Comments on: Yanks, Twins talkin’ Santana

By: Olney backs Santana - Sox rumor | River Ave. Blues | A New York Yankees blog

Thu, 29 Nov 2007 21:23:31 +0000

[...] something to keep in mind: This is the Red Sox equivalent of the story that the Yanks and Twins had entered into preliminary talks. For the Yanks, the keyword was “preliminary,” and for the Red Sox, the keyword is [...]

By: Kevin23

Kevin23 — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 16:59:07 +0000

I’ve seen guys miss lay-ups even at the highest levels. When you’re talking about 7-10 years and hundreds of millions of dollars, even lay-ups should make you sweat. Recent history is awash with big name pitchers signing big deals only to suck it up or get injured shortly thereafter. We have many of those examples in our own clubhouse. Risk is just as much a factor as reward.

By: SG

SG — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 00:17:28 +0000

fair enough, but i feel like some were questionable when they were made:

Pavano – coming off a career year in 2004, one year removed from a 12-13, 4.30 ERA
RJ – old, balky knee
Kevin Brown – old, balky back
Damon – too many years

A-Rod was a layup. So was Clemens the first go round, coming off back to back Cy Young Awards. They both lit the world on fire. Santana is the best pitcher in the league, and while no one is a sure thing, I think his success is more easily predictable than the prospects we’d be giving up for him.

In all fairness, Giambi, at the time, was a layup, and that blew up in our face due to “health” issues. Javy Vasquez was a guy I thought would thrive here and did not, but, again, we traded Nick Johnson, Juan Rivera and Randy Choate to get him. Nick Johnson’s terrible luck with injuries withstanding, was the risk not worth it?

By: Kevin23

Kevin23 — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 23:24:46 +0000

Of course, the point is not whether they were, in hindsight, good deals individually. But rather, has that strategy been ultimately successful? So far, its a mixed bag at best. Every off-season in recent memory has earned the Yankees a marquee player either through trade or free-agency. So far, we haven’t won jack. Some deals were utter crap. Some were relatively successful. No one has lit the world on fire. Derek Jeter remains the crowd favorite, and the guy you want at bat in the meaningful situations. When push came to shove, the best pitcher we had last year was a middle reliever.

Perspective is a lovely thing.

By: SG

SG — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 22:06:14 +0000

Roger Clemens worked out pretty well when we shipped out David Wells + Homer Bush + Graeme Lloyd, a move many were unhappy with at the time. Santana in his prime is that kind of acquisition.

And, regardless of not winning a title in his 4 years here, A-rod is an upgrade over Alfonso Soriano and Joaquin Arias. That is a trade we make 11 times out of 10 if we pay all of A-Rod’s salary…which we didn’t until he opted out.

By: Travis G.

Travis G. — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 20:36:42 +0000

i would add Tabata, Betances and Montero to that.

By: Kevin23

Kevin23 — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 16:58:07 +0000

Is that really the voice of reason?

“This is JOHAN SANTANA”

It was JASON GIAMBI too. It was ROGER CLEMONS too. It was RANDY JOHNSON too. It was ALEX RODRIGUEZ too.

How’d those work out for you in October? The Yankees should go back to the business of creating big names…not just buying them. Remember that New York is a special place where some thrive and some sink…even big names. Lets stop betting $20M a pop that we’ve got the answer to that.

By: Mitchell's Eleven

Mitchell's Eleven — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 14:44:31 +0000

in ’95, you would have had them trade Jeter because, damnit, this is CAL RIPKEN, or something of that sort….

trading Wang is an absolutely ridiculous idea. you still have the same hole in the rotation, just a better guy at the top for more money.

i swear…half the blog commenters out there have to be not old enough to remember when we won four championships…

By: LBA Prequel

LBA Prequel — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 14:34:15 +0000

Thank God you aren’t in charge then. Shipping off Wang, a proven top-end of the rotation MLB pitcher and AL Cy Young candidate, instead of two prospects, one of whom with a high ceiling and the other who is being touted for more posture than anything else, is completely absurd.

I don’t want to give up the farm either, but please. If they want Ian Kennedy in a trade for Johan Santana, they can have him and a bag of chips. No way I deal Wang over Kennedy.

By: TurnTwo

TurnTwo — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 13:39:52 +0000

exactly.