Trade rumors

[30whales]

At the beginning of the year, Jason Parks of BP said that the Twins 11-20 prospects were better than the Angels 1-10.

 

Wow that's crazy! Thanks that puts this into a better perspective.

[EephusKnuckler]

Have there been any reports of Twins sniffing around Starlin Castro? Cubs picked up that top SS prospect from Oakland in the Samardzija deal and now have a surplus of middle infielders. Nick Gordon is very young and with how long this team likes to keep their prospects in the minors, there's no knowing how long it'll be before he makes it to the big leagues. Castro could be a decent pickup if he can be had for a reasonable price?

[Twins Twerp]

They should move Willingham as soon as possible. He isn't going to be here next year and his stats are fading by the day. They expose him to much and Willingham will have little to no value left by the trade deadline. It is time to move Willingham ASAP before his stock sinks any lower. Suzuki too, they need to move on Suzuki as soon as possible while there are still teams in need of catchers. His extension want's and the Twins precarious position of being a last place team for the likelihood of two more years would indicate it is time to get something for Suzuki. The Rays sweep this weekend and they are 9 games under five hundred which could easily happen. Colorado is a bad team and Mariners got caught with pitching numbers crunch and a lack of offense. That 5-2 stretch was fluky.

Willinghams value does not fluctuate from game to game. He is 35 yrs old. This whole "trade him while his value is up" is ridiculous. Sometimes we act like we are trading with 14 year old gms. These guys know what the players are. I personally do not think Josh has much value now, nor did he 2 years ago when some fans wanted to trade him. We will be lucky to get a top 20 prospect for him. This isnt a video game or fantasy baseball.

 

Now i do think suzuki has some value and might warrant a top 10 guy in a bad system (maybe a top 20 guy from a system like ours). I think he is a great dude and good player. I lean towards an extension for next 2 years, hopefully 1 year with an option year. I just dont think the cards or orioles are going to pony up a deal taht we could stomach. I think we end up listening up to the deadline, then extend him. He handles staff well and is a dude.

 

As far as kevin c goes. I am in the majority and think you trade him for anything. Mostly, your opportunity costs for keeping him is less time in bigs for may and/or meyer. Just my two cents on the trade front...

 

Lets be more realistic with some of the trade talk. I think we are all in kevin love mode and ready to collect a bunch of top prospects. Aint gonna happen brothers.

[whatever54]

How much can the Twins really expect in exchange for the half year rental of Suzuki?

[diehardtwinsfan]

Have there been any reports of Twins sniffing around Starlin Castro? Cubs picked up that top SS prospect from Oakland in the Samardzija deal and now have a surplus of middle infielders. Nick Gordon is very young and with how long this team likes to keep their prospects in the minors, there's no knowing how long it'll be before he makes it to the big leagues. Castro could be a decent pickup if he can be had for a reasonable price?

 

That makes little sense. Castro will be an FA soon. He will go to a contender.

[jorgenswest]

That makes little sense. Castro will be an FA soon. He will go to a contender.

 

He will be a free agent in 2020 unless his current team picks up the 16 million option for that year. In that case it is 2021.

[jokin]

That makes little sense. Castro will be an FA soon. He will go to a contender.

 

Nope. The Cubs signed him up long-term as part of their future core group. He seems at this point to be very expendable with all of the SS talent in the Cubs system. Seems the most likely candidate that can both afford his high $$$ contract and desperately needs a SS is the Yankees.

[Monkeypaws]

Have there been any reports of Twins sniffing around Starlin Castro? Cubs picked up that top SS prospect from Oakland in the Samardzija deal and now have a surplus of middle infielders. Nick Gordon is very young and with how long this team likes to keep their prospects in the minors, there's no knowing how long it'll be before he makes it to the big leagues. Castro could be a decent pickup if he can be had for a reasonable price?

 

That is a job I would refuse - major league sniffer....

[Monkeypaws]

How much can the Twins really expect in exchange for the half year rental of Suzuki?

 

Good question - I asked in another thread and never got an answer....

[Twins Twerp]

Good question - I asked in another thread and never got an answer....

As a nobody whose opinion should be disregarded, I think he has he has some decent value. A catcher batting near 300 who is a good club house guy, he has to fetch a teams top 10 prospect. I know it is only a few months but catchers who can hit are fricken valuable. Hell, Butera brought back a top 20 guy who in turn brought back a decent major league super utility guy. Not to mention the catcher market is almost always bare.

[PseudoSABR]

Suzuki won't fetch much, honestly, while he's had an All-star three months of play, his track record netted his current deal. St. Louis is a great fit and I'd target a guy like Grichuk and settle for a guy like Ramsey. If there isn't a great fit, and a glut of extra prospects at a position like St. Louis has in the outfield, it will be tough to get a team's top 10 prospect.

[stringer bell]

As a nobody whose opinion should be disregarded, I think he has he has some decent value. A catcher batting near 300 who is a good club house guy, he has to fetch a teams top 10 prospect. I know it is only a few months but catchers who can hit are fricken valuable. Hell, Butera brought back a top 20 guy who in turn brought back a decent major league super utility guy. Not to mention the catcher market is almost always bare.

Agree. GMs see both the plus and minus in Suzuki. There are more positives than negatives in Zuke. If a club feels they make the postseason with him and don't without him, they will overpay.

[Kwak]

Perhaps we will find out how much he is worth in a trade? I would have thought by now that the Twins have approached Suzuki about a contract extention and apparently didn't receive an affirmative answer. It wouldn't surprise me that Suzuki's agent has recommended exploring more options in the off-season. But, time will tell.

[ashbury]

Suzuki won't fetch much, honestly, while he's had an All-star three months of play, his track record netted his current deal. St. Louis is a great fit and I'd target a guy like Grichuk and settle for a guy like Ramsey. If there isn't a great fit, and a glut of extra prospects at a position like St. Louis has in the outfield, it will be tough to get a team's top 10 prospect.

 

Suzuki plus a top-25 guy (would be top 15-20 on most teams), for a top-10 guy?

[crapforks]

If the Twins do decide to trade Suzuki, I hope the return feels almost as good as the Capps/Ramos return felt for the Nats. There is some parallel there, just not a ton.

[Twins Twerp]

If the Twins do decide to trade Suzuki, I hope the return feels almost as good as the Capps/Ramos return felt for the Nats. There is some parallel there, just not a ton.

Too soon...too soon.

[Oxtung]

At the beginning of the year, Jason Parks of BP said that the Twins 11-20 prospects were better than the Angels 1-10.

 

Taylor Lindsey, the major piece in the return for Street, was a BA top 100 prospect. That's nothing to sneeze at.

[Brock Beauchamp]

Wow that's crazy! Thanks that puts this into a better perspective.

 

Indeed. People don't realize just how good the Twins system is right now. That's why I'm not necessarily in favor of trading a guy like Suzuki unless the return is great. Upside prospects are great; low upside high minor guys, the Twins don't need more of those.

[Oxtung]

Here is a crazy one, Willingham and Suzuki for Tony Cingrani. Their catcher is no good and Cingrani struggled this year, then got himself in the dog house for not disclosing an injury.

 

I have it on good authority that we were trying to get Cingrani for Span, but they said no. Now they have a ton of pitchers. Cueto, Simon, Leake, Bailey, and Latos.

 

I don't think Tony Cingrani is going anywhere. No matter the bridges he's "burned". He's a lefty that throws hard and can strike guys out. In addition Cincinnati is going to have a pitching issue soon. Homer Bailey is locked up but Cueto, Latos and Leake are all FA's after next season. They can't afford to bring them all back. In fact I would be surprised if one doesn't get traded this upcoming off season. In the minors they have Robert Stevenson who could be ready sometime next season. After that they have a bunch of back of the rotation starters it seems. Barring implosion Cingrani will be a rotation fixture, IMO.

[kab21]

I think they would trade Cingrani but certainly not for guys like willy and Suzuki.

 

suzuki might get a prospect in the Adam Walker (optimistic end), Travis Harrison or Goodrum/FJorge type. I don't think he would bring back anyone close to Vargas, Polanco or Thorpe. I really don't see the reason that he needs to be traded if that is the return when the catching depth behind Pinto is exceptionally awful.

[diehardtwinsfan]

I guess I'm one of the few that thinks that Suzuki can get a top 100-150 prospect, and maybe if we are lucky someone in the bottom of the top 100. He's having a career year at a position that teams are typically desperate to acquire an upgrade. He's going to be a difference maker where ever he goes. I'd have to think that a couple of teams will enter a bidding war for him.

 

That said, I'm with Brock... No thanks on a low upside high minors guy. If the guy is in the high minors, I'd be hoping for a pretty solid (above average bat, average D) corner OF, high upside SP, or a decent upside C that can be paired with Pinto. Otherwise, I'd want high upside all day long, and I could care less where in the minors they are at.

[Richie the Rally Goat]

If you were a Twins GM, would you offer a top 5-10ish Kepler'esque type prospect to a team like the Yankees just to absorb Nolasco's contract?

Agreed w/ drjim, it's too early to tell how good of a contract that is, and this team is still very thin at SP. I don't think any of Johnson, Pino, Darnell, will be as good as Nolasco at any point in their careers. And then there's flushing a valuable prospect for salary relief when cash flow is not a problem.

[Pitz]

... I'm not necessarily in favor of trading a guy like Suzuki unless the return is great...

 

I guess I'm of the mind that there is very little reason not to trade Suzuki no matter what the return is. Obviously, I hope the return is great, but any return is better than no return. They should use the final two months to see what Pinto can do with more regular playing time.

 

There's no guarantee that Suzuki will sign a longer deal with the Twins if he is not traded. They will likely still be able to negotiate with him even if he is traded. I see very little downside to trading him and I will personally be disappointed if he isn't traded for something. I'm not saying I'm right, but I don't think its in the best interest of the Twins to keep him for 2 months of meaningless baseball. Again, I hope they get a good return, but no return would be the worst possible outcome imho.

[Guest USAFChief]

I guess I'm of the mind that there is very little reason not to trade Suzuki no matter what the return is. Obviously, I hope the return is great, but any return is better than no return. They should use the final two months to see what Pinto can do with more regular playing time.

 

There's no guarantee that Suzuki will sign a longer deal with the Twins if he is not traded. They will likely still be able to negotiate with him even if he is traded. I see very little downside to trading him and I will personally be disappointed if he isn't traded for something. I'm not saying I'm right, but I don't think its in the best interest of the Twins to keep him for 2 months of meaningless baseball. Again, I hope they get a good return, but no return would be the worst possible outcome imho.

 

Concur, although I'd say trade or extend, one or the other, but don't do nothing.

[Kirby_waved_at_me]

Agreed w/ drjim, it's too early to tell how good of a contract that is, and this team is still very thin at SP. I don't think any of Johnson, Pino, Darnell, will be as good as Nolasco at any point in their careers. And then there's flushing a valuable prospect for salary relief when cash flow is not a problem.

 

Yes, one of the nice things about the Twins ' current situation is that they only have a couple "bad" contracts right now, and even the one given to Pelfrey is not a ton of money in Baseball contract terms.

 

The money being allocated to Nolasco does make a differencegoing forward, but it seems to be a cost that the Twins can absorb on their own. If they went out this offseason and signed 2 -3 more Pelfrey-esque contracts (not necessarily to pitchers, say they re-signed Willingham for 3 more years or something like that) , then I would say the Twins might need to find some salary relief.

 

At this point, it looks like they would have to take on a bad contract or two just to match their payroll from this year again in 2015. I don't think that payroll is an issue for the Twins in 2015 or 2016.

[Kirby_waved_at_me]

I don't think Tony Cingrani is going anywhere. No matter the bridges he's "burned". He's a lefty that throws hard and can strike guys out. In addition Cincinnati is going to have a pitching issue soon. Homer Bailey is locked up but Cueto, Latos and Leake are all FA's after next season. They can't afford to bring them all back. In fact I would be surprised if one doesn't get traded this upcoming off season. In the minors they have Robert Stevenson who could be ready sometime next season. After that they have a bunch of back of the rotation starters it seems. Barring implosion Cingrani will be a rotation fixture, IMO.

 

If the Reds aren't looking to move Cingrani, maybe one of the others listed would be tradeable. I think the Twins can never have too much pitching. Maybe doing a non-traditional move for a seller (getting a player in the last year of their contract) would be in order. Assuming the Twins can extend that guy's contract as a condition for the trade, why not go after a pitcher like Leake and give him "Phil Hughes money" to stick for a handful of years?

 

I think ideally the Twins will want a boatload of prospects in return for trading their ML talent this year, but theres no rule against getting back someone that can help in 2015.

[kab21]

The problem is that the Twins don't have the pieces to get someone like Leake (or anywhere close to it) and a contender isn't going to trade one of its starters unless absolutely necessary.

[Twins Twerp]

If the Reds aren't looking to move Cingrani, maybe one of the others listed would be tradeable. I think the Twins can never have too much pitching. Maybe doing a non-traditional move for a seller (getting a player in the last year of their contract) would be in order. Assuming the Twins can extend that guy's contract as a condition for the trade, why not go after a pitcher like Leake and give him "Phil Hughes money" to stick for a handful of years?

 

I think ideally the Twins will want a boatload of prospects in return for trading their ML talent this year, but theres no rule against getting back someone that can help in 2015.

Phil Hughes money isnt going to happen anymore. And you cant trade Nolasco. Even if he comes back and is a number 3 starter...his deal is under market value. The Reds gave Homer Bailey 105 million over 6 years. Homer Bailey for christ sakes. That means Phil hughes is worth over 80 if not 100 million. Salaries are going to get crazy this summer.

edit: I would love to have Bailey, just saying no way is he worth that amount of money.

[Kirby_waved_at_me]

The problem is that the Twins don't have the pieces to get someone like Leake (or anywhere close to it) and a contender isn't going to trade one of its starters unless absolutely necessary.

 

Well, the Twins do have prospects coming out of their ears - it wouldn't be my choice to rebuild by trading prospects for veteran starting pitching, but if the line of thinking is that Cingrani is not on the table, wouldn't it stand to reason that another starter from the Reds might be?

 

The Reds are looking to add an OF bat, so they will probably have interest in Willingham. If there is a package with Hammer plus *someone, maybe it turns into a deal in which the Reds get a prospect and Willingham, and the Twins get a ML starting pitcher and a prospect back.

[Oxtung]

Well, the Twins do have prospects coming out of their ears - it wouldn't be my choice to rebuild by trading prospects for veteran starting pitching, but if the line of thinking is that Cingrani is not on the table, wouldn't it stand to reason that another starter from the Reds might be?

 

The Reds are looking to add an OF bat, so they will probably have interest in Willingham. If there is a package with Hammer plus *someone, maybe it turns into a deal in which the Reds get a prospect and Willingham, and the Twins get a ML starting pitcher and a prospect back.

 

The Reds are in the middle of a pennant chase. They will not be trading a pitcher currently in their starting rotation. That is not a possibility. In addition, IMO, they won't give up on Cingrani. Lefties who throw hard and strike people out are rare and very coveted commodities.

 

If you're looking for pitching return for Willingham you need to look to their minor league system. They have a very highly regarded pitcher in Stevenson but Willingham doesn't command that kind of return. After that they seem to have a slew of middle to back of the rotation options when I glanced.