS is a good move regardless.
More would be better.
Disagree sane. It’s a non-move.
Span LF
Grudz 2B
Mauer C
Morneau 1B
Kubel DH
Cuddy RF
Crede 3B
Harris SS
Gomez CF
Looks good to me.
Switch grudz and harris.
Time will tell the value of the move, as always.
Time will also be wasted, finding this out. Wouldn’t doing something that you KNOW would be an improvement be more worthwhile.
“I will not be convinced until he produces”
If they had traded Tolbert for Sanchez,
we would still be waiting until Sanchez produced.
But, nothing for something is a good trade; even if the something becomes nothing.
You’ve spent the last half hour pointing out how one doesn’t KNOW if an improvement will occur Tedge.
This is a good signing by the Twins. My guess is that they have been thinking about this guy for awhile. Grudzielanek probably had a couple of offers and saw the Twins situation at second base as the most opprotune for him. If the rumors are true that the Pirates wanted Liriano for Sanchez you cannot blame Smith for not wanting to make that deal. Lets just hope Casilla gets things figured out and becomes a decent number two hitter..
I know. This is what’s driving me crazy. Nobody should be excited for this except, Mark Grudzielanek. But people continue to defend it by pointing out that it could be positive. Not good enough.
Bill Smith Sucks!!!
Tedge,
“Disagree sane. It’s a non-move.”
Do you ever say “imo”?
Because all of this is just our speculation.
I continue to point out that all the evidence readily available to a fan suggests that Grudz will be an upgrade at 2B. Before anything happens its always a maybe.
“it could be positive. Not good enough”
Nothing is certain!
That is all you can ever say…”it could be positive”
he may not make it out of the minors, he hasn’t played in a year and is 39. does he have anything left? we’ll see.
however, the perception is that smith isn’t willing to go out and really help the team but is only working on the cheap.
can he produce what harris has? the reality probably is if he does play well it will mean punto plays every day and harris sits. so does that improve things overall, not sure.
i’d still prefer sanchez but that isn’t going to happen.
No I don’t say imo. Don’t you think that is unnecessary? Isn’t that implied by what I wrote? Also, I shouldn’t be so angry. I am just tired of the Twins never doing anything. We have the best 1st baseman, catcher and closer in the AL. Lets capitalize on this rare moment and add pieces to put the Twins over the top. Not sit idly by while we wait for the future.
I beleive this guy has the will to win something im not sure Casilla has. He’s also been a great hitter for his entire career and a gold glove 2b in 2006. No risk, highest reward possible.
Just to point out the difference between could be positive and would be positive.
Mark Grudzielanek could be positive.
Freddy Sanchez would be positive.
Which is better?
“Not good enough.”
yes, why oh why doesn’t bill smith trade punto and casilla for pedroia and lowrie or green?
Matt you can go away with your “will to win games” crap. He played for the friggin’ Royals for three years.
Tedge, are you suffering from an overabundance of testosterone and therefore that explains why are really kind of grouchy?
Why is everyone so afraid to give up something to get something. No one is asking for the moon. We just want improvements. Not has-beens.
Grouchy cuz Mark Grudzielanek sucks ****. I’ll be back when something more positive happens; ie tonight when we sweep the Rangers. See ya!!!
No guarantee Sanchez would be an improvement, Tedge, just a strong likelihood. Just like Grudz.
Grudz v Sanchez is actually a pretty good comparison. Very similar ballplayers. Grudz is essentially a poor man’s Sanchez.
Like the lineup, OB. If Grudz hits anywhere near respectable it would be huge to get production out of the 2 spot (aside from Mauer).
I agree there is definitely potential upside with signing Grutz, but then there was also supposed to be potential upside to most of the players they picked up on the cheap as well.
It’s also hard to imagine Grutz being worse than what they’ve been getting from their middle infielders so far this season.
What bugs the hell out of me is that Smith has all but said there is no way they pull off a trade for Sanchez. Sanchez would fill the 2nd base hole through the end of 2010.
I know they just offered him an extension, but the Pirates low balled him. There is no way he signs. I also don’t believe there are a whole lot of teams looking for 2nd base help right now. The Pirates might be asking a lot at first, but that price will come way down as the deadline gets closer. They are definitely looking to trade.
In short, Grutz would probably be an upgrade, but we could of had Sanchez.
“Why is everyone so afraid to give up something to get something”
Garza and Bartlett for Delmon and Harris.
The signing of Grudz doesn’t necessitate a moratorium for future acquisitions. I hope BS isn’t satisfied although that is questionable.
‘no risk
Of course there’s risk.
The risk is, a month from now the Twins still don’t have an option at second base, and during the time it took to find that out, they get putrid production from second base.
And a month from now, there’s almost zero opportunity to fix that.
Risk with Sanchez too. What’s to say his transition out of AAAA goes smoothly? If a trade were made the Twins could get stuck in the same situation as outlined by Chief, but coupled with the loss of prospects or Liriano.
Bret Boone was awful for three years before we signed him. Gruzy has been decent the past few years. I think this has a much better chance of being a better move.
This is no offense to seth, but how in the hell does always report signings and minor trades before the strib or the press? If I was lavelle I would be pretty embarassed a blogger breaks all the news… incredible, says a lot for seth and little for the press and strib
O and by the way there should be no whining about this deal until after the deadline, because there is no way anyone can convince me that this is a bad move, if it doesnt work out, it doesnt work out, the guy hit .290 something his whole career the only question is if there is still some left in the tank. I can understand complaining if this turns out to be the only move and the deadline, but to say the move itself is a bad move is ludicrous.
I wonder if this increases the potential for Casilla to be part of a Grabow or Capps trade.
“how in the hell does always report signings and minor trades before the strib or the press?”
Seth is not a beat writer who is required to waste his time writing game stories and interviewing participants.
USAFChief
the deadline hasnt passed yet, this signing should bring a consensus reaction of “good move, hope it isnt the only one” some people always have to whine i guess.
“Why is everyone so afraid to give up something to get something”
We also are still suspect in starting pitching (improving but still question marks exist) & bullpen–again better, as of late, but can it hold up? So we give up Liriano to get Sanchez, still miss the playoffs & Liriano turns it around.
I know it could work the other way also–as in we get Sanchez, Liriano continues to struggle, & we make the playoffs. Depending on what we give up, the trade route is a risky proposition.
‘no risk
“Of course there’s risk.”
Would you accept “LOW risk”? (compared to the Sancez for Liriano trade?)
Sane
So you cant take a break from a story your writing to break a signing or trade? If seth beat out the strib once or twice it would be surprising, but this has happened pretty consistently of late. Not mad about it or anything, I think the strib has great twins coverage, but with that said that has to be pretty embarrassing for the strib twins beat writers
Wow. I’m sure this will send a signal to Mauer and others that the Twins are serious about contending! They should be too embarrassed to even announce something like this. Hope they did not spent too much, but then this is the GM that thinks Punto is worth 4 mil a year, but 6.5 for Sanchez is too steep. This is hopeless.
Twins go dumpster diving again and come out with a big piece of garbage.
Dryburn
I really dont think its the price as what the pirates are demanding, rumor has it they want liriano and top tier prospects, and if that is the case it is no wonder the twins havent made a deal, at the risk of sounding like a bill smith apologist, no move is better than a bad move, but the Twins DID make a move, and a pretty good one that might pay off
Not for nothing… but Sanchez and Lopez wouldn’t be “sure things” either you know. Those guys are NL players and haven’t seen the AL pitchers the Twins will face the second half of the season. I’d like to have seen a deal for Sanchez because they’d also have him in 2010.
But my expectations of his productivity when he’d be seeing virtually every pitcher for the first or second time in his career would be limited.
If Grudz was just a Type B FA, it does make me wonder why nobody has picked him up before this. Seems to indicate it must be health related. He certainly was productive enough before he got hurt last year that it should have warranted some interest from a few teams (including the Twins).
By the way… Sanchez rejected the Pirates’ extension offer.
His back is definitely worrisome. Low risk gamble, though.
Tyler,
“So you cant take a break from a story your writing to break a signing or trade?”
I believe that the time required to “break a signing or trade” is more in spending the time to make repeated phone calls (or texts) to cultivate sources.
More time-consuming than we may think.
That’s just my guess.
It’s a decent move with no much downside. Grudz would be a better bench player than Buscher is…
and look at this line:
.395/.459/.523 (.982 OPS). Grudz against LHP in 2008. Not that shabby.
OB
Exactly, is it that out of the question to think that grudz could hit .280 plus with solid defense? I dont think it is, and the twins are only paying minor league money and giving nothing up, HOW IS THIS A BAD MOVE!! Would Twins fans really be happy if we got sanchez for liriano, hicks and revere? we dont know what the pirates are demanding, but rumors are its starting w/ liriano.
“Twins go dumpster diving again and come out with a big piece of garbage.”
Grudz
Year OPS
2003 .782
2004 .779
2005 .741
2006 .740
2007 .772
2008 .743
2009
Casilla .449
Tolbert .497
Punto .553
Which piece is the REAL garbage?
sane
yea maybe, i dont know at the end of the day a unpaid blogger is beating out well payed “twins insiders” with sources and bill smith and others on speed dial. Kinda ridiculous in my opinion
Whoa Tyler, check out my past comments. I’m happy with the move.
Perhaps an unpaid blogger can afford to post a scoop w/o as much confirmation as is required by a beat writer?
And is it that far out of the question to think that Grudz is a fall back option in case Sanchez does nt work out? Is it that far out of the question to think that this could just be Bill Smith saying to the pirates that “we dont need sanchez like you think we do so don t ask for the moon”?
Tyler,
“with sources and bill smith and others on speed dial”
Bill Smith wouldn’t say sh*t if he had a mouthful of it.
Casilla and Mulvey is all I would give up for a year and a half of 8 million dollar Sanchez. And there is no way the Pirates would do that. More than that is overpaying. It just doesnt look like there is a way they could have gotten him without a Revere, Lirano, Hicks type…
OB
I know, I said exactly, I was agreeing w/ you and continuing to spew hatred to the others who somehow think it is a bad move, and thats a good point to with seth, he doenst have to wait for it be affirmed completely i guess. Not like he is going to lose his paycheck if he jumped the gun!
sane
good point!
Well I don’t think Grudz would have signed with the Twins if he had any reason to believe the Twins were still seriously involved with Sanchez trade talks. I imagine his agent had a frank discussion about that with the Twins. Of course, it could just be dealt with as simply as having an agreement that his client would be given his release if the Twins DO make a trade.
If that’s the case, then at least this move gives Smith a little more leverage in any discussion with another team about a 2B trade. The “need” isn’t viewed as being quite so great.
I think the Pirates will now trade Sanchez, since he rejected their extension offer. It will be interesting to see what they get for him, as compared to what they’ve reportedly asked for from the Twins.
Crede not in today’s line up… not a good sign.
“If Grudz was just a Type B FA, it does make me wonder why nobody has picked him up before this.”
It’s simple, all of the 29 other teams must have felt they had better options already on their rosters. Even the Twins entered the season thinking their middle infield was set. If even one team felt they had a glaring hole they couldn’t fill at 2nd, Grutz would have been signed a long time ago.
Which tells me that the buyers market for 2nd basemen is very thin. The Pirates may want Liriano and all kinds of prospects, but if they truly want to dump salary (and I think that they do), then they will eventually have to take whatever they can get.
Wow. I never comment on here but I had to with this one. I know it’s been said multiple time above but…seriously? What will be the excuse for not spending money on players next year with the new stadium?
were do you see the lineups at? and is gomez in?
sploorp
It is going to turn out the same with the Twins when they dumped santana, they thought and wanted more, but everyone just stood firm w/ packages not equivalent to santana’s value. I agree the pirates will have to lower their demands eventually and maybe the Twins will grab him, but it makes no sense to grab him while losing a starting pitcher w/ the best stuff on the staff. The Giants are the favorites to grab sanchez tho at this point
I do hope this isn’t a sign that the Twins know more than they say they do regarding Crede’s shoulder…
Lineup:
Span LF, Casilla 2B, Mauer C, Morneau 1B, Cuddyer RF, Harris 3B, Young DH, Gomez CF, Punto SS
Truly a great signing. I’m a Bill Smith critic, too. But Grudz won the Gold Glove in 2006. Lifetime .730 OPS. True professional. Will hit in two hole and play second permanently, in August. Casilla holds us over til then.
True Twins fans can thank heavens we didn’t go in deep for Sanchez. Front office misplays have hurt us. But franchise is set up to endure GM misplays. Development is key to our past, present and future.
Grudz costs us no talent. Comes relatively cheap. Will be solid with the bat, decent in the field, and again, a true professional. Score one for Bill Smith and — wow — the reckless critics here certainly are coming across as ignorant.
Grudz in. Sanchez-like deal permanently gone. Casilla as stop-gap. Tolbert done at major league level. Twins keep Liriano, who is early in his rebound from what could have been a ruinous injury.
We have a legit shot at winning the division. Hopefully Grudzielanek can get game ready quickly.
Go Twins.
I still think we can find better baseball minds than Bill Smith.
But this was a great signing.
Lineups via Twitter.
T-mouse
I agree with you, (as shown but my numerous posts), but you know that this is hardly a sure thing, right? considering age, prior injury, and this deep into this season
whats up with crede?
To be clear, Sanchez would have cost us Liriano or Swarzak. Period. And the guy would not have stayed.
Let’s get real.
Stars do not WANT to come to Minnesota.
They want to play on the coast.
You have to factor that into your critiques.
We get Grudz. Save our staff for the future. Get Tolbert, Punto, and Casilla mostly out of the way for this season. And we end up with the best hitting infield, arguably in baseball. Top this…
Mauer C
Morneau 1B
Grudz 2B
Harris SS
Crede 3B
Crede really is the weak link in there. I might be willing to take the Yanks over us. MAYBE.
My opinion? If the first game Grudz starts for us is before August 10th…we are odds-on favorites to win the division (and I believe we will).
T-Mouse
If Bill Smith is going to be rummaging through other teams scrap heap, at least he could pick a better team to rummage from…
Ok, now go get Matt Capps.
Capps for Casilla and a PTNL
“If Bill Smith is going to be rummaging through other teams scrap heap, at least he could pick a better team to rummage from…”
Like the Pirates?
Yanks beat the Tigers to complete the sweep and the Orioles bomb the BitchSox.
Big game tonight, Twins. Get out the brooms!
Yanks win!
I dont think are bullpen is as bad as people think it is, i think it is an average bull pen. Would i take another power right arm? of course, but at the same time i dont think it is crucial to…
Naythan, Mijarles, Dickey, and Guereir have proven to be effective, and Keppel has of late, so the pen is not to bad in my opinion
Tigers lose.
White Sox lose.
Grudz is coming.
Life is good!
If Keppel proves to be effective I think the pen will be OK. Big if though.
I will take a 25 year old power right-hander in our pen. I remember what happened down the stretch last season.
O.K. move. Enough with coddling baby Mauer. The Twins will offer him around 90-95 million dollar deal. If he wants to move he can move. Mauer and Morneau are great but they’re silent leaders. The Twins need a solid veteran to stir things up and get the other team riled. Someone like A.J Pierzynski. They had such a player in Hunter.
Tyler
I wasn’t aware the Giants were interested in Sanchez. I would still have wonder what they have that would interest the Pirates. I think the Twins could make a better offer without trading the farm. I would also have to think that the Pirates would rather see Sanchez go to the AL than the NL.
The Pirates may want Liriano, but I really don’t think even they believe they can get him. They are opening talks asking high. The Twins should follow the same strategy by opening low. If they want pitching, then offer a few AAA arms that don’t look like they will fit into our plans. There are several names that come to mind.
This is not going to be a blockbuster trade by any stretch of the imagination. It’s a salary dump plain and simple. The team that gets Sanchez will come out ahead.
Bullpen is largely set for the season — barring injuries. If starting pitching delivers as it can, we have got probabilities lining up our side.
Mijares, Keppel, Guerrier, Dickey, Nathan.
Look, I wasn’t expecting a mental turnaround by Guerrier. And I’d have figured AL teams would know to lay off Dickey’s knuckler and wait for the 84MPH fastball. But meeting with Wakefield at Fenway has got Dickey mixing pitches very well right now.
I think our bullpen is locked down.
I see the hatred of it out of the gate. But I think Grudzielanek is the missing piece. If Crede can stay healthy and we don’t have any arm problems (with Slowey back healthy), I say it again that we are odds-on favorites to win the division (barring a Halladay signing by the White Sox).
Grudz is really a golden move. He is healthy. He has been resting and working out all year. He never intended for last season to be his last. He was waiting for clear path to a) starting position and b) post-season possibilities. He has been sitting and waiting.
We are the perfect fit for him. Clear line to the 2B throne for him. Well rested. In shape. Potentially MLB ready in a few weeks. Smith is trying to talk up Casilla…but he was only brought up because of Tolbert’s repeated 2-4 pitch at-bats. He is purely a stop gap. Meanwhile, Twins are in the hunt, so Grudz is excited. There is motivation from both sides.
I am happier right now about our personnel than I have been in some time. It might be worth floating Delmon for a reliever..but only a young one with time on his contract. But if we make no moves from here, call me content.
Anything can happen…but I see us prepared for a serious run mid-August and onward. (And why not keep it going now!).
Go Twins.
gatty
so… pierzynski is more valuable to a team because he is a arrogant and loud mouthed? Your right tho being a aggressive, overly opinionated player really shows that you “care” and “give it your all”. And let me see if i understand this, the reason you would be ok with mauer walking after next season is because he is to quiet!?!? Would he be a better player if his batting average, defense, power, and all aspects of his game lowered, but was louder and more opiniated? Would that “spark the troops” and make the team better? Come on… you cant be serious
liriano 09; 4-9 5.49 era, 1.49 whip not really sure swarzak and/or mulvey can’t replace that.
Gatty790, please don’t take this too harshly…but I am throwing up in my mouth at your suggestion.
You want AJ Pierzynski-type leadership rather than that from Mauer and Morneau. My God, man. Listen — AJ is disliked by his enemies AND his friends. There is an odds-on chance he dislikes himself. A leader?
GASP!
Mauer and Morneau are leaders to lay down on the ground and thank the heavens for. You want fire, mean-spiritendess and bleached hair? No, gracias.
I’ll take guys who anchor the foundation of a franchise any day of any week of any year in any century.
And the good news is…the chances round below zero that Mauer and Morneau won’t be Twins. These guys will be locked up for 5+ years. We have been positioning the franchise for that…for years. No chance they leave. No chance they get poor offers. No chance at all of it.
AJ?
I’m trying not to bang my head too hard to forget that suggestion.
How about this…Trade Casilla and Tolbert to Pirates for Sanchez….. Or trade Liriano even up for Sanchez and call up Swarzak to the starting spot and hope Mulvey can be better in the pen
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not hating the Grutz signing, I’m liking the idea of Sanchez in the line up much more. Especially for as little as it would probably take to get him here.
gobbledygookguy
look at his era over the past month, and notice that his only problem when he is on the mound is control and mental breakdowns, it is only a matter of time till he figures it out, and when he does he will be very good, his pitches are almost back to as nasty they were in 06, plus he has added a changeup. Giving up on liriano would be the most foolish thing the Twins could do,
Minor league deal, if Casilla does’nt step up in the next 3 weeks or so he’s another option. I know people will say same old Twins but this move has ZERO to do with any other potential move. Not saying the Twins make a significant deal but this signing won’t change things either way.
Span LF
Casilla 2B
Mauer C
Morneau 1B
Cuddyer RF
Harris 3B
Young DH
Gomez CF
Punto SS
Liriano P
Gotta run, BS on the phone looking for a reliever named TFelton
T mouse
I too threw up! That comment is even more ridiculous than some bloggers saying the Grudz signing is a bad signing, although I do not think it is as sure of a thing as you make it out to be
It’s a solid move to get Grudz. With Casilla nearly hitless on his latest stint, and fielding at best adequately, we probably have signed Grudz as insurance. I hope Casilla catches fire soon.
Give Crede a day off. I’m concerned about his back.
The line-up will be interesting today. The Rangers are going with Derek Holland, a lefty who has an opponent’s batting average vs. lefties of .296. He has given up two homers vs lefties, and nine vs righties. With the Twins going for a sweep, it is a good day to give Kubel a chance to get on track against southpaw pitching. Jason’s .194 BA against LHP this year is far below his career numbers.
Here’s the line-up I want to see.
Span LF
Harris 3B
Mauer C
Morneau 1B
Cuddyer RF
Kubel DH
Punto SS
Gomez CF
Casilla 2B
Move Casilla near the bottom of the order. That takes pressure off the young man.
t-mouse you talk in absolutes, are you a member of the front office?
I do think it’s kinda humorous that fans (myself definitely included) have been clamoring for Sanchez (& others) but I don’t recall Grudzielanek being on anyone’s radar. Just interesting, mostly.
Cheap, cheap, cheap. Typical Twins move. Go get an old, washed up retread because he’s cheap. This isn’t the answer to their deficiencies. But this is the best we ever get.
Lineup I posted at 4:21PM is Kelly Thieser’s Twitter on tonight’s lineup. Fyi.
I am in the ‘good signing’ camp on this one. Crede was even more of a health risk coming in and (knock on wood) he has worked out imo.
Sanchez = goodbye Liriano or Swarzak.
And, of course, it would require at least one other name.
Does anyone think Sanchez would want to play in Minnesota longer term?
So we would give up Liriano or Swarzak forever. Get Sanchez for a year. He’s had some injury problems. And here is my bet.
I am ready to go BIG TIME on this bet.
I will buy a beer for any takers on the other side of this (and I will enjoy a beer from you in exchange!).
From the first day he starts, Grudz will have better numbers at the plate than Sanchez.
And Grudz is not a backup to Casilla. The Casilla game is over at least for this year. He takes pitches. That’s why he’s back up. Three-pitch Tolbert, as passionate and upbeat as he is….you just cannot have that from a poor hitter. At the very least, you need to consume pitches. Tolbert doesn’t.
Tyler…reports on Grudz are…healthy, fit, ready to go. He’ll need to get timing back. My prediction? Grudz starts Aug 11 versus Royals in the Dome. Once in, if he remains healthy, he’s our guy for the season. Only way this could’ve been better is if we’d signed him two weeks earlier. But we got caught in the Sanchez two-step dance.
Onward and upward.
T-Mouse
Not to mention Grudz knows the AL Central like the back of his hand. Perfect late season upgrade when the division will be on the line. Also, was Dan Uggla ever on the market? I thought i heard his name tossed around a few times, not that he would be a great fit for the Twins but still a solid 2B
Mary Ann,
“but I don’t recall Grudzielanek being on anyone’s radar.”
I have been lobbying for Grudz since last August and repeating myself often enough to annoy myself.
If he craps out, I will take my medicine, but either way, I was/am/will be convinced that it is a good move.
more small market aspirations…… does this even rate an “announcement” ? Signings like this should be kept quiet, to avoid embarrassment.
I’d give up Swarz for Sanchez but not Liriano…. especially if it looks that Sanchez would be a type A Free Agent.
I like the grudz signing, anything close to last years production has to be worth a win over the current 2b crop.
If Gomez stays playing better he should play every day and putting him in center and span in left makes for a great outfield D.
I also think they should bring up Valencia and stick him on the bench and as a occasional starter for crede. get rid of Buscher, this will show the team if he is ready or if they need to try to get another year out of crede, if they can sign him up for 1.
these things and favorable schedules should get the Twins into the playoffs. Making a real move gives them a chance to win while there.
It will take longer to stitch Grudzielanek on the jersey than his tenure lasts on the Twins. 39 years-old?
Another ill-advised signing.
Bret Boone, Phil Nevin, etc. Where limited-skill infielders go to finish off their careers.
Bill Smith - do you own a cell phone?
July 31 is under two weeks away. This is the type of signing you make AFTER the non-waiver trade deadline.
I also think they should bring up Valencia and stick him on the bench and as a occasional starter for crede. get rid of Buscher, this will show the team if he is ready or if they need to try to get another year out of crede, if they can sign him up for 1.
I like this idea
sane,
you are well named.
and thank you for persisting.
you called the needle in the haystack.
it was a matter of time before planets aliged.
grudz needed to see starting position.
grudz needed to see post-season opportunity.
grudz needed to rest and work out.
twins needed to not give up talent.
twins needed to not pay too much.
twins were willing to wait til midseason.
everything is out there for him now — starting at 2nd at a contender when well-rested for stretch run.
everything works for the twins, who hold their young staff in place and are within spitting distance of first at the midway point.
great signing.
great call by you.
the timing is right. da future is now.
- t mouse
“as a occasional starter for crede.”
Filling in for Crede is a five-day-a-week job.
and i don’t want Buscher to have that job.
Well, Sane, I was probably too caught up in the Sanchez hype–my bad. Even if he craps out, it’s a low risk move and a great chance at being an upgrade from the current choices.
If Casilla gets hot (unlikely, I’m thinking) & Grudz is looking good in the minors, what then?
Right, sane, it’s a good move, albeit no risk involved. I just think all Minnesota sports teams should sign the best available 39 year old who doesn’t have a contract. T-Wolves got to do some research and get THEIR man now!
the sad truth is this might be a good move.
This team is so cheap it is pathetic.
“If Casilla gets hot (unlikely, I’m thinking) & Grudz is looking good in the minors, what then?”
Buscher gets optioned and Casilla sits against LHP’s (he is not a good RH-hitter).
Then, later, when Casilla gets cold, “Astalavista, baby!”
So I guess Bill Smith wants Mauer to leave. Make the deal for sanchez, stop being scared cuz of the horrible garza trade. Every GM makes mistakes, now make a deal to make up for said mistake.
Somehow I had actually forgotten about Buscher. Obviously, Punto stays (per Gardy), Harris should stay, so the idea that Grudz could bump Casilla or Buscher is at least a positive.
I’m fine with the team being cheap at times, but am hoping they lose the cheap act when dealing with Mauer.
Do some of you actually follow baseball other than the Twins? Grudz was one of the better Royals (sure, not that hard to have that title) and if not for injury, he is a starter on almost any team. He hustles, doesn’t complain, and really seems to love the game. I have had the chance to watch him in KC the last couple years and am glad the Twins are at least giving him a shot. He may surprise.
Grudz. is a professional hitter and should have been signed in the off-season in my opinion. He would be a great #2 hitter as he can really handle a bat and hit to all fields. This is a good move even if a tad late.
sane,
Thanks for the compliment on my article yesterday. As for you correcting me on Santiago High school.. Chino and Corona are kind of the same anyway…. 
I found it and he did okay so that was the main thing! There was a lot of scouts there from colleges and MLB.. I recognized the Angel, Pirates, and Royals scouts as there always out here. I don’t know who the Twins scout is for out here anymore. The Mariner staff who put it on were very nice and accomodating. They really went out of there way to introduce you to some of there staff..
I heard that Jesse Orosco is available also, but he could cost the team a 50th round draft choice. Which we all know is way too steep of a price for the team to pay. You never know where you’ll find the next Denny Hocking.
In all seriousness I do like the move. It probably should have been made a month ago.
Bill SMith is worse than KEvin McHale as a GM. This guy has no clue.
you guys all post up numbers from previous years saying look how good he was…. the SAME was said about tony bautista, rondell white, brett boone etc. this is a typical twins move, bring in an over the hill past his prime player for cheap b/c he USED to be good. who knows he may play well but its getting old to see the twins continually do this. as for sanchez in sid’s article it said he was still available if we would give up liriano.
we have an idiot running the vikes an idiot running the wolves, had an idiot running the wild so my only hope was the twins but alas it looks as if they too have an idiot running their office as well….. isnt it great to be a minnesota sports fan.
i get so tired of hearing that we cant afford to give up too much and any propects for these players we want and yet we see them go away to other teams for virtually nobody…i keep seeing lirianos name pop up in talks about sanchez etc and so many times the other teams unload to someone else for so much less- to me it just seems we dont have anyone capable of putting together a decent deal involving our minor leaguers….i think bill s in worthless and we need a new gm-thats all there is to it…deals are not as hard to make as bill smith makes them–plenty of other gms find ways to make em…….
Don’t worry, Gardenhire will make sure Punto still gets his playing time.
Whoever posted and said Casilla would hit .290 needs to put the paint can down…
Wow! This was only about a month late. (I suggested it back then.) The guy can play. He nabbed a gold glove in 2006, and he’s got a career batting average of .290. I love this signing. I don’t care how old he is, the guy can play the game. Let’s hope he hits well at Rochester and finds his way up here soon.
I am so happy the Twins have given up already at resigning Mauer. Prepare to see him in a Red Sox uniform next year.
More scrounging at the dump for players by the Twins.
OMG Punto’s 1st HR of the year. Looks like this controversy is over. ZZzzzz
minntwins5
very funny i have to agree wuth you, first at bat so far would be a double play ball…. yea we dont need any other help than what we’ve got in the minors… give me a break.
Punto just homered to left. He’s never coming out of that line-up now.
Grudz told Royals last year he wouldn’t come back this year because they stink. Don’t know if Royals tried to get him back this spring as things fell apart here (Aviles, Pena, Gordon), but he deserves credit for refusing to play for a lousy team. Suggests he may still have something.
This is a weird series. Punto homered, Mauer is in a slump, and Jason Kubel stole second.
need4speed,
‘you guys all post up numbers from previous years saying look how good he was”
I am looking for Grudz’s FUTURE numbers, but they aren’t available.
What numbers do you have that are better predicters, than SIX CONSECUTIVE GOOD YEARS INCLUDING 2008?
