An Unlikely Flier at Third Base?

First: There's this rumor about the Twins and Michael Young of the Rangers. Not out of the blue nor out of the question, but if Young waves the no-trade clause to Minnesota and the Twins piece a package together well, who knows?

In recent days, we in the bullpen have been thinking about a third base option that doesn't involve money, doesn't threaten the current pitching rotation, doesn't cost much, keeps Denard Span on the team for a chance to prove his freshman season wasn't an apparition, and won't cost Bill Smith his job if it doesn't pan out.

The task is as daunting.

Here's one oddball longshot to chew on: Bring back a former Twins defensive stalwart, sign him to a minor league contract, and see what happens if you toss him in at third. Come on, Corey Koskie's still having issues surrounding his head injury, right? Right.

How about Doug Mientkiewicz?

Proposterous. As preposterous as, say, Mike Lamb? Tony Batista? You get the point. A signing like this would be the absolute definition of Twins Territory.

Give a listen and see how crazy this sounds in the Land Of 10,000 Dollars.

MonkeyWrench hit .277 both last year with Pittsburgh and in 2007 for the New York Yankees. Dougie hit .283 in 2006 for Kansas City. He's 35 this season and a free agent with few, if any, offers on the table. Sources in Pittsburgh say the Pirates have no interest in re-signing Mientkiewicz. His lack of home run power is an obvious problem, but despite not being a full-time starter in recent years, Dougie's RBI total isn't bad if stretched out over a season.

Mientkiewicz played 33 games at 3B last season for the Pirates. His move to third was mostly an end of the season experiment that resulted in a .918 fielding percentage.

The numbers aren't strong, but certainly not weak. Plus, there are positives to the scenario.

1. Sportswriters already know the correct spelling and punctuation of Mientkiewicz's name. [Hell, it's engrained in their heads as much as MMMbop still is.]


2. A chance to witness Mientkiewicz/Morneau II, a fight between the vet and MVP in a Twins dugout or clubhouse near you.


3. A chance to witness Mientkiewicz/Gardy II, a smackdown between the boss and the wanna-be in a Twins dugout or clubhouse near you.


4. The Twins can bring back the best "Twins: Get To Know 'Em" song, sung in the style of Schoolhouse Rock called "That's How You Spell Mientkiewicz."


5. Three words: Knee-high socks.


6. Then 13-year-old screaming girls can now squeeze their now-19-year-old selves into old Mienkiewicz jersey T-shirts again.


7. Dives-A-Plenty.

It seems a viable -- and very Twins-like option -- for the Twins to try something like this. Mientkiewicz was always good with the glove, and heck, they sure need a backup for Morneau on given days. If he signs to a minor league contract, it's almost a move free of risk.

I can hear the questions at Spring Training now. Listen. It's off in the distance ...

..."that was then, this is now. I mean, Justin and I are good friends now. I went over to him and we shook hands in the clubhouse and we're teammates. We're professionals ... That was years ago and we both made mistakes ... I'm just glad to be back in a Twins uniform ..."

Blyleven Non-Election A Huge Mistake: Again!

Jim Rice and Rickey Henderson were elected into the Baseball Hall Of Fame today. The voters didn't elect pitcher Bert Blyleven, outfielder Andre Dawson and a couple of others worthy of HOF status.

Rice enters the Hall in the final year of his eligibility.

Henderson and Rice are undoubtedly Hall of Famers and certainly deserve the honor. Unfortunately, the baseball writers' idiotic unwritten rules are keeping Blyleven and other stalwart players out of Cooperstown. Blyleven's cause has been highlighted here previously. Others whom I believe deserve the honor are Andre Dawson and Dale Murphy. I lean a bit toward Mark McGwire as well for reasons I can write about at a later date. I think there could strong cases made for Lee Smith and Tim Raines.

The writers have this code about themselves regarding not voting anyone in at 100 percent (even Babe Ruth, Cy Young, Ty Cobb, Hank Aaron and Cal Ripken didn't get in with 100 percent of votes. Ripken is the highest position player to receive votes at 98.53 percent, topped only by pitchers Tom Seaver, 98.84, and Nolan Ryan, 98.79). The writers also have this rule about not electing many players at all. They've elected 108 players total with another 94 given entry by the Veteran's Committee.

Is there any reason Blyleven and Dawson aren't in the Hall? Really? Let's be honest: They'll eventually get in, either by vote at the 12th hour (ala Rice) or by a Veteran's Committee. We know this. Hell, Phil Rizzuto is the Hall. They are going to get in some day, some way. Yet, here these Holier-Than-Thou writers keep them off ballots year-in, year-out because of their wish to adhere to goofy Hall of Fam "rules."

I've worked in a couple of newspaper sports departments. I've met many sports celebrities, broadcasters, writers, columnists, etc. Some of the folks who vote on these ballots are just plain looney. I've met some I wouldn't trust to not steal something off my desk at work. There are some who believe wholeheartedly that the Apollo moon landings were all done in a Hollywood sound stage. I can name several writers and columnists who are in business ventures with the athletes they cover "objectively." I know first-hand of those writers who, at one time or another, took payola -- are on the take -- from the teams they are assigned to. I've seen owners and agents control writers and editors for their own ends with information that is false or "leaked" through anonymous sources who, in fact, were themselves. I can recall a few of these involving Vikings and Twins ownership. These examples showed me the toying the writers are working with and, at times, succumb to. [I should point out current Twins beat writers are not those I've worked with and have no sense they are corrupt nor illogical, rather seemingly ethical in all regards. It is others of the past, some of whom have votes around the country, that I speak of.]

There is no doubt in my mind that something of this ilk is up with the Baseball Hall of Fame voters. While several are forthright, honest and objective voters, too many must be corrupt, shady and have alterior motives in keeping players like Blyleven and Dawson off their ballots.

Michael Young A Great Option

Recent reports about Texas Rangers shortstop Michael Young requesting a trade are intriguing. The Twins certainly could use Young at shortstop (he's bailing on Texas because the Rangers want to move him to third base). If they did that, Nick Punto could slide over into the third base platoon and all would be happy in Twinsville.

There are two problems with this scenario, however. First, the Twins would have to trade for Young. Young isn't just some run-of-the-mill player. He's a great hitter and average fielder who took over at short when Alex Rodriguez left the Rangers. My guess is teams like Boston, the New York teams, Los Angeles, et al woul be bidding competitors. At least, teams have been asking for starting pitcher Kevin Slowey and outfielder Denard Span in any trade talks the Twins have had with other teams. Personally, if the Twins could get Young for Slowey and Span and nothing else, I think I'd take the trade. That's me -- not Bill Smith.

The second -- and more pressing -- issue is Young's contract. Young, 32, is beginning (yes beginning) a five-year contract which pays him $80 million through 2013. I don't see the Twins paying anyone $16 million per season (Justin Morneau tops the Twins with $8.4 million per season). The five-year contract puts Young at 36 years old when it's over. The Twins just don't compete when contracts like this are on the line. This is L.A., Chicago, New York, Boston, Philadelphia territory and Twins Territory is a world away.

* Photo courtesy of Chickball.

Reusse Has It Right

Today's column by Patrick Reusse of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune hits the offseason right on the nose. Give it a good read if you have a few moments.

{I won't even go out of my way to point out most everything he writes in that column has been said here previously.]