Twins keeping the dialogue going with Capps

MILWAUKEE -- Terry Ryan made a point of calling several Twins players after moving back into the GM role last week, and one of those phone calls went to free agent reliever Matt Capps.

"[Ryan] called me and expressed interest in Matt coming back," Capps' agent Paul Kinzer told a group of reporters today, on the eve of the GM meetings. "[Capps is] such a presence in the clubhouse and a good teammate, and the Twins really valued him."

The Twins also have interest in re-signing Joe Nathan, but there's a belief that they could turn their attention to Capps if the price for Nathan proves too high. Nathan turns 37 on Nov. 22; Capps is 28.

Capps went 4-7 with a 4.25 ERA in 69 appearances last season after signing a one-year, $7.15 million contract. Nathan replaced him as the team's closer in mid-July. But the Twins appreciated the way Capps kept taking the ball, even when he was dealing with some right wrist tendinitis.

He ended the year as a set-up man, but he's only one year removed from being an All-Star closer.

"I think he's going to be closing somewhere," Kinzer said. "I'll put it that way."