Matt Maloney, Jeff Gray Claimed By Twins

The Minnesota Twins are going to have a lot of work to do this winter if they want to have a chance to contend next spring, and it appears that they've already started today. The team announced today that they've claimed two pitchers, Jeff Gray and Matt Maloney, off waivers.

Gray, 29, was claimed off waivers from the Seattle Mariners. He split 2011 between Seattle and Chicago, posting a 4.28 ERA over 48 innings. He's armed with a mid-90's fastball and a slider that touches 88, but an inability to miss bats has always limited his ability to thrive against advanced hitters.

Maloney, 27, was claimed from the Cincinnati Reds. He spent most of 2011 in the starting rotation for Triple-A Louisville, posting a 2.99 ERA over 14 appearances (13 starts). His peripherals weren't nearly as impressive, but he's always shown strong command in the minors.