The Twins avoided arbitration with Kevin Slowey, agreeing to a one-year, $2.7MM deal, according to MLB.com's Kelly Thesier (on Twitter). Slowey had filed at $3.1MM and the Twins had filed at $2.3MM, which puts the agreed-upon deal right at the midpoint of the two submissions.
Slowey posted a 4.45 ERA with 6.7 K/9 and 1.7 BB/9 in 155 2/3 innings last year. The 26-year-old has never posted a walk rate above 1.7 per nine or a strikeout rate above 6.7 per nine in four big league seasons.
As MLBTR's Arb Tracker shows, the Twins have unresolved arbitration cases with Delmon Young and Francisco Liriano. Both made my list of ten unsigned arbitration eligible players to watch.
TwinsVet
That’s a good chunk of change for what’s going to amount to a long relief guy this year…
JA
Kevin’s the man. Hopefully he fulfills his potential this year and breaks out.
ea19
If he stays healthy, he will be just fine
Camden P
So, unfortunately I have the feeling that Gardy is going to put Duensing back in the bullpen and go with a Liriano/Pavano/Baker/Blackburn/Slowey rotation and put in a solid arm in Duensing back in the pen.
Brian Malenke
He won’t. Gardy is sold on Duensing.
twins33
Yeah, Gardy has already flat out said Duensing has earned it. If Duensing sucks in Spring Training then maybe, otherwise…
Brian Malenke
Twins are in a good position with their starting pitching. This year, the injury bug shouldn’t be an issue as the big club is 6 deep with a stud in Kyle Gibson waiting in the minors. I have a feeling 3-4 quality pitchers will emerge from the farm system to contribute at the ML level this season.
disgustedcubfan
Maybe some of that pitching depth could be used to trade for a shortstop if Casilla is struggling.
Drew
I’d probably move a couple of minor league relief arms for a shortstop who’s good in the field and can at least hold his own at the plate…oh, wait…
$1742854
Slowey is as good as gone to NY
Mauerneau
For joba? I think that’d be a good deal for both squads.
Deviation
I like the idea a lot, but are the Yankees actually interested in Slowey? I kinda doubt it for some reason.
Mauerneau
Ya he wouldn’t be the greatest fit for their park; extreme fly ball pitcher, but he does have a very good minor league track record and has shown he can win despite a spotty career era.
I don’t know the Yanks interest either but I wouldn’t be surprised to see it happen.
ProfessorIronHorse
In all seriousness though, I would not be surprised to see Blackburn bounce back from last years horrendous campaign. I mean, he won’t have Liriano and Pavano numbers, but I imagine we will see his numbers back to what they were in 2009. His 2010 numbers were a little skewered by some very bad luck.
Twinkilling61
The Twins might not win in the playoffs again, but at least they have a better chance of getting there than the yanks. That’s right I said it. Have fun with Burnett as you’re number 3 starter. And congratulations on destroying a talented pitcher like Chamberlain. At least the Twins haven’t done that with any of their young talent. (Since the 90’s).