Letters to the Editor
-
Class War Baseball
I fully acknowledge the disparity between the ability of big market teams to get the players they want and the inability of small market teams to do the same. Unfortunately (I say that as a Yankees fan), these big market teams are still following the same old tired model of chasing the star at the end of his contract with a small market team. Sure, that makes for an occasional World Series championship, but it's not an automatic recipe for success.
We of big market team fandom are all too familiar with this exercise of buying up the big name talent. Sometimes it works, but often it doesn't. I'm skeptical that Santana will make the Mets any better than they are now because I've seen this plan crash and burn in the Bronx more than once.
-
You're Right King K ...
... there is no way to tell how this will play out for either team. But, on paper it sounds like a steal for the Mets. I agree with aarondelahoya that these deals are not a new direction for the NYMets, but what surprises me is that Santana'd take them over the Yankees or the BoSox. $20 MILL for 7 years is certainly within their price range, is it not? Was it the length of the contract that bothered them? Or are there other (health?) issues? Whether he brings any Championship Bling to the long-suffering Mets faithful or not, Santana looks certain to provide some excitement. Now that the Yankees are entering the "Post Torre Era," there'll not be much of that around town. However, I really don't expect this addition to change the Mets' fortunes. Late season swooning seems to be their forte.
-
Yankees free agents
Which recent Yankees free agents were you comparing to Santana? That is to say, a 28-year old two-time Cy Young award winner; unquestionably one of the five best pitchers in best, if not the best. I'm not sure that Carl Pavano or Randy Johnson quite fall into that category.
Unless Santana gets injured (always a possibility), or becomes amazingly crappier than he has been for the last several years, he's DEFINITELY going to make the Mets better. Just look at who he will be replacing in the rotation! (I don't know who it is, but I'm pretty sure he sucks.) As some analyst also pointed out, how many more innings will he pitch than the pitcher he replaces, thus taking a significant load of the bullpen.
And in fact, it's not like the Yankees (and Red Sox) have been all that shabby with their "buy everything in sight" game plan of the last several years...I know, I know, several eras have past since the Yankees have won the world series, but they're still in the playoffs every year!
In other words, I'm sure that Royals fans have a lot of sympathy for big market teams, and for their lack of "an automatic recipe for success".
-
PUMP UP THOSE METS
It rouses my suspicions when the Mets unload four middling prospects in exchange for one of the two best pitchers in baseball. It seems particularly suspicious to me because the Yankees and Red Sox both made far better offers for Santana. My theory--that the MLB heirarchy decided that, in lieu of last season's epic collapse, something had to be done to pump up the Mets (the Red Sox and Yankees can take care of themselves, but the Mets, given their track record of dumbass trades and free agent signings, desperately needed a gift like Santana)--may come off sounding like a case of sour grapes, but I'm sticking to it. I think nothing would please the heirarchy more than a Mets-Yankees or Mets-Red Sox World Series, year after year after dismal year. If the Mets pull off a similar robbery next year for C.C. Sabathia, my suspicions will be confirmed.
-
My Advice To Willie Randolph Is
If he wants to coach the Mets in 2009, win it all in 2008.
-
Great deal for the Mets
Can't blame them. They got their guy. That rotation looks pretty good with Johan, Maine, Pedro and Perez/Hernandez.
I doubt Pedro will have a good year, but this team should dominate anyway.
The gap between the haves and the have-nots is growing. How can that be good for the game?
-
Why the Mets got Santana
The Twins did not want to face Santana year after year when playing the Yankees or Red Sox, possibly in the playoffs(Twins rarely make World Series). They were offered better deals from those two teams, but took a lesser one from the Mets. It is the only thing that makes sense, unless you are a conspiracy theorist.
The rundown of great trades, signings and draft picks the Mets have made over the past few years(no longer 1990's) is incredible, despite their late season collapse. This team should consistently compete for a championship for the next 4 years, in fact, their only weakness is pitching. We drop Glavine and get Santana for 6-8 million more a year, wouldn't you do that? Now about the bullpen?
-
The Twins...
... may not be a "big market" team, but they hardly seem like a "have not." They just unloaded a dump truck full of money on Justin Morneau and Michael Cuddyer. They also offered Santana $100m to stay. Maybe we shouldn't be so quick to oversimplify the situation into baseball's class warfare.
As for taking the Mets' package versus some of the others on the table, I think most people underestimate the desire of the Twins to get Johan Santana out of the AL. If indeed the Twins are intent on returning to contention in the next few years, I am sure Santana is a pitcher they did not want haunting them in the AL playoffs.
And let's not forget - Santana held a HUGE amount of leverage in this process with his no-trade clause, and by many accounts preferred to go to the weaker-hitting NL.
Considering that the Mets were the only NL team for whom Santana makes a great deal of sense (in terms of need, prospects, and most importantly the enormous, gigantic financial commitment), it seems inevitable in hindsight that Santana was going to end up there.