Comments on: (Over)reactions to JJ Hardy Trade

By: AW

AW — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 21:24:18 +0000

Thanks for the reply. My first thought was actually to write that Mauer could receive $30 million a year for the 8 years, just as a round estimate. Then it seemed a little high in my head. But looking ahead to Pujols, who my well approach that figure, I think it’s clear that the sky would have been the limit.
Then you get to the question: is the money better spent on a pitcher that throws every 5 days (Cliff Lee, for example, who we know is going to end up with $25 million for 7 years from someone), or an everyday player. But that’s a question for another day.
I’m still happy with the Mauer contract, even if that puts me in the minority.

By: Jim Crikket

Jim Crikket — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 19:17:32 +0000

AW, I completely agree and you may be underestimating what Mauer would command. I don’t want to delve in to this too deeply because I’ve got a post on the subject percolating in my head (then again, only a small percentage of such mental percolations find their way in to blog posts) on the subject, but if you want to get a sense for what Mauer might have been commanding on the open market, the Werth/Crawford deals just scratch the surface. There are two other negotiations that will shed greater light.

First, St. Louis has a 1B that is one year from hitting the market and reports are that his agent is looking for A-Rod money (10yr/$275M)… from St Louis… in an extension… a year before hitting free agency. Sure, Albert is a much more dominant offensive force than Joe is, but he also does not play a premium defensive position. Also, keep an eye on Russell Martin. Reports are that the Yankees and Red Sox are currently going toe-to-toe for Russell Friggin Martin. He was non-tendered by the Dodgers and is coming back from a broken hip (but don’t worry because it’s not like catchers have to routinely do anything involving the hip joint, right?).

While neither team is looking toward Martin as a full time catcher, it will still be interesting to see how much money those two teams are willing to spend, bidding against one another for a 27 year old catcher who, as I write this, can’t even run yet. Then imagine what they’d be bidding for Joe Mauer, instead.

By: AW

AW — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 17:44:21 +0000

JC, with regard to your earlier comment about how the Werth and Crawford contracts would impact Mauer’s value – you have to think, with Mauer being significantly younger than Werth, and having as much star status as any player in the game, we’d be looking at the upper 20s and 7-8 years. Down stat line or not, there’s a very short list of catchers with his offensive abilities (in fact, I think he is the only true catcher on the list). Sure, it’s a long contract with a lot of money, but he’d be getting even more money had he waited for free agency.

By: Jim Crikket

Jim Crikket — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 17:23:15 +0000

I can certainly understand the excitement over the prospect of getting to see more Twins games on TV over there. That said, it just makes me angrier that I’m in Iowa, 4 hours from the Twin Cities, and I CAN’T get the Twins on TV. Grrrrrrrrrrr. Sore subject.

Keep in touch, though… I’m still tentatively planning on making my annual trip to Ft. Myers for a week or so of Sping Training, as well. I may take you up on the “interpreter” offer!

And you really do need to find a way to get to a game at Target Field… it puts US Bitchular Field to shame. Plus, you’d be doing the right thing and breaking that 20 year old World Series jinx that you’re obviously responsible for!

By: ND Twins fan in Japan

ND Twins fan in Japan — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 16:57:12 +0000

Thanks for not attacking me JC.
Maybe I’m biased and excited, by the fact that if Tsuyoshi is signed, I’ll get to see quite a bit more Twins baseball on a screen bigger than my notebook.
I’ve not been to a game in Mpls since ’91, not for any lack of interest, or support. Travelled from Boston for Game 1&2 in ’87; did the same in ’91; and was on my first flight, moving to Japan the following morning. Was there through the rest of the 90′s, but was spared somewhat by the fact that MLB.com didn’t exist yet.
Know, that I am trying to get back to Ft Myers in the Spring, where the parents have resettled; so maybe I can provide those interpretation services you were considering.
More importantly, I am trying to get to Target Field this year.
Last year just couldn’t make it happen. I know it is the wrong place to post that I did manage to catch the BitchSox and Tiggers at US Cellular (the 15-3 rout that started the run that FAILED!). Sorry all, I was in Chicago. What was I suppose to do, not go to a baseball game?!? Not take my wife to her first baseball game in the States!

By: Jim Crikket

Jim Crikket — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 16:14:16 +0000

I completely agree, Babs. At the same time, a lot of Twins fans were pretty excited about Smith locking up #7 for even longer last year. I have to say, though, that with Werth and Crawford getting these deals, it’s making Mauer’s contract look pretty reasonable. Even given his less impressive stat line in 2010, can you imagine what the Werth and Crawford deals would be doing to Mauer’s value on the open market right now if the Twins hadn’t locked him up?

We’re probably going to have enough material on this to dedicate a whole post to at some point, but I’m wondering if Smith and the Twins really thought through what they were getting themselves in to with Nishioka. I’m not even talking about his performance at this point. But we’ve seen notes from the beat writers about how several Japanese writers will be assigned to the Twins all season and now how Smith is getting agitated being hounded a bit by the Japanese contingent in Florida. Can you imagine how much fun Gardy is going to have dealing with the extra media attention, especially during those times when things aren’t going well?

Gardy and Smith have had it pretty easy with the local beat writers. They don’t have to put up with the media issues that managers/GMs do in major markets. But it sure sounds like they’re bringing in a Japanese rock star and they’re going to get all of the circus-like sideshow issues that go along with doing so. I can’t wait to hear Gardy’s response the first time one of the Japanese writers asks, “Why isn’t Tsuyoshi being allowed to wear #7?”… never mind his response the tenth time he gets asked the same question. An exaggeration? Yes… but the point is, Gardy isn’t exactly well known for his patience with the little bit of local media he has had to deal with in the past. He ain’t seen nuthin yet.

I sure hope Tsuyoshi is worth the inevitable heartburn that his arrival is going to cause at all levels of the organization.

By: CapitalBabs

CapitalBabs — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 15:56:31 +0000

I still maintain my personal bias against contracts for that long… 7 years????? Seriously? It’s not really advisable (to me) even in young guys but at least it’s defensible. But Lee & Crawford???? *shakes head* Honestly it just goes to show that we really have reached the state of utter ridiculousness.

By: Piranhtachew

Piranhtachew — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 15:03:19 +0000

So we should spend our offseason getting NoDak some season tickets and figure out how to turn James’ sleeping habits into some kickass trades. Got it.

By: Jim Crikket

Jim Crikket — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 14:52:28 +0000

Babs, while I do appreciate his appreciation for my long posts and it may motivate me to ignore my own self-imposed 2,000 word limit and venture in to Joe Posnanski Territory, my first instinct was to actually attack our new commenter from Japan.

He (I know, I’m being sexist and assuming “he” even though there was no indication of gender at all in the comment. I’m sexist. There’s another news flash for jamar to be shocked about!) hasn’t been to a Twins game that counts since Morris’ win in the ’91 World Series and the Twins haven’t been to the WS since! Coincidence??? I think not!

By the way, in other shocking news, A) the Red Sox turned out to be the mystery team that offered Cliff Lee 7 years, B) the Red Sox signed lefty hitter Carl Crawford to a 7 year contract, and C) now the Yankees have decided that, yes, they will also go 7 years for Cliff Lee.

So, it’s true what our Geometry teachers told us… A+B does = C.

By: CapitalBabs

CapitalBabs — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 14:27:46 +0000

*sigh* I knew it was going to happen so I was somewhat prepared but still.. I’m crying over here. I have liked JJ Hardy since long before he was on my team and I will like him on someone else’s team too. I would rather have kept him because I really do like the veteran BRAIN in the MI and I knew it wasn’t going to be Hudson. (And Lexi’s seems to timeout if there is too much time between pitches).

NDTFiJ – not only is it good to have a commenter here who has seen first hand what we are all wanting to see, I’m sure that JC very much appreciates someone who likes his long posts!

In all seriousness, I would love to see what he can do and hope they are able to get a deal done – however, I think more than anything that requires the Twins to do some reorganizing in the middle. If it depends on Casilla to manage our MI, he’ll be traded before the end of the year and we’ll be getting someone else at great expense.