Rand: What If The Red Sox Go After Morneau And Mauer

[John Bonnes]

http://m.startribune.com/?id=167498615

 

Seems like a good Monday morning talker....

[nicksaviking]

The Red Sox dumped three of their biggest players and only got 1 reasonable prospect in return. The move was made to shed payroll. If the Red Sox were to come after Mauer and Morneau, surely they would see this trade under the same light, namely a salary dump in which they would not be forced to give up many high ceiling prospects. I'm not interested in dropping Mauer in a scenario where the Twins don't load up on a bunch of prospects. Given his salary and the precedence set by the Dodgers/Red Sox trade, that doesn't seem likely.

[Mr. Ed]

If you get the prospects needed,

 

go for it.

 

Neither will win a ring in MN. This org needs an overhaul.

[Mr. Ed]

When owner Pohlad thinks they only need Tweaking....

 

Please sell the team to someone who truly cares about baseball.

[John Bonnes]

I'll say this....Morneau and Mauer both make some sense for the Red Sox.

 

- I'd love to see what Mauer could do in that ballpark. It could completely change the perception about him.

- And now that the Sox have managed to trade both Gonzalez and Youk, they're going to have some needs at first base (and a damn thin free agent market to tap).

 

At the very least I can see the Sox calling the Twins about Morneau.

[Top Gun]

If the Twins trade M&M I will quit following bseball.

[Mr. Ed]

Top Gun, I can understand where you're coming from.

 

Morneau,though, is likely gone, either via trade in the next year, or Free Agency.

 

The Twins will probably continue to use Mauer's contract as a crutch in spending any money on pitching, and TRyan has already

said they won't spend in Free Agency. Have no idea why. Probably because they're constantly throwing big money away on

poor decisions.

 

I would have probably felt this way a couple years ago. No longer. The Twins need help in numerous areas.

With Mauer/Morneau, they're not contenders next year unless they hit the bullseye on every deal / transaction.

 

It's too bad they've buried themselves like this(the Twins). Great players/longtime Twins that have no chance at a ring here.

[cr9617]

I can't see the Sox or any other team giving much in return for Mauer.

[Shane Wahl]

Yes, I bet that Justin Morneau will be playing for Boston next year. Maybe Henry Owens and Drake Britton in return?

[Shane Wahl]

The Twins would get 3 top 15 Sox prospects back for Mauer, FYI.

 

I don't want it to happen, but I can't believe people would doubt the haul would be significant!

[DaveW]

If the Twins trade Mauer anytime in the next 3-4 years, it would be unforgivable in my eyes. The dude is a future hall of famer in the prime of his career, a team gets a player like that once or twice in a generation, add to the fact he is a local guy/local legend. No way.

 

Yes, his contract is large, but it isn't the reason the Twins aren't competitive. They can have another 70- 80 million dollars to assemble the rest of the team with (plus more in the future), that is plenty of money to build a club.

[cr9617]

The Twins would get 3 top 15 Sox prospects back for Mauer, FYI.

 

I don't want it to happen, but I can't believe people would doubt the haul would be significant!

 

A Top 15 prospect in the Red sox system might not even make an impact at the Major League level.

[Mr. Ed]

 

Yes, his contract is large, but it isn't the reason the Twins aren't competitive. They can have another 70- 80 million dollars to assemble the rest of the team with (plus more in the future), that is plenty of money to build a club.

 

Except the Twins keep throwing money away year after year. Decision making on personnel has been spotty- at best.

[Dilligaf69]

They both would be great fits for Fenway but I don't see it. I can see the Twins trying to move Morneau but not Mauer, not with 6 yrs left on his deall....maybe in 2 yrs if he's stays healthy which is a big if and a reason why the Twins might consider it. Thing is I don't think Mauer would waive his no-trade. He's from here, he like is it here his finace and here family are from MN, and frankly he makes a ton of money without the pressure a town like Boston would bring. Also the Sox did get Loney who is solid...anyone know his contract status as far as yrs left???

[Dilligaf69]

The Red Sox dumped three of their biggest players and only got 1 reasonable prospect in return. The move was made to shed payroll. If the Red Sox were to come after Mauer and Morneau, surely they would see this trade under the same light, namely a salary dump in which they would not be forced to give up many high ceiling prospects. I'm not interested in dropping Mauer in a scenario where the Twins don't load up on a bunch of prospects. Given his salary and the precedence set by the Dodgers/Red Sox trade, that doesn't seem likely.

 

 

Yeah, and we would have to get that top P prospect back plus a bunch more and since pitching is also Boston's biggest need I don't see it.

[Dilligaf69]

 

Yes, his contract is large, but it isn't the reason the Twins aren't competitive. They can have another 70- 80 million dollars to assemble the rest of the team with (plus more in the future), that is plenty of money to build a club.

 

Except the Twins keep throwing money away year after year. Decision making on personnel has been spotty- at best.

 

 

Yeah but that's the Pavano's, Capps, Blackie's etc...not Mauer. It's not the good players they have trouble with, it's the bad ones they think are good.

[J-Dog Dungan]

I can't really see the Twins getting the prospects that they would be asking for if they were to deal both Mauer and Morneau (and I don't want them to deal Mauer).

[rickyriolo]

They both would be great fits for Fenway but I don't see it. I can see the Twins trying to move Morneau but not Mauer, not with 6 yrs left on his deall....maybe in 2 yrs if he's stays healthy which is a big if and a reason why the Twins might consider it. Thing is I don't think Mauer would waive his no-trade. He's from here, he like is it here his finace and here family are from MN, and frankly he makes a ton of money without the pressure a town like Boston would bring. Also the Sox did get Loney who is solid...anyone know his contract status as far as yrs left???

Loney is a free agent next year 2013

[PseudoSABR]

The fans would have an uprising if the Twins traded both their stars mere years after opening a partially publicly funded ballpark. For better or worse, the Twins are going to hold on to Mauer.

[Winston Smith]

Mauer has a long way to go for consideration in the HOF.

[Rosterman]

Why trade for Morneau, just wait a year for him to be a free agent. And Mauer, possible C/1B...you don't need Morneau. Waiting to see how Mauer does play out. When he signed with the Twins, he was thinking the team would stay and be competitive for his career. After next year, if the team can't arise above .500 ball, he might be welcoming a change. 3 top prospects and some also rans and The Twins would do it. Imagine what the Twins payroll would be in 2014 without Morneau, Mauer and Span around? Willingham your highest paid guy...followed by Doumit, and a bunch of newly crowned millionaires. Then we can talk about the Twins being...cheap.

[JP3700]

I think it is very likely that the Red Sox talk to the twins in the off season.. but the two players they would target will be Morneau and Willingham. Talks are that they are looking to re sign Ross and Ortiz so that just leaves LF and 1B as holes. I would definitely entertain a package that started with Matt Barnes in return

[RedBull34]

The Twins would get 3 top 15 Sox prospects back for Mauer, FYI.

 

I don't want it to happen, but I can't believe people would doubt the haul would be significant!

Don't think you could justify this trade at all. Not sure of the condition of the Sox farm, but a team would have to literally have to trade the farm to get Mauer. The Twins would need to get a MASSIVE haul if they were to trade Mauer. Basically he is untradeable.

[B Richard]

I don't see Mauer moving- at all.

 

I'm starting to get more excited at the prospect of moving Morneau, however, if he continues to show flashes of his old self. He could be a real commodity next year if he stays healthy and plays well enough. IMO, the Twins have to move him if this is the case. Enough with these sentimental thoughts of seeing him retire as a Twin. I like him, but this is a business damnit: if we can get solid prospects for him next year, we have to make the shrewd decision and ship him off. Hopefully the 1B market continues to be thin.

[Thrylos]

I'll say this....Morneau and Mauer both make some sense for the Red Sox.

 

- I'd love to see what Mauer could do in that ballpark. It could completely change the perception about him.

- And now that the Sox have managed to trade both Gonzalez and Youk, they're going to have some needs at first base (and a damn thin free agent market to tap).

 

At the very least I can see the Sox calling the Twins about Morneau.

 

And Morneau has been a great hitting at Fenway. Their Career numbers at Fenway:

 

Mauer: .283/.386/.500 (70 PA)

Morneau: .375/.425/.604 (106 PA)

[Thrylos]

I think that the PR hit that the Twins will take if they trade Mauer will be huge. Morneau is a different story.

 

Think of the fans who are still screaming about holding on to Gardenhire and his coaches and everyone at the front office after 2 consecutive 90+ loss seasons... You take the face of the Franchise away from them, they will be marching down Nicolet Mall.

 

I don't know whether anyone else remembers what happened in Minneapolis when Kirby was a free agent, visited Boston and word came out that he was about to sign with Boston... And that was pre-internet days. Multiply that by a huge factor and that will be the Mauer fallout

[joeboo_22]

The new collective bargain has changed the game quite a bit I think, we didn't see a ton of prospects change hands this year, even with a bunch of teams contending. Liriano was one of the better pitchers on the market and brought two B or lower level prospects.

 

Second of all, you have to have a direction if you are going to trade your face of the franchise, and it helps if there is someone ready to replace. There isn't a catcher in the organization right now that is close.

 

As far as Morneau, he has turned it on as of late. If he has a good start of the year next year he would bring quite a bit more next year at the deadline I believe.

[Kobs]

I think that the PR hit that the Twins will take if they trade Mauer will be huge. Morneau is a different story.

 

Think of the fans who are still screaming about holding on to Gardenhire and his coaches and everyone at the front office after 2 consecutive 90+ loss seasons... You take the face of the Franchise away from them, they will be marching down Nicolet Mall.

 

I don't know whether anyone else remembers what happened in Minneapolis when Kirby was a free agent, visited Boston and word came out that he was about to sign with Boston... And that was pre-internet days. Multiply that by a huge factor and that will be the Mauer fallout

 

Mauer is a fan favourite, but he ain't Kirby.

[Dilligaf69]

I agree Justin would probably bring more at the deadline next yr but you are banking on him being healthy then but they only have him for 2 months and may not give up the prospects..on the other hand it's half the salary. If they get even a decent offer this winter they could trade him.

[darin617]

If the Twins trade Mauer anytime in the next 3-4 years, it would be unforgivable in my eyes. The dude is a future hall of famer in the prime of his career, a team gets a player like that once or twice in a generation, add to the fact he is a local guy/local legend. No way.

 

Yes, his contract is large, but it isn't the reason the Twins aren't competitive. They can have another 70- 80 million dollars to assemble the rest of the team with (plus more in the future), that is plenty of money to build a club.

 

Mauer is only a HOF worthy if he becomes a full time catcher once again. Absolutely no chance as a 1B with no power and only a part time catcher. Batting titles won as a catcher are great but if you have watched the Twins this season he has caught only 59 games and played about 25 at 1B and DH the rest that he played.