MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -The Twins extended spring training invitations to R.A. Dickey, Luis Matos and 13 other players not on the major league roster.
The list includes veterans signed to minor-league contracts over the winter and prospects whose experience falls below the threshold requiring placement on the organization’s 40-man roster to be protected from other teams.
Dickey tied a major league record against the Twins last August by throwing four wild pitches in an inning while he was with Seattle. The knuckleballer went 5-8 with a 5.21 ERA in 32 games, including 14 starts, last season for the Mariners.
Matos spent more than five years with the Baltimore Orioles, playing last season in the Mexican league.
on him, so we signed him and we’re going to take a look.”
There were six more pitchers on the list: left-handers Mike Gosling, who has spent part of two seasons with the Cincinnati Reds, Sean Henn, who appeared in 36 games for the New York Yankees between 2005 and 2007, and Ben Julianel, the 2008 closer for Double-A New Britain; as well as right-handers Rob Delaney, Bobby Keppel and Kevin Mulvey. Keppel has pitched for two major league teams and Mulvey came last winter from the New York Mets organization in the trade for Johan Santana. Mulvey went 7-9 with a 3.77 ERA in 27 starts last year for Triple-A Rochester.
Catchers Jeff Christy and Danny Lehmann, infielders Alejandro Machado, Brock Peterson and Danny Valencia, and outfielders Dustin Martin and David Winfree were also invited. Martin came from the Mets in the Luis Castillo trade in 2007. Valencia is a top prospect.
Twins pitchers and catchers have their first official workout in Fort Myers, Fla., on Feb. 16. The first full-squad workout is on Feb. 21. Smith said he’s excited about the chemistry, youth, athleticism and progress of the group, defending a winter that has so far been devoid of any significant acquisitions to the roster.
“There’s a lot of work to do,” Smith said, “but I keep saying, ‘We like this club.”’
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