# Another Twins Trade



## KEN W (Feb 22, 2002)

The Twins and Tampa Bay Rays are close to finalizing a multi-player deal, according to several sources with knowledge of the discussions. The deal could be announced as soon as today.

The main pieces changning teams would be outfielder Delmon Young and righthander Matt Garza. But indications were strong on Wednesday that as many as six players could be involved.

In addition to Garza, the Twins would send Tampa Bay shortstop Jason Bartlett and reliever Juan Rincon for Young, shortstop Brendan Harris and outfielder Jason Pridie. Pridie was with the Twins during spring training of 2006 as a Rule 5 pick.

Young, 22, hit .288 last season with 13 homers and 93 RBI and is considered one of the better young hitters in the game. Harris, 27, hit .286 with 12 homers and 59 RBI.


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## KEN W (Feb 22, 2002)

If all these things happen......this will be an entirely different looking ballclub from when Terry Ryan was running the show.


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## jgat (Oct 27, 2006)

I think they will have the "Get To Know 'Em" campaign fired up again. Sounds like if Santana goes so will Nathan. The downward spiral is really starting to turn.


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## KEN W (Feb 22, 2002)

The Twins and Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday night have completed a trade that brings young hitting prospect Delmon Young to the Twin Cities \

The Twins have sent righthander Matt Garza, shortstop Jason Bartlett and minor league righthander Eduardo Morlan to the Rays for Young, infielder Brendan Harris and outfield prospect Jason Pridie.

Young will be a stud.....only 22 years old.....good trade for both teams.Finally a good right handed batter besides Cuddy.....Tori Hunter won't be missed......could be the reason the Twins didn't make more of an effort to sign him. :beer: :beer:

Garza's attitude finally got him out of here and Bartlet's defense must have given Gardy ulcers.


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## Powder (Sep 9, 2003)

Here's Delmon Young at his finest.

Are you sure this is the type of player they want?

http://search.live.com/video/results.as ... 8588258606


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## KEN W (Feb 22, 2002)

MINNEAPOLIS

For the past two years, the Minnesota Twins have refused to part with promising young pitchers to bring in hitting help.

They finally relented this winter, giving up right-hander Matt Garza on Wednesday in a six-player trade that fetched outfielder Delmon Young from Tampa Bay.

Unfazed by Young's hotheaded history, the Twins badly wanted his bat - enough to send Garza, starting shortstop Jason Bartlett and bullpen prospect Eduardo Morlan to the Rays. Minnesota also acquired middle infielder Brendan Harris and minor league outfielder Jason Pridie.

While the baseball world has been waiting for the Twins to make a blockbuster deal, this wasn't quite it. They're involved in trade talks involving two-time Cy Young Award winner Johan Santana, who can become a free agent after next season and is on the verge of a huge new contract.

That's what All-Star Torii Hunter got last week, a $90 million, five-year deal that lured him to the Los Angeles Angels and left Minnesota in dire need of a proven outfielder.

The 22-year-old Young was runner-up for AL Rookie of the Year this season and gives the Twins an athletic replacement for Hunter - at least in the lineup if not in center field.

Michael Cuddyer is expected to remain in right field, so Young will probably take over in left with Jason Kubel becoming the primary designated hitter. New general manager Bill Smith said he still needs to solidify center field and third base, so more moves are surely coming.

"Coming into the offseason our first priority was to improve our offense," Smith said. "We took a hit last week when Torii left, but Delmon Young has been the guy we've been targeting since the end of the season. We feel he is the best bat available, and we're excited to get him."

Young, the first overall pick in the 2003 draft, famously flipped his bat into the chest of a Triple-A umpire in 2006 and received a 50-game suspension. He got a three-game ban in 2005 for bumping an umpire in Double-A. He also argued with Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon during a late-season game after he was removed for not running out a grounder.

"I've grown up a lot over the last couple of years," Young said. "I'm getting older and wiser. It's going to happen with some players when you are 18 years old, thrown into the world with a little money in your pocket."

Young has unquestionable talent, possessing a strong arm from his natural spot in right field. He also played center as an injury fill-in, appearing in all 162 games and compiling 16 outfield assists.

"He's got one bad incident on his record. He made a terrible mistake," Smith said. "We've done a lot of work on his makeup, and we've had an awful lot of people tell us he's a very good teammate, he's a fierce competitor, he wants to win, and he's the first one to arrive at the ballpark every day."

Young became the first rookie in four years to play every game, a feat last accomplished by Hideki Matsui for the Yankees. He hit .288 with 13 homers and 93 RBIs in his first full major league season, though he walked only 26 times with 127 strikeouts. He also had 38 doubles and 10 steals.

The Rays have stability in their outfield with All-Star Carl Crawford in left and B.J. Upton in center, and Rocco Baldelli could move to right.

Usually building for the future, Tampa Bay used this move to get better for 2008.

Garza gives the Rays, who needed help for their rotation, a legitimate starter behind Scott Kazmir and James Shields. One of the game's top prospects, Garza went 5-7 with a 3.69 ERA in 16 appearances, 15 starts, for Minnesota after he was called up right before the All-Star break.

"He's a guy we project to get a lot better quickly," Rays executive vice president Andrew Friedman said. "We feel like we strengthened two areas of need, shortstop and starting pitching."

Garza was excited after speaking with Friedman.

"He's ready to roll. That's what I like to hear. He made me feel at home, and all I can feel is that things are pointed on the up and up," Garza said. "It'll be fun to see how it plays out."

The 28-year-old Bartlett became a regular when he was called up in June 2006. He gave the lineup a legitimate spark that year and batted .309 in 333 at-bats for a playoff-bound team. Like many of the Twins, though, he slumped in 2007 and finished with a .265 average, five homers, 43 RBIs and 23 steals in 510 at-bats. He made 26 errors.

Harris hit .286 with 12 homers, 35 doubles and 59 RBIs in 521 at-bats in his first full season as a starter, seeing time at both shortstop and second base. He made 11 erro


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## Norm70 (Aug 26, 2005)

i dunno about this one boys. Garza didn't throw a bat at the ump. I still hope you hits about 30 homers and has 120 rbi's next though. They must feel that they have enough pitching or that we are rebulding. I dunno.

Not doubt we will we will have some good young hitters in the lineup next year.


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## KEN W (Feb 22, 2002)

He's 22 and made some mistakes.Doesn't mean he can't fit in.


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## njsimonson (Sep 24, 2002)

GOOD! Send Nathan with Santana, get Chamberlain, Cabrera and another bat. Neshek can step up and close. The kid is nigh unhittable.

Delmon Young will be a fine addition on the field. Don't tell me you never lost your temper or did something stupid when you were 21 years old.


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## smalls (Sep 9, 2003)

Very good move in my mind. Looking at the premier players of this trade in Young and Garza, I would make the comparison that they are both "high ceiling" prospects at their respective positions. Considering the wealth of pitching contained in the Twins system, it seems to make sense to trade strength for weekness. Garza has also had problems grasping the mental part of the game, albeit with great stuff, a la another "high ceiling" pitcher we had a couple of years ago named Kyle Lohse.

Whether Young is a "nice" guy or not doesn't concern me as long as he rakes. I think that the Twins environment should temper him a bit, like some sensitivity training with Hrbek on a fishingboat in northern MN.

It seems obvious we're not done making moves as we still need a CF, 2B, SS and a 3B. I think we'll see three of those holes filled through a Santana trade and one of them through trading Nathan. I would seem though at this point we have the DH position locked down as there are only two corner OF positions for Cuddy, Kubel and Young to play in.

Anyway, this trade will be judged in part by how well we make out on subsequent trades. Stay tuned Twins fans!


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## dosch (May 20, 2003)

Young trade gives Twins some options 
Ken Rosenthal
FOXSports.com, Updated 6 hours ago STORY TOOLS:

the acquisition of Delmon Young doesn't simply give the Twins an offensive replacement for Torii Hunter. It also gives them the flexibility to either keep or trade Johan Santana.

If the Twins keep Santana, they might be only a few players away from contending in the AL Central next season. But if they trade Santana for elite young talent and acquire additional prospects for closer Joe Nathan, they might be an absolute monster by the time they open their new ballpark in 2010.
The latter scenario still appears more likely, but Twins GM Bill Smith was not about to reveal his intentions in a conference call following the announcement of the Young trade on Wednesday night.

When asked if the Twins might contend if they simply added one or two pieces to their current roster, Smith simply repeated his mantra: "We've got a lot of work to do before Opening Day.For Smith, that could mean adding a shortstop, third baseman and center fielder to his core - no small feat. But it's a manageable quest if his goal is to compete next season rather than deconstruct.

The Twins' rotation could be strong even without Matt Garza - a player in the Young deal - and Carlos Silva, who is likely to depart as a free agent. Santana would be at the top, followed by some combination of Scott Baker, Kevin Slowey, Boof Bonser and - cross your fingers - a healthy Francisco Liriano.

Young, meanwhile, will join a lineup that already includes Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau and Michael Cuddyer. Put someone like the Red Sox's Coco Crisp at the top, and things would get interesting.

Smith could try internal options at short or sign free agent Cesar Izturis, a gifted defender. He could acquire Crisp to play center in a deal independent of any Santana discussions.

Upgrading at third would be more of a challenge, but Smith could use his savings on Hunter to trade for a player such as Scott Rolen, Melvin Mora or Bill Hall. Or, he could acquire a younger third baseman such as the Dodgers' Andy LaRoche.

What would be the worst that could happen? The Twins could flounder in the first half and trade Santana and Nathan before the July 31 non-waiver deadline.

Or they could contend all season, and then collect four high draft picks for Santana and Nathan after they depart as free agents, adding to the two they will receive for Hunter.

The idea of keeping the roster intact is so intriguing, one rival GM said of the Young trade, "I think it could make the Twins shift gears on Santana."

Don't be so sure.

The best way for the Twins to fill their holes is for Smith to continue trading. Say he could get pitcher Phil Hughes, center fielder Melky Cabrera and a third player from the Yankees for Santana, then a young third baseman and more pitching for Nathan.

The nucleus of position players would then be intact through at least 2010, after which Mauer and Morneau are eligible for free agency. A rotation featuring Hughes, Liriano, Baker and Slowey could develop into one of the game's best. And the Twins would gain the financial flexibility to retain their own stars or acquire comparable replacements.

It would behoove Smith to act quickly if trading Santana is his preferred option - the A's could shrink his market by sending Dan Haren and Joe Blanton to teams interested in Santana, and the Orioles could do the same by moving Erik Bedard.

Trading Santana and Nathan on top of losing Hunter and Silva might turn Smith, at least temporarily, into the most unpopular man in the Twin Cities. But if he drafted wisely and made good trades, the Twins might rebound to the point where they again are capable of winning four division titles in five seasons, just in time for the opening of their new park.

Smith proved on Wednesday that he is not afraid to make a bold call, trading Garza and shortstop Jason Bartlett in a six-player deal for Young, a gifted slugger whose questionable attitude and poor plate discipline raise undeniable concerns.

Smith's next decision will be even bolder, but at least now he has options. He can keep Johan Santana or trade him, and justify either call.

Jason Bartlett is one of the more underrated players in the league, says one GM. (Jonathan Daniel / Getty Images)

Rays get good deal, too
When judging trades, the team that acquires the best player often is the one that rates the edge.

Outfielder Delmon Young probably will turn out to be the best player in Wednesday's six-player deal between the Rays and Twins.

But rival executives also liked what the Rays accomplished by acquiring a potential top-of-the-rotation starter, Matt Garza, and everyday shortstop, Jason Bartlett.

Garza, 24, will fit behind Scott Kazmir and James Shields in the Rays' rotation, adding to the team's burgeoning collection of young starters. Some of those pitchers could spill over to the bullpen. Others could be traded to fill other needs.

Bartlett, 28, is described by one general manager as "one of the more underrated guys in the league." He will improve the Rays defense, which last season was the worst in the AL. And, like Garza, he also will increase the Rays' future options.

Reid Brignac, who likely will start next season at Class AAA, is considered the Rays' shortstop of the future. The Rays eventually could move him to second base, trade him or trade Bartlett. Evan Longoria, one of the game's top prospects, is expected to take over third at some point in 2008, forcing Akinori Iwamura to second.

Young a big question mark
Tony Oliva, Nomar Garciaparra and Albert Pujols were the only players in the past 50 years to finish with more hits, RBIs and doubles as a rookie than Delmon Young.

Equally impressive, Young's .349 batting average with runners in scoring position was the sixth best by an American League rookie since 1974.The flaw in Young's game is plate discipline.

He took only 37.8 percent of the pitches he saw last season, the lowest percentage in the majors and third lowest in the last 20 years. While Young is only 22, some Rays officials believe it might take him three or four years to fully evolve as a hitter.

What's more, many Rays players and executives consider Young to be difficult and immature.

Young received a 50-game suspension for flipping his bat into the chest of a Class AAA umpire in 2006 and threatened to go home before the Rays' final game last season after manager Joe Maddon benched him for failing to run out a groundball.

"We did a lot of homework on Delmon Young," Twins GM Bill Smith said. "He is a good person. He comes from a good family. He is a good teammate. He made a terrible mistake two years ago. But some good young people make mistakes."


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## KEN W (Feb 22, 2002)

Harris will play either 2nd or SS.If Santana and or Nathan are traded.....they will get a pitcher or 2 in those trades.Especially if Silva is also gone,which seems likely.

My best scenario is to the Mets.....out of the American league.Get Reyes and a pitcher.Then only 3rd base is a ???

Twins will also acquire Coco Crisp to play centerfield and bat 1st.


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## smalls (Sep 9, 2003)

Harris doesn't have the glove to play SS IMO, but he would surely be an improvement over Casilla/Punto at 2B.

A large measure of success this offseason will be if Punto/Casilla are benchplayers next year and not everyday fielders. Punto is great in late inning defensive situations, but heaven help us if we have to endure 162 games of watching him not even succeed in laying down a bunt.


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## dosch (May 20, 2003)

The Red Sox and Twins are discussing the framework of a Johan Santana deal that would have Boston sending four players to Minnesota in return for the two-time Cy Young Award winner, including center fielder Coco Crisp, pitcher Jon Lester and minor-league shortstop Jed Lowrie, the trio that would to anchor the deal.

And the Yankees...

New York Yankees vice president Gene Michael said Wednesday he would consider trading Phil Hughes or Ian Kennedy in a trade for Johan Santana, but warned the Yankees have to factor in Santana's contract demands befoe making any deal.

During an interview on 1050 ESPN New York's Max Kellerman Show, Kellerman asked Michael if he would be philosphically against putting either Hughes or Kennedy in a deal.

"I would think about it," Michael said. "I would very seriously consider putting one of them in the deal."

With the Yankees making Joba Chamberlain off limits, Hughes or Kennedy are believed to be potential centerpieces for a trade for Santana.

"I like them both," said Michael, who owns a very influential voice in the Yankees organization. "I think both of them are going to be good pitchers. I can't tell how long or how well they are going to pitch, but I think they both are going to be good pitchers."

Michael added that Santana's contract demands will be a factor in if the Yankees make a deal.

"I would love to have him on our team next year, but is the contract going to be too much?" Michael said. "Is it too many years? Are the players you are going to put in there, are they too much? We don't know exactly what it is going to take."

-- Andrew Marchand, 1050 ESPN New York 
Red Sox pitcher Michael Bowden has been discussed as a possible fourth player, sources say, but the identity of the fourth player is in flux.

Even if the Red Sox and Twins agree on the framework for a deal -- and as of early Thursday afternoon, that hadn't happened -- Boston would still face an enormous hurdle to complete the contract. Santana, who will be 29 at the outset of next season, has a full no-trade clause and is expected to ask for a market ceiling-type of contract of six years and about $150 million. No pitcher has ever received a multi-year deal for more than $18.6 million a year. Any team that agrees with Minnesota on the framework of a deal would probably ask the Twins for a 72-hour window to negotiate an extension with Santana.

It is also possible, as the rival Yankees and the Red Sox simultaneously engage Minnesota in discussions for Santana, that the Red Sox could go to the brink of a deal in order to push the Yankees to go high in their offer as well, like two competing bidders at an auction. The Yankees, who have been involved in regular conversation with the Twins about Santana this week, may be doing the same thing -- trying to push the price high for Boston.

Crisp, 28, could fill the void created in Minnesota by the departure of center fielder Torii Hunter and is under contract for a reasonable salary in the years ahead -- $4.75 million next year, $5.75 million in 2009 and Boston holds a team option for 2010 of $8 million. Hunter signed a five-year, $90 million deal with the Angels last week.

Lester, 23, is 11-2 in 27 major-league appearances, with a 4.68 ERA, and threw well this year, his first year since fighting cancer. Lowrie, 23, hit .298 in 133 minor-league games in 2007 and finished the year with 40 games in Pawtucket, in which he compiled a .356 on-base percentage and .506 slugging percentage.

Bowden, 21, pitched for the Double-A Portland Sea Dogs in 2007, finishing 10-6 with a 3.34 ERA overall. Red Sox prospects Clay Buchholz and Jacoby Ellsbury are considered untouchables in the Red Sox-Twins negotiations; similarly, the Yankees have indicated to others that they will not trade second baseman Robinson Cano or pitcher Joba Chamberlain.

It remains to be seen whether the Yankees will make headway in a Santana deal and offer the likes of Phil Hughes and center fielder Melky Cabrera. The Twins have also talked with the Mets, Angels and Dodgers, among other teams.


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## djleye (Nov 14, 2002)

Man, the red sox would be tough if they get Santana!!! I bet the Yankees are willing to go a long ways in keeping Sanatane from Boston!!!! I love that part of the equation!!!!


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## bandman (Feb 13, 2006)

Met's WILL NOT deal Reyes or Wright and would be VERY VERY reluctant to part with Beltran. I for sure don't want Santana in the NL east anyway!  I'm trying to say you can pretty much wipe the mets off the radar because after them 3 players, their farm system is pretty barren w/ young talent. I wouldn't look beyond dealing w/ the Yanks or Bosox and from afar--Angels and maybe Dodgers (because of the young talent and big markets).

Here's a site I check almost every day of the year and I suggest you bookmark it if you love baseball gossip like myself: http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/


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## Dak (Feb 28, 2005)

this was a good trade for both I think.


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## KEN W (Feb 22, 2002)

bandman said:


> Met's WILL NOT deal Reyes or Wright and would be VERY VERY reluctant to part with Beltran. I for sure don't want Santana in the NL east anyway!  I'm trying to say you can pretty much wipe the mets off the radar because after them 3 players, their farm system is pretty barren w/ young talent. I wouldn't look beyond dealing w/ the Yanks or Bosox and from afar--Angels and maybe Dodgers (because of the young talent and big markets).
> 
> Here's a site I check almost every day of the year and I suggest you bookmark it if you love baseball gossip like myself: http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/


Your'e right.....I have that also bookmarked.....lots of scuttlebutt from newspapers in cities involved in trade talks.


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## smalls (Sep 9, 2003)

bandman said:


> Met's WILL NOT deal Reyes or Wright and would be VERY VERY reluctant to part with Beltran. I for sure don't want Santana in the NL east anyway!  I'm trying to say you can pretty much wipe the mets off the radar because after them 3 players, their farm system is pretty barren w/ young talent. I wouldn't look beyond dealing w/ the Yanks or Bosox and from afar--Angels and maybe Dodgers (because of the young talent and big markets).
> 
> Here's a site I check almost every day of the year and I suggest you bookmark it if you love baseball gossip like myself: http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/


Never say never...and the track record of mlbtraderumors for accuracy is not the greatest.

However much I would LOVE a deal containing either Wright or Reyes, we are backed into a bit of a corner of needing to essentially needing to fill 3 holes through a Santana trade (3b, CF, SP). That's three major league ready players with at least one of them being a bona fide bluechipper. It's almost essential we recieve a SP arm considering we will have traded 2/5 of our starting rotation off.

I think a deal with the mets becomes more difficult not because of an unwillingness to deal Wright or Reyes (I still don't believe their untouchable, regardless of what Omar says), but because of lack of positional depth in a middle of the ro pitcher and CF (Milledge...not the answer!)


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## bandman (Feb 13, 2006)

I would rather have Jose Reyes on my team over Johan Santana any day of the week, but we're comparing apples to oranges there. Arguably the most exciting player in the MLB over a guy that pitches (and yes usually dominates) every 5 days.

If I had time I would look to see how many wins Reyes contributes a year compared to Johan and I'm sure it's a few more at least. The Mets would just be STUPID to trade that kind of talent and it just isn't going to happen. Wright's not going anywhere either. These two guys are "the" building blocks of the franchise.



> and the track record of mlbtraderumors for accuracy is not the greatest.


 :lol: They are a RUMOR site from baseball insiders all over the nation and when/if the rumors become reality they post it asap. Scout.com is another great site, but it's up to you how much you choose to look into it.


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