Shopping List: Right-Handed Third Basemen

The premise

I don’t buy the premise that the right-handed hitter needs to be a third basemen. For one thing, I like the way Buscher is playing and I think the Twins have a nice option in Macri if they want a platoon. Consider the following scenario:

The Twins send Denard Span, Nick Blackburn, Boof Bonser, Brian Duensing and Jeff Manship to the Rockies for Matt Holliday and Brian Fuentes.

Holliday becomes the everyday right fielder and Fuentes becomes a regular set-up guy. When Cuddyer comes back, you DFA Monroe and move Holliday into the DH spot, working Kubel into the three slots (Delmon, Holliday, and Cuddyer) as match ups dictate.

"You're thinking too much. Just have fun." -- Bennie "The Jet" Rodriguez in Sandlot

by cmathewson on Jul 22, 2008 1:26 PM EDT 0 recs

Good Idea but maybe this might work better...

I have enough confidence that Span and Blackburn will continue to produce the remainder of this season. Obviously last night was not a good showing for Blackburn but it’s just one game, he should rebound and actually get some votes for ROY in the long run. Span might tale off slightly but it would be wise to move him to the lead-off spot, for obvious reasons in the short term, but also to showcase him as an actual lead-off hitter. Then by the end of the season you have two valuable trading pieces. A steady #3 guy for your rotation and a lead-off hitter with solid defense at a premier position. Those two plus some other middling prospects could net a organizational building block at SS or 3B, both of which remain our greatest need.

Gardenhire's major league career: Banjo hitting, futility infielder who couldn't lick it.
Rick Anderson's major league career: Strikethrower who never made it happen with his sub 90's fastball.
Really gives a new definition to living vicariously through other people, don't it?

by caseintheface on Jul 22, 2008 1:52 PM EDT up 0 recs

Intersting...

Do you believe we can sign Holiday long-term? I’m sure you do. That’s the only way I’d make that trade. The only thing that I don’t like about the Colorado players supposedly on the block (Holliday and Garrett Atkins) is their home-away splits favor heavily to playing in the ‘Mile High City.’ And with the money Holliday will get in his next deal, that’s a huge concern of mine.

But I do like the thought of making a huge splash like that!

Progress always involves taking risks. You can't steal second base and keep your foot on first. ~ Frederick B. Wilcox

by Joshs Thoughts on Jul 22, 2008 1:42 PM EDT 0 recs

Holliday's Career Splits

Home: .364/.428/.663 (1.091 OPS), 15.42 AB/HR
Away: .277/.341/.449 (.790 OPS), 30.76 AB/HR

Basically, outside Coors Field, Holliday is a carbon copy of Michael Cuddyer.

Cuddyer: .269/.344/.442 (.785 OPS), 31.08 AB/HR

"There are only two things that are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former." - Albert Einstein

by BeefMaster on Jul 22, 2008 2:58 PM EDT up 0 recs

Really?

I don’t think Colorado would take that deal. They are likely to get better prospects than Blackburn and Span from other teams. Blackburn is good, and may even carry value in the trade market, but I doubt Span does. I’ve like watching him play, but he’s exceeding expectations. If anyone wants him, we should definitely be listening.

by snolls on Jul 22, 2008 3:01 PM EDT 0 recs

Well...

but he’s exceeding expectations

As are a lot of the players that get traded at the deadline, primarily relievers though.

Progress always involves taking risks. You can't steal second base and keep your foot on first. ~ Frederick B. Wilcox

by Joshs Thoughts on Jul 22, 2008 3:11 PM EDT up 0 recs

LaRoche

What about trading with the Dodgers. LaRoche is young, cheap, and underperforming, albeit with little experience. Why can’t we offer to swap prospects with the Dodgers. I have zero concept of what prospects are worth, but maybe there is a good way we trade form our strengths (OF, pitching), for a third baseman.

by snolls on Jul 22, 2008 3:10 PM EDT 0 recs

Inexperienced options

If the Twins are going to go with a young, unproven guy who would platoon with Buscher, they could just call up Matt Macri. LaRoche probably has way more upside (I don’t really know), but I doubt he’d help the Twins all that much more this year than Macri would, and all Macri would cost is a roster spot.

"There are only two things that are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former." - Albert Einstein

by BeefMaster on Jul 22, 2008 3:52 PM EDT up 0 recs

LaRoche

He’s a guy who would be an organizational building block that you’d commit a position to for several years. I’ve liked him for a long time, but he’s struggled with injuries to some degree over the past two years and he really hasn’t gotten a chance to establish himself in the Majors yet either. I’d definetely like him on the Twins roster but he’s not exactly the type of player that gets dealt this time of the year. Plus it’s a huge question as to whether he’d provide an immediate boost over the next couple of months. The other part, as mentioned, is that it’s hard to determine his value. The Dodgers haven’t exactly treated him like they think much of him, but he’s still considered a premier prospect. After all, he should still be projected to be a .280-.320 hitter with Joe Mauer patience and Kubel type power.

Gardenhire's major league career: Banjo hitting, futility infielder who couldn't lick it.
Rick Anderson's major league career: Strikethrower who never made it happen with his sub 90's fastball.
Really gives a new definition to living vicariously through other people, don't it?

by caseintheface on Jul 22, 2008 4:21 PM EDT up 0 recs

LaRoche

Trades like this usually don’t happen this time of year because that isn’t what people are looking for. However, this might make sense for the twins for a number of reasons
a) His injuries and limited experience would make him far cheaper then he would have been in past offseasons
b) he’s still a very talented player who would probably still be an improvement at our weakest position
c) if we don’t win it all this year, he will still be around and cheap for a number of years, as the Twins aim toward 2010-2011

I don’t expect the twins to make a move in the end. If they do, I suspect they will pick up a mediocre, past his prime, hitter who won’t help us beyond this year or next, in which case they give up a little that may help us in teh future, to help us very little now. Any other option would involve selling valuable pieces of the future to try to win this year, and I just don’t think we are THAT good right now. This is an option that improves the team now, and helps later, in addition to recognizing that LaRoche might be undervalued by the dodgers right now. Since most teams don’t trade for young players this time of year, the Twins may have an opportunity to beat the market.

by snolls on Jul 22, 2008 10:23 PM EDT up 0 recs

Meh...

From what I understand, he doesn’t hit lefties overly well and since he’s inexperienced he’d likely platoon which means Buscher would continue seeing righties which would make it a pointless trade if he can’t hit lefties.

And it’s hard to understand what the Dodgers would need. Sure everyone needs pitching, but the Dodgers have such a strong farm system that it’s hard to understand what they want. They view Hu as the shortstop of the future, but yet there’s all these rumors of them going out and looking at a shortstop and Jack Wilson’s name has been coming up a lot. I think the Dodgers would be idiots to trade for Wilson, especially since the Pirates are asking for a king’s ransom for him. But still, his name has been hot on the trade block for quite a while.

No comprende. Sure he has great defense, but heck so does Punto. And besides HR’s/RBI (in 2,300 fewer at bats), their career numbers are pretty similar. Yet Punto is making a fraction of what Wilson is making and has really zero trade value. I’m not saying Punto should have any trade value, but I don’t understand how Wilson is one of the hottest commodities on the market, and has been for quite some time.

Progress always involves taking risks. You can't steal second base and keep your foot on first. ~ Frederick B. Wilcox

by Joshs Thoughts on Jul 22, 2008 3:21 PM EDT 0 recs

Hu's on first?

I think the Dodgers would be idiots to trade for Wilson, especially since the Pirates are asking for a king’s ransom for him. But still, his name has been hot on the trade block for quite a while.

It’s not an issue of Wilson being on the trading block and suddenly the Dodgers got interested, it’s an issue of the Dodgers needing a SS.

When you are tied for first place and have a shot at the post-season in a market in which the Angels will be in the post-season unless they all die, your hand is forced. The Dodgers are playing Nomar Garciaparra and Angel Berroa at SS, and Angel hasn’t seen the top side of .250 for 3 seasons. Garciaparra is playing SS, at age 35 (that would be about 42 in Nomar years) for the first time in 3 seasons.

An injury created that scenario, and the need for Jack Wilson.

by Johnny Safron on Jul 22, 2008 9:12 PM EDT up 0 recs

Hey Kinda off Topic

But Gomez is batting 9th tonight and Span is Batting Leadoff according to Lavelle.

by Tony_O on Jul 22, 2008 4:38 PM EDT 0 recs

Wooooo!

Either he read my article at Twins Fix, or he is regaining his sanity.

Or both.

Twins Fix
http://www.twinsfix.com

by Andersklasen on Jul 22, 2008 4:40 PM EDT up 0 recs

Praise Jesus

Alright
-Span: Time to make yourself a valuable trading chip for the off season.
-Gomez: Come out in a blaze of fury (ie do that cycle thing again)
-Mauer, Morneau: Let the RBI parade begin

Gardenhire's major league career: Banjo hitting, futility infielder who couldn't lick it.
Rick Anderson's major league career: Strikethrower who never made it happen with his sub 90's fastball.
Really gives a new definition to living vicariously through other people, don't it?

by caseintheface on Jul 22, 2008 4:45 PM EDT 0 recs

Off-Topic...

Word is that Span will bat leadoff tonight with Gomez going to the nine spot.

by Twins Territory on Jul 22, 2008 5:16 PM EDT 0 recs

Uh...

Tony_O covered that almost two hours ago just three posts above yours.

Twins Fix
http://www.twinsfix.com

by Andersklasen on Jul 22, 2008 6:30 PM EDT up 0 recs

Even More Off Topic

Liriano is on the Mound for Rochester Tonight, if He Pitches Well and isnt called up, I will become a White Sox Fan, Seriously, What does this guy have to do to get called up, Let Gardenhire Rape Him? Seriously

by Tony_O on Jul 22, 2008 6:36 PM EDT 0 recs

Stop it!

There’s nowhere to put him and a 6-man rotation or putting him in the bullpen is ridiculous.

Gardenhire's major league career: Banjo hitting, futility infielder who couldn't lick it.
Rick Anderson's major league career: Strikethrower who never made it happen with his sub 90's fastball.
Really gives a new definition to living vicariously through other people, don't it?

by caseintheface on Jul 22, 2008 6:49 PM EDT up 0 recs