Twins Trade Talk 2012: July 24

Here is the Twins Trade Talk the past 24 hours or so:

• Ken Rosenthal suggests that the Carlos Quentin and Edwin Encarnacion contract extensions (for 3 years at about $10 million per with all incentives), make Josh Willingham more desirable (he still has 2+ years at just $7 million per) but he suggest that Twins will have a high price and "would want a major return". Jon Heyman reiterrates that the Twins are not in a hurry to trade him but also says that if they change their mind, there will be a "mile long" line of suitors. Jon Morosi also indicates that the "Twins have yet to put" him on the trade market
• With Ryan Dempster to the Atlanta Braves trade (which is still pending Dempster's approval), 3 things are happening that involve the Twins: a. The Atlanta Braves are no longer a suiter for Fransisco Liriano b. Fransisco Liriano will likely be the next Domino to fall in the SP market (according to Ken Davidoff who correctly reported before it happend that Dempster will be the first.) Given that one of the Braves' top pitching prospects, 22 year old Panamanian Randall Delgado, who pitched in the majors this season and last and was rated 46th top prospect in baseball this year and 35th last year by Baseball America, involved in the return package to the Cubs, expect a similar or better return for Liriano. And c. The Washington Nationals that are 3.5 games ahead of the Braves would like to improve also. The have been associated with Denard Span and Fransisco Liriano in the past.
• Speaking of returns on pitchers, the Miami Marlins trade Anibal Sanchez and Omar Infante to the Detroit Tigers for 22 year old Jacob Turner RHSP #22 BA prospect, 22 year old C Rob Brantly with a .311/.359/.461 line in AA and now in AAA, and 22 year old LHSP Brian Flynn who just went to AA. They also swapped compensatory picks (a first in MLB). Sanchez and Infante is pretty much the equivalent of Fransisco Liriano and Alexi Cassila... Pretty good return.
• Heyman reports that the New York Yankees have talked to the Twins about Denard Span, but "did not like the price in prospects", so they went the Ichiro Suzuki way, which cost them the equivalent of Jeff Manship (D.J. Mitchell) and a guy they picked off waivers a couple weeks ago (Danny Farquhar; now try to pronounce that last name with a New York accent...)
• Jon Morosi reports that the Los Angeles Angels like Liriano and he is quoting former Twins' Centerfielder Torii Hunter, in support. Also lists Texas Rangers, Detroit Tigers, Baltimore Orioles, Washington Nationals and Atlanta Braves as teams looking for SP, without knowing whether they are interested in Liriano. You can cross the Braves off the list now.
• The Justin Morneau to the Los Angeles Dodgers rumours that started yesterday in LA, are rehashed in the Twin Cities today. Tim Brown writes that the Twins are having discussion about Morneau but they are asking the other teams for an existing major leaguer in return plus to take his full contract. Hard to believe that they would want a major leaguer in return, based on what Terry Ryan has been saying publicly.