Realistic Look At Available 3B

I would rank them like this:

1) Beltre – Twins like him, may get a make-good contract
2) Tejada – will not get offered arbitration, check tomorrow to see if I’m right. Good fit at 3B, won’t get a long-term deal at his age
3) Crede – split major / minor league deal only
4) Uggla – Twins would be outbid for Uggla
5) DeRosa – probably stays in NL
6) Harris/Valencia – Stand pat is probably higher on this list than I’d like
7) Glaus – may be this season’s Crede
8) Rolen – if Cincy is really hurting for $$

I think Beltre, Crede, Glaus, Rolen are the reasonable options. I don’t think the Twins are interested in more than a 1 year stop gap. The Twins are in good position to take on a high risk/high reward player.

I agree that this was really well laid out. Is 2B next on the agenda?

Won’t be tendered a contract and probably could be had cheaply. I seem to recall some sort of connection with the Twins—friends with Mauer? Or the same high school as Cuddyer? Or maybe he was college roommates with Chase Utley…who is not a Twin. Maybe the Twins could trade for Utley, that would solve 2B. Sarcasm.

Anyway, i know his defense is sub-par, but I’m thinking at the right (cheap) price, Atkins could get a look, with Steven Tolbert and LNP playing late inning defense. Could also platoon with righty hitting Valencia.

it just doesn’t seem realistic to me.

Even after a down year he still looks like the second best 3B in the market after Figgins. He never gets injured (other than the fluke thing that happened this year) and he’s consistently got an above average bat & glove.

There’s likely more money in Philly, arguably a better chance to win in Philly, and certainly a bigger market in Philly. Besides that he put the Twins were on his no trade list earlier when Bill Smith was trying to deal with Seattle. And even beyond that the Orioles are done with Melvin Mora and are going to be looking for a solid 3B for the next 3 to 4 years (don’t believe they have anyone close to ready at 3B).

Tejada seems more interesting but then there’s probably a larger market for his services just because there’s probably a number of teams out there that would still like to have him a shortstop for a couple of years. Also, for whatever its worth, he’s actually never played 3rd before in the MLB.

The difference between Adam Kennedy or Pedro Feliz and Brendan Harris is little if anything good. I’d rather just give the ABs to Harry if it comes down to that. Initially my thought was it couldn’t hurt to sign a mediocre veteran to play with Valencia/Hughes but why bother when you get the same production for cheaper with Harry?

Just hope a big market team besides the Angels doesn’t sign Figgins as an OF and reduce the number of decent 3B in the market.

But if all else fails I still like the idea of taking a flier on Atkins or Mora for cheap/ short term just to see what they do next year. Who knows.. its atleast possible that they have a good 2010 (Mora more so than Atkins).

A couple of things. I’ve seen nothing indicating what the Twins plan on spending. They are at 80M already and are working on a Mauer extension and have given indication that they plan on spending more. I’m guessing that puts them in the 90-100M range in terms of payroll. If they go up to 100M, I think they can get reasonable options at 2B, 3B, and SP, though there will be some high reward/low risk(expense) type signings to do it.

I’m hoping that Punto becomes a super sub and that he fills in when the invetible injury arrives (with the exception of 3B where I hope that Valencia gets a majority of starts). I’d guess either way he’s going to get 300-400 at bats, but I’d rather it be a defensive substitution or keeping a regular fresh.

That said, in the 3B market, there are two low risk/high reward signings available in Crede and Glauss. Both have durability questions and neither will cost much. Glaus (if healthy) will provide well above average offense with poor defense. Crede (if healthy) will provide elite defense with the potential of above average offense as well. Each can be had cheaply. I am guessing Crede will sign for about 1M with some incentives. Glaus will probably cost a bit more. Neither will get 2 years unless it’s an option that vests based on plate appearances. If the Twins are in the market to make a big signing yet, it makes a lot more sense to do it at 2B (Uggla, Philips, Polanco, Lopez) where there are a plethora of good options available which will drive down the price and not much in the farm system to help (unless people think that Tolleson/Hughes is the answer at 2B). Depending on the deal, there would probably be room to get a high upside pitcher like Sheets as well.

If Matt Gamel could be had reasonably I’d love to go after him. One big positive would be that Valencia could be part of the package for him. Basically getting Gamel makes Valencia dispensable. So would a Valencia + Perkins get the trade done? Not too long ago word was that Gamel was untouchable but that’s supposedly not the case anymore with the emergence of Casey McGehee. Gamel is IMO ready for the majors and could be our starter immediately and his low cost leaves money for the Twins to go after a 2B or starting pitching help as well.

… I don’t see the Twins going after a third baseman, not with Valencia waiting in the wings. Maybe they go after Crede on a similar deal as last year. Maybe.

I think if the Twins sign another infielder, it will be a 2nd baseman. In the meantime, Punto will be keeping 3rd base warm for Valencia’s eventual call up.

There are some pretty nice names available and none of them will cost a 1st draft pick. Polanco is getting a lot of heat, but Hudson would be a great signing. There is also Lopez, DeRosa, Belliard and Uribe.

Well I’m an idiot.

The Phils definitely just signed somebody to play 3rd and his name was definitely not Adrian Beltre.