Twins Interested In Pirates Players

Seems like Nyjer Morgan should be included when discussing the list of guys the Pirates have shipped off.

Sanchez would be a haul if the Twins could get him. I fail to see why his salary is such a problem, he is productive every year and even his salary for next year at 8M is not that bad. A cheap Bill Smith should even be able to afford that with the shape that the Twins are in for 2B, when the playoffs are at stake.

I agree Sanchez's salary isn't prohibitive like Wilson's. Paying $11 million for a year and a half of a quality 2nd baseman is pretty good. I have to believe at most the Twins could ask for $2 million from the Bucs.

Also Twins need Sanchez pretty desperately. Their 2nd base production is AWFUL.

Pittsburgh would erupt if the Pirates traded Freddy Sanchez so close to Mclouth and Morgan. Huntington would be public enemy number 1 in the burgh. That being said, I understand (and agree with) Huntington's plan for building a winner (don't laugh) and if trading Freddy now brings the bucos closer to that, so be it. Dashboard, I don't think Delmon Young makes a ton of sense for the Pirates right now. I would love to have him on the Pirates, and it would be a characteristic buy low move for Huntington, but I think the outfield is plenty crowded with players that are good enough to start at the major league level. Your first deal involving Mulvey and Tolleson and one other player addresses the Pirates needs right now and seems like a good way to negotiate. I don't mind trading any of those three (Capps, Sanchez, or Grabow) but the bobble-head Pirates fans would give up on the team........again.

The Twins have a good amount of pitching in their system and given the fact that the rotation is fairly young I wouldn't be surprised to see the Twins move some minor league pitching to make an immediate improvement to this years roster.

Pitchers I could see moved... Mulvey, Robertson, Manship or Humber.

Middle Infielders... Tolleson or Tolbert.

I just feel sorry for Pirates fans, and their players. Why do they keep selling off cheap young players??? Is Pirate ownership so broke they need guys making 400K playing in place of them?? They really haven't been bad at all this year.

I can't start to speculate on what the Pirates would want in return, but Sanchez would really help the Twins for a year or two. We have a lot of INF depth in the minors though and Sanchez's salary is a bit of a grab, especially when resigning Mauer must be the top priority.

I would love to see Sanchez batting 2nd for us, it'd provide a solid OBP with some extra base power from the RIGHT HANDED side, which is what we need. But then again, you gotta remember, we have tons of ML ready infielders down at AA and AAA, and Mauer is going to raise the payroll by another 30-40% alone

The Cubs have middle infield plus pitching in our farn system. i think that the Cubs should go after Sanchez bc u get a leadoff hitter and flekability at 3rd + 2nd base!
The only problems with this is that baker,Fox,Blanco, will lose playing time when Rameriz comes back but at least get soriano out of leadoff!!! Do the pirets want Jeff Samarja? [i know i spelled his name wrong]

BucSox: I was just throwing out something that included a LHP for the bullpen w/ major league experience, along with Tolleson (who could free up a Jack Wilson trade).

My bad - I do not know much about the Twins or their prospects, other than Ben Revere, who would be nice to add to the Pirates organization (if we needed another OF).

Wrigleyterror37, you do realize that the Cubs just traded for Baker for those exact reasons right? And already had Aaron Miles and Ryan Freel do that as well?

It just seems like with an obvious need at 2B for the Twins and them being only 3 games back that they would want to make a move if the price would be just prospects of some kind of workable variety. Pittsburgh probably still isn't going to pick up Sanchez's option anyway at 8M next year, regardless of how well he does the way that franchise is acting lately and they appear to be set to make moves to trade all the veterans they have possible making good money. twins have an obvious 2B need, so why not make a push? Offer them the highly talented, but struggling Francisco Liriano even and see where that goes. It's not like the Twins couldn't try Mulvey, or swarzek in the 5 spot and give them a try if Pittsburgh would take Liriano in exchange for Sanchez.

Liriano would be a bit much. He has been pitching better. Also has the biggest upside in the Twins organization. The best player/prospect that I would give the Pirates for either of these players would be Delmon Young, and apparently he has soured in the eyes of the league

I think the main reason the Pirates wouldn't take Young is that they just got Milledge and they seem to be very similar players. I will be upset if we acquire another outfielder in a trade for Sanchez or Capps. With Grabow you just get the best prospects you can.

I am a huge Pirates fan, and the thing im most happy about is that we know this is not a good team...regardless of the record. And NH, unlike anyone else in the last 17 yrs of this organization has the courage to blow the ENTIRE thing up to finish this building process this year.

I can see Capps, Grabow, Adam Laroche, Wilson, Sanchez, and perhaps even Doumit being gone by the deadline.

And as much as I have enjoyed some of those guys, we need higher talent levels at every position in pittsburgh...And NH is building this thing the RIGHT way....not trying to add players like Jeremy Burnitz and Derrick Bell to build a winner.

This is a refreshing change of pace....dont sell a few guys...sell them all and lets get the premium returns and make the playoffs in 2011

I will say this if any of the veterans are worth
keeping around for the Future it's Freddy.

I agree with most of the Pirates trades, I was only upset with the McLouth deal because it came out of nowhere and he was a young talented player who was relatively cheap. I didn't like what we got for Bay, but I knew he had to be traded soon. It always hurts as a fan to see your favorite players go, but sometimes it's for the best.

I wouldn't like to see Capps get traded, especially if he's traded to be a setup man, we probably won't get as much as a team who needs a closer. I'd wonder if Sanchez and Grabow is enough for Anthony Swarzak. He's looked good in the majors, but his minor league stats don't suggest him to be dominant if I remember.

I think I'd like to see the Pirates hold onto a few of the good younger players they have like Doumit and Capps. If they trade them, there should be no complaints about declining attendance because no one will go to the games. If the team gets better, attendance and profit will rise, and hopefully Nutting will spend it the right way.

The only outfielder names the pirates would even listen to would be Revere or Hicks...beyond that, show NH pitching and Middle infield talent.

Tollefson, Casilla, Mulvey for Sanchez and Grabow.

If you want Capps, you would have to really dig deep. His contract is way too good. As is his command, fastball, and overall talent level. If the pirates dont get top returns on him, im sure management would have a problem seeing him dress in a bucco uniform until 2012.

"Sanchez has a vesting option for next year. If he reaches a very easily attainable AB amount then his option automatically kicks in."

Thanks buccobrigade & thebigfish99 for the reminder. I should have known this as it has been posted here so many times and also on Cot's contract page.

There should be able to be a way to make a Sanchez to Twinkie Town deal work, even if not with Liriano. The Twins have such an obvious need for a 2nd baseman and if Sanchez's contract does seem to be that close to renewing at 8m for next year, the Bucs are for pretty certain highly motivated sellers.

Shame he has not played 3B for several season, would not mind him back in Boston again, kind of erase the "Jeff Sellers" deal some huh?

BucSox, Regarding dumb suggestions made by Twins fans...

"Henn and Tolleson for CApps and Sanchez and he thinks the Pirates are getting to much give me a break."

That was made by a Pirates fan. :)

Anyhow, I agree and disagree with a lot of what I've read here. Twins fans are indeed inventing lowball trades. However, Pirates fans are overvaluing Sanchez as well.

I realize he's a very good offensive 2B, and probably the best 2B available on the market this summer. However, the fact remains that the Pirates are rebuilding, and they likely don't want to pay Sanchez the ~$11MM left coming to him if they can get some good young pitching for it.

That said:

Anthony Swarzak (RHP)
Kevin Mulvey (RHP)
Steven Tolleson/Alexi Casilla (both 2B/SS)
A-level prospect (Chris Parmelee, perhaps, if the Buccos want a ton of raw power)

in exchange for:

Freddy Sanchez
Matt Capps

Swarzak and Mulvey are both Top 10 prospects, Casilla has fallen off this season but was productive last year, and despite not running much, has blinding speed. Or, Tolleson is having a nice 2009 at AAA, hitting .320/.385/.443.

Chris Parmelee is 21, a former first-rounder, and is the Twins' best power hitting prospect. He's got very good plate discipline, though he needs to improve his contact rate as he strikes out a lot.

Some great discussion in this thread. I agree with BucSox's analysis of the trades that Huntington has made so far. I am not even ready to give up on the Bay trade yet as Laroche has plenty of time to show the power numbers he put up in the minors (at stops other than Las Vages I might add) and Brandon Moss has plenty of time as well to play better. I am kind of tired of people ripping the bucs decisions this year each time they trade away veterans. Huntington has, in my opinion, done everything right so far. He has a plan, and has the cajones to stick to it. He inherited the 4th worst minor league system and arguably the worst major league team. Even given that he is bringing better players into the system and thinking outside the box with players from India, South Africa, and Taiiwan. I don't know much about the Twins, but from what the Twins fans in this thread have been saying there are some pitching and middle infield prospects available. If that is the case, then Minnesota's hole at second and in the 7 and 8 innings of the bullpen make the pirates and twins pretty good trade partners.

Any twins fans out there able to shed light on something for me?

Tolbert, Tolleson, and Casilla...

Are they all strictly second basemen?

Do any of them have ability and range to play SS.

And do any of them play SS occassionally at the MLB level this year?

Any type of Fan based scouting report would be appreciated.

MY BAD I REALLY MENT
Wrigleyterror37, you do realize that the Cubs just traded for Baker for those exact reasons right? And already had Aaron Miles and Ryan Freel do that as well?

Ya but we got rid of ryan freel[DFA] plus miles isnt hitting well his defence is great but honestly the cubs need somoby who can hit sanchez would be a nice fit. But Blanco is starting to come around so. By the way Miles is on the DL AGAIN! Plus we have some prospects idk if henry would trade some of them tho.

MorneauVP- You could not be more incorrect if you tried. (Not trying to be harsh)

#1 We can afford Freddy EASILY...2 or 3 times to be honest.

#2 We do NOT NEED to dump him at all.

#3 Regardless of the silly thought that 8 mill is too much for him next season...he is roughly 2-3 Mill below what he would command right now as a free agent.

#4 This management team is not rebuilding...its simply building.

#5 We wont be dumping Freddy and Capps for a bag of balls...

#6 The cheap pirates do not exist anymore...

#7 This management team came in 2 years ago and said they have a plan...and they have not diverted from it once...Not even to keep more people in the stands this season.

#8 If cheapskate Bill Smith wont cough up for Freddy, someone else will...potentially even to play third.

This organization and its culture are different now. And even though the common baseball fan doesnt see the light at the end of our tunnel, I can assure you it is quite bright...whether Freddy is dealt this year or next means nothing to this club. So the offer better "blow" NH away.

Any twins fans out there able to shed light on something for me?

Tolbert, Tolleson, and Casilla...

Are they all strictly second basemen?

Do any of them have ability and range to play SS.

And do any of them play SS occassionally at the MLB level this year?

Any type of Fan based scouting report would be appreciated.

-Dempsey

Tolbert is a switch hitter and has player both 2nd base and SS this year and some last year. Played decent last year before getting hurt i believe. This year...not so much... Touted as an 'energy player'

Casilla used to be my favorite Twin until he flamed out at the beginning of last year. Played second base last year, switch hitter. They could move him to SS if they wanted to, he is certaintly fast enough. Started the year as the starting 2nd basemen, got sent down a month in. FAST.

Tolleson I dont know as much about, but is hitting well in AAA-Rochester and plays both SS and 2nd.

Sure Sanchez would help the twins this year.. but in no way should we ever give up Liriano or any other top prospect for a league average 2B who is 31 and in decline. Smith shouldn't give up anything more than mulvey for him. I'd much rather see the twins make a run at a younger player with more potential..

I'd love to see the twins take a run at Uggla.. Sure he doesnt hit for average, and he is getting a little old (29), but we've been searching for a RH power bat for a long time. I don't know how much it would take to get him, but i'd approve. I assume we'd have to give up one of our young starters, I'd be ok with sending perkins or blackburn to florida if we got him in return. Another guy i'd like to see the twins make a run at is Ben Zobrist.. I'm sure the Rays would have to get some good news on Iwamura before they would trade zobrist, and sure we may be buying high, but if he is as good as he continues to play close to as good as he has been playing, i would love to see him play SS or 2B for us.

I'll be really surprised if Freddy Sanchez isn't a Pirate next year. The Pirates have no real replacement for him at 2nd base next year. Shelby Ford is hitting .165 in Indy so far. I also don't see many teams willing to take on that kind of salary, and giving up a ton of talent at the same time. $8 million is pretty high when guys like Orlando Hudson were signing for $3 million in the offseason.

On the other hand, I'd also be shocked if Matt Capps isn't dealt by the end of the month. He is signed cheap, got nasty stuff and can close....he would probably bring back more value than anybody else on the Pirates roster right now, and now they have Hanrahan to step in and replace him.

And tbh, Im not sure if casilla even has enough value to warrant that trade.

Perhaps the bucs could get Casilla and someone slightly better than a hot dog vender in return.

On behalf of my fantasy team, please do not trade Capps to the Twins. Outside a couple outings, he has been solid. You wont get the value you should, and he is better then his overall line indicates. Keep Capps to be your closer until a true offer you cant refuse comes along!

I hope the Pirates deal Jack Wilson so he stops whining after every trade the Pirates make.

While I empathize with your plight Buc fans, you are greatly over estimating Sanchez value. He doesn't walk, he strikes out more than twice as much as he walks, while his doubles are up, he doesn't really have much power. The high average is nice, but he's been an inconsistent hitter his whole career. His defense is questionable, especially when paired with Harris. And the Punto/Sanchez vs. the Harris/Punto infield is a push. That said, the Twins aren't in on him. Much less would give up much for him, or take on his contract. (Contentions that he's a top 10 secondbasemen is homerism at its worst).

Capps isn't a dominant player either, despite being controllable and putting up better numbers in the past, I don't think he's being traded at peak value right now. The Twins can certainly use him though. But I can't imagine them even giving up one of their AAA arms in Mulvey or Swarzack. Expect someone like Manship paired with a guy like Luke Hughes who can play some infield as well as the outfield, though his defense is quesionable, his bat isn't it.

I hope the Twins don't overpay for Capps. And I hope they stay far away from Sanchez.

And 08 was a down year from fighting a shoulder injury all year long that he played through.

"Capps isn't a dominant player either, despite being controllable and putting up better numbers in the past, I don't think he's being traded at peak value right now."

Which is why they shouldnt trade him right now, or only trade him for value as if he did still hold that level. ( if a team overpays quite a bit) The length of control gives them plenty of time in the future to sell him at a high point. And when you sell a reliever (let alone a closer) at a high point, you can possibly get a rather impressive package.

It is the one position always in demand - even in the first weeks of the season.

Actually, DeRosa is not as good as Freddy Sanchez. I saw DeRosa as a Ranger everyday in one of his best years. Freddy is better defensively. They have similar OBP and SLG but Freddy has much higher AVG.

Twins are not talking about trading for him that is.

look at your fantasy league pseudofool you will see that sanchez's stats are 8 or 9 on the list of all statistics of the guys that actually play second. dont condescend me.

Dempsey, trust me when I say there are very very few Twins fans (that actually follow what's going on) that would even begin to try to validate Nick Punto's contract.

P.S. OPS paints a better picture than BA.

Valencia and Mulvey for Sanchez/Grabow? Grabow is trending as a Type A, so the Twins could receive 1st round compensation for Grabow at years end.

The Pirates are looking for a RH bat, and they are collecting pitching in every trade.