Morneau signs 6 yrs, 80 million; Cuddyer gets 24M for 3 yrs

[Outdoors Junkie]

Finally they lock these two up!

Associated Press

Updated: January 25, 2008, 6:16 PM ET

 
MINNEAPOLIS -- The Minnesota Twins agreed Friday to an $80 million, six-year contract with former AL MVP Justin Morneau and a $24 million, three-year deal with right fielder Michael Cuddyer, giving two key players longtime contracts as they prepare to move to a new ballpark in 2010.


The agreements were announced at the start of the TwinsFest and come while the team is shopping two-time Cy Young Award winner Johan Santana.

Minnesota already saw center fielder Torii Hunter become a free agent and sign with the Los Angeles Angels and will lose Santana without much compensation if they don't trade him this year or sign him to a long-term deal.

Morneau hit .271 with 31 homers and 111 RBIs last year, becoming the first Twin since Gary Gaetti in 1987 to have back-to-back 30-homer seasons. The team tried to lock him up long term before last season, but talks stalled during spring training.

His new contract replaces a $7.4 million, one-year deal agreed to a week earlier.

Cuddyer has emerged as a dependable run producer in the middle of the lineup. After years at different infield positions, he earned the right field job and hit .276 with 16 homers and 81 RBIs last season. He led the AL with 19 outfield assists while perfecting the art of playing the ball off that tricky big baggie at the Metrodome.

He gets a $2.75 million signing bonus and salaries of $5 million this year, $6.75 million in 2009 and $8.5 million in 2010. Minnesota has a $10.5 million club option for 2011 with a $1 million buyout.

The Twins, with a core of Morneau, Cuddyer and catcher Joe Mauer, have reached agreement with all of their arbitration-eligible players.

[ThunderCAT]

YES!

[thunderpout]

Thatz cool....need ta keep those core guys for when the new place opens up...I only wish I would have spent more time in the batting cage as a boy....($$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$)             -thunderpout

[jjawz]

Makes you wonder if Joe Mauer is pissed now that Morneau is making about 5 million more a season than he is. Same can be said about Cuddyer, guy is making the same as Mauer is about 8 mil or so. If Mauer keeps playing the way he is he will most likely be in the HOF, don't know if you can say the same about Morneau or Cuddyer.