According to Tim Brown of Yahoo! Sports, the Twins have acquired Orlando Cabrera from the Oakland A’s. Although it is a move, I’m not sure it really makes the squad better.
Orlando Cabrera
Cabrera has a current OPS of .683 with an OBP of .318. Brendan Harris, a current high sock-wearing member of the Twins, has an OPS of .676 with an OBP of .305. Harris has played a very solid SS this season.
This move does nothing for me, but apparently O-Cab, Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau were all buddy-buddy last week in Oakland.
According to Cabrera, when the A’s played Minnesota last week, every time Mauer or Morneau got on base, they’d say, ” ‘We’re trying to get you! We want to get you here!’ ” Cabrera told the SF Gate.
If Mauer and Morneau are happy with this, I’m happy with this. Tyler Ladendorf is an average 2B prospect with some upside, but he probably wouldn’t crack the current top-20 Twins prospect list.
Apparently the Twins are also getting cash with the deal, which makes it even sweeter. While by no means is this a blockbuster deal, it could provide a much needed spark and assuage the fans and players who were screaming for a move.
So how will this affect the current Twins?
I’m guessing O-Cab will be promptly inserted into the lineup tonight if he can make it to Minnesota and probably slide right inbetween Mauer and Denard Span in the two hole. Then, instead of shuffling 2B, SS and 3B like the Twins have been doing, they’ll probably only shuffle 2B and 3B. I’m assuming Alexi Casilla will get sent down, and Punto and Harris will split time at 2B. Joe Crede will continue manning 3B whenever he is healthy with help from Brian Buscher and Harris when he is not.
Yeah maybe that gaudy average will add up to more runs over the next few months. So if it keeps the M&M boys happy i suppose that’s good too. We want them to stay. Lets hope the real fireworks start this off season.
By: Tim on July 31, 2009
at 2:55 pm