Potential Non-Tenders

Considering the Twins tendency to go after items on the scrap heap, do any of these potential non-tender candidates interest anyone if they hit the open market (basically looking at starting pitchers or infielders):

Starting Pitchers (including ages during 2013): Dallas Braden (29), Luke Hochevar (29), Tommy Hunter (26-27), Jair Jurrjens (27), John Lannan (28), Kyle McClellen (28-29), Mike Pelfrey (29), Kevin Slowey (29), Chris Volstad (26)

Infielders: Emmanuel Burris (28), Jack Hannahan (33), Sean Rodriguez (28), Ian Stewart (28), Luis Valbuena (26)

I would look at Braden, Hunter, Lannan. The rest are not interesting. Infielders perhaps Stewart or Rodirquez. Hannahan could also be competition for Ploffee.
All of the above have had some success at a major league level and probably are better that some of what the Twins have now. Plus none of them would require large dollar investments.
Hochevar is a former #1 draft pick who has not put it together. Probably he never will.

Hochevar has Twins written all over him... kind of the same way that we all just assume that Joe Blanton will be a Twin sometime soon. I don't think either is really a 'bad' thing.

Mark Reynolds?

They scout these players so they should know what they can or can't do. The question then becomes can the coaching staff put it together for the player to succeed?

I'd be cool with taking a flyer on Hochevar or Stewart if the price tag was low, quite low.

I gotta think Hannahan is almost a given, if they can get him on a minor league deal.

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Originally Posted by John Bonnes

I gotta think Hannahan is almost a given, if they can get him on a minor league deal.

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Why? Because he is one of us? (Grew up in Minn.?)

I'd take a look at Jurgens.

The Twins and any of these players (other than Hannahan who is 33) are a good match.

There will be motivation to take a minor league deal because Minnesota can offer a real shot at a place in the rotation or middle infield next year. More than anything else these players need a chance to prove themselves.

The Twins also have enough guys that they can drop from the 40 to offer that status if necessary.

Jurgens is a disaster waiting to happen. Mark Reynolds would be interesting, but have nowhere to play him. Braden, Hunter, and Lannan all have had major league success. Would not mind any of them being Twins and filling the bottom of the rotation.

Pelfrey, Jurrjens, Hunter, Stewart,

I'd pursue Hunter the most. Hannahan will likely be offered something from us. I'd give a shot to Jurrjens, Pelfrey, and Volstad.
And Slowey! Just kidding.

Take off the last 2 starters and the rest of the pitchers would all interest me for low salaries/minor league deal with invite. They would be better than anything we have potential wise or proven wise after Diamond Hendriks and Gibson. Rodriguez is probably better than anything we have up the middle.

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Originally Posted by SpiritofVodkaDave

Mark Reynolds?

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I like the thought of adding Mark Reynolds. He can play 3rd, 1st or DH. Is he much of a drop off defensively or offensively from Plouffe?

I also like the risk of Hocheaver. The potential has always been there. He has the highest ceiling of any of the pitchers. WHAT IF Hocheaver reached that level as a Twin in 2013? I think this organization is due for a little luck.

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Originally Posted by beckmt

Jurgens is a disaster waiting to happen.

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Jurrjens was injured in 2012 and had a bad year. If you take out 2012 he's a career 3.40 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP. He'll be 27 in January. If he's healthy those are good numbers to go after.

Jurrjens is a no brainer to go after.

There are a lot of people on this list that interest me.

Braden has his moments... Left Handed... We certainly have room for him in our rotation.

Hochevar is worth a shot... The guy was supposed to be a superstar at one time. We have a rotation that has room to see if has anything... If there is anything there at all.

Jurrjens... Of Course... He has had more than moments... He's had stretches of productivity. I hope TR is on the phone with his people right now.

Lannen... Has been OK... Nothing exciting but we have room for an OK yet nothing exciting pitcher.

Pelfrey... Is also worth a shot... Because we don't have anyone better. I'm not talking 10 year deals for these guys... I'm talking about giving them a run in 2013 and seeing if they are worth it for 2014.

Sean Rodriquez?... I haven't seen him on any lists. Did the Rays actually give him up... If the Rays gave him up... We should be making a call to check on him for sure. No he's not Robinson Cano but he can play multiple positions... He has speed and Power... We don't have better options in the MI right now. Is Rodriquez actually out there? If he is... Yeah... I'd be interested.

Pelfrey is how far from coming back...late season or mid-season. This is the perfect example, though, of where wold these guys fit on anyone's 40-man roster. When all is said and done, each team probably has 2-3 spots, at most, to add someone...maybe less. Anyone else signs as a minorleague free agent...or suddenly guys are available that get bumped. This is the way Twins add guys.

I look at the Twins roster and I see 5-6-7 souls that could be deep-sixed or be considered replaceable by the above names or others (real free agents). But all of those replaceable parts are actually...replaceable parts.

Interesting that Paul Janish isn't listed in that list as he's a likely non-tender as well, and I do believe he will have a solid market.

On Jurrjens, I'm under the opinion that he could be a big pickup for someone. The Braves haven't lost faith in him; it's just a financial issue. The Braves would have to pay him ~$4.5M in order to keep him, and with a limited budget, they won't be doing that. They will non-tender him, but it honestly would not surprise me to see them still make an offer to him after the non-tender.

Jair Jurrjens will be back.......... and you just have to love his name, and the many ways people will pronounce it. he will be back, and i hope the twins grab him. i am not so sure anderson will be good for him though. when he is/was on his game and not injured...... he is/was as good as braves had. to be able to sign him without giving up anything............ well...... some team will for sure.