TWINS ACQUIRE SHORTSTOP

ORLANDO CABRERA AND CASH FROM OAKLAND

Trade Tyler Ladendorf To Athletics

                        Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN – The Minnesota Twins announced today that they have acquired shortstop Orlando Cabrera and cash from the Oakland Athletics in exchange for minor league infielder Tyler Ladendorf.  Cabrera, 34, batted .280 (116-for-414) with 23 doubles, four home runs and 41 rbi in 101 games with the Athletics this season.  He has played in 25 games since July 1, batting .373 (41-for-110) with eight doubles, two home runs and 16 rbi. 

                        Cabrera will be at the Metrodome in time for Saturday’s game vs. the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.  He will wear uniform number 18.  The Twins will make a corresponding roster move prior to Saturday’s game.

                        A two-time Rawlings Gold Glove Award Winner (2001 and 2007), Cabrera was originally signed by the Montreal Expos as a free agent on June 1, 1993.  He has played for the Expos, Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Angels, Chicago White Sox and Oakland A’s, and has a career batting average of .274 (1748-for-6376) with 397 doubles, 29 triples, 109 home runs and 725 rbi in 1673 games.  His career fielding percentage of .978 (7209 TC, 161 E) and 397 doubles both rank sixth among all active shortstops.  Cabrera has played in the postseason in four of the last five seasons.  He will wear uniform number 18.

In exchange for Cabrera, the Twins traded infielder Tyler Ladendorf to the Athletics.  Ladendorf, 21, was the Twins second round pick in the 2008 First-Year Player Draft out of Howard Community College.  He began this season with Rookie Level Elizabethton (Appalachian League), batting .410 (25-for-61) with seven doubles, four home runs and 17 rbi in 17 games.  He was promoted to Single-A Beloit (Midwest League) on July 11 and batted .233 (14-for-60) with two doubles and four rbi in 15 games.