From Fox Sports: Span for Storen?

[DonBo]

Nationals sending Storen to Twins?

By Mark J. Miller

Closer Drew Storen(notes) has saved 25 games for the Washington Nationals this year, more than half of the team's win total of 49. Now word comes from FOX Sports that the 23-year-old may be heading to the Minnesota Twins in exchange for outfielder Denard Span(notes).

Storen, in his second year in the bigs, is 5-2 with a 2.68 ERA and 41 strikeouts in 50 1/3 innings pitched. The 27-year-old Span is hitting .294 with two homers, but he's been on the disabled list since June 9 with a concussion.

Over four seasons, Span's batting average has been .289. This year, he's only stolen four bases, but his previous low had been 16 when he was a rookie. His best year stealing bases was in 2010 with 26.

Make the deal! Make the deal! Make the deal! Make the deal!

[jwmiller33]

Another Washington closer to the Twins? hmmm.... How did that last trade work out? I would hate to see us trade one of our best OF for a guy who would pitch 60-70 innings/year in the role that Gardy would give him (because we all know how Gardy rarely uses a closer in anything but a save situation). I think we should be looking to deal away some players rather than acquire right now

[10,000 Casts]

Sounds like a sweat deal for the Twins. The Nats were going after BJ Upton so the not sure what will happen here.

Quote:

I think we should be looking to deal away some players rather than acquire right now

disagree, a trade like this, Morneau comes back and our starting pitching holds up and we are right back in the thick of it.

[jwmiller33]

From Twins beat writer, Aaron Gleeman

Quote:

Amanda Comak of the Washington Times writes that Denard Span "is high on the Nationals' list of targets" and Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com reports that the two sides "have talked." Whether that means the Twins actually engaged in negotiations is unclear, but the Nationals are looking for a long-term solution in center field and Rosenthal speculates that shortstop Ian Desmond and one of Washington's relievers could interest the Twins.

Rosenthal specifically mentions Tyler Clippard, who's been one of the most dominant relievers in baseball since moving to the bullpen full time in 2009, posting a 2.59 ERA and 251 strikeouts in 209 innings while holding opponents to a .184 batting average. However, he also says the Nationals are "reluctant" to trade the 26-year-old Clippard and "unwilling" to move 23-year-old closer Drew Storen, in which case the Twins shouldn't even be engaging in talks for Span.

As a 25-year-old shortstop Desmond fills a Twins need in theory, but aside from hitting .355 for two months at Triple-A in 2009 he simply hasn't been any good. Desmond hit .259/.326/.388 in 638 total games as a minor leaguer and has hit .254/.296/.377 in 269 games for the Nationals. He's also committed 54 errors with an Ultimate Zone Rating of -7.5 in 259 games at shortstop. Clippard is very intriguing, but Desmond as the centerpiece of a Span trade would be awful.

Of course, with Span still on the disabled list nearly two months after a concussion and taking back-to-back days off while rehabbing at Triple-A it's probably a moot point anyway.

[Getanet]

Any word on Storen's contract situation? We signed Span to a very reasonable long term deal. He's had his ups and downs at the plate, but he was one of the few bright spots in our offense at the beginning of the season. He's a solid leadoff hitter, which many teams struggle to find, and a good outfielder that can play all 3 spots.

If Storen wouldn't be locked up long term this isn't very attractive.

[DonBo]

Seriously? Our bullpen is our biggest weakness right now, while we've got a shatload of outfielders. Span may have lost his centerfield job anyway with way Revere can cover ground out there.

[jwmiller33]

The Nats talks are centering the deal around Ian Desmond! NOT Drew Storen ("unwilling to trade Drew Storen"). A trade centered around Ian Desmond for Denard Span is NOT a good trade.

[DonBo]

And you believe everything you see in print?

[jwmiller33]

Desmond is a career 250 hitter at SS.... We already have a career 250 hitter as SS.... his name is Alexi Casilla

And you believe everything you see in print?

Do you? I am much more prone to believing a Twins beat writer who's job is to follow the Twins every move, rather than some Fox Sports reporter that I have never heard of before.

[Getanet]

I believe everything I read on the Internet. It's all true and carefully sourced.

[jwmiller33]

Any word on Storen's contract situation?

Storen is currently under a 1 yr $418,000 deal. If we traded for him (which is assuming the Nats would let him go which is iffy at best), he would essentially be a rent-a-player for the last part of the season. He is not even arbitration eligible.

Clippard is under a similar 1 yr $443,000 contract, however, he is eligible for arbitration thru 2015 and will be a FA in 2016

Span on the other hand is under contract thru 2015. He is in the first year of a 5 yr/$16.5Million deal. He is making $1,000,000 this year, followed by $3,000,000 next year, $4,750,000 in 2013, $6,500,000 in 2014 and $500,000 in the last year of his contract

[jwmiller33]

Seriously? Our bullpen is our biggest weakness right now, while we've got a shatload of outfielders. Span may have lost his centerfield job anyway with way Revere can cover ground out there.

I agree, we need to add good arms in the bullpen, but at what price? I think it is unlikely the Twins will be able to sign Cuddyer to another contract, especially given his versatility proven in the past 3 months and the Twins record payroll right now. That means a spot will open up in the OF. I see Span and Revere being regulars and Kubel/Delmon platooning the third OF position. If we trade Span and don't resign Cuddyer, that could very well leave us needing an OF next year if someone gets injured or Delmon continues to play like a little leaguer in LF. Having 4 OFs is a great thing.

If we are going to trade any of our OF, I would like to see Delmon go. He is the least valuable IMO and his value is only going to keep decreasing the older he gets. He is eventually going to be just like his older brother (Dmitri) and be a career DH after his late 20s. His trade value is low b/c I don't see him going to the NL b/c of the DH thing.

[10,000 Casts]

Quote:

If we are going to trade any of our OF, I would like to see Delmon go. He is the least valuable IMO and his value is only going to keep decreasing the older he gets. He is eventually going to be just like his older brother (Dmitri) and be a career DH after his late 20s. His trade value is low b/c I don't see him going to the NL b/c of the DH thing.

+1

[B. Amish]

span straight up for storen is terrible.

you don't trade proven everyday players for relief pitching. unless the nationals added to the pot on this, i don't like it and the twins would be crazy to do it.

[B. Amish]

and if they are worried about having a young closer beyond this year... well his name is glen perkins and he is unhittable right now.

[B. Amish]

span for ian desmond is a bad idea too.

[Hoyt4]

Need the bullpen help. Span is not our best OF. He can get on base but does not steal and gets picked off way too much. He should have more steals. He's one of our best trade baits out there. I thought we would get a infielder or OF for him but we do need help in the pen. I knew this was coming a long time ago. If we can stay single games back it will be worth the trade for trying to win the division.

[PierBridge]

I'm totally against this one unless they throw in Brett Favre for half a season.

I would hate to give up Spaun who is a proven major league outfielder but I understand somebody has to go.

So at this point I'm leaning with JW and he'll be my point guy on this topic...

[bucketmouth64]

They should toss in Capps and see if Nats will take him back.

[jwmiller33]

the Span/Storen talks are starting to scare me a little bit. Here is an update posted this morning from my favorite Twins beat writer; Aaron Gleeman:

Quote:

Rumors about the Nationals pursuing Denard Span continue to swirl, with Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com reporting that they may make closer Drew Storen available after declaring him off limits in talks with the Twins initially. Of course, a short time later Bill Ladson, who covers the Nationals at MLB.com, reported that they're "not willing to trade Storen for Span." In which case the Nationals might save the Twins from themselves.

Whatever the case, it seems clear that the Twins are open to at least discussing Span trades and even that surprises me. Unless they're convinced his concussion is a long-term issue I'm not sure what's accomplished by dealing a 27-year-old center fielder with good on-base skills, solid defense, and a reasonable contract that runs through 2015. Storen is good, young, and cheap, but if they're going to trade Span the centerpiece shouldn't be a 70-inning pitcher.

He also had this tid bit to say about Kubel:

Quote:

Jayson Stark of ESPN.com reports that the Pirates have targeted Jason Kubel in their quest for a "professional hitter." Kubel is an impending free agent and shopping him makes sense, but the Twins will be in a position to either get a compensatory draft pick when he leaves or re-sign him to a one-year deal if he accepts arbitration. That same either/or scenario is riskier with Michael Cuddyer because of his $10.5 million salary, but Kubel is making $5.25 million.

And he had this tid bit about Slowey:

Quote:

LaVelle E. Neal III of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports that the Rockies are among teams interested in Kevin Slowey and speculates that the Twins might look to swap him for reliever Rafael Betancourt or infielder Ty Wigginton. Neither of them do much for me because they're old, mediocre, and relatively expensive for 2012, but in theory targeting a middle reliever or a right-handed hitter for Slowey isn't a bad plan under the circumstances.

[10,000 Casts]

Sounds like any of the OF other than Delmon and Revere could be traded at anytime. I see what where your coming from on the Storen trade but I still think they can make a run with a boost to the bullpen.

[B. Amish]

it sounds like they'd love to trade delmon if someone would be willing to take him.

[Dave S]

If they need room for Cuddyer's salary, couldn't they renegotiate Mauer's contract to make the $$$ available?

[CodyDawg]

Span does nothing for me. He has mediocre range, a mediocre (at best) arm, no power and is terrifying on the bases. In fact, he is a liability on the bases. if you subtract how many times he gets picked off, his on base percentage would be terrible too. He does nothing great and only a few things okay. Get what you can for him and a solid, young reliever would be fine in my book. Revere brings much more to the table as your CF in terms of defense, speed on the bases, stolen bases, etc. His speed is ++ whereas Span has nothing that is ++. Just my .02.