Boras, Morales interested in long term deal.

[DocBauer]

Doesn't that depend heavily on the years and dollars?

 

Guys that are basically 1B/DHs are not the hardest guys to find. Especially not if you want to pay them 10+ million a year.

 

Yeppers.

 

And as I stated, absolutely depends on the dollars and years. If acceptable, I think a smart move. Especially short term, 1-2 years, with the possibility of a trade in the future involved.

[TheLeviathan]

Denard Span.

 

I'd kind of like to see this signing. Force Hicks to RF where he's likely to be long-term (assuming he has his stuff straight by then). Parms over in LF. Let DH go to some combo of Pinto/Arcia.

[TheLeviathan]

Yeppers.

 

And as I stated, absolutely depends on the dollars and years. If acceptable, I think a smart move. Especially short term, 1-2 years, with the possibility of a trade in the future involved.

 

I honestly can't see Morales signing for anything less than 2 years. If you want him for one more year you might as well hand him the QO then.

[DocBauer]

Rather than signing Morales (who I classify as underwhelming) why not seek a younger power hitter who is also a competent OF? Extending Willingham makes no sense. Combine the annual salaries of Morales and Willingham and the Twins can definately sign an outstanding OF! There has been way too much money spent on hole-pluggers. Use FA money for real talent and plug holes from within the franchise.

 

Agree in principal.

 

And I hope we find a nice OF option with power and RBI potential for next year, because like it or not, we have holes to fill for a year or two, unless we just want to raise a white flag for the sake of promoting kids who aren't ready yet. Sorry...but it's a reality.

 

The Twins have the ability to promote several more top prospects this year and next, pitchers and position players. But that doesn't eliminate temporary holes. And the Twins have the available finances, with certain salaries coming off the books, to make a couple solid investments for the lineup.

[ashbury]

I'd kind of like to see this [span] signing.

 

"Trade me once, shame on you, ..."?

[Riverbrian]

The terms obviously matter but I'd love to see Kendrys Plural back next year.

 

He's a legit bat with pop. The kids will make their way North eventually. Kendrys won't block anyone. If Kennys is ready... They'll find a way.

 

I haven't seen him play but I'd be surprised if Kennys can outdo Kendrys for at least a few years.

[curt1965]

I'd kind of like to see this signing. Force Hicks to RF where he's likely to be long-term (assuming he has his stuff straight by then). Parms over in LF. Let DH go to some combo of Pinto/Arcia.

Washington has been trying to find someone to take the disappointing Span. Parms is not an everyday player. Hicks is a huge question mark. Let's start over!

[PseudoSABR]

My view: one in hand (Morales) is worth two in the bush (Vargas, Pinto). The truth is you can have all three, and they'll be need for each. I'd extend Morales on two notions: 1) that he can contribute 2) that he'll better optimize his trade value after this season.

 

Saving cost with Vargas, leaves the Twins lots of money to spend on... evidently no one, as we should be promoting more prospects sooner.

[The Wise One]

Rather than signing Morales (who I classify as underwhelming) why not seek a younger power hitter who is also a competent OF? Extending Willingham makes no sense. Combine the annual salaries of Morales and Willingham and the Twins can definately sign an outstanding OF! There has been way too much money spent on hole-pluggers. Use FA money for real talent and plug holes from within the franchise.

 

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/compensation/cots/league-info/potential-free-agents-for-2015/

 

Who is worth 60 million and 4 years on the list, in your humble opinion as a position player is worth that kind of money?

[drjim]

I'd kind of like to see this signing. Force Hicks to RF where he's likely to be long-term (assuming he has his stuff straight by then). Parms over in LF. Let DH go to some combo of Pinto/Arcia.

 

Would you go multiple years on Span? I'm not sure about that.

 

And I wouldn't want Parmelee anywhere near a regular job entering the season.

[Brock Beauchamp]

I honestly can't see Morales signing for anything less than 2 years. If you want him for one more year you might as well hand him the QO then.

 

I wonder about this. Is Morales interested in a one year make good deal?

 

At this point, he's a decent buy low candidate, much like Hughes was last season. He put himself in a position to fail (thanks, Scott Boras!) in 2014 and it's going to hurt his value this offseason.

 

I don't think the Twins need another plodding DH-type but depending on the money involved, it could be a savvy pick-up, if only to dish Morales off next July (assuming the Twins are not in contention).

 

Would he take a 1 year $8m deal? What about 2 years, $14m? At what price point do you consider bringing back Morales?

[drjim]

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/compensation/cots/league-info/potential-free-agents-for-2015/

 

Who is worth 60 million and 4 years on the list, in your humble opinion as a position player is worth that kind of money?

 

No one is worth that money. But it won't stop people from complaining about the Twins FO for not signing a great FA OF in the offseason.

[drjim]

I wonder about this. Is Morales interested in a one year make good deal?

 

At this point, he's a decent buy low candidate, much like Hughes was last season. He put himself in a position to fail (thanks, Scott Boras!) in 2014 and it's going to hurt his value this offseason.

 

I don't think the Twins need another plodding DH-type but depending on the money involved, it could be a savvy pick-up, if only to dish Morales off next July (assuming the Twins are not in contention).

 

Would he take a 1 year $8m deal? What about 2 years, $14m? At what price point do you consider bringing back Morales?

 

I would offer those exact deals. DHs with minimal positional flexibility just aren't in much demand.

[tobi0040]

I wonder about this. Is Morales interested in a one year make good deal?

 

At this point, he's a decent buy low candidate, much like Hughes was last season. He put himself in a position to fail (thanks, Scott Boras!) in 2014 and it's going to hurt his value this offseason.

 

I don't think the Twins need another plodding DH-type but depending on the money involved, it could be a savvy pick-up, if only to dish Morales off next July (assuming the Twins are not in contention).

 

Would he take a 1 year $8m deal? What about 2 years, $14m? At what price point do you consider bringing back Morales?

 

I would go $7M a year on a 2 year deal. Max on both dollars and years. Now that I think about this, Boras is probably already playing the "Morales really likes it in MN card". So you are really going to have to overwhelm him in free agency.

 

Some good points on the other side of this argument, i.e. Mauer is always hurt and if Mauer, Morales, and Vargas are hitting you can find room somehow. That is a good problem. Mauer has to be a better LF than Willingham or Arcia, for example.

[Brock Beauchamp]

I would go $7M a year on a 2 year deal. Max on both dollars and years. Now that I think about this, Boras is probably already playing the "Morales really likes it in MN card". So you are really going to have to overwhelm him in free agency.

 

Some good points on the other side of this argument, i.e. Mauer is always hurt and if Mauer, Morales, and Vargas are hitting you can find room somehow. That is a good problem. Mauer has to be a better LF than Willingham or Arcia, for example.

 

Yeah. The more I think about it, replacing Willingham with Morales for similar money isn't the worst idea in the world.

 

Of course, this all hinges on what Boras is telling Morales but after last season's debacle, it wouldn't shock me if they erred on the side of caution instead of holding out through the offseason.

 

Honestly, it wouldn't surprise me if Morales was more interested in a 1 year $8m deal than 2 for $14m and that deal is more in the Twins' favor as well.

[Mike Sixel]

he's a DH only. There are so many better ways to spend your money when rebuilding, imo. And, yes, he will block younger players. We see that every year with this team. They won't "find room somehow" for three 1B/DH types. Name a time when you felt they really managed the roster well in the last three years, and played youth over bad veterans (see, Doumit, e.g.).

 

Will I gnash my teeth and tear out my hair? No. Will I continue to wonder if this team has an actual strategy to get better, really better? Yes, Yes I will.

[TheLeviathan]

I wonder about this. Is Morales interested in a one year make good deal?

 

At this point, he's a decent buy low candidate, much like Hughes was last season. He put himself in a position to fail (thanks, Scott Boras!) in 2014 and it's going to hurt his value this offseason.

 

I don't think the Twins need another plodding DH-type but depending on the money involved, it could be a savvy pick-up, if only to dish Morales off next July (assuming the Twins are not in contention).

 

Would he take a 1 year $8m deal? What about 2 years, $14m? At what price point do you consider bringing back Morales?

 

Honestly, I doubt he's listening until it's at least 1/10. It would be a considerable pay cut for him to take those offers. And if he's trying for a "make good" 1 year deal....wouldn't you think he'd want to do that somewhere he could pad his stats? (Ala Cruz in Baltimore)

 

I'd rather toss something like 3/15 at Span or someone else than throw the kind of money at Morales that I think it would take.

 

But I could obviously be wrong about what it would take.

[Kirby_waved_at_me]

I'm guessing Boras wouldn't agree to a smaller base salary with performance incentives for his client?

 

Of course Morales likes it here! He's getting to play again, the young guys seem to really like him, Gardy puts him in the lineup every chance he gets, the food's a little bland and it's 55 degrees in July, but hey, at least he's starting!

 

I'm sure the Twins have rolled out the red carpet for him, they were looking to make a headline grabbing signing to keep the public interest, so it's a win win for both parties that a deal was done for this year.

 

If I were the GM, I would offer something between $5 and $7 million with incentives that could push the earnings to $8 or $9 million. One year with a team option for 2016. "hey, if you don't like it, you can repeat this year's waiting game."

[Dman]

he's a DH only. There are so many better ways to spend your money when rebuilding, imo. And, yes, he will block younger players. We see that every year with this team. They won't "find room somehow" for three 1B/DH types. Name a time when you felt they really managed the roster well in the last three years, and played youth over bad veterans (see, Doumit, e.g.).

 

Will I gnash my teeth and tear out my hair? No. Will I continue to wonder if this team has an actual strategy to get better, really better? Yes, Yes I will.

 

Mike I am with you on this one. Can't one of Parm's, Cola, or Pinto hit at least .200 with a little power for next year? That is essentially what Morales is giving us right now. I don't see the value of sinking much money into a DH. Sure the Twins can afford to do it but I don't see the value that others do. Maybe I am underestimating Morales but I think the team will be fine without him.

[Brock Beauchamp]

Honestly, I doubt he's listening until it's at least 1/10. It would be a considerable pay cut for him to take those offers. And if he's trying for a "make good" 1 year deal....wouldn't you think he'd want to do that somewhere he could pad his stats? (Ala Cruz in Baltimore)

 

I'd rather toss something like 3/15 at Span or someone else than throw the kind of money at Morales that I think it would take.

 

But I could obviously be wrong about what it would take.

 

It really depends on how he finishes the year. He's currently OPSing under .600. I don't see him getting $10m if he finishes the season under .700.

 

Which is why I think he might be a good buy low candidate. Teams aren't going to line up for a 31 year old DH who sat out half a season and OPSed around league average. It could be a good opportunity for the Twins to pick up a solid complementary bat (hard to believe Morales won't rebound somewhat in 2015) on the cheap.

[Kirby_waved_at_me]

Oh, and I guess I would rather the Twins look to sign a guy that can play in Left Field and hit instead of Morales. Maybe that's Span, though I think at this point Morales would be a better hitter over a full season than Span.

Morales for one more year would be perfectly acceptable move for the Twins to make, assuming they trade Willingham and don't try to sign him back again.

[JB_Iowa]

The only way I can convince myself that re-upping Morales would be a good idea is if I believe that he has a beneficial effect on the younger Spanish-speaking players.

 

I don't think I have enough info yet to reach a conclusion but anything "multi-year" makes me cringe.

[Brandon]

Options for next season

LF and RF:

Arcia

Hicks (if he's not in CF) probably available here in 2016

Rosario

Plouffe (if Sano is up) probably here in 2016

Parmelee

Colabello

 

DH: Vargas

 

I think we have enough room to bring back one or even both of Willingham, Morales or we could go old school with Hunter or Cuddyer on a 1 or 2 year deal.

 

I also think that Morales will have a solid second half with us this season. He may need a little more time to warm up but I think he will have a good 2 - 3 months to finish out the season.

[twinsfan34]

You're pretty optimistic on Hicks. Right now he's in AA and deferring in CF to Eddie Rosario at times. I gotta think the Twins will need to see quite a bit more from Hicks in 2014 before they hand him back the CF spot to start out the season for the 3rd year in a row.

 

It's more along the lines of..who else in the Twins system would get the nod over him?

 

Daniel Ortiz? Wilken Ramirez? Chris Rahl? (Rochester's OF)

 

Rosario isn't on the 40 man...or I'd a put him there.

 

True, and Buxton is deferring to Danny Santana now too at Ft Myers. Buxton is in RF when Santana's in the lineup.

[JB_Iowa]

Buxton is deferring to Danny Santana now too at Ft Myers. Buxton is in RF when Santana's in the lineup.

 

I think that is only stopgap, though. Santana's rehab won't be that long and then Buxton should be back in CF. (We still don't know how he's going to come back from those wrist injuries though).

[tobi0040]

Mike I am with you on this one. Can't one of Parm's, Cola, or Pinto hit at least .200 with a little power for next year? That is essentially what Morales is giving us right now. I don't see the value of sinking much money into a DH. Sure the Twins can afford to do it but I don't see the value that others do. Maybe I am underestimating Morales but I think the team will be fine without him.

 

Over 2,500 at bats, he has a career .277 average and .800 OPS. In 2009 he was an MVP candidate, 2nd in slugging, 34 HR, etc. I think we can be good next year with some good pitching out of the young guys (if they over come up).

 

Mauer in LF, Sano at 3B, Buxton in CF, Morales/Vargas at 1B/DH, and Dozier at 2B.

[jokin]

I think that is only stopgap, though. Santana's rehab won't be that long and then Buxton should be back in CF. (We still don't know how he's going to come back from those wrist injuries though).

 

Santana is scheduled to play at SS on Wednesday, with Buck back in CF. And then Santana is scheduled to play 9 innings in CF on Thursday, presumably after that, the Twins make a decision if he's ready to come back up.

[twinsfan34]

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/compensation/cots/league-info/potential-free-agents-for-2015/

 

Who is worth 60 million and 4 years on the list, in your humble opinion as a position player is worth that kind of money?

 

Not sure anyone is worth 4 years and 60 million. To me that's 'middle of the road' type that often reflects 'reaching'...there's Mike Trout FA's and then bargain buys.

 

The only guy on that list I'd be tempted to throw 4/60 at would be Hanley Ramirez - and I would probably do that. I think he's still got enough for SS and would like him more as a DH, spot 3B over the next 4 years over Morales.

 

 

Of the other guys I'd be more interested in seeing that money go in some form to:

Nelson Cruz

Melky Cabrera

Nick Markakis

Michael Cuddyer

 

2nd Tier:

Ben Zobrist

J.J. Hardy

Torii Hunter

 

I'm ok with the 1-year deal for Moralez, buys time for the guys to knock him out of a job (Vargas, Pinto, Arcia, et al) and to trade him on the high end to a contender type of piece.

 

And I think Mauer will bounce back. He's had 2 sub .300 years and bounced back. I think his back issues (seen even by that oblique strain tweak) is more than he's let it become - still has that catcher's mentality.

[jokin]

Over 2,500 at bats, he has a career .277 average and .800 OPS. In 2009 he was an MVP candidate, 2nd in slugging, 34 HR, etc. I think we can be good next year with some good pitching out of the young guys (if they over come up).

 

Mauer in LF, Sano at 3B, Buxton in CF, Morales/Vargas at 1B/DH, and Dozier at 2B.

 

Or Mauer at 3B, with Plouffe in LF? (It seems like Plouffe it's inevitable that he ends up in the OF sooner or later, anyway, why not start right away? It seems that the earliest the Twins would consider Sano being ready is September, 2015, and he may not be able to go back to 3B, anyway).

[twinsfan34]

I think that is only stopgap, though. Santana's rehab won't be that long and then Buxton should be back in CF. (We still don't know how he's going to come back from those wrist injuries though).

 

Yeah, it's more about MLB ready. Santana is a MLBer, Buxton is a prospect, even if he's #1 in baseball and the fact that in 3 years we'd likely not see that scenario.

 

So, in the context, I think they're trying to get Rosario some reps at CF as well. Not necessarily that they don't have faith in Hicks. Just like the Twins have faith in Buxton.

 

Maybe they have no faith in Hicks...but yeah, was in the context of 40 man roster and 'who else?' that I originally put him on the roster next year.

 

One thing we've seen with Hicks...he's going to have a good spring training!