How Badly Do the Yankees Want Santana?
As they prepare for the winter meetings in Nashville next week, the
paramount question for the Yankees is how badly do they want Johan
Santana?
Much has changed about the Yankees’ operations in recent years. But
this much seems consistent: when they target a player, they believe
they have to get him.
In recent years, the Yankees have been determined in the off-season
to get a specific player, in the hopes that he would solve what went
wrong the year before. Jason Giambi? They had to have him, even if it
meant paying him more than $20 million when he’s 37. Randy Johnson?
The Diamondbacks could take whoever they wanted, and the Yankees added
a juicy contract extension into Johnson’s twilight years.
Santana is no Giambi or Johnson. He’ll be 29 on opening day, and the
Yankees have major contracts coming off their payroll next season when
Giambi, Carl Pavano and Mike Mussina will be gone.
But we’ll see how careful the Yankees proceed with their Santana trade
talks. They won’t deal Joba Chamberlain, it seems, but they seem open
to at least entertaining the idea of including Phil Hughes.
The Yankees surely realize that Hughes went 3-0 with a 2.73 earned run
average in September, when his arm strength returned after missing three
months with hamstring and ankle injuries. And they also know that Hughes
was their only pitcher to win a playoff game last season — in relief of
Roger Clemens, another veteran they absolutely had to have, even if it
cost a pro-rated $28 million.
The Yankees also realize that Hughes will cost comparatively nothing for
the next few seasons, when he could blossom as a star. And after watching
Hughes develop in their farm system, the Yankees know about his outstanding
feel for pitching and his makeup, which complement his extraordinary stuff.
Maybe the Twins keep Santana and team him with Francisco Liriano for another
playoff run. Or maybe Minnesota finds another team’s offer more appealing.
But the Yankees can probably put together a package that gets a deal done
– if they feel a strong enough need for Santana, who would front their
rotation for years to come, at $20 million per season or more.
Of the Yankees’ young stars – Hughes, Chamberlain, Ian Kennedy, Robinson
Cano, Melky Cabrera, Alan Horne, Austin Jackson, etc. – who do you think is
expendable? Just how badly do you think the Yankees need Santana?
News source：http://0rz.tw/573p8
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