They don't have a large number of available trade chips. Their three most talked about trade baits are Josh Willingham, Glen Perkins, and Justin Morneau, with a few other rumors mixed in here and there. Willingham is currently on the DL, and won't be available again until mid-August at the earliest. Perkins, according to the Twins, is staying with the team. Morneau seems most likely to move along, but who could the Twins get to take his salary and decreased power potential?

 

Let's face it, this is a fairly terrible year for the Twins in needing to be sellers instead of buyers, because they certainly have a prospect or two they could dangle for a sizeable return (not that I know who would that would be) if they were in the position to buy this July.

Or instead of what I just posted on the evaluating TR thread, this says a lot of the same points. I agree, we're sellers without much to sell. Not where we'd like to be.

Truth be told, if they had a lot of trade chips, they wouldn't be sellers. This is pretty common.

 

The Twins do have some trade chips. Perkins should fetch something nice (assuming he gets traded) and several other guys should fetch some pieces, whether that be international bonus money, some higher ceiling low A guys, or serviceable players who are valuable during their serfdom but not as they get expensive. These guys have value.

If they had a lot to sell they would not be in the position of needing to be sellers.

diehard, you keep going back to Perkins, but I believe the Twins that they aren't shopping him. Which leaves you with very little.

 

You can be a bad team and still have a couple of intriguing assets you want to move. The Twins don't even have that.

It's not ideal but I don't think we should get too down about it. No, the Twins are not going to be able to add much to their farm system this month, but on the bright side, their farm system as it stands is probably the best in baseball.

Ignoring Perkins, Morneau and Willingham, it sounds like they'll move Pelfrey and could move Burton, Correa or Fein as well. Plouffe could have value, too. Sure, Perkins has the most value but Willingham could have some off season value if he comes back healthy. It would be better if Morneau, for instance, was hitting like he used to but it is what it is. Let's see what Ryan can get before we complain too much.

Burton's a good name to bring up. He could be the best piece if he gets the ship righted, I think he might be the most important player this month in that regard. That and Morneau having a power surge.

I may be in the minority here, but i want Plouffe to stay. He needs to be more consistant, but i do like his bat.

Ignoring Perkins, Morneau and Willingham, it sounds like they'll move Pelfrey and could move Burton, Correa or Fein as well.

Who's going to want Pelfrey? Serious question. I don't know that he's better than the No. 5 on any contending team.

Twins are in a somewhat unique situation. Morneau, Carroll and Pelfrey are the only free agents and none have much (if any) value - and there is a realistic chance that the Twins might want to keep Morneau anyways. I would also argue that despite the poor record they can realistically be on at least the fringes of competing next year so they shouldn't be in a hurry to trade away assets that can help with that push.

diehard, you keep going back to Perkins, but I believe the Twins that they aren't shopping him. Which leaves you with very little.

 

You can be a bad team and still have a couple of intriguing assets you want to move. The Twins don't even have that.

 

You may be right about Perk, but if the teams are circling on him, at one point Terry Ryan will say, "I'm listening, but blow me away".

Who's going to want Pelfrey? Serious question. I don't know that he's better than the No. 5 on any contending team.

 

Per mlbtraderumors:

"A major league source told Martino that the Twins will likely shop Mike Pelfrey later this month, if he makes a strong few starts. While the 29-year-old hasn't exactly been a world-beater this year - he has a 6.11 ERA with 4.8 K/9 and 2.7 BB/9 - he could perhaps get better as he moves further from last year's Tommy John surgery and appeal to a contender willing to throw starters against the wall like the Orioles."

I would think with Pelfrey the Twins would either have an extension signed or will trade him before July 31. Hanging onto him in a walk year would not be smart.

Hard to see how the Twins can win at this point. If they make a trade, they'll get blasted for dumping salary for a low-end prospect. If they don't make a trade, they'll get blasted for being idiots and not trading away vets on an expring contract.

 

The return for Nolasco should pretty clearly show us the Twins won't be getting prospects of any value unless they move Perkins (please, no) or eat tons of salary (Morneau). The latter should be an option, but I don't actually think they'll trade the Maple Syrup Chugger and he's the only realistic target for that.

I could see both Morneau and Willingham moving in August. Neither of them would have any problem clearing waivers.