Day Off: Links and Comments

So of course the talk around town is how the season is basically over, how after going into the huge series with Cleveland only 5.5 games back, the Twins got swept and are now 8.5 games out, and have to play Cleveland again next week after the Royals come to town for four games.

In the comments section of the Cleveland series, Jamie and I talked about Johan Santana and what should be done with him. I took the knee jerk reaction after his loss and said we need to trade him this off-season. I just don't think the Twins should be paying $20m for a pitcher, which the market value would be. That said, I'd still love to see Johan sign a contract extension this year for what would hopefully a little less then market value. Whether that happens or not, we'll just have to wait and see.

Torii Hunter is another player that we have to decide on very soon. Torii's comments this season have really pissed me off, but you can't knock the guys effort. He is still the marketable face of the team and I really hope we can resign him. But again, it will all depend on if he wants to stay a Twin, or if he wants to try playing baseball for a different team and to maximize his value while he still can. That is totally understandable, so I'm okay with whatever happens with Torii. And with Torii's comments today about not attending the new stadium groundbreaking, makes it feel like he's sending a message of some sort.

Having said that, if we do happen to resign both players, I would have to think that it basically removes any chance of us signing a free agent, or anyone that can help this team offensively. Carlos Silva who will probably and hopefully be gone at the end of year, will have his salary replaced by the resigning of Johan and Torii.

Justin Morneau better be on this team when we open the new stadium and that's all I'm going to say about that. IMO, he and Joe Mauer are the two most important players going forward.

Obviously we need to cut the cord on Nick Punto, or at least he should never be more then just a utility infielder to come on when needed in the field. I think it's also time for guys like Lew Ford, Luis Rodriguez, and Rondell White to move on.

As always, Seth covers this a lot better then I ever could in his post - So... Now What? 40 Man Roster Thoughts

Nick N. at Nick & Nick's Twins Blog is fed up with Gardy - Managing to Lose

Jon Marthaler over at Twinkie Town is starting to think that maybe Torii Hunter is kind of a jerk

Aaron Gleeman - The End