Chone Figgins

Not that I want to encourage a new thread for every player that becomes available, but I do think that Chone Figgins is interesting. The Mariners DFAd him and will own him $8 million for the season. No one is going to pick that up, so he should become a free agent. At that point, should the Twins be interested in signing him at league minimum.

He earned the big contract with many good years with the Angels. He was a mid-600s OPS in his first year in Seattle, and he's been terrible the last two years. So, if he could even post those mid-600 OPS as a utility infielder, would that be worth it. At 34, does he have the ability or upside yet to have one more good year? Can he be the competition for Trevor Plouffe that Terry Ryan is talking about?

Personally, the more I think about this, the more I think that I'd just go with Eduardo Escobar as the utility infielder. But I don't think Figgins would be a bad low-risk, medium reward candidate.

What say you?

go for it, 1yr/1.5

He's worth a minor league deal with ST invite, but nothing more. I see no problems if the Twins are interested in that.

No. No. No. No! As someone who has the mariners as their number 2 team (entire immediate family lives in Seattle) I can tell you figgins is the absolute worst,the only and I mean ONLY good thing about his tenure in Seattle was a local bar offered draft bears for the price of whatever Figgins batting average was at the time. As much as I am a fan of sub $2 pints, I can't in any faith endorse them signing this turd for anything period.

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Originally Posted by SpiritofVodkaDave

No. No. No. No! As someone who has the mariners as their number 2 team (entire immediate family lives in Seattle) I can tell you figgins is the absolute worst,the only and I mean ONLY good thing about his tenure in Seattle was a local bar offered draft bears for the price of whatever Figgins batting average was at the time. As much as I am a fan of sub $2 pints, I can't in any faith endorse them signing this turd for anything period.

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I agree 100%. While I don't probably don't know as much about Figgins as Dave, the absolute last thing I want to do is add more players who can't hit for power. Spend some money on Youkilis for 3B please. He will bring some fans back and his right handedness will be greatly appreciated in the lineup at Target Field.

Even if he weren't a putrid player, is he even capable of playing a viable middle infield at this point?

I still think Chone could be great! Could he be our 2b? Price would have to be right.

I could post this question on a lot of these threads, but here goes:

How does acquiring people who are bad a playing baseball make the Twins better at playing baseball?

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Originally Posted by snepp

Even if he weren't a putrid player, is he even capable of playing a viable middle infield at this point?

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No, it says alot when the offensive starved Mariners moved his ass to corner OF this year bc he can't play ANY viable inf position at this point. Fun fact: Punto has a 55 point higher OPS over the past 3 years then Figgins and actually is able to PLAY DEFENSE!!!!!!!!

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Originally Posted by Kobs

I could post this question on a lot of these threads, but here goes:

How does acquiring people who are bad a playing baseball make the Twins better at playing baseball?

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This is my favorite post ever. Figgins had an OPS+ of 54 last year. I think the Twins can let him sign elsewhere and be just fine.

It will be interesting to see who hires Figgins. I agree with Seth that he could be decent again.

Do many 35-year-olds with multiple years of putridity become decent again?

Figgins is interesting in the same way that a car wreck is interesting. Dude makes Nick Punto look like a stud.

My guess is he could be a utility infielder as much as Brandon Inge could be a backup catcher - in other words - NOT. Besides, we now have no room on the 40-man roster (although I don't know why).

Seattle is not a great place to hit, just ask Beltre. Chone still has career ba of .280 and has average over 40 sb.

Minor league contract, ST invite. He could be useful to have in the system, if he is willing.

I laughed my ass off when Seattle signed Figgins to that contract (lived in Long Beach and followed his entire career with the Angels).

No thanks. Figgins is a perfect example of why you dish off speedy, no-power guys the moment they peak in value. They have a tendency to die an ugly baseball death at age 30.

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Originally Posted by Top Gun

Seattle is not a great place to hit, just ask Beltre. Chone still has career ba of .280 and has average over 40 sb.

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If anything, Seattle should help a guy like Figgins because he's not going to hit the ball over the fence anyway. All that OF space leaves big gaps for him to hit.

He will probably get a minimum salary major league deal somewhere. Should it be here, interesting. Last few years have been really bad. Final opinion, No

No to Figgins, No to Valencia. Enough with players that aren't good enough to make other teams 40 man roster. Minor league deal? Perhaps, but lets go get some players that can actually make this team better.

I would make a bad GM, I would eventually get impatient and just say sign him, I don't care about the cost. I'm convinced that is worth it to spend a little more and get quality.