​Fans with Twins tickets have a lot of questions for their ballclub this season, and Minnesota management is still searching for answers. One of those questions revolves around 2006 AL MVP Justin Morneau, who is in the last year of his current contract. Along with catcher Joe Mauer, Morneau is one of the stalwarts of the organization, and would be a logical choice for a contract extension under normal circumstances. But he has been slow to recover from a series of severe concussions he suffered, beginning in 2010, and last year marked the first time since 2009 that he played more than half the games in a season. Twins’ GM Terry Ryan must decide whether or not to trade the 31-year-old slugger, or keep him for at least one more season.

On the one hand, he is a cornerstone of the franchise, one of the few remaining links to the days when the Twins were perennial playoff contenders. Giving up on Morneau will not be an easy thing for the Twins to do, considering all that he has meant to the franchise for the last decade. On the other hand, Minnesota does not appear to be that close to contending for the AL Central, and are in desperate need of more pitching. Additionally, the Twins owe Morneau $15 million in 2013, a high price to pay one player for a team that is not expected to make the playoffs. While Morneau does not have the same value that he did five years ago, he is still one of the better power-hitting first basemen in the majors, and the Twins may be able to acquire more pitching assets for him, if they are willing to take on a portion of his salary. One potential match could be the Texas Rangers, who did not get a lot of production from either their first basemen or DHs last season, and have the pitching prospects that could really help the Twins down the road. Despite playing in only 134 games last year, Morneau hit 19 home runs and drove in 77 runs, and he should continue to improve the further removed he is from concussion symptoms. The Rangers also have the money to be able to take on a contract like Morneau’s, as well as the depth to give him rest when he needs it. Trading a former MVP and team leader is never an easy thing to do, but it is an option the Twins may look to explore during the offseason.

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