ST. PAUL
Everything the Minnesota Twins have done this offseason seems to imply Tsuyoshi Nishioka is not long for Minnesota.
They signed a new shortstop in Jamey Carroll, have essentially handed the second base job to Alexi Casilla, and when speaking of Nishioka's immediate future use the term "utility."
But with $6 million committed to the 2010 batting champion of Japan's Nippon Professional League over the next two seasons, general manager Terry Ryan is hoping the infielder won't be a total bust.
So far Nishioka has been. He hit .226 with 19 runs batted in and two stolen bases in a 2011 season cut to 68 games by a broken leg suffered in early April. He finished the season on the disabled list with a strained oblique muscle.
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"I hope he comes in with renewed vigor to win a spot on the roster," Ryan said this week. "I hope he shows a lot of the skills and performance that our scouts saw in Japan. That's why we went and got him."
That's a far cry from the hoopla that surrounded Nishioka when he became the first Twins acquisition from Japan's pro league. He had just batted .346, scored 121 runs and led Chiba Lotte to a championship when the Twins paid $5 million for exclusive negotiating rights.
They wound up signing him to a three-year, $9.25 million deal and penciled him in at second base and the top of the lineup. Though he had a decent spring training, he appeared uncomfortable once games turned real and broke his leg while trying to turn a double play in the Twins'
second series of the season.
He came back in July, but in Ryan's words, "He didn't catch up."
The Twins signed Nishioka on the recommendation of four international scouts but did not send any front office personnel to see him in person. The recommendation was solidified by Nishioka's 2010 performance: He had 206 hits and was named most valuable player of the championship series. He also had won the equivalent of Gold Gloves at second and short during his five-year career.
"I've talked to those guys; we went over it and discussed it, and they were all surprised," Ryan said of the international scouts. "Of course, some of it was because of the broken leg, and you can't do much about that, but he didn't catch up.
"There was concern that he didn't make routine plays. They were surprised, and that's not unusual for any evaluator. You watch a guy and submit your report, and when you don't see what you saw in Japan, you start to wonder, 'What's going on?'"
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Ryan said Nishioka is in Fort Myers, Fla., working out well before position players are required to report on Feb. 23. Nishioka will have a chance to unseat Carroll at short, but the team's highest expectation is that he can become a backup in the middle infield.
Last year, Nishioka showed up early, too, but spent his time working alone with a personal training staff. Manager Ron Gardenhire said he'd prefer that doesn't happen again.
"He doesn't have to report (officially) until he has to report, and I can't force him to," Gardenhire said. "Last year, I didn't know his routine, so how can you change it? But how you learn is to jump in with the boys, and I will talk to him now.
"I can't force the issue, but I can say, 'If the rest of the boys can be here, you can, too.' "
Pitchers and catchers are required to report Saturday, and the first full-squad workout is scheduled for Feb. 24.
Ryan said he doesn't want Nishioka to start the season at Class AAA Rochester but acknowledged it's a possibility.
"I wouldn't want to see it play out that way, but if it's necessary to get him going -- and I'd like to think it's not -- yes," he said. "I don't really want to see him back there, but you have to adjust as you evaluate."
Distributed by MCT Information Services
