Well, for once, both my Yankee brethren and the rest of you Sox fans can actually breathe a sigh of relief on an off-season move. Here is my take on the Santana deal, the winners and losers, in order. Let me know what you think.
Winner [huge]: Santana
Everyone is missing this one. First of all, the Mets didn't give up anything of any value to get the best pitcher on the planet, so his new team is strong and not gutted. Secondly, he goes from what was the most competitive division in baseball [this honor has returned to the AL East after this trade] to one of the weakest offensive divisions in baseball. Also, the switch to the NL from the AL will help him, as well as moving to a very strong pitcher's park. Pedro went from Boston to New York, and his ERA dropped a point. Expect Santana to do the same, and win the NL Cy Young in 2008.
Winner [big]: Mets
The Mets got who they wanted, and Minaya just guaranteed himself an extension. They gave up a very weak class of prospects relatively speaking to get the best pitcher in the game. Minaya bided his time, and hoped and prayed the Yankees were out of it. Expect Minaya to send Cashman a case of Crystal for letting Santana go. After this season, he may even be offering Cashman a job.
Winner: Indians, Tigers
Everyone is focusing on the Yankees/Red Sox winners, but it's actually these two teams that will benefit the most. Santana would face them an average of four times each a season. By removing Santana from the equation, it lessens Minnesota's impact on the race, and giving the loser for the division an better chance of making the wild card.
Winner: Red Sox
I still believe, and always believed, the Red Sox never wanted Santana. They just didn't want to see him go the Yankees. Their offers got better as the Yankees offers got better, and when the Yankees announced they were out, the Red Sox pulled Lester out of the deal, thereby guaranteeing Santana would go to the Mets. As good as Santana is, a lefty fly ball pitcher in Fenway is not a blue print for success, as his poor record at Fenway helps attest.
Winner...and also loser...maybe: Yankees
Cashman has wagered his job on this move. If he had traded for Santana, even against his wishes, he had made it very obvious in the media that he was against the deal, and could take credit for it if it worked out, and could have teflon-ed his way out of blame if it didn't. It is my opinion that the Yankees had made the best formal offer, which they later withdrew. In short, the Yankees should have stayed in it, and pulled the trigger. The NY media will remind Cashman of his failures if Santana racks up wins [which he will in the weak NL East] and Huhges doesn't pan out. If Hughes turns out to be an All-Star this season, then the Yankees are big winners. If he turns out to be a back of the rotation starter, or if the Yankees fail to make the playoffs this year, the Yankees are big losers, and Cashman is out of a job.
Loser [HUGE]: Twins
An absolutely asinine deal for the Twins. It is indefensible. First year GM Smith of the Twins has been a GM for two years too long. Regardless of which offer you think is best, there is little doubt that that the Yankees offer, as well as both Red Sox offers [Lester offer, Ellsbury offer] were far and away better than what the Mets offered and the Twins eventually took. Being in a bad position, as Gammons has alluded to on ESPN isn't the point. He had three better offers, and overplayed his hand. Smith has now edged Boras as idiot of the 2008 off-season.
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Originally Posted by Paradisecity;312977;
