Free Agency Rumors: Ryan Vogelsong To The Twins?
The Minnesota Twins made their first free agency move of the offseason when they brought back fan favorite Torii Hunter. Hunter will be 40 this season, and play right field for the Twins while Oswaldo Arcia will shift over to left. With no speed on the corners, the Twins will need to make sure their pitching staff is sharp, and Ryan Vogelsong is another name no in the fold.
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Fresh off of a World Series victory over the Kansas City Royals, the 37-year-old Vogelsong is a free agent looking for a new home. He, like many others, is waiting for the top tier arms of Jon Lester, Max Scherzer, and James Shields to sign and dictate the market. However, Mike Berardino if the Pioneer Press is reporting the Twins have reached out to the veteran hurler.
#MNTwins also have inquired on FA RHP Ryan Vogelsong, who turns 38 in July. Looking for "veteran presence." http://t.co/bHUgpgm6f4
— Mike BerardinoNDI (@MikeBerardino) December 4, 2014
Dave Meier, Vogelsong’s agent, said, “He’s healthy as a horse. He was throwing 95 (mph) in the playoffs. He’s in really good shape.”
Ryan Vogelsong is probably somewhere near Justin Masterson on the list of potential options for the Twins as far as I’m concerned. While I’m not high on Edinson Volquez, I’d be much more intrigued by him or former teammate Francisco Liriano inking a deal with the Twins.
Right now, Minnesota has an abundance when it comes to quantity of starting pitchers. They need to be looking for a quality arm that can slot in as that number two guy behind Phil Hughes. Ryan Vogelsong is a safe option, but he doesn’t strike me as a significant upgrade over Tommy Milone or a bounce back Ricky Nolasco.
Also, this “veteran leadership” charade needs to stop. Torii Hunter is a great story for Twins fans, and it’s fun to have him back in the fold, but it wasn’t a baseball decision. Wanting some leadership from his is fine, but every acquisition made cannot be for an aging veteran that comes at a lower cost. At some point, the Twins are going to need to shift from bodies to pitchers, from quantity to quality.