An Editorial By Bob in Cleveland
Greetings, fellow Mafia members!
It is a moral necessity, I tell you. Johan Santana must be traded for fair value. I think it is a thought that is often left unspoken in “small market” towns like Cleveland, because, frankly, I don’t think we want to even think about the injustice. Until it is too late, that is. Then, all we do is complain.
It always seems like the “rich” of the baseball world … you know who I mean … trade, what appears to be, next to nothing for a player of the highest caliber. For example, does anyone, outside of die-hard Yankee or Phillies fans, even remember the crew of players that the Evil Empire traded to Philadelphia for Bob Abreu?
True, Abreu is no Santana, but, in the aftermath of these many travesties of justice, what do we see reported in the “small town” news? Our local teams describe their quest for these same superstars and tell us, ‘They asked us for our number one hitting and number one pitching prospect! We couldn’t do that!’ Come on. Do we really believe that at least one ‘middle-class’ baseball team couldn’t put together a better package?
Yes. We know all about sign-ability. Teams are reluctant to trade prized prospects for guys that are ‘hired guns’. And, in this day and age, who can pay those ‘guns’? The rich, of course.
And we know all about ‘spin’ as well. Was our favorite team really in the hunt for that ‘stud’? Or are they just trying to play the public relations card? Who knows?
What I do know is that Johan Santana is the pitching “prize” to beat them all, and any of you who know me know that I insist that you have to receive fair value in any trade that you make. And as that feeling applies to the world of fantasy baseball, we all know it should apply to real baseball as well. If you’re trading the ‘best’ then you should receive the ‘best’ in return.
We’ve all heard the rumors. In yet another example of the ‘rich getting richer’, the most likely bidders to win the services of Mr. Santana are the Yankees and the Red Sox.
One of the most freely floating rumors abound today suggests that the Red Sox might get away with Jon Lester and … gulp … Coco Crisp. Sure, highly touted prospect, Jed Lowrie, would be part of the deal, but come on! Coco Crisp? You’ve got to be kidding me! For Johan Santana! I can just see it in the Cleveland newspaper now. “‘Well, the Twins asked us for Grady Sizemore,’ Mark Shapiro reported.”
If the Twins don’t demand Jacoby Ellsbury, they are nuts! And, with all respect to Jon Lester, God bless him, he isn’t Clay Buchholz. He doesn’t have Buchholz’s no-hitter under his belt, and, frankly, you have to be concerned with his health. Someone needs to hit the Twins over the head and remind them that they hold all of the leverage in this negotiation. With the Red Sox staff as loaded as it is, after all, the only reason they’re in this hunt to begin with is to keep Santana from going to the Yankees.
As for the Evil Empire, as the richest of the rich, they out of anyone should have to pay the steepest price. Just out of general principle. I’m very encouraged to see that they are reported to have added Phil Hughes to their trade package. No offense to Ian Kennedy, but if Ian Kennedy were Phil Hughes, he’d be touted as highly as Phil Hughes. If the Twins let the Yanks get off with anything less than a package that includes Hughes, they should be locked in a rubber room.
Melky Cabrera? You’ve got to think he’s, at least, got more upside than Dodo Crisp. All I can say to the Yanks, however, is start with Hughes and Cabrera, but keep trotting out your ‘first-born’ because you’re nowhere near done yet.
In the end, I’m pleased to see that MLB.com is reporting that the Twins are, in fact, demanding Ellsbury from the Sox and that they are also demanding Hughes in a deal with the Yankees. Maybe there is a chance that justice will be done!
- Bob in Cleveland, Senior Editor, Fantasy Baseball Mafia.com
9 Comments to “Across The Board”
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The Twins should rake teams over the coals and truly rebuild with young and cheap talent - otherwise there’s no real reason to even entertain trading Santana or Joe Nathan.
If they can turn Santana into a solid bat, a member of the rotation and prospects, and then spin Nathan to the Brewers for Rickie Weeks, Carlos Villanueva and a pint of Old Milwaukee, I think it will be a job well done.
I’m not looking forward to watching the Padres go through the same thing with Peavy. Here’s hoping he takes the hometown discount to stay in Petco’s friendly confines.
I would much rather have Crisp than Melky. Once again we only look at the offensive side. Coco could truly help the Minnesota pitching staff. Melky is just another player if he did not play in New York most people would not know who he is. The Yanks and Sox are overpaying for Santana. They want 4 propects and if you want to keep Santana. You have to give him 5 years and 120 million. Stay tuned
I’m a little suprised teams like the Dodgers, Yankees, Red Sox, Angels aren’t more willing to give up prospects. They historically have always had a great minor league system that pump out prospects. It should be a little tougher for teams like the Padres and Cardinals who do not tend to develop above average pros to give up good prospects. Even if the Red Sox trade Ellsbury or the Dodgers trade Kershaw - they should have more studs on the way in 1-2 years anyway. Given none of those 4 teams has real financial restraints - why bother risking the youth tanks it - sign the proven commodity!
I think the Yanks may be overestimating what Johan can bring them. Even if the Yankees get Santana - he’s only a marginal to moderate upgrade in wins and innings to Pettitte. Pettitte has a better record in the post season than Johan and they lost with him. Meanwhile the Yanks are getting older and the Red Sox seem to be getting younger (by plan). Maybe they should stick Hughes in their pocket and try harder to persuade Andy to come back for one more year. I bet Joe Torre could have!
UPDATE: Ellsbury has been included in the deal. Lester and Bucholtz have been pulled off. The Yanks have given the TWINS a time limit on acceptiting there offer. My Prediction : Twins keep Sanatana to trade deadline. I hope I am wrong. If I have choice of Ellsbury or Santana. Welcome Back Coco Crisp
Update: I looked at my post amd laughed. Was it not the Yankees that said if AROD opts out. HE IS NO LONGER A YANKEE. So take my update for whatever its worth. lol
Much like in Fantasy Baseball, when a player goes years and years without an injury, I start to get worried. Is this the year the guy gets hurt and misses a significant portion of the season? His track record proves he can grind it out year after year, but what about laws of averages? There isn’t a player, so it seams, that goes his entire career without missing an entire season, or at least the majority of a season and more so than the rest, pitchers often find themselves missing entire seaons more and more these days.
I don’t wish injury an any player, but I’m more worried about Johan Santana possibly getting injured and missing time than I am about any other pitcher in baseball. So the thought of giving up tons of young players and $20M+ per season for Johan over 5 years, or more scares the crap out of me.
Here’s my prediction…
Whoever gets Johan Santana will end up missing him for either the majority of a season, or an entire season over the next 5-8 years. Pitchers just can’t seem to stay healthy today.
The reason that Santana is a low risk injury pitcher. He features the change up. As far as pitches go only the knuckleball puts less strain on the arm. We have more injuries today due to vast array of pitchers thrown in 2007. Cutters, Sliders, and the classic off speed pitch the Curve Ball cause strain on the arm and responsible for many of todays injuries.
If the Yankees pass up on JoTana, I’d love to see them go after both Haren, or Bedard.
Ian Kennedy and Melky Cabrera for Haren, or Bedard
What about Ben Sheets, Is he not worthy ?