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Good afternoon prospect watchers. Let's get down to business on this muggy Saturday.
***The long-rumored Justin Morneau trade finally occurred this afternoon, with the Minnesota Twins sending the veteran first baseman to the Pittsburgh Pirates for outfielder Alex Presley and either a player to be named later or some cash. From a prospect perspective this seems rather anticlimactic, since Presley has 656 major league at-bats over four seasons and is 27 years old. He's the personification of an extra outfielder.
I'm sure Twins fans were hoping a real prospect would be involved and maybe there will be one of some kind once the PTBN is named (if there is one and not just money), but it seems like the main goal (getting an aging first baseman off the roster of a rebuilding team in exchange for anything) was achieved. For the Pirates, it adds another dose of "veteran experience" for the roster down the stretch, with Morneau more likely to provide some useful thump than Presley. So, again, it makes sense for both teams.
As a Twins fan, it is sad to see Justin go. He was an outstanding hitter in his heyday, with his run in 2010 before he got hurt one of the best streaks of hot hitting in franchise history. I'm sorry he never got a shot at a World Series as Kent Hrbek did. I hope that changes for him in Pittsburgh.
The Cardinals are my favorite National League team and I usually root for them, but this year I'm going to root for the Pirates. Their fans deserve it, I like it when rebuilding efforts actually work, and I want to see Morneau with a ring.
***Yesterday's Minor League Ball Gameday thread.
***Topics in my work queue: Andrew Lambo of the Pirates, Christian Bethancourt of the Braves, Abraham Almonte of the Mariners, any prospects in trades. If you have any Prospect Retrospective topics you want covered, or anything else really, now is the time to bring them up.
***Today's minor league baseball schedule.
More from Minor League Ball:
- Mariners trade Mike Morse to Orioles for outfield prospect Xavier Avery
- Minor League Ball Gameday, August 30
- Prospect Retrospective: LaTroy Hawkins
- Prospect of the Day: Taijuan Walker, RHP, Seattle Mariners
- Minor League Ball Gameday, August 29
- Vic Black completes Buck/Byrd trade between Mets and Pirates
- Prospect Note: Neil Ramirez
- Prospect of the Day: Reymond Fuentes, OF, San Diego Padres
- Minor League Ball Gameday, August 28
- Those wacky minor league promotions
- Minor League Ball Gameday, August 27
- Mets trade John Buck, Marlon Byrd to Pirates for prospect Dilson Herrera
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