Twins Off-season Free Agent Signings

[Big Dave2]

Quote:

Twins Making Strong Push For Ricky Nolasco

By Steve Adams [November 15, 2013 at 7:55am CST]

The Twins are making a strong push for Ricky Nolasco, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. Yesterday afternoon, it was reported that Nolasco had a pair of four-year offers, although as recently as last night, reports out of the Twin Cities indicated that Minnesota had yet to make an offer.

ESPN's Buster Olney wrote yesterday that the Twins are highly active on the market for pitching this offseason and plan to add at least two solid veteran starters. They've also been one of the most aggressive teams in pursuit of Bronson Arroyo to this point.

Nolasco, 31 in December, finished the season with a 3.70 ERA, 7.5 K/9, 2.1 BB/9 and a 43 percent ground-ball rate in 199 1/3 innings. He's not an ace, but he would be a boost to a Twins rotation that posted the worst ERA (5.26), K/9 (4.9) and innings total (871) in all of Major League Baseball last season. Nolasco comes with the added benefit of having been traded midseason, meaning he was ineligible to receive a qualifying offer and therefore won't cost a draft pick. His agent, Matt Sosnick, recently explained his strong relationship with the Twins and GM Terry Ryan to Parker Hageman of Twins Daily.

[B. Amish]

they signed jason bartlett to a minor league deal.

[harvey lee]

Glad to see the Twin's have done something to hopefully shore up the starting rotation. Now if they could land a stud starter, things could look better for next season.

Pelfrey I hope goes down the road.

[Rick G]

It's a step in the right direction that's for sure. Quite a bit more cash will have to be spent if the want to be better than the AAA farm club they looked like last season.

[mrklean]

still just a drop in the bucket for what they need to do to turn things around

[harvey lee]

Oh, I totally agree a long ways to go but if only a start, beats what Pohland has done in the past few years.

They need more than pitching but that in itself will help loads. Tough to win when you give up the amount of runs the Twin's do.

[mrklean]

They signed Hughes today he went from a very unfriendly pitcher park to a friendly pitcher park he should be good as long as he is healthy

[Rick G]

Now the Twinks just need to find that coveted No. 1 starter and they will be set... as far as the starting rotation is concerned any way.

[DonBo]

Now the Twinks just need to find that coveted No. 1 starter and they will be set... as far as the starting rotation is concerned any way.

With the addition of Hughes and Nolasko, and the approx $20 mill a year those two will get, what in their recent history makes you think they will spend any more for pitching? I believe they will try to patch up the rest of the rotation with guys they've already got on the roster.

I think the most important thing now is signing someone who can drive in runs, because believe me, I don't care how good the starting rotation is if they can only score 2 or 3 runs a game, you're not going to win very many games..

[eyebenband]

The Twins could pick up Kershaw, Zimmerman, and Scherzer with M. Cabrera and Chris Davis and some of you would still urinate and moan.

[greebs]

It's a start...