Thin Market for Furcal

Looks like furcal could end up goin back to the dodgers. He should atleast prove he's healthy first before askin for the world from teams.

Yeah the Twins just got a whole lot more into this thing

Giants signed ER and now the A's can't sign Furcal ...

This would automatically fill one of the holes at short.

Furcal to the Braves to play second, thats my best guess at this point. the twins wont offer enoug, the A's have moved on. the braves and dodgers are the only two likely destinations. atlanta trades kelly johnson and then signs furcal.

You should remember though, that Blake is about 4 years older than Furcal, hence the hesitation on the Twins part about offering up a guaranteed 3rd year. For an upgrade at SS, which would greatly improve their offense as well as defense, I think the Twins won't reject that 3rd year flat out.

Sarah, are you single??

although with blake likely headed back to the dodgers at this point i think that lessens their desire to bring back furcal as well.

This really makes me wonder what will happen with OCab.

If Furcal actually would consider playing 2nd, this could be an excellent opportunity for the Cards. Having taken care of SS via trade (acquiring someone with a below-market contract) and the front office presumably optimistic about Carp's status (though I don't necessarily agree) they have resources that they can devote to 2nd base and Furcal could be the pop and the leadoff hitter that we need.

We would still need another arm in the rotation (maybe Looper resigns cheaper than arb would have come out to be after if there's no market for him) and if the FO doesn't trust the young arms to close yet, maybe they could sign a Hoffman type to a 1 year deal.

I think Furcal will end up with the Cubs or Twins with less money than he was expecting. Possibly 8-10 mil a year.

You guys dont get it. I mention he'll play second for the braves and suddenly fans from teams like the cards on here saying ohh we need a second baseman, furcal would be good. Furcal loves ATL, he has his house there and has maintained that bobby cox is like a second father to him. Im saying he would accept second base to come back to the braves but he's not taking a pay cut and playing second base to play for teams like the twins and cards

Why would Furcal agree to go to 2B in St. Louis when he's a much better SS than Greene? They aren't ARod and Jeter. Why would he agree to be a 2B at all? SS's have much more value. He'd be voluntarily lowering his own salary.

Doesn't make much sense for the Braves to trade Kelly Johnson for a bat and replace him with Furcal.

Why not get a free agent outfielder and keep KJ, thereby spending less money?

Furcal only comes back if Escobar is traded for Peavy.

I think there's a huge difference between Blake and Furcal. If the Twins get the opportunity to find a shortstop like Furcal for just cash I think they'd jump on it.

The addition of Furcal to the Twins would fill an automatic void in the lineup and at short. I'd like to seem them sign him, since they are the only one expressing interest right now.

NickC, the free agent outfielders right now of value higher than ryan ludwick are Dunn, Burrell, and Ibanez. We've shown no interest in any of those besides Ibanez and Id rather spend money on Furcal. Id love Dunn and KJ but it doesnt look likely at this point. Furcal brings an entirely different element to the braves than KJ, he's a leadoff hitter with speed. Furcal and Ludiwck>KJ and what we would get in free agency

Seems like the AL and NL central teams are the ones who make the most sense for Furcal...too bad those are the teams with the least money too offer. It makes baseball sense for teams like the Royals, Twins, etc. to sign Furcal. Too bad "baseball sense" is second on the priority list to "fiscal sense" when it comes to these teams making moves...

Bravesfan I think you might have your head in your anus. Not to be mean or anything but Furcal gawked at the thought of playing second base. There's no reason for him to. Besides, the Braves don't want him either, they have KJ who is perfectly capable.

Not to mention you're probably just too enigmatic about the thought of Furcal coming back.

while i agree that in all likelihood it is a dream scenario, furcal really likes atl just like CC wants to be on the on the west coast and CC might pass on 30 million just to get this. a move to second from short is less to give up than that much money. the braves dont want him? thats inaccurate seeing as the braves have had multiple talks with kizner his agent

I'm still take the over on 4-35/40 for furcal. Someone with access to writers is trying to work furcal over. My guess is we see our fair share of collusion this winter. The owners have a nice cover story and they will run with it.

also, there is no collusion. its a 31yr old, still in"prime years" who coming off surgery, wanting 4yrs and a crapload of money to do it. not many teams want a SS commited for 4yrs off major surgery. bonds is much different, he brings not only health problems, but legal ones.

Can someone please tell me why the Twins wouldnt be going after Orlando Cabrera??

OC is a easy GOld Glove SS that can hit for average and a decent speed.

Furcal is a great SS but has way to much of a Injury History to even be mentioned with Orlando in my opinion.

Are you all high? People actually think the Twins would chase a half way legit free agent? When was the last one? Molitor? And even that wasnt really a "legit" with his age at the time and all. Dont get us Twins fans even the least bit excited.

Sincerely, All realisitc Twins fans

Furcal turned down the only 4 year offer he'll be getting. The market for Furcal just isn't there, especially on a 4 year deal. The "Twins way" seems to me as more dollar, less years.

Frankly, the Twins' offer to Torii Hunter was fair market value, looking at the quality of player he is. He's a 3 win player and NOT an elite defensive CF. The Twins 3/45 "lowball" offer was actually not much lower than what he should have gotten on market (assuming 5MM/win on FA market).

Just because other teams decided to WAY overpay for Hunter's services doesn't make the Twins "cheap". Casey Blake getting 3 years is WAY overpayment.

So yes, the Twins can seriously get Furcal.

I wouldn't be surprised if Furcal took a 1 yr deal to reestablish his market value. He's a good player, but until he shows that he is healthy I can't see a team topping the A's offer.

And the A's offering it surprises me. They must think that Chavez/Furcal would be an excellent DL duo.

But let me be clear. I really hope they prove me wrong. I REALLY want to be but i gave up on the Twins signing decent free agents LONG ago.

"Things are different now? $15 mil under '07 payroll and their big move in the '08 pennant race was getting Everymeal Eddie? That's willing to spend money? Wow."

Aggressive and "spending money" are two VERY different things.

2008 was a REBUILDING year. When teams rebuild, they don't have as many veterans/established players on their roster, and thus, their payroll is lower. 2008 was "look and see what the young talent can do". The fact that their talent came through and they were that close to making the playoffs was unexpected. And, maybe the Twins didn't take the BEST offer for Johan, but, if you look at 2008 as a rebuilding season, Gomez alone is EASILY worth more than the draft picks. Being involved in two of THE BIGGEST trades of the offseason is aggressive.

Inking your own players to extensions is also considered spending money. It's also a smart way to spend money. Especially if the player is someone like Joe Nathan, who is getting serious money for a closer.

And, regarding getting Everyday Eddie. Umm, the Mets, a team with a much bigger payroll than the Twins and a worse bullpen, got only Luis Ayala. Moot point. Guys like Fuentes, Huston Street, and George Sherrill were NOT traded mid-season.

I'm not saying I know whether the Twins are willing to go out and get Furcal, but with how much his price will drop in the coming few weeks, I wouldn't rule it out.

Oh. More "aggressiveness": Signing Morneau to a 6/80 extension. 80MM is serious money, and that's a big contract. That deal also went down during the Twins offseason. So much for "not willing to spend money".

Melonis,Well they cant let EVERYONE go. The point is they have NEVER EVER signed a big free agent. EVER. So just because they signed Morneau and Nathan doesnt mean they are suddenly spending money.Look back at earlier this decade when they passed on Thome,Thomas and Piazza. Granted they werent prime but all 3 went on to have a few decent years and we passed on them.

Plus this team was 15-20 million under on payroll in 08 then they were in 07 and with the new stadium coming and what guy have they been linked to? Casey Blake, thats it. I like Blake but they have needs beyond 3B and the only player they are linked to is a mid 30's 3B who is very decent and no doubt a upgrade over what we have now but its just getting old.They owe us a world series contendor and they wont do it . The state gave them a new stadium and there is NO sign to do everything they can to make this team a contendor. As a lifelong Twins fan this stuff of developing your own talent can only go on so long before you have to make SOME kind of a leap into FA or coming away with hands down the best player in a deal instead of being the one trading. I think our neighbors to East figured that out so i think its about time we do to. But they wont.

(Can you tell i have deep rooted issues with this team, my point drifted mid-paragraph)

Also Melonis just because the Mets didnt get a Fuentes or Sherrill type doesnt mean its ok that the Twins didnt.Im not saying i think the Twins should have went after one of them im just saying just because the Mets didnt do something that doesnt let the Twins off the hook. This team is overall cheap, and I dont buy its always because they have to be.
What "bad player" are you talking about Twinsfan? Just curious .

Im sorry guys i mean i want to think like you do but this team has never done anything to convince me a Furcal signing is even on their radar.

Yeah i read that too but at the same time, at SOME point id like to see them take a risk. Furcals upside is so great that the injury risk shouldnt be a problem. I mean hell look at the A's, small market all that got Holiday, Brewers get CC and to a lesser extent the royals with Gil Meche and Jose Gillen.

Lets just go since 2000, who have the Twins signed that was even half as good as even Jose Guillen? I honestly cant name one player. THATS a problem.

They need to go out and risk sometimes, Furcal seems like a pretty decent risk.....at least to me.