Thread: Moon Shot Baker

What are the Twins going to do with him this offseason? If memory serves me correct he has an option that we will obviously decline...What type of contract could he expect to receive to stay and rehab?

$1 million, plus incentives, with a team option for the following season at $8 million.

I suspect that, assuming he is about ready to begin rehab in spring training and has thrown some (he may not sign until February), Scott could get $3-5 million with a modest buyout ($250,000) and an option for 2014 in the $7-10 range. If he shows any signs of coming back mid-season, a team will take a much higher than $1 million gambit on him. Or he may pull a Roy Oswalt and not sign until he can actually show soemthing. But, again, someone will take a 2-year gamble on him that might surpass $10 million.

The question is not what kind of contract he could expect to receive to stay and rehab, but what kind of contract he would be willing to accept. Yes, he's injured, but he's coming off arguably his best season ever. Somebody will take a chance on him in free agency, knowing that the first year will be crud but also hoping (with good cause, I think) that once he's fully recovered from TJ he will provide several years of solid pitching, and will give give him a multi-year deal with several million up front. To expect him to sign a team-friendly contract is unrealistic.

1-year deal with incentives up to 7 or 8 mil. No 2nd year option. I doubt he'll start the season on a roster.

I don't understand this push for an incentive laden contract. For the sake of discussion let's assume he has a $3M base with an additional $5M possible with incentives for 2013. The Twins are going to go back and study other players coming off of TJ surgery then decide what Baker is likely to earn. Let's say they believe he'll make ~$6M. They are going to budget between $6M and the full $8M for him. As such there will be no salary relief derived from an incentive heavy deal. The only advantage I can see is to the Pohlads who stand to earn more money by paying less salary if Baker doesn't live up to his expectations.

For the Twins, they will have two choices.

1) Pick up his option
2) Let him go for no return

If he becomes a free agent, he will choose to leave the organization.

Why would Baker want to come back to the organization that open called him a pussy throughout spring training?

Originally Posted by DPJ

Why would Baker want to come back to the organization that open called him a pussy throughout spring training?

$9 million option.

Originally Posted by Boom Boom

$9 million option.

If the money is the same I truly doubt MN would be high on his list to return to.

If the elbow is finally fixed then Baker is worth $9m

Originally Posted by DPJ

Why would Baker want to come back to the organization that open called him a pussy throughout spring training?

It's already been covered that that never happened. I guess sticking to your BS story shows some moxie, but other than that very little.

Originally Posted by jorgenswest

For the Twins, they will have two choices.

1) Pick up his option
2) Let him go for no return

If he becomes a free agent, he will choose to leave the organization.

That's stated as a fact. Is it one? Has he or his agent or anyone said this or is it just a guess?

Originally Posted by CDog

It's already been covered that that never happened. I guess sticking to your BS story shows some moxie, but other than that very little.

Jesus this place is the worst...how the hell do you deny it didn't happen? You're the only person who's made such a claim but refuse to back it up.

Originally Posted by DPJ

Jesus this place is the worst...how the hell do you deny it didn't happen? You're the only person who's made such a claim but refuse to back it up.

Yeah, the quote after quote after quote from actual news sources was a big time refusal. Sorry about that.

Originally Posted by DPJ

Jesus this place is the worst...how the hell do you deny it didn't happen? You're the only person who's made such a claim but refuse to back it up.

How do you prove that something didn't happen?

I just did a google search with "Baker Twins Pussy".

The only thing that came back was a quote from DPJ on Twins Daily... A website for Shannon and Shauna Baker.

And a long list of porn sites.

Naturally, it'll be difficult to focus on the Twins for an afternoon at least... With these new web discoveries deserving my attention.

Originally Posted by Oxtung

How do you prove that something didn't happen?

There's a quite long post from me in another thread with quote after quote after quote from the time in question that pretty completely cover it.

DPJ is colorful, but this is what he is referring to:

• As has too often been the case recently Twins management subtlety cast some doubt on the legitimacy of Scott Baker's elbow injury before a second opinion from outside the organization led to Tommy John surgery. In speaking to the local media following surgery Baker addressed what Jon Krawcynski of the Associated Press described as "whispers both inside and outside Target Field":

I knew I wasn't crazy. I knew there was some speculation that maybe I was babying it or taking it easy, but good grief. I did everything I possibly could to get better and to try to pitch with it. But that just wasn't going to happen.

When an injured player has to defend himself amid speculation that his injury isn't as serious as he claims and that speculation is fueled at least in part by the team that's obviously not a good situation. Toss in the ongoing questions about the competency of the Twins' medical staff and it gets even worse. On the other hand, Baker also admitted injured pitchers "are not always completely forthright with the staff" and made it clear that he doesn't hold a grudge.

There was some talk in ST about Baker not being "tough" rather than it being an injury. So it did happen, just not to the degree DPJ is suggesting. But enough, as demonstrated here, to catch Baker's attention. Although in other articles he also suggests no hard feelings, that he's to blame as well, and that he hopes to stay here.

Personally, I'd like to see them extend an offer to Baker. Something along the lines of 3M for next year, 6M for the following year, and a team option at 8M for year three. It's minimal risk for a guy that has arguably been a #2 caliber starter for this team in recent seasons. He's just had significant injury issues, but 3/17 is a pretty minimal investment for the reward.

Though I have serious questions about him accepting something like this, it's just what I would offer initially.