Twins and closer Capps agree on contract

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

DALLAS -- Matt Capps and the Minnesota Twins agreed to a US$4.75-million, one-year contract, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press on Monday.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the agreement had not yet been announced.

A 28-year-old right-hander, Capps was 4-7 with a 4.25 earned-run average and 15 saves in 24 chances this year in his first full season with the Twins, who acquired him from Washington in June 2010. He made $7.15 million.

Capps had 32 saves for Pittsburgh in 2009 and a combined 48 for Washington and Minnesota the following season.

Capps and Joe Nathan both closed games this year for Minnesota, which slumped to last place in the AL Central at 63-99. Nathan, a four-time all-star, left the Twins last month for a $14.5 million, two-year contract with the Texas Rangers.

After Nathan twice blew saves in a three-day span, Capps took over as closer on April 17. But Capps blew seven chances in 22 tries, and Twins manager Ron Gardenhire moved Nathan back into the closer's role on July 16.

"Yeah, he was a little sore, but he always took the ball. He never made excuses," Twins general manager Terry Ryan said last week. "He had an off year, as did the club."

Capps gets $4.5 million this year, and the contract includes a $6 million option for 2013 with a $250,000 buyout. He can earn additional performance bonuses based on games finished.