The Twins have signed outfielder Denard Span to a five-year, $16.5 million contract. It includes a $9 million team option for 2015. "We go through a pretty good checklist of criteria before we enter discussions with a player about a long-term contract and he has been very good for us for two years," Minnesota general manager Bill Smith said. "We thought the time was right. It's a big deal for him, it provides him with a lot of security. It provides us some certainty with our leadoff hitter and center fielder." Span became Minnesota's everyday outfielder when they traded Carlos Gomez this summer.