Winter meetings pre-preview, and a couple notes
Posted on December 5th, 2008 – 5:18 PMBy La Velle
Check online tomorrow night for my winter meetings preview, which should get you up to speed on where the Twins stand in their quest for improvement.
I’ve been talking with Twins officials and agents, and none of us know what to expect. The winter meetings were in Nashville last year and will be in Indianapolis (I think) next year. Having it in the middle of the Las Vegas strip sounded like fun a few months ago, but a lot of us are worried if everyone will scatter at the end of the day to absorb the city, making it difficult to do what we do best - meet in the lobby or a hotel bar, swap stories, check out rumors and work our sources.
Will GM’s and other officials hang around at night, or will I have to find them at the craps table or Cirque de Soleil?
And there’s a LOT to do in Vegas over the next few days.
Eddie Guardado’s annual charity poker tournament started today and ends on Sunday with a golf outing, and I know a few Twins players are involved.
The Las Vegas Marathon takes place Sunday - I have a friend entered in the race.
The National Finals Rodeo - aka Cowboy Christmas - started Thursday and runs through the 13th. I’ve heard the rodeo industry takes over the city.
Somehow, the winter meetings have been wedged in with all of this. We’ll see.
I am pleased to announce that, after 11th hour negotiations, the staff of Winter Meetings Confidential has been re-hired to work the lobby (perhaps the whole strip) to provide you will all rumors bouncing around the meetings. In addition to Twins coverage, keep an eye out for WMC updates in the Strib.
Other stuff…
After 30 games, during which he batted .293 with 2 homers and 14 RBI, Luke Hughes’ time at Aragua of the Venezuelan league is supposed to wind down. But Twins GM Bill Smith said there was a chance that the club may try to talk Hughes into a longer stay.
Matt Tolbert has arrived at Aragua. He’s played in three games so far.
In fact, go here to get winter ball stats of Twins players.
And Francisco Liriano will pitch for Escogido of the Dominican Winter League. Smith said Liriano asked to pitch and will treat it like spring training, starting with 30 pitches and working his way up.
It looks like Liriano may pitch for the Dominican Republic in the next year’s World Baseball Classic.
Finally, Happy Birthday Erin and Hana!
44 Responses to "Winter meetings pre-preview, and a couple notes"
Hopefully Liriano doesn’t get hurt with all this extra pitching…
Thanks for the B-Day wishes - I am told 40 is the new 30!
looking forward to the STRIP-
E
Here we go … If we keep YOung through this, I think we’re safe.
Thanks for posting the stat site, i was getting really tired of trying to pick around each team’s page!
Any idea when lineups will start coming out for the WBC?
Here’s hoping ‘the vegas’ gets some GM’s a little generous (booze does that) and BS comes out of there with a stud infielder for cheap
hey, it could happen 
Just had a long conversation with Aaron Hicks, who took batting practice with our HS baseball team.
He is the same down-to-earth kid he was last spring when I was richer than he was.
La Velle,
have fun in Vegas. If you have the time, try to get dinner at Sea Blue (over at MGM Grand at the back side close to the monorail entrance); one of my favorite restaurants. You will not regret it (but you might want someone else to pick the bill 
) Hope the Twins will come back with a new third baseman with less than a 3-year contract and that Punto will get a 3 year deal some place else…
Sane,
that’s good news about Hicks. Hope your kids got a bunch of autographs and they are stashing them some place
Wow… Gomez is batting .241, which isn’t encouraging… but he’s got a .349 OBP. That’s nice to see. Seven steals in 14 games is always good to see as well.
Nice numbers for Hughes, but man, Valencia’s not too inspiring… sub-.600 OPS?
Manship, Slama, and Korecky are all getting abused… Mijares has been dominant. Casilla looks great too.
Nice to see our Major Leaguers showing some good signs.
Steve,
winter leagues for the major leaguers are akin to beer softball games. Players go to their home countries and play to help clubs sell tickets. David Ortiz use to play until a couple years ago and use to hit in the mid .250s
No need to read much into Gomez’ numbers.
The AFL is a different story and this year Martin’s and Tolleson’s stocks really got raised by their performance. Tolleson could challenge for a spot next spring training and Martin could actually be a useful trading chip (the Twins cannot really use another lefty outfielder).
Other than Valencia, the biggest disappointment has to be Armado Gabino who took a spot on the 40-man roster this year and had a cup of coffee with the big team at last spring training
thrylos,
There was no rush for Hicks’ autographs as he has many friends on our team and he plans on taking batting practice with us about once-a-week until he goes to Spring Training in February.
La Velle,
here is a question for you: Has the name “Mike Prior” been at least uttered in your presence the last month or so? Or do you think that Smith might raise an eyebrow if his name is mentioned? He could not be worse than the Danny Graveses of the world and actually might be a great non-guaranteed contract signing…
make that Mark
sane,
sweet. I am jealous
Lavelle: They should hold the Winter Meetings in Worthington next year…where the only hang out is the Long Branch Saloon. There you have a captive audience and lots of booze. GM’s can’t get away from you then~
Forecast is mid 60’s and sunny all weekend long in Vegas…maybe that is a tad better than Worthington.
Have a good time LEN3
Worthington
OH?
If the Twins traded Perkins or Boof/Humber…. I’d definetly take a flier on “Mike” Prior
Minnesota. The town of 10,000 hicks
Shawn,
I am thinking of Prior as a set up man, a la Kerry Wood v2.0
What a coincidence, I will be in Vegas too. I might stalk Peter Gammons…
you think MN has Hicks? come to upstate NY
Don’t the Twins have a setup man already? Oh Wait… Yeah, i like that idea
Shawn, might be true … but remember they did film the movie “Fargo” in Minnesota for a reason~
i hate that movie, hits too close to home
too close for comfort - so I sold the wood chipper last year at a garage sale…
I would not be afraid to go into the season with Cuddyer, Gomez, Span in the outfield with DY and Kubel at the dh spot with both giving the 3 best defensive guys a break. Injuries happen. Throw Blake in at 3b and we have depth to play with OR trade for bullpen help, which is our key need. Buscher, Harris, or one of the outfielders wouldn’t be a bad trade group.
Al Worthington the reliever, Yup our closer
GW,
since when was Cuddyer regarded as a better defensive RF than Delmon Young?
career @ RF:
Cuddyer: .986 FP, .835 ZR, 38A/742PO
Young: .985 FP, .872 ZR, 20A/302PO
I am all with you, let’s put the bet 3 defensive players in. Cuddyer loses.
Come on BS, solve our bullpen & SS needs. Buy Cuddy a 3b glove & start hitting grounders. Stick DY in right & Span in left. Let’s start spring training.
coco: How about Span in CF and Gomez in LF? Rationale is:
Span appears to be a more polished hitter, higher OBP and regular lead off hitter potential at this point. Granted only a half year in MLB, but my best guess is he is a better lock to start and play regularly in ‘09 than Gomez. CF should be your OF leader and if Span is more likely to play more, better to have more continuity in CF. Gomez is faster, but not much, Span runs better routes and jumps fences well.
Gomez (if he develops) has a better chance to be a power corner outfielder with a stronger arm and potentially more HR/RBI’s (if you believe he is 5 tool potential-jury still out in my opinion). Plus a right arm in LF is preferable to Span’s left arm in LF. LF is very big in the dome and Gomez could still utilize his speed.
Agreed, Delmon to RF or platoon DH. (or trade for a SS).
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So, looking at the winter league stats, looks like Andres Torres has resigned with the Twins for minor league duty?
Thyros98 - Maybe DY is better on paper, but the game is played on the field, or carpet.
Gomez is the best defensive CF in all of baseball imo. If not the best, he is darn close. He is going to play everyday and I wouldn’t even think about moving him.
So the Twins really think it’s a good idea for Liriano to pitch winter ball AND WBC before the season even starts?
Man… I dunno…
Gomez is the best CF in baseball
Gomez the best CF in baseball? Laughable. Anybody happen to remember the late season series in Anaheim? He let two catchable balls go over his head that single handedly cost them the series. They’d have taken 3 out of 4 instead of splitting.
There is a lot of support for Delmon on this site. I agree that he hs the physical tools, but he seems to have no concept what to do at the plate. He just goes up there, swings at the first pitch, and then flails away at sliders that are three feet outside. As an opposing pitcher, why would you ever throw the ball in the strike zone.
Delmon is absolutely infuriating to watch. He has no concept of situational hitting at all. He just goes up and flails. I agree that Gomez shows many of the same attributes (plus he talks to his bat), but he can bunt, he can really run (which isn’t to say that he knows how to steal a base or take the extra base), and there is no comparison between the two of them on defense.
Nonetheless, many of your comments have moved me from the “get rid of him to any team that makes a decent offer” to “only get rid of him if the offer is a good one and probably keep him around for another year to see how he develops”. That being said, if I have to read the words “Delmon” and “upside” in one more post I think I am going to vomit. Also, remember that none of us knows what really goes on behind closed doors with this team. Gardy should be given the benefit of the doubt with regards to whom he thinks should play.
Trade Thrylos98.
Maybe DY is better on paper, but the game is played on the field, or carpet.
Yes and the results are recorded… The numbers are not fictional they are the results recorded by games played on the field…
Delmon is absolutely infuriating to watch. He has no concept of situational hitting at all.
2008 with men on base:
Delmon Young: .298/.354/.431
Alexi Casilla: .297/.346/.430
Cuddyer: .276/.378/.402
Everett: .277/.354/.415
I guess that Cassila was infuriating to watch also and Cuddyer was plainly disgusting (either that or Everett should be slated as the starting SS next season)
I still want an answer on how Delmon is difficult to deal with.
and I’d love to see you guys say how good the defensive genius Cuddy is in LF (yah he’d be worse than Young, admit it).
Kity Kaat - any relation to Jim Kaat? 
I do agree that he is annoying - every at bat he had in the 1 game playoff against the Sux he swung at pitch 1 or 2. That said, he was trying to help the team win by doing what everyone wants him to do - go yard. He had several fly balls in that game, and was just under a couple of the balls he connected with. I do agree that he is similar to Gomez in that regard, but they are VERY different in that there is a lot less effort in Young’s swing (thus he isn’t flailing around like Gomez) and he makes contact a lot more than Gomez does (who has more fans than a Menards warehouse). GoGo’s one ’secret weapon’ is the bunt, which doesnt work as much as it needs to for it to be his ‘out’.
And I promise you won’t hear from me about Young’s U-word, but he is good and will continue to improve, and will make the team he is on (whether its ours or another) lucky to have him
Wouldn’t the better outfield simply be Span in CF, DY in LF and Cuddyer in RF? Sub in Gomez in starts, pinch running and late inning defense. He should get plenty of play to keep him developing. Just makes sense to me.
