Gardenhire says Twins aren't trying to sell out

Mark Humphrey, Associated Press

Minnesota Twins manager Ron Gardenhire, right, talked with reporters at the Major League Baseball winter meetings in Nashville, Tenn., Wednesday.

The manager says the team, within its limitations, is attempting to do what it takes to keep up with the opposition. It wants to win.

By LA VELLE E. NEAL III, Star Tribune

Last update: December 5, 2007 - 10:02 PM

NASHVILLE - The AL Central Division looks to be as strong as it has been in years because Detroit now has an All-Star lineup, Cleveland is the division champion and the Royals are shoveling money into beefing up their roster.

The Twins have watched Torii Hunter walk as a free agent, will do the same with Carlos Silva, probably will trade staff ace Johan Santana and might trade closer Joe Nathan.

Twins manager Ron Gardenhire, who met with reporters Wednesday during the Major League Baseball winter meetings, was peppered with questions centering on Santana's future. There's a belief that Santana will be dealt and a weakened Twins team will have no chance to win.

"Everybody thinks we're just launching people," Gardenhire said, "That's not the case, or Santana would have been traded. We've had good offers from people on Santana, but it has to be a package that we're comfortable with that's going to help us win this year and all the way through the opening of the new stadium [in 2010].

"The same way we got Delmon Young. We got a great young hitter. That's very important for our fan base to know that we're not just sitting here launching guys. We're making sure that we're going to compete. We want to win. We want to keep up with these other guys."

Gardenhire said he understands fans are upset about losing Hunter and the possibility of losing Santana, but the team wants to plug holes in center field, shortstop and third base sufficiently enough to contend in the division. In addition to trades, GM Bill Smith has shown some interest in free agents such as Tony Clark and, reportedly, Luis Gonzalez.

Gardenhire suggested the finished product March 30 will be capable of winning.

"We ask [fans] to understand what we're trying to do here and not trying to sell out our baseball team," he said. "We're trying to win. That's all we're trying to ask our fan base is to stick with us."

Gardenhire addressed several other issues during his 30-minute meeting with reporters, including:

• Contingencies if Santana is traded: "People ask me about lineups. I don't know who is on my club right now."

• Watching Francisco Liriano throw during fall Instructional League: "The ball was coming out his hand free and easy, and we all know it's a process after the first year back [from Tommy John surgery]. There's a lot of ifs. Then we see where we're at. He's a pretty special talent. He's stronger, I know that, the ball is really coming out of his hand. In spring training we'll see where he's at."

• His shortstop situation: "We got [Brendan] Harris in the mix. We've got [Nick] Punto and [Alexi] Casilla. We've got some good young infielders. I think Harris looks like he can do something offensively: He can swing the bat. If he comes in and shows that he can move around a little bit and make the routines plays and all those things, he'll get a good look at it."