Twins trade Gomez to Brewers for Hardy
Posted on November 6th, 2009 – 12:17 PMBy Joe Christensen
Just a quick post here that the Twins have traded CF Carlos Gomez to the Brewers for SS J.J. Hardy. I’ve written a quick story for StarTribune.com that will be posted momentarily, and will have more here throughout the day.
Hardy and Twins GM Bill Smith will be available in a conference call at noon. More later.
Update: Smith did not rule out pursuing a second baseman or third baseman this offseason but noted that Manager Ron Gardenhire likely will keep Nick Punto in the lineup somewhere.
Smith said the Twins definitely will tender a contract to left fielder Delmon Young.
“Absolutely, he’s going to be tendered a contract,” Smith said. “Delmon had a good year last year, he grew up a lot, I know some of the numbers aren’t where anyone — especially Delmon Young — wants them. He grew up a lot, he matured a lot, I think he became a good teammate.
“I know Ron Gardenhire’s very high on him. Joe Vavra — I had a talk with him the other day, and I think people are optimistic Delmon has a chance to blossom, hopefully in 2010 and realize some of the great skills he has.”
Asked how it affected Hardy’s trade value, knowing he’s not eligible for free agency until after 2011, Smith said, “To give up Carlos Gomez, where we’re going to give up four years of control, it’s important to get somebody we’re going to have for more than a year. So it’s a positive for us to have J.J. Hardy and the ability to keep him for a couple years. And let’s see what happens, we may keep him a lot longer than that.”
A few quotes from Hardy:
“I feel like it’s actually going to work out good for both teams, both organizations. Obviously the Twins had two center fielders, the Brewers had two shortstops, and they both needed the opposite.
“For me, I’m excited about the trade. I definitely knew I was going to get traded from the day they did send me down [to Triple-A Nashville in August]. I felt like that was their plan, I didn’t know who [he’d get traded] to, but once I got the call this morning I was pretty excited about it.
“Yeah, I think the change of scenery will be good for me.”
What happened last season?
“I don’t want to think about anymore. It’s over, I was happy when it ended. It was just kind of a nightmare year for me. Even when I was up there, I wasn’t at a level I wanted to perform at, and then when I got sent down, it just made things worse.
“I got off to a really slow start. I feel like there’s been several years now that I’ve gotten off to a slow start and be able to bounce out of it. This year was different for me, I just feel like I never could really get comfortable, and it just kind of snowballed from the first month that was not good.”
What gives him confidence looking ahead to 2010?
“I don’t think the change in the teams is going to be that big of a deal, I don’t think the change in leagues is going to be that big of a deal for me. I told myself come probably May, when I was still struggling and when I got sent down in August, that all that I needed was for the season to end and I’ll be normal again. Every year, I go about the same thing in the offseason, I come to spring training and I feel ready to go, and I feel that’s what’s going to happen next year.”
We’ll have much more on the trade for tonight’s first editions.
238 Responses to "Twins trade Gomez to Brewers for Hardy"
Huuuge - would rather have seen Delmon instead of Gomez because I like Span better as a LF than as a CF, but this is a good move without giving up any pitching.
Wow, I am a huge Gomez fan, but this is cool!
This is so great, I’m speechless. BS is no TR, that’s for sure.
first!
This is an interesting move. I loved the spark Gomez gave the rest of the team.
HOLY CRAP; potentially huge.
I think this was a nice call! Good Job BS!
Yep, Gomez was an absolute offensive catalyst for this team, especially with his high OBP and base stealing, but yet…
He wasn’t.
This will help with Mauer’s extension.
I guess all the “experts” around here who were saying the Brewers would demands quality pitching for Hardy were a bit off!
Good deal to get JJ. Sad to see Go-Go, go but this makes sense for both teams.
Only down side is that this probably means the Twins will be running out Delmon to left field everyday for at least another season.
GO-Go Twins!
First? WHOA, SWEET.
Go-Go for Hardy is a no-brainer.
The Twins are positioned to win (the AL Central) now, and Go-Go is still several years away. I will miss his D, but there won’t be that much of a drop-off with Span in center.
I will not miss Go-Go’s flailing away at sliders low-and-away, in the dirt.
Looks like D-Young has found a home in left at Target Field. Time to work on his glove…
Joe, you should ask Bill Smith what he thinks of the Santana trade now.
Delmon was coming around folks…he is do for an explosive year imo. We are going to have some real thunder in that lineup. WOW.
“I will miss his D, but there won’t be that much of a drop-off with Span in center.”
The big drop-off is not Span vs. Gomez in center, but Span vs. Young in left.
But Hardy is, by almost all metrics, a fantastic defensive shortstop, so I’m all for this deal.
So we can assume that O-cab won’t be a Twin, yeah? Or could he play 2nd?
I was a fan of Gomez, he was fun to watch, but this is a real good trade for the Twins.
What does this mean for Cabrera? Can’t Hardy play 3rd?
Well that trade solves two issues in one: crowded OF no more, and SS position no longer in question. Now lets get a 2B and a 3B, and let’s open Target Field the way the Yanks opened their new park- world series.
Hey look at that-I mentioned a few weeks ago that the Brewers probably weren’t keeping Mike Cameron and they may want Gomez.
Sweet!
The Santana trade has basically become Johan for JJ Hardy, Rauch and Deolis Guerra. Humber is now a FA.
If we can say we traded Santana for Hardy, Rauch, and Guerra, I like that more than the original foursome we got
I think this means OC ain’t coming back.
Benny,
I’d tend to agree. Darn. I like OC. This will help budget-wise.
Hardy
Punto
Cabrera
Crede
Casilla
Harris
Tolbert
Plouffe
Tolleson
Pick four or five.
The rest gotta go.
Smart trade. One potential all-star for another and both teams address immediate needs.
And, I like that they didn’t mess around until march trying to sign a guy on his way out.
This was a very good move. Nice job, Bill Smith. Now the only question remaining is who will play second and third base…
Oh yeah, and sign Mauer please!
If you’re going to convert someone to third from the Hardy / Cabrera mix, it would be O-Cab. I can’t see the Twins keeping OC around since his D was hardly what you would call ‘good’.
I don’t think that OC’s moxie is reason enough to try to make him a 3B. More likely Cuddyer at 3rd and Young to RF which is his natural position, if we’re going to convert an existing roster member to 3B.
You don’t pick up an above-average defensive shortstop to move him to 3rd, and keep a below-average one there.
If the Twins bring back Crede they’ll have one hell of a defensive infield.
I have a feeling Valencia will play 3B next year, and Punto will reside at 2B, with Harris and Tolbert in utility roles. It’s just a hunch, and just an opinion.
Here’s some quick analysis of the deal over at FireGardy.com:
http://firegardy.com/2009/11/06/making-a-deal-twins-trade-gomez-for-hardy/
I like the deal.
Gomez is going to blow up with regular playing time in Milwaukee.
Todd Anthony- My thoughts exactly. I think its time to bring up Valencia.
Good signing. Twins hold Hardy’s rights through 2011.
If the pitchin comes through, and no one gets hurt real bad, we’re right there with the big guys.
Span
Hardy
Mauer
Morneau
Cuddy
Kubel
Delmon
Crede
Punto
Wow. I am speechless. Stunned. Besides extending Mauer’s contract, now I think they should resign Crede - he wants to stay, he’ll be cheaper now than if he played more in ‘09, when healthy we won’t find a better defensive 3B and moving to grass, hopefully his back won’t bother him as much. And did I mention he should be cheap?
i liked gomez’ athleticism and enthusiasm, but this move is a great one for the twins. solves the outfield problem, and brings in a proven everyday shortstop who can bat in the 2 hole or towards the bottom…good move
First we have the inevitable batting lineups and wish lists that emanate from various posters, which is, while something lofty and arbitrary, fine. But the discussions about moving OC to 3B? REALLY? Did you see his arm? It’s a wet noodle.
Holy crap we are going to have a powerful lineup next year. I am so excited!
“he wants to stay, he’ll be cheaper now than if he played more in ‘09, when healthy we won’t find a better defensive 3B and moving to grass, hopefully his back won’t bother him as much”
I agree Kay, but the key word is healthy…when was the last time Joe Crede played anything close to a full season? 2005? 2006? How many back surgeries has he had now? three? That alone makes me skeptical.
WITH THAT SAID, why NOT bring him back? You could probably get him on the cheap, he could serve as a stop gap until Valencia was “ready.”
i agree, bring back crede for cheap..sign polanco for 2 years..infield and outfield would be set
Package Liriano and Perkins plus insert minor leaguer to the Marlins for Dan Uggla. I can live with Punto at 3rd with Hardy Uggla and Morneau in the infield
Crede wasn’t healthy when he played on grass for Chicago
I can’t see a better option knocking on the door for the Twins than Crede. It seems like a bit of a gamble, but the guy is a class act.
I agree totally on Crede, why not give him another incentive-laden deal?
The Polonco Idea is a top-flight one.
Maybe Buscher could be the answer at 3rd?
Oh, wait, never mind…
Especially since Polanco has become a Twins killer 
Crede-for the right money do it!
Are you kidding me here fellas?
First off, Bill Smith should be BLASTED for trading what was at the time, the KEY component of the Johan trade. Now, a mere 2 seasons later you cut bait for a crappy hitting SS?
And why are we even in the market for a SS….oh, yeah, he traded BARTLETT and Garza.
This is this most inept GM in the league right now. Un-freakin-believable.
I completely disagree on bringing Crede back. How many games did he play last season? 50? What good is cheap if it’s sitting on the bench or the DL? I do not want a player that makes the decision to play or not to play every day based upon if he can “loosen” up. Plus, do you really think Crede’s back is going to be loose in the weather of April, May, September, and October?
I like this trade. Now, hopefully, we will address 2B and/or 3B through free agency.
Is Hardy a 2 hitter? I’m not that familiar with him, other than the power potential. Can he run? OBP good enough?
“the KEY component of the Johan trade”
The “KEY component of the Johan trade” was NOT Gomez. It was $126 million (saved from Johan’s contract demands) that will make the re-signing of Mauer and Morneau possible.
So, what you’re saying is, instead of addressing a need right now, the Twins should live in the past and whine and complain about what was already done? Is that about right HDVGJ?
How about giving an opinion as to what should be done from today forward?
Great, Souhan likes this trade.
It has now become suspect.
OK. Gomez was fun to have around, and I think he has a chance to be very good, but I don’t think he was going to be very good here. Good luck Carlos, and welcome JJ!
Actually, after perusing the list of posts so far, these are total newbies to the blog. Of course they’d be total lemmings for this trade.
I got news for ya folks, JJ Hardy aint hittin 25 HRs for us next season.
He will cost us around 6M too?! What the F? For a team that likes to count pennies, we sure threw a ton down a wishing well for nothing…
How Did Vavra Get a Job,
How could a doofus like you get ANY job?
OMG. I have to soak on this a minute.
Total newbies to the blog? Really? Hmmm, I don’t know about everyone else (it’s not my turn to keep track of how many posts by which posters), but I’ve been posting here intermittently for three-four years now.
With that said, JJ Hardy is PROBABLY not going to hit 25 HR’s next year, but he’s 10 years younger than OC (whom I did like by the way); what was Gomez going to do next year? Sit in AAA all season? I would contend that other OF’ers in the minors (see: Revere and Hicks have higher upsides than Gomez); personally, I think Gomez was expendible. After all, when making the Santana trade, we needed a CF’er at the time (Span had not yet “arrived”).
Really Sane?
That is not what the public was told at the time of the trade. And the last time I checked, Mauer aint signed yet so save that point until we lock up Joe for 5 more years.
Macleod:
Where in my comment blasting Smiths previous trading ineptitude did I say we need to live in the past? I didnt.
I pointed out that because of 2 HORRIBLE trades prior, he is still making trades TODAY to try and cover them up/get value for. And that aint a good way to run a team man.
FIRE BILL SMITH!
I think this is an excellent trade. I’m glad Bill Smith is “getting after it” early. I would love Polanco at 2B batting second. And, get us legitmate number one starter BS. Then, let’s head outdoors in April and play some baseball. One more thing, this is a great distraction form the Evil Empire and their World Series. Certainly the best team money can buy…please note sarcasm.
Ask Terry Ryan and Bill Smith…they’re the ones who hired me?! LOL
BennyW: “You don’t pick up an above-average defensive shortstop to move him to 3rd, and keep a below-average one there.”
…unless you’re the Yankees?
I guess some people already know the parameters of Target Field, and how many HR’s players will hit there. Thanks for the info.
Hardy is a good defensive SS. He will not get you any stolen bases. He will hit mostly doubles and HR’s. His career stats show he is a .262 hitter, with about twice as many strikeouts as base on balls each season. He’ll whiff around 100 times a season.
Nice move, gives me a little concern about the outfield defense next year, but definately a good move IMO.
I would like to see the team try to get Polanco for the #2 spot in the lineup also, and move Punto back to where he is one of the best in the game as a utility player. Of course with the pay raise he got last year that may not be realistic, but hey Gardie says that every team in the league would want Punto.
“Total newbies to the blog? Really? Hmmm, I don’t know about everyone else (it’s not my turn to keep track of how many posts by which posters), but I’ve been posting here intermittently for three-four years now.”
Same here.
sane-right on about the $126 million.
I just dont get it here folks. Am I missing something?
You are cheering the trade of an OF, who granted did have issues, with tons of potential for a SS that hit so poorly after being a starter for 2 seasons that he got demoted to AAA, AND will cost nearly 6 million???
Wtf?
In an off year, this ‘light hitting’ shortstop hit nearly half as many doubles and one fewer homer as Gomez has in his entire career.
Hardy will hit 2nd - - in ‘08 he hit .294 from the 2 hole with an .821 OPS in 468 AB’s. In 07 (His all star year) he it .274 with an .771 OPS in 468 AB’s Last year was an aberation.
HDVGAJ,
“That is not what the public was told at the time of the trade. And the last time I checked, Mauer aint signed yet so save that point until we lock up Joe for 5 more years.”
You expected the Twins to announce that the reason Santana was traded, was to save $126 million?
So much for your grasp of Public Relations.
If Santana had been signed for $126 million, there would be absolutely ZERO CHANCE that the Twins could re-sign Mauer.
That is ZERO CHANCE.
“Total newbies to the blog?”
You are talking with pride that you are Strib posting Vet?
I got news for ya pal, this site has the some of the worst comments of any twins blog - me included
What to do with Brendan Harris? Convert to OF? Trade? Punto, Buscher & Tolbert seem more adept as utility guys. (Insert “tool” references)
Will BS pursue re-signing Pavano?
Dood.
I bet he did, having almost 2075 AB’s to Gomez’s 1017?
Got anymore completely apples to oranges comparisons?
“sane-right on about the $126 million.” Exactly right, and Santana didn’t want to be here anymore. If Hardy returns to All Star caliber play, the outcome of the Santana trade is looking pretty good. And, what if Deolis Guerra meets expectations in the future….
I would love to see Polanco at 2nd too. But I think the organization remains enamored of Punto.
Somebody’s attitude button is stuck on “bad”. We’ll collectively put a call in for an adjustment.
No, I mean in his Off year he hit 16 2b and 11 HR vs Carlos’ totals. The fact that you looked up career numbers and are still spouting, shows your true intentions.
BULL-flipin-SH*T Santana wanted to leave.
He stated on the record, that had the Twins offered him a contract that offseason before 07 he wouldve most likely signed it.
He, like Torii, and probably Joe, want to be on a team that competes with the ‘big boys’ in terms of salary. It isnt all about $ for them, they have enough already.
What they dont have is the ring, and they wont get a ring by being the 1 guy on this team that makes all the $ while surrounded by a team of has beens and never weres.
I’m not as ‘jump up and down’ excited as others here are over the trade. That said, it looks to me like the Twins and Brewers exchanged a couple of guys who have some ‘question marks’ about whether they will ever reach the top end of their ‘potential’.
Both teams were dealing from a position where they had excess to fill a position where they were losing an older FA.
Whether it actually works out well for either team is certainly no sure thing, but it seems like an equitable deal for both teams and I am encouraged to see Smith moving on filling needs early in the off season, rather than waiting around.
“True intentions”??
Please, since you apparently know them, what are they exactly?
You mean pointing out you are comparing an alledged power hitter to doubles/triples hitter in Gomez?
Mine as well say that David Ortiz hit more HR’s than Nicky Punto. Get it? Moron.
Upnorth, you missed the memo, Buscher-out.
“doubles/triples hitter in Gomez”
Badly flawed description.
There is no way anyone not named Punto is the starting 2nd baseman next year. Stop dreaming.
Kudos to Bill Smith for getting this deal done quickly. Milwaukee could have sat back and waited for the best offer, considering the other teams in need of a SS, like Boston, Toronto, Baltimore, and Seattle.
Wouldn’t be opposed to bringing back Crede, but only at around $1M+incentives. Otherwise, the Rockies may non-tender Garrett Atkins. If so, I hope the Twins would be the first team to call his agent.
And as far as getting Polanco, I’m pretty sure the Twins are set with Punto at 2B, seeing as how he makes $4M. We can only hope that he continues his career pattern: Avg in odd years .225 and avg in even years .283.
Gomez will sign for around 475-550k this season with Milwaukee. Meanwhile Hardy will most likely cost the Twins 5.5M MORE than that.
How again is that a smart trade, when we are supposedly supposed to be freeing up $ for baby jesus?
Once again, Bill Smith = EPIC FAIL.
now trade liriano and casilla to the marlins for dan uggla and move him to 3b and gardy can be happy with nicky playing everyday at 2b. that could be a very good lineup.
Your true intentions are obviously to rile people up by making provocative comments. Your comments have no inkling of actual discourse and can easily be seen as trolling.
“He stated on the record, that had the Twins offered him a contract that offseason before 07 he wouldve most likely signed it.”
Agreed, however my statement reflected accurately where Santana stould at the time of the trade and in the time immediately leading up to it. If you want to be angry with Terry Ryan for not signing him sooner, so be it. I don’t care to relive the past, but a little critical thinking and perspective will give you a clearer view of the present.
“There is no way anyone not named Punto is the starting 2nd baseman next year. Stop dreaming.”
If it’s Gardy’s call, agreed.
If B.S. trades Punto and signs Polanco, (or does something similar) it may not be in Gardy’s hands.
I can live with Punto at 2nd as long as they bring in a good 3rd baseman.
The Dan Uggla idea has some potential. It makes me wonder what the cause of his defensive struggles at 2nd have been.
“Your true intentions are obviously to rile people up by making provocative comments. Your comments have no inkling of actual discourse and can easily be seen as trolling.”
Couldn’t have said it better myself. Is this Go-Go’s brother posting on here?
LOL, ah yes dood. A dissenting opinion to that of the majority = trolling. Okaaayyy…..
Heaven for bid someone actually thinks about the nuts and bolts behind this trade and try and challenge the popular opinion in here.
I apologize, I’ll get back in the kitchen and start making another batch of twins kool-aid for ya, k?
Fruity Punch? K…..
“Your true intentions are obviously to rile people up by making provocative comments. Your comments have no inkling of actual discourse and can easily be seen as trolling.”
Well stated Dood. I choose to no longer engage the ranting name callers..
Dan Uggla..,cough, cough, STEROIDS, cough cough.
$5.5 million is not comparable to $126 million.
The Hardy trade has little effect on a Mauer deal.
Failure to make the Santana trade (and the resulting $126 million saving) would have been a show-stopper for a Mauer deal.
Wow, I too love just having action this early in the postseason, not to mention it’s actually be a move that appears to improve the team. Hopefully this is a win-win for both teams, as I’d obviously love for Hardy have a bounce back year. But I also like Gomez, so hopefully the change of scenery makes him a better hitter. (Not hoping for the type of improvement Jason Bartlett had though!)
I’ll admit I was a little disapointed to see Gomez leave (and more disapointed to see Young playing LF all year now), but I like the move. Hardy had an off year last year, but his defense is above average (Read better than OCab) and his bat is better than what we ran out to SS for the majority of last year. This is a net gain. To whine about the money side of things is funny. Typically you hear fans saying the Twins don’t spend enough, and now when they do, it is too much. Hardy is a good player who we will have rights to until 2001. Good move.
You want a troll…? Ok….
Dood, D-luxxx, and webellik: yall are complete and total jagoffs with ZERO baseball knowledge. Yall are probably all fat, couldnt make your 8th grade team, and take out your chip on your shoulder to anyone who doesnt agree with you on a BLOG.
Its a blog fellas, not real life. Lighten the f up, dipsh*ts.
Dang it, I have a Gomez t-shirt but maybe I can use some masking tape and put Hardy on it instead. I’m liking the trade and would very much like to see Polanco in a Twins uniform - he absolutely kills us every time we play against them.
HDVGJ,
You need an attitude adjustment buddy! I’m excited about some activity on the baseball front and hope BS continues to try to improve our team, along with signing Joe to a bizzilion year contract.
sane, how ya been out there on the left coast? You can’t beat the good clean fun on the blog can you?
Great move. Those of you whining about Hardy need to look at his ‘07 and ‘08 stats - he produced well two years in a row so that’s reason to think last year was the fluke. Gomez has *never* shown any reason to believe he will get much better offensively. And I’ll take a defensive upgrade at SS (from a guy who will be able to hold down the position) over a late-inning defensive sub in the OF anyday. (We can let Pridie take on that role)
FYI - speculation is that part of the motivation for sending Hardy down last year was to prevent him from being a free agent after the ‘10 season. Regardless of whether that’s true or not, its now to the Twins’ benefit.
As for me - I can live with Punto at 2B with the (quickly fading) hopes that Casilla can finally put it together and move Punto to a utility role where he belongs. And I agree that this means Cabrera is gone. I don’t like the idea of relying on Crede at 3rd, though. Has anyone heard speculation as to how much it would cost to bring in either Beltre or Figgins. (After this deal, I think Figgins is the better fit - let him bat leadoff with his .400 OBP with Span at #2 - then let the M&M boys bat them in!)
“jagoffs with ZERO baseball knowledge…. Lighten the f up, dipsh*ts.”
Lighten up and resort to obscene name-calling when you can’t make a coherent argument?
That’s your ticket out of the slime, “Fill-in-obscene-name-here”.
Vavra,
So you figure Gomez is going to take a paycut? This is Gomez’s first Arbitration year, he is expected to make $2M+ this year.
Hardy made $4.6M last year will probably make less than $6M this year.
O Cab. is looking to make $8M this year. So by trading for Hardy we are saving $2M and getting someone who is 6 years younger.
I have no problem with the idea that a person might not see bringing in a player or another as a good move.
What revealed your trolling motives were you chose not to address my point that Hardy has extra base potential greatly in excess of Gomez’s. I made a statement that Hardy, in an off year produced 11 HR and 16 2B vs Carlos’ career totals of 12 and 42.
You went out and found out Hardy’s career total of AB but didn’t bother to follow along the line to see his other career numbers where in approximately 2x as many AB: Hardy has 2.47 times as many doubles and 6.75 home runs. (Oh, and only 4 fewer triples)
To me that suggests that Hardy’s offensive upside for 2010 and 2011 is still better than what can reasonably be expected from Go-Go.
The fact that you chose to ignore than and go straight to name calling, that’s why I thought your motives were clear.
Twins need a solid stick in the two hole a Polonco, Figgins type..
If they sign and 2nd Baseman or 3rd baseman it needs to be someone to fill the two hole..
Can Cabrera play 3rd? His numbers were real comparable to Polancos
One of the best parts of this deal is that the Twins didn’t give up any pitching prospects so they still can make a some more trades if need be.
Sane, did you read Joe C’s lasa.t post on twittter. Bill Smith wont F with Gardy’s love affair with Punto. He will be in the lineup.
werbellik,
“how ya been out there on the left coast?”
The sun is shining and I only have one football game remaining.
Then it’s the holidays and winter baseball.
Livin’ large and lovin’ life.
Who would want any of the Twins “pitching prospects”? I think those days are behind us - the minor league cupboard looks pretty bare in the upper levels.
I missed all this pertinent discussion since the Twins season ended.
Beltre would be a nice addition, but at what cost? We still need to sign Joe to an extension before the offseason is over. I see our main focus being on finding a top of the rotation starter, and possibly someone to help spell Valencia (or be a stop-gap if he stinks the place up). Punto is probably here for another season. As another poster stated, it would be nice to see him continue his odd year/even year trend in hitting.
“you read Joe C’s lasa.t post on twittter. Bill Smith wont F with Gardy’s love affair with Punto. He will be in the lineup.”
Didn’t read it, but Gardy benched Punto for Cabrera-Casilla temporarily last year.
But Casilla @#$%-ed in his own Birthday cake, and Punto got the 2B job back.
The problem is, Hardy will never return to his old form. Why would an all star pass waivers last year if anyone expected anything from him. I’m excited to see an aggressive start to the off-season, unlike every other year, but we just got the same thing we always go for, a has been.
The real question now: what number will JJ wear?
I am increasingly intrigued by the idea of converting Uggla to 3B. Does he not have enough arm? I guess he really doesn’t make that many errors at 2nd. It seems his inadequacy is down to bad range. If his arm is good, we could have some serious thunder at the corners. I wonder what we would have to add with Frankie to get him.
I was hoping to shed off some mediocre starting pitching to get JJ Hardy…Thrylos98 is probably got a hard on after this deal, which pretty much seals up Delmon as a every day player.
If we trade for Uggla Punto NEEDS to be in there. I dont think the FO would add another 8 mil without being able to unload Punto’s 4 mil.
And if we threw in a few prospects Florida would be willing to effectively loose half of Uggla’s salary for a few prospects. Punto would be off the books after next year anyways.
Uggla’s already getting that much? Wow.
wow that last sentence made no sense, what I meant was:
*I think* Florida would be open to effectively halving their salary obligations (from Uggla’s 8 to Punto’s 4 mil) if we gave them a decent prospect.
Wilson Ramos? He is a huge asset in our trade pile if we sign Mauer.
MN Cat - that’s why I have nobody’s name on my Twins’ jersey. Here one day, gone the next.
Hardy: “This year was different for me, I just feel like I never could really get comfortable…”
So, we traded one head case for another?
EGG ON OUR FACES:
How come no one here anticipated THIS trade? Looks like we got Hardy on the cheap.
But……we now have an average outfield defense. Not gonna help pitchers’ ERA.
Dood: I think thats his expected salary after arbitration. He made 5.4 this last season.
well, this opens up the possibility of a Scott Podsednik signing that I mentioned ages ago - plug him right there in the 2-hole and fixes your outfield defense…
Arbitration should not yield him a raise this year. his numbers dropped off considerably and he even spent time in AAA. that definitely should be a negative on his case.
MSM:
Those #’s were for Dan Uggla
All that salary rigmarole is why I see taking another spin on the surgically repaired back wheel with Crede as a good option.
oh ok.
Uggla seems like a pipe dream, although taking him off their hands would hepl them to re-sign their stud pitcher…
Arbitration usually yields every player a raise every year, no matter what they did or didn’t do.
Cuddy, Hardy, Delmon and Uggla thats alot of swings and misses from the right side of the plate… Twins need a proven slap hitter in the two hole
Scott Podsednik?? I almost just threw up my lunch.
yes but how much? probably not more than 10% I’d hope.
POD:
JimCrikkett
BennyW: “You don’t pick up an above-average defensive shortstop to move him to 3rd, and keep a below-average one there.”
…unless you’re the Yankees?
off of espn…
News: Podsednik filed for free agency Thursday, the White Sox’ official site reports.
Spin: The Sox should offer him a deal before he hits the open market. Podsednik was at times the team’s most valuable hitter, hitting .304/.353/.412 in 587 plate-appearances and stealing 30 bases. If the Sox decide not bring him back, he could slide in as a fourth-outfielder elsewhere, or as a leadoff man for a budget-conscious squad.
I say he fits.
This trade is nothing but great. Hardy is a very good SS. His salary doesn’t really affect anything, because it pretty much replaces Lamb’s 2009 salary (for doing nothing). The one question this raises, which no one has addressed is who will be the Twins’ bench outfielder in 2010. Dustin Martin?
i wonder how much mark derosa will cost? he could be a nice fit, fill in anywhere needed and could play 3b until and if valencia pushes him out.
ES16
if we sign Podsednik, problem solved…
ggg
I liked Derosa, but the Cards may make a pretty tough offer to beat as they want him back.
I was hoping the Twins might try to deal with KC for Teahen. But alas, the Sox and KC seem to have a good relationship.
I would imagine that the Twins will go with a Reggie Willits type 4th OF.
How much for Pods? Dont see the Twins dropping to much $$$ for a 4th OF especially when Kubel can fill in out in LF or RF..
MSM do like the DeRosa call he can play a few positions
I can’t remember a trade the Twins have done I’ve been more excited about. Hardy is somewhat of a risk, but he has been a success both defensively and offensively before. A change of scenery where he is really wanted might be the ticket. Also, this does send a message to Mauer the team is trying to win and add the missing elements without giving up front line players.
AWESOME all around!
not sure wht the market is on him. he’s very good, but he’s not getting any younger and he only made 500k last year. and thre’s tons of OF’s on the market so not sure.
Kay - it’s just a t-shirt so no big deal but I do have a Kirby Puckett jersey that I wear for special occasions. I had it on the night of game #163 along with my homer hanky and it did the trick. Guess I should have worn it throughout the series with the Yankees.
I doubt the Twins would be able to woo Pods with an offer of ‘come sit on the bench and pinch run’. His arm is quite poor and his range hasn’t been great despite his speed. But as a 4th outfielder, we could do a lot worse.
According to MLB Rumors, Williams says Teahen will play 3B, with Beckham moving to 2B. If my memory serves me, Teahen looked horrible at 3B when the Twins played the Royals.
This seems like a fair trade to me they get a CF with potential that they needed and the Twins get a SS with potential they needed. Neither team is a winner or loser in this trade yet.
No, O-Cab won’t be back. Are you people just plain dumb or stupid!
Did you read the part where it said Gardy wants Punto in the line-up somewhere? 2nd base the natural fit.
Good trade, next one should be Wilson Ramos, Revere,Deolis Guerra,and Slama to Seattle for King Felix.
If my memory serves me, Teahen looked horrible at 3B when the Twins played the Royals.
Beckham wasn’t exactly stellar at third, either. How’s Beckham at turning the DP?
My first guess for Hardy’s jersey number: 11. Maybe 12.
Aaaaah, these comments remind me of the regular genius bloggers, some of who have posted here today, when the Twins aquired Gomez were saying he would immediately steal 60-70 bases and score 100 runs even if he only hit .230-.240, oh, and also hit around 20 HRs. 5 tools baby, ummhmm.
Good deal for both teams, I doubt either palyer makes a huge impact. Gomez is still lousy and JJ sounds like a head case who Gardy will probably bench for Punto midseason.
I don’t think Felix is going anywhere…
“who will be the Twins’ bench outfielder in 2010. Dustin Martin?”
It has to be someone who can play CF.
Cuddyer, Young, Kubel are corner OF’s only.
Jason Pridie?
Hope you all saw the previous blog re Neshek. He’s done with rehab in 3 weeks and he’s doing great.
With THAT news, the Twins today essentially just added two near-all-star caliber players.
, HDVGAJ.
The Sox will have a really good starting rotation next year. The Twins are in a great position to have a pretty good one too, along with a much better offense and a deeper pen. As it stands the biggest obstacle could be health.
“Jason Pridie?”
Not to be taken lightly.
I remember in 06 when the Twins lost their superb utility infielder (they moved Punto to starting 3B) and it came back to nip them in the ass a little during late-season crunchtime and in the post-season.
Wow.
Would have rather have seen Perkins swapped but I like getting Hardy in place and hope he regains his form from a couple years ago, offensively.
Just an aside……
Watching Pedro M. struggle some in NY on Wed, it reminded me of Blackburn for some reason. I came away thinking Blackburn isn’t worse than Pedro.
What will the Sux do with Dye?
“Would have rather have seen Perkins swapped but I like getting Hardy in place and hope he regains his form from a couple years ago, offensively.”
Don’t worry, Perkins will be gone. He’s burned way too many bridges.
would rocco baldelli be worth taking a flyer on? he can play cf and could be a good 4th of’r and rh dh?
if they resign crede they could take turns on the dl.
how did vavra get a job..
why are you a twins fan if they have a such a horrible front office/coaching staff.. every post you’ve had today is totally negative. and look at your posting name? its “fans” like you that drive every true twins fan insane
“Would have rather have seen Perkins swapped…”
I want him and the Twins to wipe the slate clean. He can be a very valuable pitcher.
“It has to be someone who can play CF.
Cuddyer, Young, Kubel are corner OF’s only.
Jason Pridie?”
Pridie’s more the type of player who can come in and play CF in the ninth inning, when your team is up or down by 10 runs and his spot in the batting order isn’t due up for another two innings.
I don’t see Perkins coming back as a Twin next year - agree with ES16 that he’s burned too many bridges. Also, I don’t see Brendon Harris back in a Twins uniform either - just don’t think there will be room for him and I don’t think he would be considered one of Gardy’s favorites.
“its “fans” like you that drive every true twins fan insane”
Nah. He’s just a pain in the ass.
No reason to go insane……just ignore.
the Minnesota Cat,
Yeah, Gardy can’t even remember his first name. He keeps calling him Brandon.
“What will the Sux do with Dye?”
Sox already bought out his option…so he’s a FA.
With Gomez gone and Casilla demoted, the Twins need to hire a coach who speaks fluent texting lingo.
“…agree with ES16 that he’s burned too many bridges.”
My point is, the Twins lit a bridge or two on fire too. The result was we had Manship pitching in a pennant race.
Thanks, airhole27.
Sux lineup doesn’t look that great. The League started to catch on to Beckham too.
The Twins IMO,don’t “need to free up money to sign the baby jesus”.The have the money.What they need to do is show Mauer they are serious about building a better team arond him.Hardy makes them a better team than they were at the end of the season in ‘09.And for all of Gomez’potential he hadn’t lived up to any of it.I would take my chances on Hardy rebounding to ‘07-’08 numbers before I would count on Go-Go “finding” it.
And while I like this move,it has to be the first of several.The Crede low cost option should be as a last resort.He will be available any time in March.If nothing else comes up,he could be a stop gap to give Valencia more AAA time.
The biggest Twins need remains a front line starting pitcher.And this might be the biggest factor in whether or not JM feels like enough is being done to warrant his signing a long term deal.How the front office might address this could be interesting.I would love to see them just throw money at this problem,but I can’t see that happening.BS might need to get creative,which could lead to a lot of nervous Twins fans.
Cuddyer, Young, Kubel are corner OF’s only.
And that’s being generous. They’re all pretty awful defensively, even in the corners.
“My point is, the Twins lit a bridge or two on fire too. The result was we had Manship pitching in a pennant race.”
Yeah, but he pissed off Gardy with his imaginary injuries after bad starts. Then he continued to claim he was hurt after a bunch of doctors told him nothing was wrong. Then he refused his rehab assignment. Then he filed a grievance. Then he didn’t even bother to show up for the end of the dome celebration. The Twins are going to wash their hands of him.
“Then he continued to claim he was hurt after a bunch of doctors told him nothing was wrong.”
Thousands have died after a bunch of doctors told them “nothing was wrong”.
The Pro From Dover,
Outside of possibly signing CP, I don’t think the Twins will be signing any starting pitchers. They will come into spring training with eight pitchers who had multiple starts this year (assuming Perkins is still with the team), along with Boof.
“Thousands have died after a bunch of doctors told them “nothing was wrong”
Yeah, but none of them died of tendonitis.
Span- CF
Figgins - 3B
Mauer - C
Mourneau - 1B
Cuddyer - RF
Kubel - DH
Young - LF
Hardy - SS
Punto - 2B
Landing Figgins probably won’t happen due to the $$ it’s going to take to sign Mauer and hopefully a starting SP (Harden, Sheets, Pavano, Bedard, duscherer), but that lineup would be impressive!
Morneau thought “nothing was wrong” and it could’ve ruined his career.
ES16
I don’t disagree with you,but I think that would be a mistake on the Twins part.If the Twins want to get past the first round of the playoffs, IMO they need an Ace to match up with the big boys.
Maybe Mauer believes enough in his current starting rotation to think the Twins have a real shot at advancing past the first round.What I’m saying is,getting a real Ace might leave no doubt in his mind.
And yes the Twins had eight pitchers who had multiple starts.Big deal.Beyond Baker,Slowey and Blackburn there is nothing but question marks right?And Slowey is coming off an injury.Too many question marks for the FO not to be thinking about an up grade.Again just my opinion.
Perkins sucks. Hardy for Gomez a no-brainer. Why don’t you all argue about something that actually has an angle to argue about?
“Thousands have died after a bunch of doctors told them “nothing was wrong”
“Yeah, but none of them died of tendonitis.”
When I am hurting, and doctors tell me “nothing is wrong”, I reserve the right to tell those doctors that they are full of sh*t.
I’d be a little concerned with Figgins postseason numbers, since that would be why we brought him in. He’s been a great regular season producer. But his salary demands are going to high for a guy who’s been pretty bad in the post season.
sane just don’t go to dr don when you have a toothache.
And just because you say you’re hurting doesn’t really mean you are. I think people are trying to lightly say they don’t think Perk was hurt, and that he was blaming his owies for his bad outings.
I think it would be a bad plan to cut and run with Perkins. Lirano, too. If we can get something for them, do it. Both are too talented just to toss aside.
I thought Dr.Don was a witch doctor or is he a proctologist?
ggg,
“sane just don’t go to dr don when you have a toothache.”
Anyone who goes to a Proctologist for a toothache, is revealing the actual location of his head.
ggg
considering he’s a former gynecologist, I think that’s sound advice…
sane - give me a few years and you can come see me
Hardy seems excited to come here, as he should be. the team really needs someone in the 2-hole though. I think he turned his season around last year when they put him lower down the order ie 7th/8th, so I think we should start him there and try and find that #2 hitter.
my point sane!
Anyone know the status of Brandon Webb? Are the D-backs picking up the option? How big of an issue is shoulder bursitis?
“my point sane!”
Once again, I have overlooked the obvious.
“How big of an issue is shoulder bursitis?”
It depends on what the doctors tell you or what the fans think.
POD for BC of ND right there…
“How big of an issue is shoulder bursitis?”
It depends on the size of the burro’s shoulder.
Figgins ain’t happening. Beltre ain’t happening. If the Rockies non-tender Garrett Atkins and he becomes a FA, call up Ziggy to borrow his plane. Another option, talk to the Padres about Kevin Kouzmanoff. Not spectacular numbers (.255/18HR/88RBI, but .287/9/52 away from Petco), but he did just set the MLB record for fielding percentage by a 3B. Give ‘em Valencia and Perkins.
“Anyone know the status of Brandon Webb?”
D-Backs just picked up his option for $8.5M.
sane and BC of ND crack me up - good posts. Another note about Harris not being with the Twins next year - Gardy couldn’t get his name right so he resorted to calling him Harry - pretty lame.
I would think the DBacks picked up his option with the intent of trading him. 8.5 for a cy-candidate is a good price.
“Once again, I have overlooked the obvious.”
actually i thought you nailed it!
fly ball pitching staff, Y, S, C in the OF, not a good combination. They didn’t need offense, they need D. Now, their SS D is likely much better, but this is a fly ball pitching staff right now. Lots of bloops and gappers will be hits that would have been caught with S, G, C in the OF. I like getting Hardy, I don’t like the complete ignoring of the OF D with a fly ball pitching staff.
Blackburn is not a groundball pitcher. Blyleven just says that. He induces 44.5% ground balls. The rest are hit in the air. He’s primarily a fly ball pitcher.
http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=4270&position=P#advanced
Blackburn is not a groundball pitcher. Blyleven just says that. He induces 44.5% ground balls. The rest are hit in the air. He’s primarily a fly ball pitcher.
Blackburn is not a flyball pitcher.
44.5% ground ball rate
Whoops!!!
sane,
“Thousands have died after a bunch of doctors told them “nothing was wrong”.
I luv it. Always a burst of sanity from you.
From yahoo sports:
“The Milwaukee Brewers finally gave J.J. Hardy(notes) the change of scenery he had been expecting and reunited the unhappy shortstop with an old friend in the process.
Hardy winds up with the Twins’ All-Star catcher, Joe Mauer(notes), a teammate on the U.S. national teams in 2000 and 2003. The two still chat regularly when they see each other, and Hardy said the move could help him move on from a forgettable season.”
Here’s to hoping this means Mauer will be happier to staY!!!
my guess on Mauer is that the Twins will offer enough to have him stay, but not enough to outspend what he would get from the Yankees or Red Sox.
I don’t understand the concern over OF defense - Gomez was playing defense from the bench for most of the season.
I look at it like this. We lose outfield d next year. This is bad for our team because we only have fly ball pitchers. However, our infield defense will be greatly improved. Hardy and Punto will be one of the best middle infield combos in the majors next year. This is good. Also our offense will be better next year because Young and Hardy are much better hitters than Cabrera and Gomez. This is good too. So basically this trade is one negative and two positives. Looks like a win for the Twins to me. I just hope JJ bounces back a little at the plate.
Blackburn is primarily a groundball pitcher. in addition, the rest arent ALWAYS flyball pitchers, they do get groundballs once in awihle..
First off I dont know why everyone is freaking out about our outfield defense just because we traded Gomez. Denard Span is ridiculous in the field and has earned the nickname Mr. Web Gem in my opinion; our outfield will be just fine. Second, Hardy was a great addition and who cares how much money he is making because the Twins told us that they will be able to add about 20 million in payroll when they moved into the new stadium. Everyone was mad last year when we didnt add payroll, well now we are and people are mad about it? Come on man. If Hardy can put up the numbers he did in 07 and 08 he will be a bargain at around 6 mil especially when you consider that Punto is making 4 mil. There is no chance that Hardy is going to be in the two hole either. Anyone who thinks that is crazy. Hardy’s strikeout to walk ratio is 2 to 1 and he strikes out around 100 times a year. An ideal spot for him would be in the 7 hole behind cuddy. From what it sounds like so far, Punto will be our everday second baseman. Next year will be an even year and that is when he seems to hit around .290 or so; if he can do that he will be second in the lineup behind span.
1.Span
2.Punto
3.Mauer
4.Morneau
5.Cuddyer
6.Kubel
7.Hardy
8.Young
9.Valenia/Crede/?
This to me would be the best lineup and has the potential to be real dangerous.
First off I dont know why everyone is freaking out about our outfield defense just because we traded Gomez. Denard Span is ridiculous in the field and has earned the nickname Mr. Web Gem in my opinion; our outfield will be just fine. Second, Hardy was a great addition and who cares how much money he is making because the Twins told us that they will be able to add about 20 million in payroll when they moved into the new stadium. Everyone was mad last year when we didnt add payroll, well now we are and people are mad about it? Come on man. If Hardy can put up the numbers he did in 07 and 08 he will be a bargain at around 6 mil especially when you consider that Punto is making 4 mil. There is no chance that Hardy is going to be in the two hole either. Anyone who thinks that is crazy. Hardy’s strikeout to walk ratio is 2 to 1 and he strikes out around 100 times a year. An ideal spot for him would be in the 7 hole behind cuddy. From what it sounds like so far, Punto will be our everday second baseman. Next year will be an even year and that is when he seems to hit around .290 or so; if he can do that he will be second in the lineup behind span.
1.Span
2.Punto
3.Mauer
4.Morneau
5.Cuddyer
6.Kubel
7.Hardy
8.Young
9.Valencia/Crede/?
This to me would be the best lineup and has the potential to be real dangerous.
Bottom line - when the Twins made their run last year with the pressure on, Gomez was benched in favor of *Kubel* in the OF so we could get *Morales’* bat in the lineup. He wasn’t just our 4th OF, he was our 5th. Maybe that would have changed next year, but all of that defensive ability doesn’t make a difference if he can’t crack the lineup anyway.
Jake - I think you are right, but if we get a 3B to plug in the #2 hole and move Punto to #9, this lineup is potentially getting in Yankee/Red Sox territory.
I’m going to keep dreaming for Figgins.
Figgins would be nice. But come on. That guy is gonna get paid. My guess is he plays for the Cubs.
es16: you miss the point. Yes, all of the twins starters have pitching experience now. So what! If you watched Baker pitch, you know he is not a number 1, top of the rotation guy. How many times did he get 2 strikes on the hitter and not put him away? Why? He doesn’t have an out pitch and/or the mentality it takes to make a quality pitch when needed. He gave up too many home home runs in crucial situations, and the Twins couldn’t get a big start out of him in Detroit on the last weekend of the season, when it counted. At least Blackburn can be counted on to pitch well in a big game. He’s as close as they have to an ace. And stop talking about Bonser and Neshek. If they come back and contribute, great. But don’t go into a season counting on those guys. That’s asking for disappointment. And finally, there’s no coincidence to the fact that the Twins 2 WS championships came when they had 2 stud starters that anchored each rotation. Viola and Morris are the reason the Twins won those championships. If you think Baker, Blackburn (I really like Blackburn, but he’s not quite there), Pavano, Slowey, Duensing, etc.. are going to take the Twins deep into the playoffs, you’re wrong.
I am one of the few who is content having Punto as our everyday 2B, but you can’t bat him second. All those extra at-bats over the course of a season would not be the best recipe for success. Hardy might be the best #2 hitter, only by default.
a definite no on Figgins most likely…but DeRosa isn’t out of the question. or maybe Felipe Lopez. if Polanco isn’t offered Arb, he’s a solid choice too.
Trading a 4th OF for a starting SS? Sounds like a good first step.Let’s make another positive improvement or three, Mr. Smith. By the way, we don’t need to TRY to bat JJ 2nd, Mauer can do a FINE job batting 2nd. Good first move!
medschoolmatt: “a definite no on Figgins most likely”
all I can say is, boy are you going in to the right business, matt. I’ve never gotten a straight answer from a Dr in my life. every “definite” is always qualified with a “most likely”!
On other issues… Phillies are cutting Bretty Myers loose. Wonder if that might be a reclamation project with some potential upside.
Oops. Bretty=Brett… although… no, that would be a cheap shot.
That was fast. Makes me wonder how long this deal was in place…and if Hardy’s demotion was part of the deal.
Regardless, great pickup. Hardy is a 4WAR player. Gomez has upside, but Span is a fantastic CF, so we dealt from strength. Now, DY, time to take the Joe Mauer power surge.
(Oh, and one down… now please sign Mauer and Beltre to complete my offseason wishes.
Felipe Lopez doesn’t take the game as serious as he should. He jogs at best to first base on expected ground outs, and jogs around 2nd going from 1st to 3rd, when he should be on 3rd base. He likes to have fun when he plays at the expense of respecting the game. I guess you could say I am not a huge fan, but he is talented.
I like Crede at third,JJ at short and Lexi at second,batting second.He is better in the 2 hole,that was a problem last year until OC came aboard.Give Joe his contract,extend Pavano and package the prospects we thought we would use to get Hardy and get a veteran starter.
Valencia, Give me a break. You will see…..
Heres what I think: Hardy will crush 30 hrs next year and hit 80 rbi since the left field foul pole is 16 ft shorter at Target field than Miller park and Target field is a smaller park all around except in Center.
As far as the 3b situation Crede is a disaster do you guys really want to sign him from 1.5 million when it is possible to dole out 2 or 3 more million to a guy like Beltre or Glaus who is much more powerful? Lastly, I say sign one of these 3 and resign Pavano :Harden, Bedard, and Sheets. Or they could go the route of including Perkins in a trade for a guy like Roy Oswalt or Brandon Webb….
“And I’ll take a defensive upgrade at SS (from a guy who will be able to hold down the position) over a late-inning defensive sub in the OF anyday. (We can let Pridie take on that role)”
What the heck? One of the few times I’ve even seen him, he dropped an easy fly ball.
Smith didn’t rule out pursuing a second or third baseman but noted manager Ron Gardenhire’s preference to have Nick Punto in the lineup.
Gardenhire intent on screwing up this team no matter what Bill Smith does.
Walter…it would be better if the sentence read “Smith didn’t rule out the possibility of pursuing a second or third baseman because he noted manager Ron Gardenhire’s preference to have Nick Punto in the lineup.”
one thing I love about this - a ‘nightmare year’ for Hardy is what Crede produced for us last year and everyone wants him back.
“a ‘nightmare year’ for Hardy is what Crede produced for us last year and everyone wants him back.”
Factor in defense occasionally.
“What the heck? One of the few times I’ve even seen him, he dropped an easy fly ball.”
“few” indicates an insufficient sample size.
Pridie can play defense.
sane
I included defense…Hardy was near tops at SS, Crede near tops at 3B in UZR.
matt,
My only point is that Crede is so solid defensively, that a “nightmare” season for him, would have to be much worse offensively than was 2009.
matt,
I think that I mis-interpreted your post as a shot at Crede’s 2009 season, when you meant it as taking a pass on Hardy’s 2009 season.
nice move by the twins, and best wishes to go-go…i hope he does well, and we could just as well find a deal for lexi -now that gomez is gone….but this is what i would like to see come spring…
span cf
polanco/punto 2b
mauer c
morneau 1b
cuddyer rf
kubel dh
young lf
hardy ss
crede/punto 3b
this of course is only if crede is announced to be 100% and proves it in spring training, other wise please sign beltre or figgins….but that lineup with an improved starting staff and a healthy neshek back in the pen, things could look awfully good for the start of a new twins era….btw ..mike cameron would make a nice 4th or j. dye to help dh etc and play a bit of of…all good possibilities…and what about trading nathan for a stud starter and some relief help….could be a very interesting winter and i hope it helps to shorten the winter by having alot of baseball to discuss….nice start today….
my point exactly sane. i’ll take those 2 ‘nightmares’ on the left side (provided they are healthy) anyday.
Lastly, I’ll miss good ol’ Go-Go. What a great guy…..
