Trade: Joe Mauer +30 million for Justin Morneau

[curt1965]

Would you do it?

[Linus]

This just in, Joe Mauer has a no trade clause in his contract.

[Seth Stohs]

No trade clause, and no, I wouldn't do it. Took Morneau 2-3 years to recover from his previous concussion, and he missed 2+ months late this year with another. I'll take my chances on Mauer coming back.

[Otto von Ballpark]

Only if we can move Morneau back to catcher.

[h2oface]

I always find it peculiar that a "no trade" clause is brought up with such stern and somewhat condescending tone, with the seeming assumption that someone was ignorant of its existence because they suggested a scenario that involves him as part of a trade. Does anyone that is an obsessive Twins' fan and/or a fan that frequents this site and comments not know that Mauer has a no trade clause? I haven't met any, if there are. Plenty of people with no trade clauses have been traded, and Mauer could chose to waive his, as many others have, anytime he choses to. A team can work out a trade, and present it to Mauer when it is something to consider. Discussion of trading Mauer certainly is fair game, and the no trade clause doesn't mean it slams the door shut on the fantasies. 

[mikecgrimes]

Every once in a while a player waves a no trade clause.  You think maybe Mauer would be willing to play  for a team like the Marlins and not have to deal with Minnesota anymore.  I don't know but a good GM better know.

[Blackjack]

No, for two reasons. I didn't like the arrogant attitude of Morneau the first time around and if you're going to trade Mauer, don't get another 1st basemen, clear up some space of Sano.

 

On a side note about Morneau, with a young family and a couple of big contracts in the bank, why is he still playing after another concussion?? The ego of some of these players is really something.

[HitInAPinch]

 

Would you do it?

Let me ask you a question:  What the plus side of making this deal for the Twins?  Both are near the end of their careers.  Both have had a list of injuries.  If Mauer agreed to a trade [ pretty sure that's a big if ] I'd go for prospects.

[Platoon]

Ego? Or competiveness? As Sherlock said, "that is the question"? I do agree with the thought that there is no sense in trading a corner IF for another corner IF.

[Boom Boom]

Why Morneau? Why not any other first baseman of questionable value?

 

We do love the prodigal son homecoming one-of-us angle in this town... but no, I wouldn't.

[DaveW]

I wouldn't do the trade anyways since I think Joe has a better shot at putting up solid numbers moving forward.

 

Also as mentioned Joe isn't going to wave his no trade clause, he is from Minnesota, his family lives in Minnesota, he likes Minnesota and its not a "tough" market to play in.

[bholmgren]

At this point in his career, why would Mauer wiaive his no trade clause to go to a non-contending team like the Rockies??  

 

I think the fans need to suck it up and realize that he's not going anywhere, and will most likely retire as a Twin.  You can argue that his contract handcuffs the organization from signing "big name" free agents, or that he's clogging 1B thus preventing Sano from finding a place to play.  My take on his contract is this:  He's essentially paid $15M to play baseball and another $8M per season to sell tickets and merchandise as the home grown face of the franchise.  

 

How pissed would we all be if the Twins did not re-sign him, and he led the Yankees to the post season?

[Vanimal46]

 

Why Would you do it?

 

FTFY

[Blackjack]

Thinking and reading about it, is there really a logjam at the corner infield spots?? You have three players - Plouffe, Sano, and Mauer for three positions. If they want Sano to play more in the field, starting in spring training play him some at first and third, DH one of the other two, put Plouffe at first now and then.  It gives you a chance to see if Sano really can play a position and buys you time to get the best possible deal for Plouffe.

[TheLeviathan]

 

FTFY

 

Well from a contractual standpoint it would be prudent for the Twins, but it won't happen.

[h2oface]

To waive or to wave, that is the question. I see Mauer waving goodbye to his no trade clause and waiving  it entirely before his career is over, and by choice. (I have no idea what wiaive is  .) Looking at his spray chart from this year even, he would have some pretty good numbers if he was bouncing doubles off the green monster instead of flying out into the outfield shift. The longer he continues to be a mediocre average hitter (and below average for his position) and not be able to adjust that "perfect swing" that is making more and more outs, the more attractive finishing his career in Boston might become. 

 

The time for Morneau to be on the Twins has sadly passed. It is hard to let go sometimes. Mauer is a conundrum. Hunter took his best years elsewhere, only to come back in the final fade, and will only block the future now. Kinda sad. These were/are players that were Twins to me, and not rentals and visitors that I can never think of as Twins, like Pelfrey, Nolasco, Pavano and the like.

[darin617]

Mauer would want some more years added to his contract to ok a trade.  So if a team could get a 4 year extension at league minimum they would still say no deal. too much money for Joey.

[Thrylos]

If you trade Mauer, you'd have to pick a bad contract:

 

Take your pick:

 

Elvis Andrus: $15M/year until 2022
Joey Votto: $20-25M/year until 2023
Miguel Cabrera: $28-32M/year until 2025 (2 vesting options)
Justin Verlander: $28M year until 2019 (+1 vesting option)
Ryan Howard: $25M 2016, $10M buyout for 2017
Albert Pujols: $25-30M 2016-2021
Prince Fielder: $26M (-$6M paid by DET) until 2020
Shin-Soo Choo: $20-21M until 2020
(Don't call me BJ) Upton: $15.5-16.5M until 2017
Aroid: $21M until 2017
Matt Kemp: $21.8M until 2019

 

For comparison:

 

Mauer: $23M/year until 2019

 

I'd rather keep Mauer around and try to find a Mauer whisperer.  Heck, bring his brother up as the bench coach and fire Vavra, if you have to

[h2oface]

 

If you trade Mauer, you'd have to pick a bad contract.............

Except, Boston seems to like bad contracts, and keeps making new ones that they don't even have to trade for! They also know how to trade them away when they want to. Thanks for the summary of contracts. Miggy's may end up being the worst.

[Hrbowski]

Isn't Morneau a free agent? Seems kinda dumb to do it.

[COtwin]

 

At this point in his career, why would Mauer wiaive his no trade clause to go to a non-contending team like the Rockies??  

 

I think the fans need to suck it up and realize that he's not going anywhere, and will most likely retire as a Twin.  You can argue that his contract handcuffs the organization from signing "big name" free agents, or that he's clogging 1B thus preventing Sano from finding a place to play.  My take on his contract is this:  He's essentially paid $15M to play baseball and another $8M per season to sell tickets and merchandise as the home grown face of the franchise.  

 

How pissed would we all be if the Twins did not re-sign him, and he led the Yankees to the post season?

 

Well I bet the Yankees would be pissed if they had signed him for big money and all he did was lead them to the post season.  They have much bigger goals than that.  Our Twins meanwhile rarely talk seriously about being WS contenders, they talk in terms of making the playoffs.  

[spinowner]

My initial reaction was that this was a joke question. I apologize for saying that if it isn't. I think Morneau's career is essentially over. I wouldn't trade Mauer for Morneau straight up, much less throwing in $30M.

[nicksaviking]

Morneau has a $9M option or a 750K buyout. Should the Twoins want, they can sign Morneau in about a month.

 

As much as I like Morneau, they better not want.

[TheLeviathan]

This wouldn't be so much a trade FOR Morneau so much as a deal to move Mauer and his contract. Freeing up that money and 1B might be worth it, even if you are basically giving him away.

 

Won't happen though.

[Monkeypaws]

Let's try and get Cuddy back too   

[Rosterman]

LaTroy would look great in the bullpen. And, hey, Scott Baker is looking for a job!

[curt1965]

I always find it peculiar that a "no trade" clause is brought up with such stern and somewhat condescending tone, with the seeming assumption that someone was ignorant of its existence because they suggested a scenario that involves him as part of a trade. Does anyone that is an obsessive Twins' fan and/or a fan that frequents this site and comments not know that Mauer has a no trade clause? I haven't met any, if there are. Plenty of people with no trade clauses have been traded, and Mauer could chose to waive his, as many others have, anytime he choses to. A team can work out a trade, and present it to Mauer when it is something to consider. Discussion of trading Mauer certainly is fair game, and the no trade clause doesn't mean it slams the door shut on the fantasies.

 

Thank you! It was a simple hypothetical to get the opinions of the readers of TD.

[ashbury]

Souhan's proposal makes this trade unwise.

[h2oface]

 

No, for two reasons. I didn't like the arrogant attitude of Morneau the first time around and if you're going to trade Mauer, don't get another 1st basemen, clear up some space of Sano.

 

On a side note about Morneau, with a young family and a couple of big contracts in the bank, why is he still playing after another concussion?? The ego of some of these players is really something.

 

I never found Morneau to have an "arrogant attitude". He was one of the most gracious Twins and would sign autographs before games, after games, and was always available to the fans, and much more so than most of the players, if not the most. And if one is going to question his ego disparagingly, which I am not, can't the same question can be asked about Mauer? Isn't Mauer just as susceptible to get another concussion as Morneau, no matter where he plays? He still has to dive for balls, risk being hit by a pitch during every at bat, and slide into bases where a knee can hit him in the head, etc. From a business standpoint, I wonder what would happen if management asked Mauer to catch again, and he refuses. Is there something in his contract that says he can refuse and still be paid? Haven't doctors giving him a clean bill of health? Would that request be the considered inhumane? If he would then refuse, he could have the option to retire, no? It would surely be a hot topic and have a lot of fallout, but if one is paying someone 23 million dollars a year and he won't do something he is asked to do, would that void his contract? One could argue that every player on the field is risking suffering a career ending concussion at anytime, even if they have never had a single one. Hit by a pitch, hit by a batted ball, a knee to the head sliding into a base, running into a wall attempting a catch.... it is a risk that one takes when they get to play baseball for a living in exchange for taking home millions (or minimum salary and even meager minor league salaries), and most make that choice pretty easily. It takes large ego to be an artist, actor, baseball player, comedian, businessman, president, surgeon, teacher, musician and the list goes on and on......... and most of the best at what they do have it and the accompanying confidence to be fearless, and I am thankful for that.

[mikecgrimes]

 

No, for two reasons. I didn't like the arrogant attitude of Morneau the first time around and if you're going to trade Mauer, don't get another 1st basemen, clear up some space of Sano.

 

On a side note about Morneau, with a young family and a couple of big contracts in the bank, why is he still playing after another concussion?? The ego of some of these players is really something.

 

I don't want to write off concussions as meaningless, but do you really think Yogi Berra and Johnny Bench didn't have concussions?  20 years ago, the trainer brought out the smelling salts and in the case of football or hockey 2 minutes later they were back in the game.  Those guys probably had  headaches here and there for the next month too but they continued to play.  Now a guy can go 7 days without any symptoms and then on the 8th day when there ready to play the trainer will restart the process.  My theory is some of those symptoms are hangovers but I could be wrong, although Derek Boogaard sat out with a "concussion" because he was in drug rehab.  And by the way I know these guys are competitive but if I can avoid a rode trip to Detroit and Cleveland and still collect a pay check I'm telling the trainer I had another concussion especially if I have newborn twins (Not to be confused with 2 year old twins then I'm playing everyday granted I'm sure the Mauers have a nanny).

 

As for the brain studies let me know when they study the brain of an athlete who died of natural causes then I'll care.  Of course the brains of the depressed and drug addicts are going to come up with something different.