Torii Hunter and the Twins in 2013

[powrwrap]

Torii Hunter will be a free agent in 2013. Assuming the Twins trade Span or Revere, if the price was right would you want the Twins to sign Torii to a one or two year deal?

 

He's going to hit .270 with 20 HR and drive in 85-90 runs. He could play right field. Might be good for ticket sales. What say you?

[DaveW]

Torii Hunter will be a free agent in 2013. Assuming the Twins trade Span or Revere, if the price was right would you want the Twins to sign Torii to a one or two year deal?

 

He's going to hit .270 with 20 HR and drive in 85-90 runs. He could play right field. Might be good for ticket sales. What say you?

1 year yes. 2 years? no way.

 

1 year 4-5 mil sounds about right. He could play a solid RF and fill in at DH when needed.

[Top Gun]

No way, Torii would never want to play for the lowly Twins anyways.

[DaveW]

No way, Torii would never want to play for the lowly Twins anyways.

Last week he said he would be open in returning to the Twins. He said the Angels, Rangers and Twins all interest him with his preference being staying in LA.

[J-Dog Dungan]

No way, Torii would never want to play for the lowly Twins anyways.

Torii has said previously that he would be interested in returning to the Twins, and I am sure that he would be welcomed back with open arms by many fans (me included). However, I think the Twins will have to pry him away from the Angels to get him, as he has also expressed interest in staying with the Angels, and if they are willing to overpay to keep him, I am just fine with that too. While he would be a strong, Old Guard MN presence, I am not sure that his hitting style really fits Target Field.

 

If the Twins don't move Span or Willingham, I don't think that they bring him back. It is more likely that they will go with Hunter if they trade Span, move Revere over to center, and keep Willingham in left. While this would keep Parmalee from having a starting spot, Torii would be well worth the veteran addition to the clubhouse that he would bring.

[powrwrap]

1 year yes. 2 years? no way.

 

1 year 4-5 mil sounds about right. He could play a solid RF and fill in at DH when needed.

I don't think Torii could be had for $5M a year. You think .267/.328/.418 and 20 HRs and above average OF defense is only worth $5M a year? Who are some comps? Johnny Damon (.261/.326/.418) made $5.75M for the Rays in 2011. Coco Crisp (.264/.314/.369) is making $6M and will make $7M next year.

[Bark's Lounge]

Nostalgia can often hinder one's vision. I think it would be a mistake. Let's move forward with the pieces we have or will have and leave that past glory where it remains now. If you think about it, it wasn't all that glorious to begin with.

[DaveW]

I don't think Torii could be had for $5M a year. You think .267/.328/.418 and 20 HRs and above average OF defense is only worth $5M a year? Who are some comps? Johnny Damon (.261/.326/.418) made $5.75M for the Rays in 2011. Coco Crisp (.264/.314/.369) is making $6M and will make $7M next year.

He also will be turning 38 next season and has showed significant decline in all aspects of his game the past couple seasons.

 

I'm sure he will be looking for more and someone may give it to him, I'd just be interested in him for around a one year 5 mil contract. (Maybe even less) I'm not sure the Angels will really have room for him next year anyways, so the market could be somewhat thin.

[Shane Wahl]

Why on earth would the Twins sign a FA OF? Hunter isn't even going to get 20 homers this year. His OPS has dropped each year since 2009.

[powrwrap]

Why on earth would the Twins sign a FA OF? Hunter isn't even going to get 20 homers this year. His OPS has dropped each year since 2009.

Let's wait and see if he gets 20 HR. Assume Span is traded. Who's going to play RF for the Twins next year? I think it would be nice to have Willingham and Hunter in the lineup.

[drjim]

I think he makes sense on a one year deal for both on the field and marketing reasons. No idea what he would cost or if other teams would have interest.

[Top Gun]

You got a half dozen OFers waiting in the wings why would you buy one.

[spideyo]

If you are gonna bring back a guy who is close to retirement simply for nostalgia and his bat, go sign Thome. At least he has always been respectful towards the organization and the fans. Hunter is kind of a dick.

[drjim]

You got a half dozen OFers waiting in the wings why would you buy one.

Because none of them will be ready at the start of next year.

[edavis0308]

I feel like he always says that he would be "open to signing with" about any team the media asks him about. If 2013 is going to be a rebuilding year, get some of the young guys up and start getting an extended look at our overstock of outfielders.

[TheLeviathan]

Rangers and being close to home with a legit chance for a World Series title......or Minnesota. I would say we're behind in that race by a bit.

[DaveW]

Rangers and being close to home with a legit chance for a World Series title......or Minnesota. I would say we're behind in that race by a bit.

Will the Rangers have a spot for him?

[edavis0308]

Will the Rangers have a spot for him?

How has Oswalt been pitching lately?

[greengoblinrulz]

Torii has already stated that he's not interested in the Twins....but will deny it after saying it.

[diehardtwinsfan]

Because none of them will be ready at the start of next year.

I'd probably throw Parmalee out there next year until Morneau is gone. Once Morneau is traded or his contract finishes, you move Chris to first base and call up whichever of Hicks/Arcia/Benson seems the most ready. Come 2014, we start thinking of trading Revere and/or Willingham depending on how the other two are doing.

[70charger]

How has Oswalt been pitching lately?

I don't think he's talking roster spots. That outfield has David Murphy, Nelson Cruz, and Josh Hamilton, as well as a good 24-year old prospect in Leonys Martin. If Hamilton walks, maybe Hunter's a one-year guy. If Hamilton stays, where do you put him?

[DaveW]

I don't think he's talking roster spots. That outfield has David Murphy, Nelson Cruz, and Josh Hamilton, as well as a good 24-year old prospect in Leonys Martin. If Hamilton walks, maybe Hunter's a one-year guy. If Hamilton stays, where do you put him?

Craig Gentry is having a very nice year as well. If Profar comes up next season I wouldn't be shocked to see them move Kinsler to the OF.

 

Either way at this point it appears the Rangers don't have a lot of roster spots for position players heading into next season (other then possible C/1B)

[TheLeviathan]

There are always options when you have a DH.

[DaveW]

There are always options when you have a DH.

Which they are already paying Michael Young 16 Million next year to occupy.

 

I can't see Hunter being an option unless they:

 

Lose Hamilton AND one of the following happens:

1. Trade Cruz

2. Trade/cut Young

 

And even then its questionable.

[TheLeviathan]

You're right, far more feasible that he'll go to the worst team in the AL.

 

This team has David Murphy in LF and Mitch Moreland at 1B and an aging Young. I'm sure they can find ABs in the right situation.

[DaveW]

You're right, far more feasible that he'll go to the worst team in the AL.

 

This team has David Murphy in LF and Mitch Moreland at 1B and an aging Young. I'm sure they can find ABs in the right situation.

I'm not saying Hunter would prefer Minnesota over Texas, I'm saying Texas will probably not have the at bats for him nor the desire to bring him in. (unless they get rid of Hamilton+another OF)

 

Also FWIW: Murphy and Moreland are both outpreforming Hunter by quite a bit, plus they have the advantage of being millions of dollars cheaper and not 37 years old.

I find it funny you mention an aging Michael Young who still is 2 years younger than Hunter.

 

Time to let this one go Lev and move on.

[greengoblinrulz]

If he's gonna go to a bad team, he can go to his homestate Astros before returning home. While he may admit money isnt the issue, its always an issue with Torii.....esp if he'd come back here, he'd wanna get paid

[edavis0308]

I don't think he's talking roster spots. That outfield has David Murphy, Nelson Cruz, and Josh Hamilton, as well as a good 24-year old prospect in Leonys Martin. If Hamilton walks, maybe Hunter's a one-year guy. If Hamilton stays, where do you put him?

For whatever reason, I read the comment and was thinking we were in the Liriano thread..oops

[kab21]

Best case scenario imo is that the Twins get a haul for Span and willingham at the deadline and they sign a decent veteran like Hunter on a short contract. That allows Benson/Hicks to compete for one OF spot and Hunter can occupy one spot. Parmelee can split DH/1B with Doumit/Mauer/Morneau.

 

Just because a team is rebuilding doesn't mean that there can't be any veterans. The important thing is to make sure that they don't trade for any players 2-3 yrs away from FA, don't give out long contracts to declining veterans and don't sign so many that young players are blocked.

[70charger]

You're right, far more feasible that he'll go to the worst team in the AL.

 

This team has David Murphy in LF and Mitch Moreland at 1B and an aging Young. I'm sure they can find ABs in the right situation.

 

I'm not sure why you have a problem with David Murphy. Dude's no superstar, but compare his stats and Torii's:

 

http://www.rotowire.com/baseball/player.htm?id=5532

http://www.rotowire.com/baseball/player.htm?id=7628

 

Here are my key takeaways: Torii's and Murphy's career OPS are virtually identical, but Murphy is 30 and Torii is 37. The OPS trajectory of their past 3 or 4 years has shown that Murphy is flat to slightly-improving, whereas Torii has shown a precipitous decline (and again, this goes back to age). Murphy's contract for 2012 is $3.625 million plus one more year of arbitration. Torii's contract for 2012 is $18 million, and he's a free agent after that. While it's pretty much a certainty that no one will pay him 5 times more than David Murphy next year, there's no reason to think that he's worth even one red cent more, what with his lower current production and declining numbers.

 

A smart GM doesn't replace Murphy with Torii. A smart GM might plug a vacant hole with Torii, but that's not the situation in Texas.