Torii Hunter

[HumnHilghtFreel]

For all those who hoped we would sign him this off-season, you can put those hopes to rest.

The Twins picked up his 12M option today, so he's off the market.

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=AlW68M3jSTDLEjZidfXCALI5nYcB?slug=ap-twins-hunter&prov=ap&type=lgns

[joshnky]

Unless you want to trade for him. The Twins picked up his $12 million option for the 2007 season.

http://sportsline.com/mlb/story/9718407

Sorry I guess dburke beat me to it by a minute.

[flyer85]

is $12M overpaying Hunter?

Probably but I suspect the Twins looked at the situation and realized
1) There is no internal replacement
2) with $12M for one year they couldn't get as good as an external replacement
3) In the generally inflated free agent market you get a much lower return on your dollar

[dabvu2498]

is $12M overpaying Hunter?

Probably but I suspect the Twins looked at the situation and realized
1) There is no internal replacement
2) with $12M for one year they couldn't get as good as an external replacement
3) In the generally inflated free agent market you get a much lower return on your dollar

4) If they're "out of it" at the trade deadline next year and he's having a decent season, he'll make for a nice trading chip.

[NJReds]

I wonder how much Matthews Jr. will get? He made $2.3M this year, seems like a bargain compared to Hunter:

Matthews Jr. (32) 147 G, 620 AB, 102 R, 194 H, 44 2B, 6 3B, 19 HR, 79 RBI, 58 BB/99 K 10 SB/7 CS

.313 avg/.371 oba/.495 slg/.866 ops

Hunter MIN (31) 147 G, 557 AB, 86 R, 155 H, 21 2B, 2 3B, 31 HR, 98 RBI, 45BB/108 K, 12 SB/6 CS

.278 avg/.336 oba/.490 slg/.826 ops

[Matt700wlw]

I'd take Matthews...

[KronoRed]

I'd take Deno, both of these guys are north of 30.

[wheels]

Good.

Hunter's fools gold at this point.

Let him fade away.

[flyer85]

I wonder how much Matthews Jr. will get? He made $2.3M this year, seems like a bargain compared to Hunter:

Matthews Jr. (32) 147 G, 620 AB, 102 R, 194 H, 44 2B, 6 3B, 19 HR, 79 RBI, 58 BB/99 K 10 SB/7 CS

.313 avg/.371 oba/.495 slg/.866 ops

Hunter MIN (31) 147 G, 557 AB, 86 R, 155 H, 21 2B, 2 3B, 31 HR, 98 RBI, 45BB/108 K, 12 SB/6 CS

.278 avg/.336 oba/.490 slg/.826 ops

career OPS for Matthews is 745 (age 32)
career OPS for Hunter is 786 (age 31)

Was 2006 Matthews a never to be repeated career year? (his history would suggest it it).

Who is likely better moving forward?

[flyer85]

I'd take Deno, both of these guys are north of 30.Good answer. I would say there is a real possibility that Deno could do as well as both of them in 2007.

I think back to the Depodesta comment that the great inefficiency in baseball are the players in the middle.

[NJReds]

career OPS for Matthews is 745 (age 32)
career OPS for Hunter is 786 (age 31)

Was 2006 Matthews a never to be repeated career year? (his history would suggest it it).

Who is likely better moving forward?


Matthews looks like a late bloomer. Although Texas may have something to do with that. I'm not saying Matthews is better than Hunter, because he's not. But he's a much better deal from a financial perspective.

[flyer85]

Matthews looks like a late bloomer.looks like a fluke to me.


Although Texas may have something to do with that. I'm not saying Matthews is better than Hunter, because he's not. But he's a much better deal from a financial perspective.Depends on what he gets. There is absolutely nothing in his resume to indicate 2006 was possible, so i would say Matthews is a huge "buyer beware".

[wheels]

Any outfielder they bring in needs to cover ground.

At 32 years old, that ability's almost gone by the wayside.

They need fresh legs, not some guy that pounded himself sensless on astroturf and outfield walls (sound familiar?), and not a guy that had a one year bump in hitters park.

This is the wrong time for chasing one's own tail.

[flyer85]

This is the wrong time for chasing one's own tail.throwing big money around in the free agent market has proven time and time again to be a bad idea (especially at pitching).

[NJReds]

Any outfielder they bring in needs to cover ground.

At 32 years old, that ability's almost gone by the wayside.


I don't know. Johnny Damon can still cover a lot of ground. He just can't throw...at all.

I'd rather pay Matthews $2.5M than $12M to Hunter or Griffey for that matter.

[wheels]

I don't know. Johnny Damon can still cover a lot of ground. He just can't throw...at all.

I'd rather pay Matthews $2.5M than $12M to Hunter or Griffey for that matter.


Damon didn't play his entire career on astroturf.

There's a significant attrition rate there.

Ask Ken Griffey JR. about that.

As for Matthews, I'd postion that they simply don't need him.

[flyer85]

I'd rather pay Matthews $2.5M than $12M to Hunter or Griffey for that matter.I'd rather pay Deno 330K and take my chances.

[REDREAD]

is $12M overpaying Hunter?


For a one year deal in this marketplace, it isn't IMO.

The supply of good CF seems very low now.

EDIT: for the Twins, I think it's a good deal.

For the Reds, it's harder to say, as we have plenty of holes to fill. I know Jr is a weak glove in CF, but he's close to adequate. There's other holes on this club that are downright putrid that I'd spend that 12 million on first.

[dunner13]

Either stick with Deno or possibly get Aaron Rowand. Hes not a great hitter but he plays hard and brings alot of energy to a team.

[kheidg-]

This Twins will likely try to work out a 3 year contract with Torii so they don't have to pay him 12M this season.

Something like 3 yr 27 million is likely 8/9/10 or something along those lines. Torii knows if he has a bad season this year he won't get 3 yr 27 mil on the open market. He also has expressed his desire to play in Minnesota.

[mth123]

is $12M overpaying Hunter?

Probably but I suspect the Twins looked at the situation and realized
1) There is no internal replacement
2) with $12M for one year they couldn't get as good as an external replacement
3) In the generally inflated free agent market you get a much lower return on your dollar

Correct
Correct
Very Correct