Afternoon notes
Posted on December 18th, 2008 – 2:46 PMBy La Velle
A couple things for you this afternoon:
The Twins have signed a few minor league free agents.
Outfielder Luis Matos is a former top Orioles prospect who spent last season playing in Mexico.
Righthander Bob Keppel is a former Mets first round pick who has spent some time with the Royals and Rockies.
Lefthander Sean Henn was drafted by the Yankees and spent some time with the Padres last season. Has a big arm but hasn’t figured it out. It will be interesting to see what Rochester pitching coach Bobby Cuellar gets out of him.
Finally, there’s outfielder Joe Gaetti, the G-Man’s kid. The Twins acquired him from Oakland in August and sent him to Class AA New Britain. He homered in his first at-bat for the Rock Cats -then tore his Achilles while rounding the bases and was done for the year.
These players should wind up at Rochester during the season. What it also means is that several minor league free agents - including Garrett Jones, Mariano Gomez, Julio DePaula, Danny Graves, Sergio Santos, Darnell McDonald and Felix Molina - will not return to the organization. I was told the only player with a chance of re-signing is Tommy Watkins.
In case you weren’t able to tune in, Twins assistant GM Rob Antony joined me on KFAN yesterday and mentioned a couple interesting things.
He did confirm that the Twins have been in contact with the agent for a couple free agent Japanese pitchers. My guess is that the pitchers in question are Kenshin Kawakami and Koiji Uehara. Here’s one story linking the Twins to Kawakami, who was 9-5 with a 2.30 ERA last season for the Chunichi Dragons. Uehara was 6-5, 3.81 and had one save for the Yomiuri Giants.
As for free agent infielder Ty Wigginton, Antony described his defense as, “adequate,” and mentioned that the Twins likely will put in a call on him. But he indicated that the years and dollars might be a little bit of a stretch. I think the Twins should look into him, but it sounds like they are convinced they’ll have Danny Valencia and Luke Hughes ready to take a spot by 2011.
That’s all for now….
130 Responses to "Afternoon notes"
I heard you yesterday LEN3, and I know Antony had to talk good about Punto, but he gave Nick way too much credit and failed to mention Nick’s Hocking like bat. It’s nice that he can field and all, but they should’ve learned from Mientkiewicz that an all glove, no bat guy doesn’t help this team.
Any chance they sign Joe Crede?
Yes, you wouldn’t consider that someone like Wigginton, currently at age 31, might be able to move to DH in two years when Kubel is likely to be getting too expensive. Or he might be used to trade and acquire another asset needed elsewhere, or he might, God forbid, turn into a monster player and you could get two draft picks. Yes, you never want to consider that picking up an asset that has value today could have utility and value tomorrow.
Bill Smith and his ventriloquist Terry Ryan need to listen to the great J.C Fogerty….some day never comes.
I also found Antony’s comment on the statistical analysis certain Twins’ brass perform interesting as well; it was somewhat of a dig at Aaron Gleeman, I believe, who has castigated the Twins for not doing analysis on free agents (e.g. Wigginton).
La Velle,
at some point during your discussion with him while talking about trade discussions they had during the winter meetings Antony said something like (I am paraphrasing) :
some of the teams we talked to were interested but they had to make other moves to clear payroll before they could talk more with us
Reading between the lines, if the Twins proposed trades that will increase some other team’s payroll, I would assume that Cuddyer, Kubel or Guerrier might be actually dangled out there… (I suspect they are not trying to trade Mauer, Morneau or Nathan, and there is nobody else whose acquisition will require another team to raise its payroll)…
Thoughts?
Another point that struck me in the interview, a point which I actually cut the Twins some slack on, was that last year when the Twins shopped Santana all that they got offered were unproven prospects. Then he said that this year, when the Twins actually have prospects to offer they are met by demands of players on their ML 25 man roster.
I think the economy has focused the non-giant market teams to focus on young and cheap AND, to a degree, proven.
I’ll give them a break that, yes, the landscape has changed but the Twins need for a right hand power bat and their reluctance to acquire such a bat have predated the crash of the economy. Their stripes haven’t changed even though the trees in the jungle have.
re: Kawakami, there is word out that the Red Sox have a 3 year @ $7mil per year offer on the table, so I really do not see that happening for the Twins. Uehara was also linked to the Twins and he was a set up guy last season…
Willie-
Another problem with Santana was that he was going to get an extremely large contract after that so the teams willing to acquire him already thought they had to give up a lot (even if it wasn’t to us). They had to give him money and then they had to give us a return also.
The Twins don’t have to pay that kind of contract to any one of the guys they’re trying to acquire so it’s like they’re giving up less so that means better players instead of players and money.
[…] Twins Insider – […]
I think I had Luis Matos on my fantasy team at one time. Obviously my team wasn’t very good though…
Valencia and Hughes might be ready to play by 2011 so the Twins are just going to plug 3rd base until then. Why not acquire a veteran hitter (Blake, Wigginton, Crede) to play there for two years until the youngsters are ready to take over?
If the Twins think Luke Hughes will be an acceptable defensive 3B by 2011, they are looking out through their glass belly-buttons, because their head is up……….!
Harry Plopper says:
December 18th, 2008 at 3:31 pm
I think I had Luis Matos on my fantasy team at one time. Obviously my team wasn’t very good though…
cheap steals and I think he had a hot streak once with his bat. steals like Gomez but doesn’t even hit as good.
I think the bigger issue with what was being offered for Santana was that all the teams interested knew the Twins were over a barrel and didn’t have the leverage since it was pretty clear Santana wasn’t coming back. We’re seeing a redux with the fragile ghost over at the X. Both Ryan and Risebrough needed to get their guy signed sooner or trade them earlier. If you knew Santana wasn’t going to sign by the trade deadline you should have moved him. That they didn’t know by then is a crime. They clearly didn’t seem to think they were in contention since they traded Castillo and didn’t add anything.
I think Antony is facing the same thing this year…those who are on the other side of the table know that the Twins are needy and will hold them up as long as they can. Again, with TW this problem doesn’t exist. Sign him, even if you have to overpay and in year three you still have an asset to use in another position if the kids are ready or move for additional assets.
I just think the Twins aren’t very savvy in terms of being organizationally agile and are risk averse. It is much more comfortable to occupy that safe high middle… as long as the sheep keep spending their dough. And why not? It’s working over in St. Paul with the Wild. Hopefully, the full collapse of the Wolves will wake the Twins front office up and stop taking their customers for granted.
sane,
Hughes is bad on the field… I think that part of the problem is that he has been moved all over the place. When he was primarily a third baseman in Ft. Myers a couple years ago, his FP was .931 which is not great but not much worse than the one that Buscher has. They need to make some decisions and stop that musical chair thing with the guy. If they are looking at him as a third baseman, he should be playing mostly third so he gets a better feel for the position.
I think Crede could be a good fit for a year or two. Give him one year deal with incentives with an option year with a club buyout. That would get the Twins to 2011 for Valencia because I do not think Hughes is the answer with his defense.
Hey, Mike Lowell’s only signed through 2010. He’d be perfect…except for that whole $12M salary. I don’t suppose the Sox can sign Texeira, move Youkilis to 3rd, then trade Lowell for one of our non-ace starters and Cuddyer?
This almost makes sense to me…maybe I should have another drink and think about this some more.
Valencia and Hughes might be ready by 2011 so in the meantime the Twins FO is content to do nothing?
Yea! We’re content to contend! Heck, why bother with trying to make any changes that might give a chance to get to the WS this year or next. Always thinking about that big ole someday maybe future out there.
Bubba, if Cuddaver is included in a Lowell trade, the salary difference will be $8 mil or so for the 2 years, so the annual effective cost of Lowell would be $4M. (i.e. Punto’s salary)
Bubba,
Definately have another drink, but you have already thought about it too much. The Twins will never take on Lowell’s 12 mil salary and why the heck would Boston take Cuddy?!
Why would the Red Sox want Cuddyer?
I am convinced that Valencia will be here in 2011 too.
What the hell do we do until then?
Sign a major league 3rd baseman, or allow Buscher to butcher balls at 3rd base?
We talk about the 91 RBIs that the 3rd basemen drove in last year… how much of that was due to the team’s unreal RISP BA? It wasn’t because they were knocking the ball out of the park, and frankly when it comes to big games… that threat is what matters most offensively.
The Twins offense is predicated on a hit, a sac bunt, an infield single, and a sac fly…
Against great teams, and great pitchers… those games come down to the mistake… Frank Thomas jacking a homer or 7 off of Radke, Jim Thome vs Blackburn.
With the exception of Morneau who will be pitched carefully for the rest of his career we don’t have a legit threat. Kubel hit 20, but doesn’t strike fear into anyone.
IF we are not going to upgrade at 3rd base (which is a mistake)
and we didn’t upgrade at SS (which is an abomination against god and man)
We need to upgrade the power, and that may include having to trade Cuddyer or Kubel to bring in middle relievers, and then to sign Pat Burrell.
Mike Lowell would be perfect for this team. A great guy, good glove, solid bat… good RBI guy…
I hate to be cruel, but after testicular cancer… he still has more balls than Terry Ryan or Bill Smith could ever hope to, and he has more grit than most of the Twins players other than Punto (from being a bottom feeder) would ever know…
Good idea!
And by 2011 nathan will be how old? And Mauer will have caught how many games? As Hunter said, always waiting for a future that will never come.
“and we didn’t upgrade at SS (which is an abomination against god and man)”
How were you going to do this?
I don’t believe Cuddy is tradeable to ANY MLB team. Who would take him? Kubel is tradeable, but his salary is small so nothing is gained in terms of paying someone else. Why think the Twins would take on any power bat at the DH position for 8 - 12 mil when they have deemed 6 mil for Blake, Wiggy et al is outrageously expensive. Shut down the fantasy thinking, because the Twins FO believes this team is set.
Pete D,
Well for starters I would not have brought Putno back… that would have been a huge upgrade just in and of itself.
I would look at the Rockies for Barmes right now since no one else seems available.
However I was saying Khaleil Greene since mid season of last year (to which I was getting bashed).
Money being equal… 3 years 34 million for Furcal would be pereft for this team. Bat him leadoff, or 2nd. He gets on base, is a great fielder, steals bases, and strengthens the lineup, the defense, and thus the rotation.
I think going after Edgar Renteria would have been a good move too because he would have loved to stick it to the Tigers.
And I still hold out hope that JJ Hardy is available, and I would trade any one of our starting pitchers and a prospect, or more for him!
those two will be ready by 2011. someone should tell those idoits that we buy tickets for 2009.
mike,
You hit the nail on the hit-Twins never seem to want to “go for it” and “win now.”
Milwaukee did that in 2008 with the CC trade. The Twins could just spend some cash instead of making a trade and add the few pieces they need to go from a divison contender to a World Series contender.
Valencia maybe-possibly-might be here in 2011 to play 3rd, but who cares? He is a great glove/no hit player. Just move Punto over to 3rd and say he’s here now!
“I don’t believe Cuddy is tradeable to ANY MLB team. Who would take him?”
The Rockies and Mets would both take him.
Matt
Have them call us - please!
I think Gardy’s Fargo comments, coming when they did, were intended to make Cuddyer look like the starter, thereby increasing his trade value. Given that the ensuing attention all focused on DY, that strategy seemed to have failed. Too bad.
some of the teams we talked to were interested but they had to make other moves to clear payroll before they could talk more with us
I missed that comment thry, good catch!
Hopefully that does mean the current stagnation in the FA/Trade winds isn’t long term.
I still think the Twins could be good to get a third team involved in something like that.
Milwaukee did that in 2008 with the CC trade.
And that turned out just marvelous for them…
LETS GET RID OF KUBEL. USE ONE OF THE “EXTRA” OUTFIELDERS AS THE D.H.
Why would the Red Sox want Cuddyer?
Because 2 out of 3 of their starting OF are LHB and their primary DH is LHB. Guess who projects as their 4th OF right now? Jonathan Van Every (another lefty btw)
Both Cuddyer and Lowell has sizable contacts and questionmarks but the Twins could use Lowell more than Cuddyer and the Sox Cuddyer more than Lowell if Texeira is on board. Match made in heaven (basketball like trade)
91 RBIs that the 3rd basemen drove in last year
59 actually… Lamb had 32
Reason,
in half season in AA last year Valencia hit more HRs than Punto hit in his life in the minors…
Re: Milwaukee’s CC trade,
for one thing the Twins are smart enough not to trade good young players for a pitcher that is used once every five days. Trading for an impact position player is different, though…
BC, we have four good starting pitching right now, that we need all, of them just to keep up, to where we finshed last year,,woulded trade any of our top four, i like hardy too but he,s not for sale, Lowell could be a good fit, for two years,
Below is an excerpt from today’s Klaw chat about J Donald.
I still maintain the Twins and Phillies are talking.Even thought the twins FO has been tight lipped.
Keith, last year BA said that Donald projects more as a utility player. Now it seems you are pretty high on him as a starting SS. What has changed in his game to make him more of a starter, or have you always been this high on him? Thanks!
I have not always been this high on him - when he was on the Cape I thought he projected as a utility player. I like the bat more now than I have in the past, and he should be at least average defensively at short and above-average at second
t98,
Cuddaver. Good one.
WJ,
sane named him that… that’s where credit should go
sane,
Hats off to you.
here is some encouraging news:
.265/.337/.299
.343/.436/.478
what are they? Alexi Casilla’s slash lines from last year’s (top) and this year’s winter league performance. He has 79 PA so it is not insignificant. Last year he has a total of 165 PA so he is half way there…
Why don’t the Twins ever trade a pitcher, since they’re only used once every five days, for a position player? Oh, wait… Matt Garza. I can’t believe the Rays traded Delmon Young for a guy used once every five days, and now they’re looking for a RF. And look where it got them.
“Milwaukee did that in 2008 with the CC trade.
And that turned out just marvelous for them…”
T let me clarify that. The 2008 Brewers were like the 2002 Twins: a team that hadn’t made the playoffs in awhile and that was a good enough goal for the Brewers-make the playoffs.
For the Twins the mindset of just winning AL Central titles isn’t good enough at this point. Been there, done that. Time to step up and go the World Series ring while we have Mauer, Morneau, Nathan, and good young pitching near or in their primes.
WJ, t98,
Thanks.
Cuddaver seemed appropriate for someone who has been closer to death than to being an active player lately.
While I recognize the Red Sox may be looking for a 4th OF, and preferably a RH one, I think they generally want good players, or at least live ones, and Cuddaver does not fit the mold. Also, I think the Twins will balk at taking on a guy who has been injured and recently had surgery and who costs more than a cup of coffee. Besides, Cuddaver is one of Gardy’s annointed ones. I just don’t see it happening.
And look where it got them.
2008 Win Shares:
Garza 13, Young 14
Love the Hunter quote, “Always waiting for a future that will never come.” It makes a lot of sense. At some point you have to keep your players around and make a run, rather than just trying to stay competitive. Don’t get me wrong, I love having a team that isn’t in the basement, but isn’t a World Series Ring what every player wants? A legitimate power hitting third baseman would give us that opportunity. Let’s do it already!
So it’s okay to suck at 3rd base for the next two years… Front office clowns…
I was curious as to which teams were trying to clear salary for one of our players via trade. If indeed it was Cuddyer who were we trying to get back?
Jeff,
Antony knows the answer and I am sure that will not give it…
Jeff,
we want the tribes batboy for 3rd
Your right about the only players it could be are Cuddyer, Guerrier, or Kubel. Possibly it was the Cubs wanting Kubel in that Jake Peavy three way for DeRosa. Hopefully it was the Mariners wanting Cuddy as part of the package for Beltre!! Lol
In 2007, Punto posted the lowest slugging percentage (.271) of any major league player with at least 200 at-bats. This was the lowest slugging percentage by a player with over 400 at-bats since José Lind recorded a .269 slugging percentage for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1992. Punto also posted a -27.1 VORP in 2007, 8.5 runs worse than the second-worst position player in baseball, White Sox infielder Andy González. - Wikipedia
One reason that the Twins will hit just as well in 2009, is because Everett (.213), Monroe (.202) and Lamb (.233)will not be getting any at-bats.
Jeff,
The Twins possible trade bait with a high salary?
Nick Punto!
It’s obvious that Punto is Gardy’s bunk buddy.
But, Cuddaver (.243) is slated as the starting right fielder
We can only hope that Punto goes down in the pre-season…
How could I forget about that salary of Punto’s!! Worst Twins salaries are Cuddyer’s and Punto by far. Oopppps and of course Mike Lamb.. duh
Hey Thrylos98 I enjoy reading your stuff. Very informative and I liked your comparisons about Tolleson and Escobar!
Good job
Cuddyer’s hand injury has to be factored into his 2008 hitting performance.
He is better than a .243 hitter.
An $8 million hitter?
No.
But, he’s better than Cuddyer2008.
Jeff, thanks, but I think that the comparison was Tolleson and Donald… Escobar is a different kind of player
I wonder what it’s like to be the richest man in baseball like Pohlad and knowing you could make tens of thousands of fans happy with just a decent 3rd basemen, but you’re such a tight prick you won’t do it. Evil comes in many forms and Pohlad is one of them…
You have it labeled under “Food for Thought” when you did the comparison of Escobar and Tollenson.
sane,
I hope that there are some GMs out there (other than BS) who mirror your opinion on Cuddyer 
If I were to look for clubs who want to add corner OFs and could possibly take on salary (i.e. the Marlins are out of the equation), they will be Red Sox, Mets, Cubs, Atlanta, Giants, Dodgers, Reds, Seattle, Colorado (maybe). That’s about it.
Also add Crain to the list. I forgot that he is due $1.7M next season…
Yes, Cuddyer will probably be better in 2009, he couldn’t much worse. 3 dingers in 249 AB? Ouch. How much better? Who knows? Maybe about as good as he was in ‘07.
Jim,
Why would Pohlad want to make fans happy?
He would rather make the people who like him, happy.
Just like the rest of us.
Venerable New York Times sports columnist Murray Chass reports that Twins owner Carl Pohlad (estimated net worth: $3.1 billion) is the richest of all baseball team owners. I knew, of course, that Pohlad was wealthy, but I didn’t know that he was three times richer than Yankees owner George Steinbrenner.
This stuff usually drives me crazy when I think about the decade-long Twins campaign to get taxpayer subsidies for a new stadium. Chass puts it into a different context, in which the Twins are usually excused for letting the Torii Hunters and the Johan Santanas move on to teams in bigger markets because they can’t afford to pay the big bucks.
Uhhhhh…thrylos, I’m on your side, but I’m also saying your logic about the once-every-five-days is flawed when you don’t look at as though they should trade a once-every-five-days guy.
I would love to see this lineup in 2010.
Span
Mauer
Hardy
Morneau
Beltre
Kubel
Young
Casilla
Gomez
Trade for Hardy and sign Beltre next year. What a pipe dream that would be!
I’m also saying your logic about the once-every-five-days is flawed when you don’t look at as though they should trade a once-every-five-days guy.
I wouldn’t mind at all if they traded Perkins or Blackburn and have been on the record many times saying that Perkins is below a ML-average starter and that the Twins need to upgrade that vs. upgrading the pen.
well twins fans i guess we just wait till 2011 to buy tickets also….that should work dont you think….if thats when things are going to happen according to them, then thats the time we invest in tickets…till then, hell we will go fishin or many other things…..think mr smith will understand that logic???
I agree with you about Perkins, thrylos. He’s a great guy, whom I would party with out on Thunder Island, but he isn’t very good.
I disagree about Perkins.
I think that coming off of an injury, and a career of starter/reliever/starter… he did fine as a 5th starter last year, and that he has the mental makeup to be a quality middle of the rotation lefty. He will never be an ace, or a number 2, but I think he could be an adequate number 3, and a great number 4 guy.
I think that when this rotation fully matures that Blackburn will be the tough luck guy that gets left behind, but I also see him as a bulldog in this league that could make a great career of being a 10-14 win a year 4th starter around the majors for the next 8-10 years… I like his mental makeup as well… And with one more pitch, or a little bit better changing of velocity on his fastball and his curveball so they aren’t always as predictable as they are now Blackburn could find his way possibly to being a number 2 starter with the right luck, and hard work.
But with Liriano’s talent, Baker’s a money pitcher, and the Twins absolute love of Slowey… one has to expect that it’s either Blackburn or Perkins as the odd man out with Swarzack, Hunt, Duensing, Mulvey, Humber, Guerra, and 30 other guys it seems all deserving a crack at the rotation in the next 2-3 years.
Why not be proactive and get something for them now before they are arbitration eligelbe and cost this team to go to a 100 million dollar payroll without ever getting another player to help.
This team will always keep the payroll around 60-70 million meaning that we will get less and less talent for our money in the future if we aren’t proactive now!
Sign 3 of them long term, and lock them up, and trade one of them for a 3rd baseman, and continue to bank on that farm system to fill in a 5th starter!
LEN3, I heard the KFAN interview. You jumped in front of the question from the angry listener faster than the secret service protected the president from a shoe.
What is the deal with people ignoring reality all the time on here? All anyone ever says is “the Twins need to spend more money to win.” “They need to sign this guy and they should’ve signed that guy.” “They never try to win and they’re content to contend in the division.”
Haven’t the Twins been to the playoffs four times in the last 7 years? Are they really not trying? I mean, Detroiyear Detroit went to the World Series out of that devision 2 years ago and the White Sox won it 4 years ago. Didn’t Detroit spend a ton of money on free agents and trades last year– How did that work? Don’t the Yankees spend an insane amount of money every year– They haven’t won the World Series in quite awhile. Didn’t the Mariners also spend a ton of money last year, including that insane Silva deal (and most people on here were whining that Twins wouldn’t spend the money to re-sign him.)
Allof you are dying for Ty Wigginton? How about his 2008? .285/.350/.526– his highest obp & slg in his career and he was horrible on the road; (Minute Maid anyone?). For comparison, Mike Lamb 2007: .289/.366/.453 (with similar stats the 3 years before that). The same people who rip the Twins for signing Mike Lamb are the same people who rip the Twins for not giving Wigginton $20 mil. How does that make sense? Wigginton also had 50-some rbi in a hitter’s park, which isn’t as good as what the Twins’ platoon did last year.
And as for Punto, he’s not great and I wish they could’ve worked a deal for Hardy, but who knows if the Brewers were evening willing to deal a player like that (as someone else said, the Twins wouldn’t consider trading Morneau). Punto did put up the following numbers in 2008- .284/.344/.382, (similar to 2006, and he was horrible 2007). I’ve read people on hear begging for Renteria (2008: .270/.317/.382) and even Jack Wilson (2008: .272/.312/.348). And Renteria just signed for like $10 mil more than Punto.
You could do a lot worse than Morneau, Mauer, Liriano, Nathan and all the young players we have. We do need someone to replace Neshek and I hope they can find someone to take over at 3B, although it doesn’t seem like the Mets would trade Wright or the Nationals would trade Zimmerman and I think Beltre has a no trade clause.
Detroit went to the World Series out of that devision 2 years ago and the White Sox won it 4 years ago
And Cleveland went twice after the Twins were last there…
That’s the point. A lot of people are happy with building a club to contend vs. building a club to win it all.
(and yes the Florida Marlins, another small market team have much more success than the Twins)
At this point, the Twins are about as successful as the Royals are in the division as far as in what really matters: going to the world series.
Some Twins’ fans are perfectly happy with that contending every year (ahem 2007) deal. Some of us are not. Some of us would rather see a parade every 5 years and have 4 years of rebuilding…
It’s all a matter of choice, but that doesn’t make your choice better than mine
[GoStars] Nice work.
While I too wish the Twins were able to lock up a 3B and/or Hardy… the daily diatribe looking for the FO to “step up” and spend is way overhyped.
Aside from your examples, Milwaukee was commended earlier for “going for it” last year…and I don’t buy “the playoff goal” either… now, with the loss of Sheets, Sabathia, and the high-end prospects through the trade, they’ll be set back for years. And for all of those, “Well at least they tried”…yeah, I’m sure all of the Brewers’ fans are going to show up and cheer mightily through rebuilding because the FO gave it their best.
It is a tough game to play out there when trying to weigh deals, cash, talent and so forth. And though LEN3 does a great job keeping us abreast of insider news, there’s no way that even he knows all of the communication that is taking place behind the scenes.
I’m by no means saying the FO is completely infallable for their decisions, but there are some fans here that are simply too infactuated with the “big deal”.
I see BC and some of you little league rejects are having a field day ripping highly skilled professional ballplayers because they have skills that you’ll can only dream of and make more money in one year than you make in a lifetime.So vent today,vent tomorrow,vent the next day,it’s not going change things.Pardon me,i have to call my shrink,this is too darn depressing!
Who ever is asking about Joe Crede I hope they dont consider him. I had him in fantasy last year and did good but I think he is a head case and a injury prone that we would over pay and get no production. My question for the offseason is Gardy is so high on Punto and his hustle etc etc is gardy going to be the manager in 2010? His fascination with Punto may cost him his job. Later
The Twins spent $15M less in payroll last year than 2007, a year in which they missed the playoffs by one game. Imagine where they might have ended up had they invested even half that money in a player or two at the trade deadline.
They are on pace to spend around $8M less in 2009 than they spent in 2007, but refuse to even seriously consider an upgrade or two.
They have a new stadium coming on line next year, which will raise revenues by a lot.
I don’t think asking ownership and/or the front office to ’step up’ is overhyped at all.
They could’ve almost paid Blake what he was asking for just off the payroll they saved in 2008, without using much of they payroll space they have available THIS year, and NONE of the new revenue available in 2010 or 2011.
But we’ll get to watch Brian Buscher play third base instead, while the Pohlads use that payroll space to pay down their stadium committment, after promising to RAISE payroll.
I think it’s remarkable fans aren’t marching on the Metrodome with pitchforks, tar, and feathers.
GoStars, I’m with thrylos on a parade very 5 years with 4 years of reloading. “Contending” year after year (only in 2002 were the Twins a serious threat to win it all) is unsatisfying. The goal is to win the World Series and my hope is that the FO would agree.
USAFChief-Things are as they are! Pohlad is cheap and talking about isn’t going to change things.The only hope we have is that his boys might see all the grief their father has taken over the years and change things.He did save the Twins in 1984 from moving to Tampa.A friend of mine who worked for the Griffiths when they had spring training in Orlando said that he was part of a team of guys who had been working on the PR campaign to move the whole year of 1984.So Pohlad did save the team!Teams have been holding communities hostage for decades to build new ballparks.Heavens,look what Bud Selig did to the Brewers!
Boneyard,
actually in 2006 the Twins were the favorite for the World Series… the manager of the millennium just screwed that up
Come Spring in FL, it “might” be interesting to see if a Twin prospect pitcher steps up to entice the FO to deal Perkins, perhaps for a power hitting 3B. Also, with the Mkt possibly drying up, Crede might be a “cheap w/incentives” player we might seriously consider, even w/his back issues. Buscher/Harris ain’t that bad though….Also, I would have seriously considered signing Russell Branyan + then trading Kubel in a pkg for aditional team help……as being somewhat “passive + not aggressive”, is not progress when that MO is always the Twin’s way, it seems, for the most part. Also, perhaps we should call Boras’s (BoreAss ??) bluff?? and get Beltre, then buy out his no trade clause….then the W/S 2009 title would be sweet + the Pohlad’s are way ahead again with the $$$$$$$, if only we could expect things to work out that way…..but you gotta take a chance one in a while, but I can certainly live w/outcome w/Blake…Hope I am making sense…I do like the W.Sox GM, as he is willing to take chances “earlier than most…ex his latest big trade where he got some outstanding prospects, in my opinion…!!!
Russell Branyan
signed with the Mariners…
word from Rosenthal is that Kawakami wants a 3y/$36M contract…
thrylos98 If we sign one of the Japanese players will we (The Twins) bring in foreign revenue. Thus creating more money for the Twins which will then give us more moneys to play with and to pick up more FA’s.
LaVelle if you get bored can you tell us on the blog how foreign revenue would help the Twins financially
For those of you who want to SERIOUSLY contend every five years like the Marlins, here is what the Marltwins would have to do:
1) Trade Mauer, Morneau, Cuddyer and Nathan for three packages of the best prospects they can get.
2) Develop those prospects as fast as possible, while getting the crap kicked out of them by the Royals. (and everyone else)
3) Draw enough fans to maintain the organization.
4) After we contend or win in 2012, trade all those developed players for packages of the best prospects we can get.
5) Go to step#2.
funny sane. The only thing bad that could happen is look at the A’s where they do this and don’t win the WS
“I see BC and some of you little league rejects are having a field day ripping highly skilled professional ballplayers because they have skills that you’ll can only dream of and make more money in one year than you make in a lifetime”
So we can’t say anything negative about people that are better at things than we are? A surgeon that kills 9 of 10 patients isn’t bad because I would kill all 10? William Hung isn’t a bad singer because he’s better than I am?
bill,
“A surgeon that kills 9 of 10 patients isn’t bad because I would kill all 10?”
That is a GREAT line!!!
Let me apologize in advance, because I plan on using that line as long as I am able to remember it.
How bout this one. In school if you miss 7 out of 10 questions you fail. In baseball if you miss 7 out of 10 chances you make 7+ a year.
Trade Mauer, Morneau, Cuddyer and Nathan for three packages of the best prospects they can get.
3 years from now.
Mauer will stay
Morneau we won’t be able to afford (see Tex)
Cuddyer will be traded
Nathan will be gone Because of age
I can say that William Hung is a bad singer though, because I am much better than him. But I would party with him out on Thunder Island.
Post removed….
jimmybee,
“if anyone likes to smoke crack just stop on by the Bierstuub in Oakdale.”
Thanks for helping hook me up.
Did I ever tell you what my real job is?
You have the right to remain silent.
You have the right to have an attorney present……..
sane LOL actually a funny story a friend of mine stopped by there on the way back from Wisconsin the other day and said Jeff Dubay was tending bar. He almost fell over. Sad what bad habbits can cost a person.
There is nothing funny about that Jimmy Bee.
People make mistakes, and look what it’s cost him. His job, his credibility, and his community.
I’ve met Jeff many times, and while he can be a pain at times…
Wait a minute… if I rip Punto for being a lousy baseball player, and he’s never done anything illegal…
I reverse my opinion. I just won’t rip him myself. He was always decent enough towards me.
Can somebody tell me where to get playoff tickets. Matos has me excited.
[…] interest in bringing in free agent Ty Wigginton to plug it until some prospects are ready. Both La Velle E. Neal III and Nick Nelson discuss this option and Nick brings up Mark DeRosa’s name as a potential […]
BC Beneke You have been threating to write that book for 2 years now! Instead of practicing on us,just write the darn thing.You know more than the FO,i’ll drive you to 34 Kirby Drive so you can apply for BS’s job.After all,you have forgot more about baseball than BS ever learned! Then we can rip you for all the bad moves!Time to put up or shut up!
there’s a Bierstube in oakdale? when i went to Comm College in Inver Grove, that and the bowling alley were the only places to drink
Every year it’s the same thing. We will explore options. Fans seem to think options are good, go make a deal. Twins front office doesnt’ agree, no deal except low end FA. Low end FA have done little to improve the team. Answers have been staying within the organization. Liriano, Casilla, Tolbert, Span, Mijares. etc. I’m not worried about making a deal. We were very good last year. We’ll be better if we can add 5-10 more wins. That get’s us in the playoffs. Once you get there, it’s a crap shoot. I like our chances with our team as it stands right now. Cuddyer for a full year. Span for a full year, Casilla for a full year, Liriano for a full year, Mijares for a full year. Bonser in a setup role for a full year. Lots of options, plenty of depth. We’re good enough. Wait for teams to make the offers for our young arms. Not the other way around.
Top 3 bloggers best one-liners of 2008:
3) What is Mickey Hatcher without a personality? Answer: Delmon Young
2) The oft-injured Michael “Cuddaver”
1) Punto will slide head first into the dugout after every inning in 2009
if those are the three best i’d hate to see the worst …
sane: Flaw in your Marltwins plan.
3) Draw enough fans to maintain the organization.
Wouldn’t work with this fan base. Not after steps 1 and 2.
Geno,
I can’t seem to finish the book(s). It’s some kind of flaw that I haven’t been able to fix.
Bill Smith is privy to more things and responsible for more things than just what I bitch and complain about.
However, I have actually sent my resume to the Twins 3 different times because I would love to help in any way that I could because I live and love baseball, but apparently that’s not enough.
And no I wasn’t applying for his position… any position I could get that could help with player personel, and working with the actual team itself.
Oh well, I’ve been under and over qualified for a lot of things I’ve applied for over the years only to find that I had to start my own businesses.
Sorry I’m too negative about the job that he does, but when I disagree with most of his moves that he has made, and the moves that haven’t been made… this is the place I’m going to go to complain…
If I am upset about something else… I go there to try and get my point across… and remember this is nothing compared to my attacks on the Wolves, and the idiots that are destroying the NBA all around the country and not just here in Minnesota.
Okay mmmhmm, then what are the best one liners of 2008 from this site?
BC BENEKE-You know i’m basically kidding,but that’s a big flaw of this blog.We can agree to disagree,but to some if they disagree with your point of view you are automatically branded a idiot or a moron!I think that’s at best,a product of youth!
This teams approach with free agents is gross.
same old twins
Giving credit for top blogging one-liners of 2008:
Top 3 bloggers best one-liners of 2008:
3) What is Mickey Hatcher without a personality? Answer: Delmon Young (author: E7)
2) The oft-injured Michael “Cuddaver” (author: thrylos98)
1) Punto will slide head first into the dugout after every inning in 2009 (author: unknown - who gets credit for this gem?)
Unbelievable!,
#2’s author is sane
Okay, have to give credit where credit is due - way to go sane.
Who coined #1?
does anyone know if liriano has re-gained his velocity at all this off-season?
I know this will sound like I am not content with the second place money, BUT:
I am pretty sure that I was the poster of the “Punto will slide head-first into the dugout…” comment also.
I may have stolen it from someone else, so I would like to donate first place prize money to charity.
Or to the original author, if I stole it.
’cause things are fairly quiet now, time to stir the waters a bit 
here goes another interesting situation with potential Twins’ consequences:
a. Every team has until March to offer every player in its roster a contract (in most cases for players not going to arbitration or signed to a contracts it is a typical situation: player is under team control, team offers minimum, thing done)
b. Atlanta’s owner, GM and the whole front office after the Furcal situation are in record saying that they will never sign a player represented by or work with the Wasserman group of agents (Furcal’s agents)
c. Guess who is represented by the Wasserman group? Yunel Escobar.
Do you think that he will not be offered a contract and thus become a free agent or do you think that Atlanta’s owner, GM and front office will offer him a contract and prove that their word is worth as much as the Wasserman group in the Furcal negotiations?
nice Catch-19 (Escobar’s jersey number) situation…
Good point thrylos98. Maybe they will trade him to prove their point. How about LNP & a pitcher?
TWINS MUST MOVE UP AND THAT MEANS A $85 MIL PAYROLL.
THAN THEY MUST TRADE YOUNG AND CUDDYHER.
IN THE OF AND OUR DH GOES.
THAN MOVE FAST AND GET
ADTKINS 3B FROM ROCKIES FOR A PITCHER.
HARDY AT SS FOR A PITCHER.
ADD…STREET AND POWER WITH
DUNN AND BURRELL. ONE IN OF AND OTHER DH AND ROTATE THE TWO.
Thrylos,
The Murray Chass piece was inaccurate anyway. Alex Escobar is represented by the Wasserman Group, not Yunel Escobar. They wouldn’t have even had to negotiate anyway really; they could’ve just minimally increased his salary whether he liked it or not.
Fun idea, though. Imagine the heat they’d take if they dumped Yunel or traded him just to prove a point though… can’t ever see a team making a move like that, but it’d be entertaining.
LaVelle said: “…like they are convinced they’ll have Danny Valencia and Luke Hughes ready to take a spot by 2011.”
Okay, like I’ll be ready to get interested in the Twins in 2011.
Happy New Year!
JER HENNEN MUST HAVE HIS COMPUTER PERMANENTLY STUCK ON CAPS LOCK…AND HE MUST HAVE HIS HEAD PERMANENTLY UP HIS @SS…because there is no way we trade 2 pitchers to get Atkins and Hardy and then sign Burrell and Dunn. Why don’t we just get Pujols to play 1B, A-Rod to play 3B, Utley for 2B, Rollins for SS, Holliday in LF, Beltran in CF, Ichiro in RF and we can get for our starters, Santana, Peavy, Webb, Lincecum and…David Price just to have a young guy in there. Frickin’ moron.
Jake,
JER HENNEN donated the money to the Twins to give them an $85 million payroll, so Burrell and Dunn are do-able.
Lighten up on the guy.
He is the Twins’ highest donor.
I for one, think that were vary lucky to have LPN, back with us again this year, and next and maybe more,, he,s the best glove that we could posibly get, It,s the releaf help that we need help ar the most,,everybody here should,a know that,by now, after our last west coast trip last year, that cost us the title, we need to address it the the most there,s not much time left, til, spring training, six weaks I think, the middle of Feb. will be here before you it,,
Too many games in a season to blame one road trip for not winning the title. If they would have won some games earlier in the season the division would have been wrapped up by the time they played the last west coast road trip
