Twins, A's swap shortstops

Update 3:10: Joe Christensen said (via his Twitter page) that the Twins are done trading. They worked on deals for Heath Bell, Jon Rauch and Mike Wuertz up until the deadline.

He also said that the predicted roster move for Cabrera is to send Alexi Casilla to Triple-A. But since Cabrera is not expected to be in the lineup until tomorrow, that could very well change overnight.

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As has been reported here already, the Minnesota Twins and Oakland Athletics have agreed to a trade that will send Orlando Cabrera to the Twins in exchange for Tyler Ladendorf. The original asking price was thought to be Danny Valencia, so the fact the Twins got Cabrera in exchange for Ladendorf speaks volume of the market for the 34-year-old shortstop Cabrera.

Ladendorf is a 21-year-old shortstop who is in his second year with the Twins after being drafted in the 2nd round of the 2008 draft out of Howard College. Ladendorf struggled mightily in his first go-around of pro ball in 2008, hitting just .204/.308/.293 in his first 147 at bats with the Gulf Coast League Twins. And prior to the 2009 season, Ladendorf was my 33rd ranked prospect in the Twins system. Here's what I had to say about him:

Breakdown: The Twins selected Tyler Ladendorf in the second round of the 2008 draft. Heading into the draft, he was regarded as one of the best JUCO players in the country. He hit .542 with 29 doubles, 5 triples, 16 home runs and 83 RBI in 53 games his Sophomore season at Howard College. He has a lot of pop in his bat, unfortunately he struggled in his first go-around in pro ball which is why he is ranked this low. He has a good glove and is a solid all-around player. Some believe that he may have to move to third base eventually, but at this time he's going to be used as a shortstop. I like Ladendorf a lot and I think that his good defense and strong eye at the plate may give the Twins a reason to move him to Beloit after 175 disappointing plate appearances in the GCL. If he struggles in Spring Training, he will probably be held in Extended Spring Training and will later head to Elizabethton, but if he succeeds, he could be in Beloit on opening day.

Note: In case you missed it, Ladendorf also was kind enough to answer a few questions for the site last summer.

But Ladendorf started turning heads early this summer, hitting .410/.500/.721 with the Elizabethton Twins through 61 at-bats. He was then promoted to Single-A to help a horrid Beloit Snappers lineup and Ladendorf came back down to earth and hit .233/.292/.267 through 60 at-bats with the Snappers. But still, his early success this season inflated his value enough for the Twins to convince the A's (as if they truly needed to convince them) that Ladendorf was the best they'd be getting for Cabrera. And from the A's perspective, they should be thrilled they even got Cabrera considering it seemed as though it was the Twins or bust for Cabrera.

Ladendorf mixes in good speed, good arm/glove and power in a strong frame. But if he gets much bigger, he projects to be a third baseman in the future. And I do agree with La Velle Neal on what he said regarding losing Ladendorf. If the Twins had a hard time giving up Ladendorf, sign Miguel Angel Sano to replace him. By all reports, Sano is a much better prospect (obviously, nobody is going to sign him until they figure everything out with his contract).

While Ladendorf is a promising prospect, I do also like this trade from the Twins' standpoint. Like Seth Stohs said:

"Comments I have heard from other Twins bloggers is that the deal is not going to make the Twins better, but simply to appease the players. With the Mauer situation, that is not a minor thing."

And he's completely right. The Twins players have been hoping for an acquisition like this and with Joe Mauer's future in Minnesota still unknown, this sends a good message to the him and the rest of the team. Is it enough to get Mauer to stay? Obviously this alone won't do it. But it should help the Twins get some leverage when even an ounce of leverage in contract talks with a superstar is a much-needed bonus.

One thing that I find interesting to note...

The A's are also sending the Twins cash in the deal. While that may not seem like anything on the surface, I do think it might have legs. Could the Twins have gotten Cabrera for much less than Ladendorf had the A's not chipped in money? Perhaps the A's insisted, but it does fit the Twins' M.O. of asking another team to pick up some of a player's salary.

And with that said, with the trade deadline now drawing to the close. The window of opportunity to add another player is dwindling fast and although even one move comes as a slight surprise, it'd still be nice to see the Twins add a pitcher. With Jarrod Washburn going to Detroit for a couple of mediocre prospects, it's not unrealistic to believe the Twins could get Jon Garland or Doug Davis (among others) for less. Pitching is an even bigger need than the middle infield, so I'm still hoping the Twins can quickly put something together.

Perhaps they'll look to add a reliever instead of a starter? Stay tuned...

Twins acquire Orlando Cabrera

Update 12:20 PM: It has been confirmed. The Twins have traded 21-year-old Tyler Ladendorf for 34-year-old Orlando Cabrera. I like this move a lot for both teams. The Twins get 'their guy' while the A's get a promising prospect.

The Twins have reportedly acquired Orlando Cabrera from the Oakland Athletics in exchange for shortstop prospect Tyler Ladendorf.

On first thought, I think it's a fair trade. While Ladendorf is a promising young prospect, he's not a "Top Prospect" and this should please the players.

Stay tuned as we hear more developments.

Twins, A's inching closer to an Orlando Cabrera trade

According to multiple sources on Thursday night, the Minnesota Twins and Oakland Athletics have made a lot of progress in trade talks that would send 34-year-old Orlando Cabrera to Minnesota in exchange for what is believed to be a prospect.

Earlier this week we learned that the A's had asked for top prospect Danny Valencia in return for Cabrera which the Twins rightfully scoffed at. Valencia, as it turns out, has been a popular name thrown out by other teams this week with the Pittsburgh Pirates also asking for the talented third baseman in a trade for All-Star second baseman Freddy Sanchez. Sanchez is a far better player than Cabrera, so if the Twins refused to include Valencia in a trade for Sanchez, I doubt they'd finally feel compelled to include him in a deal for Cabrera. At least, that's my hope.

The more likely scenario is that the A's have lowered their asking price for Cabrera. On Thursday morning, Daniel Barbarisi of the Providence Journal reported that the Boston Red Sox turned down an offer for Cabrera which would have sent a 27-year-old minor league reliever in Fernando Cabrera and 26-year-old first baseman/outfielder Chris Carter to Oakland in exchange for (Orlando) Cabrera. While both (Fernando) Cabrera and Carter aren't terrible players, they do have less value than Valencia.

As I said earlier this week, if it's the right deal, Cabrera might be a solid pickup. While I do see him as a slight upgrade (again, I want to put emphasis on the word slight), I don't see him playing a huge difference on the overall outcome of the season.

With potential suitors looking unlikely to deal top talent for Cabrera, the A's now sound as though they're at the point that they'll 'take anything they can get' for Cabrera. While that's probably a little misleading, as the Twins will probably still have to surrender a quality prospect to get Cabrera in return, but it certainly sounds as though their 'top prospects' are off-limits, which they should be.

One intersting thing to note is that the Twins have also been linked to Oakland reliever Michael Wuertz and Adam Kennedy. Wuertz is believed to be staying in Oakland while Kennedy is a free agent after the season and has recently been linked to the Twins.

The A's want to keep Kennedy, but I'm sure if the right deal came along, they would trade him too. Unfortunately, the A's ask for top talent in return for their players so my hopes of the Twins nabbing both Kennedy and Cabrera is more or less a pipedream.

I'll try to update anything that happens throughout the day. The deadline for non-waiver trades is 3:00 PM CT this afternoon. Stay tuned.

Another alternative

Update 1:00 PM: La Velle Neal of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune is reporting that the Pirates wanted either Aaron Hicks or Danny Valencia in a trade for Freddy Sanchez. I am happy Valencia wasn't traded but I would have been open to trading Hicks. Obviously we wouldn't have gotten more than Sanchez for Hicks, but if the Twins could have traded Hicks in a package for Sanchez and one of Matt Capps/Ian Snell/John Grabow or Jack Wilson, I would have been very pleased. Regardless, the Pirates did a great job of getting maximum return from the guys they traded. And honestly, I can't argue if the Twins wouldn't trade their top prospect for him. They Pirates were obviously looking for quality over quantity, which is something most of us never look into.

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Update 8:00 PM: Freddy Sanchez was traded to the San Francisco Giants for Tim Alderson. Steep price to pay, I'm not sure what they wanted from the Twins but I bet it was a lot.

Update 2:05 PM: Joel Sherman of the New York Post's Hardball is reporting via his Twitter page that a source has told him that the Giants are "definitely getting Sanchez."

It sounds like the Giants and Pirates are close on a trade involving Freddy Sanchez. Along with the Giants, the Twins have also expressed great interest in Sanchez. Unfortunately, the Pirates and Giants are currently facing each other in San Francisco which gives the two teams a chance to talk face-to-face and hammer out a deal.

It's no secret that Sanchez is essentially the perfect fit for the Twins. He hits left-handed pitchers at a very high clip, he plays at a position of real weakness and is a perfect number two hitter. Even though he's owed $8 million next season, it's well within the Twins' 'budget' that they should be fielding upon entering their first season at Target Field.

But with the Giants being in the mix all along and now look to be pulling away with it, the Twins could be left in the dust. Thankfully, there are several alternatives the Twins could look into in case Sanchez is in fact dealt to another team.

• Marco Scutaro has been mentioned. His salary isn't a problem and he's reportedly available, but the Twins have been told that he's probably not going to be traded until the Toronto Blue Jays decide the fate of Roy Halladay. The 33-year-old is putting up career numbers and although he's likely a 2-month fix only, he is currently projected to be a Type-A free agent meaning he'd bring the Twins a draft pick if he signs with another club. He currently leads off, but he'd be a great #2 hitter. He draws a lot of walks which in turn has helped him have a .388 on-base percentage this season. Having a player that gets on base and can still hit in front of Mauer would be a great asset.

And of course...

• Orlando Cabrera has also been mentioned. Cabrera isn't a great fit but I do see him as a slight (key word) upgrade. Cabrera is due around $1.5 million for the rest of the season, which is not a problem at all. The problem is that the Athletics have reportedly asked for Danny Valencia in return, which is not something the Twins are going to be doing. The Twins have also looked at trade options that would land them both Cabrera and A's reliever Mike Wuertz, but I still don't think they'd include Valencia in a trade for both of them. It continues to become more and more clear that the A's might not be the best trade partners.

But if Sanchez or Scutaro fail, I think that there's another option that could be a potential fit, at least more so than Cabrera.

The Braves have grown sour of Kelly Johnson's streaky bat and mediocre defense. Obviously that's not a great selling point, but there's definitely a lot to like about Johnson.

• Although he's probably not a top-of-the-order bat, both his career OBP and SLG% are higher than Sanchez's.

• Sanchez mashes left-handers, and while Johnson's numbers aren't as appealing, he does hit left-handed pitching much better than he hits right-handed pitching.

• He has power. Johnson is an extra-base hitting machine and while the Twins would like the stay heavy from the left side, he could have a bright future in a left-handed friendly environment like Minnesota.

• He's only 26-years-old and isn't eligible for free agency until 2012. Sanchez is 31-years-old and is due $8 million next season before becoming a free agent in 2011.
  

Johnson has become the Delmon Young of the Braves, riding the bench for the majority of the time while starting just a couple times a week. With Martin Prado filling in adaquetly at second base, Johnson has become expendable and with the Braves desperately needing offense, the Twins could probably be a good fit for him.

Johnson's value is at an all-time low and he's under team control for a few more years, he'd definitely be a good fit for the Twins if they're not able to work out another trade.

Game Ball #101

July 28, 2009 vs. Chicago White Sox

Scott Baker - Starting Pitcher

Line: 6 innings pitched, 4 hits, 1 run, 6 strikeouts

Twins showing strong interest in Orlando Cabrera

Since the two teams met up in Oakland last week, the Twins and Athletics have been linked to trade talks surrounding shortstop Orlando Cabrera. Cabrera is a 34-year-old shortstop with declining defensive and offensive abilities. So naturally, he's an ideal fit (from the front office's perspective) for the Twins.

Cabrera has spent time with the Montreal Expos, Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Angels, Chicago White Sox and the Oakland Athletics over the span of 13 Major League seasons. He has two Gold Gloves and a World Series ring under his belt as well as a career triple-slash line of .274/.322/.397. This season, he's hitting well under his career hitting line and hasn't posted a league average OPS+ since there was still a team in Montreal. He is also having his worst defensive year of his career. So why would the Twins be interested in him? Because sadly, he's still a slight (and I'm talking fingernail length) upgrade over what we currently have.

Brendan Harris has done an O.K. job of handling the everyday (well, almost everyday) duties of shortstop, but his inconsistent bat has been worrisome and has proven to be a better role player than everyday player. But unfortunately, it's either Harris or Nick Punto at shortstop. And in the midst of putting together his worst offensive season, yes even worse than 2007, he has also lost a lot of defensive value at shortstop. Punto in fact has been far better both offensively and defensively when he's playing second base. He's actually reached base safely 26 times out of 51 at-bats while playing second base, that's thanks in large part to the 13 walks he's collected.

Cabrera has gained quite a bit of value in the past month-and-a-half due to his .362 average over that span. In fact, of the last 33 games he's played, only three have come without a hit. Over that span, his season average has jumped 43 points, his season OBP has jumped 31 points and his season SLG% has jumped 74 points. With no signs of slowing down, many teams have gained interest in Cabrera.

Both on the season and in his career, Cabrera has hit better in the #2 spot than any other spot in the lineup. With Alexi Casilla now for the time being moved to the bottom of the order and with Ron Gardenhire's desire to place a middle infielder in the two spot, Cabrera would probably be a far better option than Punto, Harris or Casilla. In no way is he an ideal fit, but he is an upgrade. And while Cabrera's hitting line is getting close to his career average, his defense is not. He is second-to-last in the Major Leagues (for those who qualify) with a -9.3 UZR/150, which is much worse than both his UZR/150 of 13.1 last season and the 5.1 he has for hsi career.

One thing does make this entire situation interesting though. While declining arbitration last fall from the Chicago White Sox, Cabrera had a hard time finding a new home because of the Type-A status the he carried with him. In order to sign him, a team would have to give up either their first round pick (if not in the top 15) or their second round pick. The only team willing to do so was the Oakland Athletics who surrendered their second round pick while signing Cabrera to a 1-year $4 million deal. In doing so, Cabrera and the Athletics came to an agreement that would prohibit the A's from offering him arbitration if he's a Type-A free agent in 2010 as well.

According to the most recent Elias predictions, Cabrera (despite his overall poor season) is still considered a Type-A free agent, meaning the A's (or any other team he is on) won't be able to get anything from him at the end of the season if those rankings hold up. But even if he does fall into Type-B range, the Twins would have to be careful if they choose to offer arbitration to him, as he'd probably accept. He'll be 35-years-old in November and is having one of his worst overall seasons of his career. The market for a 35-year-old with diminishing defensive and offensive abilities is even worse than a 34-year-old with the same problems, so it's likely that he'd accept the Twins' offer of arbitration if he has desire to play next season. Even though a Type-B free agent won't require a team to surrender a draft pick, he probably still won't get much on the open market which means that the Twins' offer would probably be the best option for him.

Should the Twins acquire Cabrera, that would probably end any dream anyone might have of landing Pirates second baseman Freddy Sanchez. Sanchez is a three-time All-Star with a career .301/.337/.759 hitting line. The Twins and Pirates have been linked as possible trade partners, but nothing has developed past the rumor-mill. Sanchez is due $8 million next season if his contract vests (which it is likely to do), which means that the Twins would be getting at least a year-and-a-half of Sanchez compared to just a few months of Cabrera. While Sanchez would undoubtedly cost more to acquire, he plays a good second base and is three years younger than Cabrera. And unlike Cabrera, he hits left-handed pitching extremely well. He has a career line of .355/390/.504 against southpaws, which would fit in nicely with the Twins who are hitting left-handers at a .277/.343/.433 clip. Despite that being better than the team's line against right-handers, the Twins have a left-handed dominant lineup which is in need of a few good right-handed batters. Sanchez would fit the bill perfectly.

They also have Ian Snell who has been outstanding since his demotion to Triple-A. Snell has publicly criticized the Pirates and has stated that he doesn't want to return to Pittsburgh. He'd be a great option with the rotation in total disarray.

Unfortunately, the Twins and Pirates don't appear to be close to a deal and with the Twins' own manager addressing Cabrera personally, it seems more and more likely that Sanchez is not going to happen.

After Saturday's loss to the Angels, while addressing his frustrations with the ball club, Gardenhire said the following about Cabrera:

"I like Cabrera, yes. I'm not allowed to talk about players, but yes I like Cabrera. It's a direct question. I can answer a direct question. I think he's a great player."

He also had this to say:

"Ozzie (Guillen) and he really butted heads. Crede told us he was a great teammate, hard worker. These guys over here said fantastic things about him, played the game, played hard, the whole package."

Joe Crede and Cabrera played on the left-side of the White Sox infield last season. The two had a good relationship. Although Crede is "one of the new guys" he's known to be a good clubhouse guy and since we all know how Ozzie Guillen is, I believe Crede's assessment that he is a good teammate and hard worker.

While I'm far from advocating for this trade to happen, I do see some reasons why the Twins would be interested in Cabrera. And although this isn't the trade I (or many others) had in mind, it does seem as though it might be a slight upgrade over what we already have.

To me, it will all depend on what the Twins give up. Again, they're getting a 34-year-old shortstop with diminishing defensive and offensive abilities who is owed around $1.5 million from now and until the rest of the season. The Athletics might also be in a no-win situation with Cabrera. The team has no chance of contending this season and they already know they can't offer arbitration if he's a Type-A free agent. And if he's a Type-B free agent and they do happen to offer him arbitration, he could very well accept it.

The A's shouldn't expect a ton from the Twins, while the Twins need to be careful to not overpay for Cabrera. To me, the thought of adding Cabrera doesn't bother me compared to the thought of what we'll give up to get him.

Game Balls - Update

Wowzers... I have a bunch!

Game Ball #85
July 8, 2009 vs. New York Yankees
Joe Mauer - Catcher
Line: 3-5, double, home run, 2 RBI

Game Ball #86
July 9, 2009 vs. New York Yankees
Jason Kubel - Left Field
Line: 1-3, home run, walk

Game Ball #87
July 10, 2009 vs. Chicago White Sox
Jason Kubel - Designated Hitter
Line: 3-4, 2 doubles, 2 RBI

Game Ball #88
July 11, 2009 vs. Chicago White Sox
Joe Crede - Third Base
Line: 2-4, 2 home runs, 4 RBI

Game Ball #89
July 12, 2009 vs. Chicago White Sox
Carlos Gomez - Center Field
Line: 3-4, 3 runs scored, double, home run, 5 RBI

Game Ball #90
July 17, 2009 vs. Texas Rangers
Jason Kubel - Designated Hitter
Line: 2-4, home run, 3 RBI

Game Ball #91
July 18, 2009 vs. Texas Rangers
Scott Baker - Starting Pitcher
Line: 8 innings pitched, 6 hits, 1 run, 2 walks, 8 strikeouts, win

Game Ball #92
July 19, 2009 vs. Texas Rangers
Nick Punto - Shortstop
Line: 3-4, home run

Game Ball #93
July 20, 2009 vs. Oakland Athletics
Justin Morneau - First Base
Line: 3-5, 4 runs scored, double, 2 home runs, 7 RBI, walk

Game Ball #94
July 21, 2009 vs. Oakland Athletics
Anthony Swarzak - Starting Pitcher
Line: 7 innings pitched, 4 hits, 2 runs, 3 walks, 4 strikeouts

Game Ball #95
July 22, 2009 vs. Oakland Athletics
Denard Span - Center Field
Line: 2-3, walk

Game Ball #96
July 23, 2009 vs. Los Angeles Angels
Joe Mauer - Catcher
Line: 3-4, 2 runs, double, 2 RBI, walk

Game Ball #97
July 24, 2009 vs. Los Angeles Angels
Joe Mauer - Catcher
Line: 2-4, 2 home runs

Game Ball #98
July 25, 2009 vs. Los Angeles Angels
Jason Kubel - Left Field
Line: 3-4, 2 runs scored, double, home run, 3 RBI

Game Ball #99
July 26, 2009 vs. Los Angeles Angels
Anthony Swarzak - Starting Pitcher
Line: 6 2/3 innings pitched, 4 hits, 1 run, 3 walks, 4 strikeouts, win

Game Ball #100
July 27, 2009 vs. Chicago White Sox
Michael Cuddyer - Right Field
Line: 1-4, home run, 2 RBI

Tyler Robertson Q&A

In light of last nights collapse, I figured this was the best time to post another Q&A. This time, it is with Tyler Robertson. Robertson is a 6'5'' southpaw who was drafted by the Twins in the third round of the 2006 draft. Despite a slight decline in strikeouts, Robertson has remained very effective throughout his career and has a 23-16 record with a 3.15 ERA throughout four Minor League seasons. Robertson has a great frame and although he doesn't have high velocity, he has a lot of movement on his pitches. According to "Future of Fantasy", Robertson compares most to Ted Lilly of the Chicago Cubs and Manny Parra of the Milwaukee Brewers.

Josh's Thoughts: Who was your favorite player growing up? Did you have a favorite team or a team you followed more than others?

Tyler Robertson: My favorite player was Randy Johnson. My favorite team was the Cleveland Indians.

Josh's Thoughts: In high school, did you play any sports other than Baseball?

Tyler Robertson: I played Football, Basketball, and Baseball. I loved Football.

Josh's Thoughts: What team expressed most interest in you prior to the draft? How much contact did you have with the Twins?

Tyler Robertson: The Twins were probably the team that expressed the most interest. Them and the Brewers.

Josh's Thoughts: Do you ever pay attention to prospect rankings?

Tyler Robertson: No, not really. I have seen them but really don't care too much.

Josh's Thoughts: What kind of things do you do to prepare for each start? Do you have any superstitions?

Tyler Robertson: No superstitions. Just really try to focus on my bullpens between starts.

Josh's Thoughts: What does your repertoire consist of?

Tyler Robertson: I Throw A Fastball, Curveball, Slider, and Changeup.

Josh's Thoughts: What would you say is your 'out pitch?'

Tyler Robertson: I would say location. Whatever pitch I am commanding the best at the time.

Josh's Thoughts: Who has had the biggest influence on your career?

Tyler Robertson: My Family has had the biggest influence.

Josh's Thoughts: What is your goal for the remaining of the season?

Tyler Robertson: To finish strong and get better every start. And to win a championship if we get the chance.

Josh's Thoughts: What do you like to do in your free time?

Tyler Robertson: I like to shoot my guns, hunt, fish, hangout and relax. I also like to listen to music.

Josh's Thoughts: What are your interests besides baseball?

Tyler Robertson: My favorite music is country. I love movies, I have a DVD collection of about 400 movies.

Josh's Thoughts: If you weren't playing baseball, what would you be doing?

Tyler Roberston: I'd be playing college football.

Josh's Thoughts: Do you have a nickname?

Tyler Robertson: The guys on the team call me all sorts of things. But 'Ty' is the most common though.

Josh's Thoughts: Is there a player in baseball that you'd compare yourself to?

Tyler Robertson: I like to watch Andy Pettite pitch. I don't know if we are really comparable though.

Josh's Thoughts: What has been the best part of playing professional baseball?

Tyler Robertson: The best part is getting paid to play baseball and do what you love.

Josh's Thoughts: What is your greatest baseball moment?

Tyler Robertson: I had some good memories in High School. And winning the Pitcher-Of-The-Month in Beloit was pretty cool too.

Josh's Thoughts: You've excelled at each level of competition as a professional, but which jump has been the hardest (rookie ball to low-a or low-a to high-a)?

Tyler Robertson: I would say probably Low-A to High-A. The hitters are just a little more selective.

Josh's Thoughts: What advice would you give a young baseball player that hopes to make it into pro baseball someday?

Tyler Robertson: Work hard and have fun with it, it's the best sport ever. And learn the game and play it the right way.

Josh's Thoughts: What has been your favorite minor league stadium to play at?

Tyler Robertson: I Really Like Clearwater (Bright House Field).

Josh's Thoughts: What do you think you will need to work on most between now and before you arrive in Minnesota?

Tyler Robertson: Probably commanding all of my pitches is my biggest thing.

Thanks again to Tyler for answering these questions. If you have any questions or comments, I'd love to hear them.

Pathetic

Twins sign Mark Grudzielanek

Seth Stohs reported yesterday that the Twins and free agent second baseman Mark Grudzeilanek have agreed to terms on a Minor League contract. Grudzielanek will report to Ft. Myers where he'll work out a week or two before being placed somewhere in the system.

Many Twins fans are split on this signing. While both sides are understanding, I do have to say I'm slightly on the 'pro' side of this argument.

Here are the cons:

• He's 39-years-old

• He hasn't played for almost a year (he was injured the last two months of the 2008 season)

• This will likely be the Twins' only move toward upgrading second base and possibly even the team.
  

And here are the pros:

• He's a career .290/.332/.395 hitter and has been best since he turned 33-years-old.

• He is a solid defender with a career UZR/150 of 8.8 at second base.

• He's cheap and doesn't require anything other than money to acquire.

I don't for one minute believe that Grudzielanek is going to be a season-changing addition, but with the way Alexi Casilla and Nick Punto have played this season, I love this signing. Grudzielanek's OPS+ has been around league average for the past six seasons while Punto and Casilla's combined OPS+ this season would still be 23 points below Grudzielanek's from a season ago. I know, I know. Different season means different story, but even their career OPS+ numbers are still well below Grudzielanek's.

Grudzielanek's defense is also something that should bring optimism to this signing. He has been one of the best defensive second basemen in baseball the past few years, something that the Twins can really use at second base if Brendan Harris continues to make starts at shortstop.

Casilla is still (at least according to Bill Smith) the 'first choice', but he'll need to pick it up quickly if he expects to hold onto second base. He has just one hit in his first nine at-bats since being recalled, but he's not looking overwhelmingly better than what he looked prior to his demotion, which is what the Twins wanted to see. Obviously we need more than three games to make a proper assessment, but the Twins aren't going to give him a lot of time to clean up his act.

I do hope that this isn't the only move the Twins make to improve our team but it wouldn't be out of the Twins' character for that to be reality. The Twins have (in the past) been attracted to several older veterans at the trade deadline (Phil Nevin and Brett Boone to name a few), but they've failed to bring in players of real value. While I have more confidence in Grudzielanek than I ever did in Nevin or Boone, I do think that this is not going to be a season-changing move.

And while the Twins add Grudzielanek, the conventional thought is that Freddy Sanchez is now off the radar. While that is probably true, at least it does put (a little) less pressure on the Twins to make a move for either Sanchez or another second baseman. If they do make another deal, Grudzielanek's services could be used elsewhere throughout the system.

One thing is almost certain though, it puts more priority on adding bullpen help. Several names have been linked to the Twins and there seems to be plenty of relief help available. I do have one problem with acquiring bullpen help in that at the trade deadline, it's at such a high demand that teams will often overpay for relievers. But while the bullpen seems to have gotten better almost each month this season, there is still room for improvement.

I hope this isn't the only move the Twins make, but I wouldn't be surprised. While it's easy to dislike this move, I can't help but like it because of how poor both our second basemen and #2 hitters have been this season. I have to limit my expectations on Grudzielanek, but I do think this is an imiprovement.