To every media inquiry about the Twins' interest in upgrading at third base, general manager Bill Smith has consistently cited one argument against it.
"People seem to forget," Smith said recently, "we got 91 RBIs at third base last season. A lot of teams wish they could say that." It's true, the Twins ranked fourth in the American League last season in runs driven in by their third baseman (though 25 of them came from released-in-August Mike Lamb). But only seven home runs were hit by a third baseman, one of the major reasons Minnesota ranked last in that important category.
"We would like to get a little more power from that position," Smith conceded, "but you don't want to sacrifice too much in on-base percentage to get it."
It's the strongest signal yet that the Twins have changed their mind about acquiring a better-known hitter for that position and intend to head to spring training with a platoon of Brendan Harris and Brian Buscher, the same duo that handled the job over the 2008 season's final two months.
After failing to find common ground on trades for Garrett Atkins or Adrian Beltre, and being outbid for free agent Casey Blake, the Twins declined to pursue Ty Wigginton, who became a free agent Dec. 12 when the Astros did not offer him a contract for 2009. Wigginton is expected to seek a multiyear contract worth between $7 million and $9 million a season, but the Twins noted that the veteran batted only .234 away from hitter-friendly Minute Maid Park last year.
"We discussed it, but we've decided not to" bid on Wigginton, assistant general manager Rob Antony said.
The Twins don't like to frame their decision this way, but one big factor in their willingness to keep the status quo is that Harris and Buscher will combine to make only $800,000 next year -- or roughly one-tenth of what Wigginton is expected to earn.
