Aww, Morneau. Can we keep him?

[nicksaviking]

ARCIA is the best option....his OF defense is bad, have him and Mauer play some combo of 1B, with random young guy also playing RF/1B/DH. We KNOW Morneau is one of the worst 1B in baseball for the last two years.....why would they re-sign him? It is mindboggling to me.

 

If Arcia needed to moved I could buy into that but I think it's a little early, espcially considering that he looks to be the only competent hitting outfielder above A ball aside from the declining Willingham. The outfield would be an abyss of depression until Buxton arrived. I'd prefer Arcia and his sketchy glove in the OF with a league average 1B than Arcia at 1B and Thomas/Rameriz/Mastroiani/my grandmother in RF. If Willingham is hurt or moved, that means two of them are starting outfielders.

[nicksaviking]

4) Given the range of options there is no reason to sign Morneau to a multiple year deal. I would prefer a long term solution, which probably means a FA but that seems unlikely given the Twins reservations. So an internal candidate seems the next best option. Perhaps one will turn into a long term solution. If the Twins will not sign an upgrade and have given up on the young guys then we should be looking at 1 year contracts so we can reassess the situation during the '14-15 off season, again looking for a long term solution. Resigning Morneau to a multi-year deal guarantees 1B will not be upgraded for the length of the contract.

 

Well a multi-year deal is broadly interpreted. I don't think anyone wants to give Morneau a long term deal, particularly Terry Ryan, but I don't think a two-year deal would be a negative unless someone truely thinks Parmelee/Colabello are the answer.

[stringer bell]

Colabello should play a minimum amount at first base and less in the outfield. The jury is out whether he'll be able to hit major league pitching although his at-bats yesterday offered very little encouragement. Today's lineup features (according to mlb.com) BJ Hermsen catching, Doug Bernier at short, Clete Thomas in center, Doumit in right and Wilken Ramirez in left. I'm sure Verlander is shaking in his boots and Cleveland fans are wondering if the Twins are trying to throw the race (if there is one) to the Tigers. I am sick of no-future talents taking ABs. End of rant!

[Oxtung]

Well a multi-year deal is broadly interpreted. I don't think anyone wants to give Morneau a long term deal, particularly Terry Ryan, but I don't think a two-year deal would be a negative unless someone truely thinks Parmelee/Colabello are the answer.

 

Even you seem to think that Justin isn't a part of our long term solution. What is the point of a multi year deal? There will be similar options, some perhaps a bit better some perhaps a bit worse but similar none the less, available this off season for 1 year deals. There is no need to sign Morneau to a multi-year deal, even if it is for just 2 years. So if you want to go to 2+ years what advantage does that bring to the Twins?

[stringer bell]

Arcia is 22 years old. Give him a year or two to work on his defense. He has the requisite speed and arm to be a decent corner OF and has made a few nice plays mixed in with the clunkers.

[Oxtung]

Colabello should play a minimum amount at first base and less in the outfield. The jury is out whether he'll be able to hit major league pitching although his at-bats yesterday offered very little encouragement. Today's lineup features (according to mlb.com) BJ Hermsen catching, Doug Bernier at short, Clete Thomas in center, Doumit in right and Wilken Ramirez in left. I'm sure Verlander is shaking in his boots and Cleveland fans are wondering if the Twins are trying to throw the race (if there is one) to the Tigers. I am sick of no-future talents taking ABs. End of rant!

 

Do you mean Chris Herrmann? I haven't seen Hermsen pitch in a while but that would be quite the transformation!

[stringer bell]

Do you mean Chris Herrmann? I haven't seen Hermsen pitch in a while but that would be quite the transformation!

I should have put quotation marks around "Hermsen", but that was the name listed. I hope they change it, but I didn't cut and paste because no game thread was started.

[Mike Sixel]

As I've suggested, sign Ellsbury, put random players in RF like they have now, and put Willingham in left until Hicks/Buxton is ready. This is not a 1 year plan.....

 

By 2015 at the latest, Buxtion is in CF, Ellsbury is in LF, and someone (hicks) is in RF, with Arcia at 1B. You have now solved for the OF and 1b, with 1 FA signing (maybe not 2014, but 2014 is an abyss of losses anyway).

 

Gotta think beyond 1 year.

[nicksaviking]

Even you seem to think that Justin isn't a part of our long term solution. What is the point of a multi year deal? There will be similar options, some perhaps a bit better some perhaps a bit worse but similar none the less, available this off season for 1 year deals. There is no need to sign Morneau to a multi-year deal, even if it is for just 2 years. So if you want to go to 2+ years what advantage does that bring to the Twins?

 

Mostly because I don't see the long term solution anywhere in sight. I'm fine sticking with the guy we know instead of comparables we don't.

 

I'd be fine if a deal was for one year. Morneau surely would beg to differ. If you're asking why I would give him a two year deal if push came to shove, I guess my answer is I'd rather have the bat upgrade over Colabello/Permelee then play those two in 2014 simply because the team doesn't want to risk the slight chance that a better 1B opportunity presents itself in 2015. If one does, Morneau's bat and decreased salary would finally be an asset on the bench anyway.