Mijares' winter run ends with rift

Jose Mijares was having a good winter in Venezuela ... until he walked out on his team, then got kicked off when he tried to return.

By JOE CHRISTENSEN, Star Tribune

Last update: January 30, 2009 - 12:32 AM

After becoming an overnight sensation for the Twins bullpen last September, Jose Mijares continued to dominate through the Venezuela Winter League regular season.

But after suffering two playoff losses for Tigres de Aragua, Mijares had a rift with manager Buddy Bailey and walked out on the team, Twins officials confirmed Thursday.

Mijares, 24, returned to the Aragua team but only after skipping multiple games. Bailey didn't use Mijares again and soon cut him from the playoff roster, even though Mijares had posted a 1.40 ERA in 28 regular-season appearances for de Tigres.

"I'm not sure [Mijares] handled it as well as anyone would have liked," Twins General Manager Bill Smith said.

The Twins have high hopes for Mijares, who posted a 0.87 ERA in 10 September appearances after jumping to the big leagues from Class AA. But that one-month performance does not guarantee him a spot on the Opening Day roster.

"If he comes to camp thinking he's a lock for our bullpen, he'll probably be in [Class AAA] Rochester after our first cuts," Smith said. "If he pitches the way he did in September, he has a good chance of making our club."

Twins consider Crede

The Twins had two scouts watching free-agent third baseman Joe Crede's workout on Wednesday and will continue monitoring his progress.

There were indications other teams had begun making offers to Crede, but the Twins want more proof his back is healthy before offering guaranteed money.

"Anytime you've got a player coming back from an injury, you want some surety they're going to be healthy," Smith said.

Crede, 30, is seeking a one-year, incentive-laden deal with a base salary of at least $5 million.

After a back injury limited Crede to 47 games in 2007, he made the All-Star team last year before the back derailed him again. He had 16 home runs by the All-Star break but finished batting .248 with 17 homers and 55 RBI in 97 games for the White Sox.

On Wednesday, Crede worked out for 45 minutes, taking 75 swings and fielding 50-60 ground balls. Scouts said they thought Crede was about 75 percent healthy. His next on-field workout comes today.

Pitching search

The Twins have been exploring trade and free-agent options since breaking off negotiations with free agent reliever Eric Gagne this week.

They have had discussions with the agent for Luis Ayala, a righthander who posted a 5.71 ERA last year in 81 appearances for the Nationals and Mets.

Ayala, 31, posted a 2.66 ERA and 3.19 ERA in his previous two seasons with Washington and made $1.7 million in 2008.

Kubel signs for $7.2 million

The Twins finalized Jason Kubel's contract, giving him a two-year, $7.2 million deal with a team option for 2011.

The deals buys out Kubel's final two years of arbitration, and the option covers his first year of free agency. Kubel will make $2.75 million this year, $4.1 million in 2010, and the option is for $5.1 million, with a $350,000 buyout.

"I'm glad I don't have to go through arbitration anymore," Kubel said. "Hopefully they pick up my option, and I'll be here for many years after that."

With Kubel signed, the Twins' only lingering arbitration case is relief pitcher Matt Guerrier.

Longtime scout passes

Ellsworth Brown, the longtime Twins scout who signed Kirby Puckett, died last week in Lincoln, Ill. He was 94.

"Brownie," as he was known in baseball circles, scouted for more than 50 years. Working for the Washington Senators in 1970, he signed Bill Madlock, who went on to win four National League batting titles.

Brown received World Series rings for the Twins' titles in 1987 and 1991.

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