Johan Santana to the Mets...UGH
Life as a Philadelphia Phillies fan can be summarized by the events of the past two days: the Phillies signed Pedro Feliz; the Mets traded for Johan Santana. Feliz is a marginal third baseman who can play decent defense, hit .250, and have adequate (20-22 homers in each of his last 4 years) power that is offset by the big whole in his bat that leads to lots of strikeouts. Some of those strikeouts next year will be due to the Mets new hero, Santana, who is probably the best pitcher in baseball and right in the middle of his prime.
I am baffled by the Yankees and Red Sox unwillingness to go the last mile to land Santana. When a superstar is traded, the team making the acquisition almost always gets the better of the deal. Had the Red Sox traded for the lefty with the unhittable change-up, they would have been lots of distance between themselves, the Yankees, and the rest of the American League. The Yankees lost an opportunity to get back to even against the hated Sox. And, unfortunately, the biggest losers other than the Yanks and Sox in my opinion are the Philadelphia Phillies, who go from the favorite in the NL East to a pretty big underdog if Santana and Pedro Martinez et al stay healthy.
Speaking of trading superstar pitchers, Eric Bedard of the Orioles is about to get traded also. Why is it that the Phillies, who put more than 3 million fannies in the seats last year, are never in the running to get these studs when history shows that the prospects that they cost never add up to the star of the trade? Why? Why? Why?
When you think about a key series in September and Santana, Pedro, and Maine lined up to face Hamels, Jamie Moyer and Kyle Kendrick, don't you think Eric Bedard would be a nice equalizer in that equation?
It's going to be a long season when things start going against you before pitchers and catchers report....
posted by Dils @ 1/30/2008 10:54:00 AM
3 comments
3 Comments:
The biggest reason why (we'll leave aside several other relatively minor issues like cheapness) is the lack of farm system. Generally, the way the game is played with the big boys, is they trade prospects for superstars because they can afford to pay the superstars and the have nots of MLB can only afford to pay younger players until they reach superstardom, at which point they are traded back to one of the haves. For this cycle to work, you have to have marketable prospects. Currently, the Phils basically have none. While we've had a few in the past few years (Rollins, Howard, Utley and Hamels come to mind), the Phils smartly held onto them. However, the overall lack of farm system depth made it a near impossibility to trade any of our top prospects and we're left bottom fishing for the Kyle Lohses of the world.
DK
The Twins tried to play the Yankees & Red Sox off against each other, and what they failed to recpgnize is that while Cashamn & Epstein are rivals, they are also friends. Look at who Minnesota was DEMANDING be included in the trade talks 2 months ago: Hughes, Cabrera, Ellsworth, Lester, etc....
Look at who they got. Not even CLOSE to the caliber of the players they were DEMANDING.
Great move by both New York & Boston to not trade young talent, especially pitching.
Do not see how the Yankees "lost" an opportunity when they would have had to give up Hughes, Melky, & Kennedy? All through 2005 & 2006 the Yanks would not part with the youngsters as that was the core of 4 title teams from 1996-2000.
Agree with Anon #2 that the Twins were being ridiculous in their demands for and that is why they had to settle with for the Mets offer.
Would also like to know when the Players Union plans to sue the Owners who refuse to invest in their teams like they did in 1987.
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