Comments on: Twins offer arbitration to Pavano, Hudson, and Crain

By: Xave

Xave — Fri, 26 Nov 2010 04:52:43 +0000

I think you mean “Twins offer arbimoustache to Pavano; Hudson, Crain only get arbitration”

By: Russell

Russell — Thu, 25 Nov 2010 15:56:04 +0000

Ditto- Hudson’s a type B, so the team that gets him doesn’t give up anything to do so.

By: ML

ML — Thu, 25 Nov 2010 07:12:47 +0000

Nope, he wouldn’t cost any team a pick. He’d just be getting the Twins a supplemental pick.

By: Doug

Doug — Thu, 25 Nov 2010 02:13:14 +0000

Why would Hudson agree to decline arbitration? It just makes him more expensive for whatever team signs him (now he costs salary plus a draft pick). So in effect Hudson’s agreed to either limit his options or take less pay in 2011.

By: rover27

rover27 — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 21:17:12 +0000

“New Joe Mauer Era”.

By: rover27

rover27 — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 21:15:29 +0000

And so begins the “New Joe Mauer” for the Twins. A $23 million contract for the next 8 years that will hamstring the Twins ability to upgrade the team.

If we were getting $23 million a year production, it would be different. If we were getting Hamilton, Pujolis, Cabrerra-type production, the contract would be easier to swallow.

Instead, we’re getting a soft, slap-hitting catcher with little run production…career average of 9 home runs and 75 RBIs a year.

Great job, Twins FO!

By: large canine

large canine — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 18:14:12 +0000

Kirk,

Casilla is already here but yes he is faster then O Hud so there is one upgrade. CF would be the other. That’s only two. Span, Cuddy and Kubel already play/DH. Who do you recommend and realistically think we could get for CF? Has to be RH and at least a 270 BA and 350 on base % otherwise we will be losing production.

By: Jake

Jake — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 17:44:21 +0000

I’ll throw out my plug for Casilla being better than the O-Dog right now. Cheaper switch hitter with better bat control from both sides. He’s theoretically perfect for Gardy’s bugaboo, the 2-spot in the lineup.

O-Dog hurt us with his injury-capades last year too (when you’re hurt, go on the DL). In any event, the Twins can’t lose BOTH Hardy and the O-Dog, because after Casilla, the larder is awfully bare.

By: Dave T

Dave T — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 17:12:17 +0000

I’ve seen too many bad plays in the field by Casilla to think much of that option. He’s not a starter until he becomes a reliable infielder. Now THERE’s a chicken-and-egg problem.

By: Kirk

Kirk — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 17:12:07 +0000

Agree on comment RE: Span getting picked off. Big problem.

We can add speed very easily. Casilla for O Hud. Then you platoon Cuddy and Kubel at DH with both getting spot starts elsewhere. That opens up RF for Span to move over and a speedier CF to take over. Your OF speed just increased significantly and you’ve sped up 3 positions, if not 4, as Cuddy and Kub are easily faster than Thome. You are also fixing the Kubel vs LHP issue. The only problem is you have big contracts platooning, which is not optimal.

The Twins went from Piranhas scratching out bases to going station to station. There were also a ton of fly balls that fell in the gap vs NYY in the ALDS that faster OF’s (like Gardner and Granderson) would get to.