Twins Claim 1B CJ Cron

If Cron was worth anything in trade, TB wouldn't have DFA'd him.

Not really relevant. Twins could try and move Cron at the trade deadline, for instance, or when they think Rooker is ready to come up. Probably depends on the timing. I'm not sure Lance Lynn is worth anything now but he was at the deadline. If Cron is hitting 120 OPS+ at the deadine and the Twins are out of it and a team needs RH power, maybe he's worth something. When teams are finagling their 40 man rosters and payroll heading into free agency signings, he's worth less. 

I am fine with the move provided the Twins keep Grossman and Austin for the time being and do more to improve the team.  

 

Grossman has a 3 year track record of .360+ OBP which we can really use especially now that Mauer retired.  

 

Also I do hope the Twins sign someone like Cruz to DH.  a good 1 or 2 year deal or best yet a 1 year deal with a 1 year option that becomes guaranteed with 400 or 500 ABs give or take.  

 

If the Twins want to win on the cheap then beefing up the power department is the way to go.  

Grossman is terrible at MLB. His OBP does nothing, given it is all walks and singles, and he can't play defense. There is no reason for him to be on this roster. The math is clear, adding OBP players only works if you add lots of them.....

I hope they settle the redundancy concern soon. Though if the Twins want to be hip, now, with it and wow like the Rays, they probably shouldn't dedicate $5 million to a player who's not a big upgrade to who they have already making $550k.

This is my major question.....they clearly could use that money on better RP, or to acquire a better SP. Or maybe a SS or 2B. But they used it on a 1B/DH, who might not be better than their current options by much, if at all. But, I still endorse it, unless it somehow stops them from doing other stuff. 

How can I comment intelligently.  I know what I hope, I do not know what I expect.  Obviously Austin did not impress enough to grab the position.  But Cron has a one year resume so who knows.  Both are cheap in baseball numbers so let them fight it out.  We know one will be 1B.  Now lets concentrate on the really big needs - SS!  CF! SP! AND RP!.  I am waiting. 

If Rooker pushes the team to promote him (like Morneau did when we had Dougie Baseball), the Twins can trade Cron. Or they can put him at first and move Austin. But right now, the Twins don't have a first baseman or a DH. Austin will probably get one of those opportunities but Cron can handle the other. 

They can't trade Cron... They can release him. 

The Rays surely would have traded him if they had takers. 

He's a slightly above average defensive 1B. Austin and Cruz are not.

 

Why are some of us giving Austin a scholarship?

 

On the other hand, his OBP without his (unsustainable) 17 HBP's last year was about .304. Hard pass.

Giving Austin a scholarship isn't the way I look at it. 

He showed some potential and he's out of options. When they are out of options you have to give them a roster spot or let them go, Austin intrigued me enough that I don't want to let him go to end up being a Voit type player for someone else. I'd like to see what he could do with 500 AB's. He's got 40 HR power with 500 AB's in my opinion. 

I feel the same way about Cron as I did when they signed Morrison last year... I was OK with it because I like it when the try to upgrade even at small increments but I mentioned when he was signed that he better be better than Vargas (I've always irrationally liked Vargas) because Vargas would be paid the minimum and Morrison got 6M. 

Same thing between Cron and Austin... He better be better than Austin if Austin is a causality of the move. 

It's not a scholarship thing... It's an option thing... losing him thing. 

There is no downside to this. Good move. I can't believe the Rays are this cheap. They should be kicked out of the league. 

They have a player that many say will be better next year. And, maybe they want to open room for their hybrid player to play 1B sometimes too. Also, maybe they'll spend the money they save. Oh, and they won 90 games last year........in the hardest division in the sport. They must be doing something right.....

There is no downside to this. Good move. I can't believe the Rays are this cheap. They should be kicked out of the league. 

4M and a roster spot certainly could be downside.

I feel like we already have CJ Cron at an eighth of the price in Austin.  This....makes no sense to me.  I hope it works out, but I don't like this as a starting point for the offseason.

I imagine if teams know his salary and how much is left for the season.  I imagine we could pay down a little so we get more than the league minimum covered.  

If Tampa offered to cover 3 million of the contract Cron signs I bet they may have found a taker.  for us we will need an injury and then Cron would be a good pick up since he only has a 1 year commitment.  

I suppose you'd have to consider that the bulk of his 5M will already been paid by the Twins come July however, it still doesn't solve the league wide power hitting/high K 1B saturation problem.