Should Twins trade for Carlos Quentin?

[gunnarthor]

The Padres recent acquisitions have made Quentin likely to be dealt.  He could still be moved to first base but even that is problematic, as they still have Steve Smith.  So it seems that Quentin, who has one year remaining and then an option year, is probably on the way out.

 

Quentin has been hurt a lot in his three years with SD and his bat in 50 games last year was pretty brutal (.177/.284/.315).  But over the three years in SD, he has avg about 25 homers per 162 games and 4.0+ oWAR per 162 games.  He just can't stay healthy.  He'll be 32 next year.  

 

The positives of adding Quentin is his bat.  In his three years in SD, he has put up a .251/.352/.464 line (132 OPS+). And that's playing in Petco which is really bad on RH power.  His bat should be a perfect fit for TF.  

 

His negatives are pretty simple - he can't play defense and he's been hurt a bunch.  Quentin is a clogger on the bases.  If he's healthy, he should hit.  He'd take playing time from Vargas but Vargas probably could use more time in AAA (we all remember Parmelee's strong sept).  Vargas was striking out way too much and not walking enough.  And Quentin's bat is probably better than Vargas' in 2015 anyway.  

 

He probably wouldn't cost a lot to get but RH power is always in demand.  

[jay]

No.

[Kirby_waved_at_me]

Much rather that that the Twins trade for Cameron Maybin or Seth Smith over Carlos Quentin.

[nicksaviking]

They already got thier RH corner OF with questionable defense.  It didn't go over well with most people on this site.  I don't expect doubling down will make many people too happy.

[gunnarthor]

Much rather that that the Twins trade for Cameron Maybin or Seth Smith over Carlos Quentin.

Smith maybe. He doesn't have the track record and is due a little more money.  His defense isn't great but he can play the OF.  He is a little younger.  He'd also probably cost more in prospects to get.  Maybin is a no for the reasons listed at TwinkieTown.  

[Otto von Ballpark]

The Twins already have two starting OF who should be rotating through DH when possible.  Adding a full-time DH seems counter-productive at this point.

[jokin]

The Padres recent acquisitions have made Quentin likely to be dealt.  He could still be moved to first base but even that is problematic, as they still have Steve Smith.  So it seems that Quentin, who has one year remaining and then an option year, is probably on the way out.

 

Quentin has been hurt a lot in his three years with SD and his bat in 50 games last year was pretty brutal (.177/.284/.315).  But over the three years in SD, he has avg about 25 homers per 162 games and 4.0+ oWAR per 162 games.  He just can't stay healthy.  He'll be 32 next year.  

 

The positives of adding Quentin is his bat.  In his three years in SD, he has put up a .251/.352/.464 line (132 OPS+). And that's playing in Petco which is really bad on RH power.  His bat should be a perfect fit for TF.  

 

His negatives are pretty simple - he can't play defense and he's been hurt a bunch.  Quentin is a clogger on the bases.  If he's healthy, he should hit.  He'd take playing time from Vargas but Vargas probably could use more time in AAA (we all remember Parmelee's strong sept).  Vargas was striking out way too much and not walking enough.  And Quentin's bat is probably better than Vargas' in 2015 anyway.  

 

He probably wouldn't cost a lot to get but RH power is always in demand.  

 

Did you mean Seth Smith?  That's who I'd demand...

 

Actually, there are three teams with a huge surplus in the OF... (add Dodgers and Red Sox).  It's a worth a call to each, and making a lowball offer on each OF with the best combinations of offense and defense.

[gunnarthor]

Did you mean Seth Smith?  That's who I'd demand...

 

Actually, there are three teams with a huge surplus in the OF... (add Dodgers and Red Sox).  It's a worth a call to each, and making a lowball offer on each OF with the best combinations of offense and defense.

See, I think the Twins should worry about adding a real bat to the line up and not care about OF defense.  Right now, Hunter and Arcia are going to play the corners.  That won't change.  They are both full time. Might not be how we want it but that is how it is. If Hunter hits so poorly he's out of the lineup, he won't get to DH.  The team could use a stop gap CFer but that could be Hicks, Santana or Scheffer.  The team isn't going to make Arcia the DH at this time.

 

But they could improve at DH.  Vargas, unless you are sold on his Sept, isn't likely to be a good hitter right away.  He probably could use more time in AAA. (Klaw called him a AAAA player)  Maybe Pinto could DH.  Maybe Sano pushes his timetable and he pushes Plouffe out of a spot.  But a guy like Quentin, who has always hit, is a pretty nice bat to have in this lineup.  If he struggles, they can get rid of him like Morales.  If he does well but the team sucks, they can trade him at the deadline.  If he gets hurt, they have depth behind him.

[rico7961]

I would be more interested in Asdrubal Cabrera for 8-10M a season, than paying Quentin 8M for 1 season. Cabrera has a pretty good bat, and although not the greatest ss defensively, our batting lineup with him at ss and Santana in cf would be pretty awesome. Better than the 1 dimensional Quentin.

[jokin]

See, I think the Twins should worry about adding a real bat to the line up and not care about OF defense.  Right now, Hunter and Arcia are going to play the corners.  That won't change.  They are both full time. Might not be how we want it but that is how it is. If Hunter hits so poorly he's out of the lineup, he won't get to DH.  The team could use a stop gap CFer but that could be Hicks, Santana or Scheffer.  The team isn't going to make Arcia the DH at this time.

 

But they could improve at DH.  Vargas, unless you are sold on his Sept, isn't likely to be a good hitter right away.  He probably could use more time in AAA. (Klaw called him a AAAA player)  Maybe Pinto could DH.  Maybe Sano pushes his timetable and he pushes Plouffe out of a spot.  But a guy like Quentin, who has always hit, is a pretty nice bat to have in this lineup.  If he struggles, they can get rid of him like Morales.  If he does well but the team sucks, they can trade him at the deadline.  If he gets hurt, they have depth behind him.

 

Can you really discount the possible overall upgrade from DHing Arcia full-time with a standout defensive/offensive OF? 

 

(Klaw hates Vargas, even as he continues to improve upon the areas in which he's criticized him.)

[jokin]

I would be more interested in Asdrubal Cabrera for 8-10M a season, than paying Quentin 8M for 1 season. Cabrera has a pretty good bat, and although not the greatest ss defensively, our batting lineup with him at ss and Santana in cf would be pretty awesome. Better than the 1 dimensional Quentin.

 

Cabrera wants a one-year deal, you might be able to buy low here, and possibly even flip at the deadline.  You won't be flipping Quentin for much.

[Seth Stohs]

I think I'll agree with others here... No interest for me. In Quentin or Seth Smith.

[rico7961]

Plus, you just have to sign Cabrera. With Quentin, you have to give up something to get him.

[jay]

Plus, you just have to sign Cabrera. With Quentin, you have to give up something to get him.

The "cost" for acquiring Quentin or Maybin is going to be essentially zero. Smith is the only one of the trio that might cost a little something.

[ashbury]

Quentin doesn't fill any current need.  Pass.

 

Seth Smith, for no logical reason, has always been one of my least favorite players.  My recollection is he crowds the plate.  Or maybe I was just mad the Twins pitchers didn't move him off it.

[James]

Put me down in the "no" category as well.  I don't really see what the point would be.  I don't think you can count on him to stay healthy at all.  Plus, I don't want a guy that is going to be charging the mound and breaking collar bones.  

[Trov]

NO NO NO!  Quentin is even worse that Willingham in every area of the game.  Why trade for an over the hill hitter that can not stay healthy.  I agree Vargas could use some work in AAA but his hot hitting was more than just September if you remember.  He was striking out a lot more than walking, but he was not chasing strikes for the most part.  I hope that when pitchers start trying to work his way around him he will take more walks.

[TheLeviathan]

If the corner OF spots are already (poorly) manned....why add one of the few players in the league that might be even worse with a glove in his hand?

[tobi0040]

If we did not have Vargas...AND we were dead set on playing Hunter in the field.  Maybe. 

 

Plus, why are we talking about Quentin when Punto is available

[nater79a]

Guess I'd rather have Pinto as a right-handed bat without a position. So, pass on Quentin.

 

Also, I'm a little higher on Vargas than some others are. He had a great August, then struggled a bit in early September before adjusting and finishing up fairly strong.

[gocgo]

Perfect fit...for the White Sox.

[gunnarthor]

If the corner OF spots are already (poorly) manned....why add one of the few players in the league that might be even worse with a glove in his hand?

Because you're not getting him to play in the OF but rather to upgrade DH.  Right now, the Twins seem to have Vargas as DH and the fall back is alternating guys like Pinto/Hunter/Scheffer around.  Not ideal.  Quentin, for all his faults, can hit.  His 132 OPS+ over the last three years in SD is better than anything any Twin hitter managed last year.  

 

He gets on base well and he has power.  And he is likely cheap to get both in $ and prospects.  The only young guy he takes at bats away from would be Vargas but Vargas probably needs time in AAA anyway.  If he gets hurt, fine, we have depth.  It is possible that Hunter hits well enough and Molitor decides to put Scheffer in left instead but that doesn't seem likely.

[gunnarthor]

NO NO NO!  Quentin is even worse that Willingham in every area of the game.  Why trade for an over the hill hitter that can not stay healthy.  I agree Vargas could use some work in AAA but his hot hitting was more than just September if you remember.  He was striking out a lot more than walking, but he was not chasing strikes for the most part.  I hope that when pitchers start trying to work his way around him he will take more walks.

Actually, Willingham had his career year at TF when he was 33, a year older than Quentin will be next year.  They seem somewhat similar in that both are pull happy righties with good power who might benefit very well in TF.  With Quentin being younger and more established although coming off an injury wrecked season.

[kab21]

I like Vargas but he is a risk to struggle this year.  Regardless of that he should be up on opening day for an extended period w/o looking over his shoulder.

 

And if Vargas needs to be sent down the Twins still have a catcher that can't catch but can hit.  An OF'er that is abysmal poor in the OF.  A 39 yr old LF'er.  A 1Bman made of glass.  An elite bat first prospect with a solid 3B man in front of him.  With a different roster that didn't have too many DH's and non-fielders in fielding positions Quentin would be an interesting target.

 

I disagree with the Twinkie Town article.  For one the Padres are almost certainly willing to pick up some of the money.  For two Maybin was actually a solid defensive/offensive CF'er at one point in his career and he's still only 27.  Part of his recent struggles are due to injury although he does have a poor plate approach.  Venable is the better option to target from the Padres since he could actually be a stopgap CF'er unlike Quentin or Smith.

[h2oface]

No No No.

[jokin]

  A 39 yr old LF'er. 

 

Are you making the assumption that Arcia isn't going to work out in LF?... because the last word from management is that the 39 year old is going to start out the season in Right, plus management had Arcia move to LF in VE Winter Ball in anticipation.

[TheLeviathan]

 With Quentin being younger and more established although coming off an injury wrecked season.

 

It's not just one.  He hasn't managed 500 ABs since 2010.  

[The Wise One]

If there was a year theat Quentin was not injured? Why trade for one player that will cause you to ultimately need another?

[gunnarthor]

If there was a year theat Quentin was not injured? Why trade for one player that will cause you to ultimately need another?

Well, yeah, obviously the injuries are a big issue and something the Twins would have to be ok with (insert joke here).  But on the other hand, if he was able to stay healthy, he wouldn't be cheap.  The hope would be that as a full time DH he wouldn't get hurt as he did in the field.  He missed a bunch of time in 2012 and 2013 due to a right knee injury and in 2014 it was the left knee.  So he could be done.  Or maybe he comes back from rest and is good to go.  But I think he's a low risk type of guy to get.  If he works out, great.  If not, let him go.  And in the meantime he's not really blocking anyone.

[DocBauer]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

 

Bourjos is younger, much, much cheaper, probably better defensively, and a much betterfit.

 

I mean, since the multi-talented, multi-faceted DeRosa remains retired.