With All-Star game now over and the stretch run ready to begin teams will be looking to add important pieces and the Twins have a couple of players who could help others. Here are 3 trades that could help the Twins build for 2014 and beyond:
Minnesota Twins send RP Glen Perkins and 1B Justin Morneau to Pittsburgh Pirates for SP Andy Oliver, SP Nick Kingham, and SP Tyler Glasnow.
Twins would gain 3 very good pitching prospects that are at each level of the minor leagues right now. Oliver is AAA striking out a ton of batters and the only reason he isn't in majors is because of his walk rate, but looks like he could help us out right away at the major league level. Kingham has a 5 to 1 strikeout to walk ratio and is averaging over a strikeout per inning at AA and could be ready to help our rotation by mid season next year. Glasnow is at Low A and has struck out 110 in just 76 innings and should be ready around 2015, 2016 right around the time we should be legitimately contending again.
This would be the most ideal trade because we would bring back the most and set us up best for the future, but is probably more of a dream than a reality.
Minnesota Twins send RP Glen Perkins to Detroit Tigers for OF Nick Castellanos and SP Jake Thompson.
This would solidify the Tigers bullpen and bring back a nice return for the Twins. Thompson was the 91st pick in 2012 draft and is pitching very well at Low A ball this year and is only 19 with lots of potential for growth and is already striking out more then a batter an inning. Castellanos is a corner outfielder who can really hit and some of you may think we are stacked there why bring him in? Because he came up as a 3rd basemen and wasn't moved to the outfield until the Tigers signed Fielder and forced Cabrera to play 3rd. If he could take over at 3rd you can move Sano to 1st or the other way around. Either way your who's going to play 1st once Morneau is gone is solved immediately.
Twins would get much needed bat and a much needed arm both to play big roles in the future.
Minnesota Twins send 1B Justin Morneau to Texas Rangers for SP C.J. Edwards.
For the Rangers to actually send Edwards the Twins would have to eat a majority of what is left on Morneau's contract, but it would be worth it to bring back a guy with Edwards' talent. At Low A he has struck out 113 in 87 innings and an opponents batting average of under .200 and a WHIP of just over 1.
Twins will need to move Morneau before the July 31st deadline to get any kind of return for him and the Rangers and Pirates are the two best fits both in need and what they have to offer in return.
I'm not sure Perkins ends up being moved for sure, but if the right deal comes along I'm sure the Twins will pull the trigger. When it comes to Morneau I don't think it's a matter of if, I think it's a matter of when. Numerous reports say Morneau's agents went to the Twins to discuss an extension and they were told not until after July 31st. Morneau's camp said then he will explore free agency and with the Twins not willing to give him a 13 million dollar qualifying offer the only way to get any kind of return is to move him now.
I think it will be tough for Ryan to get much for Morneau because of his lack of power and his need to move him to get something, but I think if he offers to play most of if not all of the remaining salary on Morneau's contract that could open things up quite a bit for what they could get in return.
Unfortunately it's time for the M&M boys to split and for this franchise to move in a different direction.
Written by Nick Calo, follow me on Twitter for more updates and sports thoughts @PRH1987
Minnesota Twins send RP Glen Perkins and 1B Justin Morneau to Pittsburgh Pirates for SP Andy Oliver, SP Nick Kingham, and SP Tyler Glasnow.
Twins would gain 3 very good pitching prospects that are at each level of the minor leagues right now. Oliver is AAA striking out a ton of batters and the only reason he isn't in majors is because of his walk rate, but looks like he could help us out right away at the major league level. Kingham has a 5 to 1 strikeout to walk ratio and is averaging over a strikeout per inning at AA and could be ready to help our rotation by mid season next year. Glasnow is at Low A and has struck out 110 in just 76 innings and should be ready around 2015, 2016 right around the time we should be legitimately contending again.
This would be the most ideal trade because we would bring back the most and set us up best for the future, but is probably more of a dream than a reality.
Minnesota Twins send RP Glen Perkins to Detroit Tigers for OF Nick Castellanos and SP Jake Thompson.
This would solidify the Tigers bullpen and bring back a nice return for the Twins. Thompson was the 91st pick in 2012 draft and is pitching very well at Low A ball this year and is only 19 with lots of potential for growth and is already striking out more then a batter an inning. Castellanos is a corner outfielder who can really hit and some of you may think we are stacked there why bring him in? Because he came up as a 3rd basemen and wasn't moved to the outfield until the Tigers signed Fielder and forced Cabrera to play 3rd. If he could take over at 3rd you can move Sano to 1st or the other way around. Either way your who's going to play 1st once Morneau is gone is solved immediately.
Twins would get much needed bat and a much needed arm both to play big roles in the future.
Minnesota Twins send 1B Justin Morneau to Texas Rangers for SP C.J. Edwards.
For the Rangers to actually send Edwards the Twins would have to eat a majority of what is left on Morneau's contract, but it would be worth it to bring back a guy with Edwards' talent. At Low A he has struck out 113 in 87 innings and an opponents batting average of under .200 and a WHIP of just over 1.
Twins will need to move Morneau before the July 31st deadline to get any kind of return for him and the Rangers and Pirates are the two best fits both in need and what they have to offer in return.
I'm not sure Perkins ends up being moved for sure, but if the right deal comes along I'm sure the Twins will pull the trigger. When it comes to Morneau I don't think it's a matter of if, I think it's a matter of when. Numerous reports say Morneau's agents went to the Twins to discuss an extension and they were told not until after July 31st. Morneau's camp said then he will explore free agency and with the Twins not willing to give him a 13 million dollar qualifying offer the only way to get any kind of return is to move him now.
I think it will be tough for Ryan to get much for Morneau because of his lack of power and his need to move him to get something, but I think if he offers to play most of if not all of the remaining salary on Morneau's contract that could open things up quite a bit for what they could get in return.
Unfortunately it's time for the M&M boys to split and for this franchise to move in a different direction.
Written by Nick Calo, follow me on Twitter for more updates and sports thoughts @PRH1987