Crede has been limited to 144 games over the past two years due to back problems. This off-season he had surgery and is hoping to return to the form he displayed in 2006. That season he hit .283 with 30 homers and 94 RBIs. Unsure of how his back will hold up, the Twins gave him a one-year contract with a base salary of $2.5 million. The dollar amount could go as high as $7 million should Crede make 525 plate appearances.
Crede will probably hit fifth in the Twins batting order. His addition will give Minnesota four guys in the middle of the line-up who can hit 20-plus homers and drive in 80-plus runs. Also, when healthy, Crede is a very good third baseman and could sure-up what has been a troublesome position for the Twins since the departure of Corey Koskie in 2004.
The Twins are hoping that Crede’s power and fielding ability will provide the missing piece to their puzzle. The rest of the line-up is sound, their young starting pitchers were impressive last season and the team has one of the best closers in the game, Joe Nathan. Some have questioned the team’s set-up men and the organization could still make a move to address that issue at some point.
With the addition of Crede, Twins fans have reason to be excited going into 2009. While his durability is a concern, the organization’s decision to take a gamble on him seems like a positive step. Minnesota has been competitive on a small budget for some time. Now they’re going to see if a rare free agent signing can bring them a championship in their last season in the Metrodome.
Keywords: Minnesota Twins Joe Crede
