July 28
St. Paul Pioneer Press
columnist Charley Walters
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It's starting to appear the Twins won't make a deal before Saturday's trade deadline. But all things considered, maybe that's all right. The Twins have endured J.J. Hardy, Orlando Hudson and Justin Morneau missing time with injuries, and with Joe Mauer and three starting pitchers underperforming. Yet they trail the Chicago White Sox by just one game in the AL Central Division. Players generally play as well as their histories. That should mean a resurgence by Mauer and starting pitchers Scott Baker, Kevin Slowey and Nick Blackburn. Hardy is back. Morneau is expected back before long. Hudson will be back. The Twins tried hard to trade with Seattle for Cliff Lee but weren't willing to give"
July 6
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
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The Minnesota Twins, long considered one of the leading candidates to acquire Cliff Lee, have reportedly now offered the Mariners two top prospects for the All-Star pitcher. Jeff Fletcher of AOL Fanhouse reported on his Twitter account Monday night that the Twins are willing to give up outfielder Aaron Hicks as well as top catching prospect Wilson Ramos for Lee. Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated also reported Monday night that the Twins and Mariners were involved in "interesting" talks that "have possibilities," while mentioning Ramos as part of the package. That comes as no surprise, given Ramos' name has been bandied about as part of a potential deal for several weeks now. But Hicks is"
July 4
St. Paul Pioneer Press
columnist Charley Walters
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One high-ranking major league official outside the Twins organization says he hears the Twins are the front-runner for Seattle pitcher Cliff Lee. Considering the windfall revenue the Twins are pulling in from their new Target Field, affording Lee (about $4.5 million for the rest of the season as a rental player) isn't a problem. Providing Seattle with the right prospects for a trade is. The Twins love pitchers who throw strikes. Lee's strikeout-to-walk ratio has been startling — he has walked just five batters in 96 innings while whiffing 78. Lee's control makes his 91-mph fastball seem like it's 94 mph. The Mariners want a package of primarily hitting prospects in exchange for Lee. The"
March 13
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Will John Smoltz be closing games for the Minnesota Twins, the team that beat the Braves, and the longtime Brave righthander, in a grueling Game 7 of the 1991 World Series. Maybe. At least if Smoltz's friend and former battery mate in Atlanta has his wish. Former Braves catcher Greg Olson, who now lives in Minnesota, text messaged Smoltz after learning Twins closer Joe Nathan would undergo surgery to repair an elbow ligament, according to an article posted on the Pioneer Press Web site. "Perfect. Closer in Minny. Here comes Johnny," Olson messaged Smoltz. Olson meant it in a lighthearted way, according to the article. Olson has not heard back from the Atlanta resident, who, at 42, is an"