Patching a hole in the rotation

After the longest winter of his big league career, Livan Hernandez is bringing his vast experience and super-slow, Bugs Bunny curveball to the Twins.

Hernandez signed a one-year, $5 million contract Tuesday, ending weeks of frustration on the free agent market and giving the Twins the veteran workhorse they wanted -- for a relative bargain.

"It's difficult because I've never missed a start in my career," Hernandez said. "I throw 200 innings every year -- not too many people do that. But it's not in my hands.

"My family's excited. I want to thank the Twins organization for believing I can do the job."

Hernandez, who turns 33 on Feb. 20, went 11-11 with a 4.93 ERA for the Arizona Diamondbacks last season, eclipsing the 200-inning mark for the eighth consecutive year.

Since 2000, he has tossed more innings (1,837 2/3) and more complete games (32) than any pitcher in baseball.

But last year, he led the National League in hits allowed (247) and was second in home runs allowed (34).

Days before spring training, he still needed a job.

Hernandez said he thought he was close to signing with the Mets before they traded for Twins ace Johan Santana.

"It's difficult because there's been a lot of trades," Hernandez said. "A lot of people have to wait. I've been waiting for two months."

Hernandez entered the offseason a few notches beneath former Twin Carlos Silva in what was considered a thin free agent pitching class.

On Dec. 20, Silva signed a four-year, $48 million deal with Seattle.

Seven weeks later, Hernandez still was looking for work.

After making $7 million last season with Arizona, Hernandez can reach that again in his new deal, with up to $2 million in performance incentives.

A year ago, Silva and Santana combined to pitch 421 innings. Without them, the Twins had a young, inexperienced rotation, but they didn't want to add just anybody after the 2007 disappointments of Sidney Ponson and Ramon Ortiz.

"Livan Hernandez was the ideal guy for us," Twins General Manager Bill Smith said. "He's been durable. He pitches innings.

"In addition to being a good influence for [Francisco] Liriano, I think he's going to be good for [Scott] Baker and [Boof] Bonser and [Kevin] Slowey, [Nick] Blackburn and the rest of the young starters."

Hernandez is much different from the pitcher who burst onto the scene with Florida in 1997, winning MVP honors in the NLCS and World Series.

The brother of Orlando (El Duque) Hernandez, Livan had defected from Cuba in 1995 and dominated that postseason with a hard fastball and knee-buckling curve.

Last year, Hernandez's average fastball was about 85 miles per hour. But he still proved valuable for Arizona, winning a playoff start against the Cubs before losing Game 3 of the NLCS against Colorado.

He throws many breaking balls, including an eephus pitch, clocked at 60 miles per hour.

"It's the Bugs Bunny curve," said former Twin Matthew LeCroy, who caught Hernandez with the Nationals in 2006. "It's actually a 12-to-6 breaking ball -- but real, real slow. It doesn't matter if the bases are loaded, he'll throw it. He has no fear."

Added LeCroy: "He's probably one of the toughest competitors I've ever played with. He doesn't throw overpowering stuff, he's just a battler."

Twins catcher Mike Redmond was a longtime teammate with Hernandez in the Marlins organization, starting in 1996, at Class AA.

"I think he's the perfect fit for the American League," Redmond said. "He's like a Paul Byrd, very similar. Hitters come up and they're used to seeing 96-miles-per-hour fastballs. He comes at you with a funky delivery, all arms and legs, but he knows how to adjust."

Hernandez had to adjust to the slow market, but he's happy where he landed.

"There's a lot of good people over there," he said. "It's a great team, a great organization."