Thursday, July 28, 2011

Trading Denard Span?

Two things that you know about me, I think. 1) Most recently, I have been a staunch advocate for the Twins SELLSELLSELLing. 2) I am always a advocate of dealing from a place of strength to patch weakness. This was why I particularly liked the Delmon Young deal, even if it hasn't worked quite as well as anticipated. Matt Garza, one of a glut of pitching prospects we had at the time was decidedly not getting along well with the coaching staff. The team didn't have much by way of right handed bats, and Young was coming off a season in which he played all 162 games and was a top flight prospect. Dealt from strength to try and patch weakness.
This season, I have been pleading with the Twins to try and move Jason Kubel. He is one of many outfielders and one of many left handers on the team, and thus doubly expendable. As you have all probably heard by now, the Nationals are asking instead about Denard Span. Span also fits those two categories: outfielder, left handed. Because he is actually a good fielder and not a complete abomination like Kubel, it never crossed my mind that he might be a candidate to be moved.
But alas, the Nationals think he could be. I like Span. I like what he brings to the table as a hitter, a threat on the bases and as a fielder (especially if he was moved to a corner and Revere became the CF). The fact of the matter is, the Twins could get a lot more for Span than Kubel (or Michael Cuddyer).
The rumors I have heard involved Drew Storen, the Nationals closer (ooh boy) and Ian Desmond, their shortstop. Surely this rumored trade would be incomplete, but at least it addresses not one but two holes on the Twins roster: middle infield (and make no mistake... Tsuyoshi Nishioka, as much as I like him, has been terrible) and bullpen (I refuse to say a closer is an important role).
I don't think that those two gaps and those two players are quite enough for Span, only because there is the potential to lose Cuddyer and Kubel next year, as well as Jim Thome, which means there will soon be holes in the outfield, and losing Span would just create another.
So, I guess I would be OK with it if Span was traded, but it surely better be a good deal that patches holes for years to come.

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