Read this at startribune.com

 

They are also considering moving Casilla over to SS and making Punto a Denny Hocking-esque utility supersub.

 

They can also continue to start Harris and Punto there, but the organization is targeting an upgrade at 3B and SS, and they appear to be very interested in both Sox players.

 

Crede, I just don't see it, playing on that turf over 162 games would be suicide. It would be different if they were moving into the new stadium next year. Although it's still very, very difficult to imagine Joe in a Twins' uniform. It's also difficult to imagine a Boras client striking a deal with Carl Pohlad.

 

Definitely could see Cabrera going to Minnesota though, lol. Who knows, maybe he'll surprise everyone and stick around with the Sox, but you certainly don't anticipate that happening.

 

The Twins are also trying to decide whether to trade Cuddyer or Kubel and possibly moving Cuddyer to 3B, which wouldn't help their left-side infield defense one iota.

 

 

Cabrera can't move to a dome where the ball going to move faster. You're right about Crede, he wouldn't last on turf. Obviously they are making plans for 2010 rather than 2009 and probably want to bring in guys that are solid defenders on grass.

Crede playing on that turf, wouldn't be a good fit for him at all IMHO. Still it'd be pretty sad to see him end up in a Twins uniform.

 

OC is the more interesting one, I think he'll be after another 4 year deal in the off-season. If Furcal leaves the Dodgers, wouldn't surprise me to see OC end up there maybe.

 

Either way, I'd take those 2 out, bring in Beltre and Hudson, and I'll be one very happy man.

Crede would be a classic Twins free agent signing. A guy on a downside for some reason, and on the cheap. Cabrera I just don't see happening.

Their number one pick would be yummy.

 

 

As long as he's not with the Sox, Cabrera can go anywhere. I just don't like his attitude, and I'm hoping Beckham will be ready soon to take over 2B with Alexei moving to short.

I think until Liriano proves he can get back to throwing 95-96 MPH and getting his slider back to the 86-88 MPH range (at least), then the Twins will not be nearly so dominant as they were with Radke/Santana/Liriano in 06, because Blackburn, Perkins and Slowey don't project to be better than Floyd/Danks (or even Poreda) and Liriano was exposed down the stretch as something of fraud. I don't think they can continue to call him "The Franchise" any longer.

 

I'm still happy getting Garza/Bartlett out of the division, as talented as D. Young might be, he's not a "Twins' Way" type of player.

 

If Neshek comes back and they add something like Beltre (for Kubel and a prospect) and also a above-average MLB shortstop (like Cabrera), they will be tough. I still don't think Cabrera on artificial turf would be a good idea. Casilla might be a better SS, even next year. Now 2010, you have to set your ballclub up a bit differently I think. But the biggest need continues to be a consistent, RH power bat. Cuddyer's a pretty good player, but he's not a great one, either.

They cant afford either one and Crede is an injury risk, which is good for the Sox. Twins fans are chatting about how they want Mauer moved to third to save his knees for the future, so not sure about Cuddyer over there.

As long as he's not with the Sox, Cabrera can go anywhere. I just don't like his attitude, and I'm hoping Beckham will be ready soon to take over 2B with Alexei moving to short.

 

You will be waiting until at least mid-season 2010 for something like that to happen. But it's nice to have something to look forward to in the future...someone who at least on paper looks like he could be an All-Star caliber player. I won't get too excited yet, though. Too many disappointments in the past.

 

I don't see either being in the Twins budget.

 

They save their "real" money for fan favorites.

 

i could see it happening.. the defense would work wwell for them.. while it would last..

Meh. Don't ALL teams have "internal discussions" on just about every free agent to be?

You will be waiting until at least mid-season 2010 for something like that to happen. But it's nice to have something to look forward to in the future...someone who at least on paper looks like he could be an All-Star caliber player. I won't get too excited yet, though. Too many disappointments in the past.

Hence why I'd offer an Andruw Jones type of contract to Hudson come the off-season.

I don't see either being in the Twins budget.

 

They save their "real" money for fan favorites.

If the Twins have this kind of money to spend, they could do better than spending it on Cabrera. He'd be helpful to them in the near term, but He's just not going to be worth the kind of money some team is going to give him.

 

The Twins got good with their formula of developing young players, keeping them around as long as they can, and then moving them in intelligent trades before they hit FA. There might be other guys out there who'd fit their style of play, but that's not how their system has worked.

Hence why I'd offer an Andruw Jones type of contract to Hudson come the off-season.

 

 

History has shown it's not wise to offer that kind of money to a 2B. To a SS, CFer or starting pitcher (a VERY select few), sure.

 

The White Sox did a good job plugging in Iguchi at 2B in 05 and 06, and found a gem in Ramirez. I don't want a Furcal/Jones type of contract for a non-franchise player. It would be one thing if he was 27-29, but he's not. That was the one thing I liked about the Swisher deal, getting the average age of this team down, and numbers financially made more sense. Of course, that doesn't mean I want Chris Getz to be the starter either, but I think there's better options out there than paying a Figgins or Hudson player $30 million plus. Speed is always (or should be) less expensive to acquire than power. Simple, but true, fundamental baseball adage.

 

 

Meh. Don't ALL teams have "internal discussions" on just about every free agent to be?

 

Yeah, I agree. This is probably non-news.

They cant afford either one and Crede is an injury risk, which is good for the Sox. Twins fans are chatting about how they want Mauer moved to third to save his knees for the future, so not sure about Cuddyer over there.

Please move Mauer to third and put Redmond or some other scrub into the lineup on a regular basis. Mauer is plus plus offense and defense behind the plate. Move him to third and he's nowhere near as valuable.

 

I'd love to see them make Mauer a 1B man, move Morneau to DH and force them to fill the 3B and C positions with below replacement level folks.

Their number one pick would be yummy.

 

Too bad the Sox would still make the selection rather than the Twins picking for the Sox based on the input of Twins scouts.

They can have both of them. Crede's back is completely messed up and Cabrera's me-first attitude may be more of a problem than his age and declining range.

 

Crede would be a classic Twins free agent signing. A guy on a downside for some reason, and on the cheap. Cabrera I just don't see happening.

 

 

If any teams think Joe Crede is on the "downside" look for a one yer contract with incentives and maybe mutual agreed on extensions and Joe will prove he can still play.

Edited October 2, 200817 yr by elrockinMT

They can have both of them. Crede's back is completely messed up and Cabrera's me-first attitude may be more of a problem than his age and declining range.

 

 

I am not sure I agree with your analysis

I am not sure I agree with your analysis

 

So which past-their-prime player do you think will come back to haunt the Sox?

 

They can have both of them. Crede's back is completely messed up and Cabrera's me-first attitude may be more of a problem than his age and declining range.

 

They can all be "me first" if it gets us to the play-offs! And I still don't see what this guy has done that was so selfish... guy played 160 games for us this year and put up pretty good numbers. Can't complain about that. But I can't see him in a dome either. I'd guess Dodgers.

And I still don't see what this guy has done that was so selfish

 

For starters, there was the in-game call to the official scorer whining about being charged with an error. And then there were the recent comments about how the rest of the team isn't serious or focused enough (but apparently he is).

 

I'll root for Cabrera as long as he's in a Sox uniform, but I'll be happy when he leaves as a FA. It's become obvious that he cares more about his value on the FA market than anything else.

 

They can have both of them. Crede's back is completely messed up and Cabrera's me-first attitude may be more of a problem than his age and declining range.

Him and his me first attitude were going crazy when the Ramirez hit that grand slam. He cares about the team!