From Buster Olney:
Santana upset at Twins' inactivity
The most significant development on the baseball landscape Tuesday, in the big picture, may not have involved Mark Teixeira or Eric Gagne. It may have come when the Twins didn't finish a trade for Mike Piazza or some other player, a decision that apparently has reinforced thoughts rooted in the head of the planet's best pitcher.
As Joe Christensen reports, this is what Johan Santana had to say about the fact that the Twins did nothing at the deadline, other than to shed second baseman Luis Castillo for a couple of players none of the Twins' veterans have ever heard of:
"I'm not surprised. That's exactly how they are. That's why we're never going to go beyond where we've gone."
Wow.
There are executives in the offices of the Mets and Angels and Mariners and Yankees and Cubs and Tigers and White Sox and Dodgers, and other teams, who will today read that quote and all that it implies -- discontent with the Twins' ability to compete -- and think: We have a shot to get that guy. And there is more, courtesy of Joe:
"It's not just about hope," Santana said. "In a realistic world, you
have to really make it happen and go for it.
"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 said.
The left-hander is a free agent after the 2008 season, and if this is the way he feels -- if he does not believe he's going to be a part of the Twins, into the future -- then Minnesota will be obligated to consider dealing him this winter, the same way that the Expos finally had to consider swapping Pedro Martinez after the 1997 season. Martinez was 25 years old at the time; Santana is 28, and early in what could be an extraordinary career. From the perspective of the Tigers, Yankees, Mets, etc., maybe it was better not to have made a major trade Tuesday; they can save their pieces for a shot at a real big deal that might happen in the offseason.
The most significant development on the baseball landscape Tuesday, in the big picture, may not have involved Mark Teixeira or Eric Gagne. It may have come when the Twins didn't finish a trade for Mike Piazza or some other player, a decision that apparently has reinforced thoughts rooted in the head of the planet's best pitcher.
As Joe Christensen reports, this is what Johan Santana had to say about the fact that the Twins did nothing at the deadline, other than to shed second baseman Luis Castillo for a couple of players none of the Twins' veterans have ever heard of:
"I'm not surprised. That's exactly how they are. That's why we're never going to go beyond where we've gone."
Wow.
There are executives in the offices of the Mets and Angels and Mariners and Yankees and Cubs and Tigers and White Sox and Dodgers, and other teams, who will today read that quote and all that it implies -- discontent with the Twins' ability to compete -- and think: We have a shot to get that guy. And there is more, courtesy of Joe:
"It's not just about hope," Santana said. "In a realistic world, you
have to really make it happen and go for it.
"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 said.
The left-hander is a free agent after the 2008 season, and if this is the way he feels -- if he does not believe he's going to be a part of the Twins, into the future -- then Minnesota will be obligated to consider dealing him this winter, the same way that the Expos finally had to consider swapping Pedro Martinez after the 1997 season. Martinez was 25 years old at the time; Santana is 28, and early in what could be an extraordinary career. From the perspective of the Tigers, Yankees, Mets, etc., maybe it was better not to have made a major trade Tuesday; they can save their pieces for a shot at a real big deal that might happen in the offseason.
And some of us thought Carl was pissed, Johan...available? Prospects needed? Do I even need to fill in the blanks here folks? No? Didn't think so. We've wanted to make a splash, trading for Johan would be equivalent to an explosion, such as...
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If we ever wanted to show how serious we are about winning, you could do a lot worse than trading, and re-signing possibly the greatest pitcher of the 2000's. Provided of course the Twins allow a 72 hour negotiating window...