Crede

[GFNER]

Just wondering if anyone has heard if Crede ever signed on with anyone this year?

[setterguy]

Him and Jermaine Dye are still out there. I'd love to have Dye and Thome on the bench for late inning pinch hitting situations.

[Scott K]

Dye's ego is to big for a bench guy! At least it is now, it may change midseason.

[mrklean]

my guess dye wants some $$$$ to

[zepman]

my guess dye wants some $$$$ to

Correct...he's turned down some smaller one year deals. Probably smart on his part too because he'll still get paid the same amount for half the work later on this season. Someone in contention will pick him up and pay him when it's time.

[GFNER]

I think he turned down something like 3.5 mil for 1 year, I mean really, the guys got mouths to feed!

[mrklean]

haha sprewell, and that turned out good for him never played again

[pinkfloyd4ever]

I wondered about Crede too, was never a huge fan but thought he was a value priced 3rd baseman, but for some reason I think Bill Smith knows more about him than I do

Would have thought maybe someone might offer him a minor league contract at least.

[JBMasterAngler]

He should play for the st. paul saints...it worked for darryl strawberry

[Cicada]

...and Matt Nokes and JD Drew...

[pikestabber]

I can't help but feel bad for Crede...the guy just wants to play ball, and his attitude and demeanor fit well in MN, even if his back problems didn't. That's why the Twins moved on. They could have picked him up cheap again with an incentive laden contract--paying more for a certain # of ABs reached or games played, but he would be fighting the same problem this year as last year. Look for the Twins to solidify 3B next year or sooner--Punto's defense has carried him a long ways, but it can only go so far when he is batting sub .200 (which is not where he is now, but where he will be eventually). Harris is acceptable defensively, but too streaky at the plate to be a long term fix. Keep filling those seats and maybe we can afford a (more-or-less) permanent fixture at 3B.

[greebs]

don't forget about valencia. have to think he's going to be the guy in the next year or so. don't think he's developed quite as well as planned but he's inexpensive so no doubt he'll get a shot at the 3b position at some point.

[going4it]

I agree with Valencia but right now he is doing terrible in the minors. Very low BA they showed yesterday after the game. He needs more work down there.

[JBMasterAngler]

I think he'll still see some time in september.

[Ybone]

Pikestabber, Why do you think Punto will have a sub .200 batting average when in the 7 years he's been with the Twins he has yet to hit that low? He has a .250 career average with the Twins.

[pikestabber]

Pikestabber, Why do you think Punto will have a sub .200 batting average when in the 7 years he's been with the Twins he has yet to hit that low? He has a .250 career average with the Twins.

Fair enough--I can't back my statement in that regard. Just speaking out of frustration. I have defended Punto more than I have villianized the Yankees payroll (and that is a lot!), but I just wish he could mirror his offense with his defense. Even at .240-.250, that is far below average for a 3rd basemen. Typically, a 3rd base guy is a power guy. If Punto batted just .300, he would be a perennial All-Star. Right now for qualified leaders (and there can be more than one per team) the top 15 3B guys all bat .283 or higher, most of those are over .300--I just want our permanent 3B to be of this caliber.

[Quackaddict9]

Pike- That's fine, we have a great hitting catcher who can hit 20 homeruns, bat .325+ as most teams do not have so we'll take that in exchange of a .250 hitter at 3rd base like some teams have a .280-.300 hitter with an average catcher.

[pikestabber]

Yeah, this lineup is positively loaded, even outside of Mauer--when Jim Thome can DH and hit 7th, we have some hefty bats in the lineup. I watched the Twins struggle through the rotten years, too, so I am just happy to have such a strong contending team to cheer for of late, and I am grateful for that. I guess one should take into account that even if Punto fails to drive a run in, he may easily prevent two opposing RBIs with a fantastic stop on a ball jetting down the foul line.

[zamboni]

Every team in the majors has a guy that bats around .250. I have said it on here before, Punto isn't on the team to knock in 120 RBI's- he is here to SAVE 100+ runs with his defense, which is just as valuable.

[Cicada]

Crede goes on the same Twins free agent list that has Tommy Herr and Wally Bachman. [PoorWordUsage]. I will have to admit I have been barking up the wrong tree when it comes to Thome so far.

Kind of made me chuckle, the "Poor Word Usage" was a child's term for potty stuff.

[blue_healer_guy]

save a 100 plus runs on defense, cmon gardy! You Punto backers think Harris is defensivly brutal at 3rd. Watch him, he's not bad and altho not great at the plate yet, give him time. Punto has proven he cant hit. Whoever signed darling Nicky to a professional bb contract should be unemployed at this time.