WHAT THE TWINS ARE WORKING WITH
Payroll won't be an issue for the Twins this offseason. Thanks to trades of Justin Morneau and Jamey Carroll over the last few weeks, the Twins will finish the regular season with a payroll of around $80 million — if not less. Factor in the expiring contracts for Nick Blackburn ($5.5 million) and Mike Pelfrey ($4 million), the Twins will have financial freedom to address their numerous problem areas.
The problems start with an anemic offense as well as starting pitching, and GM Terry Ryan intends to address both areas during the offseason. The Twins are expected to enter the offseason with about $58.9 million in payroll commitments for 2014, a number that surely will increase during winter months. Here's a look at how the Twins' payroll shapes up for the offseason.
*denotes arbitration estimate
STARTING LINEUP
1. CF Aaron Hicks $500,000
2. 2B Brian Dozier $500,000
3. 1B Joe Mauer $23 million
4. DH Josh Willingham $7 million
5. LF Oswaldo Arcia $500,000
6. 3B Trevor Plouffe $1.8 million*
7. RF Chris Parmelee $500,000
8. C Josmil Pinto $500,000
9. SS Pedro Florimon $500,000
Total (nine players):
$34.8 million
BENCH
OF Alex Presley $500,000
C/OF Chris Herrmann $500,000
IF Eduardo Escobar $500,000
C/OF Ryan Doumit $3.5 million
Total (four): $5 million
ROTATION
RHP Kevin Correia $5.5 million
LHP Scott Diamond $530,000
RHP Kyle Gibson $500,000
RHP Samuel Deduno $500,000
RHP Vance Worley $525,000
Total (five): $7.55 million
BULLPEN
LHP Glen Perkins $3.75 million
RHP Jared Burton $3.25 million
RHP Casey Fien $500,000
LHP Brian Duensing $2.1 million*
RHP Anthony Swarzak $950,000*
LHP Caleb Thielbar $500,000
RHP Ryan Pressly $500,000
Total (seven): $11.55 million
PROBABLE FREE AGENTS
RHP Nick Blackburn $5.5 million
RH Mike Pelfrey $4 million
DEPTH GUYS
(each making about $500,000 if called up)
Pitchers: Michael Tonkin. Andrew Albers, Pedro Hernandez, Liam Hendriks, Josh Roenicke
Infielders: Miguel Sano,
Eddie Rosario, Daniel Santana, Deibinson Romero
Oufielders: Darin Mastroianni, Wilkin Ramirez
Catcher: Eric Fryer
TOP STARTING PITCHERS
Popular names: Tim Lincecum, Matt Garza, Ervin Santana, A.J. Burnett, Roy Halladay, Phil Hughes, Hiroki Kuroda, Scott Feldman
Pitchers with options: James Shields, Ubaldo Jimenez, Jon Lester
TOP OUTFIELDERS
Jacoby Ellsbury, Curtis Granderson, Shin-Soo Choo, Nelson Cruz, Corey Hart, Hunter Pence
TOP FIRST BASEMEN
Mike Napoli, James Loney, Kendrys Morales, Justin Morneau, Mike Morse
LA VELLE E. NEAL III