by Jack Cobra, Cobra Brigade
For those of you who were living under a rock last night....Johan Santana has been traded to the NY Mets, pending a physical and a contract extension, both of which should be done rather easily.
When the 'Santana Sweepstakes' started this offseason it looked like the Twins were going to pull off another coup (much like the one they pulled to get Francisco Liriano, Joe Nathan, etc.) and show that they were one of the smartest organizations in baseball yet again. There had been talk of top prospects along with major league ready players heading to Minnesota to help warm up the hearts of Twins fans during this cold Winter. Instead, they came away with two prospects (using the term loosely) and two fringe players. This, my friends, was not a good move by the Twins.
I understand how the salaries of these young players is going to help the Twins as far as their payroll is concerned, but as far as their production on the actual playing field is concerned....the Twins came up woefully short. They rec'd a 22-year old outfielder with little pop, no plate discipline and some speed. They were able to pick up a pitcher who doesn't even have a winning record in the minor leagues and has struggled in his brief time in the majors. They were able to add on a 19-year old pitcher who hasn't even dominated the lower minors and they sealed the deal with a small pitcher who doesn't strike out a lot of people. That's not even close to equal value for a two-time Cy Young Award Winner.
Time will tell whether or not this turns out to be the trade that takes the Twins to multiple playoff appearances or sets their franchise back a decade, but right now....it's not looking too good.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
TWINS MISPLAY THEIR HAND, LOSE OUT ON SANTANA SWEEPSTAKES
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
BEST USE OF PHOTOSHOP AWARD FOR DECEMBER 11
Props to With Malice...
If you do or see some great photoshopping in the future, send it to us and you might win ...
... the envy of bloggers everywhere.
Money can't buy that!
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
THOUGHTS ON THE RED SOX AND SANTANA
by Brian P. Foley, The College Baseball Blog
The Red Sox and the Minnesota Twins are in extensive talks over the prospect of trading Johan Santana for four Red Sox players. The Red Sox players would be a combination of Justin Masterton, Jacoby Ellsbury, and two other lower level prospects. This move would be a considered in Boston as a disaster because Ellsbury has become a folk-hero in Boston and is expected to be the Red Sox center-fielder for the next 8-10 years in the mold of Johnny Damon and Ichiro Suzuki.
If the Red Sox were to make the trade, they would have the best rotation in the last 25 years with Josh Beckett, Curt Schilling, Johan Santana, Daisuke Matsuzaka, and a combination of Clay Bucholz/John Lester. It could be expected that the top four of the Red Sox rotation would win at least 15 games a piece which would give the Red Sox 60 wins from their rotation. The Sox would also not lose any of their powerful offense as Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz still would be in the heart of the order.
What do you think the Red Sox should do about Santana? Is he worth it?
Thursday, November 29, 2007
DEAR TWINKIES MANAGEMENT
by Simon, SimonOnSports
Dear Twinkies Management,
Hey Mr. GM guy, it's me Joe Nathan your perennial all star closer and I just want you guys to know that I'm still on your roster and I have terrific value. I mean just look at my stats, they are great. I have a 1.94 ERA and a 160 saves over the last 4 seasons, that's just about tops in the league. I'm even an All-American just look at my picture. Who wouldn't want that? Everyone could use a solid bullpen guy, if you like I can run off a few contenders really quickly that could use one, but I'm sure you guys already know. You know one just so happens to start with a T and end in an igers another starts with a C and ends with an ubs. But I digress.
I'm just letting you guys know that I'm not getting any younger and I am 33 years old. Plus this is the last year you guys can underpay me, I mean 7 guys make more money than me and if Francisco Cordero can get 11.5 million dollars per year imagine what I'm going to get on the open market. Unlike Cordero I haven't been dumped from the closers spot and traded in the past two years because I haven't sucked since I've been on your team. In simpler terms I'm awesome he sucks and I get paid 5.5 million less. Let's be honest you can't really afford to pay me the 12+ million dollars a year I will want and command for perhaps my last pay day of my career.
I'm not saying that I'm demanding a trade, don't think that at all, I don't mind playing in this hideous dome or living in the Arctic Circle, I'm just saying that if you trade Johan it might be a decent idea to find out what you can get for me. You guys know you aren't going to want to shell out big money for me next year and I wouldn't want you to, I know you guys have to invest your funds in Joe and Justin, again I am 33 years old. And I'm great, you could definitely get an A-level prospect for me maybe even more.
I guess that's all I have to say. Is that if you guys make the correct decision and decide to trade me to a contender who is willing to pay me more than 6 god damn million dollars a year than I would completely understand.
Your 2nd Best Pitcher and Trading Chip,
Joseph Michael Nathan
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
JOHAN SANTANA ON THE MARKET
by Jack Cobra, Cobra Brigade
With all apologies to Sooze.....her Twins are cheap. They have (probably) the top left handed pitcher in all of baseball and it looks like the Twins aren't going to re-sign him. Instead, they are going to sell him to the highest bidder (kind of)....awesome.
When a great pitcher like Santana becomes available, everyone comes knocking at the door as if they were adolescent boys trying to date the hot girl in the neighborhood. The Yankees, Dodgers, Angels and Red Sox have all been rumored to have A) interest in Santana and B) the assets to get the deal done. These are the 'usual suspects' in baseball circles and these teams will be bidding against each other to try to pry Santana from the steely cold hands of Carl Pohlad....but as in life, there is a twist to this tale.
Santana has a full no trade clause in his contract which means that....he's going to be the one to determine where he ends up. If I'm him, I'm looking at one team. The Dodgers. Santana is nearly 30 years old and he can move to the 'easier' National League to finish out the last 6-7 years of his career. On top of that, by going to the Dodgers he becomes the next Sandy Koufax and that will bring about all kinds of marketing opportunities for him (extra cash). The Dodgers have the farm system to get the job done and the financial assets to continue to put a good team on the field around Santana. They signed Joe Torre this off-season and Santana would be a great way to top off their team.
If Santana stays in the American League he's going to be bashing heads with the Yankees/Red Sox/Angels for the rest of his career and while that's entertaining to you and me....I wouldn't want to do it as a pitcher. He'll face loads of scrutiny in both Boston and New York and for a guy who came up through the Houston and Minnesota systems, I can't imagine that's something he's looking forward to. In the end, because of the full no trade clause, it will come down to what Santana wants.
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
Cleveland Owns Johan
by Jack Cobra, Cobra Brigade
While most teams would prefer to not face Minnesota Twins pitcher Johan Santana, the Cleveland Indians actually look forward to it. With their 5-0 victory yesterday, the Indians are now.....5-0 against Johan this season. It looks like the Indians are well on their way to winning the AL Central and they have Johan the Barbarian to thank.
Monday, August 20, 2007
Throwing Knives: The Donaghy Situation Will Get Worse
by BD, Sports Show On Mute
It's interesting really, seeing Anna Faris playing "herself" on Entourage. She's far more attractive playing a regular person than she generally is in her movies. Where her countless goof ball roles, while certainly not unattractive, her idiocy tends to diminish her looks a little bit for this guy. I'll get to Entourage though, but first it'll be sports and Mr. Donaghy has wrangled the headline away from Vick once again. Though Vick should trump him with a plea or superseding indictment sometime today. Anyhow, it's a back to back does of Anna Faris for you all and I know one carnie will be happy about that.
Donaghy To Name As Many As 20 NBA Officials Who Have Gambled
While this is certainly a little petty if it's going to be things like: "Violet Palmer put $5,000 on the Bears in the Super Bowl." Then I personally don't want to hear it. That said, you have to wonder where the NBA will go from here. It's almost impossible for David Stern to not, at the very least, suspend officials who've been putting $20 on red from time to time. As a failure to act would only be seen as a failure in cleaning up the league's game fixing problem. That said, where do you get replacement ref's without a drop off in consistency and "talent." If you can call reffing a talent in the first place. The number of blown calls could go through the roof if the league is forced to replace the majority of it's officiating crew. Let's hope Stern can find a way to spare those who've really done nothing to bad.
What Will Happen First?
Vick reaches a plea deal? Or, a superseding indictment is filed? And he's in even worse shape. What do you think?
Johan Santana Is Your Father
The Twins Ace, and arguably the best pitcher in all of major league baseball racked up 17K's in 8 innings yesterday. Interestingly Santana pulled himself after the eighth rather than going out and taking his shot at tying the record. I'm not sure if I'd read anything into that but given his recent comments after the deadline one could do just that.
Jimmy Clausen Just Wants to Get Wasted
Clausen the "future" of Notre Dame was cited for "transporting alcohol as a minor" on June 23rd. I honestly didn't know transporting alcohol as a minor was even an offense. It was always "minor in possession" that I'd heard of. But, to steal a ridiculous gimmick from a tabloid, Jimmy Clausen is just like US! Wow, I need a shower after typing that.
Weekend Box Office Top 5
1. Superbad
2. Rush Hour 3
3. The Bourne Ultimatum
4. The Simpsons Movie
5. The Invasion
I'm seeing Superbad today so I'll have the recap for that tomorrow. Haven't decided if The Invasion is worth watching just yet. The Simpsons was solid, Rush Hour sucked, and I have not yet seen Borne Ultimatum.
Television
Just Entourage for today as usual. Though I intend to watch Californication again tonight and highly recommend it.
Entourage was once again solid, but not great last night. The whole jealous boyfriend bit with Anna Faris was moderately amusing and Mr. Walsh provided his usual humor. Especially the portion in which he had a gun in the bathroom over his script that he thought Vince didn't like. It looks like things will get even better for Walsh next week as he's going to ask Anna to be apart of the new movie, that includes multiple sex scenes, next week. I can't even imagine how Eric is going to handle that situation. Should be pretty funny.
Rating: 7/10
Scoreboard - August 19th - 2007
NFL Preseason
New York 13, Baltimore 12
MLB
National League
Atlanta 6, Arizona 2 - Smoltz now Atlanta's all-time strikeout leader.
San Francisco 6, Florida 5
New York 8, Washington 2
Pittsburgh 8, Philadelphia 4
Cincinnati 7, Milwaukee 6
San Diego 5, Houston 3
Los Angeles 4, Colorado 3
American League
New York 9, Detroit 3 - Zumaya returns tomorrow.
Toronto 3, Baltimore 2 F/10
Tampa Bay 4 Cleveland 3 F/12
Los Angeles 3, Boston 1
Minnesota 1, Texas 0
Seattle 11, Chicago 5
Oakland 6, Kansas City 1
Breaking News!!! Johan Santana is Good
by Jack Cobra, Cobra Brigade
It seems that Johan Santana may have been getting just a little tired of people saying that Erik Bedard is the best left handed pitcher in the American League and went out to prove that he is still the King of the Hill. One lazy Sunday afternoon and 17 strikeouts later and Johan the Barbarian can rest easy knowing that he's the man.
I love to watch a slugfest just as much as the next guy but there is little in baseball that is better than watching a perfectly pitched game and Santana did just that. Thrwing all of his pitches where he wanted, and when he wanted...Santana left the Texas Rangers as frustrated as a virgin on prom night. He was a man on a mission and he wasn't going to be denied.
I don't think there is another pitcher that I would rather watch pitch a ballgame. Sure Brandon Webb has the scoreless innings streak going, Erik Bedard has been throwing lights out and Jake Peavy has been absolutely filthy this season but for my money....Johan is the man.
For the next year every article written about Santana is going to include the point that he can become a free agent after next season. This phenomenal outing does nothing but up the price tag to sign Santana. The Twins would be best served if they built a time machine and went back to 2006 and signed him to a 7 year deal.....instead they will be left bidding with the Yankees, Dodgers, Mets, Orioles, etc. for the best lefty in baseball.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Johan the Barbarian Leaving Minnesota?
by Jack Cobra, Cobra Brigade
I was just about to write on a completely different MLB topic when I came across one of the best articles I've read in awhile. Jayson Stark of ESPN. com breaks down the who/what/where/when/why when it comes to the Minnesota Twins and their chances of re-signing Ace Johan Santana before he leaves via free agency next season. It's too good of an article not to mention as it touches upon so many different topics in MLB from free agency to how small market teams should strategize when it comes to the signing of free agents or the re-signing of their own players.
Johan Santana is probably the most dominant pitcher in MLB the past five seasons as he's gone 89-31 since 2003 while baffling hitters his fastball and disappearing change-up. He is what Pedro Martinez used to be. The winner of two Cy Young Awards already, Santana becomes a free agent after the 2008 Season and this offseason will be filled with speculation if the Twins do not re-sign him.
The Stark article is filled with tons of quotes from unnamed general managers around baseball all with their own opinions.....Here is mine....if the Twins do not re-sign Johan Santana they are going to struggle to sign anyone for a very long time. They have to keep in mind that at some point Joe Mauer is going to need to be re-signed and Joe Nathan is up for a new contract at the same time as Santana. If they don't re-sign Santana, the best pitcher in all of baseball, how can they say they are trying to win a World Series? How can they say they are trying to put the best team on the field?
If the Twins were to trade Santana it's not as if they are going to get fair market value for him. THEY CAN'T. There isn't a mix of prospects in all of baseball that would be equal to the value of Santana. If the Twins don't re-sign Santana, they are essentially screwing themselves and putting themselves in a position to struggle for years to come.
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