Twins interested in A's Cabrera

by Eli Greenspan on Jul 24, 2009 9:52 PM EDT

The Twins appear willing to add payroll at the trade deadline to make a late season push, and are setting their sites on A's shortstop Orlando Cabrera. Cabrera has been tearing it up in July, hitting .380 with 2 home runs and 6 extra-base hits. Cabrera is a career .277 hitter in the second half of the season, but has a reputation around the league of being a player who lifts his teammates game to the next level.

The Twins also have some interest in Michael Wuertz, meaning the A's could host a mini fire sale and land a pair of above average prospects in return. The A's can afford to trade Cabrera with Crosby and Garciaparra ready to platoon at short, while Joey Devine and Justin Duchscherer will be ready to man the bullpen in 2010. If the Twins offer the right prospects, they could strike a deal.

However, the Tribune says that neither team is very aggressive, mostly because the Twins are still in talks with the Pirates over Freddy Sanchez and have veteran Mark Grudzielanek in the minors gearing up for the second half of the season. One team will have to pull the trigger.

	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	K	SB	CS	AVG	OBP	SLG
2009 - Orlando Cabrera	94	383	37	105	21	0	4	39	23	35	8	4	.274	.312	.360

Poll

Who is more likely to be traded?

Orlando Cabrera

88 votes

Freddy Sanchez

80 votes

168 votes | Poll has closed

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Comments

Small error

Justin Duchscherer is only signed through 2009 and it is highly unlikely that he’ll stay with Oakland in 2010, especially if it’s as a reliever.

They say nothing is impossible, but I do nothing all the time!

by muffinpryde on Jul 24, 2009 11:50 PM EDT reply actions

As far as who will initiate trade talks...

Beans only picks up the phone when it’s ringing.

I don't always blog. But when I do, I prefer AN. Stay thirsty my friends.

by Kallus on Jul 25, 2009 2:06 AM EDT reply actions

I don't know why anyone would trade

for Orlando Cabrera. They’d get fleeced for prospects and not even know why they traded them.

by FreeBradshaw on Jul 25, 2009 8:33 AM EDT reply actions

I would guess if OCab was traded they would call up Cliff Pennington to play short, as opposed to Bobby Crosby

But I can see OCab going to the Twins, maybe for Joe Benson or Kevin Mulvey?

What you fail to understand in your joyless myopia is that baseball is the key to life-- the Rosetta Stone, if you will. If you just understood baseball better all your other questions your, your... the, uh... the aliens, the conspiracies they would all, in their way be answered by the baseball gods.

by winchester5 on Jul 25, 2009 2:30 PM EDT reply actions

OCAB

The whole deal is based off bringing Pennington up.

by Matt Buggenhagen on Jul 25, 2009 10:59 PM EDT up reply actions

more twins interest

Twins Eyeing A’s Orlando Cabrera
By Drew Silva [July 25 at 4:31pm CST]

According to Kelsie Smith with the St. Paul Pioneer Press, the Twins, and especially manager Ron Gardenhire, are interested in A’s shortstop Orlando Cabrera.
“I like Cabrera, yes,” Gardenhire said Saturday. “I’m not allowed to talk about players, but yes I like Cabrera. It’s a direct question. I can answer a direct question. I think he’s a great player.”

The Twins have been searching for a reliable shortstop since the offseason. Cabrera is piecing together an excellent July at the plate, and is now batting .274/.312/.362 overall with four home runs, 39 RBI and nine stolen bases. He has about $1.5MM remaining on his contract and is a free agent after this season.

by Asfan4ever723 on Jul 25, 2009 6:26 PM EDT reply actions