The cute and cuddly Minnesota Twins are really starting to piss me off. As a matter of fact, a friend of mine had this conversation on a facebook wall Wednesday morning...
Mallory: We won last night!!!
Crishad: Yeah, got a little bit nervous in extra innings, but I smell a winning streak...
Since that conversation the Twins have gone...
7/22 - Oakland 16, Twins 1
7/23 - LA 6, Twins 5
7/24 - LA 6, Twins 3
7/25 - LA 11, Twins 5
Yup, I should have said, "I smell a losing streak." Anyways, the Twins are being exposed. They don't have a good starting pitcher who could take the ball in a pressure game (say a Game 163) right now. The Twins don't have a solid #2 hitter/second baseman in their lineup. The Twins don't have a reliable bullpen. (Matt Guerrier has been outstanding this season, but the rest of the bullpen has been either hit or miss.)
The bottom line is that the Twins need to do something now rather than blowing hot air towards the fans. The fans already have lost faith in Bill Smith and like I said before, he's afraid to make a big move because he screwed up the big moves he's made so far. However, sticking our thumbs up our ass and doing nothing is the norm for this team. It needs to change now. Take a look at past trade deadlines...
2001 - Twins trade OF Matt Lawton for P Rick Reed
Really, this wasn't expected and when I woke up that morning and heard we made that deal I was shocked. Matt Lawton was a fan favorite in Minnesota and would be our last true leadoff hitter before Denard Span's arrival seven years later. The move was even as Lawton played for the Mets for a couple years and Reed pitched for the Twins for a couple years. None had a giant impact. The Twins would miss the playoffs for the 10th straight season.
2002 - Twins do nothing at trade deadline.
This one was pretty uneventful. The Twins were running away with the AL Central and didn't really need to make a move. The Twins would win the division and make it to the ALCS, where they would be defeated by the Rally Monkey.
2003 - Twins trade Bobby Kielty for Shannon Stewart
Um...HUGE. The Twins were 7 games back of the Kansas City Royals...yes, the KANSAS CITY ROYALS...at the all-star game so they gave up on Kielty and traded for Stewart. Stewart would solidify the lineup and play for 3 1/2 seasons. Stewart even finished in the top 5 of the MVP voting that season. The Twins would catch the Royals, and make the playoffs, however falling to the Yankees in the ALDS.
2004- Twins do nothing.
The Twins would be "the strongest Twins team ever" with the addition of Justin Morneau to their lineup. The Twins would get to the playoffs yet again, but fall once again to the New York Yankees in the most painful of the Twins playoff failures.
2005 - Twins do nothing.
Well, they did bring in Brett Boone. But there were Alfonso Soriano rumors circulating. That didn't happen, the Twins missed the playoffs.
2006 - Twins do nothing again.
Soriano is rumored again, but the Twins won't give up P Matt Garza. Twins would win the division on the last day of the season and then get swept by the Oakland A's in the playoffs.
2007 - Twins do nothing
Players begin to get pissed off. Johan Santana hints that he may leave when he becomes a free agent in a couple years. Luis Castillo is dealt for a ham sandwich and a lap dance. Twins falter and miss the playoffs.
2008 - Twins do nothing, but trade for P Eddie Guardado in a waiver deal.
Twins needed a setup guy to get to Joe Nathan. We didn't get it. Instead the Twins would get Eddie Guardado who would prove to be just a dose of nostalgia.
So what could the Twins do to help their team this year? Well, here are some of the rumored names.
Freddy Sanchez (2B - PIT)
This has to be the best possible fit for the Twins. The Twins need a two hitter and Sanchez is a former batting champion who can get on base for Mauer, Morneau, and Kubel. He's currently hitting .299 with a .337 on base percentage. His numbers would only get better batting in front of those three. Pittsburgh is believe to want a prospect and maybe a major league player. Maybe we could dangle Delmon Young in front of them? But at this point does he have any value?
Orlando Cabrera (SS - OAK)
Cabrera is a solid hitter as well, but here's the problem. Cabrera is in the back end of a one year deal. The Twins are better off trading for Sanchez because it would be easier to add two years to Sanchez's contract. Also Sanchez is a type B free agent at the end of the year, this means the Twins could get a draft pick if Sanchez leaves. Cabrera could be designated a Type A, which would mean the Twins would get a first round pick, but he's just not that great of a fit. Why get a rental when you can get a long term solution. Oakland is believed to want a minor leaguer.
Michael Wuertz (RP - OAK)
A native of Austin, Minnesota, Wuertz would at least give the Twins a spike at the ticket booth. Wuertz is a middle of the road reliever and would fit the mold of the Twins currently in the pen. It's a low risk move, so this would make sense.
Also being targeted are Matt Capps and Doug Grabow of Pittsburgh and this morning it was said that the Twins might look at 2B Marco Scutaro of Toronto.
Bottom line, we can't sit around. We're not going to sign any free agents this winter, so we might have to spend a little bit of that money that we're going to get from Target Field next season and maybe give up a prospect or two. It will be interesting. However, I think we sit on our hands...
- In other news, Joe Crede might go on the disabled list. In the Star Trib this morning Ron Gardenhire has indicated that he'll ask for 3B Danny Valencia from Rochester should Crede have to go on the shelf. Valencia is the Twins third baseman of the future and I assume he'll be starting at Target Field next season. Since being called up from Class AA New Britain, he's hit .338 with 5 bombs and 24 rbi in 28 games. I, for one, wouldn't mind seeing Crede rest up because it would mean we'd get to see Valencia. Valencia was a third round pick by the Twins a couple years ago out of the University of Miami, the same college that produced a third baseman by the name of Ryan Braun. Valencia is also defensively ready to make an impact "at the major league level" (Thanks, Bert!) If Crede can come back, cool, if not, I'm ready to roll with Valencia for a while.
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