Aaron Gleeman, December 2, 2009
You may wonder why Aaron has been a bit quiet this week. I’m no good at keeping secrets, so I may as well just come out with it: Aaron is currently undergoing intense psychiatric counseling following multiple suicide attempts brought on by the Twins doing things like making offers to Jarrod Washburn instead of getting in on Adrian Beltre or a serviceable second baseman who may actually help them win the Central in 2010. But hey, if you have the opportunity to pay $7 million or so to a guy like Washburn, you simply can’t pass up that deal.
As Aaron noted last month, Washburn went 1-3 with a 7.33 ERA in eight starts following the trade to the Tigers, allowing 35 runs in 43 innings before missing the final three weeks with a knee injury that required offseason surgery. He’s a smoke and mirrors pitcher who benefited from a big ballpark and an outrageously good set of outfielders in Seattle the first part of last year. Without those things, he was utterly exposed.
The Tigers trading for him last year did not help them win the division. The Twins signing him this year, however, may allow Detroit to do just that.