Twins Trade Targets

Best fit for any trade with the Dodgers really is Pinto. They don't have any realistic everyday catcher now or in the near future via prospects. They will want to improve. They have an excess of outfielders, but I don't want to pick up an older one in their decline via trade. An older player possibly in their decline from free agency is better than a trade. Then there is only a loss of money instead of players. I'll take Cuddyer/Span/Hunter and spending money over Kemp/Ethier/Crawford and the potential loss of prospects or major league contributor. Keep Nolasco for now because if he is needed by another team during the season (which pitchers always are) then there's a better trading situation. Pinto for Van Slyke and Carlos Frias. Throw in a mid level prospect if needed and thus we have a LF for next year and a flame throwing reliever who could be a steal if converted into a starter (and a little bit of luck of course).

If Hicks has really turned a corner after his last disappointment, then I want him in centerfield and Santana at shortstop. Another left fielder who can keep Schafer as the 4th outfielder would still be nice to have. That's why I like Van Slyke. Left field to start off, but as soon as another outfielder like Buxton comes up, Van Slyke can move to the role he has had with the Dodgers, a back up outfielder who can still get 200-300 at-bats and fill in nicely for an injury.

I am now officially gun shy about acquiring National League pitchers. Focus on AL East and AL West pitchers.

How about a guy like Ian Kennedy or Brett Anderson who pitched for years in the AL but were in the NL last year? 

If LA trades Kemp it will be to dump salary, so a team willing to take on Kemp's entire contract could probably get him for almost nothing. No team is going to both take on the salary AND give up real prospects.

 

Same for Crawford.

 

Do it.

I think you could get Kemp for nothing and have the Dodgers pick up $5M a year.  So it would be like going out and signing Kemp to a 6 year deal at $15M a year.  It would be an option for me, but something tells me we can find a better alternative to uprade LF (and I don't think the Twins want to go out 6 years on a guy that age, injury concerns, etc.)  

In the last few years, the White Sox have found Carlos Quentin and Eaton and did not give up much either time.  

Kennedy had a grand total of about 60 IP for the Yankees.  He established himself in AZ.

Oh - you're right - Kennedy is a bad example then.

The overall point is that I don't think the Twins should ignore NL arms, just be more selective about which ones they go after.

I think you could get Kemp for nothing and have the Dodgers pick up $5M a year.  So it would be like going out and signing Kemp to a 6 year deal at $15M a year.  It would be an option for me, but something tells me we can find a better alternative to uprade LF (and I don't think the Twins want to go out 6 years on a guy that age, injury concerns, etc.)  

 

In the last few years, the White Sox have found Carlos Quentin and Eaton and did not give up much either time.  

You meant Rios, not Eaton right? They traded an actual starting pitcher for Eaton.

Rasmus is also 28 while Hicks is 24.  You are right, Rasmus had + dWAR is 2009, 2012 and 2013. This season Rasmus played 719.1 innings of defense to get to his -0.5.  Hicks played in 528 defensive innings to get his -0.2, so not even close to double.

 

Rasmus also made 14 times what Hicks did this year.  Hicks also has less than 500 AB of major league experience.

 

I know I am in the minority but I STILL think Hicks could be AT LEAST an average ML OFer.  I still think letting him start 2013 as the starter at age 23 with no AAA experience was bad for his development.  He has been treated like a yo-yo ever since then.  MLB-AAA-MLB-AAA-MLB-DL-AA-AAA-MLB.  That's in a 2 year span.  I'm not saying anoint him as an everyday starter, but I'm very anti-kick him the curb.

Also interesting that Hicks has an almost .060 advantage in OBP over Rasmus, so not clear Rasmus has significant advantage in offensive value. Pretty much the only advantage of Rasmus is a significantly higher ISO, but Hicks seemed to have an ISO much below what would be expected.

I would take Rasmus on a one year deal but nothing more than that.

Kemp is owed $21m for each of the next five years, which will be his age 30 thru 34 seasons. He put up a .850 OPS (140 OPS+) this year, right in line with his career average. He's probably not the superstar he once looked like, but he's a good bet to post similar numbers, and a huge bet to be way better than anything the Twins are likely to put in left field for the next few years.

 

If the Dodgers want prospects in return, no. If its nothing but money, well the Twins have that, and should be going over budget the next few years anyway if they're going to meet their famous 52 percent promise, considering they've been below it for a couple years now.

 

I'd take Kemp off their hands, put him in LF, and not look back. They still could buy any pitching they want, if they were so inclined.

Kemp might have been available in July but I highly doubt the Dodgers would be interested in moving him in a straight salary dump at this point. Not especially interested in Ethier or Crawford, though moving Nolasco might make it worth it.

Kemp is owed $21m for each of the next five years, which will be his age 30 thru 34 seasons. He put up a .850 OPS (140 OPS+) this year, right in line with his career average. He's probably not the superstar he once looked like, but he's a good bet to post similar numbers, and a huge bet to be way better than anything the Twins are likely to put in left field for the next few years.

 

If the Dodgers want prospects in return, no. If its nothing but money, well the Twins have that, and should be going over budget the next few years anyway if they're going to meet their famous 52 percent promise, considering they've been below it for a couple years now.

 

I'd take Kemp off their hands, put him in LF, and not look back. They still could buy any pitching they want, if they were so inclined.

Payroll will be about the same next year. Scratch Kemp and Hamels.  You could get really creative, but the Twins have said they don't want two players making 50% of payroll as well.

Not. Going. To. Happen.