MLB News: Twins Sign Four; Including AL MVP Morneau

Morneau, Ford and Rincon agree to one-year deals; Punto agrees to two-year deal.

Salem-News.com SPORTS

MINNEAPOLIS - The Minnesota Twins announced Friday that they have agreed to terms with first baseman Justin Morneau, outfielder Lew Ford and righthanded pitcher Juan Rincon on one-year contracts for the 2007 season.

The Twins have also agreed to terms with third baseman Nick Punto on a two-year contract.

Per club policy, terms of the deals are not disclosed.

Morneau, 25, batted .321 (190-592) with 37 doubles, one triple, 34 home runs and 130 rbi in 157 games last season.

The 2006 American League Most Valuable Player finished the season second in the league in rbi, fifth in total bases (331), seventh in batting and eighth in extra-base hits (72).

Morneau's 34 home runs were the most by a Twins player since 1987 and his 130 rbi rank as the second highest total on the Twins' All-Time single season list (Killebrew, 140 in 1969).

Morneau became the fourth Twins player to win the American League Most Valuable Player award and the first since Rod Carew in 1977.

He has a career batting average of .277 (407-1468) with 81 doubles, five triples, 79 home runs and 283 rbi in 412 games.

Ford, 30, batted .226 (53-234) with six doubles, one triple, four homers and 18 rbi in 104 games with the Twins last season.

He has a career batting average of .275 (385-1398) with 74 doubles, 10 triples, 29 home runs and 158 rbi in 439 games.

Rincon, 28, was 3-1, 2.91 (74.1 ip, 24 er) with one save, issuing 24 walks while striking out 65 in 75 appearances.

He has appeared in at least 75 games in each of the last three seasons, and has a career record of 25-21, 3.26 (353.1 ip, 128 er) with three saves in 299 appearances (three starts).

Punto, 29, batted .290 (133-459) with 21 doubles, seven triples, one home run and 45 rbi in 135 games with the Twins last season.

He established career-highs in games, at-bats, runs (73), hits, doubles, triples, rbi, walks (47) and stolen bases (17) in 2006.

Punto has a career batting average of .261 (273-1047) with 41 doubles, 11 triples, eight home runs and 87 rbi in 362 games.

Adding comments to these stories has been disabled. View the current sports stories Salem-News Sports