Posted on 11/15/2007 4:07:01 PM PST by Zuben Elgenubi
You’ll notice they are talking to the Twins, not making promises to the player or his agent as you had suggested. My argument never said there would not be trade talks, only that it would be team to team.
From SI.com: The Twins are talking with several teams and are asking for a large return for their two-time Cy Young winner. From Boston, they asked about one of two top young pitchers — Clay Buchholz or Jon Lester — plus center field prodigy Jacoby Ellsbury, league sources told SI.com.
The Red Sox are believed to have made Ellsbury off-limits, which could complicate their chances. They have Coco Crisp to offer, but the Twins would likely prefer the Yankees’ Cabrera to Crisp. Boston is unlikely to surrender Buchholz, who threw a no-hitter as a rookie this year, but might have to consider giving up Lester if they have a chance at Santana. Boston could up the ante by offering Crisp, Lester (or Buchholz), and another top prospect (either pitching or fielding), which the Red Sox have many.
And the latest news:
The latest rumor involving the Red Sox and Santana is the juiciest yet. According to a report from Charlie Walters of the St. Paul Pioneer Press (who sources “a little birdie”) on Thursday, the Sox are now the frontrunners to land Santana as part of a trade package that does not include either Jacoby Ellsbury or Clay Buchholz. According to Walters, the Red Sox would receive Santana in exchange for Coco Crisp, Jon Lester, and minor league prospects Jed Lowrie and Justin Masterson, both of who rank among Boston’s top young talent. More from Walters: “Before a deal could be made, the Red Sox would have to have time to negotiate a contract extension with Santana, 28, who can become a free agent after next season and could have a market value as high as $150 million over six years.” ESPN’s Buster Olney wrote on Thursday that the Sox and Twins are working on the framework of a deal that would send Santana to Boston for Crisp, Lester, Lowrie, with Sox minor league pitcher Michael Bowden being the fourth pitcher in the deal. But Olney wrote that “the identity of the fourth player is in flux” in his blog update.
Papa Steinbrenner is not going to like that.
Nah, I don’t think its necessarily a “lights out” situation for the Yanks. I’m a bit leary of Santana. Some have speculated that he is slipping. The Red Sox have hit him pretty well.
There are other top-notch pitchers out there that are available (eg. Danny Haren from the A’s for instance and they would love to get Melky).
With the Sox spending so many of top prospects they will have little to offer come July when they are trying to make trade deadline deals to fill an unexpected voids. In the out years it will be a few years before they have top prospects again to make a big trade to fill the Manny void when he retires.
It is a good thing short term for the Sox because the Yankees are always a dominant team when they have an overpowering left handed pitcher because of the dimensions of Yankee Stadium (old and new). Keeping him away from NY is a big thing in that regard, but the Sox already have a great young starting staff and trading for Haren would be just as good a deal for them.
I also think the Yankees would be better off sticking with youth for a couple of years like they did in the 1992-1994 time frame that produced Jeter, Brosius, Pettite et. al. That would set them up nicely for another run.
The Sox success so far in this century is because they have modeled themselves on the Yankees. Strong minor league system to develop talent, strong pitching and defense, balanced lineup. Fill holes with big-name free agents and big trades. I think the Yanks sort of got away from that and look more like pre-2004 Red Sox teams that always came up short...strong batting order, marginal pitching and defense and inadequate minor league system. The last item the Yanks have fixed because they now are back to developing top talent, but for five or six years they ignored their minor league system; just spending like drunken sailors to stay ahead of Boston (eg. Johnny Damon, Randy Johnson).
That’s the best post I’ve ever read written by you. Thank you. Perhaps there’s hope for your Bosox fans, yet. :-)
Interesting from Ken Rosenthal tonight: “Meanwhile, the Twins are considering filing tampering charges against the Yankees because of Hank Steinbrenner’s public comments about Santana, according to a major-league source.”
Perhaps he should wait until October to sign, at least then he will have been productive in one October.
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