Thread: Article: Morneau is steadily improving

Regret only helps if they can get a time machine somehow. It won't alter anything in the future unfortunately.

Originally Posted by SpiritofVodkaDave

No, I like Morneau and wouldn't mind keeping him around as a 1b/DH type after next year if the price is right. Parmelee is intriguing, but I'm not completely sold that he can hit enough to be a good first baseman.

He would be a classic mid late 30s DH. He's still a decent enough fielder though.

Originally Posted by SpiritofVodkaDave

No, I like Morneau and wouldn't mind keeping him around as a 1b/DH type after next year if the price is right. Parmelee is intriguing, but I'm not completely sold that he can hit enough to be a good first baseman.

I'm not against keeping him if he stays healthy in 2013 but we'll cross that bridge a year from now. It makes no sense to sign him right now.

Originally Posted by rocketpig

I'm not against keeping him if he stays healthy in 2013 but we'll cross that bridge a year from now. It makes no sense to sign him right now.

Nobody turns SSS to multi-year contracts like Dave.

Originally Posted by SpiritofVodkaDave

No, I like Morneau and wouldn't mind keeping him around as a 1b/DH type after next year if the price is right. Parmelee is intriguing, but I'm not completely sold that he can hit enough to be a good first baseman.

Have you seen what he's doing in AAA? Morneau is my favorite player, and I'd love for him to stick around, but where exactly is he going to play? The DH spot is locked up with Mauer and Doumit. Parmelee needs a place to play. Unless you move Mauer to 3rd on occasion and have Plouffe play more in the infield, so that Morneau can DH, there's no spot for him come 2014. I'm guessing Morneau's improvement continues and he gets traded for something of value next July.

I'm not against keeping him if he stays healthy in 2013 but we'll cross that bridge a year from now. It makes no sense to sign him right now.

It could make sense to extend him now if you are looking for undervalued talent (and every GM should always be looking for undervalued talent.) His market value today is lower than what he is earning by a good margin. If he'd sign an extension at a bargain price now (trading high-end earning potential for security) the buyer could have a low-risk, high-reward signing. However, he's an elite talent at his best and he's been on the upswing. With a year remaining on his contract, I'd expect he and his agent are pretty confident he'll have more value this time next year than he does right now. I wouldn't expect they'd be likely to sell low. It might make sense for the Twins, but probably not for Morneau.

I'd love to have Morneau as a career Twin.

Originally Posted by YourHouseIsMyHouse

I'd love to have Morneau as a career Twin.

I'd love to see the prospects they get for him be career Twins.

I'd just like to point out that all those people who wanted him platooned were wrong. What a short-sighted waste that would have been, not given him a chance to work it out and turning a former MVP into a platoon player with minimal value, all to save a win or two for a losing team.

Originally Posted by PopRiveter

It could make sense to extend him now if you are looking for undervalued talent (and every GM should always be looking for undervalued talent.) His market value today is lower than what he is earning by a good margin. If he'd sign an extension at a bargain price now (trading high-end earning potential for security) the buyer could have a low-risk, high-reward signing. However, he's an elite talent at his best and he's been on the upswing. With a year remaining on his contract, I'd expect he and his agent are pretty confident he'll have more value this time next year than he does right now. I wouldn't expect they'd be likely to sell low. It might make sense for the Twins, but probably not for Morneau.

I'm not sure it makes sense for Morneau... He might do it if he wants to be a Twin for life, but that comes with a NTC...

Originally Posted by DPJ

Nobody turns SSS to multi-year contracts like Dave.

It's about extending him when he isn't at his "high" point. Chances are if he comes out like gangbusters next season the price goes up quite a bit.

Just once it would be nice to see both sides do right by the other; Morneau is a good guy, good bat, and he should stay here, but only at a price that makes sense for both sides. That price, unfortunately, would require him to probably leave millions on the table. So it goes in pro sports.

Originally Posted by jeffk

I'd just like to point out that all those people who wanted him platooned were wrong. What a short-sighted waste that would have been, not given him a chance to work it out and turning a former MVP into a platoon player with minimal value, all to save a win or two for a losing team.

Concur.

Also a short sighted waste would have been if the Twins would have listened to those who advocate(d) giving Morneau away for nothing.

Hold on to him and see where things are at next July. Lots of things can happen between now and then. If he returns further to form you have lots of options. He is a former MVP so he has talent.

Originally Posted by SpiritofVodkaDave

It's about extending him when he isn't at his "high" point. Chances are if he comes out like gangbusters next season the price goes up quite a bit.

Jesus titty-****ing Christ Dave...you have got to be kidding me.

Well he sure had a good game tonight

Now that he is starting to hit for average and hit lefties, does anyone else want him to start eating red meat, put on some pounds, and start pounding homeruns?

Originally Posted by SpiritofVodkaDave

No, I like Morneau and wouldn't mind keeping him around as a 1b/DH type after next year if the price is right. Parmelee is intriguing, but I'm not completely sold that he can hit enough to be a good first baseman.

The price must be right. Chances are another team will overpay for him after 2013 if he stays healthy. I don't want the Twins to be the team that overpays. But if he doesn't have a banner year next year, or spends some time on the DL for another wrist/neck-type issue, we might be able to keep him for relatively cheap.

Of course I doubt he displaces Chris Parmelee post-2013; the Twins will want the younger, cheaper model. But I also doubt that another club will really want him as a full-time 1B either. He'll be a platoon 1B/DH option, and I think most teams will recognize that.

Originally Posted by jeffk

I'd just like to point out that all those people who wanted him platooned were wrong. What a short-sighted waste that would have been, not given him a chance to work it out and turning a former MVP into a platoon player with minimal value, all to save a win or two for a losing team.

I'm glad I wasn't the only one who remembers this.

Platooning him with Danny "DFA" Valencia? Gimme a break...

I may be in the minority here but why is everyone in such a rush to dump Morneau? I think he is still has a a few pretty good seasons left in tank. Personally I think he hitting issues have been mental and it appears that things are starting to "make sense" again to him. If he does get back to the 3/4 of the old Morneau don't trade him. Use him to build your team. It's only been two seasons of losing baseball and I'm already sick of it. Anytime someone starts to play well we assume it will fix everything if the Twins trade them for a prospect. I would rather hold on to who we have if they are playing well. The Twins offense in my opinion is good enough to be a contender, and with an improving Morneau will get better. Now in the offseason if the FO can make 2-3 solid moves to improve the pitching staff I honestly think the team can start to compete in the Central. Plus, After next year, Morneau will not be getting a raise from his $14M salary when he hits free agency. He hasn't been the MVP player he was from 06-09, and he is one bumped head away from ending his career. Keep him and build the pitching staff back to respectable.