FORT MYERS, FLA. – Twins second baseman Brian Dozier endured an offseason of trade rumors, rumors that only died down last month when he was told shortly before TwinsFest that he was staying put.
It was a relief to Dozier, who made it clear that he wanted to remain with the Twins and help turn them into a winner again.
As camp opens, Dozier is looking to pick up where he left off last season, when his magnificent power surge during the second half helped him finish with 42 home runs and 99 RBI.
But if he does that, he could land right back in rumor central before the trade deadlines in July and August. And with that comes questions from all sides — teammates, fans, family and the ever-probing media — about his future.
"I understand the business," he said. "I just don't want to be a trade show for the whole season and the next two years. Period."
The Dodgers, Giants and Cardinals were among teams that had expressed varying degrees of interest in Dozier, with the Dodgers being the most serious suitor. More teams could be interested in Dozier, an All-Star in 2015, if he gets off to a strong start.
But, if the Twins can get off to a good start and provide a little hint of being interesting, the club could be influenced to keep Dozier. Dozier's goal in camp is to help the team address all its shortcomings from a year ago.
"I'm here to win games,'' he said. "That's it."
