Category: Trades

Twins deal with Tampa

December 5, 2007 -A week ago today, in their first ever deal with Tampa Bay, the Twins acquired Delmon Young a 22 year old outfielder that bats and throws right, Brendan Harris a 27 year old who has played some 2B, SS, and 3B and bats and throws right handed and minor leaguer Jason Pridie a 24 year old outfielder that bats left and throws right.

Bill Smith’s first big trade is a nice deal with the Twins getting a potential superstar outfielder in Young who is just scratching the surface of his baseball abilities. Granted, Young has had some distractions in his very short career but the potential seems worth the risk. What I like best about Young is that he played in all 162 games this year and the fact that he drove in 93 runs with only 13 home runs. You have to figure his home run count will climb as he matures and he slides very nicely into the middle of the Twins line-up. Harris, I am not that excited about as he appears to me to be another Nick Punto coming off a career hitting year but with no where near the defensive skills that Punto has. I see Harris as a utility player at best. Jason Pridie was picked up by the Twins once before I believe as a Rule 5 pick and then returned to Tampa and here he once again surfaces as a Twin so the Twins brass must like something about this 24 year old with some speed but little power. Not to sure where he fits in either since he does not have the power to play a corner outfield position and he does not appear to be a center fielder either.

In return the Twins gave up stud pitching prospect Matt Garza, shortstop Jason Bartlett, and minor league relief pitcher Eduardo Morlan. Giving up Matt Garza must have been a difficult decision for Smith but we all know that you have to give up something to get something in return. To my way of thinking, Young has more up-side then Garza does. Bartlett will be missed at shortstop but he seemed to be a hot and cold player and this year seemed to have more injuries then most players his age should have. I liked Bartlett but he did not seem to have that fire that I think a good shortstop needs. Eduardo Morlan has potential to be a closer but has had no major league experience to-date.

Bottom line? I think this trade helps both teams and at first blush there does not appear to be a clear cut winner or a loser in this trade, time will tell.

Color Delmon Young gone

Delmon Young
Delmon Young

The Twins payroll reduction began yesterday when the Twins finally gave up on Delmon Young whom they had acquired from Tampa in 2007 for pitcher Matt Garza and shortstop Jason Bartlett and sent him packing to the first place Detroit Tigers of all places. The Twins acquired High-A ball pitcher Cole Nelson, a Minnesota native and a player to be named later who was announced today as minor league reliever Lester Oliveros.

Cole Nelson is a 22 year lefty and stands 6’ 7” and goes about 235. The Twins like their pitchers big and Nelson fits the mold. Nelson played baseball at Edina High School and went on to play for Des Moines Community College before moving on to Auburn. Nelson was drafted in the 10th round in 2010 by the Tigers and started his pro career in rookie ball in 2010.

Lester Oliveros was signed by the Tigers as an amateur free agent in 2005 and has been working his way up the Tigers minor league system since 2006. The 6’ 225 pound Venezuelan right-handed Oliveros has been used exclusively as a relief pitcher since 2006 and he has struck out 317 batters in 254+ innings and has a 3.22 ERA. On the down side, Oliveros averages 4 walks per 9 innings.

It would be easy to say that GM Smith should have traded Young after last season when he hit 21 home runs and knocked in 112 runs but it did not happen so now we have to hope that one or both of these prospect pitchers come through. I think that the Twins have a bad habit of holding on to players and prospects too long and then getting nothing for them when they have a bad season or do not live up to their potential. I would rather see the Twins trade a player a year or two too early verses holding on to them too long and walking away empty-handed.