Quote:
Originally Posted by
jokin
Now, those 3 guys you mention are gone and playing on a playoff team and what do the Twins have to show for getting rid of them? Nada. Lew Ford obviously makes no difference, but people forget, besides Hardy, the Twins gave away Thome for $20000 and Baltimore demonstrated how clueless the Twins were in that bonehead move when they acquired Thome this year by giving two of their Top Ten prospects to the Phillies. Hardy for Nishi/Hoey was monumentally bad, giving away Thome for nothing wasn't all that far behind.
---OK, I can see railing on the Twins for the whole Hardy thing, but the Thome deal? Really? He had a full no-trade clase that he didn't waive until late in the season, and then he had to be put through waivers, where he was claimed by Cleveland. Not to mention he was past 40 and it wasn't at all clear he would play beyond 2011.
Baseball America had Simon and Lino ranked 18 and 21 among Orioles prospects after 2011, so it's not like they gave up top-tier minor league talent here.