Silva gone, Bonser disappearing
Posted on December 20th, 2007 – 5:52 PMBy La Velle
Carlos Silva. To Seattle for four years and $48 million. Whoo.
Congratulations to Silva, who did extremely well in what was his window to maximize his earnings potential. If that’s what the market bears, more power to him and, darn, I should have conditioned better and played better defense when I had my chance in youth baseball.
“I did have a conversation with his agent (Thursday),” Twins GM Bill Smith said. “I’m happy for him. It’s a tremendous thing for Carlos Silva.”
Silva was 47-45 in four seasons with the Twins, who gave him a chance to become a starter and eventually land such a fat contract.
He had his ups and downs. He usually didn’t hide his frustrations when he didn’t pitch well. He would snap at reporters sometimes and there were a couple times he dashed after games and didn’t speak with us. I never held that against him much because, with Silva, it was more about passion than defiance or arrogance. I get that. And he usually was fine the next time around.
I’ll never forget when he threw the ball into the upper deck of the Dome after getting his first-ever complete game shutout in 2004 and then watched him go up to a couple Angels players during batting practice the next day and apologize for his actions.
He walked just nine batters in 188 innings that year, something I may never see again.
He took all kinds of heat this spring when he pitched beyond horribly but recovered with a decent season - 13-14 with a 4.19 ERA. He had two fewer wins and gave up 13 fewer homers than Johan Santana in what was a down year for the two-time Cy Young winner.
Now Silva is headed to good pitcher’s park with a good defensive outfield and two slick fielders on the left side of the Mariners infield. Good luck.
The Twins do NOT receive any draft pick compensation for losing Silva because Silva didn’t qualify as a Type A or B free agent, and there’s no longer a C-class….
Moving on to the Twins’ 2008 rotation, I talked to a few Twins folk today who reported that Boof Bonser has been working out religiously and has dropped about 20 pounds. That’s pretty good with about six weeks left before pitchers and catchers report for spring training (six weeks, geez).
Bonser has been in contact with Perry Castellano, the Twins’ strength and conditioning coordinator, throughout the offseason. The Twins were concerned that excess weight worked against Bonser last season, so they are pleased with how he’s responded.
“We look to Boof to have a big year next year,” Smith said.
142 Responses to "Silva gone, Bonser disappearing"
Glad to see Boof hittin the gym. With a little stamina, he could be a solid pitcher.
Despite what Bill Smith said, we’re all hoping the Boofster does not have “big” year - isn’t that why he’s getting into better (read: not oblate) shape?
So Boof, Baker, & Santana’s trade-replacement.
And LENIII, do they still plan on Perkins being a starter?
If “yes”, then the 5th starter is Slowey/Liriano.
Silva, pitching for a pretty good team, winds up with a .511 winning percentage with them. And now he’ll get $12M a year!!!??!!!
Now for sure Santana won’t sign with the Twins for $20M a year….
Well good for Carlos, and Lohse will get a contract close to that. But what has happened to this game? It’s way outta wack.
By the time the new stadium does open, Baker, Boof and Liriano could all be worth more than 12m a year.
Wow, how ridiculous are the Mariners? Sad day when a guy like Serve’em Up Silva lands a 4 year $48 million deal. Still, give him or more likely his agent for getting a team looking for SP help to overpay.
Baseball economics are so screwed up. However, this has been said before and the Apocolypse hasn’t hit MLB yet. I wonder if it ever will?
Remember when Silva said he’d take a hit for the team, and then there was speculation that it would be $6-7M a year, and that the market for him would be $9-10M?
GM Smith had better put the Santana folder away, and get the Morneau one out and sign him to a long term deal quick.
Santana and Silva will cost $32-35M+ in 2009, double of 2007.
Romer. He said he wanted to stay here and was willing to take less money to do it. He wanted a 4 year deal, and we offered 3 years at 6 million a year. 18 million vs 4 years and 48 million. Even George Bush and Kevin McHale can do that math, and those two haven’t have a rational thought in decades.
You can’t blame Silva.
This just upped Santana to 22 Million a year starting, and about 25 million at the end of the seven years so now we are looking about 167 million for an extention.
It’s going to behoove the Yankees or Red Sox to get this thing done quick… one more big signing, and Santana could be Arod Jr.
BC, I almost never blame the players. It’s the billionaire owners who make the offers.
Who among us take $7M for anything if a billionaire came along and offered us 70% more ($12M).
Lots of people I know are sick of the spoiled, rich players. But who’s doing the spoiling?
If Hillary gets elected, I hope she cuts a backroom deal with congress to appoint Bill as commish….and get him out of the (white) house.
20 Lbs for Boof???
So he hasn’t hit McDonalds in a week?
Romer,
were you upset or offended by my rip of GB-2?
I was, MN has enough crazy liberals.
Try sticking to baseball, leave the politics out of it.
Exactly Romer! About the blame going to the owners, not the players.
Yeah I don’t want any discussion of out-and-out “politics” either.
Yet it’s congress who gives MLB its monopoly status with the exemption to the anti-trust statutes, so……..
And no, BC, I’m not a Bush fan. It would be incredible if Pohlad were such a deficit-spender though, wouldn’t it.
Pohlad for President!!
Sure Max. Whatever you want, Pawlenty would take it away from me anyways so I might as well just give in.
We will talk baseball.
This is the owners fault. The steroids are the owners fault, all of it belongs to the owners. You take a teenager to a young 20 something person, and flash the potential to make 10s of millions of dollars for years and years… They’ll do almost anything… think of Michael Vick’s dogs being starved for a few weeks getting to see a juicy steak… they’d do almost anything… and the owners just keep making bigger and bigger steaks for the ball players.
Rich people screwing things up again.
Value is a funny thing. A .500 pitcher is worth $12m. Santana is worth $20-25m. Lohse is worth $6-8m? Our young starters are on par with or better than Silva and Lohse, yet paid a lot less. When will these teams wake up? Pitcher’s are woth what someone will pay them. But the someone’s are crazy.
Pohlad is reportedly a democrat… he’s pretty good at spending other people’s money, and none of his.
Great news on Boof. I expect him to rebound this year, ala Baker’s career path thus far.
And I fully expect the rotation to be:
Santana (or replacement)
Baker
Liriano
Slowey
Boof
with Perkins in the pen as the 2nd lefty.
And that will be the order of the rotation also, depending on Santana.
I’m going to go ahead and guess that a signing such as this actually puts pressure on teams trying to deal for Santana.
Think of it this way, SILVA got $12 million a year. Any team that gets Santana this year gets to negotiate with him while that is out there as the “benchmark” or sorts.
Now if they wait a year and let Santana hit the open market, not only will they be bidding against other teams…but they’ll also be racing against the clock before guys such as Sabathia get signed. Because whatever CC gets (and you know it’ll be a lot), Santana will likely ask for more.
Dustin
Bonser was a much better pitcher than Baker… much more consistant until he ate himself out of his rotation spot kind of like Sid Fernandez did at the end of his career, or Kent two tons of Hrbek.
So if Bonser can lose another 30 lbs and become a man, and not a little baby like he was half way through the season with his antics on the bench after getting pulled in Texas, and Cleveland I believe… and if he doesn’t throw a fit like he did before the game from the 87 reunion Saturday night… maybe just maybe he could be a GREAT pitcher.
Bonser has the stuff to be a great pitcher… he’s got the head of a child, and the belly of a whale though… we need Jenny Craig and Dr. Phil to tag team on him.
Cheap……the Mariners got him really cheap.
If Santana goes, the Twins starting rotation should be good for about 100 losses.
T
You and I agree on two things now 100%
Somebody better trade for Santana and get him signed as soon as possible, before he’s worth $30mm/yr.
In other news, the Tigers signed Willis for 3/29 without him pitching a single game.
Now, does anybody else think that Willis (though having some injury issues recently) is actually worth 3 million or so less a year than Silva?
That one caught me off guard.
Silva sucks. He is no more than a no. 4 pitcher at very best.
Silva’s agent should be up for “Man of the Year.” Seattle’s GM should be up for “Idiot of the Year.”
Carlos does look like a million bucks in his new suit and big smile on Seattle’s web site.
Twins rotation will still be solid if the trade Santana and a pretty low level prospect for Jacoby Ellisbury and Clay Bucholtz
Natsy, that’s essentially trading Santana for both guys, something Boston has said they wouldn’t do.
The prospect would have to be closer to ready than “lower minors”
Bucholtz would be in the rotaton obviously not Ellsbury
T, if Boston was not giving up Bucholtz instead of Masterson and Lowrie, then they might do it.
sorry, I meant WAS giving up Bucholtz
The difference between Willis and Silva is that Willis was still arbitration-eligible. That’s why his contract was less. But really, I’m actually not sure I’d rather have him even going forward. That was an awful deal too and Willis will get eaten up in the AL. I love that signing because Christmas came early for our young RH sluggers Young and Cuddyer.
And BC, Bonser does have more potential than Baker, I agree, but he hasn’t shown it consistently yet. He’s got the stuff to be the next John Lackey if everything broke right. Just needs to really dedicate himself and keep working.
This Silva deal proves more than anything the Twins MUST sign Johan Santana. Even if it is 25 mill a year, in a couple of years, the rate will be 25 mill for a mediocre pitcher like Silva, so we will have to spend that much money anyway and get a much worse pitcher. Who would have ever thought a couple of years ago that Silva would command 12 million today?
People will say we cant give one player 1/3 or our payroll, and I agree. The fact is, that a salary cap must be instituted, or cheap skates like Carl who do not want to play by the rules of today, no matter how ridiculous they are, should sell to someone who will.
This proves more than anythign we need to sign Johan even for 25 million, because in a couple of years, we wont even get a medicore pitcher for that
if a salary cap is not instituted, any team that does not have at least a 100 million dollar payroll will not be able to compete in the major leagues.
Sad, crazy, dysfunctional, all those things. But thats the way it is, and if Carl wont play in that sandbox, sell to someone who will
I don’t know what you guys are talking about. Willis rocks the casba.
I don’t know if I could take the Twins seriously if they were willing to pay 12 mil. a year for a crappy pitcher like Silva.
I don’t know how we can take the Twins seriously when our owner doesnt refuses to make a serious offer to retain the best pitcher in baseball.
Well actually, I couldn’t take the Twins seriously since they make TC the mascot. Now that guy is rediculous
I am not getting this.
Am I supposed to be angry at Silva:
1)because he had a good year last year?
2) because he pitched his guts out even when his pitches were ineffective?
or 3) because he accepted a big contract?
Was he supposed to turn down the money?
Was the money supposed to go to me?
I don’t think he is crappy or sucks.
I can’t seem to get angry at him.
I must not be a real Twins fan.
I’m not bitter enough.
They paid $12 million a year for Silva? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
Bonser on slimfast, and Dr. Phil could be good for 12-14 wins
Baker if he’s the Baker we saw after the last call up… could be good for 12-14 wins
Liriano if he’s ready to go at Spring training like they say he is… he could be ready for a 15+ wins
Slowey wins ugly, he’s extremely smart, and he does a great job at doing the right thing at the right time. I’d say he’s good for 10-12 wins.
Saying that they go with
benefit of the doubt they find a way to get Lester in the deal.
Lester is good for 12-14 wins
They get Hughes he’s good for 12-15 wins
61 to 75 wins tops from the rotation
The bullpen should be good for 10-15 wins… so
71-90 wins if and I mean IF everything goes right… they could reach 90 wins.
So I think them losing 100 games is pretty unlikely, but I suppose I’d bet on them losing 100 games long before I’d give them a shot at a division title, or a wildcard birth.
So if we dont have a shot at a division title of wildcard birth next year, why are we insisting on trading for second tier, MLB ready prospects, when there are first tier prospects 1-2 years away?
(FMartinez, AJackson, AHorne, CKershaw)
the first 2nd tier, MLB ready players that come to mind are Lester, Crisp, and MCabrera
Kevin…
I will bet you that at least 2 teams in baseball this year will make the playoffs without spending 100 million dollars.
My guess off the top of my head (don’t hold me as this is a figure of speech), but I’d say Cleveland about 68 million beats the Yankees 185 million dollar payroll because they are a better team with a better manager, and a much better pitching staff, with an ACE that is about to get PAID PAID PAID. in CC Sabbathia.
In the NL, Colorado is still formidable, they are well under 100. Arizona if Unit comes back and pitches as the 3rd starter behind Haren and Webb… they could be pretty tough. The Padres aren’t close to 100 Million and they have a pretty solid team. Milwaukee is a year older, and a little bit of a bitter taste in their mouths and could win the division or a wild card birth… the Brewers are cheaper than Pohlad.
We had our window, and Carl and the kids wanted stability, competetive baseball, and a brand new stadium… and you have to give them credit they used our window for a championship or two and milked 3 years into 7 years, and got a new stadium. No title, but that wasn’t the goal. They did their business, and did it well.
I mean from a business standpoint you have to say it’s nearly flawless, other than they could have probably milked two more years had they signed Santana to a long term deal last year for about 17 million per for 5 years, and they would have traded Hunter, and Silva at the break last year, but that was a mistake that we can’t fix… No one is perfect, but as long as the rich get richer than business is always done correctly…
And that my friends is in it’s clearest form WHY I HATE the Twins managment, and their owner(s).
They don’t care about WINNING a championship. They have two already… one for each of the spoiled brats that will inherit about 1.5-2.2 billion each when the old man shuffles the mortal coil as it were.
And we get 4 years of Lenny Faedo I mean Lenny Harris, or Willie Harris, or Franco Harris at 2nd base… Buddy Biancalana or Mario Mendoza at SS, Lambchop at 3rd base… Headcase at 1st base, a skirt behind the plate, and a pitching staff in diapers.
And we still have no idea if we are going to have have to use a pooper scooper in CF to clean up for Span, or if “smile” Pirdie going to be our CF, or if we will get Jaque Jones jr in Cabrera, Alex Cole Jr in Coco Crisp, or Fred Lynn Jr in Ellsbury.
Young could throw a bat at any given time, Cuddyer could do another summersalt, and be sidelined for half a season, and Craig Monroe have to replace him… Kubel who walks like he’s been riding a horse all day because of those bow legs, and bad knees might have become our DH, or he could be our new RonDL White???
Boof could eat the pitching wedge, and the razen bag. Slowey could get slower, and be batting practice. Baker could be back to bad baker, and get burned. Liriano might not be ready til May, might not be ready til September…
Lester could get cancer again, Hughes could blowout his shoulder again, or was it his knee? Nathan could have his eyes set on the billion dollar Pohlad launch pad and choke like Andruw Jones, or make out like Carlos Silva and be the first 30 million dollar a year closer? It would be for another team obviously! Neshak could blow out that arm from that goofy delivery, Guerrier well, sorry I can’t say anything bad about him… that man is gold, and is the one single solid pitching spot this team has for 2008 right now. Crain coming back from injury… Rincon can’t pitch without the roids, Perkins is going back to AAA because relief is too hard on his arm… Reyes could be good, could be bad, but no one will ever know which one at which pitch, let alone batter, or inning, or game.
So while I seriously doubt all will go wrong and all of that will happen.
I still haven’t even mentioned the two worst things yet.
Gardy is still the one pulling the pitchers so that means Rincon gets 60 games to lose leads in, and Gardy loves Punto… so that could mean 400 atbats for a guy that couldn’t make the Saints.
Oh, and the team has an amazing track record developping talent into prospects, but no track record of making their draft picks into MLB calibur starters/stars… but that’s not even the problem… point two that I was getting to is that the whole organization has no concept of a hitting philosophy. The pitching one is solid, not perfect, but solid… the hitting one was written in crayon by one of Pohlad’s great grand-daughters most likely.
Go Twins.
Lester isn’t a 2nd rate prospect,
Cabrera shouldn’t even be considered a prospect… he’s an amazing 4th outfielder.
Hughes is a star with an astrix
Ellsbury is a gem with questionmark.
The Yankees don’t seem willing to trade Jackson or Horne
The Dodgers haven’t said boo to us because I think Kershaw is the best player that is out there to grab… even ahead of Hughes (call me crazy…most people do, but it’s ok, I’m right more often than wrong).
And I like Gomez more than Martinez… and either way without the words Wright, or Reyes, or possibly Maine and both Gomez and Martinez, along with Pelfry, Humber or however, and another player. Mets want to give up 7 tons of silver for 235 lbs of GOLD?
Right now we’re in a standoff, and we aren’t carrying guns… a rookie GM with some testicular fortitude that “No balls and 3 strikes” Ryan never had, vs two big boys, and Ike from South Park… I mean the Mets. They are the ones playing with guns now my friend.
Kick the baby
Somebody in the other blog said that in a weird way, the way Smith has been holding out on this trade has eventually put a negative effect on this situation
It seems that the Bosox and Yanks have both been standing pat on their offers, and in turn, have both been able to somewhat reduce their offers.
Hughes is close to being taken off the table
The Red Sox are now pushing the Lester package a lot more than the Ellsbury package.
If the twins cant find a legitimate 3rd team to get involved, we may have to settle with less than what we could have had 2-3 weeks ago.
By the way, I am not buying the fact that Smith is content to enter the season with Santana on our roster…its not in the Twins’ organization’s blood to try to call Santana’s bluff and negotiate a trade midseason, and getting 2 draft picks for Johan that wont be ready to make our team contenders in 2010 with the new ballpark doesnt make sense with the direction Smith has been trying to take this team so far this offseason.
If we have to take 2 draft picks for Santana with as cheap as we are with drafting allotments… and not taking risks with kids after getting burned by Travis Lee… I think we end up with some of the most broken hearted Minnesotans this side of Mike Morris’ botched snap, and Morton Anderson’s missed field goal… and the sting will last for 10-15 years.
I have many of the same complaints, but, man, BC, why do you bother watching the Twins if they make you that mad? I’m not one that says you should never be hard on your team, trust me, I do it as much as anyone.
You just laid out the worst case scenario for every Twins player. It’s not going to be THAT bad, c’mon.
BC…. Geez what set you off. Iff we get 3 prospects, we are better off than 2 draft picks. Who knows what has really been offered so far. How can you tell if the guys negotiating in the press are lying? It’s easy. There lips are moving. At least Bill Smith has the class to not comment on discussions. Terry Ryan claimed other teams would agree to a deal & then back out. I have confidence in our scouting & believe management wants to win. Notice I did not say ownership. Carl & the boys will say here, you can spend this much money. Try to win but we want our profit. It is just another business to them. The fans’ passion means little to them.
How does anyone know what the offers really are from the Yankees and the Red Sox? Very selmon will the rumored trade actually be the one theat ends up happening. It is all hear say at this point. Please keep this in mind prior to casting judgement on BS or any other GM prior to a trade being consumated.
KB
I know they aren’t going to be that bad… not at all KB…
I’m just saying that this team is fragile, and you treat something fragile with extreme caution, and Bill Smith is doing that, and I’m proud of the job that he’s done so far (I do think he should have gotten Crawford or Upton instead of Young, or traded Bonser, Slowey, and Manship instead of Garza) but he’s a rookie, and he took a swing at homer in his first at bat, and he got himself a double to the opposite field.
Now he’s facing the big boys, and the wannabee (Mets) big boys… and the cousins across the coast in LA that seem to be partying hard, and not hardly paying any attention… or are they?
Don’t think that it’s that bad… This team is not going to lose 100 games. This team is not going to make the playoffs, but they will not lose 100 games. They most likely won’t lose 90 games.
But I’m not giving up on Bill Smith yet… he’s showing he wants to play at the final table… let’s let the chips ride… since I’m in cliche mode tonight.
“Denver Nuggets coach George Karl last month said he never would have traded Garnett, 31, and depended upon so much youth because ‘losing is the worst coach’ in basketball.
“‘He teaches you awful habits,’ Karl said. ‘Pointing fingers and the blame game comes when you lose 75, 80 percent of your games.’”
So much youth? Losing is the worst coach? Pointing fingers and the blame game?
Remind you of anyone???
It reminds me that George Karl is one of my favorite coaches in the NBA for a lot of reasons. Mostly because he’ll won’t give a cliche… he’ll give a sound bite… a really good interview with real dialog, and real honest opinions… Not just another Bull Durham cliche king… lol…
We’re not talking about Practice… we’re talking about baseball… it’s like talking about Cars, or talking about women… if it’s done respectfully and with a little flair it looks good.
If you think the Twins are turning into the Timberwolves… we are all way ahead of you.
click my link, and see my page… it’s the kevin mchale fanclub… KG is my favorite athlete in sports… that’s hallowed ground in my world, and CF is hallowed ground for the Twins… good pitchers can win enough that a very good core of offense and defensive players can take you to a title…
This team is geared toward 2010… Gardy should be gone, unfortunately, Anderson will probably be the manager somewhere else by then if a team is smart… if we are smart we hire from outside the organization for the first time in forever… we are dipping in the same gene pool more than a trailer park in Tidlywink Alabama… we need new people in there…
Boof the Magic Dragon?? Oh wait, that would go the other way. The Twins are losing all of their fat guys. Not cool. Maybe we can bring Lecroy back for another go around as the resident fat guy. No offense to anyone, I am mildly obese. Relatively speaking.
Boof the Magic Dragon?? Oh wait, that would go the other way. The Twins are losing all of their fat guys. Not cool. Maybe we can bring Lecroy back for another go around as the resident fat guy. No offense to anyone, I am mildly obese. Relatively speaking.
Sorry about the double post. One too many Big Macs tonight.
Don’t worry Kloob… I’m not skinny either…
if Boof were a man and not a baby… his gut wouldn’t be a problem because his GUTS would be shown in the 7th inning of meaningful wins.
Since he’s got too much fat to get to his heart or his guts… it’s time for a lockdown on all local Old Country Buffets, McDonalds, and other fast food places… We need to be on Boof alert.
I’m telling you the man needs a shrink, and a dietitian.
I don’t share BC’s full gloom and doom regarding the position players. And let’s see who the centerfielder and leadoff batter will be.
But the pitching staff makes me nervous. We won’t get very far UNLESS Liriano makes a big splash. And Crain/Rincon/Reyes/additional-lefty represent big questions about the bullpen, the first such big questions since 2005.
So with the pitching on the wane, no CF or leadoff, and the holes at 2B, SS and 3B being filled with average major league talent as a whole, I’d suggest we all take the year off next season.
BS, trade Santana for infield and outfield talent along with a relief pitcher or two — all with an eye on 2009/10.
Get 6 or 7 guys, go down to AA and A ball too. Have Terry Ryan find the talent. He’s the one who got us into this mess.
What’s still sad about the whole deal is not what Seattle did, it’s what the Twins have not done.
So far, we’ve moved backwards.
New park being built and so far we’ve lost Hunter, Silva, and Santana.
Young will be good, but that doesn’t make up for what we’ve lost and what we need.
“Win Twins???”
Dear Cmeyer—please come over here our Front Office beverage stand and have some more Kool-Aid.
You’ll be glad you did—very glad.
Smithers, please be a good lad and get Mr. Ponson on the phone again for me.
Romer
do you think that having the guy who created the problem is going to fix the problem?
That’s like Kevin McHale only trading with the Celtics… it would be silly to believe that he only trades for his real team…
oh wait, he is, he does, and this is baseball not basketball… oh here’s a better one…
That’s like George Bush hiring Kenneth Lay to figure out what the Energy Crisis is all about… that would never happen…
oh wait.
that did happen, and I’m not supposed to talk about politics.
But I understand your point, but at this point in time I look at Terry Ryan as the puppy that made a mess when we all thought he was potty trained… it’s time to rub his nose in it, and show him how the big dogs do it… and let’s hope that Smith is a big dog, and doesn’t just bite (again… kind of a rip on Kevin McHale… I love it)
Carl P.
Is it the Jim Jones flavored Koolaid? I know that’s Kevin McHale’s favorite flavor… at least the flavor I’d like him and Pohlad to saver…
I’m like a poet or something…
Or something, yes, Mr. BC.
In regard to your question on the drinks, is there any other kind? It is a very special recipe of Kool-Aid previously available only to a shadowy figure who goes by the initials GWB. He’s sometimes known as 43 to his closest associates. It was his New World Order special agents who dispersed this beverage during the past two major election years.
I was able to buy some extra from a certain New York trainer by using funds I skimmed from the very kind donation of the citizens of Hennepin County. We don’t really need more than one bathroom in the new stadium now, do we? Of course not.
Dammit Smithers! I said get Ponson on the line! I’m dickering with him and a Mr. R. Ortiz to get their salaries to the league minimum, and time is wasting! Damn that minimum! Who came up with such a preposterous notion?!
now I’m worried.
That just made me smile.
And now, by special request, a shout out to C-Note Carl P. This is a special song requested. Let’s get ready peeps for that holiday classic “Silver and Gold” by Burl Ives.
One love, ya’ll. One love.
Think I’ll ignore all things Twins until after Christmas….
Unless Pohlad dies or they trade Santana.
Be nice to your friends and family, everyone.
And a sincere Merry Christmas to you all. And that includes Craig too.
Best wishes,
Bill
I agree with a prior post in this thread that Twins really don’t NEED Jed Lowrie from the Red Sox. Perhaps Lowrie would be better than our current SS options but I think the Twins have more pressing needs. The talk of acquiring Cabrera or Ellsbury, both under 24 yrs tells me that the Twins are not confident that Denard Span can fill that role. So, CF is a weak spot at least for a few years. Revere may become who the Twins prefer in CF, some year. I will be sorry to see Joe Nathan leave, but accept that it will happen by July 31st if the Twins are not contending. So, Closer is a spot we will need to fill soon, certainly by 2009. We should be able to patch one or two postiions via a trade assuming #36 stays healthy and results stay solid. I don’t see the ideal replacement for Joe in the organization currently. Perhaps Masterson could be that or Aaron Heilman. A post stated Crain would be on the 25 man roster next year. I question if Crain will be back in 2008. I am concerned about left handed relief … Reyes’ arm problems. I am certain Bill Smith has a plan to add more LH RP depth but I have no insight as to the solution. I hope Liriano is ready on April 1st but I think it may take more time. Some players come back from Tommy John surgery equal, some better. Others, do not or take more time. Questions although reports are encouraging. It seems that the Twins prefer that Perkins be a SP if his arm has indeed recovered and stays ok. Liriano, Perkins, Reyes … our three lefties have some questions about their ability to contribute in ‘08. A post stated that Cuddyer may be too expensive for the Twins in a couple years. Agree. We could flip Young to RF then but then LF is a possible concern. So, a corner OF is probably a need by 2009-10(FMartinez?)I have always felt that the solution to this waiting game or whatever it is would be to expand the trade, i.e. the Twins include another player or two. Agree that we need to get a major league ready SP back if Johan is traded. Too bad Minaya won’t trade Gomez (CF) and Martinez (RF). I am beginning to like what the Mets have to offer a little better after weeks of focusing on the Yankees/Red Sox offers. I agree with the post … how about the Red? I wonder what the Reds will do if they are unable to land Bedard. Could a package that included Jay Bruce and Homer Bailey from the Reds land Santana? (Would Johan accept a trade to Cincinnati)?
couple of tidbits from the rocky mt news:
Overheard
* Seattle agreed to terms with right-handed pitcher Carlos Silva but still wants another starting pitcher and appears to be battling Cincinnati in trade talks with Baltimore about left-hander Erik Bedard.
* Boston remains the expected destination for Minnesota lefty Johan Santana. The two teams have agreed on three of four players the Red Sox will give up - Jon Lester, Jed Lowrie and Justin Masterson. The Red Sox, refusing Minnesota’s request for Jacoby Ellsbury, are adamant the fourth player be outfielder Coco Crisp
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/dec/21/ringolsby-mitchellreport-has-upside/
Is it so hard for some people to have a young team for a year or so?
Yeah, Santana’s going to be gone by Christmas in all liklihood, and it’s going to suck not having him around.
But do really have to condemn this team to the depths of whatever Hades-esque destination you may or may not believe in?
Next offseason, Cleveland is likely going to be in the same boat the Twins are in now. They’ve got a lot of good young talent, and guys like Sabathia are going to be hitting the FA market unless they do something drastic to keep them in Indians unis.
Cleveland copied the Twins model of raising young players, but they also likely will have had a chance to see where the Twins messed up and correct those types of mistakes on their own.
Now it’s just a matter of giving the Twins a chance to learn as well.
If you make the trade with the BoSox, you NEED to take Ellsbury. He has super-star potential and would make an exellent core of players along with Mauer, Morneau, Young, and Cuddy. I would take Ellsbury any day over any player that has so far come up as a possibility in a Santana trade (including Lester, and Hughes)
Don’t know about you guys, but after seeing Silva get $48mil I went out to the garage, dusted off my glove and started warming up. Hey, if mediocrity is worth $48mil I’m sure “bad” has to worth at least $1 or $2mil/yr. More than I’m making now.
RE: “Boston remains the expected destination for Minnesota lefty Johan Santana. The two teams have agreed on three of four players the Red Sox will give up - Jon Lester, Jed Lowrie and Justin Masterson. The Red Sox, refusing Minnesota’s request for Jacoby Ellsbury, are adamant the fourth player be outfielder Coco Crisp.”
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/dec/21/ringolsby-mitchellreport-has-upside/
Instead of Crisp, how about Michael Bowden, RH pitching prospect? That’s 3 prospects and one pitcher who has some MLB experience (Lester). But, do we really need Lowrie? If this is enough, perhaps it gives us more flexbility to trade with some other team for a regular CF?
The scary thing is there was another $5mil on top of that. A grand total of $53mil for 4 years? Good LORD.
I’m with Hawk on this one. If I can just get a ball over the plate I may be set for life.
I don’t even have to perform. Just impress them enough to sign the contract. Then I’m set.
Coco Crisp or Jacoby Ellsbury.
“Here we’ll take the best pitcher in baseball. In return you can have three prospects, and one guy that we REALLY need to dump on somebody. K thnx.”
I don’t know if people are really looking at this situation correctly. Even the Twins management. I really do think that Johan Santana just may be the best pitcher we see for the next 20 years. Why can’t we sign him really?
Is it the fact that we don’t have enough money to spend? I don’t think so. Does he really want a 7 year contract? I don’t think so.
I think 6 years 125 mill gets it done. That will be a bargain 3 years from now. We are going down the same path now as we did with both Hunter and Santana. They tell us they want extentions, we look at the numbers and say: wow! that’s way too much! But then in a year or two we look back at their asking prices and say: jeez! if we’d only have signed them to what they are asking.
Also, why can we not sign Johan and then trade him a year or two down the road if his contract is that big of a drag on the team? There will always be a market for him, providing he doesn’t get hurt.
I guess I just don’t understand the “cheap” attitude now, when you know it will save you money later. By the time Johan’s contract becomes a drag on our payroll, there will be guys like Silva making the same money we could have had the best pitcher to ever don a Twins uniform.
I don’t know, I guess I just get sick of looking at everybody’s “prospects” that likely have about a 50% chance or worse of panning out when we are giving away the best pitcher to come along since Sandy Koufax.
Yapper….I was thinking the same….Sign Santana now at 20mil/yr and then go for the trade if needed. Three years from now an average pitcher might be making 18mil and superstars at 30mil.
Just sign him? Not that easy. $20MM a year was his asking price last year. It’s higher now - and for more years. And probably he just doesn’t want to be here anymore. Can’t make him sign. Takes two to tango and Johan ain’t tapping in time with the Twins FO.
JT,
Do you know that? I mean, it might be true, but until it happens, noone knows. Although I will agree, usually it is for MORE than what gets reported.
Also, I don’t know who said it, but Boof does not have a higher ceiling thatn Baker.
Baker was a top pitching prospect in all of baseball when he was flying through the minors a couple years ago.
Do you know that?
Do you KNOW that 6/125 will be enough?
Do you KNOW that Santana will waive his NTC in two years?
Of course I don’t KNOW that. But the signs are there that Johan isn’t all that jazzed to stay in Minnesota. If he did, there would have been more negotiating back and forth between the FO and Johan’s agent when the offer was made this offseason. Instead, the Twins made an offer, Johan declined, and the sides agreed that they’d go right into considering trade possibilities. My read is that Johan wants his ticket punched elsewhere.
I think Baker and Bonser can both be excellent pitchers - but very different pitchers. I’d put Baker’s ceiling higher too. They will be good complements to each other in a rotation.
Also yapper, Santana at one point was a Rule-5 draftee. Meaning sometime just flat out didn’t want him anymore.
The Twins aren’t just going to take any prospects, they’re going to take ones they are confident will help.
And they’re also prospects that are highly regarding not only in their own farm clubs, but nationally as well.
This isn’t like trading Santana for four Eduardo Morlans…
to re-cap the last 3-4 weeks, we have the best pitcher in baseball our once in a generation hof canidate and we’re going to trade him. a source close to the twins owner says that he has been forced to life off food stamps until the new stadium is built and can’t pay such a player the market rate. so instead of watching santana go into the hof about 20 yrs after puck’s tc we’ll watch him go in with a sox or yankee cap. we will continue to have a glorified aaa team with a few pre arbitration/free agent players or last leg free agents and a lot of comlaining about being in such a small market and the new stadium just doesn’t cut it. so we’ve been reduced to lowrie, lester, hughes, crisp, jones, gomez, humber ….. ad nausema hoping to get the best deal, or the one with the least number of duds. the front office will continue to offer below market contracts knowing they will be turned down but they can claim to have tried, but it ’s hard in such a small, tiny, minuscule market to compete when the owner has to live off food stamps and free cheese from the shelter. but cheer up the ticket prices will keep going up as do the hot dog and beer prices and we will have our team with aaa players an occasional buding star, we’ll have to trade, and some left over has beens.
other than that i’m happy with how the team is shaping up. merry x-mas!
While I admit that I don’t fully understand the current free agent system…….. It seems ridiculous that someone who just signed a $48+ million contract doesn’t even qualify as a Type B free agent. Does that make any sense that we receive 0/nada/zilch for this type of player movement?
Wow gook, way to keep a positive spirit, especially since your post makes it sound like the apocalypse is hittin the Twin Cities.
If wouldn’t be “reduced to” Hughes and Ellsbury. I don’t get how people can’t see what they’re trying to do.
Nobody’s saying they didn’t screw up with Hunter and Santana. But what people fail to see is that they’re doing what they can to make sure it doesn’t happen with guys like Morneau, Liriano, Young, etc.
It’s why I’m actually thinking Crisp is better for a year or two while they try and find a different CF candidate. Ellsbury has gone on record saying he’s glad he wasn’t traded, and he’s also one of Boras’ boys.
My fear is that he’d come to the Twins knowing full well he wouldn’t stay once he was Free Agent elligible. Boras wouldn’t let him sign any sort of extension prior to hitting the market unless the Twins grossly overvalued him. (And no, I’m not talking by Twins standards. I’m talking about Zito/A-Rod/Lohse type overvalue)
I’d rather see them find another Cf candidate that isn’t represented by a total sleeze that would actually appreciate his time in Minnesota and perform well because he wants to impress his team…not because he wants to pad his stats so he can jet back to the East Coast once he’s free.
Justin says
“And I fully expect the rotation to be:
Santana (or replacement)
Baker
Liriano
Slowey
Boof
with Perkins in the pen as the 2nd lefty.”
Justin you are right except Perkins starts the year as a starter and Liriano is in the Pen as the second lefty. They’ll have him in the bullpen to start so they can slowly stretch him out. The Twins are the most conservative team when it comes to pitching and they will baby the kid along at two to three innings at a time no matter how badly they need him to pitch a lot of innings. Then when someone falters badly he’ll move up.
TK, it’s a good idea to slowly work Liriano back in to the rotation.
We don’t know just how well his arm has recovered until he’s in a gametime situation.
I don’t want to see Liriano suffer the same fate as Kerry Wood or Mark Prior, and get rushed back to soon from injury.
Liriano is young, and has a chance to be the kind of pitcher Santana is. They want to invest in and do with him what TR should’ve done with Santana.
T, JT,
No, I don’t know that he would come for a 6/125 either, but there is just as good a chance it takes that as it is a 7/175.
I guess maybe I am just wishing here. I hate to see us give up a guy like that. Even if it does net us some very good prospects. To me, Johan is still young enough that he can be part of the rebuilding/reloading process that is taking place right now to have a competitive team going into the new stadium.
Also T,
Ellsbury has plenty of time before he hits free agency and if he produces like he did for the Sox last year, he is exactly the type of player we need roaming center for the next 5-6 years.
It just might be Terry Ryan’s legacy that he made some great trades and acquisitions via Rule 5 but he failed miserably in retaining talent and letting them leave via free agency whereby we receive no valuable help. Always building for the future which never comes.
Hopefully, Bill Smith can lock up Mauer, Morneau, Cuddy, Young and a few others while they are still cheap. The Vikings are doing it….although we won’t know for a few years if they were smart moves.
Also……The city of Boston owes Minnesota a couple a favors. We give them Garnett and a 20-3 record for some scrubs. In a round-about way, we give them Randy Moss and a 14-0 record. And then we’re giving them a third HOF’er in Santana but they won’t give us Lester and Ellsbury in the same deal. Come on Boston !!! You owe us.
yapper: I have dreams too that I wake up to read the headline that Johan has re-signed with us. If he was willing to stay and willing to go 5 years, then I think this deal would be done. There’s money to pay him for that amount of time and sign Morneau long term, Cuddy for 3, and buy out some other guys’ arbitration years in the next few years. Money isn’t the issue - because they can probably justify in the $20MM to $23MM range for Johan in the budget. But I’m resigned to the fact that it’s just a dream because Johan has decided to move on. It’s his perogative. And I’ll just have to move on too.
Hawk, Good one!
It’s not their fault our GM’s in this state are clueless.
We let the best receiver maybe ever, surely the last 7-8 years, one of the best ever 7ft. small forwards, and now will be giving them the best pitcher in the last 20 years.
What do we get back? A 3-21 record. Troy Williamson, and possibly Coco Crisp and middle of the rotation starter. All in the name of the “small market”!!
The Twins should take the best offer they can get for Santana. The market will adjust to the demand for him.
Posturing about what we will and will not accept is valid only when we have leverage.
We don’t have that leverage when our alternative is to keep him one year, probably finish 3rd, and lose him for two crummy draft choices.
Santana’s trade value is not controlled by the Twins. It is controlled by the teams offering trades for him.
JT, you think so?
I don’t know why everyone is so gung-ho to leave the Twins. Over the last 6 years, who has a better record? Who has been more competitive than the Twins?
The answer is not many. I am of the belief that players that play here hate management with a passion. That is the only reason they want to leave. Surely it is not because we aren’t competitive. We have been there almost every year since 2001. The only gripe they should have is that when we had the chance, we never signed or traded for someone to take us over the top.
STRIKE WHILE THE IRON IS HOT!! This is something Twins management just does not understand.
What do think guys- Johan and Nathan for Beltre/Jones/Morrow/Clements and Butler.Would shift the power in the AL west towards the M’s(sorry no playoff Torri)
Of course we didnt give Boston Randy Moss… but that is beside the point.
I wonder how much truth there is to the Denver story, it would make sense that the Twins want a ML ready starter in return, and Lowrie as our upper minor league infield talent is very thin. Masterson is a good player- probably better than the much whined about Morlan.
I wonder if dropping Masterson would make it easier to get Lester and Ellsbury in the same deal?
I don’t think players hate management. To the contrary, the Twins have a pretty good reputation in dealing with personnel. I think there are some player personalities that think they know better how to run a team and that some of those feelings motivate players to leave (or not to stay if you prefer). For some the grass is always greener. Coulda shoulda woulda is all fine and dandy when you’re not really in charge and you don’t really know what all the circumstances are.
I don’t think that dropping anyone would make them want to give up Lester and Ellsbury. I just don’t think they are going to do it.
I’ve come around to thinking that I would much prefer the Ellsbury deal to the Lester/Coco deal.
The Ellsbury deal gets us an ideal lead-off hitter and a potential star. The Twins are bone dry for potential offensive stars in the minors. We have shown the potential to develop good pitching and have prospects there. Coco does nothing for me.
I really do not think money is the issue with Santana. Forbes magazine projected the Twins to bring in 20 Million in PROFIT this year, that is with Santana and Hunter making nearly 30 mil combined and playing in the Dome. We could pay him 25 a year and be fine- looking backwards on payrolls is not an accurate way to gauge what we could spend as MLB is extreamly profitable (6 billion was mentioned) and only increasing in revenue.
The real problem is the length of contract that he wants- 6-7 years. I think the Twins have a fundamental disagreement with the idea of long, expensive contracts for any player, especially a pitcher. As maybe they should. Off the top of my head, I can not think of a 6+ year contract for a pitcher that has turned out well for the club. I think the years he wants is the reason he is being dealt.
Yah, but that has to be a little bit insulting when other teams offer 80 million dollars and we are sitting at 45. I’m sure Torii felt that he was the one who helped dig us out of the dumps and he did, and all the Twins show for gratitude is an offer than noone in their right mind would take.
Not saying we should have given Torii 80 mil, just using that as an example.
I agree with JT that the players don’t hate management. They understand the parameters management has been given and it’s just a fact of doing business. On the other hand….the players might have a real distaste for Pohlad (Calvin Griffith reborn) and his tight wad ways. Some needs to spike Carl’s drink with some of that Pepsi Max with Ginseng and Caffeine….”Wake Up Carl!” and get aggressive.
Carl should sign Johan on Christmas and give us all the present we have been waiting for. We gave you your stadium, you greedy bastard, now give us our hall of fame starting pitcher!
“I don’t think players hate management. To the contrary, the Twins have a pretty good reputation in dealing with personnel.”
Hate may be a little strong, but there is no doubt that the Twins managmement has rubbed some very talented players the wrong way (Santana, Hunter, Nathan, Ortiz, etc) I think dismissing thier comments as “some player personalities that think they know better how to run a team” is being overly kind to the management. There is no doubt that honest, hard working team players have been frusterated with the inaction of our front office when we had needs.
I’m assuming we all know that Carl himself is not actually making many decisions about this team at this point. The man can harldy feed himself, have you seen him lately?
My point is that people shouldn’t expect things to change when he’s gone, because his kids are the ones running things now, and I don’t see that chaning anytime soon.
Everybody complains too much.
Torii is a very unique player and a unique situation. I haven’t read a single person who thinks that the Angels made a wise signing there. He got his big market and he got his money. Good for Torii. I’m not so sure the FO didn’t do all of us a favor (including Torii) by lowballing him and therefore encouraging him to move on. I give the FO credit for sticking to their plan on him despite the overwhelming sentimental feelings to the contrary.
Right KB sorry. But he has set the parameters in the past and now his nitwit, rich, spoiled kids are running the show.
SELL, SELL, SELL!!! You Pohlads have no problem SELLING off all our good players, or trying to SELL the Twins into contraction. Hows about you sell the club to someone who cares a little bit about winning a championship.
“I don’t see that chaning anytime soon”
The Royals change in direction can give us all hope though…
It is not complaining to point out that the pohlads are cheap that is just pointing out the obvious but i agree with Twins management that signing a pitcher, even of santana’s talent, would be to risky for 6-7 years. (unless if you are a Boston or New york)
I hate how people say that we (taxpayers) gave Pohlad a stadium. We are not paying for some house for the Twins to live in. We are paying for the right to cheer for the best team possible. The added revenue from the ballpark will go to the team (and to Pohlad’s pocket). In addition everyone gets to go to a much nicer stadium than they are used to, which creates a much better fan experience. People will complain that the Twins aren’t spending all of the money to put the best team on the field, but I think it is only practical to not give pitchers 6 or 7 year contracts. This wouldn’t change if we were already in the new stadium or not. (If there was one pitcher worth 6 or 7 years it’s Johan). By the way, the Twins did offer Johan 20 million a year, just not for as long as he would like or could get. I don’t blame either side, they both were smart. Now let’s make the best of it.
I thought I needed to complain about complaining. Someone feel free to call me out and rip my opinion.
I meant changing the spending habits.
I, for one, agree with not wanting to give a pitcher a big contract over 6-7 years (yes, that includes Santana), there’s a long history that points to it being a bad investment.
Look at the teams that try to build through free-agency every year, it’s not a good way to build. I’m glad the Twins don’t try to do it. I would like to see them try to lock up people earlier, so they don’t have to lose them to FA. The front-office was right to not sign Hunter this off-season (they should have last off-season), and they are right to not give Santana a 6-7 yr contract.
Tedge, I agree, the Twins made the offer they should make, he said no, now lets get what we can get.
I also agree about the stadium take. It’s not like we don’t get any enjoyment out of the thing. It’s been built for the community, by the community. I don’t think that Carl and family should be obligated to spend money out of their pocket to players. That said, I don’t think they spend what they make sometimes, and that frustrates me.
Some owners (like Glen Taylor) pay out of pocket for players because they treat it like a hobby, that’s fine, but look where that got him. He overpaid for a bunch of players he shouldn’t have. Spending money just to say you’re trying doesn’t work.
Glen Taylor got screwed because he let one of the dumbest GMs ever in any game to control who is brought in, signed, traded for, etc.
If Glen Taylor owned the Twins with Billy or TR as his GM, there would be at least once more WS banner hanging from the Metro from the last 6 years.
Crisp/Bucholtz/Lowrie/Masterson
or
Ellsbury/Lester/Lowrie/Masterson
Glen Taylor can always fire the GM, but refuses too.
confused…. says,
Those trades aren’t offered. If they were I don’t think Johan would be a twin right now.
I know they aren’t offered…If the Red Sox want us to take Crisp over Ellsbury, then they need to throw in Bucholtz.
I agree, Tedge. If those were the packages, this deal would be done.
Glen Taylor has made his own bed, he has no-one to blame but himself. He is not the ideal owner, and I’m very glad that he didn’t buy the Vikings, and I would like to keep him away from the Twins, too!!
We would have been the ones that signed Silva to at least 48 mil, but he probably would have made it a 5 or 6 year deal, just for good measure.
Glen Taylor has made his own bed, he has no-one to blame but himself. He is not the ideal owner, and I’m very glad that he didn’t buy the Vikings, and I would like to keep him away from the Twins, too!!
We would have been the ones that signed Silva to at least 48 mil, but he probably would have made it a 5 or 6 year deal, just for good measure.
Sorry, computer glich, didn’t mean to post it twice.
Silva will make the All-Star team playing for Seattle. Why? They have a huge ‘pitchers’ park, and with good run-support, might give him a better chance to win. Also, to the wise-guy who called him ’serve-em-up Silva’ I suggest you educate yourself before popping off. Try reading a book or something. Silva gave up 13 LESS home runs than Johan Santana last season. And won nearly as many games(2 less).
In baseball guys can pitch into their 40’s. Silva is just 28- twenty-eight- and a starter who gives you lots of innings. That is significant because it keeps you in games, and equally important– saves on your bullpen.
Happy Holidays ~
I’m dreaming of the day when the Twins get sold to Mark Cuban.
D-Man,
You haven’t read the write ups on the park effects of Safeco related to Silva. While pitching in that stadium almost certainly not hurt him the positives just happen to coincide with Silvas as a pitcher. Safeco is bad for right handed hitters. So is Silva. It’s also generous to left handed hitters, i.e. Silva’s weakness. So the positives don’t really factor in and the negatives are going to be magnified. I won’t predict a bad season, but I doubt he will be anywhere near and all star. (He throws so many hittable pitches, I think I would bat .250 off of him).
Which team is the best in the AL Central? I know the easy answer is Detroit, because of their upgrades. I have a feeling they are going to be hurting for pitching. Dontrelle Willis isn’t good. My vote goes to Cleveland. Who ya got?????
confused…. says:
December 21st, 2007 at 11:10 am
Crisp/Bucholtz/Lowrie/Masterson
or
Ellsbury/Lester/Lowrie/Masterson
Wow….confused where have you been the past week. Did you just wake up. We’ve been having some great debates right here on that one for at least a week. Sorry.
D-man,
Here’s the link to the analysis on Silva and SafeCo field. That park may not be his fiendly confines.
I know this is a cop-out answer, but it’s got to be a dead heat between Det and Cle. Det’s main weakness is going to be bull-pen pitching, I think their starting pitching is fine (Verlander will only get better, and Willis isn’t what he used to be, but still pretty good). Cle’s is a solid team top to bottom, but the offense isn’t what Det’s is.
On Silva @ Safeco, I think the biggest thing he is going to miss is having a very solid defense behind him. He relies more on his defense than any pitcher I’ve ever seen. I think he’ll do about what he did this year in Sea. Certainly not All-Star, but solid mid to back of rotation stuff.
This from a blog posting on Aug. 1, 2007, by TheKingofKings on baseball-fever.com.
Santana unhappy with Twins Management?
According to the Minneapolis Start Tribune, inactivity by the Minnesota Twins before Tuesday’s non-waiver trade deadline did not sit well with starting ace Johan Santana.
Not only did the Twins not make any moves to improve this year’s team, they dealt second baseman Luis Castillo and his two World Series rings away to the New York Mets for two minor league prospects. The move saves the Twins $2 million in salary.
“I’m not surprised,” Santana told the Star Tribune. “That’s exactly how they are. That’s why we’re never going to go beyond where we’ve gone.”
Currently, the Twins trail the Detroit Tigers in the American League Central by six games and the Cleveland Indians by five games in the Wild Card race.
“You always talk about future, future. . But if you only worry about the future, then I guess a lot of us won’t be part of it,” Santana told the newspaper.
Santana and closer Joe Nathan are scheduled to become free agents after next season while centrefielder Torii Hunter could be on the market this winter.
“I’ve been here for eight years, and I’ve seen a lot of those kind of things,” Santana told the Star Tribune. “I’ve seen a lot of those guys [like Castillo] come in and leave. [The decision makers] don’t care. They always talk about caring about it; I don’t think they care.”
This is likely part of why we aren’t hearing anything about Santana and his agent even having coffee and cookies with Twins’ management these days.
My money is on Cleveland. They’re solid as long as their pitching performs on par with this year. Detroit’s pitching will fall down. The D-train hasn’t figured out how to use that body he grew into and he’s not going to figure it out in Detroit.
KB,
We have our first ever disagreement. I think that Dontrelle Willis is the most overrated pitcher in baseball. The man had a 5.17 ERA last year in a pitchers park. I know he didn’t get a lot of help, but he should have done better. His numbers have decline for two straight years now and he worked a ton of innings at a young age, which seem to be affecting him. All of that said, I have a feeling he’s going to be better than I expect, just because he’s reinvigorated by playing on a good team and to prove people like me wrong. I don’t expect it to last though.
Tedge,
I hope we can make it through this…
I think Willis will have a much better year this year, for reasons you mention, better team, more focus, etc. The innings may be catching him and I don’t think he’ll compete for the Cy Young, or even be dominant, but he will be a very nice compliment to Verlander and a solid #2-3 guy.
I think a part of me wants Willis to be bad, to make the Tigers not as good. I don’t want to open the paper in June and see the Twins 10 games back. A motivated Willis would probably do this.
Call it wishful thinking coupled with my love of statistics.
LEN3 has a new blog but no news.
Question. I know you can insure contracts but I want to know the cost and terms of insurance, on a contract. Say 6 years and 130 million for the sake of this conversation. How much could be recouped if Santana signed and week one his arm fell off?
KB-I assumed like you that Carl P was not making the decisions any more.Talked to somebody who talked to him 2 weeks ago.His mind at least is very sharp
Why don’t the baseball owners all get together and just AGREE TO STOP PAYING THIS MUCH TO THE PLAYERS? Is there something in the collective bargaining agreement about that or what? Freaking $48 M for CARLOS SILVA??? what a joke.
They did that once.
The players union charged ‘collusion’ and won a settlement as I recall.
Okay fellas, maybe I relied to much on other people’s projections of how Silva would do in Seattle. However the numbers look, the Mariners top brass must know SOMETHING positive about Silva, to allocate all those millions.
In any case, in regard to Santana- I hope they get SOMEBODY good for him. Even if it’s just one player. Look what happened to the Vikings when they traded Randy Moss– what do they have to show for it? Troy Williamson- With that in mind, I hope the Twins are smart and move Santana now before they wait until the last minute and end up with a lousy deal.
[…] With the departure of Carlos Silva, our resident “buffet dominator” Boof Bonser has been working out like crazy this offseason, and team sources say he’s lost between 20-25 pounds, the same amount he supposedly gained between 2006-2007. Basically pitching coach Rick Anderson said the reason Boof struggled last season was because of a). his inability to last 6 or 7 good innings, and b). lack of command for his fastball, both of which can be caused by heaviness. I’m sure Boof knows that with Silva and Matt Garza both leaving the rotation, he’s pretty much guaranteed the #3 or #4 starter’s spot (depending on which Scott Baker shows up this year). […]
