The trade deadline is fast approaching in Major League Baseball. It is a unique season, so the date is largely ignored due to the NFL free agent comings and goings. Twins General Manager Bill Smith has some tough decisions to make. The team is on the borderline of heading into contention for the stretch run or on the cusp of faltering into the depths of the cellar in the division.
This is the type of decision that he can make from watching the club on a daily basis and getting a feel for which direction they are headed. I think that he should choose to sell at this juncture. Michael Cuddyer is a solid and versatile player. He has been the rock of the club this season with a myriad of injuries affecting almost every aspect of the roster. This is why he is valuable to all the other squads looking to add a complete player for the late summer push.
As noted in a previous blog of mine, his contract is up at the conclusion of the season. The Twins will need to replenish their cadre of prospects and if not now, when. They are in perennial contention in the division, and they have simply been unlucky with their health this season. You have to know when to hold them and know when to fold them; this is unquestionably a time for the latter.
Other player names that have come into question in terms of their future with the team are Francisco Liriano, Jason Kubel, and Delmon Young. These players are all younger with more upside in the future than Cuddyer, so they should remain in the Twin Cities. Liriano and Young simply need a good sports psychologist to guide them. One can seem to win at home while the other has consistency issues with glimpses of extraordinary play.
It not only matters that the Twins are six games behind the Tigers, but also that the White Sox and Indians are ahead of them as well. The number of teams is important because any of them could get hot while the Twins attempt make a run. It doesn’t matter how many games a team wins if those in front of them keep doing the same.
Fans in Minnesota are a reasonable bunch. They comprehend that the long term health of the organization takes precedence over this season or their admiration of a particular player. All Star Michael Cuddyer is a hot commodity right now. Much like investors that a picking up depleted stocks because of the debt ceiling fiasco, the Twins could be pragmatists and strike while the iron is hot.
It is likely that the fans will still come out to Target Field anyway for the remainder of the season because so many seats have already been sold. In addition, there is a honeymoon period with the stadium that has not worn off yet. They certainly are not going to abandon the team in September to watch Golden Gopher football!