looks like Santana is gone next season

[bottomset]

does MN's goal switch to trading him this offseason, like Montreal had to do with Pedro?

[andnow]

[ QUOTE ]
it's scary to think what he will make on an open market..

[/ QUOTE ]

Especially if you compare his stats, to Zito's stats, and consider how much Zito got from the Giants.

[New001]

[ QUOTE ]
does MN's goal switch to trading him this offseason, like Montreal had to do with Pedro?

[/ QUOTE ]
Without taking ticket sales and other such things into consideration, I'd be surprised if this wasn't the answer. There's no way they're keeping him, and Minnesota's chances next year can't be good enough to risk keeping him.

[Vyse]

[ QUOTE ]
i see no reason he can't get a eight or ten year deal in the 28MM/per range

[/ QUOTE ]

Wtf? Who could even afford that? I don't think even the Yankees can.

[Azizal]

[ QUOTE ]
please god don't let the yankees sign him

please god don't let the yankees sign him

please god don't let the yankees sign him

[/ QUOTE ]

Ditto, but I think they will. No team with money needs a front of the line starter like they do, and they have the most money.

Who else could afford him and has the willingness? Boston, probably not. Same with Detroit. Angels and Mets I think are up there, so are the Dodgers. Braves will likely spend their money (freed up from Andruw/Hampton/new management) on Teixeira, but if they don't they will be a dark horse candidate.

Another interesting possibility is the Nats. They do have money, despite common perception. The Orioles have money but suck at tempting people to sign, but they deserve to be named. I suppose the Cardinals have a shot too? If the Cubs don't get Zambrano back, they will certainly be in hot pursuit. Unless I'm forgetting someone, the only other teams that I could see getting him are Seattle and Arizona.

I guess it's actually a pretty long list!

[Vyse]

Boston won't even need him. Angels are pretty much it. Maybe the Mets I guess.

But $28m/yr for 8 years? Wtf?

[NT!]

ok maybe only 25.

his projected 5-year MORP including this year is 95MM.
zito's was only 34MM and his deal is worth what, 90MM over that time frame?

i would guess anything 6 years or less he can get 25 per. over that probably more like 22. sound more reasonable?


i would love to see him in boston but it'll never happen. their SP situation isn't as rosy as some people think, some people saying that are leaning very heavily on lester / buccholz / bowden as early as 2008. i think there's a good chance jon and clay are productive ML starters next season but it's far from a guarantee.

[Vyse]

I feel like the higher you keep going in salaries, the quicker you reach the ceiling because by default less and less teams can afford it, and the teams that could reasonably afford it have already burned a ton of money on other massive signings in previous years, taking them out of contention.

Though you do have to view the Zito deal as especially stupid when they could've just waited two years and paid extra to Johan + use the extra time to find out which pitching prospects were fo reelz.

Boston rotation:

Matsuzaka through '12
Beckett through '10

Two super cheap contracts (less than $10/yr individually) to anchor their top of the rotation.

Toss in Lester through '13, Buchholz I'm assuming also has to be through '13, and the possibility of still turning Papelbon back into a starter (for the record a move I'd at least try out) and they should be fine. I guess they could sign Santana, giving them a ridiculous rotation, but they don't need to.

They also have money freed up from Schilling and Clement at the end of this year to invest in more pitching if they so choose to.

[Mr November]

it is bs that the twins have done nothing to help him out... hes easily the best pitcher in baseball...

does anyone think they will try to trade him to get something if he's 100% serious about leaving the twins?

[THAY3R]

I think alot of people are underestimating just how sick the Yanks pitching will be come 2009, Santana or not.