Friday, October 22, 2004
Off-Season Blow to Twins
This is something that would otherwise stay below the radar, but I picked it up on a post at Bat-Girl.com, from the Pioneer Press:
While catcher Joe Mauer rehabilitates his surgically repaired knee, another prominent left-handed-swinging Twins rookie, outfielder Jason Kubel, will be doing the same this offseason. Kubel suffered a major knee injury this week in an outfield collision in the Arizona Fall League. The injury could turn out to be a torn anterior cruciate ligament, which could take until well
into next spring for recovery. Before the injury, Kubel was expected to become a regular in the Twins' lineup.
Wow. Kubel tore up AA and AAA last year, and looked to jump into the Twins' lineup as yet another productive but cheap player. That would free up the money that the Twins would otherwise spend on low-OBP all-star Jacque Jones for re-signing Koskie and Radke. It is now possible that Jones will be retained for several million dollars that could have been spent on pitching. Of course, if Kubel is ready in May, Michael Restovich could be the Twins' early season solution in Right Field. Maybe even Shannon Stewart could be trotted out to Left Field while Ford moves to Right and Fatty Matty LeCroy serves as a full time DH.
I continue to believe that the Sox would be best served by signing Brad Radke away from the Twins. He is valuable to the Sox in his own right as a #2 /#3 starter and in making the Twins worse. But the demand for Radke's services may very well be high in the offseason, with the Yankees' collapse in the ALCS. Buy George, I think he'll spend some money.
