Minnesota Twins Star Justin Morneau Knows Career May Be Over
By David Hill
Sometimes, the end comes up when you least expect it. At this point, former Minnesota Twins star Justin Morneau knows his major league career may have come to an end.
It is safe to say that Justin Morneau has had an excellent career. The former Minnesota Twins first baseman/designated hitter put together a resume that many players in the game would be envious of. He won the 2006 AL MVP award, and was the runner up in 2008. Morneau was a four time All Star, won two Silver Slugger awards, and was a consistent power threat when he was healthy.
Unfortunately, over his final two seasons, he battled injuries. After winning the 2014 NL batting title, he appeared in a combined 107 games over the next two years. While he put together a solid batting line in 2016, with a .261/.303/.429 batting line and six homers over 218 plate appearances, teams were not lining up for his services last season. Although there were openings at first throughout the season, the injury prone Morneau was not a consideration. As he was unwilling to accept a minor league contract to prove himself, those opportunities shriveled to nothingness.
Chances are, Morneau will find the same lack of interest this offseason. At 36 years old, and with a year away from the game, his phone is not likely to be ringing off the hook. These days, this is something that the former first baseman has come to terms with, as he has acknowledged that his time in the majors has likely come to an end.
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If this is the case, Morneau has had quite the solid career. In addition to his individual accolades, he put together some decent numbers in his 14 year career. Overall, Morneau produced a .281/.348/.481 batting line, hitting 247 homers and 349 doubles.
That production makes one wonder what his career would have been like had Morneau stayed healthy. He only played in 100 or more games in eight of those seasons, and missed time in two other years. Before those injuries cost him part of his prime, Morneau had three seasons with 30 or more homers, and drove in 100 or more runs four times. It certainly makes one wonder what could have been.
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It appears as though this is the end of the line for Justin Morneau. This time, the former Minnesota Twins star knows that his career has come to an end.