Comments on: Michael Bourn is still waiting for some love

By: iamjimmyjack

iamjimmyjack — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 13:52:35 +0000

I wish he was a dodger and Carl Crawford stayed in Boston. I may change my tune about Crawford by seasons end, but regardless I think Bourne is a better overall player at this point in his career. For 15 million a year, he is a bargain by today’s standards.

By: Kevin Gillman

Kevin Gillman — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 23:42:34 +0000

I’m not being naive, and honestly that is dumb to say. I understand it’s about business. But sometimes, you just have to step in, and get a deal done. Because Michael isn’t going to get “top dollar” now. We are 3 weeks away from Spring Training. I am sure he wants to know where he is going by then, but the market isn’t there for him anymore. So he might have to settle for a one year contract. Look at how many more Scott Boras clients are still on the board too.

By: FrustratedDolFan

FrustratedDolFan — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 20:36:55 +0000

Gator, I too was waiting to see our precious Marlins on that list and when I saw the Mets I new I had to temper my excitement for any hopes of a legitimate season. Thank god I moved to VA and can watch yet another dismantling from a far. Go Nats….for now!

By: stex52

stex52 — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 20:36:49 +0000

I mean no offense, but I think you are being a bit naive here. All of the players know Boras by reputation. I think choosing him is a way of saying

“I’m all about top dollar! Talk to my agent here!”

Boras may not always succeed with his tactics, but the fact a player hired him is an indicator of the player’s expectations.

By: churchoftheperpetuallyoutraged

churchoftheperpetuallyoutraged — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 19:44:35 +0000

Do I need to post again about how everything Bourn does, Gardner does it better and cheaper? The Yanks need the draft pick AND the money in this draft. It makes zero sense to sign a guy who’s known for defense first on the wrong side of 30.

By: Kevin Gillman

Kevin Gillman — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 18:08:53 +0000

Players have to realize that the agents work for them, and not the other way around, like Boras leads them to believe. Michael, you must make your move.

By: dluxxx

dluxxx — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 16:14:33 +0000

Especially when the free agent market is a thin as it is this year.

Pitching and middle infield help are their most pressing needs. The MIF free agents weren’t that great, and spending all their money on Pitching still wasn’t going to fix them. With only one starting pitcher with any upside in their rotation going into the year (Diamond) it wouldn’t be cost effective to buy a whole starting rotation.

By: onbucky96

onbucky96 — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 16:09:18 +0000

Fire Boras, he’d then get some offers.

By: Ben

Ben — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 15:40:37 +0000

Right, that’s the nasty double bind. What do you do with 15-20 extra million these days? You can’t dump it into the draft or international market, but it also doesn’t get you terribly much on the free agent market.

By: dluxxx

dluxxx — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 15:24:37 +0000

I agree with most of that. The Twins *are* in rebuild mode right now. As I stated above they won’t have any real help coming up until 2014 or 2015. Granted Hicks will be up this year (hopefully) but their pitching help and other position prospects are 2-3 years out.

I disagree that they don’t have payroll to work with. They had the #11 overall opening day payroll in 2010, #9 in 2011 and #13 in 2012. They topped out at $112MM for payroll in 2011 and this year they’ll be somewhere around $80MM. They have some room to work with, some new stadium revenue and one of the richest (albiet cheapest) ownership teams in baseball. Pohlad’s kids have opened up the purse strings a bit, but they still have some anchors on thier roster money wise, and yes Mauer is making over 1/4 of the roster’s money, but there’s room and money to be spent if needed. However, they just don’t have enough money to spend their way out of their problems.

The biggest problem with the Twins payroll is their lack of a good TV deal. But that’s another story altogether.

By: dluxxx

dluxxx — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 15:12:06 +0000

CF is the last place the Twins need to be spending money. Besides, they’re in rebuild mode right now. They won’t be looking to add much FA depth until 2-14 or 2015 at the earliest. All of their best prospects are still 2-3 years away and it makes no sense to try to overpay for a few extra wins this year and next.

By: stex52

stex52 — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 14:52:55 +0000

You are right that a Bourn return to the Astros is not what is needed. If they bring in an impact player, they need an OPS better than .730 or so. But they need to ask themselves how many people are going to come watch a team that can’t hit, pitch or field for two more years. Drayton’s last few years as an owner may have been a disaster, but he understood that you have to market a product. That is what kept them from the complete rebuild for so long. Without some kind of draw, they may not get to 10,000 people a game this year.

By: buffalomafia

buffalomafia — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 11:59:50 +0000

Brett Gardener can only play the outfeild & isn’t really a good hitter?

The Yankees should get Bourn?

By: soobster

soobster — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 08:15:15 +0000

There has been chatter here on the ATL radio stations about if his price came down he’d be welcome back.

By: miketreedy

miketreedy — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 07:01:58 +0000

After this year the Rangers only will have Martin & Gentry signed. Neither player is a sure bet. Both Cruz & Murphy are free agents. I don’t think they see either as long term fits. So unless Kinsler, Olt or Moorland are moved to the OF they need to fill these positions. They don’t want to go into next off season needing to sign 3 FA outfielders. I still think they would much rather trade for Upton who is younger and hits for power.

By: Ben

Ben — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 06:17:16 +0000

There’s no reason for them to. They’re rebuilding. And truthfully, Mauer’s contract isn’t the problem. He’s producing the value you’d expect for his money; the problem is their farm was fallow for years and free agent prices have increased far beyond the Twins’ possible payroll. In a world of Joey Votto and Prince Fielder contracts, guys like Mauer, Kemp and Adrian Gonzalez are bargains. As bizarre as that sounds.

By: joeyashwi

joeyashwi — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 04:59:15 +0000

The Twins don’t want ANY proven players. Mauer’s contract has messed this team up for the next decade. New stadium, same cheap owner. I’m not saying that I would sign him if I were them but they don’t try at all.

By: mnwildfan15

mnwildfan15 — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 04:52:19 +0000

You would think the twins would be looking for an outfielder after trading both of their starting Cfs.

By: tuberippin

tuberippin — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 04:30:28 +0000

It’s not going to be the Astros, Red Sox, Blue Jays, Yankees, Tigers, and likely not the Dodgers either.

As you wrote, Texas and Seattle are great fits, and while the Mets would be a great fit they are far too strapped to make a run at any major FAs for a while. I feel like the White Sox and Braves both make roughly the same amount of sense. Rays would certainly be a shocker but they could definitely use him in their outfield.

Cubs make a good dark horse, particularly because if Bourn continues to play well this coming season, Epstein could flip him to a team looking to acquire and secure a quality center-fielder for the next couple of years.

Ultimately though, I think the demand(s) by Boras will come down as we inch closer to March, and Texas will replace Hamilton in CF with Bourn. Leonys Martin is alright but still raw, and Craig Gentry isn’t a good enough all-around player to be starting in center field for a team with World Series aspirations. Bourn won’t replace the production of Josh Hamilton, but he’ll help more than their current in-house options of Martin, Gentry and Julio Borbon.

By: Carl Hancock

Carl Hancock — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 03:16:49 +0000

Michael Bourne being considered the #2 best non-pitcher free agent this offseason says everything you need to know about the talent and depth of this offseason class.

By: Old Gator

Old Gator — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 03:15:32 +0000

As I scrolled lower and lower down Matthew’s list my skin began to prickle at the thought that among the “least likely” would be the Feesh, probably down near the bottom.

False alarm. Probably just some kid on a dare.

By: chill1184

chill1184 — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 02:47:02 +0000

Teams dont want to give up their pick and kill their draft money pool for a 30 yr old center fielder.

By: dirtydrew

dirtydrew — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 02:32:33 +0000

Overrated and too expensive. Like a house, time to lower the sticker price.

By: FinFan68

FinFan68 — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 02:30:44 +0000

Simple case of over value. Should have signed with the Braves

By: halohonk

halohonk — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 02:14:27 +0000

Dont know what the rangers r waiting for. He grew up in texas. Speed Defense Can hit. Maybe hes a bad egg in the clubhouse? Centerfielders like that dont grow on trees. After losing Hamilton to my Halos they are going to miss the boat again. You Ranger honks must be scratching your heads over this off season.

By: cowboysoldiertx

cowboysoldiertx — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 01:43:42 +0000

I could see the Rangers selling fans on his defence and makign him a 3/45 offer.