Free Agent Shopping

I have been enjoying the various predictions of what free agent starter(s) gets added to the Twins rotation and now that the Winter Meetings are about to commence, speculation is now “swinging for the fence”. Does the team sign a top tier starter and maybe a third tier? Maybe two from the second tier leaving some money from the crap bin? The predictions have been plentiful and I have enjoyed all of them.

The Los Angeles Times Bleacher Report predicted the Twins sign Brandon McCarthy in one of their “25 Bold Predictions” today.
“With several holes to fill, Ryan will have to be fruitful with his money.
Brandon McCarthy could provide a great return without spending the vast portion of that money.
McCarthy would certainly present a risk, given his shoulder woes in the past. However, he thrived in Oakland over the past two seasons with a 3.29 ERA, and could provide the same kind of production at pitcher-friendly Target Field as well.
McCarthy's injury history will limit the overall money he receives—just perfect for a tight Twins budget.”

Is fruitful = frugal?

I guess we can just hope that Ryan's frugal spending bears fruit .... and that its not lemons.

I am keeping my expectations low...can't imagine this front office making a big splash. I am hoping we can mine some good bargains.

Moved to the Twins forum.

Bleacher report??? Sigh

My guess:

1 of the following: Marcum, Blanton, McCarthy
1 of the following: Myers, Liriano, Saunders
1 of the following: Millwood, Correia, Bedard

Pretty awe-inspiring,eh? I hope I am wrong and that one of the bottom three is replaced with Sanchez or Jackson.

Would have absolutely no problem signing McCarthy. Have been very intrigued by his turnaround, which he credits to studying the new ptiching metrics & changing his pitching style.
Dont think that 'pitching friendly' Target Field will help as its showing itseld to NOT be a pitchers park....but pretty neutral.
What I hope is they dont go 1yr deals on everyone they sign but actually look towards the future for some/any of these guys.
Brandon would immediately have the hottest Twins wife tho

Okay, truth be known, I have had my fingers crossed for Sanchez or maybe Jackson. But now after checking greengoblinrulz’s interesting entry, and checking on Amanda McCarthy…I now have moved Brandon McCarthy moved up on my favorite’s list!

I'll add a couple more logs to the fire (not endorsing them) - Rich Harden and Brandon Webb intend to pitch in 2013. Neither has pitched in quite some time, but had success in the past.

Over at BYTO we clamored for Webb and Harden every year it seemed. I don't think either one has anything left, but if one of them wants to come to spring training there is no harm in that I suppose. Just don't count on them to give you anything and maybe you can be surprised.

Please just say no to McCarthy. I don't trust any pitcher that "discovers"himself at Oakland Colliseum. Regardless the Twins don't need any more awful K/9 pitchers. The infield defense sucks, and if the Twins are planning on a future with Sano, Rosario and Harrison it won't be improving. Ryan knows it, that's why he traded for Myers and why he finally drafted strikeout pitchers last year.

Here's how I see it. I'm going to eliminate Greinke, Sanchez, Jackson, Lohse, Haren from any possibility of being signed by the Twins. I think they will be in on Sanchez and Haren but won't be able to match the high-demand costs.

The only top starters I think we have a shot at are Brandon McCarthy and Shaun Marcum. I'd give us about 10% shot at Marcum and maybe 30% at McCarthy and a good chance we don't end up with either. Ryan Dempster is also a possibility but I hope the Twins avoid him due to age and salary vs the time frame in which the Twins should be contenders. He's obviously someone who'd be great for the right deal, but I think someone else pays.

This leaves with a bunch of far-less interesting options, but there is actually an abundance of mediocre pitchers that could stabilize our rotation somewhat. The two guys I would like to see are Brett Myers and John Lannan with Joe Blanton and Joe Saunders as alternatives. I pray they stay away from the Carl Pavano and Jeff Francis types if they are being counted on as starters. None of the top line pitchers are going to turn the Twins into contenders by themselves so adding cheap stability guys like the 4 I mentioned could actually be pretty good if Gibson and Hendriks pan out (in terms of us not sucking, I don't expect to make the playoffs next year). All of those guys are significantly better than Marquis and the Twins might be able to work out a fair deal after the big spenders go after the big names.

If the Twins miss out on McCarthy and Marcum, I think signings of guys like Jair Jurrjens, Chris Young, Brandon Webb types can be great compliments to a Myers type. I'm not going to say I'm happy if the Twins end up with Lannan, Myers, Jurrjens, but I'll be content especially when we'll be seeing the numbers and years for good, but not by any means great starters like Edwin Jackson. What's the point of giving Edwin Jackson 13 mil + when you need multiple pieces in the rotation and a true ace. None of those guys can accomplish that. The Twins need to build a rotation and they need some pieces to glue it together, not one spendy number 3 starter.

Additionally, the Twins desperately need someone like Eric Chavez, Stephen Drew, Kelly Johnson, Jeff Keppinger, or at the very least Jack Hannahan to help improve the pitiful infield.

The Dream: Anibal Sanchez, Brandon McCarthy, John Lannan, Jeff Keppinger, Eric Chavez
What I hope for: Brandon McCarthy, John Lannan, Jair Jurrjens, Jeff Keppinger
What I expect: Brett Myers, John Lannan, Jair Jurrjens, Jack Hannahan
Worst case scenario: Jeff Francis, Carl Pavano, Brandon Webb, Jack Hannahan

These players can be swapped for equal players, I'm mainly predicting the quality and just kind of guessing what guys the Twins would be most interested in and end up with in the end.

Dream: Sign Sanchez, Dempster, and Myers, and trade for Asdrubal Cabrera as SS as he is available for prospects.
What I hope for: McCarthy, Myers and Jurrgens and another solid bat at MI or on bench.
What I expect: Saunders, Myers and Jurrgens and a bullpen guy and thats it.

I do expect Terry Ryan to come away spending around 25 million for pitching if he can find enough to get us to contention or he will will go bottom of the barrel and look to trade Morneau. I think he do the first one over the second one.

Still hoping for Marcum or McCarthy hopefully both. Bottom for the third.(Myers, Lannan, Saunders, Jurrgens). TR should have the money to swing this unless tnings go out of sight.