Don't be surprised if Johan Santana is a Yankee before the season gets underway.

[Saber]

Re: Don't be surprised if Johan Santana is a Yankee before the season gets underway.

Twins have evidently backed down on their demands from the Yanks and will supposedly take Hughes, Cabrera, Jeff Marquez and another player for Santana.

Bill Madden suggests the 4th player is Mitch Hilligoss and that the Yanks balked because of financial reasons. Even they have a budget?

In either case, it might only be a matter of time before they start to look hard at the offer of Coco, Lester, Lowrie, and Masterson.

I'm still standing by my thought that the Sox are just trying to cockblock the Yanks, but if they can get Santana for those 4 guys, and not have to give up Ellsbury then they're really set themselves up well. Santana would move into the rotation over the next couple of seasons to replace Schilling, and the money wouldn't be an issue since I'm not sure Manny returns after '09 with his option.

If the Sox were to land Santana, you'd have to believe the Yanks would push extremely hard to land Bedard or maybe Ben Sheets. In either case it's hard to imagine Bedard being traded within the AL East.

[NYJets]

Re: Don't be surprised if Johan Santana is a Yankee before the season gets underway.

I doubt the Yankees are going to get any other big name pitcher. They could have gotten Santana by now if they want. They might still get him, but if they don't why would they pass on Santana and then give up a lot to get a pitcher who isn't as good as him?

[Saber]

Re: Don't be surprised if Johan Santana is a Yankee before the season gets underway.

I doubt the Yankees are going to get any other big name pitcher. They could have gotten Santana by now if they want. They might still get him, but if they don't why would they pass on Santana and then give up a lot to get a pitcher who isn't as good as him?

All sources have basically mentioned the money. They really don't want to add yet another player they're going to be paying 20+ million for. I think the biggest issue with the Yanks is the advancing age of their roster including their entire outfield. They have to ask theirselves, is Johan Santana going to help up win more games and beat out the Red Sox in the East than Cabrera and Hughes are? Even with Santana, they still won't challenge the Red Sox in the East and are arguably only the 3rd best team in the AL behind the Sox, and the Tigers. Why not try to clean up some of the mess that stemmed from years of them signing and overpaying for free agents like Mike Mussina, and once those bad contracts come off the books, they can begin to build from within. There's no reason to think they won't have a stud rotation 2 or 3 years from now with Wang, Chamberlain, Hughes, ect. I don't see any reason to mortgage that.

[CMH]

Re: Don't be surprised if Johan Santana is a Yankee before the season gets underway.

There's no reason to think they won't have a stud rotation 2 or 3 years from now with Wang, Chamberlain, Hughes, ect. I don't see any reason to mortgage that.

I have to agree. Once the excitement of getting Santana wavered I thought about this. Don't get me wrong, having Santana would be a blessing. I don't think there's a more sure thing Ace in baseball.

But, if you have Wang, Chamberlain, and Hughes and they all pan out (I know, chances say they all don't) then how much will they command in 2-4 years once they hit arbitration?

The Yankees could potentially be throwing $40 million a year on those three pitchers alone. Couple that with Rodriguez at $30 million and Jeter at $20 million and their payroll would be $90 million a year on just five players in about 4 years (when Rivera and Posada hang them up and get off the books).

Of course, that's IF all three pitchers pan out. But it's looking like at least two will. And that's still about $80 million on just four guys.

Yea, the Yankees don't really have to worry about this sort of thing. So what if Santana pushes them to $100/115 million in 2012 with five/six player under contract. Still, I get the feeling the Yanks realize that if you have three top starters that you're paying that much money to in the future then it may be smarter to spend that extra 20 million to round out the rest of the lineup. Because lets face it, Cabrera isn't going to be the Yanks best outfielder in four years. They need to pay Cano and they'll need to round out the bullpen with guys that are now commanding $6 million per just to throw one inning.

I think Cashman is planning ahead.

[NYJets]

Re: Don't be surprised if Johan Santana is a Yankee before the season gets underway.

All sources have basically mentioned the money. They really don't want to add yet another player they're going to be paying 20+ million for. I think the biggest issue with the Yanks is the advancing age of their roster including their entire outfield. They have to ask theirselves, is Johan Santana going to help up win more games and beat out the Red Sox in the East than Cabrera and Hughes are? Even with Santana, they still won't challenge the Red Sox in the East and are arguably only the 3rd best team in the AL behind the Sox, and the Tigers. Why not try to clean up some of the mess that stemmed from years of them signing and overpaying for free agents like Mike Mussina, and once those bad contracts come off the books, they can begin to build from within. There's no reason to think they won't have a stud rotation 2 or 3 years from now with Wang, Chamberlain, Hughes, ect. I don't see any reason to mortgage that.

Well I agree with that thinking completely, but I think going after one of those other 2 would mortgage that as well. I don't know if Sheets is even available and Bedard would cost at least as much in prospects as Santana.

[Saber]

Re: Don't be surprised if Johan Santana is a Yankee before the season gets underway.

Well I agree with that thinking completely, but I think going after one of those other 2 would mortgage that as well. I don't know if Sheets is even available and Bedard would cost at least as much in prospects as Santana.

Just about the whole Brewers rotation has been mentioned in one trade rumor or another. Sheets could be had for considerably less than either because of his injury history. Agree on Bedard. I think that comes down to if the Sox land Santana. Then will the Yanks get impatient and push for a deal for a player like Bedard. As long as Santana doesn't end up in Boston, I think they stand pat unless they came somehow work a Matsui for Cain deal.

Likewise I believe as long as the Sox feel the Yanks aren't seriously considering Santana any longer, they don't feel the need to give up any prospects either.

The most likely landing spot might very well be a very desperate Mets franchise that couple well end up coming off Reyes if they get the feeling another team (Mariners?) might steal him.

I just don't get "it" though. Santana is a true ace. Clearly the best pitcher in baseball right now. But adding Santana to pitch for a bad ballclub won't make them a good one (see my beloved Rangers: Santana, Millwood, Padilla, McCarthy, Gabbard hardly constitutes a front line rotation). Putting him on a good club won't necessarily make them great (see the Mets). And finally putting him on a great club won't necessarily push them over the top,which is what that team has to hope for since he's going to cost them some top prospects PLUS 25+ million over 5 or 6 years that they're almost obligated to sign him to since they're trading those prospects. I just believe it's in everyone's (except the Twins) best interest to let him hit free agency. Obviously everyone would expect the Yanks and the Red Sox to instantly be a landing place for him, but I'm not sure that's true. Obviously the Pirates aren't going to get him, but a team like the Mets, Dodgers, Mariners, Angels, Cubs, Orioles, Indians, ect. could all be teams that might be willing to open up the pocketbooks for him, and one of those teams might be willing to venture well above what his "believed" market value is same as the Angels did to land Torri Hunter.

[ehh]

Re: Don't be surprised if Johan Santana is a Yankee before the season gets underway.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3195926

Talks have been called off, again.

[Mr.Burns]

Re: Don't be surprised if Johan Santana is a Yankee before the season gets underway.

This is so annoying. Just pass, and hope some other team like the Mets gets him.

[CMH]

Re: Don't be surprised if Johan Santana is a Yankee before the season gets underway.

Minny needs to trade him or risk losing him for nothing.

I think he ends up in Boston and then everyone will predict they'll three-peat.

[Mr.Burns]

Re: Don't be surprised if Johan Santana is a Yankee before the season gets underway.

I think he ends up in Boston and then everyone will predict they'll three-peat.

Probably. I guess I'll willing to watch Boston win another WS just so we can watch Hughes pitch for NY for the next 10+ years.
The Mets need to make a move asap. Knowing them, they won't include a B prospect now for the game's best pitcher, yet trade him down the line for some average player.

[spyder23]

Re: Don't be surprised if Johan Santana is a Yankee before the season gets underway.

Thank you Hank! F the Twins. They are definitely playing the Yanks against the Sox, and Hank is just letting them knoe he isnt going to be bullied. Nothing wrong with that either. Its funny how Yankee haters find anything to btch abut when it comes to the Yankees.

$hit or get off the pot, Twins. The Yankees have other pitchers they are interested in and the Twins have had plenty of time to decipher between the two deals. If Hughes and Melky and another prospect isnt enough, then adios. Let Boston trade Ellsbury to them. I am to the point now I hope the Twins get stuck with Johan and end up getting nothing for him when he leaves via FA. They have a cheap owner(not to mention probably the games richest owner), and it would serve him right.

And to the guy who said he wished Hank would step aside and let Cashman do his job, I agree. But for different reasons. What you dont understand is we wouldnt even be discussing Hughes to the Twins if Cashman was in charge of all this. Cashman doesnt want to deal him, and neither do I.

I'll gladly keep Hughes. Let the kids have a chance, for once.

LOL...posted by Yours Truly back on Dec 3rd. The freaking Twins. I went on to say in other posts that they should have taken the Yankees deal, its the best of the bunch. Phil Hughes would have been the best player in ANY of the deals they have reportedly been offered, and now he's off the table(allegedly, and thank God!)

Man, I hope they get NOTHING for him. Serves them right. Cheap owner wont even pay The Man, then they try and job every team they come in contact with. Not our problem. Hope he walks and you get zippo Twins. Like I said then, $hit...or get off the pot. Here we are a month and a half later...and round and round we go with this organization. Same old. Bill Smith is a joke anyways.

[Saber]

Re: Don't be surprised if Johan Santana is a Yankee before the season gets underway.

LOL...posted by Yours Truly back on Dec 3rd. The freaking Twins. I went on to say in other posts that they should have taken the Yankees deal, its the best of the bunch. Phil Hughes would have been the best player in ANY of the deals they have reportedly been offered, and now he's off the table(allegedly, and thank God!)

Man, I hope they get NOTHING for him. Serves them right. Cheap owner wont even pay The Man, then they try and job every team they come in contact with. Not our problem. Hope he walks and you get zippo Twins. Like I said then, $hit...or get off the pot. Here we are a month and a half later...and round and round we go with this organization. Same old. Bill Smith is a joke anyways.

Well they won't get "nothing", they'll get draft picks... but yeah, I see your point.

[CWood2]

Re: Don't be surprised if Johan Santana is a Yankee before the season gets underway.

The Twins being ******** with Hank's need to comment every week on whether he IS or ISN'T going to do this trade (poor, poor Brian Cashman) has to be the most annoying saga in recent offseason memory!!

Boston's not moving the needle ... get over it and trade him! The Mets have made a really good offer, and the Angels would rather talk prospects for Paul Konerko (??). The suitors are in the major markets because of his contract, PICK ONE!! The Mets would be ******** to add Gomez, and the Sox shouldn't add Jacoby because they're the default winners if everyone continues to balk. What kind of leverage do they think they have since everyone knows he's not getting resigned?

[Dispatch]

Re: Don't be surprised if Johan Santana is a Yankee before the season gets underway.

The Twins need to hurry up and do something before they lose any chance they have at getting a good deal.