Twins Hope GM Deals For Help

here come all the "Joe Mauer will NEVER play for another team!" twin fans

Cally, best of luck at your 3rd attempt at the 4th grade

04Forever: There is a lot of logic behind the sentiment of Mauer staying in the Twin cities. I realize it shatters your dream of him being a Red Sox, but you shouldn't mock people for being right. The Twins will have plenty of money to lock up Mauer and he is a hometown boy.

I am by no means a Twins fan but I'd say there is less than a 10% chance Mauer plays for another team over the next 5-8 years.

not like im wrong, check the very next comment after mine.

And here come all the Red Sox fans who are already buying custom-made Mauer jerseys.

There's certainly no guarantee that he'll stay in Minnesota, but I find it funny when East Coast diehards scoff at the notion that someone could actually rather play in little ol' Minnesota than Boston or New York.

Posted by: MorneauVP | July 27, 2009 at 11:20 AM
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Yes..He will be with the red sox haha. Ben said he guessed the red sox would be the team he goes to. It will be between the top market teams...Red Sox.Yankees. Mets.

"If we don't do anything this year, I can't see how he's going to want to come back and go through this every year," Morneau said.

THATS COMING FROM HIS TEAMATE...IM SURE THAT HE KNOWS HIM A LOT BETTER THEN WE DO.

Im sure Morneau feels the same way, he plays his butt off and they always get painfully close

Can we make Joe the GM? Maybe then he will get a little appreciation for just how much dreck there is to be had, and how little talent the Twins have available to pay for anything good.

And also it would get rid of Bill Smith.

Kirby Puckett = Best Twin Ever

Batting average >> .318
Hits >> 2,304
Home runs >> 207
Runs batted in >> 1,085

He is the Twins franchise's all-time leader (1961-present) in career hits, runs, doubles and total bases, and his .318 career batting average was the highest by any right-handed American League batter in the second half of the 20th century.

Kirby Puckett also turned down more money from Boston to stay in Minnesota, Kulaid :)

I like this game.

If the Twins were willing to go 6/81 for Morneau, I can see them breaking the $100MM barrier for Mauer.

Mauer isn't going anywhere. Case Closed

04forever: "I know for a fact the Twins will stay pat, they need so much help they cant fix all their problems this year. "

I don't think you understand the way the Twins' front office works. They're almost certainly going to make a move this year because they should have made one last year, and the actual situation be damned.

I'd argue that 04forever DOES know hwo the Twins' front office works, which is why he made the comment to begin with.

Twins need starting pitching so bad its not funny. Its pointless for them to acquire pieces because it still wont be that good of a team, except for hitting

"I know for a fact the Twins will stay pat, they need so much help they cant fix all their problems this year. The starting rotation is ruined, their YEARS away from being a successful playoff team"

How do you figure? Sure if Slowery is out for the year that hurts them. But overall Swarzak has been impressive, Baker is solid, and Blackburn has been pretty good. Perkins and Liarano have been frustrating but they have the talent. This year they probably wouldn't advance deep into the playoffs but I think they could make them. Next year with Slowery back they could be a solid contender.

"I dont care about that. I was just saying Mauer isnt the best player in twins history, Kirby is.

Posted by: Kulaid33gobrs "

They also had Carew and Killabrew a pair of HOF's that your forgot to mention. Honestly I don't think anyone can judge a career until its fully over. I will say I think Mauer can be the greatest Twin of all time and if he plays another 10-12 years WILL be the greatest Twin of all time. He very well could end up being as good or better than Johnny Bench and that would make him the greatest Twin. I don't think you should criticize someone for saying the 2nd best player in the game (who is what 26) is the best player of all time for a team. I'm sure Cards fans say that about Pujols and that puts him over plenty of great players.

If the twins dont make the playoffs in the next two years...it will be hard to keep him around. The case is WIDE OPEN. If he wants to win he will probably sign somewhere else. If he likes the organization that much that he will risk losing for his entire career without a ring then he might be more inclined to test the offers and go to a team that contends EVERY YEAR for a playoff spot. Red Sox, Yankees, Angels, Dodgers, Mets, Phillies(?), i mean he could go a number of places.

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LOL you should probably look back at the last 10 years or so. Twins won division in 2002, 03, 04, 06, 08. The 08 was a tie and they ended up losing a 1 game tie breaker to get into playoffs. Pretty sure thats contending. 05 they had a winning record but came up short. 07 is the only year since 2001 that the twins have had a losing record. You can't even say that about several of the teams you listed. Twins have made playoffs more than the Mets, Phillies, AND Dogers in that time frame. Mets and Dogers have both posted 71-91 seasons since 02. Don't say they always compete for playoff spots and Minnesota doesn't. It makes you look foolish, Twins have been closer.

With everthing that is apparently on the line: Mauer, Morneau, Billy Smith's job and a spot in the playoffs. I believe that the Twins will make a move. I just dont's know who it is going to be, and what it will take.

And Mauer has Tony Gwynn written all over him... There is no doubt that he is and will be the best player to play for the Twins. And for that reason I predict that he will sign a contract but it will only be for a couple years. That way he can bail with his buddy Morneau when the Twins come up short again and again and again...

The Twins have a bunch of good prospects. If the Pirates, A's, Bluejays or whomever it may be makes a trade with them they will get at least one or two guys that will play in the Bigs in a couple years.

Plouffe, Hughes, Pridie are the position players that would likely go if a trade is going to be made.

I think before when this topic was brought up, Twins/Pirates fans hashed out a value for Sanchez of something like Tolleson/Plouffe and Manship/Henn/Humber.

For Sanchez and Grabow, You are probably looking at those same players + an Class A level prospect.

For Sanchez and Capps, you would be looking at Casilla and/or Mulvey along with Tolleson/Plouffe/Manship/Henn/Humber (Depending on who is included between Casilla and Mulvey) and Class A prospects

The Twins never have gotten mid-season help ever, so I don't see that changing this year. Mauer probably will stay after 2010 - as long as the Twins pay him. Also, his buddy Morneau is locked in until 2013 so that should help to make him want to stay.

Guys like Henn and Humber dont' have much trade value. Even Plouffe, Manship, Tolleson are more suspect than prospect.

Shooter Hunt and Carlos Gutierrez are two pitchers who were recent high draft picks who still have value (Hunt is injured, Gutierrez is struggling)and either Rob Delany or Anthony Slama might also be added. I am hoping the Twins will include Crain or Duensing.

If the Pirates want middle infielders, the Twins don't match up well. I'm sure the Pirates have looked at Tolleson and Plouffe and Casilla and might want one them but I wouldn't bet on it.

Earlier it was reported that the Pirates asked for Liriano in exchange for Sanchez so maybe the Pirates are looking for a lot more than the Twins can offer.

We need Sanchez badly to play 2B and hit 2nd.

I cant see the Twins giving up Gutierrez unless Capps in included in the deal. He is young and they will most likely hang on to him and hope like hell he pans out to his full potential so they can at least come out even in the Santana deal.
The same goes with Liriano, he only gets traded on two conditions:
1. The Twins also get a relief pitcher back
2. Kevin Slowey will return at some point this year. If Slowey gets shut down for the season, the Twins simply dont have the starting pitching depth to spare Liriano.

Also, Alexi Casilla still has trade value, as he can play both SS and 2b and has incredible speed. He hit .281/.333/.374 last year in 98 games. He shown he can succeed at the major league level, which gives him residual value from last year.

As far as their other prospects, I dont see Slama gettign traded unless Capps is included, the kid has too much potential for even a two year rental.

If I had to guess how this trade would/is going to go down, I would say:

Pirates give Sanchez, Grabow
Twins give Tolleson, Mulvey, and a High A player or two

"I cant see the Twins giving up Gutierrez unless Capps in included in the deal. He is young and they will most likely hang on to him and hope like hell he pans out to his full potential so they can at least come out even in the Santana deal."

Um... what does Gutierrez have to do with the Santana deal? You mistaking him for Guerra?

Wow I dropped the ball on Gutierrez/Guerra. My bad.

"Pirates give Sanchez, Grabow
Twins give Tolleson, Mulvey, and a High A player or two"
Posted by: Dashboard

Well, that would be a deal come true for the Twins but I believe Pittsburgh is going to want more.

I think Casilla would be sent to the Pirates (who might look at him as a SS, his original position)for certain. I also read that the Pirates might want Crain coming back which would be fine with me.

The Pirates liked Matt Fox ('04 sandwich pick) coming out of college. Mike McCardell is a Pennsylvanian at High A Ft. Myers who is a solid prospect. Steve Singleton and Estarlin De Los Santos are middle infielders in A ball who might interest and if they are looking at a catcher, Danny Lehmann at New Britain might interest. All were higher draft picks and De Los Santos was a highly sought Dominican. I'd give up any two or three of them to land Sanchez and Grabow/Capps!

"Last decent move the Twins made was in 2003 when they acquired Shannon Stewart"

A.J. Pierzynski to the Giants for Francisco Liriano, Boof Bonser, and Joe Nathan was AFTER the Shannon Stewart trade.

Lohse for Ward, Santana for Gomez and junk, Luis Castillo for junk, were all terrible moves.

The deal with Tampa Bay got most twins fans excited on paper, but Delmon Young just hasn't panned out the way he was expected to.

Any deal the Twins make for a SS or a 2B I think will have Alexi Casilla as one of the pieces, he has failed in his auditions to lock down that spot this year after being one of the table setters for them last year. Fact is, He isn't playing like a 'Gardy' or 'Twins' guy.

He has a .298 career minor league avg (all levels) and hit .340 at AAA after being demoted earlier this season.

He plays 2B for the Twins Because Brendan Harris has struggled there, but was drafted as a SS, was projected to play there, and for several years was the Twins top infield-arm.

The Twins also have some other mid-level middle infield hitting prospects in Steven Tolleson (AAA), Steven Singleton (AA), and Trevor Plouffe (AAA), though I don't think they will give up on Plouffe, a former 1st RD pick who has moved up a level every year as a pro and is productive and patient at the plate despite his avg this year.

I'm not sure what the Pirates need or want, but the Twins are also loaded with mid-level Starting Pitching prospects.

The only player's the Twins will not give up in their system are OF's Ben Revere (high-A) and Aaron Hicks (low-A), 3B Danny Valencia (AAA), C Wilson Ramos (AA, injured), SP's Deolis Guerra (AA), Carlos Gutierrez (AA), and RP's Robert Delaney (AAA) and Anthony Slama (AA) (of note because he strikes out batters at a 13.3 per 9IP clip for his career.)

If I was a betting man, in my eyes a trade for Sanchez would take:

Casilla and/or Tolleson, a high-minor SP prospect (Mulvey, Manship, Duensing), and maybe a MLB bench player (Buscher?->heh, Morales...) or a couple other mid-level guys. Until Slowey had to have surgery one of the current SP's would have been the main piece, But now they need them all.

Fact is, this is the type of move the Twins NEED to make, for this year and other reason's relating to 'Baby Jesus' Hometown Hero Joe Mauer.

BTW - all you east-coasters who think Mauer would sign with you just because you're Boston/New York etc... obviously have no idea what the kids makeup is.

If he goes over there, the only reason will be because its the richest contract in MLB History for ANY player, thats what it will take. You vastly underestimate his connection to this state, its not just where he grew up... But if BS does fail in any negotiations, he'll be heading West, not east, trust me on this.