Torii Hunter to the Anaheim Angels.. 5 yr 80 mil

[The Yeti]

Just saw it on ESPN...

[mskyfshntchr]

espn is saying now...worth maybe $90Mil...

We'll miss ya Torii...

Guess can't blame the guy...that kind of money and goes to a team that is ahead of the twins at this time...

The only consolation is that he did not go to the pale sox...

[not_nuf_time]

At least he's going to a contender(if happens) because if he would have gone to chi-sox or Texas that would have proved he was just going for the money. Myson is gonna be crushed, more so than KG trade.

[Down to Earth]

He would have gone to Texas because that is where he lives. I'm sure the money wouldn't have been all that different than anywhere else.

I wonder if the Twins ever got into the picture at all.

[maros91]

Hunter will play center, Vlad in right and probably Matthews Jr. in left with Anderson at DH. Not bad at all. I wish I had a owner that spent money to put a winner on the field. Developing from with in is fine but you have to buy pieces to fill the other spots and the Twins have failed to do that. Angels needed help on offense so they went out and got it. They will lose Colon to free agency so they replaced him with Jon Garland by giving up Orlando Cabrera. I don't know if they have a young kid coming up but if they don't look for David Ekstein to go back there. The Angels are close and with a weak AL West they should be there for awhile.

[lawdog]

Quote:

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I wonder if the Twins ever got into the picture at all.

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The story I just read today said no. He said he felt they were going in a different direction and he'd worn out his welcome there. If that's truly the message the front office sent one of our very best players, I'm not at all happy.

I have been a big backer of the Twins (and particularly the job Ryan has done with no money to work with) and stood up for how much they've achieved with that low budget payroll, but if they start dismantling this team now (and we all know Santanna is the big $ that's going to be an issue next) I will be very disgusted. It just goes back to the evil Pohlad spending some of that moldy money!!!!

[xedge2002]

Just seen that the Angels owner has a net worth of 1.2 billion, Pohlad has a net worth of 2.6 billion. Maybe Carl needs to take a page from his co-owner who is OBVIOUSLY poorer than carl and spend some cash to try to field a team that can contend for the World Series instead of getting these project players that the team hopes they can develop into a baseball player.

According to Forbes the twins had a Revenue of 131M, Operating expenses of 14.8, Player expenses of 76M. So by my math that is a total of 90.8M in expenses in 2007. So that means a profit of 40.2M, where is all or some of that money at for adding payroll?? Or is Carl already trying to recover the money he had to put up for the stadium?

[echotrail]

The Twins got their new stadium but they had to cough up some extra cash to settle the land deal so they robbed Peter to pay Paul. Their business bottom line changed in part because of that. I think Santana IS their #1 priority and Hunter WAS #2 and they will replace Hunter with a young, minimum wage center fielder. They will sign on another half-dead 35+ yr. old designated hitter no one else wants and they will pocket the rest to even out the land deal. It won't be Bonds, but what is the Cory Koski (e) contract status as I don't see him listed on any team roster?

[Stratosman]

Sheez you think out offense stunk last year...don't know how it could improve. Can't wait for the angels vs. twins.

[Scott M]

I guess that 1 million a year made the difference. And the winning.

Can't blame a guy for seeing the writing on the wall over the years. They weren't going to spend the money so why should things change

[LwnmwnMan2]

I don't get why everyone's so worked up.

It's SO obvious that once the Twins got the stadium that they would take the money (profit) and run. For YEARS Pohlad / Ownership group talks about minimal money being made. For YEARS they talk about not taking money from other business ventures.

Why are they going to change now?? There's minimal new revenue right now. Sure they sold some more season tickets, but that's nothing.

Even Jim-what's-his-name stated that they expect $40M in new revenues ONCE the new stadium is built, NOT before, and that $20M of that will be spent on players.

THAT statement says they're after the profit, NOT winning a series.

Quit beating your heads against the wall. You're NOT going to get top ranked players here. You're NOT going to keep top ranked players here.

We WILL have to get lucky to make it to the playoffs. It's just the way it is.

Once people start thinking this way, then life will be much easier.

I AM a Twins fan. I love baseball. I also think this is the reason that everyone talks about fans being bandwagon. No one cares anymore, until there starts to be a winning season, then everyone gets on board.

There's too much to do in this area, any time of the year, that if there's a losing season, you can go do multiple other things, rather than go sit in a stadium with a bag over your head.

[Captain B.R.K]

Here's the wind-up and the pitch......STRIKEOUT!

I had a feeling the Twin's weren't planning on tendering the contract Hunter was looking for. I was reaching and HOPING it would happen and then this morning pulled up ESPN.com, my hopes were shattered.

I know the Pohland family has money, yet they have allows been stingy with it. Now that Hunter is gone, the Twins will need to work on getting Santana signed and put together some type of plan with Cuddyer and Morneu.

I would expect a lowball figure from Twins camp going forward with all three and land 1 or 2 of the 3 and trade the others or lose them to free agency.

Once the new stadium opens, fans will only come so many times to visit before they start passing up the opportunity to watch a worthless Twin's team.

Here's wishing you Hunter the best of luck in Anaheim!

[IFallsRon]

Hunter cashes in and joins the piece of dump club. To quote a fat morning Twin Cities radio dork, "more me now."

[harvey lee]

Another question might be is Why would Santana even want to stay in Minnesota with no chance at a ring?

If the Twins were to pay him what it would take to keep him, why would he stay when another can play at least that plus give him a championship ring.

If your good, why stay in MN?

[The Yeti]

Correction.. 5 year 90 million was just reported on channel 4..

[Eric Wettschreck]

Tom hit the nail on the head. Why would Santana, Moreneau, Cuddy, Mauer.......heck, knowing Pohlad will never put a winning team together why would anyone want to stay in MN??

I've said it before, I'll say it again, the Minnesota Twins are the best AAA team the league has ever seen.

[Mitty]

Well its here the dreaded off season,first of all let me say that there is no better game on earth than baseball and I am a part season ticket holder and pretty much knew what was going to happen as well as all of you knew but I will say if we are just going to be a major league farm team, to the big franchises then sell the g.d. team,we all knew that they will ride the new stadium meal ticket for at least 5 years and by that time the big names like morneau and mauer and cuddyer will be in the same boat as hunter was this year,been a twins fan for years but I for one am sick and tired about hearing about big cap and small cap teams so something has to give either with the oweners or the league but as long as the twins put 2-3 million in the stands every year this will continue to happen I am just a fan of the game and by living here the twins but something has to give it doesnt help when we have a tight (Contact Us Please) for a owner either.Just my 2 cents.

[bassNspear]

The twins are jsut like the Twolves.

SPEND SOME MONEY.

I am sick and tired of hearing that we will "player guys from our Farm clubs"

Where has that got you. NO WHERE. This is why i am a braves fan. The twins are going to have to start spending money, or there going to be a average team.

[B. Amish]

i think they should spend some money so we can all complain about which player they signed and how much they overpaid them!

it would be nice if the twins could sign players like they do in boston, new york, LA, and chicago. but only one team is going to win the division each year and money doesn't guarantee you anything. i think the mets and white sox could tell you that.

did i want to see hunter stay in mn? yes, but not for $18 million a year. the twins are a smart organization and they knew that 90 million for five years wasn't worth it. they'll find a way to stay competitive just like they have been for the last five years.

[IFallsRon]

There wasn't a counter offer with the Twins to allow for deferred money? Oh, and the cutoff at $8 million sounds like an ex-Wolf who got gassed.

Shooter:

Torii Hunter was so happy to sign with the Angels and get a chance to win a World Series, he said Saturday, that he was willing to defer nearly half the $90 million on his five-year contract if it would make it financially easier on the Anaheim club.

"It doesn't have to be $18 million a year; we could defer 10, 20 years from now," the former Twin said. "I could make $8 million next year; that's what I was willing to do to win."

[juggs]

"That's what I was willing to do to win."?? My, what a big heart you have, Torii. I'm sure it will be tough scraping by on ONLY $8 million a year. How many talking heads and fans will tip their hat to him for being so "team-minded?"

[CodyDawg]

It is very apparent the Pohlads want to run the Twins as a business. They have every right to. But they better not expect me to come to the games unless they are putting a SUPERIOR product on the field. I don't wanna hear one word about losing money when they are not in first place. Not one word. The fans should also treat this as a business. If they are in first place, buy the product. If they are not, then go fishing. So PUT UP OR SHUT UP Pohlads!

[Black_Bay]

It's only a matter of time before Mauer and Morneau are looking to be traded or lost to free agency. Ebenezer Pohlad isn't going to pay anyone. He's taking his money to the grave along with the Twins.

BTW I bet there will soon be a trade involving Santana.

[solbes]

I'll miss him. He was a great player, no doubt. His bat could be replaced, but certainly not his fielding.

We need to get going on signing Santana now. We couldn't afford both of them, but I'm not really sure Pohlad will commit to Johan. If he doesn't, I don't see the Twins going anywhere for a few years. Cough up some dough and make some moves with freed money so that Johan wants to stay.

[ozzie]

Good bye Torri your glove will be missed but your bat and mouth will not........they should trade Santana as he is about money and knows that he can get his and his team could still compete if they are willing to spend money on other players also.....i.e. yanks boston and all the free spending teams