Twins second baseman Brian Dozier drew trade interest from multiple teams at this week’s GM Meetings, tweets MLB Network’s Jon Morosi. That’s hardly a surprise, considering Dozier finished the season with 42 home runs on a last-place team and is controlled cheaply ($15MM total) for two more seasons. While many rightly tout Dozier’s preposterous second half — he hit 28 home runs and slashed .291/.344/.646 in 72 games following the All-Star break — the 29-year-old has somewhat quietly been playing at a high level for quite some time, averaging 3.5 fWAR and 3.7 rWAR per season from 2013-15. The St. Paul Pioneer Press’ Mike Berardino noted earlier this week that the lack of teams with obvious holes at second base might make it difficult for new Twins CBO Derek Falvey and GM Thad Levine to extract maximum value in a Dozier trade, but it’s still not a shock to see some teams kick the tires.
A few more notes on the Twins…
- Berardino spoke to Falvey and Levine about the likely trade interest that the Twins will receive in right-hander Ervin Santana this winter, and the new Minnesota front office duo didn’t sound especially anxious to move him. “I think we look at him as the anchor of our starting rotation and certainly something we want to build around,” said Levine of Santana, who is owed $28MM over the next two seasons and has a club option for 2019 on his contract as well. “…We think (Santana) is one of the most attractive pitchers that could be in consideration, but we view him as the No. 1 starter on our team. That’s an area we’re trying to build, not subtract from.” Berardino spoke to execs from other teams that said the Twins haven’t been aggressively marketing Santana in trades.
- Also via Berardino (Twitter links), the Twins met with agent Casey Close of Excel Sports Management this week and discussed several of Excel’s free agents, including Joba Chamberlain and possibly fellow right-handed relievers Joe Smith and Shawn Tolleson. Both Chamberlain and Smith pitched with the Indians while Falvey was a member of the team’s front office, and Levine of course is quite familiar with Tolleson, who spent the past three seasons with the Rangers. The Twins are almost certainly casting a wide net when looking at free-agent relievers, so it’s probably early to read too heavily into that trio of relievers. As can be seen in MLBTR’s Agency Database, Excel also reps free agents Alex Avila, Aaron Barrett, Jerry Blevins, Aaron Crow and Brian Matusz. Additionally, Dexter Fowler, Neil Walker, Steve Pearce and Colby Rasmus are all Excel clients, too, although there’s less of a fit in Minnesota for that group.
- Twins closer Glen Perkins, who made just two appearances this season before hitting the disabled list and eventually requiring shoulder surgery, is about four and a half months through what is expected to be a nine-month rehab process, the left-hander tells Phil Miller of the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Perkins tried to rehab the injury for three months before ultimately going under the knife and having screws inserted into the labrum of his left shoulder. Perkins conceded that given his age (34 in March) and the severity of the surgery, he’s not sure if he’ll recover all of his velocity, but he expects to be competitive next year and hopes to remain with the Twins beyond his current contract. (Perkins is set to earn $6.5MM next year and has a $6.5MM option for the 2018 season.) “I see myself being a part of this organization for a lot longer than my contract,” he said.
- Also of note from Miller’s column, assistant GM Rob Antony offered praise for the job that right-hander Brandon Kintzler, who inked a minor league deal with the Twins last winter, did upon stepping into the ninth inning out of necessity in 2016. However, Antony suggested that the organization isn’t necessarily expecting Kintzler to reprise that role in 2017. “I’m not sure we see him as a closer,” said Antony, who also acted as the interim GM prior to the hiring of Falvey and Levine. “I don’t think we’ve penciled in anybody.” That would suggest that the Twins could potentially lure a bullpen arm to Minnesota by offering a chance to compete with Perkins and Kintzler for the ninth-inning job.
I wouldn’t mind giving Tolleson a shot.
What about Dozier for McCutchen?
Same contracts almost.
I don’t know what the Twins need but the Pirates could use Dozier at 2B and use Harrison in a utility role with lots of starts in RF.
Same contracts? Dozier will get $6m next year and $9m in 2018. McCutchen is at $14m with a $14.5 option for 2018. Regardless, if the Twins trade Dozier it’ll be for prospects. A lateral trade isn’t going to do it.
More like Dozier for Glasnow, Bell and Harrison. Sorry, Bucs fans.
Hahahaha what a terrible trade for the pirates nobody would consider that trade
Yep, steep prices for cheap, elite players. Imagine that.
Well he will be 30 next year. He’s been good for awhile, but who knows if last year was an outlier? As well, this is a team trying to get younger, not older. That’s one view.
On the other hand, Dozier could be exactly what the team needs for the offense evolve. In the perfect scenario, Cole and Taillon are both healthy and finally deliver the 1-2 punch long been dreamt of.
Glasnow and Bell is a more realistic price. The only knock on Dozier is hit consistency (he’s had 3 monster half-seasons and 3 slightly below average half seasons in the last 3 full years). The positive is that when he gets hot, he will carry the team for at least a month like none other.
Doubt it would take anything close to that for someone to get Dozier off the Twins hands. As a Twins fan of course I’d like that deal, but I think it’s unrealistic.
No way the Twins trade an star like Dozier for anything less than top prospects. He still has two years on his contract. You have to give up something good to get something good. That’s the risk in trading prospects for both sides.
I agree, but I think you’re rating Dozier like he’s Chris Sale..which he is not. Chris Sale would/should get more than that..but my point is I feel like you’re overrating Dozier.
He’s a 30 year old 2B who’s under contract for cheap, but he isn’t getting any younger and he’s playing the least important up the middle position on the field.
I don’t think the Twins are getting the level of talent back that you listed. I could see them getting Taillon plus 1-2 others, but there are a ton of teams who already have a good 2B. There’s about 10 average to above average 2B out there. Dozier is top 5. There is a very limited number of playoff caliber teams who need a Dozier. Maybe 4-5 teams. That may drive up the price, but maybe they just say it’s not worth it. I’d be surprised if a non-playoff caliber team would want Dozier but that’s a small possibility too.
I’m not fully sure I’d want the Twins to get Glasnow as his walks problem reminds me of Meyer who the Twins couldn’t figure out before. Maybe the new bosses can help change the development issues in the org, but maybe not. I’m not as extreme as the Twins were regarding walks, but you can’t walk everybody and his numbers keep going up every level while strikeouts are going down every level. Obviously way more worried about the walks problem as the strikeouts are still at a very good level.
Good points. His value could be somewhere in between our valuations. After all, the Twins aren’t under any stress to move him. They could wait for his value to rise at the trade deadline or something and then deal him. Adds some risk, but he’s a player they should extract as much value from while they can.
Definitely agree, though I would hope they could trade him this offseason since he’s prone to months where he’s absolutely terrible (first two months of this year). I don’t want his value to drop, but I definitely want him traded (obviously not just for anything, but something of great need).
Twins need major league ready SP or major league ready C. McCutchen is great, but also older and doesn’t move the needle in the places the Twins need to move the needle (SP and C).
I would think it would take Taillon plus 1-2 lower level guys to get Dozier. Just a guess.
Outfield is full already. Need pitching.
It’s odd to say, but there are fewer elite first basemen in baseball today than either second basemen OR third basemen…
Yes, but that’s mainly because the league is shifting to where first basemen are not necessarily relied upon to be the big bat in the lineup. Teams are now valuing the ability to play respectable D but also willing to platoon at the spot if a single guy is asking for too much money. However, there are probably more good, starter quality, everyday first basemen today than second or third basemen.
JT19, I totally agree!
JT19, I totally agree with you!
I think Dozier stole Byung Ho Park’s power from him while he was sleeping.
Dozier to LA for DeLeon, Kenrick and Micah Johnson.
DeLeon makes sense but the other two don’t. Twins already have a 2B who is ready to take over and they also already have two utility guys who can play SS or 2B (one of which I would rather have off the team completely, but that’s another story).
Verdugo, De Leon and Barnes plus a starting pitcher contract they want to get rid of (wood, kazmir, mccarthy)
I don’t no about the mix but Dozier to the Dodgers makes Sense