cbbryan

OH MY GOD. NO. NO. NO. NO. Do you know who Johan Santana is?! This is the best pitcher out there, period. Not the best pitcher on the trade market. Not the best pitcher who is a free agent next year. He is the best pitcher in the major leagues. The Yankees trump your offer with Phil Hughes. Marshall, Gallagher, Colvin and garbage don't get you Miguel Tejada plus all of his salary. This is just insanity. WHY would the twins do your deal? Please, I just want one reason. If trades like this got done, the league would be full of either teams with 13 AAAA-ers or teams with 5 stud pitchers and 8 elite hitters. Please. First off, I didn't say it was likely. I said it was prefered. Secondly, when Team A trades a player because they can't afford him they usually come up short on talent. Very rarely do you get all you can when teams know you have to trade the player. Granted, we are talking about Johan Santana and the likelihood of the Twins getting taken for a ride or slim to none. I don't believe that what I offered was garbage. I'm certainly not saying that any player I listed is as highly touted, or has a higher ceiling then Hughes does. That's not to say that I don't think the players I mentioned have value. And I believe that the players have more value then most here believe. If the Yankees give up Hughes, Kennedy, and Melky. They're basically giving up a possible #1 SP, #4 or 5 SP, and an average CF. While the Cubs don't have a possible #1 to give up, they could give enough SP to fill the middle/back end of a rotation (see Pierre, Juan trade) and still include young, experienced ML talent in any of Murton/Cedeno/Theriot/Fontenot. Or could give up someone like Patterson, who I think will be a starter in MLB. Again, I'm not saying the Cubs could "with out a doubt" get Santana for one of these packages, I'm just saying they should explore it.

I don't agree, but that's the joy of a message board. I do agree that Marquis would not be part of the deal. He's not someone I see the Cubs being able to deal to anyone and especially not a lower budget club like the Twins. I could see both Marshall and Gallagher in the deal, though.

Well, the way I see it is you make trades to get better....depending on your situation. The Twins, it seems, will be losing one of the best pitchers in baseball. If they hang on to him and can't get an extension, they lose a lot. If they deal him and get a bunch of quality players that they have financial control over for low salaries - they win. That's why they are going to pick the best deal out there. That proposal that doesn't include Rich Hill does not compete with what other teams are offering for him. At the same time, I think Hill and a couple other quality young ballplayers are as good or better than what the Yanks and Red Sox are offering - with the added bonus of the Twins not having to face him except possibly in Interleague play. If the Cubs traded Hill, Prior, and if need be Pie or Patterson - and get Santana WITH an extension for even $18 mil a year - they are a much better team. Both teams win. I agree that a rotation minus Hill, but adding Santana is better then last year. My argument is that a rotation with Santana, Z, Lilly, Hill, __________ is GREAT! IMO, you could work out a deal in which both teams get what they want. I don't think you have to include Hill or Pie. You may have to include one, but not both. I'd rather give up all/or most of Cedeno, Patterson, Gallagher, Marshall, Colvin, Murton, etc. You get my point. BTW, Murton would be someone that I think the Twins would value and could be part of a deal as well.

I would think that the Twins would want as good a pitcher as they could get in the deal, and Hill would most likely be the centerpiece of the deal. I don't think Marshall or Gallagher have the appeal that Rich Hill does. I would not trade Hill unless in was for a better pitcher. I agree, I wouldn't trade Hill unless it was for an upgrade at SP. My thoughts on the trade is that you want to add to your depth to make a run. While Santana is clearly a better pitcher then Hill, it would make more sense to me to trade more prospects as opposed to trading out of your current rotation. Unless it's the bottom of the rotation with Marquis, Marshall, or Dumpster. I just don't see the Twins taking on the contract of Marquis. Again, I don't know that a proposal like above would be enough, but it's worth throwing out there.

Interesting bit with Pridie, he was selected by the Twins in the 2006 Rule 5 and was returned to TB in March. So, apparently Pridie was someone the Twins have had interest in before this trade.

Scouts.com has him as a 2-star prospect: Biography: 2006 Highlights: Spent the entire season with Beloit of the Midwest League. Appeared in 28 games, making 18 starts. Named a Midwest League All-Star. Posted a 2.29 earned run average in 106.1 innings of work. Struck out 125 batters, while holding opponents to a .202 batting average. 2005 Highlights: Began the season at Elizabethton of the Appalachian League. Made four starts, posting a 0.82 earned run average. Named Apply League Pitcher of the Week for the week of June 20-27. Promoted to Beloit on July 16. Made ten starts for the Snappers, winning four games. Posted a 4.38 earned run average, striking out better than a batter per inning. 2004 Highlights: Made his professional debut as a member of the Gulf Coast League Twins. Appeared in 11 games, making two starts. Posted a 2.84 earned run average, picking up one save. Personal: Eduardo (Eddie) Morlan..Attended Coral Park (FL) High School..Native of La Habana, Cuba..Drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the third round of the 2004 draft..Signed by Hector Otero..Originally assigned to the Gulf Coast League Twins. http://orioles.scout.com/a.z?s=251&p=8&c=1&nid=3078459

Pirdie's Stats at AAA 2007 Season Team League AVG G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI TB BB SO SB CS OBP SLG OPS MON SOU .290 71 279 42 81 16 7 4 27 123 14 45 14 7 .331 .441 .772 DUR INT .318 63 245 47 78 16 4 10 39 132 22 47 12 3 .375 .539 .914 Minors .303 134 524 89 159 32 11 14 66 255 36 92 26 10 .352 .487 .839 Morlan's Stats at AFL 2007 Season Team League W L ERA G GS CG SHO SV IP H R ER HR BB SO GO/AO AVG FTM FSL 4 3 3.15 41 0 0 0 18 65.2 55 25 23 7 17 92 0.56 .218 NBR EAS 1 0 2.25 2 0 0 0 0 4.0 3 1 1 0 3 7 0.67 .200 Minors 5 3 3.10 43 0 0 0 18 69.2 58 26 24 7 20 99 0.56 .217 This Morlan kid is young too. Only 21, I believe. He's from Havana, Cuba.

I would not include Hill or Pie unless Santana signed an extension. I've been on the Pie bangwagon since the beginning and it would hurt to see him go to another team, but I would entertain it for a Santana or Miggy deal ONLY IF long term extensions where signed. Does anyone think the Cubs could do Marshall, Gallagher, Colvin, and mid/low level prospect for Santana? I'd love to see the Cubs pull a deal where they don't have to give up Pie or Hill.

I believe Jeter's response is that he's a Florida resident? Does he still pay taxes in NY if he's a FL resident?

Hasn't anyone told you that the grass is always greener on the other side? /sarcasm IMO, Pie will be fine if he's given the opportunity to start consistantly w/out stress of losing his job. The debate on who's prospects are better is exactly that............... a debate. I think ARZ, LAD, and LAA especially have a terrific farm system. One the same hand, I thought the Cubs had a great farm system circa 2001-2003ish when we had Choi, Hill, Montanez, Jones, Sisco, Ryu, etc. And the farm system was thought highly of at the time too. How many of those players actually panned out? I also believe that this team isn't in need of a bunch of prospects. I hope there's an offensive upgrade at SS and/or RF and that allows Pie to step in stress free in CF. While I still have my doubts about the SP on this club they should be able to easily win this division with their ability to pay greater payroll on their roster.

He might hit for some power there. His splits will probably be awful though.

Smoking's harmful?

Another tidbit from Buster Olney from ESPN.com: http://insider.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?entryID=3111624&name=olney_buster&action=upsell&appRedirect=http%3a%2f%2finsider.espn.go.com%2fespn%2fblog%2findex%3fentryID%3d3111624%26name%3dolney_buster So, they are thinking of signing both ARod and Lowell? They may not have any money next year for Johan Santana!

It's not 90 million for Torii Hunter, but it's bad! Goes to show what a HR in the playoffs can do for you!

Per Buster Olney on ESPN.com • An executive with some knowledge of Torii Hunter's discussions predicts he will sign with Texas for six years and $90 million. WOW!!!!

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3112042 Reportedly worth 14.4 Million over 3 years.

It's easier to spend money when it's your daddy's too! That's where George got his too, from his dad. In fact that is the main reason why most people are wealthy in the first place. Not rich, wealthy. I realize that. I wish my dad was wealthy or rich!! I'm not picky!

It's easier to spend money when it's your daddy's too!

If I were the Yankees, which I'm not, but if I were. I would offer what ARod had left on his original deal + 5/150 reported extension - 27 Million for what the Rangers would have been on the hook for had he not opted out............. and not a penny more.

Who would you replace Hill with in the rotation?

Why the Yanks just gave him INSANE money. Plus they caved on the fourth year, that was the bump in their offer that came today! I think the Mets would have tried to sign him. 13 Million for Posada isn't that crazy if you consider Todd Jones now makes 7! Really, it's just annoying because I picked the Mets for Posada in the FA contest! The Mets were after him, He had lunch a couple of times with Omar. That is what pushed the Yanks to the fourth year! Isn't that tampering? I don't get all these managers/gms talking about players, or meeting with players prior to the start of FA. I thought that was tampering?

Why the Yanks just gave him INSANE money. Plus they caved on the fourth year, that was the bump in their offer that came today! I think the Mets would have tried to sign him. 13 Million for Posada isn't that crazy if you consider Todd Jones now makes 7! Really, it's just annoying because I picked the Mets for Posada in the FA contest!

I honestly thought he'd hold out until he could talk to the Mets. I think the Mets would have given him insane money.

Quite possibly. Although I can't see them going with Soriano, Pie and Murton, regardless of where Fukudome ends up. I agree. I haven't figured out what they consider DeRosa?!?! If the Cubs are serious about Matsui at 2B and Fukudome in RF. I would assume DeRosa would then be the super sub for 2B/RF/3B. If that's the case, I would expect Murton would also be traded.

This may just be a pre-cursor for signing Fukudome. Depending on what the $$ numbers are that Hendry can work with. I do think they want to play Pie in CF fulltime, though. And I'm happy with that decision.