“Other than trying to lobby for some at-bats, I don’t think it’s going to change much,” Marquis said.

Well, he won’t have the pitcher’s spot in the lineup to face once every nine hitters, but he will get to pitch at spacious Target Field, which has been one of the most difficult parks to hit a homer in during its first two seasons of existence.

In the end, the Twins were looking for a veteran to help stabilize the back end of a shaky rotation. They went with Marquis, who missed the last month and a half of last season with a broken right leg after he was hit by a line drive.

The 33-year-old Marquis went 8-5 with a 3.95 ERA for the Washington Nationals last season before being traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks on July 30. The right-hander was 0-1 with a 9.53 ERA in three starts for Arizona.

“He’s a groundball machine and he throws the ball over the plate,” Twins general manager Terry Ryan said.

Marquis actually walks 3.5 batters per nine innings, which is a little on the high side, especially by Twins standards. But the sinkerballer induces a ton of grounders, and the Twins were looking for somebody to come in after they traded Kevin Slowey to the Rockies so they could move left-handed starter Brian Duensing to the bullpen.

Ryan said that signing Marquis didn’t necessarily mean Duensing was moving to the ‘pen, but it’s clear that is the team’s preference. If everyone is healthy coming out of spring training, the Twins think that is the best scenario.

“If they’re all healthy, that certainly fortifies our bullpen,” Ryan said.

The expenditure brings the Twins’ payroll close to $100 million, which was a soft target the team had before the offseason in its effort to slash about $15 million.

“We’re closing in,” Ryan said. “We’ve got a little wiggle room here.”

Marquis can earn an additional $500,000 in performance bonuses.

___

Follow Jon Krawczynski on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/APkrawczynski.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Until Thursday, where Jason Kubel would be playing next season was up in the air. His agent, Arn Tellem, had been talking to a number of teams about the 29-year-old, and even though they had signed Josh Willingham, the Minnesota Twins were still at least a fringe candidate to bring the outfielder back.

Then the Arizona Diamondbacks called.

At that point, when the team made a two-year, $15 million offer with a $7.5 million mutual option for 2014, Kubel was practically “all aboard,” he said tonight. The offer had far exceeded anything the outfielder received in free agency and came from a team that hadn’t expressed much interest beyond a few cursory conversations with Tellem. The offer got Kubel’s attention, and by Monday morning, he was on his way to the National League.

“It happened pretty fast,” Kubel said. “They had talked beforehand, but I was thinking it was out of the question.”

Now Kubel is going to a team that has much of what he wanted. The Diamondbacks will offer him a chance to play the outfield and not be a designated hitter, and he’ll be located much closer to his home in California. He toured the state-of-the-art spring training facility the team shares with the Rockies and said it was unlike anything he’d ever seen. And in Arizona, Kubel will play in a hitter-friendly ballpark for a team coming off a 94-win season.

“I’ve got a good feeling about this place,” Kubel said. “I love the area. I love Minneapolis, too, but this is closer to home, and

that’s another plus – I can live in the same place year-round (for spring training and the regular season). I like what they’ve got going on. They’re a very good, very young talented team. It kind of reminds me of all of us coming up the last couple years (with the Twins).”

Kubel said the Twins made him an offer, but it was the same deal they had proposed during the season. General manager Terry Ryan was still in conversations with Kubel’s camp until Minnesota announced it had signed Josh Willingham to a three-year deal, and though Kubel said Ryan talked with his agent several times after that, it seemed unlikely he would return to Minnesota, especially in light of the Diamondbacks’ offer.

“Everybody knows that they needed a right-handed bad, especially if they’re not going to get (Michael) Cuddyer,” Kubel said. “We were still in contact up until I came over here. We were still talking. But the warmer climate, closer-to-home thing kind of won.”

The outfielder, who played all or part of seven seasons with the Twins after the club picked him in the 12th round of the 2000 draft, leaves Minnesota on good terms. He spoke fondly of his time with the Twins, even if he made it clear he was looking for a chance to play the outfield every day and had a hard time turning down Arizona’s offer.

Now he’ll share a spring training home with Cuddyer and former Twins pitcher Kevin Slowey, who was traded to the Colorado Rockies earlier this month, in a growing group of ex-Twins in the NL West.

“I didn’t think almost all of us would be gone. It’s the way it worked out,” Kubel said. “It’s a business. All the other clubs are trying to improve, also.”

MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Twins have traditionally been one of the most stable and loyal franchises in Major League Baseball, so the decision by former general manager Bill Smith to stay after being fired was hardly surprising.

Even the longest of tenures with the Twins, though, don’t last forever. Versatile veteran Michael Cuddyer, voted by local beat writers as the team’s most valuable player in 2011, is gone. He will be with the Colorado Rockies next season.

The Twins? They have free agent outfielder Josh Willingham under contract for three years and $21 million.

“I think everybody knows we’re still looking for pitching as well,” general manager Terry Ryan said Friday during a conference call with reporters to introduce Willingham.

The Twins were interested in bringing back Cuddyer and outfielder Jason Kubel, another homegrown player, but they chose to move on with Willingham once the 32-year-old accepted their offer to leave the Oakland Athletics and take his powerful bat to Target Field.

“Ultimately it started to get to the point of no return, and we didn’t want to be left without,” Ryan said of the delicate balance of pursuing all three players.

Smith’s situation was sensitive, too. He was dismissed last month after four seasons on the job as Ryan’s replacement, part of the fallout from the team’s 63-99 record in 2011. Ryan returned to his previous role, and after taking several weeks to regroup Smith told Twins President Dave St. Peter he was willing to serve as an assistant to St. Peter and Ryan.

Smith, who has been with the organization for more than 25 years, will work on upgrading the team’s spring training facilities in Fort Myers, Fla., assessing international player development and maintaining relationships with minor league affiliates among other projects.

“We are excited to have this opportunity to have him on board with hopes of maximizing his many talents,” St. Peter said in an email.

Said Ryan: “His strengths are most of my weaknesses. … It is an excellent fit.”

That’s the way the Twins feel about Willingham, too. The Alabama native, whose statistics over the past six seasons are similar to Cuddyer’s, has primarily been a left fielder and acknowledged some discomfort about playing right field. But he said he can make it work with practice in spring training, and Ryan said the team believes he’s athletic enough with a competent throwing arm to play there.

The advantage to the Twins of putting Willingham in right is being able to use speedy Ben Revere in left and keep Denard Span in center.

Adding a powerful right-handed hitter to a lefty-heavy lineup was more important. Willingham said he had serious offers from three other teams, but he liked what he’s seen of and heard about the Twins. Last year was his first in the American League, but a career-high 29 home runs and 98 RBIs suggest he made the adjustment just fine. He said he’d like to bring his on-base percentage back up. His career mark is .361, but last year it dipped to .332.

“I think I’m at my best as an overall player offensively when I’m going deep in some counts and working some walks,” Willingham said.

He will make $7 million per season for each of the next three years. If he reaches 525 plate appearances in 2013, his 2014 salary would increase to $8 million. Last season was the only time in the last four years he’s reached that mark.

Cuddyer has topped that in each of the last three seasons, one reason why he was also named the winner of the team’s Bob Allison Award given to the player who exemplifies determination, competitive spirit and leadership. Willingham and his agent, Matt Sosnick, said they respected the strong ties Cuddyer, their first-round draft pick in 1997, had to the Twins.

“It was tough for us because we knew particularly Terry had a lot of loyalty to Michael,” Sosnick said. “He was going to give Michael every chance to come back, and that’s what the Twins did. Part of it was the fact that they set themselves up as a family. They’re very loyal to their own.”

The Twins? They have free agent outfielder Josh Willingham under contract for three years and $21 million.

“I think everybody knows we’re still looking for pitching as well,” general manager Terry Ryan said Friday during a conference call with reporters to introduce Willingham.

The Twins were interested in bringing back Cuddyer and outfielder Jason Kubel, another homegrown player, but they chose to move on with Willingham once the 32-year-old accepted their offer to leave the Oakland Athletics and take his powerful bat to Target Field.

“Ultimately it started to get to the point of no return, and we didn’t want to be left without,” Ryan said of the delicate balance of pursuing all three players.

Smith’s situation was sensitive, too. He was dismissed last month after four seasons on the job as Ryan’s replacement, part of the fallout from the team’s 63-99 record in 2011. Ryan returned to his previous role, and after taking several weeks to regroup Smith told Twins President Dave St. Peter he was willing to serve as an assistant to St. Peter and Ryan.

Smith, who has been with the organization for more than 25 years, will work on upgrading the team’s spring training facilities in Fort Myers, Fla., assessing international player development and maintaining relationships with minor league affiliates among other projects.

“We are excited to have this opportunity to have him on board with hopes of maximizing his many talents,” St. Peter said in an email.

Said Ryan: “His strengths are most of my weaknesses. … It is an excellent fit.”

That’s the way the Twins feel about Willingham, too. The Alabama native, whose statistics over the past six seasons are similar to Cuddyer’s, has primarily been a left fielder and acknowledged some discomfort about playing right field. But he said he can make it work with practice in spring training, and Ryan said the team believes he’s athletic enough with a competent throwing arm to play there.

The advantage to the Twins of putting Willingham in right is being able to use speedy Ben Revere in left and keep Denard Span in center.

Adding a powerful right-handed hitter to a lefty-heavy lineup was more important. Willingham said he had serious offers from three other teams, but he liked what he’s seen of and heard about the Twins. Last year was his first in the American League, but a career-high 29 home runs and 98 RBIs suggest he made the adjustment just fine. He said he’d like to bring his on-base percentage back up. His career mark is .361, but last year it dipped to .332.

“I think I’m at my best as an overall player offensively when I’m going deep in some counts and working some walks,” Willingham said.

He will make $7 million per season for each of the next three years. If he reaches 525 plate appearances in 2013, his 2014 salary would increase to $8 million. Last season was the only time in the last four years he’s reached that mark.

Cuddyer has topped that in each of the last three seasons, one reason why he was also named the winner of the team’s Bob Allison Award given to the player who exemplifies determination, competitive spirit and leadership. Willingham and his agent, Matt Sosnick, said they respected the strong ties Cuddyer, their first-round draft pick in 1997, had to the Twins.

“It was tough for us because we knew particularly Terry had a lot of loyalty to Michael,” Sosnick said. “He was going to give Michael every chance to come back, and that’s what the Twins did. Part of it was the fact that they set themselves up as a family. They’re very loyal to their own.”

___

Follow Dave Campbell on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/DaveCampbellAP

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP)—The Minnesota Twins have traditionally been one of the
most stable and loyal franchises in Major League Baseball, so the decision by
former general manager Bill Smith to stay after being fired was hardly
surprising.

Even the longest of tenures with the Twins, though, don’t last forever.
Versatile veteran Michael Cuddyer, voted by local beat writers as the team’s
most valuable player in 2011, is gone. He will be with the Colorado Rockies next
season.

The Twins? They have free agent outfielder Josh Willingham under contract
for three years and $21 million.

“I think everybody knows we’re still looking for pitching as well,”
general manager Terry Ryan said Friday during a conference call with reporters
to introduce Willingham.

The Twins were interested in bringing back Cuddyer and outfielder Jason
Kubel, another homegrown player, but they chose to move on with Willingham once
the 32-year-old accepted their offer to leave the Oakland Athletics and take his
powerful bat to Target Field.

“Ultimately it started to get to the point of no return, and we didn’t want
to be left without,” Ryan said of the delicate balance of pursuing all three
players.

Smith’s situation was sensitive, too. He was dismissed last month after four
seasons on the job as Ryan’s replacement, part of the fallout from the team’s
63-99 record in 2011. Ryan returned to his previous role, and after taking
several weeks to regroup Smith told Twins President Dave St. Peter he was
willing to serve as an assistant to St. Peter and Ryan.

Smith, who has been with the organization for more than 25 years, will work
on upgrading the team’s spring training facilities in Fort Myers, Fla.,
assessing international player development and maintaining relationships with
minor league affiliates among other projects.

“We are excited to have this opportunity to have him on board with hopes of
maximizing his many talents,” St. Peter said in an email.

Said Ryan: “His strengths are most of my weaknesses. … It is an excellent
fit.”

That’s the way the Twins feel about Willingham, too. The Alabama native,
whose statistics over the past six seasons are similar to Cuddyer’s, has
primarily been a left fielder and acknowledged some discomfort about playing
right field. But he said he can make it work with practice in spring training,
and Ryan said the team believes he’s athletic enough with a competent throwing
arm to play there.

The advantage to the Twins of putting Willingham in right is being able to
use speedy Ben Revere in left and keep Denard Span in center.

Adding a powerful right-handed hitter to a lefty-heavy lineup was more
important. Willingham said he had serious offers from three other teams, but he
liked what he’s seen of and heard about the Twins. Last year was his first in
the American League, but a career-high 29 home runs and 98 RBIs suggest he made
the adjustment just fine. He said he’d like to bring his on-base percentage back
up. His career mark is .361, but last year it dipped to .332.

“I think I’m at my best as an overall player offensively when I’m going
deep in some counts and working some walks,” Willingham said.

He will make $7 million per season for each of the next three years. If he
reaches 525 plate appearances in 2013, his 2014 salary would increase to $8
million. Last season was the only time in the last four years he’s reached that
mark.

Cuddyer has topped that in each of the last three seasons, one reason why he
was also named the winner of the team’s Bob Allison Award given to the player
who exemplifies determination, competitive spirit and leadership. Willingham and
his agent, Matt Sosnick, said they respected the strong ties Cuddyer, their
first-round draft pick in 1997, had to the Twins.

“It was tough for us because we knew particularly Terry had a lot of
loyalty to Michael,” Sosnick said. “He was going to give Michael every chance
to come back, and that’s what the Twins did. Part of it was the fact that they
set themselves up as a family. They’re very loyal to their own.”

———

Follow Dave Campbell on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/DaveCampbellAP