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Twins armed with potential
Posted: Wednesday March 15, 2000 06:11 PM
In the latest installment of our continuing series of Spring Training updates from SI's baseball writers, CNNSI.com caught up with Stephen Cannella in Fort Myers, where he is covering the Minnesota Twins. CNNSI.com: It seems that rumors regarding Twins' ace Brad Radke won't go away. Where does the team stand with Radke? And how has he looked in camp so far? Stephen Cannella: My bet is that Radke is going to start the season in Minnesota. A couple of teams, such as the Devil Rays and the Reds, were seriously interested -- but the Twins say he's off the market. I think he's going to be with the team for the foreseeable future, even though all that can change as soon as the season starts. Once we get closer to the trading deadline, he might have a little more value and G.M. Terry Ryan might try to get more from a contender. I'm sure the rumors won't go away until a move is made, but Radke doesn't seem to be distracted and has looked very good in camp. Some scouts have told me that his velocity has dropped, but he seems to be throwing very well. Even if his speed is off by a couple of miles, he's still a pitcher a lot of teams would love to have. CNNSI.com: Is there any chance that he won't get traded and sign a long-term deal with the Twins? Cannella: Radke and the Twins are pretty far apart on a deal, and it's not only about money. Radke wants an opt-out clause in his contract. If he stays and doesn't like the way the team is going, or if he doesn't see an effort to rebuild, he wants to be able to opt-out after one year. So, the money isn't the sticking point here. CNNSI.com: The Twins are off to a pretty good start this spring. Do you think it signifies an improvement, or are they destined to finish in last again? Cannella: I don't think there will be much of an improvement. They just don't have enough to compete. A lot of times, spring games are a little misleading. With a team like the Twins, everyone is young and everyone is fighting for a job. This team is playing all its games hard from day one. The young players are trying to impress the manager and win spots on the team. They even beat the Yankees last week. I'm not saying the Yanks weren't trying, but most of the guys on that team know what they can do. They might be getting into shape, working on some new pitches or trying to fine-tune new tricks that they can use during the season. The Twins, on the other hand, are playing all these games hard. For a lot of guys this is their pennant race, right here. CNNSI.com: The Twins had high hopes for LaTroy Hawkins when he first came into the league four years ago. How long before the team give up on him? Cannella: If he were playing for almost any other organization in the majors, not only would Hawkins not have much longer, he would have been gone about a year ago. That's the one good thing about the Twins: If you're a struggling young player, there is never a shortage of chances. The truth is, the Twins have no one else to take Hawkins' spot in the rotation. He's their third starter right now, so they are going to stick with him until he can't throw anymore. Even he admits that on any other team he wouldn't be getting as many chances as he has here. CNNSI.com: Journeyman Butch Huskey is in camp. The Twins have talked about using him in a platoon role. Where do you see him fitting in? Cannella: Right now, he's in the DH mix. He can also play the outfield -- though he doesn't run very well -- and a little bit at third. The Twins went out and got him because they knew they had to increase their power numbers. For a team like the Twins, Huskey is not a bad pickup. On most clubs, he is just a complimentary player, but on this one he will be looked at as a power guy. I see Huskey hitting around 25 home runs. On the Twins, that's what quialifies you as a slugger. Huskey will probably split the DH spot with David Ortiz and Ron Coomer . They have a lot of DHs, but none of them are the 40-homer guy they need. CNNSI.com: The Twins were impressed with the young starters, Eric Milton -- who threw a no-hitter against a depleted Angels' lineup last season -- and Joe Mays . Are they ready to take the next step this season? Cannella: Milton had a good year and he's developing. It doesn't matter who you do it against, pitching a no-hitter is impressive. With that said, it definitely wasn't the Yankees he was throwing against. Milton is probably not the ace they are going to need if Radke leaves. He's a good lefthander and the Twins are trying to lock him up with some sort of a long-term deal before he becomes eligible for arbitration. Mays throws hard and has a pretty good sinker. He could be one of the guys to watch on that staff this year. CNNSI.com: The most interesting competition in Twins' camp may be at first base. Who are the candidates, and has anyone stood out? Cannella: You have Ortiz, Doug Mientkiewicz and Coomer in the mix. I think they are going have to find a way to get Ortiz in there. He might be the best power hitter on the club. He's not a 40-homer guy, but he could probably hit 20-25, and the Twins desperately need power. I think he's going to get a lot of at bats at first base and the DH spot. Mientkiewicz is a much better defensive first baseman, but it's a position where offense comes first and Mientkiewicz isn't going to give them any power. CNNSI.com: Matt Lawton was involved in a horrible beaning injury last season. Is he ready to come back? Cannella: He's back and he's playing. The Twins are saying that he looks pretty good. Lawton has recovered, but this is the type of injury where you don't know until the real games start. He's played some spring games, but they are very different from the regular season. With an injury like this, even if you are physically recovered there is a mental aspect that has to be overcome. We'll see how he is when pitches are buzzing under his chin.
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