Article: Is The Window Open For Another Twins Trade?

[Parker Hageman]

You can view the page at http://twinsdaily.com/content.php?r=1257-Is-The-Window-Open-For-Another-Twins-Trade

[Chris in Osaka]

Trade him and continue to lay the foundation for a competitive team in 2014. I'd try to find a taker for Willingham as well.

[glunn]

Another great article.

 

Now that the Angels are loaded up, maybe it would make more sense to talk to Oakland. The A's might be willing to part with a couple of very good prospects if the Twins would cover some or most of Morneau's salary.

 

It looks to me like the A's have some very solid starters in the minors -- A.J. Cole, Brad Peacock, Sonny Gray, and others, as well as some interesting position players. Maybe they would be willing to part with two of these for a subsidized year of Morneau?

[perkins7]

Personally, I would rather see the Twins wait for trade offers for Morneau until the deadline and shop Willingham this offseason instead. Willingham's contract is much more moveable than Morneau's for a team looking to add power on the cheap, and he's under team control for the next two years as opposed to Morneau's one year. Also, the likelihood of Willingham repeating his numbers from this last season is not as high in my opinion as Morneau improving on his numbers from last season. In summary, Willingham has more value as a trade chip than Morneau and could yield much more this offseason than Morneau could.

That being said, I would like to see the Twins hold on to Morneau until the trade deadline when a team (like the Rangers, A's, Orioles, etc...) become real desperate for a quick power fix and a potential playoff push. If Morneau's numbers improve from last year (which I'm of the opinion that they will given his improvement over the course of the season last year, particularly towards the end of the season), a team might be much more willing to give up a top-tier arm or middle infielder for him. I would personally love it if the Twins could get some type of middle infield prospect for Morneau, but what we want and what the Twins are prone to do have been two very, very different things lately...

[Alex]

Before the offseason, I'd have said that they should move him just for the salary and spend it on starting pitching. Since it looks like they're not really going to target interesting free agents, then unless they get a prospect back, I'd be disappointed if they traded him.

[Top Gun]

The Twins are not rebuilding they are just tearing down. Why trade Justin? Don't the Twins have enough money yet? Don't you want a team at all this season? What is the point in having minor leaguers if you have no major leaguers? What is the point in having more money when you can not spend what you got? Why build target field if there is nothing to watch? Pretty sad for the people of Minnesota. It's a crime against it's own fans. What a shame!

[AlwaysinModeration]

Joe Nathan might help make this happen.

 

How about Profar for Morneau? Ok, too much. Martin Perez?

[tjsyam921]

Another arm a year or two away from the majors would be better than keeping him and still losing 90+ games three years in a row.

[J-Dog Dungan]

The problem with trading guys like Willingham and Morneau now is that we then have to put inexperienced guys into the outfield which could severely hinder our offense until they start to get used to ML pitching.

[jokin]

Joe Nathan might help make this happen.

 

How about Profar for Morneau? Ok, too much. Martin Perez?

 

Haven't the Rangers been looking to move Elvis Andrus? 2 years of cheap control, eminently flippable.

[kab21]

Haven't the Rangers been looking to move Elvis Andrus? 2 years of cheap control, eminently flippable.

 

Elvis Andrus gets traded for a Justin Upton type player and not a Justin Morneau type player. There should be absolutely no way that the Rangers trade Andrus to the Twins but it has been a strange offseason.

 

I think in the end the Twins end up keeping Morneau until the deadline because he's not going to bring in a good prospect now and he's a very popular player. Optimistically the prospects on the Rangers that you should look at (if the Twins pay half of the salary) are Perez (if the Rangers have soured on him), Alfaro (toolsy catcher), Odor (toolsy MI), Sardinas (toolsy SS) and Buckel.

[jorgenswest]

The Twins should offer to pay a good portion of the salary in order to get a better return.

[Mike Sixel]

If they are not going to even try to compete this year, they should deal him. Ideally they would pay nearly the whole salary and get a good prospect.

[Twins best friend]

I wrote this article not too long ago questioning the possibility of a Morneau to Texas trade. Yours is much more in depth though and a good read.

[SCBackroads]

You often wonder whether the worst to first year in 91 could ever be duplicated in the current free agency market without simply overpaying to everything.

 

No matter what the diminished return for Morneau would be, I believe the alienation of the fan base would overshadow what good would come of it in the short term.

[Mike Sixel]

It is not over paying if that is what the market pays.

[jokin]

Elvis Andrus gets traded for a Justin Upton type player and not a Justin Morneau type player. There should be absolutely no way that the Rangers trade Andrus to the Twins but it has been a strange offseason.

 

I think in the end the Twins end up keeping Morneau until the deadline because he's not going to bring in a good prospect now and he's a very popular player. Optimistically the prospects on the Rangers that you should look at (if the Twins pay half of the salary) are Perez (if the Rangers have soured on him), Alfaro (toolsy catcher), Odor (toolsy MI), Sardinas (toolsy SS) and Buckel.

 

Agreed on your prospects, but the Rangers are reeling right now and their desperation might tempt them to make a move more beneficial to the Twins. Wouldn't Andrus net the Twins a small fortune in talent from a team desperate for a SS at the deadline, as well (and unlike the risk involved in Justin's injury history and last year on his contract, Andrus' value is virtually assured for the next year-and-a-half)?

[kab21]

There is no way that Andrus (or Profar) are in play for anything the Twins have to offer. If the Rangers are desperate then perhaps Olt is in play. Olt's a borderline top 25 prospect so it's not like he's mediocre.

[TRex]

People are speculating that the Ranger's infield will be configured (from l to r) as Beltre, Andrus, Profar, and Kinsler. It sure seems like obtaining Morneau could free up Andrus. Shortstop has been such a wasteland in Minnesota for such a long time, he sure seems like he would be a great fit, especially since he is under team control for three more years.

 

So how much more would it take to get Andrus? Hopefully not Perkins or Sano, but perhaps Willingham as suggested in another thread?

[Mike Sixel]

What is the point of getting Andrus if you do not sign 2 legit pitchers? Either try to win, or rebuild.

[Mike Sixel]

If Andrus costs two other everyday players, how are they better now or in 2 years?

[eveldrive]

I for one am tiring of the Twins always conservative approach, picking up pitchers like Correia and last year Marquis. For once I would like to see a move that excites the fan base - a move that is risky and out of character, but has high upside. Go for an Edwin Jackson; or pull off a trade like KC just did. The overall approach of building through the farm system is good, but occasionally it would just be fun to "go for it".

[gunnarthor]

Obviously, it depends on the offer but I think the Twins would be better served by having Morneau play here at first. If, at the break, we're 14 GB but Morneau is putting up a .290/.365/.480 136 OPS+ type season, his trade value will be much greater. Especially if someone (Rangers, Pirates, Nats) feel that they need a LH power bat due to injuries or ineffective play.

 

Plus, the fans love Morneau. Ryan can't just trade him for salary relief. He'd need something great in return.

[jokin]

What is the point of getting Andrus if you do not sign 2 legit pitchers? Either try to win, or rebuild.

 

He has very decent in-demand value. He could possibly get you one of those pitchers, not for 2013, but for down the road when it really matters.

[Brandon]

If they trade Morneau to the Rangers its gonna be for prospects in A ball. Olt would be the lone exception as he is bloked the next few years. A trade of Morneau would signal a youth movement is all out as now there would be 3 rookies in the lineup at 1B (well Parmalee is almost still a rookie), RF, and CF and i guess SS as I think Florimon is a rookie. If we get Olt i guess Plouffe could move to 1B or RF so we aren't rushing anyone from the minors.

 

I do the the minor league SS is intriging. Sardinez or something.

[gunnarthor]

For once I would like to see a move that excites the fan base - a move that is risky and out of character, but has high upside. The overall approach of building through the farm system is good, but occasionally it would just be fun to "go for it".

 

Hey, Bill Smith did that. Traded Garza for a Young and Ramos in a win-now trade.

[Mike Sixel]

Why does 2013 not matter? And why not trade for young guys now? If he is in demand, do a three way. The longer you wait to trade for young guys, the longer before they are up.

[jokin]

Why does 2013 not matter? And why not trade for young guys now? If he is in demand, do a three way. The longer you wait to trade for young guys, the longer before they are up.

 

It doesn't matter to the Twins ( this is self-evident by looking at what they do, not what they say) or they would be willing to do the things that other clubs are doing to improve themselves right now.

[Willihammer]

I don't see how Morneau is much of an upgrade over Mitch Moreland

[beckmt]

This would be more likely to happen at the trade deadline next year. Morneau has better landing places than Texas for return. (Tampa, Seattle, Boston) for a few.