Article: Report: Twins Agree to Sign Kendrys Morales

[tobi0040]

And two full games in the last three!

 

What does this tell us?

Perhaps they were giving him a few days to get used to batting right handed again?

 

They plan on continuing to use Hicks very regularly from here on out.

 

We can guess what their thought process is. All I can do is go off of what our manager has said. Santana gives us the best chance to win right now. He is hitting .380 so that is why Hicks is on the bench.

 

That was the quote.

[Otto von Ballpark]

And Rajai Davis, and Ervin Santana.

 

I think the Morales deal is less about the Twins thinking they are in the race, and more just willingness to get good deals. Ervin Santana would have cost a pick, but ours was a pretty cheap 3 year offer which would have made up for it. Drew and Morales probably weren't options unless they were similarly super cheap on multi-year deals (3/24?), at least until the draft pick comp went away.

 

Davis I'm not sure of the particulars. The fact we were interested in another outfielder makes it a little disappointing that we still haven't added one.

[oldguy10]

Regarding on which minor league pitchers should be called up - Isn't much of that tied in with contractual status of one kind or another down the road? And who out there can explain all of this to us in a cogent and understandable manner? I believe this would be of benefit to all readers and posters and it applies to hitters as well.

[Otto von Ballpark]

Another thought on Morales: it is very cool that the Twins are investing in a full-time DH for a change. (Thome was great but was not full-time by the time we got him.) It seems like we haven't paid for a full-time DH since the days of Molitor, and we haven't tried deploying any kind of full-time DH maybe since the days of Ortiz-Lecroy.

 

Of course, we may have already had a full-time DH candidate on our roster (Willingham) who given his health may not be the best fit for full-time LF duty anymore. But in the absence of an available OF, I'm glad we took the available DH.

 

Kinda wish Mauer was willing/able to play corner OF once in a while, could help us cycle Willingham to DH while keeping Morales' bat in the lineup at 1B too.

[Otto von Ballpark]

Regarding on which minor league pitchers should be called up - Isn't much of that tied in with contractual status of one kind or another down the road?

 

Not really anymore. All of them can be controlled by the Twins through 2020 at minimum. Only remaining deadline determines whether they get 3 or 4 years or arbitration salaries, and that floating deadline should pass this month, I think.

 

Like the draft, I'd hope they just go "best pitcher available" at this point.

[Kwak]

Since the end of the 2011 season, the term, "rebuilding" has never crossed the Twins' lips, they've been half and half ever since then.

 

So true. After 2011, some changes were made and it was projected: "we are competitive, last year was due to injuries and 'bad luck'." More changes every year with same mantra--followed by "...ya never know". Clearly the Houston/Miami tactic wasn't employed (slash and burn)--nor the Boston/Toronto (and others) tactic of "spend our way out of this mess". As a result, the Twins tactic is half and half. Despite blaming struggles on inadequate starting pitching and lack of timely hitting, this seaon's rule 4 Draft implies that the starting pitching "problem" is solved, the hitting will improve soon when the top prospects have all arrived and all that is needed is better SS productivity and a tighter bullpen--combined with a measure of "ya never know" optimism.

[jokin]

So true. After 2011, some changes were made and it was projected: "we are competitive, last year was due to injuries and 'bad luck'." More changes every year with same mantra--followed by "...ya never know". Clearly the Houston/Miami tactic wasn't employed (slash and burn)--nor the Boston/Toronto (and others) tactic of "spend our way out of this mess". As a result, the Twins tactic is half and half. Despite blaming struggles on inadequate starting pitching and lack of timely hitting, this seaon's rule 4 Draft implies that the starting pitching "problem" is solved, the hitting will improve soon when the top prospects have all arrived and all that is needed is better SS productivity and a tighter bullpen--combined with a measure of "ya never know" optimism.

 

Pretty fair assessment.....and don't get me started on this year's draft....

[drivlikejehu]

 

It ain't the way I would have done it, but I still don't see how they are harming the future to the point of your drawing a picture of Apocalypse Now- Kansas City 2.0.

 

I was commenting more broadly. It wouldn't be because of Morales - it would be because the Twins front office isn't up to the task.

 

For the most part I think we actually agree. My reaction to the Morales signing has just been to look beyond this one player, and think about where the organization is and where it's going. This is an organization that thought it was a good idea for 40% of the rotation to be Correia and Pelfrey.

 

I'm glad they want consistent production from the DH spot. I wish they were committed to the same from CF and SP.

[Otto von Ballpark]

I'm glad they want consistent production from the DH spot. I wish they were committed to the same from CF and SP.

 

It does seem like Morales just kind of fell into their lap. No player to surrender in trade, no draft pick to give up, no long-term commitment, not even that much of a short-term cash commitment really, after most/all internal options at the position failed? Kind of a no-brainer to get Morales at that point. Still, they're not the only team looking for talent, and they made it happen, so some credit is due.

 

That said, if they really hope to compete now, or in the future where it's obvious that not every internal option works, the bigger challenge is plugging holes where 99% of the time, there isn't a freely available player like Morales. With season comeback comparisons to 2009 -- can TR swing Pavano, Rauch, and Cabrera types at the deadline? Can he find another Hughes in the FA market (and avoid the Pelfreys and maybe even Nolascos)?