Report: Johan Santana off to New York (not the Yankees)

[OILFAN #81]

Yup, being reported the Mets will get him for a variety of players in return. (outfielder Carlos Gomez and pitchers Phil Humber, Deolis Guerra and Kevin Mulvey)

http://www.tsn.ca/mlb/news_story/?ID=228458&hubname=

[JayP]

Thank god he's not coming to the AL East.

[ricoFlame]

Originally Posted by JayP

Thank god he's not coming to the AL East.

amen to that.

[Antithesis]

You know, the starting pitching for the Yanks and Red Sox is really suspect in my mind going into Spring Training ... I'm almost salivating ...

[OILFAN #81]

Originally Posted by Antithesis

You know, the starting pitching for the Yanks and Red Sox is really suspect in my mind going into Spring Training ... I'm almost salivating ...

At what? The fact that the Jays may finish within 5 games of each and will be 3rd in the division?

I think both staffs are still pretty good:

Red Sox:

Beckett
Dice K
Schilling
Wakefield
Lester

Yankees:

Wang
Mussina
Pettite
Hughes (really good young pitcher/prospect)

Top 3 on each side are pretty solid and pretty decent 4 and 5's. Not to mention the fact they have clutch players in other positions that the Jays don't have.

[corporatejay]

How is the Sox pitching suspect? Their top three are probably the best in the MLB.

[Antithesis]

Well, maybe I spoke to soon on the Sox but Schilling and Wakefield are another year older and they were hardly spring chickens to begin with ...

The Yankees, however? That rotation is terrible ... Pettite? Yuck. Mussina too.

I don't think the Jays have looked this solid in YEARS and maybe it's optimistic of me to say that but damnit I'm a fan of theirs.

Halladay is money.
Burnett was ripping **** up in the last half of the year and could walk away after this year
Marcum
McGowan -- both of the above a year older after very successful years

Then you fill the last spot with a guy like Chacin, or Janssen, or even Litsch?

Not to mention the Jays' position players?

Their acquisitions this year? Scott Rolen >> Glaus ...

So, yes, I am salivating. Go Jays!

[Dion]

As a Twins fan it's gonna hurt losing Santana.

The only thing good about this is he did sign with the Skankees

[moon]

Originally Posted by Antithesis

Well, maybe I spoke to soon on the Sox but Schilling and Wakefield are another year older and they were hardly spring chickens to begin with ...

The Yankees, however? That rotation is terrible ... Pettite? Yuck. Mussina too.

I don't think the Jays have looked this solid in YEARS and maybe it's optimistic of me to say that but damnit I'm a fan of theirs.

Halladay is money.
Burnett was ripping **** up in the last half of the year and could walk away after this year
Marcum
McGowan -- both of the above a year older after very successful years

Then you fill the last spot with a guy like Chacin, or Janssen, or even Litsch?

Not to mention the Jays' position players?

Their acquisitions this year? Scott Rolen >> Glaus ...

So, yes, I am salivating. Go Jays!

If you are expecting Rolen to be a big upgrade over Glaus and in any way help you compete with the Sox and Yankees I think you are in for a huge disappointment. I loved him when he first came to the Cards but his decline is not all about injuries.

I would think that if you are talking about the Jays in comparison to the Sox and Yanks that any talk about position players should be avoided from the Jays side. There isn't a position on the field where they have the better guy than either of the Yanks or Sox.

[Antithesis]

I assume you're talking about Rolen's issues with Tony LaRussa? I seriously doubt they'll be there with Gibbons, who, from all I understand is a noted player's manager despite the issues he had with Lilly and Hillenbrand. Unless you're talking about his age? Either way - you disagree with me and that's cool.

I'm not trying to compare the Jays' position players with the Yanks and Sox, rather trying to illustrate that there isn't really a place in their lineup where you're fielding some schlub ...

And yeah, to answer re: Rolen >> Glaus, I do think there is going to be a big upgrade there ... I really think one of Rolen's biggest needs was a change of scenery.

[moon]

Originally Posted by Antithesis

I assume you're talking about Rolen's issues with Tony LaRussa? I seriously doubt they'll be there with Gibbons, who, from all I understand is a noted player's manager despite the issues he had with Lilly and Hillenbrand. Unless you're talking about his age? Either way - you disagree with me and that's cool.

I'm not trying to compare the Jays' position players with the Yanks and Sox, rather trying to illustrate that there isn't really a place in their lineup where you're fielding some schlub ...

And yeah, to answer re: Rolen >> Glaus, I do think there is going to be a big upgrade there ... I really think one of Rolen's biggest needs was a change of scenery.

I was talking about his bat speed slowing way down and his tendancy to chase balls out of the strike zone. He was able to get away with it in his prime when he could catch up to the balls, now he does not have that same bat speed and is unable to catch up to those balls as well as he could in the past.

I don't think he will be a clubhouse concern as it appeared his only issue was with La Russa and unless Gibbons benches him. He was a fine clubhouse guy until he pouted about the WS benching. La Russa is a players manager as well for the most part but he is also an arrogant, stubborn SOB who doesn't like when he is questioned. But Rolen was struggling before he and LaRussa started fighting, it was basically the cause of the feud.

[CaramonLS]

Sox probably have the #1 or #2 Rotation in the AL, possibly all of MLB right now. Yankees are probably top 5 in the AL still - they've got that other prospect as their 5th starter whose name I forget. He's still very good (not Hughes).

I think ESPN had the Jays Ranked #3, behind Cleveland/Boston, when they did their off season Rotation ranking.

Also, it appears Chacin/Janssen/Litsch are all going to be fighting for the 5th spot, with the edge to Janssen, since JP thinks he is a long term starter (always has been), combined with probably the best infield defense in the AL (extreme groundballer) when Jmac plays.

[ricoFlame]

Rosenthal's take on the deal. he's disappointed with what the twinks got in return. says they could have got more in different deals.

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/7734714

[OILFAN #81]

Originally Posted by CaramonLS

Sox probably have the #1 or #2 Rotation in the AL, possibly all of MLB right now. Yankees are probably top 5 in the AL still - they've got that other prospect as their 5th starter whose name I forget. He's still very good (not Hughes).

Believe you are referring to Chamberlain. A very good prospect and will be #5 in the rotation.

[CaramonLS]

Originally Posted by OILFAN #81

Believe you are referring to Chamberlain. A very good prospect and will be #5 in the rotation.

Man, I totally Forgot about Joba. But I meant Ian Kennedy though. His numbers as a starter are staggering in his first full year of professional baseball (lets not count 2.2 IP last year in low A).

[Sylvanfan]

Well the Mets only had to shell out 137.5 million on a six year extension for Santana.

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/7748102?MSNHPHMA

Poor Cleveland Indians...when CC Sabathia see's a contract like that he's got to think he's a 20 plus million dollar pitcher himself. Unreal the amount of money that is in Baseball to pay these salary's to this many players.

[Flames in 07]

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

Well the Mets only had to shell out 137.5 million on a six year extension for Santana.

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/7748102?MSNHPHMA

Poor Cleveland Indians...when CC Sabathia see's a contract like that he's got to think he's a 20 plus million dollar pitcher himself. Unreal the amount of money that is in Baseball to pay these salary's to this many players.

That's true, but equally unreal is all the revenue the league has developed in the last few years, they are bridging the gap with the NFL believe it or not. They are doing very well with their interactive products. I've had MLB.tv for a couple years and will likely get mosaic this year, both great products that are making them a killing.

[CaramonLS]

This really drives home the importance of drafting quality players and how little paying a player 4-5 million in a signing bonus really is. A guy like Rick Porcello will be playing for the Tigers soon, yet so many teams passed on the top starter in last years draft (Jays x2) because of the bonus.