Trade Deadline

The trade deadline is fast approaching. The Twins are hoping to sneak into 1st place and the playoffs in a year that nobody (but myself) thought they would contend. Now normally the Twins don't do anything big at the trade deadline but maybe they should this year. Usually we just lose players in the offseason, so why not get something back in a trade instead? Players have come and gone over the years and the 2002 squad that first made the playoffs are all gone. Those players have signed with other teams, such as David Ortiz, Johan Santana, Casey Blake, Jason Varitek, Torii Hunter, and even Kyle Lohse. I wouldn't mind having those players back on the Twins, minus Varitek perhaps. Luckily for the Twins they have one of the best farm systems over the years producing players such as Mauer, Morneau, Kubel, Slowey, Blackburn, Garza, Span, Cuddyer, etc. As of today there are currently no Mauers or Morneaus in the minors to help the Twins, with exception of Liriano. All their top prospects are in the lower levels of the minors, players such as Ben Revere, hitting .399 this year, but in lower-A ball. Here are some moves the Twins could and should do:

Trade Cuddyer, Buscher, and Bonser to Mariners for Adrian Beltre.
Trade PTBNL for LaTroy Hawkins, who was demoted by Yankees.
Call up Francisco Liriano, cut Brian Bass.
Trade Livan Hernandez for a bucket of baseballs.
Tell Nick Punto that he won't be resigned.
Cut Adam Everett
Trade Mike Lamb to any takers, call up Matt Macri and Bobby Korecky.

The Twins end up like this:

RF Denard Span
2B Alexi Casilla
C Joe Mauer
1B Justin Morneau
3B Adrian Beltre
DH Jason Kubel
LF Delmon Young
SS Brendan Harris
CF Carlos Gomez

Bench
C Mike Redmond
IF Nick Punto
3B Matt Macri
OF Craig Monroe

SP Francisco Liriano
SP Scott Baker
SP Nick Blackburn
SP Kevin Slowey
SP Glen Perkins

CL Joe Nathan
RP Matt Guerrier
RP LaTroy Hawkins
RP Jesse Crain
RP Craig Breslow
RP Dennys Reyes
RP Bobby Korecky


That is a solid team! The Twins are lucky to have 5 great young starting pitchers. The Beltre likely won't happen though.