FORT MYERS, FLA. -- Casey Fien was among the six Twins player eligible for arbitration during this offseason. There was speculation that Fien could be vulnerable as a 32-year-old who had a shoulder problem that put him on the disabled list in 2015 for the first time in four Twins seasons.
"I wasn't that concerned about it,'' Fien said. "I thought I had earned an offer with the way I'd pitched here.''
The Twins offered all six players arbitration by the Dec. 2 deadline. After that, it was negotiating a number and Fien agreed to a one-year deal for $2.275 million.
And Fien is correct: That money has been well-earned. The right-handed reliever came to the Twins on a minor-league deal in January 2012. He arrived with 11 games in the big leagues for Detroit in six professional seasons.
How's this for a reliever's life? Fien was waived twice, released once and re-signed by the Tigers in a 19-day period of March 2010.
Fien was called up on July 8, 2012 by the Twins. He pitched in 35 of 78 games, then led the club with 73 appearances (same as Brian Duensing) in 2013 and also 2014.
Fien threw an awkward pitch and started 2015 with a touch of tenderness in his right shoulder. He was summoned to pitch four times in five games in late April. He was hammered by the Tigers on April 29 and went on the disabled list with a shoulder strain.
"First time,'' Fien said.
