Gammons: Morneau placed on waivers

[raindog]

Colabello and Parmalee. No, it's not a given, but it won't be hard for them to replace Morneau's production at 1B.

[Jdosen]

I've been a big fan of Morneau in his time here, but I don't think he will be on the next team that wins the division and competes for a World Series, so I think we should trade him for whatever we can get, and move on. I'd like to give Colabello or Parm consistent at bats than give them to Justin at this point.

[stringer bell]

I confess that I haven't been a huge Morneau fan since he limped home for the '06 MVP. He has been a poor player late in seasons when he hasn't been injured, and he has usually missed significant time at the end of the season. That said, I actually respect his work and effort to get back. He plays hard and works very hard on his hitting (maybe too hard), but the results overall just haven't been commensurate with his salary. I suspect that Morneau will in fact be traded and the "bounty" will consist of salary savings and any prospect will be no better that what they got for Butera. I really don't hold out much hope that Morneau will return to the Twins for 2014, and to be honest, I won't have that much regret or disappointment if that is indeed the case. There would be value in opening a spot on both the 25-man roster and the 40-man. $3.5M in savings could be better used in acquiring pitching in the offseason, although I won't hold my breath.

[diehardtwinsfan]

Honestly, I'd be thrilled if we got a similar prospect for Morneau as Butera. He hasn't been his old self, and I'm still in shock that the Dodgers would be willing to send a guy like that over. I'm guessing TR has held out for more. He doesn't give away his guys. He wants value back.

[Guest USAFChief]

Colabello and Parmalee. No, it's not a given, but it won't be hard for them to replace Morneau's production at 1B.

It seems to have been hard for those two to replace Morneau's production even in a season where he has struggled.

 

And a platoon is pretty hard to accommodate in this day and age of 12 and 13 man pitching staffs, so I don't see a 1b platoon as very realistic either.

 

I have strong doubts Parmelee will ever be as good as Morneau will be going forward, and even stronger doubts about Colabelo.

[Brock Beauchamp]

I have strong doubts Parmelee will ever be as good as Morneau will be going forward, and even stronger doubts about Colabelo.

 

I think most of us share this sentiment... Which is why it would have been nice to let Parmelee flail away every day in a lost season so we actually have an answer to the question heading into 2014.

[AlwaysinModeration]

I would happily take a Sulbaranesque return for Morneau.

[Guest USAFChief]

I think most of us share this sentiment... Which is why it would have been nice to let Parmelee flail away every day in a lost season so we actually have an answer to the question heading into 2014.

Fair enough. Perhaps the Twins felt they already knew what they had in Parmelee, and were more interested in seeing where Morneau was at.

[Brock Beauchamp]

Fair enough. Perhaps the Twins felt they already knew what they had in Parmelee, and were more interested in seeing where Morneau was at.

 

Which I understand... But had the team played Parmelee over Doumit and actually put Willingham on the DL instead of mucking around for a month, we might be in a different situation (ie. Willingham may have been traded and Chris would have played every day for 6-8 weeks).

 

I just don't understand why they didn't push this thinking instead of letting vets play (and play poorly, at that).

[Major League Ready]

I sure hope they get a decent prospect back for Morneau and then split the ABs between Parmalee and Colabello for the remainder of the season. It would be great if one of them stepped as a bridge to Vargas / Harrison / other. If not, 1B is a position they should be able to address through free agency. I wonder if Seattle will pick-up their team option on Morales? They are not likely to contend in 2014 and they have five 1B listed on their AAA roster.

[MichiganTwins]

Have we heard anything more about Morneau's waiver status?

[Marta Shearing]

I confess that I haven't been a huge Morneau fan since he limped home

for the '06 MVP. He has been a poor player late in seasons when he hasn't been injured, and he has usually missed significant time at the end of the season. That said, I actually respect his work and effort to get back. He plays hard and works very hard on his hitting (maybe too hard), but the results overall just haven't been commensurate with his salary. I suspect that Morneau will in fact be traded and the "bounty" will consist of salary savings and any prospect will be no better that what they got for Butera. I really don't hold out much hope that Morneau will return to the Twins for 2014, and to be honest, I won't have that much regret or disappointment if that is indeed the case. There would be value in opening a spot on both the 25-man roster and the 40-man. $3.5M in savings could be better used in acquiring pitching in the offseason, although I won't hold my breath.

Well stated. 2007-2009 he was dreadful in Aug/Sept all three years. Most aggravating was 2009 when he was hurt and played terrible for weeks but kept on playing until he hit his 30th homerun. THEN he shut it down. And the team went on a great run WITHOUT him (mercifully).

[nicksaviking]

Have we heard anything more about Morneau's waiver status?

 

Reportedly, the deadline for a waiver claim on Morneau is noon today.

 

I too thought it would have been in the Twins best interest to let Parmelee flail away this lost season. There would have been room to evaluate/showcase Morneau also had the Twins just put Doumit on the bench. In my opinion, Doumit has been the cause of the playing time logjam, he always seemed like a great bench bat but an impediment as a starter on a rebuilding team. I wonder if he has been placed on waivers? I'm not sure the protocol for guys on the DL.

[Oldgoat_MN]

I confess that I haven't been a huge Morneau fan since he limped home for the '06 MVP....

 

Not really sure what this is about.

Morneau September/October 2006:

.345/.397/.487 (.884)

 

Not his best month's split from that year, but it's not like he mailed it in.

[Marta Shearing]

Not really sure what this is about.

Morneau September/October 2006:

.345/.397/.487 (.884)

 

Not his best month's split from that year, but it's not like he mailed it in.

Yeah, that poster was wrong about 2006, but otherwise pretty accurate. I remember one of those seasons late in the year he called out Casilla and then morneau proceeded to go on a brutal, horrendous stretch of his own. Probably why he's never called out anyone since.

[Linus]

Colabello and Parmalee. No, it's not a given, but it won't be hard for them to replace Morneau's production at 1B.

 

Actually, I think it will be hard to replace his production at the plate and in the field from the players they currently have. The only current player on their roster who is going to play elite defense and is likely to hit 280 with 20+ homers and 85+ RBIs is Morneau. People tend to forget that he is their best first baseman and arguably their 2nd or 3rd best hitter. Plus, he's not that much older than Colabello.

[stringer bell]

Not really sure what this is about.

Morneau September/October 2006:

.345/.397/.487 (.884)

 

Not his best month's split from that year, but it's not like he mailed it in.

I won't argue with the numbers. However, IIRC, Morneau was white hot in August and the first week or so in September and then drifted the 2-3 weeks while the MVP talk intensified. The Twins were the midst of an incredible run catching the Tigers and winning the division, but they did wrap up at least a wild card pretty early.

[cmathewson]

I won't argue with the numbers. However, IIRC, Morneau was white hot in August and the first week or so in September and then drifted the 2-3 weeks while the MVP talk intensified. The Twins were the midst of an incredible run catching the Tigers and winning the division, but they did wrap up at least a wild card pretty early.

 

Cherry picking numbers to prove a point? He won the MVP after starting the season poorly. That implies that, over his last four months, he played about as well as he has ever played.

 

Most guys have hot streaks and cold streaks. You can always point to the cold streaks and say he isn't as good as his numbers. That's why we insist on large sample sizes. Overall, he played pretty well from 2006 through his concussion in mid 2010, arguably on par with Hrbek's prime years.

[Marta Shearing]

And morneau clears waivers

[Brock Beauchamp]

And morneau clears waivers

 

Nice. And it turns into a moot point.

[TwinsFanInPhilly]

And morneau clears waivers

 

That means they can discuss trades with any team - correct?

[PseudoSABR]

I'm surprised no one claimed him. His bat would help a lot of teams. I guess his salary really is an albatross (which seems odd to me, given how many teams need a bat). The Twins aren't the only ones who play cheap evidently.

[ThePuck]

Hmmm, I guess waiting till he started to do well wasn't as bad of an idea as some thought.

[Badsmerf]

Hmmm, I guess waiting till he started to do well wasn't as bad of an idea as some thought.

Yes it was. Him clearing waivers is not a sign that Terry Ryan made a good move. He got lucky this time.

[Thrylos]

Ugh, it would suck to see him go. I'd still only give him up for a prospect of value (they would have to fit in the top 20 of our org) if you can only get cash or a player to be named later, then just hold onto him and let him finish the year out as the Twins try to win 75 or so games..

 

And what exactly this would do for the Twins in the long run?

[Rosterman]

Does that mean the Twins can send him to the minors and pick up some service time options??

 

Really, interesting that no one threw out a claim just to block, and that a contending team didn't claim just to negotiate. Just to keep the Twins honest and no

t put him thru waivers again. So, what does this say about the worth/need for Justin on any contending team?

[PseudoSABR]

So, what does this say about the worth/need for Justin on any contending team?

I think it says that teams are cheap. And that if they are going to give up something of value, they'll want the Twins to eat some of the contract.

 

I think a PTBNL (unless its for service time reasons) trade is less likely now. My read is that the Twins want a good piece back, or will just hold on to him. Essentially the Twins might have to pay for a prospect, which, honestly, is preferable.

[StormJH1]

Can't we still eat up to like $3 million of the salary (or whatever the number is?). Also, the salary is pro-rated, so it's not like new team cuts a check for $14 million. They pay for whatever is left. Of course, I'd be relatively stunned to see the Twins make a deal where they pay for another team's player, even if that made it possible for them to get a better player in return.

[diehardtwinsfan]

Does that mean the Twins can send him to the minors and pick up some service time options??

 

 

No. What it said is that no one claimed him. This means no one was willing to take the risk of the Twins simply saying "You can have him and his salary". It's a bit of a catch 22. If he passes through unclaimed, they can trade him to anyone. If he's claimed, they can only trade him to whomever claimed him. You don't want him claimed if you want everyone bidding on him, but what this said is that demand was low enough that no one really wanted to risk getting him and his salary for free.

 

It means we need to pick up some of that or the PTBNL will be conditionally based on how well Justin peforms for his new team. I'm not necessarily against either of those options.

[nicksaviking]

Can't we still eat up to like $3 million of the salary (or whatever the number is?). Also, the salary is pro-rated, so it's not like new team cuts a check for $14 million. They pay for whatever is left. Of course, I'd be relatively stunned to see the Twins make a deal where they pay for another team's player, even if that made it possible for them to get a better player in return.

 

I agree the Twins don't seem like they'd like to pick up a bunch of salary even though it is currently a sunk cost. They can either pay his salary and get a prospect back or pay his salary and let him walk at the end of the year, gaining nothing but whatever small uptick in attendance is caused by Morneau in the lineup.