$3.1 million for this guy? Really?

A couple posts ago, I mentioned that, after the Twins signed Sidney Ponson to a low-risk minor-league contract, they were also interested in signing Ramon Ortiz to a deal (as well as Bruce Chen).
I wrote that under the assumption that they would also come in under a similar low-risk deal. Under that scenario, bringing in Ortiz seemed like a reasonable idea. After all, Ortiz' 2006 numbers were bad, but he's had some success in the past.

Now he's guaranteed a spot in the Twins rotation, after the team signed him to a 1 year deal worth $3.1 million.
Again, $3.1 million isn't a ton of money these days, but it's too much for a small market team to give to a guy who last year led the NL in losses, gave up the second most runs and the ninth most hits. He was 11-16 with a 5.57 ERA in 191 innings. And remember, this is in the NL, where there is no DH (meaning pitchers essentially only face 8 hitters, and get a free out once every time through the lineup).

If you want to try to look on the bright side, there's this:
Ortiz pitched better in the AL.
From 2001 to 2004 with Anaheim, he put up these numbers.

'01: 13-11, 4.36
'02: 15-9, 3.77
'03: 16-13, 5.20
'04: 5-7, 4.43

Once again, the pressure is on pitching coach Rick Anderson to help this guy get it together.
He might make a decent 5th starter, but that's the same thing one might say about half the rotation (Ponson, Carlos Silva, Scott Baker, Matt Garza, Ortiz).

Santana, Boof and Silva were locks for the rotation, and now Ortiz is too since they're paying him $3.1 million.

That means there's only one spot open for Ponson, Baker, Garza, Glen Perkins, Kevin Slowey, JD Durbin - whoever else might be in the mix.

I'm not real happy about that. I think Garza has to open the season in the rotation, and Baker should be traded if he isn't. I'd also like to see Perkins, Slowey and Durbin given a fair shake.

It's just another example of the Twins making their young talent wait forever to get their shot while the team instead takes fliers on has-beens.

*There are reports that the Steelers have hired Mike Tomlin, the Vikings defensive coordinator, as head coach.

As if things weren't bad enough for the Vikings, now they're apparently losing the only competent person they had in a position of leadership. One Pittsburgh newspaper is conflicting the ESPN and SI reports of Tomlin's hire, saying that in-house candidate Russ Grimm is getting the job.

Let's hope so.