Why Trade Santana?!?!

20

A little while ago, I was on ESPN's Sportsnation.com (not sure why), and today's featured question was: Should the Twins trade Johan Santana. And, after I voted what I thought was the obvious "no" answer, the results showed that 65% said "Yes", and only 35% said "No". Why is that??? Am I missing something here? Why trade away your franchise player (with Hunter gone), especially when your best pitcher in the rotation is Francisco Liriano, without Santana. Liriano was great when he was healthy as a rookie in '06 (12-3, 144 K's, 2.16 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, in 121.0 IP). Liriano may not be up to his potential early on in '08, since he missed the entire season this year. Other than Liriano, the Twins rotation consists of Boof Bonser, Matt Garza, and Scott Baker. Last year, the Twins team ERA was 4.15, and that was with Santana, take him away, and you've got no pitching (in the rotation, anyway).

Santana's Stats:

2007- 33 Games, 219.0 IP, 15-13, 3.33 ERA, 1.07 WHIP

Perhaps it's for the cap room, or maybe the Twins are looking to attract a few big names in a blockbuster trade. Whatever it is, I don't agree with it. But, then again, I am not what you would call a "Baseball expert", I prefer American Football (NFL, NCAA) over Baseball. So, could someone, perhaps Niteowl, or Romi (or whoever wants to), explain to me why this would be a good deal for Minnesota, and who the Twins are going after in this potential trade?

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Tyrone BriggsHall of Famer

757 days ago

Score 9

Why? Answer: Impending Free Agency.

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RawbeezeitzMajor Leaguer

757 days ago

Score 7

I doubt that the Twins will go after any big names, unless those big names have their salaries paid by the teams that send them. The Twins want young prospects who are on the cusp of making the Majors. And frankly, I don't blame them. Santana will be a free agent after next year, and will command a huge salary. He could get $20M+ per year for 8 or more years. The Twins simply cannot afford to pay this figure and field a competitive team. At least, that will be what the Twins claim. Instead, the Twins will use Santana to help them rebuild their franchise, maybe catch lightning in a bottle with a few of these prospects, and instead of having one great player, have a great team. Pitching is what wins in baseball, but one pitcher cannot carry a team all by himself.

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SashaDiv-I Stud

757 days ago

Score 7

The Twins offered Santana a contract extension and then Santana countered with an offer that was about $40 million higher then what the Twins offered so the Twins feel that the only way they can get any value from him after '08 is to trade him for a bunch of prospects.

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757 days ago

Score 2

Well, to be honest, I have no clue. I think it has something to do with Johan Santana affecting the team chemistry because he wanted out last season, if I recall. So, what's the point of having an ace when he doesn't even want to pitch for your team? The question is, what the heck would they get in return if they trade him?

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IbeargRed-Shirting

757 days ago

Score 3

baseball doesn't have a salary cap... the twins being a "small market" team though set themselves a small budget for players and thus won't pay a player, any player, particularly large salaries. And has been mentioned Santana will command that next year as a free agent... the idea is that it's better to get something for him then let him go for nothing but draft picks. (which are about as valuable as maybe a 6th round nfl draft pick... if that.)

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SashaDiv-I Stud

757 days ago

Score 3

Baseball does have a salary cap in the form of a luxury tax. But the teams that break it, **cough** Yankees **cough** Red Sox, have no problem paying it.

RawbeezeitzMajor Leaguer

757 days ago

Score 0

The Twins are very far away from breaking the luxury tax barrier.

IbeargRed-Shirting

757 days ago

Score 3

Yes, the purpose of the luxury tax is to curtail salary, but in no way shape or form is it a salary cap. Any team can spend whatever they choose on whomever they choose without any exceptions, clauses, rules etc. That a team might choose to spend less because of the luxary tax is just that...their choice. Most teams are rather unaffected by it, the Yankees and Sox for instance pay whatever they want for players and most of the rest of the teams don't come close to it.

DNLLegend

757 days ago

Score 6

Baseball does have a salary cap -- it's called "revenue", and it varies from team to team :)

Hit By a PitchVarsity

757 days ago

Score 4

Maybe White Sox fans were voting.

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Leeweihan4687Varsity Captain

757 days ago

Score 4

Or fans from any other team hoping their team will go after him

I am a cpcpMajor Leaguer

757 days ago

Score 3

Yeah, Lee, because the Twins are awaiting the results of the poll to make their decision.

TylersaltAll-Star

757 days ago

Score 4

It's real simple. The front office would rather trade him now and get a bunch of good young prospects for him than have him leave in free agency next winter and get zip.

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KelsdadAll-Star

757 days ago

Score 4

The Yankees revenue payment for 2007 was higher than six other team's entire payroll

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I am a cpcpMajor Leaguer

757 days ago

Score 3

Do you know if they're taxable revenue included all of A-Rod's salary or just the part they were paying? If it was just their share, there's revenue sharing might be more than 10 teams starting this year.

KelsdadAll-Star

757 days ago

Score 2

Just the part they're paying.

False ProphetAll-Star

757 days ago

Score 4

Simple: The Twins need players. Lots of them. They need 2 OF's, a 3B, a DH, and maybe a SS for starters. Santana is gone after next year, and there's no way they'll be competing next year, so the trade is to find a team with a bunch of young players and a big budget that is willing to pull the trade (Mets?).

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Mattchase32Soccer Kid

757 days ago

Score 2

Mariners need to pick him up quick

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I am a cpcpMajor Leaguer

757 days ago

Score 3

For whom?

KelsdadAll-Star

757 days ago

Score 4

The whole effin' roster. It'll be like the old Bugs Bunny cartoon where he plays all nine positions and wins the game.

Here's the pitch, ground ball to short, Johan picks it up, throws over to Johan at first, one out.

There's a deep fly to left center, there's Johan on his horse, he dives and makes the catch!!

Johan in trouble here, looks like the Mariners will go to the bullpen, they'll bring in the righthander, Johan.

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Niteowl049AAA-er

757 days ago

Score 1

Kelsdad...great info on the luxury tax for Yankees being more than the payroll of six teams.

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Niteowl049AAA-er

756 days ago

Score 0

With the money saved on A-Rod the Yankees may be able to afford what Santana wants. Wang, Santana and maybe Pettitte would be an awesome first three starters. The Yankees could trade away some high salaried player to have even more money to sign Santana.

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The PipDiv-I Stud

756 days ago

Score 0

The division is out of reach for the next 3-5 years with the way the Indians are set up, so why not dump Santana now while you can get the most for him, and laugh as they get the tail end of his career. They got his best years for dirt cheap and want the next player they can get the same from, prefereably 2 of them. Free agent signings sometimes look like no brainers, but often times they end up on someones overpaid baseball players list. Why pay $20M when you can get someone to give you Buchholz and Elsbury plus 2 other minor league prospects (What the Twins wanted from the Red Sox a week or two ago)? It just makes good business sense to dump him now, especially when the market for pitchers SUCKS this year.

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CityhockeyfeverVarsity Captain

755 days ago

Score 1

I hope Johan Santana stays in Minnesota, but if he is indeed shipped out, the Twins better get as close to equal value as they can. I agree with False Prophet that they need to fill a number of holes now, including of course center field. If the Yankees are that team Santana winds up going to, it better not cost neither team their futures. It must be a fair trade.

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