tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504646615318477533.post8780010612293557883..comments2024-02-15T03:08:19.233-05:00Comments on Bob Walk the Plank: CanadiansBobWalkthePlankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16011292576523365641noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504646615318477533.post-55090958712117143202015-06-12T16:05:26.760-04:002015-06-12T16:05:26.760-04:00I think most people finally accepted that Tabata h...I think most people finally accepted that Tabata has no trade value. The new guys are probably Pedro Alvarez and Jeff Locke. BobWalkthePlankhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16011292576523365641noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504646615318477533.post-89131956490508741532015-06-12T14:42:54.799-04:002015-06-12T14:42:54.799-04:00You might be pleasantly surprised (or amused) by h...You might be pleasantly surprised (or amused) by how many Twins fans wanted to trade for Tabata - he probably would have been the regular left fielder last year and/or this year. More amusing to me is that the player most likely for the Twins to trade away in those message board rants was lefty reliever Brian Duensing... I'm sure Pirates fans have a favorite player to throw in to any proposed trade.Brianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03580716283983922689noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504646615318477533.post-74170707102535252882015-06-12T14:30:07.177-04:002015-06-12T14:30:07.177-04:00The Pirates ended up getting hurt by Jose Tabata w...The Pirates ended up getting hurt by Jose Tabata when they signed him too early. He is still with the team, but has minimal impact as a fifth outfielder and pinch hitter. So each way does have its own risk. <br /><br />I forgot about Mauer being from that area. That plays a huge part as well. <br /><br />The Pirates will have an interesting test once McCutchen's current contract is up in 2019. By that time he will be at the tail end of his prime. BobWalkthePlankhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16011292576523365641noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504646615318477533.post-474882168383030292015-06-12T13:40:17.299-04:002015-06-12T13:40:17.299-04:00The other thing is that the Twins have a big marke...The other thing is that the Twins have a big marketing draw with Mauer, even if he's not as good as he used to be. Hometown hero, and all that. When that contract was signed, Mauer was the reigning MVP. I'm not saying that the Twins had no choice, but I can't imagine the Minnesota fans being super excited to see Mauer in Yankee pinstripes or Red Socks. They had already allowed Johan and Torii to go elsewhere... and what else were they going to spend that money on?<br />Signing guys early is a great way to go, though the Twins have had mixed results with that strategy, too (Nick Blackburn, Joe Mays for instance) . I expect they will try to start extending Buxton and Sano as soon as they make their debuts. Brianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03580716283983922689noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504646615318477533.post-41132728229377725532015-06-12T13:26:35.384-04:002015-06-12T13:26:35.384-04:00I guess that is a larger issue in general. Usually...I guess that is a larger issue in general. Usually big extensions pay in terms of what the player did in the past rather than what he will do in the future. That is why you see so many small market teams try to sign guys early and lock up the arbitration years and at least 2 free agent years. This has been very successful for the Pirates as they have both Marte and Cutch locked up. <br /><br />Maurer is kind of a special case. The Twins didn't anticipate him getting hurt which seemed to zap his power. Plus having to move him from catcher to first probably hurt his value too. If Mauer was still catching and putting up the numbers he is now he would still be considered top end offensive catcher. Playing first with those numbers makes it rather pedestrian compared to many of the other first baseman in the league.<br /><br />Like you said, it is a mute point. That contract is a sunk cost. The Nolasco deal is much worse. He is terrible. BobWalkthePlankhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16011292576523365641noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504646615318477533.post-73439879299017939222015-06-12T11:56:18.476-04:002015-06-12T11:56:18.476-04:00The contract, in my opinion, is a non-issue. He ea...The contract, in my opinion, is a non-issue. He earned that money for the Twins in those seasons leading up to it when he was making the league minimum (or close to it) and winning batting titles. If it was a free agent contract (like Pujols, for instance), it might sting a bit more to pay a guy for being successful on a different team. The thing is that Mauer's contract doesn't prevent the Twins from signing other players, so it shouldn't really be considered a "bad" contract in the way that a lot of other long high $ contracts are viewed. Nolasco's contract is much worse. Pelfrey's contract was terrible up until this year. <br />I see Mauer's compensation as fair payment for work already provided. Brianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03580716283983922689noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504646615318477533.post-8942641832661742232015-06-12T11:21:59.637-04:002015-06-12T11:21:59.637-04:00The thing is he is still a pretty good player, but...The thing is he is still a pretty good player, but no longer that hall of fame type of talent. Plus that contract is pretty rough as it was paying as if he were a hall of fame talent. BobWalkthePlankhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16011292576523365641noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504646615318477533.post-5310526845535698862015-06-12T11:09:07.087-04:002015-06-12T11:09:07.087-04:00He had Gwynn-like bat control plus home run power-...He had Gwynn-like bat control plus home run power- it was pretty special to watch. <br />Then his brain got scrambled (not unlike Morneau) a couple times, and his timing has been off and his power is all but gone since then. There are still flashes of his old self here and there, so there's hope he can regain his mojo, but it doesn't look good. Brianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03580716283983922689noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504646615318477533.post-27551877228710691832015-06-12T09:55:20.244-04:002015-06-12T09:55:20.244-04:00I just remember that 2009 season where Mauer was i...I just remember that 2009 season where Mauer was impossible to get out.BobWalkthePlankhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16011292576523365641noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504646615318477533.post-60644756113625883932015-06-12T09:40:04.509-04:002015-06-12T09:40:04.509-04:00Maybe 74 is the number of intact signed stickers t...Maybe 74 is the number of intact signed stickers they got back from Morneau and Bay...<br /><br />I'm nostalgic for the good old days when Mauer and Morneau used to hit back to back in the Twins' lineup.Brianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03580716283983922689noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504646615318477533.post-38356015977896846522015-06-12T08:21:03.573-04:002015-06-12T08:21:03.573-04:00You see, it only cost me 6 greenbacks ehYou see, it only cost me 6 greenbacks ehBobWalkthePlankhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16011292576523365641noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504646615318477533.post-37397902700389692342015-06-12T08:20:21.073-04:002015-06-12T08:20:21.073-04:00We must get to the bottom of this! We must get to the bottom of this! BobWalkthePlankhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16011292576523365641noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504646615318477533.post-48690075518360234172015-06-12T08:20:03.718-04:002015-06-12T08:20:03.718-04:00Ha! I should probably feed Doug some of my double ...Ha! I should probably feed Doug some of my double Bay's. BobWalkthePlankhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16011292576523365641noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504646615318477533.post-18056849627138762912015-06-12T07:34:39.492-04:002015-06-12T07:34:39.492-04:00Cool card eh. If you ever find out what 74 is aboo...Cool card eh. If you ever find out what 74 is aboot let us know.Zippy Zappyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06695389359056056119noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504646615318477533.post-79418621439449816022015-06-11T22:38:49.416-04:002015-06-11T22:38:49.416-04:00If the #74 has a secret meaning in Canada, I was n...If the #74 has a secret meaning in Canada, I was never told about it...<br /><br />Nice pickup!Roberthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12317401112145746593noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7504646615318477533.post-1980886843579883652015-06-11T22:32:24.530-04:002015-06-11T22:32:24.530-04:00Great dual sig of Terrance Bay and Phillip Morneau...Great dual sig of Terrance Bay and Phillip Morneau! I bet Doug will be drooling over this one as soon as he sees it.Dennishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09644523735533872065noreply@blogger.com