How could we go about getting Santana?

[Balsa]

St. Paul Pioneer Press[/url]"]If the Twins determine that they can't afford to re-sign two-time Cy Young Award winner Johan Santana and end up trading him this year, it's a near cinch that they would require several pitchers in return.

 

What would be the best way to go about this, given that Minnesota's payroll is about at it's limit right now? I'm not sure we have the pitching prospects to pull this one off. Maybe Hill, Guzman, and Pie?

[Rob]

It'd take more than that, as I'm sure the Angels would probably offer Ervin Santana and Brandon Wood.

 

Hill, Veal, Gallagher, and Pie might get the conversation started.

[A New Era]

I'd rather keep the guys we've got coming up. Not because santana isn't awesome. But because it will simply STRIP our farm of any of the rest of the decent talent we have coming up in the next 3-4 years. .

[DesMoinesCub]

I am guessing quantity and not quality won't work in this case.

 

I know a guy drafted can't be traded for a year, but would Szmard....the WR from Notre Dame...izia be ranked with Veal and Hill or not?

[Rob]

I am guessing quantity and not quality won't work in this case.

 

I know a guy drafted can't be traded for a year, but would Szmard....the WR from Notre Dame...izia be ranked with Veal and Hill or not?

 

It really depends on who you talk to.

 

Wilken had Samardzija as the #1 overall talent in the draft. Some people don't see him as more than a good setup man down the road. At this point, I'd venture to say that he can't rank with Veal or Hill until people see how he adjusts to playing baseball full-time.

[Post Count Padder]

I'd rather keep the guys we've got coming up. Not because santana isn't awesome. But because it will simply STRIP our farm of any of the rest of the decent talent we have coming up in the next 3-4 years. .

Agreed. Add to that the cost of trying to sign him to an extension too, and our budget would take a hit. Santana would look good in Cubbie blue, but it's probably not worth it.

[BigbadB]

If we can't afford Zambrano, how do we afford Santana?

[Outshined_One]

A trade like this would utterly destroy our farm system.

 

But it would also give this team one of the most frightening 1-2 punches in recent history. Yeowza.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

A trade like this would utterly destroy our farm system.

 

But it would also give this team one of the most frightening 1-2 punches in recent history. Yeowza.

 

Imagine if Prior was healthy too...

[USSoccer]

If he became available, nothing we could offer would be able to compete with the kinds of packages that Arizona and Anaheim could offer, just to name two teams with really good systems.

 

We don't have the firepower. Even quantity for quality wouldn't work. We don't have enough.

[Balsa]

If we can't afford Zambrano, how do we afford Santana?

I was the under the impression that "affording" Zambrano isn't the problem, but rather worries about injuries (ala the last two long contracts we gave to pitchers).

 

Santana is consistently the best pitcher in baseball. And he's 27.

[A New Era]

A trade like this would utterly destroy our farm system.

 

But it would also give this team one of the most frightening 1-2 punches in recent history. Yeowza.

 

Imagine if Prior was healthy too...

 

Imagine if our payroll was at/around $150 million. and promised to stay there. Then we could actually afford it. .

[BigbadB]

If we can't afford Zambrano, how do we afford Santana?

I was the under the impression that "affording" Zambrano isn't the problem, but rather worries about injuries (ala the last two long contracts we gave to pitchers).

 

Santana is consistently the best pitcher in baseball. And he's 27.

 

Why wouldn't one worry about an injury to Santana, but at the same time worry about an injury to Zambrano? I don't get it.

 

In the last 3 years, Santana has averaged over 230 innings. The most innings Zambrano has thrown in a season is 223. The next highest is 214.

 

Granted, Zambrano gets left in too long in many games, but there is no way to no whether Santana or Zambrano can or can't handle the extra abuse they each have been put through. Not all pitchers have the same threshold.

[Rob]

If we can't afford Zambrano, how do we afford Santana?

I was the under the impression that "affording" Zambrano isn't the problem, but rather worries about injuries (ala the last two long contracts we gave to pitchers).

 

Santana is consistently the best pitcher in baseball. And he's 27.

 

Why wouldn't one worry about an injury to Santana, but at the same time worry about an injury to Zambrano? I don't get it.

 

In the last 3 years, Santana has averaged over 230 innings. The most innings Zambrano has thrown in a season is 223. The next highest is 214.

 

Granted, Zambrano gets left in too long in many games, but there is no way to no whether Santana or Zambrano can or can't handle the extra abuse they each have been put through. Not all pitchers have the same threshold.

 

Santana ranked 70th last season in pitcher abuse points, only throwing more than 110 pitches in 2 outings all season and another 16 between 101 and 110.

 

Zambrano ranked 2nd, with six starts over 122 pitches, 13 between 110 and 122, and another 13 starts between 101 pitches and 110.

 

Put more succinctly, Santana threw 100 pitches or less in 16 of his starts. Zambrano only did it in one.

[Omar]

I once signed Santana as a free agent in MVP Baseball.. Thats the closest the we'll get to having him on the Cubs.

[Guest]

To me, it would cost the Cubs 3 blue chippers (or the Cubs equalivant) or Pie/Veal/Hill plus two more very good prospects. Plus you have to offer at least $20 mill per for at least 5 yrs. To me, the awesomeness of Johan Santana isn't worth giving up atleast 4 prospects and atleast $20 mill. No disrespect to Santana, but I rather see the Yanks/Red Sox/Angels blow their load on Santana.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

The best way for the Cubs to acquire Santana would be to trade Zambrano for additional chips which would be used in a deal for Santana.

[nilodnayr]

A trade like this would utterly destroy our farm system.

 

But it would also give this team one of the most frightening 1-2 punches in recent history. Yeowza.

 

Imagine if Prior was healthy too...

 

Imagine if our payroll was at/around $150 million. and promised to stay there. Then we could actually afford it. .

 

Well sure, any team that ups their salary by 30M will be able to keep a 20M pitcher. In other news, water is wet.

[oldstyle81]

A trade like this would utterly destroy our farm system.

 

But it would also give this team one of the most frightening 1-2 punches in recent history. Yeowza.

 

Imagine if Prior was healthy too...

 

in 2003 form

 

i would cry

[A New Era]

A trade like this would utterly destroy our farm system.

 

But it would also give this team one of the most frightening 1-2 punches in recent history. Yeowza.

 

Imagine if Prior was healthy too...

 

Imagine if our payroll was at/around $150 million. and promised to stay there. Then we could actually afford it. .

 

Well sure, any team that ups their salary by 30M will be able to keep a 20M pitcher. In other news, water is wet.

 

Well I'm not the one bringing up Zambrano, Santana, and Prior all in the same rotation. :?: :shock:

[UMFan83]

I would trade Veal, Gallager, Hill and Pie for Santana, and I'm not 100% sure they'd take it

[Sweet Swinging Billy]

If we can't resign "Z" and I hope we can...what about Zambrano straight up for Santana or would that not be possible? On second thought, I guess if the Twinkies couldn't resign Santana, then they probably couldn't afford to sign "Z" long term either. Oh, never mind.

[CuseCubFan69]

Just sign Z now and sign Santana when he is a free agent.

[UMFan83]

If we can't resign "Z" and I hope we can...what about Zambrano straight up for Santana or would that not be possible? On second thought, I guess if the Twinkies couldn't resign Santana, then they probably couldn't afford to sign "Z" long term either. Oh, never mind.

 

No, I don't think thats an even trade for the Twins.

[CardsFanInChiTown]

Just sign Z now and sign Santana when he is a free agent.

 

 

Man, one big offseason and already y'all are starting to sound like Yankee fans. :wink: