Rumor: Twins in for Eckstein, Kennedy?
by Jon Marthaler on Jul 30, 2009 10:29 PM EDT
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This via the USA Today's Bob Nightengale (via MLB Trade Rumors):
Look for the Twins to trade for 2B David Eckstein of Padres or 2B Adam Kennedy of A's instead of SS Orlando Cabrera.
Let's go to the profiles, since I don't think we've seen either yet this week:
Let us be reasonably clear on Eckstein: He's below-average defensively, at second base or shortstop. He's below-average offensively, with virtually no ability other than to hit dinky singles - in 335 plate appearances this season, he's managed just 18 extra-base hits, and as you can probably guess, 16 were doubles. He's cheap - making less than a million bucks on a one-year contract - but I fail to see how he's any better than, say, Mark Grudzielanek.
Also, because he's 5'7", he's invariably described as "scrappy" or a "gamer," which as we all know from years of listening to Gardy is nothing but code for "sucks, but shorter than average." Announcers love him, though, and Gardy would love him too, possibly even more (if it's even possible) than he loves Matt Tolbert.
Summary: You would hate having David Eckstein on the Twins.
You might remember Kennedy from the 2002 ALCS, when he hit (as I recall) 43 home runs in four games against the Twins, all of them grand slams, and also pitched two shutouts, saved two other games, and saved a group of schoolchildren from an escaped circus bear.
Kennedy is more expensive ($4M this year), and his performance at the plate hasn't been much better than Eckstein's over the past couple of years - though you can see from his line above that he's having a pretty good year this season. He's below-average defensively, about the same as Eckstein, really.
So far this year, he's been released by the Cardinals (February), picked up by the Rays, hit .280 at Triple-A for a month (Durham, TB's affiliate), been traded to the A's, and made it back to the majors (May). An eventful season, not least if he ends up being traded again.
Summmary: You would hate having Adam Kennedy less then you would hate having David Eckstein.
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Well summarized
I would hate having Kennedy less than I would hate having Eckstein.
I would be…non-plussed by a Kennedy acquisition, whereas I would hate an Eckstein acquisition with the heat of a thousand suns.
by Eric in Madison on Jul 30, 2009 10:40 PM EDT reply actions
Eckstein, no please God.
Jesus, if you can hear me, if you read blogs, let this not happen. Please. I don’t know what would be worse, watching Eck play for my team or being made fun of by my friends at school for having Eck on my team.
"You can't sit on a lead and run a few plays into the line and just kill the clock. You've got to throw the ball over the damn plate and give the other man his chance. That's why baseball is the greatest game of them all."
~ Earl Weaver
"In God we trust. All others must provide evidence."
~ Billy Beane
That said
That said, I can’t imagine either of these guys would cost much, and maybe if we got one it would at LEAST make Mauer happy. I mean, Eckstein is a World Series MVP, maybe that would make Mauer think we’re gunning for that kind of late october magic.
Also, since I can’t imagine we’d give much for one of these guys (right? I mean, right?) we’d maybe have enough left to deal for Washburn and/or White? Right? I mean, right?
Sigh…
"You can't sit on a lead and run a few plays into the line and just kill the clock. You've got to throw the ball over the damn plate and give the other man his chance. That's why baseball is the greatest game of them all."
~ Earl Weaver
"In God we trust. All others must provide evidence."
~ Billy Beane
mauer is smarter than that
There is no reason to pick up either player.
by guinness junky on Jul 30, 2009 10:50 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
You might as well trade for me if you want Eckstein.
www.twinkietalk.com
www.olympicsportsblog.wordpress.com
I figured it out
Brett Boone. Pull him out of retirement. DO IT!
"You can't sit on a lead and run a few plays into the line and just kill the clock. You've got to throw the ball over the damn plate and give the other man his chance. That's why baseball is the greatest game of them all."
~ Earl Weaver
"In God we trust. All others must provide evidence."
~ Billy Beane
Kennedy would actually
be a pretty good pickup. He certainly would be better than Grudz (probably because he has played an entire year). Twins trade for Kennedy than turn around and get Scutaro and Downs, they could really be sitting pretty. That forces Casilla and Punto out of the lineup with the better Kennedy and Scutaro. Lets do it!
Kennedy is a fantastic upgrade on Brian Buscher
That’s what I would see as his role – play the lefthanded side of a platoon at 2B and 3B. Grudz and Crede/Harris would play the RH side of the platoon. Kennedy/Grudz is miles better than Casilla/Punto.
Is this a ploy by the Twins front office
to make me happy when they don’t make a move?
"I don't care about feelings." - Lou Piniella
Kennedy a below average fielder?
I don’t think so. He’s been well above average at 2b for his career, and even if his UZR is a little down this year, I’d expect him to be above average. All in all, pretty close to a league average player, which would be a pretty large upgrade over Alexi Casilla.
by lookatthosetwins on Jul 30, 2009 11:43 PM EDT reply actions
Given the starting pitching is the big issie...
I’ll settle for Brian Bannister, Doug Davis. Dallas Braden, or Aaron Harang.
Given the salary of Davis and his pending FA, how can Arizona not move him for virtually nothing?
Bloggin' the bloggers since 1938.
I was at the 2002 ALCS
game when Adam Kennedy destroyed us. (And saved a bus full of Nuns from certain death and cured AIDS)
He was good then.
I will probably have some sort of massive health problem is we get Eck. My Doctor says I need to lay off hating Punto for my blood pressures sake, I cannot imagine how many veins would pop out of my neck if we got Eck. Please God and little baby Jesus no.
People ask me what I do in winter when there's no baseball. I'll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring. ~Rogers Hornsby
looks like there's progress on cabrera
Rosenthal update
Twins making progress in pursuit of A’s Cabrera — 12:06 a.m.
The Twins finally are making progress in their attempt to acquire A’s shortstop Orlando Cabrera, according to a major-league source.
The teams continued their discussions on Thursday and plan to continue talking Friday.
Twins manager Ron Gardenhire has talked openly about his affection for Cabrera, and first baseman Justin Morneau and other players have implored general manager Bill Smith to make a move.
lets recap the negotiations
about a week ago twins asked about cabrera…A’s wanted 3b valenica…no deal
yesterday A’s offered cabrera to red sox for AAA filler 1b chris carter and reliever fernando cabrera…red sox pass…no deal
yesterday freddy sanchez gets traded for tim alderson
tonight whoever you believe rosenthal says cabrera talks progressing or nightengale says twins have moved onto ekstein/kennedy
all 3 are 2 month rentals, but they wont be given away for nothing. I could see a fringe upper level minor leaguer like mulvey, plouffe, or hughes in the deal. That type of player.
Screw that
The only way Cabrera is worth anything more than a lowlevel prospect is if Mauer is stupid enough to believe that it qualifies as improving the team and gets him to resign. Otherwise the A’s can keep him, pay the rest of his salary and let him walk for nothing after the year.
Buster Olney on BBTN
Cabrera to twins for a prospect almost complete
Cabrera update
Source: Cabrera could go to Twins
By Buster Olney
ESPN.com
Archive
The Oakland Athletics were making steady progress late Thursday night toward a deal that would send veteran shortstop Orlando Cabrera to the Minnesota Twins, a source told ESPN.com.
The Twins have been looking for infield help of late, having spoken with the Pirates about Freddy Sanchez. Cabrera is hitting .280 with four homers and 41 RBI, and he’s batted .377 in the month of July. Cabrera, 34, is signed to a one-year deal, $4 million.
Earlier this week, some Twins players had publicly called for the front office to make moves to augment Minnesota’s playoff chances.
Buster Olney is a senior baseball writer for ESPN The Magazine.
more info
Danny Valencia
Valencia’s name eventually came up in talks with Oakland for shortstop Orlando Cabrera. The Twins initially thought they could nab Cabrera for less, but indications are that Athletics GM Billy Beane upped the ante on them.
Sweet baby Jesus, don't let it be a Valencia for Cabrera swap
"You can't sit on a lead and run a few plays into the line and just kill the clock. You've got to throw the ball over the damn plate and give the other man his chance. That's why baseball is the greatest game of them all."
~ Earl Weaver
"In God we trust. All others must provide evidence."
~ Billy Beane
If the Twins do that
then Smith needs to be fired right away, that is just plain highway robbery!
Will the Real Thor Please Stand Up ... ?
by the Real Thor on Jul 31, 2009 8:51 AM EDT up reply actions
Smith needs to be fired
For not signing Cabrera in the offseason along with a bullpen arm better than Luis Ayala.
Oh, man, I almost forgot about Luis Ayala!
What a trainwreck!
If Smith signed Cabrera
in the offseason, then he gives two top draft picks to the Twins hated rival, the Shisox. I would never have done that. The blame is on Gardy for not starting Harris at SS and sliding Punto in 2B. We cant blame the Twins FO about the Casilla wreck cause we didnt see it coming. Now, we have to solve these solutions.
True, there were better options than Cabrera
Orlando Hudson, Felipe Lopez and the guy I would have broken the bank for – Rafael Furcal.
I wouldn’t have worried too much about giving draft picks to Chicago if it meant we win the division this year.
Orlando Hudson
would have been the Twins best pickup…even better than getting Rafael Furcal. But they never knew that Casilla would have hit the brick wall so the hindsight there is 20-20.
Just for clarification, why do you want the Twins to win the division this year? They have won the division 5 out of the last 8 years or whatever it is, but have not gone any further with it. I would rather they win the ALCS and get into the WS. I am sure this is what you meant but…
playoffs anything can happen
Seriously in professional sports if a team is on a hot streak anything can happen so that’s why I am happy with just getting to the playoffs and hoping for the best. I’d rather be fan of a team like the Twins who are in it almost every year now than a team like say the Marlins that have actually won a couple WS in the last 15 years but have been horrible just about every other year.
Peyton's good but have you ever heard of Jeff George?
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