Twins Lock Up Cuddyer, Morneau

UPDATE, 1-25-08 at 4:35pm: Cuddyer gets a $2.75MM signing bonus, $5MM in ’08, $6.75MM in ’09, and $8.5MM in ’10.  The Twins have a $10.5MM option for ’11 with a $1MM buyout. As far as I can tell Cuddyer would’ve become a free agent after the ’09 season.

Morneau gets six years, $80MM, a Twins record both in years and dollars.  I believe this buys out three years of free agency.  This should generate some good PR and help brace the fans for the loss of Johan Santana.  Plus, Bill Smith can say he made a solid offer to Santana. 

UPDATE, 1-25-08 at 1:35pm: Charley Walters says Morneau will get six years and about $75MM while Cuddyer’s deal is for three years and about $23MM plus a club option for the fourth year.

FROM 1-25-08 at 12:10pm:

The Twins are planning a press conference to announce multiyear contracts for Justin Morneau and Michael Cuddyer; these deals were certainly reached quietly.  According to KARE 11 TV’s Twins source, the players will be with the Twins "deep into the new stadium."

Morneau signed for ’08 at $7.4MM recently, while Cuddyer had yet to sign.  LEN3 had reported about a week ago that the Twins would discuss multiyear deals with both, but not until after the Johan Santana situation was settled.