Morneau

[DaveW]

Since the trade deadline 3 HR 1.200 OPS

[Badsmerf]

I hope the Twins put him on waivers instantly. If he would have done this a month ago I doubt he'd still be a Twin. The better he plays the more likely he gets traded.

[DaveW]

I hope the Twins put him on waivers instantly. If he would have done this a month ago I doubt he'd still be a Twin. The better he plays the more likely he gets traded.

Very unlikely he makes it to someone like Texas or Yankees, someone else would block em.

 

Perhaps the best bet at this point is for him to catch on fire the rest of the way, then offer him a qualifying offer? Let him either walk and get a pick or sign him to a 2 year deal.

 

Either way, very nice to see Morneau doing well again one way or another!

[E. Andrew]

I think I recall hearing that a qualifying offer would be $14.5 mil or something, way too much, unfortunately. He'd take that in a heartbeat. Someone correct me if the number's off.

[Oldgoat_MN]

I am a big Morneau fan, but a qualifying offer would be too much. I believe that a qualifying offer last year was $13.5 million or so.

 

If he has a QO I think there is no chance that someone signs him.

Well, unless he can maintain a 1.200 OPS for the rest of the season.

[Guest USAFChief]

Whether or not Morneau should be the Twins 1st baseman in 2014 is a very valid baseball question, for many reasons.

 

However, money isn't one of those reasons.

[SweetOne69]

A QO is way too much for Morneau. He would take that in a heartbeat.

 

People figure that Morneau will get a 1 year incentive laden deal with a $1-2M base. At best he would get a Willingham type deal (3yr/$21M).

[Mike Sixel]

I am not yet a re-believer....but I'm glad he's hitting.

[Brandon]

I guess Morneau was bothered by the trade talks last month and now that is behind him for the most part he is relaxing and playing up to his max abilities again.

[Mike Sixel]

After does not imply because......

[jorgenswest]

At midseason when he had 3 home runs his hr/fb rate was at a very low 3%. That wasn't sustainable. It had to go up. It was written that he would have double digit home runs in the second half without the need to make changes to approach. It was unfortunate for the Twins and Morneau that he had the bad luck of the 3%, but his power production in the second half is closer to his true ability.

[ThePuck]

After does not imply because......

 

Post hoc ergo propter hoc? :-)

[ashbury]

After the trade deadline, veteran righthanders are required to throw fastballs with no movement to aging lefty sluggers. It's the Law.

[DaveW]

Yeah....QO is probably not going to happen unless he suddenly turns it into the Morneau of old...regardless, if it seems like he can post a .780-.800 OPS I think the Twins should certainly bring him back for another 1-2 years. He isn't going to cost a fortune, and I am guessing he would be willing to give some sort of discount as well.

 

One thing is for sure, they will have to wait for him to hit FA since they will be asking for a significant cut in his 13mil salary. I am thinking 2 years 12 mil with 4 mil in incentives each year? That way if he stays healthy he gets back to 10 mil a year salary.

[stringer bell]

A blip doesn't mean the guy is going to become 2010 Justin Morneau again. If anyone claims Morneau, the Twins can send him to the "blocker". If someone wants Justin, I think they can have him.

[stringer bell]

Whether or not Morneau should be the Twins 1st baseman in 2014 is a very valid baseball question, for many reasons.

 

However, money isn't one of those reasons.

I'll post my reply again (strange computer). I would revise your comment to say that "money shouldn't be one of those reasons", but I am pretty sure that it will be.

[terencemann]

I don't think money will be an issue because I don't think a lot of teams will have a lot of interest in Morneau. "Since the trade deadline" isn't really a signficant amount of games. Anybody can get hot for a week. I really don't like the idea of the Twins bringing him back but I don't know if they're going to have a lot of options, either. There's a pretty poor crop of first basemen coming up this off-season.

 

Kelly Johnson might be a decent acquisition on a short term deal if they want to bolster their infield. He has more home runs this season than any Twin and that's tough to do when you play half your games in Tampa.

[DaveW]

Another bomb. It's pretty clear Justin is swinging the bat much better these days.

[Brock Beauchamp]

I love seeing him play well but come on... It would have been nice to get some value for him in July. Sheesh.

[DaveW]

I love seeing him play well but come on... It would have been nice to get some value for him in July. Sheesh.

 

Meh, I'd rather they just sign him this off-season and keep him around for another two years until someone else is ready to take over 1st base...(Vargas? Walker?)

[Brock Beauchamp]

Meh, I'd rather they just sign him this off-season and keep him around for another two years until someone else is ready to take over 1st base...(Vargas? Walker?)

 

At this point, that'd probably be the smart move. The guy played too badly for too long to get anything of value for him at this point.

[beckmt]

Agreed, I do not think any of the Twins upper minor league 1B players will be better than Morneau. It all depends on the price. 5 - 6 million a year with some incentives it about all I can see the Twins offering. I would rather see the Twins put the extra money in pitching.

[DaveW]

Agreed, I do not think any of the Twins upper minor league 1B players will be better than Morneau. It all depends on the price. 5 - 6 million a year with some incentives it about all I can see the Twins offering. I would rather see the Twins put the extra money in pitching.

They have at least 40-50mil to spend this offseason, if it costs 7-8 mil to keep morneau do it.

[Guest USAFChief]

Meh, I'd rather they just sign him this off-season and keep him around for another two years until someone else is ready to take over 1st base...(Vargas? Walker?)

I've been saying the same thing for a couple months. My guess has always been Morneau is likely to out produce anyone else at first base for the next couple years.

[Winston Smith]

The last 3 years have been so much fun they should really try and keep the gang together for another run at 90 loses.

[raindog]

I love Morneau, but I really think it's time to move on. It's great that he's tearing the cover off the ball now. That isn't likely to last. The Twins can find production from first base pretty easily. Maybe Colabello, maybe Parmalee. I hope the Twins to the smart thing and let Morneau go.

[Joe A. Preusser]

Meh, I'd rather they just sign him this off-season and keep him around for another two years until someone else is ready to take over 1st base...(Vargas? Walker?)

 

Maybe Sano, although I hope he sticks at 3rd. 3 years, 20M sounds about right to keep him around as a leader for the next wave. He can DH if someone else absolutely HAS to play 1st.

[AllhopeisgoneMNTWINS]

I definitely believe that if Morneau keeps up with his current power streak we should definitely resign him, but if he regresses back its time to move on. Im expecting a regress back but hoping for the power to stick, I couldnt imagine Morneau being in another uniform.

[DaveW]

I love Morneau, but I really think it's time to move on. It's great that he's tearing the cover off the ball now. That isn't likely to last. The Twins can find production from first base pretty easily. Maybe Colabello, maybe Parmalee. I hope the Twins to the smart thing and let Morneau go.

I like Colabello and his story, but in no way should the Twins even entertain the idea of him being an every day player for a "good" team, Colabello should be the 25th guy on a roster, not anything much more.

 

Parm has shown exactly ZERO in a good amount of time in the majors to indicate he is ready to take over 1st base on a year to year basis.

Sign Morneau for 2-3 years, if he produces and someone presses the issue (Vargas? Plouffe?) then you can always trade him ala Dougie Baseball.

 

It would SUCK to see Morneau go, and frankly with as young as this team will be, it would be nice to keep at least one veteran not named Mauer around.

[Major League Ready]

We just don't have anyone close. The FO seems convinced Sano will stick at third at least for the early part of his career. I hope Morneau plays well for the remainder of the season and gives the Twins a reason to resign him but I don't think more than two years is a good idea. 3 years with a team option for a 3rd year. That way we still might be able to get something from him down the road if he somehow maintains his performance level. That short porch in Yankee stadium would fit nicely.