Twins to seek starting pitching at Winter Meetings

SAN DIEGO -- The Twins already filled out their coaching staff under new manager Paul Molitor and signed veteran outfielder Torii Hunter this offseason, but they will continue their search for starting pitching when the Winter Meetings officially open in San Diego on Monday.

Twins general manager Terry Ryan has made it clear that acquiring starting pitching is his top priority after Minnesota starters combined to post the worst ERA in the Majors for a second straight year.

Even after signing right-handers Ricky Nolasco, Phil Hughes and Mike Pelfrey to a combined $86 million worth of deals last year, the Twins are on the lookout for one, and possibly two, starting pitchers this offseason. The Twins are also in the market to improve their bullpen, and they could look to add a center fielder to help bridge the gap to top prospect Byron Buxton, who is likely to start the year at Double-A.

But no matter what the Twins decide to do, you can count on twinsbaseball.com to keep you up to date on all Twins news throughout the week. It's sure to be a busy week for all involved, as the annual event features various industry meetings and luncheons, as well as Thursday's Rule 5 Draft.

But, as most fans surely know, it's also a place for general managers to meet with each other and with agents regarding trades and free-agent signings.

To the end, we'll have you covered here at twinsbaseball.com regarding any relevant rumors, signings or trades. There will be stories on the main site, while there will also be plenty of updates via the blog, Bollinger Beat, and Twitter (@RhettBollinger).

Ryan will speak with the media at the conclusion of each day, and there will be a nightly recap on the site about all of the Twins' happenings. In addition, Molitor is set to meet with the media on Monday during his availability at 6:30 p.m. CT.

There are also plenty of questions that need to be resolved about a Twins team that has lost at least 92 games in each of the last four seasons.

So, Twins fans, be sure to keep that dialogue running here in the comments section on the site, as there's always something to discuss during the Winter Meetings.