Pick up Baker's option?

[TKGuy]

I say no. Baker's club option is for $9.25 million. Coming off of surgery, he probably won't be that effective ( see Joe Nathan) and will probably bolt anyways (again see Joe Nathan). Use the money elsewhere and let the kids start or spend money on other starters.

 

While our starting staff is thin, I dont want see to Blackburn or Baker starting again next year.

 

Agree or disagree?

[Nick Nelson]

Not even a consideration. If anything, the Twins will decline the option (which doesn't even have a buyout) and sign him to a cheap one-year deal. I wouldn't necessarily have a problem with that.

[jorgenswest]

Without medical data it is impossible to judge.

 

I am confident that the only way to keep him is to pick up the option. A healthy Baker is worth that contract.

 

If the best Baker can do is a cheap one year contract, he will take that contract with another team. He will have plenty of offers at that level.

[Riverbrian]

The option no way... I'm not sure what kind of market will be waiting for Baker and I don't know where I'd cap my interest.

 

9 million plus will get you a McCarthy or Dempster or Anibel Sanchez. More years obviously but similiar money.

[SwainZag]

There is no way the option will be picked up. I do think there is a great chance he comes back on a one-year deal though.

 

You have to imagine with rehabbing and him knowing the organization/trainers/coaches that it's the most logical place for him coming off surgery.

[CDog]

Not even a consideration. If anything, the Twins will decline the option (which doesn't even have a buyout) and sign him to a cheap one-year deal. I wouldn't necessarily have a problem with that.

You say "will" sign him to a one-year deal. Is that based on some knowledge? Did you mean they'll try? I've been of the opinion that if they decline the option, he'll likely not sign anything here, just because it seems like that's how it's gone with others in the past. But that "seems" is pretty sketchy in my mind. Anyone know how common it is for a player to sign after the team declines their option?

[righty8383]

The option will be declined for sure. i predict they will offer him a 1 year deal with a base around $800K with insentives that could push it as high as $3 or 4 million.

[Crotalo]

No. They can re-sign him to a one year deal for less. Although if he's smart, he'll go to the NL like every other looking for a big deal after a nice single season.

[fetch]

The option will be declined for sure. i predict they will offer him a 1 year deal with a base around $800K with insentives that could push it as high as $3 or 4 million.

I would assume he would get more

[Shane Wahl]

An incentive-laden deal is the only choice to be made. $1.5 million base out of charity, maybe. Up to $4 million depending on IP and performance.

[Cody Christie]

Like many have said here already, his option isn't much of an option (see what I did there). I could see an incentive deal to come back with the team since they will be hurting for starting pitching. But he won't even be able to pitch at the beginning of the season. Tough to know what kind of deals will even be an option for him.

[TheLeviathan]

An incentive-laden deal is the only choice to be made. $1.5 million base out of charity, maybe. Up to $4 million depending on IP and performance.

I think he almost certainly gets more than this. I would guess he'll get a base salary closer to 3 with incentives going up from there.

 

Pitching is hard to come by and Scott Baker was a very good pitcher prior to injury. I'd like to see them offer him a three year deal, but I also question if declining the option won't finish burning that bridge.

[Kirby_waved_at_me]

I have not read anything since his surgery to hint at the option being considered by the team - coming off surgery, he may be willing to stick with the Twins on a one-year deal, though in my opinion he's probably going to be offered more money to sign with another team.

The Twins would benefit from having Baker as depth, but given how thin their rotation has been the last few years, it would not be a good investment to offer Baker the kind of deal he'll get elsewhere. Other teams can afford to offer something around 5 million to Baker and still not have to rely on him to give 25-30 starts for that money.

For the Twins to spend 3 to 5 million on a starter next season, they will need that player to pitch more innings and make more starts than can be reasonable expected for a guy their first year coming off TJ surgery.

I think at his best health, Baker is a great asset - the Twins probably can't afford that risk given their needs next season.

[Brock Beauchamp]

There is a zero chance the Twins pick up Baker's option.

 

On the other hand, they might sign him to a $2m + incentives type of deal. I'm down with that, actually.

[DPJ]

If your Baker would you even resign with the Twins after the coaching staff and front office called you a pussy all spring training only to find out your elbow is mush?

 

NTM if you're gonna go on a one year make good deal, you head to SD, the Dodgers or another excellent pitchers park in the NL.

[Twins GFP]

Not even a consideration. If anything, the Twins will decline the option (which doesn't even have a buyout) and sign him to a cheap one-year deal. I wouldn't necessarily have a problem with that.

Totally agree. It would also probably be in Baker's interest to resign with the Twins, as this team knows him best and they will give him every opportunity to succeed due to their woeful pitching situation.

[Mauerzy4Prez]

Screw Baker,,, i'd rather see them give Frankie a low end contract for 2 years and take the risk there. Much greater upside over Baker and even if he doesn't perform well, we still have a cheap contract to trade away to a team that is dumb enough to take a shot at him next year. I will probably get ripped for my take, but I had to play devil's advocate

[Brock Beauchamp]

Screw Baker,,, i'd rather see them give Frankie a low end contract for 2 years and take the risk there. Much greater upside over Baker and even if he doesn't perform well, we still have a cheap contract to trade away to a team that is dumb enough to take a shot at him next year. I will probably get ripped for my take, but I had to play devil's advocate

At this point, I question how much higher a "ceiling" Liriano has over Moonshot. He's certainly a better pitcher when he's on his game but the difference between the two players isn't enormous.

 

On the other hand, Baker has been a much more consistent pitcher. Of course, you can throw all that out the window with TJ surgery.

[Nick Nelson]

You say "will" sign him to a one-year deal. Is that based on some knowledge? Did you mean they'll try? I've been of the opinion that if they decline the option, he'll likely not sign anything here, just because it seems like that's how it's gone with others in the past. But that "seems" is pretty sketchy in my mind. Anyone know how common it is for a player to sign after the team declines their option?

I said "if anything" they will sign him to a one-year deal. That's not based on any knowledge, but I know they ain't picking up the option.

 

I don't think the Twins will burn any bridges by declining it. I'm sure Baker understands that any team would be hesitant to pay him $9M coming off elbow surgery.

[CDog]

If your Baker would you even resign with the Twins after the coaching staff and front office called you a pussy all spring training only to find out your elbow is mush?

What about if he had gotten hit by lightning? Neither likely happened, so...

[CDog]

I said "if anything" they will sign him to a one-year deal.

Completely missed that when I read it. Oops.

[DPJ]

What about if he had gotten hit by lightning? Neither likely happened, so...

Huh?

[TheLeviathan]

If declining the option doesn't burn the bridge, I'd prefer Baker over Liriano. I just trust the make-up and the consistency more. I guess I'll take the devil I don't know in this case (TJ surgery) over the devil I'm done with.

[SweetOne69]

If declining the option doesn't burn the bridge

I don't know why declining it would burn any bridges. With the injury I think Baker and his agent expect it to be declined. He knows that he is going to have to settle on a 1 year "prove he's healthy" incentive laden contract. Whether that is with the Twins or elsewhere is anybody's guess.

[Steve Penz]

I am amazed that this discussion exists. He had TJ in mid April. I know that surgeries and rehab processes improve all the time but that puts him at about 1 year on the nose. It seems really early to me. I asked Seth Stohs on his online chat last Friday if he thought Baker could be ready and he seemed to think yes. I just don't understand how it is possible that he could contribute next year. I still wonder if there is some detail I have missed with him regarding recovery. How can he be ready that quickly?

[TheLeviathan]

I don't know why declining it would burn any bridges. With the injury I think Baker and his agent expect it to be declined. He knows that he is going to have to settle on a 1 year "prove he's healthy" incentive laden contract. Whether that is with the Twins or elsewhere is anybody's guess.

Declining the option + the way he was treated medically = my thinking.

[Boom Boom]

I can see either side - 9.25 mil is a lot for a guy coming off Tommy John surgery, but it's only for one year. And I don't expect the Twins to be big players on the free agent market (as usual). They're going to need to find pitching somewhere. Picking up the option keeps the Twins from having to bid against other teams and potentially lose.

 

However, if he can come back and pitch next spring, Baker will be making a very quick turnaround. That didn't work so well for Joe Nathan last year. By picking up the option the Twins risk not even having Baker available for a couple months at the start of the season. Even if he's ready to come back, there's a good chance Baker won't be back to form for another year or more.

[DPJ]

If the Twins were in a position to compete next season I could see picking up the options and hoping he'll be ready for the second half of the season. But with another losing season on the horizon it doesn't make much sense to have Baker back in the fold with his option.

[DaveW]

Before we crap all over the Twins medical staff once again, it should be noted that two separate doctors (One who wasn't even affiliated with the Twins?) didn't even think Baker needed TJS, they only decided to go ahead with it once they cut his arm open.

 

In addition, Baker was in the last year of his contract with the Twins, why on earth would he or them want to push for surgery in 2012 until it was necessary?

[DPJ]

Before we crap all over the Twins medical staff once again, it should be noted that two separate doctors (One who wasn't even affiliated with the Twins?) didn't even think Baker needed TJS, they only decided to go ahead with it once they cut his arm open.

 

In addition, Baker was in the last year of his contract with the Twins, why on earth would he or them want to push for surgery in 2012 until it was necessary?

The Twins front office and coaches shouldn't have **** all over Baker in the media then. Like you said in the last year of his deal why would Baker want to be out unless he was legit injuried. Instead the Twins ripped the guy apart all spring.

 

 

But what else is new in this organziation