NEWS
The Minnesota Twins made their first offseason moves toward rebuilding for next season on Tuesday when they outrighted Luis Rivas, Michael Ryan, and Brent Abernathy to Triple-A Rochester. Rivas was the final member of the starting infield from the Twins teams that won back-to-back-to-back AL Central titles in 2002-2004. After a couple season bouncing back-and-forth between the Majors and Triple-A, Michael Ryan spent a good portion of this season with the Twins (especially after Torii Hunter was lost for the season), but was used mostly as a pinch-hitter and to spell the starting outfield tandem of Jacque Jones, Lew Ford, and Shannon Stewart. Twins GM Terry Ryan suggested that Abernathy could be brought back to the Twins if a new deal can be worked out.

OUR VIEW
Rivas has struggled recently both offensively and defensively. While he used to have good mobility at second base, and could turn a double-play like nobody's business, at only 26 he seems to have lost any chance he had of living up to the hype. Ryan was another of the many, many outfielders who have risen through the ranks of the minors for the Twins in recent seasons but been unable to catch in Minnesota due to the dependability of Hunter and Jones. Even if Double-J does depart in free agency, the chances of Ryan winning the starting spot in right field were slim. Abernathy has been serviceable as a utility infielder on a roster loaded down with utility infielders. He played well in left field filling in for the injured Stewart late in the season, but isn't likely to be viewed as a long term solution for the aging Stewart. With Luis Rodriguez, Nick Punto, and Juan Castro likely to be back next year, the Twins are really in need of an everyday second baseman, not another utility infielder. In all likelihood, none of the three will be back in 2006.

» Twins sever ties with Rivas, others [twinsbaseball.com]

07:51 PM | (0)
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