Hunter A Fit With Rangers

The Rangers need a long-term center fielder, and they play 45 minutes from Torii Hunter's hometown.  Seems like a perfect fit, right?

Maybe.  But according to Hunter yesterday, his heart still lies in Minnesota.  It seems that if the Twins can muster even a fairly competitive long-term offer for him, he'll stay.  Hunter's next deal will cover his age 32-35 seasons, at the least.  $13MM annually might be considered a discount.  Will the Twins at least offer Hunter a Johnny Damon contract?  Even if they did, he would have to turn a blind eye to more lucrative offers.  I think some team would give him a fifth year, and $15MM a year seems plenty possible following a career season.

The Rangers could certainly use Hunter in the lineup, especially if they trade Mark Teixeira for pitching (as has been speculated).  The team entered the season with a $71MM payroll, down from a high of $105MM in 2002.  Money coming off the books in '08: Gagne ($6MM+), Lofton ($6MM), Wilkerson ($4.35MM), Sosa (about $2.4MM), and Mahay ($1.2MM).  That's about $20MM, plus a random Jerry Hairston here and there.  On the other hand, some players have escalating salaries for '08: Millwood ($1MM), Padilla ($2MM), Teixeira ($2.6MM), Blalock ($1.2MM), plus various other minor increases and arb-eligible guys.  Still, the Rangers should clear about $13MM even if they keep Teixeira, meaning there is definitely room for Hunter in the payroll.

I should add that if Alex Rodriguez becomes a free agent, that's $27MM saved for Texas.

Comments

[bravesbeast]

Roto,

So since hunter is having a much better year than andruw at the moment, does that mean that andruw now is back in the braves price range? I have always had the understanding that Andruw would get more money per year than hunter, and I also hope that he heats back up for the braves to become an even better team. But, in the case that he has a subpar year, could the braves retain him for a deal say a CarlosLeeesque 6 yr/100 million dollar deal, or is this just wishful thinking, as I could still see andruw getting more than that.

[andrewross1]

If I'm the Rangers (thank god I'm not) I'd rather keep Texeira and sign a free agent pitcher. Even during Tex's perceived down year of 2006 he batted .282, 33 HR, 110 RBI's and posted an +OPS of 123. Hunter is older and barely bested Tex's "down year" with a +OPS of 126 - and that was during his best offensive year in 2002. Though Hunter would certainly provide great defense in CF I'd rather plug in a young guy in CF, keep Tex, and upgrade the pitching staff.

[oxdmoneyxo]

Hmmm...

You think Arlington, TX is only 45 minutes from Pine Bluff, AR? You might want to Mapquest that...

[RotoAuthority]

"Washington was soon hired as manager of the Rangers, who play 45 minutes from Hunter's new home in Prosper, Texas."

I guess I should've said home instead of hometown, it that helps.

[Mike Simms]

Before that he lived in the The Colony TX which is a suburb of Dallas-Ft Worth.

[oxdmoneyxo]

Oh okay - I didn't know he had relocated...For some reason I thought he still lived in Pine Bluff...

[allabouthephils]

we went through the same speculation with Vernon Wells.... But, when Toronto ponied up 126MM over 7 years, Vernon completely forgot where he was from and would have played on the moon for that sort of loot... Money talks and bs walks.... If history has taught us anything it's that only in special circumstances do professional athletes take location into consideration when choosing a new team via free agency... Except when it comes to how much more endorsement money they can make by being in that city..... This is baseball 21st century.... no longer 20th..... money will always talk......

[bobo]

I can't imagine Hunter staying good enough and/or Andruw staying bad enough that Hunter ends up with a better contract.

Also on ARod - wonder if he doesn't stay, will the Yankees work out a trade with a team which he wants to go to. They could give ARod the standard window to work out an extension with that team (which of course they would have basically agreed to already), and he'd end up with more money than he would if he opted out of the contract. The Yankees could get a prospect or 2 or something in exchange for giving the new team the contract (i.e. the Texas payment).

[DentalPlan]

I don't buy into Torii Hunter offensively or defensively in the long term. Teams have been fooled by the contract year uptick for too long, I think Hunter is a land mine of a signing. He's simply not that good.

[touchmymonkey]

This kills me but.. I agree with Dentalplan on this one. Very nice player but just barely squeaks into the "star" category. Basically gives you 5 more hrs and 10 more rbi than good old Jacque Jones. much better base stealer and 20x the fielder JJ is. Jones makes $5 mil I can't see hunter making 3x that for those numbers. I think he will stay in Minn for 4 yrs $40 mil and be beloved by twins fans for doing so.

[quintjs]

He isn't saying with the Twins. 40million dollars?, uh the Twins need that. Mornaeu doesn't have a long term deal, what to do with Cuddayer, they have to pay Mauer more each year, and then if they have any chance at keeping Santana.

Hunter is a good player, but just not great. Good 6-7hitter on a talented team. 4-5years is probably a bit much.

And it had what a 12million option for this year? I can't see him taking a pay cut when everyone else is rolling in the money (GMJ, Pierre)

[Dev0]

Sorry to bring up the cubs here, and by no means am I a cubs fan but. I can sort of forsee the cubs trying to get Hunter this season. I mean really the Twins could maybe get some sort of Package of Pie and Murton? Obviously if that were to be done the trade would depend on a contract extension.

The Twins get cheaper and younger while the Cubs get another Big piece of what might be a playoff puzzle. Soriano/Hunter/Jones,Flyod would make a nice OF pushing for a playoff spot.

I'm sure the deal would expand past those players but that could be a basis for the deal.

[DentalPlan]

That sounds like a bad deal that would screw over the Cubs long term while they don't even get anywhere this year.

I'm sure Jim Hendry is working on it.

[touchmymonkey]

Hunter would be a nice 1 yr fit for cubs - would gladly give them 1 1/2 yrs of Jones and a few avg P prospects ( won't happen but its nice to dream). If Hendry ships out Pie AND Murton in same deal he better get more than Hunter. Renteria + Salty? Baldelli + Reyes? Garland + Pods? Let the abuse commence

[quintjs]

Because more than anything else, the Cubs need an outfielder?

[touchmymonkey]

Jones and prospect for Hunter 1) won't happen 2) if it did it does not add an OF just upgrades the position. Hunter would make much better portection for ARam than Jones or Floyd.

[nrmax88]

"Sorry to bring up the cubs here, and by no means am I a cubs fan but. I can sort of forsee the cubs trying to get Hunter this season. I mean really the Twins could maybe get some sort of Package of Pie and Murton?"

Just what the cubs are looking for. Another irght handed bat. People, this team needs a power hitting lefty in the worst way. If they didnt play in the same division, I could see the cubs making a run at Adam Dunn. Unload Jones, Murton, whoever else doesnt have room in that OF, get some prospects, send them over to Cinci for some pitching prospects. Also, apologies to Cub fans for ripping Ryan Theriot in the offseason, the guys a hard worker and can play the game. Reminds me of eckstein or somebody like that. If the cubs could find a way to get a big lefty like Dunn into their lineup to bat inbetween Lee and Ramirez, that would be huge. You cant underestimate the L/R/L/R element in a lineup. It makes the other team use more bullpen arms, and it makes it harder for starting pitchers to get into a rhythym when they are focusing on throwing all over the plate. With a bunch of righties, if you have a specific pitch working, a backdoor slider, 2 seamer over the inside corner, you can get into a rhythm and keep putting it there. It is much harder to do when you are facing L/R/L/R. Plus the fact dunn would get pitches to hit between those 2 guys, and probably hit 50 bombs in wrigley over a full year. Just a thought.

[ArodSucksAtLife]

"Reminds me of eckstein or somebody like that."

See it seemed like you were going to compliment Theriot and then you went and said that.

[Aduncaroo]

Yeah...I hate guys that win MVP in a world series. Theriot is good...not great, but probably the answer at this point for SS.

I would LOVE for the Cubs to get Dunn...he would be amazing playing at Wrigley. All he has to do is make contact and the ball will go out at Wrigley. There is no way Cincy is going to trade him within the division though...which sucks. Any other good Lefties not playing in the Central that anyone sees available around the deadline?