Waiver deal talks with Seattle fizzle out

Ted S. Warren, Associated Press

Seattle Mariners' Raul Ibanez

The Twins' attempts to acquire Jarrod Washburn and Raul Ibanez indicate the team is still trying to improve.

By JOE CHRISTENSEN, Star Tribune

Last update: August 15, 2008 - 1:03 AM

The Twins will face the Mariners at the Metrodome tonight after recently trying to acquire two of Seattle's veterans, to no avail.

The Twins placed claims for outfielder Raul Ibanez and pitcher Jarrod Washburn but were unable to land either player, according to people familiar with the situation.

Though the Twins came up empty on both fronts, their attempts -- particularly on Washburn, who is owed $13 million through 2009 -- offer clues about how the organization has been trying to improve.

Teams are under strict orders not to discuss potential waiver moves, and Twins General Manager Bill Smith declined to give specifics.

"We're scouring the waiver wire every day," he said. "We have claimed a lot of players. Some we had the rights to, and some we didn't. We've had some in-depth conversations with a few clubs, but we haven't found the right fit."

The July 31 nonwaiver trade deadline has passed, but teams can still trade players who are placed on waivers.

Ibanez and Washburn hit the waiver wire this week. American League teams had first dibs, in reverse order of their record.

A team with a worse record than the Twins won the claim for Ibanez but couldn't work a trade before the window expired, so Seattle kept him.

In Washburn's case, the Twins won the claim and had extensive talks with the Mariners but couldn't swing a deal, according to people familiar with the talks.

The Twins' interest in Ibanez was less surprising because he is a pending free agent and is owed just $1.4 million over the season's final six weeks. Ibanez would give the Twins another option to replace injured right fielder Michael Cuddyer.

The fact the Twins were willing to take on Washburn's contract shows just how desperate they are to address their bullpen. According to insiders, they weren't just trying to block him from landing with the White Sox.

With few quality relievers reaching the Twins on the waiver wire, they were willing to grab Washburn and move a current starter to the bullpen.

Washburn, 34, is 5-12 with a 4.58 ERA, and he will make $10.35 million next year. But money wasn't the problem for the Twins, whose payroll dropped from $71 million last year to $57 million this year.

The Mariners could have stuck the Twins with Washburn's contract but also demanded one of the Twins' current starters in return.

"We haven't lost anybody because of financial concerns," Smith said. "We'll continue trying to make our team better."

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