The Twins will offer arbitration to free agent outfielders Michael Cuddyer and Jason Kubel today but not to free agent reliever Matt Capps, General Manager Terry Ryan confirmed in a teleconference with reporters.
Teams have until tonight to offer arbitration to Type A and Type B free agents, which positions clubs for draft-pick compensation if these players sign elsewhere.
Cuddyer and Kubel are expected to decline arbitration, which would pin them to a one-year agreement. Both players should command multi-year deals on the open market.
Key point: The Twins can still re-sign Cuddyer, Kubel and/or Capps. Today's decisions do nothing to change that.
Cuddyer is now a modified Type A free agent. If another team signs him, it wouldn't surrender a first-round pick, but the Twins could still receive an extra first-round pick and a sandwich pick between the first and second rounds.
Kubel is a Type B. If he leaves, the Twins will receive a sandwich pick.
Capps is now a modified Type B. The Twins did not have to offer him arbitration to gain a sandwich pick if he leaves.
Bottom line: The whole thing is making me hungry for a sandwich. Time for lunch. I'll have more on the Ryan Doumit signing in tonight's first editions. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!
