Why The Yankees Must Stop At Nothing To....
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by JasonComack
Get Johan Santana. But we'll get to him in a second. You can't talk about acquiring Santana without first talking about Robinson Cano.
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My love/hate relationship with Robby has varied over the past year. He certainly came on strong as the season wore on and his vision at the plate certainly has improved. He's young, adequate defensively, and considering the position he plays he's an offensive juggernaut. He's destined to be a number three hitter and that's saying alot considering he's a second basemen. He's a stud flat out.
He also is the Yankees best trading chip. And by sending Robby out the door the Yanks can fill their greatest need.
A true stopper.
Look, I don't want to trade Robby more than anyone else, but let's be realistic. If the Yankees had Johan Santana you think the ALDS would have turned out differently? Did it look like we needed; A) More offense or B) A true ace this post season?
I hate to follow an example set forth by the Yankees hated rival but, look what the Sawx did with the Josh Beckett trade. Hanley Ramirez might be the next big thing but all the offense in the world couldn't replace how lights out Beckett has been. Last night was a fine example, he put the whole team on his back and on the road wouldn't let them lose.
This is something Chien Ming Wang couldn't do this season. In fact Wang, at 27, might have peaked. Not saying his production this year was disappointing, it wasn't. But he isn't a true ace. Think of the potential of a Santana/Wang one-two punch in the playoffs next year.
Think about the other options such a trade would give the Yankees. All of a sudden the need for starting pitching is reduced. We could go into next season with a Santana, Wang, Pettite (baring he doesn't retire), Hughes, Mussina/Kennedy rotation next year.
That allows us to keep Joba in the penn, for at least another year and assuming 'Mo comes back all of a sudden with might have the top staff in the league.
Now, before I get ahead of myself I am not foolish to assume that Robby alone would be enough to get a Santana deal done. Other prospects would have to be sent along with Cano. However, and it feels so great to say this, the Yankees farm system is absolutely loaded with young arms. We can afford to trade an Kennedy/Alan Horne type along with Cano.
I think a Cano, Horne, Gardner package would be enough to get Johan in pinstripes. I think that's a deal any Yankee fan would have to be thrilled about.
Replacing Cano wouldn't be as difficult as you think. We have an in house option in Wilson Betemit. Besides Wilson there are also some trade candidates, such as Oakland's Mark Ellis, who would fit well in our Sabremetric friendly offense.
Of course losing Cano's bat would only be acceptable if A-Rod/Posoda can be resigned. That's a given.
I hope this article is grounded in more reality than fantasy because with the turmoil the Yankees are in right now it'd be nice to hear some good news.
[Note: Anyone who thinks that we could build a package around Wang instead of Cano is foolish. Sinker balls don't fair well at the Metro Dome, for good reason. To get Wang involved the deal would have to become a three team affair.]
[Also: Wouldn't the Yankees love to enter their new stadium and have the ability to advertise the MVP/CY Young tandem of A-Rod and Johan?]
[Last thing...I promise: Before anyone mentions how the Red Sox also got Mike Lowell in the Beckett trade remember, Lowell was a pure salary dump in that trade. Lowell wasn't expected to do this, in hindsight it certainly made that trade look alot better for the Sox. Also, the Red Sox also traded Anibal Sanchez in that deal. Once again, with hindsight it doesn't look all the bad because he got injured. But, before he got hurt he pitched a no hitter and looked like a pretty good prospect.]
