With 13 days before the MLB trade deadline, the final days of Justin Morneau in a Twins uniform are likely upon us.
Morneau, 32, is clearly on the trading block, but whether or not he’s moved — and what the GM Terry Ryan can get in return — is still up in the air.
According to CBS.com’s Jon Heyman, the market for Morneau is soft right now. As he writes: “The Orioles, Yankees and Rangers are teams that could use a hitter, but there’s little evidence that any of those three teams are anxious to dive into the Morneau market, either because those teams view him as expensive or they prefer a right-handed hitter.”
The Pittsburgh Pirates are also reportedly interested in Morneau. According to the Bleacher Report, 19-year-old pitching prospect Tyler Glasnow might be the perfect player to get in exchange.
If Morneau goes, Star Tribune columnist Jim Souhan is convinced the Twins won’t get much in return.
Maybe.
In his words: “Ryan might not be able to trade Morneau for much. Then again, he once traded a player he didn’t want, Dave Hollins, for an A-ball prospect named David Ortiz.”
Others — including Bark’s Lounge at TwinsDaily.com — argue that Morneau hasn’t lived up to his potential in Minnesota, but trading him for nothing is silly: “I don’t want to see the Twins trade JM for a poop scoop and a box full of kitty litter. I would rather see the Twins hold onto Morneau, give him his proper respects and let the next 2.5 months be a Justin Morneau farewell tour. Let fans salute him and let him know what he has meant to us the past 10 years.”
