Article: Message From The King: The Best Seats To Say Goodbye

[John Bonnes]

You can view the page at http://twinsdaily.com/content.php?r=2142-Message-From-The-King-The-Best-Seats-To-Say-Goodbye

[John Bonnes]

Off-air yesterday, Aaron and I talked about whether or not there was any chance that Morneau's number would be retired. If he were to not be traded, and then retire at the end of the season, could that happen? In sort of a "remember Oliva before the knee injury" way? And is it less likely that happen if he plays a few more years on other teams?

[Seth Stohs]

In sort of a "remember Oliva before the knee injury" way?

 

This is a great point... 10-15 years from now, someone will look at Justin Morneau's numbers and say "he wasn't that great." And then we can have the memories of June 7, 2006 through July 6, 2010. Those four seasons were remarkable... Then the concussion and its aftereffects... you can't help but wonder.

 

People can say the same about Kirby Puckett's career numbers too. In a weird way, Puckett's legacy "benefited" from not playing again, as a shell of his old self. He didn't have the down years.

 

I love when players are able to stay with one organization, and the Twins have had many. It's the right business thing to do, to let him go, but it does make you think.

[Winston Smith]

The sad thing is that unless he picks things up he may have a hard time finding a decent paying job next year.

* Not that he needs the money but a pride thing for a once great player.

[Oldgoat_MN]

A very nice tribute to a guy who plays hard and has been a real asset to the Minnesota Twins.

 

Where would he stand in all those categories had he not missed a couple hundred games of his prime? Or even if he had been able to come back at 100%?

 

I can only wish Justin the very best.

[LastOnePicked]

Thoughtful stuff, but, if I had to predict, I'd say that the goodbyes are premature. I expect all of the above to be Twins through the end of 2013.

[Nick Nelson]

Morneau did a lot of great things during his time in Minnesota, but ultimately his will go down as a tale of what could have been. He was right in the middle of his prime and -- as John notes -- playing the best baseball of his career when the unfortunate concussion mishap occurred.

 

I felt so, so confident that he was going to return to form this year. It's been tough to watch, and it'll be tough to watch him go.

[Clare]

Thanks for this terrific tribute John. As a Canadian, I have been a big Morneau supporter since he was first drafted. My family and I have made the trek to Minneapolis almost every year of his career just to watch him play a few games.

 

Concussions or not, it's been fun to watch the long arc of his truely remarkable career as a Minnesota Twin. A big part of the joy (and wistful sorrow) of being a life time supporter of a team comes from watching the players come up, thrill us with their talent, and then see them fade away into team history.

 

Justin Morneau will always be one of those special players in Twins history because, like Tony O, we will always be left to marvel at his talent, grit and dedication, and to lament what could have been. Both on and off the field, he's been a distinct credit to the Twins uniform and to playing baseball the "Twins way". I for one think it would be a fitting tribute, and a credit to both him and to the Twins, to see his uniform number ultimately retired.

 

 

 

 

Off-air yesterday, Aaron and I talked about whether or not there was any chance that Morneau's number would be retired. If he were to not be traded, and then retire at the end of the season, could that happen? In sort of a "remember Oliva before the knee injury" way? And is it less likely that happen if he plays a few more years on other teams?

[YourHouseIsMyHouse]

This is a great point... 10-15 years from now, someone will look at Justin Morneau's numbers and say "he wasn't that great." And then we can have the memories of June 7, 2006 through July 6, 2010. Those four seasons were remarkable... Then the concussion and its aftereffects... you can't help but wonder.

 

That's very true. Morneau's numbers may not look too great as an average, but he truly was one of baseball's elite players for 4 years. He has the MVP for '06, finished 2nd to Pedroia in '08, and was on his way to winning the MVP in 2010 (Very good chance). Not to mention he defeated the player behind the greatest showing at the HR Derby ever. He has the accolades.

[NC-Twins]

We're going to trade him, then we're going to get him back for 2014. Just a hunch.

[frightwig]

Morneau should be in the Twins HOF someday, but I think retiring #33 for him would be a bit much. In his Twins career, he's hit .278/.348/.484 (121 OPS+) and has been worth 19.3 fWAR. In his 2006 MVP season, he was worth 3.7 fWAR while hitting .321/.375/.559 (140 OPS+); a very good year, but a relatively weak "MVP season." The MVP award really should have gone to Joe Mauer, his teammate, or Derek Jeter. Morneau got the award because of sportwriters' fixation on HR/RBI (he hit 34/130 that season).

 

He was a good 1st baseman for 4.5 seasons, and he really was having a fantastic first half in 2010, but retired numbers should be reserved for the special elite players. Morneau isn't Tony Oliva--who was worth 40.7 fWAR in his career; a 3.7 fWAR season equates to Tony O's two worst seasons from his 1964 rookie year through 1971, his last season before his knee surgery. Morneau isn't on Kent Hrbek's level, either. Besides being a local good ol' boy and key player on two World Series champs, Hrbek had 37.6 career fWAR and four seasons worth more than Morneau's MVP year.

 

You know, Corey Koskie had 22.7 fWAR, and three seasons better than Morneau's MVP year, with the Twins. He's also made Minnesota his home, and is known for doing a lot of charity work in the local communities. Torii Hunter had 21.8 fWAR, and two seasons better than Morneau's MVP year, with the Twins--and was known as "The Face of the Franchise." Is anyone talking about retiring their numbers, too?

[Oldgoat_MN]

The MVP award really should have gone to Joe Mauer, his teammate, or Derek Jeter.

 

Sorry to pick on one line, but I cannot tell you how much this frustrates me.

If the MVP wasn't Morneau in 2006 is should have been:

Jermaine Dye (awesome year for CWS, dropped off badly in Sept)

Vlad Guerrero - still played OF - 30 ganes at DH

Joe Mauer - highest BA

Johan Santana - great season, if you're into pitchers for MVP

 

Jeter was only under consideration because he was a Yankee. Had he played for Kansas City with the year he had no one would ever have brought up his name. Even if his effect on KC was as significant as it was for the Yankees.

 

edit: and I think Jeter has been an awesome player - HOF for sure

[snepp]

Jeter was only under consideration because he was a Yankee. Had he played for Kansas City with the year he had no one would ever have brought up his name. Even if his effect on KC was as significant as it was for the Yankees.

 

 

Captain Jetes was a top-5 WAR player in 2006, being a Yankee certainly wasn't the "only" reason he was under consideration.