The Best, Worst, and Likely Off-Season Scenario

By: Sam Hansen

Well Twins fans, T-Hunt is gone, and there are rumors floating of Santana and Nathan possibly being traded this off-season. Here is a list of why the Twins did not do things right this last season, and what could happen this year.

During the 2007 season, Twins management acted poorly. We had a couple options. One, we could have made a push for the post-season and spent the $2 million on retaining Luis Castillo and went after another big hitter. Option two, the Twins could have given up on the 2007 season, dump off Castillo, Hunter, and maybe Rincon for some good talent to replace them to make a better run at the 2008 year. Instead, the Twins chose to do a half ass job on both 2007 and 2008. We dumped Castillo for nothing in return, and though we all knew deep down the Twins had no chance of re-signing Hunter, yet we never shopped him out, so we got nothing in return just like Papa Ortiz. Now Santana is upset, and we will now analyze what will happen no matter what they do.

The best case scenario folks, is that the Twins shop Santana, because we can't afford the $20 million/year he no doubt will command. This has not worked for large market teams, and will be a recipe for disaster if we try it here. So, who should we trade him for? This has the chance to be the biggest trade since Griffey Jr., I say we ship him to the Mets. They can afford him, Johan will get to hit, and the Twins won't face him barring inter-league play or (cough, cough) the World Series. Jose Reyes is the most exciting player in the Major leagues, and would give the Twins a table setter at the top of the lineup. He plays with the same style as we do, leading the majors with 77 stolen bases. They won't give up David Wright, and Reyes is signed through the 2011 season making about 6-7 million per year. In our price range. We get him and one or two top outfield prospects and we have to do it. Santana leaving hurts, but him leaving with nothing in return is like amputation with nothing to make it better. We do that, then trade Juan Rincon and another young pitcher for a Garret Atkins or someone like him, and we have a fun team with a chance to do things.

Worst case scenario, the Twins will think that we have a contending team and decide to stick with our current club. This shows me that we are simply too lazy to work anything out and let things go by before doing anything with it. Johan is not happy here, and we need to make the best of a bad situation. But that being said, nothing goes on this off-season in re-signing talks, then the Twins get off to a good start, everything seems fine. We start to decline with an injury or just bad play, then Johan walks just like Torii without getting anything back.

Most likely, Johan will be traded for a thousand dollars and a couple boxes of batting practice baseballs, maybe some bats if we're lucky. Nathan will be gone too, and Minnesota side armer Pat Neshek will be the closer. Mauer and Morneau would be next in line, and who knows what will happen then.

You Heard it Hear First!

Torii Hunter is an Angel.

WE GOT HIM!

TS

Well folks, the Twins struck it big this week by signing Rondell...I mean Craig Monroe from the Chicago Cubs. I think that we have already been through this one before.

Twin's selling points for Craig Monroe: he has a lifetime average of .256.
What it really means: He hit .219 last year, and was a bum for the Tigers so they traded him to the Cubs (where he also was a bum).
Selling point: If healthy, he may prove to be the jump start to the offense.
What it really means: He was injured all last year
Selling point: Monroe may have been a free agent next month.
What it means: Bill Smith is an idiot. He gave up a prospect for Monroe, when he could have got him for free next month.

Sum it up: We have a new Randell White. Don't hold your breath. When are we going to get our new Lew Ford?

Fan Free Agents

By Tyler Savage

Is it fair for Cubs' fans to suffer for 100 years? Well...no wait, Wrigley is like a huge party with all the Budweiser that you can find...bad example. Let's start over, is it fair for the Devil Rays' fans to suffer for a short and painful decade? No. It isn't fair. Any good player that comes up in the Devil Ray's system has the ability to leave for a winner. If the players don' t have any loyalty and can become free agents, why can't the fans?
My favorite columnist Bill Simons for ESPN has asked this question in a few of his columns. Why can't we switch teams? Why can't fans get fed up with a shitty organization and call it quits for greener pastures.
The last few weeks, I have been wondering if I am going to become a fan free agent. Monday is the deadline in baseball for current teams to negotiate contracts with pending free agents. I am seriously thinking about closing my negotiations with the Twins and seeing what I can get on the market. At the least, I could use this as leverage in my fan negotiations with the Twins.
Maybe the Red Sox would offer me more than 50% of its revenue to be spent on my team's players. I'm a pretty good fan, I don't yell for Lew Ford, or play TWINGO, maybe I could get rewarded for my years of hard work.
Maybe the Angels could offer me more than TC the Bear. Hell, they got the Rally Monkey, that has to count for something. I could even go to a small market with the Pirates and get to watch baseball in one damn fine baseball park.
Who knows, maybe a Dodger Dog is hands down a much better frank than a Dome Dog. Then their is the thought of just becoming a low life degenerate and rooting for the White Sox.
But no....I can't do it. I cannot think of the riches that I could get on the free agent market. I have decided to re-sign with the Twins. Why can't fans switch teams? It's simple, no one wants to be that kid in elementary school who comes to school with a new team's jacket each year, or the kid that switches the team he is rooting for at halftime in the Super Bowl, because when the game started he was rooting for the Buffalo Bills. It's about integrity, and even though players do not have it, fans do. Besides, maybe Tyner is the best center fielder that we have.

A Few Thoughts for Mr. White

Tyler Savage

I still remember how young and stupid I was back in the winter of 2006. The free agent signings were flowing, and the Twins were still scratching themselves and waiting at the open starting gates . During this winter, I checked many websites for the latest rumors, hoping to hear when the Twins would sign their first big free agent; while on a break at work, I found who that big free agent would be: Rondell White. Naively, I was pretty impressed with Terry Ryan's find, how ignorant I was. This week Rondell announced himself eligible for free agency, but claimed that he was 99% sure that he was going to retire.
Retirement should be moved up to 100% for White. During his two years in Minnesota, he had 446 at bats. To put this into perspective, Tori Hunter had 600 at bats--in 2007. White was said to be the Twin who could hit 30 home runs in a season, he only hit 11 in a Twins' uniform in two seasons. RBI was not a clutch stat either, he only had 58 as a Twin (even though they do not matter)*.
It wasn't all a loss however, who can forget all the fun that we had at White's expense. Thanks to White, we got to purchase beers for $1.75 at downtown Minneapolis bars (when White was batting, all beers were the price of his batting average). He also had a pretty kick ass spring training in '06.
With all of this in mind, we at the Beatwriters wish White the best in his future endeavors. The more we try to dislike you, the harder it is. It was a good run, but all good things need to come to an end. Tune in next week, when we say our parting shots to Lew Ford--the most popular average player ever to come to the Metrodome.

*Dave I was young and stupid when I said this. I really can only say that I am such an idiot.

A Second Chance

Twins Dream Land

By: Sam Hansen

The World Series is over, and now the Free Agency period has come. After the clutch re-signing of All Star Joe Nathan, Torii Hunter is without a doubt the top priority of the Twins. This should be a concern for Twins fans however, as new GM Bill Smith is giving a load of GM talk pretty much stating we are not going to see Hunter in a Twins uniform again. Texas is looking like his new home.

In my opinion, the Twins jumped the gun prematurely naming Bill Smith as our new GM. Though one appreciates the promoting from within stance, no fan in their right mind would ever second guess if the Twins gave the GM position to Minneapolis native Walt Jocketty, considered by many as one of the best general managers in history. No matter what happens to the Twins this offseason, the direction of the team would have been known with a proven winner in charge.

As far as the holes to fill up, the twins need help pretty much everywhere. Third is probably the biggest question mark, as Dorn didn’t fair too well this year. The prospect of A-Rod taking a pay cut to play in the glorious Metrodome is looking about as likely as the Twins taking a second chance on Tony Batista once again. There have been plenty of rumors (Ensberg, Koskie, Branyan to name a few) to answer this question, however the position need will be based off of what the Twins decide to do with Johan Santana. There are a lot of things to be done this off season, as another year with no moves again this year can not be tolerated.

Winter of our Discontent

By David Jensen

Another season is in the books. For the second time in three years, the Twins showed fans all over the upper Midwest what it’s like to be a baseball fan in Baltimore or Toronto. To have a decent team get beat up by and finish behind two good teams. It sucks, but it’s a damn sight better than what Kansas City and Pittsburgh have come to acknowledge as a fact of life.*

Ahead of us is a very challenging off-season. The result of which could put the 2008 Twins anywhere from first to fourth in the central. I don’t think management could screw things up so badly as to finish behind Kansas City, could they?** Parting with Lew Ford was a good first step. The second would be signing Carlos Silva without giving him a raise, perhaps even giving him a pay-cut. He is valuable as a veteran and good for about ten wins, but if someone wants to give him more money, put him on that train to Cincinnati and don’t think twice, it’s alright.

At second base, we’ll have to live with the decision that sent Luis Castillo to New York and see if Alexi Casilla can become a worthy replacement. Jason Bartlett will get another chance to prove he’s not an out with legs and a decent glove. Hopefully come late May, his on base percentage will be higher than Morneau’s batting average. The only hole in the infield is third base. Nick Punto is a utility player, not an everyday third baseman. Who can we get? I don’t know, but I’ll keep looking.

Minnesota has a strong foundation in Mauer, Morneau, and Dorn. To keep players, fans and peanut vendors happy, they must re-sign Torii Hunter. He’s been great on the field, in the clubhouse, and for the community. He is a Twin. He deserves a check that will keep him in the Metrodome for the rest of his career.

What will new GM Bill Smith do during his first winter at the Helm? A complete overhaul via free agency, or bring in the farm system to fill holes in the lineup and field? Sign Santana now, or bring in Steve Trachsel and Rick Reed?

*George Brett is not walking through that Door!

**Seriously, please give me money and I will save the Royals.