Am I the only Yankee fan that thinks Santana is not worth it?

Question

I mean come on people you are so naive--

Look to the past when we brought in all these so called great pitchers

Randy Johnson Carl Pavano Kevin Brown Javier Vazquez...

The list goes on they had great years before they came to NY and then they got rocked plain and simple

I hope you guys reconsider this-- look what we did in the 90's kept young talent and won championships Isn't that what baseball is all about?

I will be very disappointed in the Yankees if they give up a great future to get another so called "great" pitcher and then he gets rocked

This is what I expected I hope all of you aren't heading up the Yankees because we will continue the downfall if that were the case.

I'll tell you who is worth it Ian Kennedy, Joba Chamberlin, and Phil Huhges. Why trade your future for one starter that could have the same the result as other big starters who have come in before.

Answer 1

I agree with you.
I wouldn't mind getting Santana, especially if he actually does do well in NY (which can happen, although it seems to be fairly common for good pitchers to start sucking when they get to the Yankees, as you mentioned). The problem is, we can't get Santana without giving up a few of the good young guys, and I definitely don't think it's worth it. Why give up a proven young player and/or some potentially fantastic pitchers gor one guy who has done well in the past, but won't definitely do well in NY . . . and isn't even coming off of his best season.

So yeah, I agree, Santana's not worth it.

Answer 2

First off I can't say that Santana is not worth it. The "Lefty" has been super the past 4 years in which he's won 2 cy young awards. He's only 28 years old and hasn't peaked as of yet. The only draw back and where I agree with you is that we're mortgaging the future again with a long termed contract and for big money. I would love to see the Yankees get a Dan Haren for some lessor talents and still bring along the Youngsters. We haven't seen a full year from Hughes Kennedy and Joba yet and whether or not they can take the day to day schedule. Hughes failed pretty bad this year with his injuries but I was impressed with what i saw of Joba and Kennedy.
Unfortunately, I am not a Steinbrenner.

Answer 3

Johnson was 40, Pavano only had 1 good year, Brown was 40, and Vazquez only had 1 good year. Comparing them to Santana who is in his prime and has had consistency is not even a valid comparison. Giving up Kennedy would be worth it, I wouldn't trade Hughes (#4 rated prospect in 2007), or Chamerlain (the next Verlander), but giving up Kennedy isn't giving up on our future. We would be upgrading. Plus we need a lefty to protect that short porch.

I really do think you're the only Yankee fan that doesn't think we should do it. I think it's pretty obvious we need to make this happen ASAP.

Answer 4

Yankees "great pitcher" acquisitions HmmMMmmm

1. Randy Johnson - Clearly was over the hill when he joined Yankees. Had a great career but came up with a flat slider and diminishing velocity w/ NYY. Bad acquisition at the time. It was for his name only.

2. Carl Pavano - one year wonder getting a big deal need I say more?

3. Kevin Brown see #1

4. Javier Vazquez or Jeff Weaver - both coming off good years. Vazquez was a NL pitcher so he was bound to be eaten up by AL. It was 50/50. Weaver came off a career year, see #2.

If you think Santana compares to the above four situations, you're really a yankee fan because you fit the profile.

Answer 5

What will he be worth if he wins 25 games and has a 1.7 era? Maybe it the fans that get on the new guys no matter who they are and keeps telling them that they are bums and not worth it. There are no worse fans in all of baseball than the Yankee fan.

Look at the club. You got millions tied up in hitting. $10 invested in defense (other than Jeter) and everybody is willing to pay you to keep your current pitchers because they think home plate is a restaurant. Heck, the team only let Babe Ruth pitch the last game of each season.

Go out and find three good pitchers and you win. Stay the course and you can watch Boston in the World Series year after year.

Answer 6

The 1996 Yankees won with this pitching staff:

Andy Pettitte - homegrown
Jimmy Key - free agent
Kenny Rogers - free agent
Dwight Gooden - free agent
David Cone - free agent
John Wetteland - trade
Jeff Nelson - trade
Mariano Rivera - homegrown

Those were shrewd deals for proven guys, but I'd hardly call it building through the system.

It's the same story with their later staffs - Clemens, El Duque, Neagle, Mike Stanton, and others. They've done a better job with position players than pitchers, with guys like Jeter, Posada, Williams, etc.

I think the guys you mentioned are good examples of bad signings, but the Yankees have made plenty of good moves like I mentioned. And they should have known better than to go after Unit or Brown, both of whom were on obvious age declines. And while Pavano or Vazquez didn't work out, neither should be mentioned in the same breath as Johan Santana.

I'm a Jays fan, and it kills me to see the Yankees possibly get Santana, but trust me - he should be well worth it.

Answer 7

Of course he isn't worth it, but when has that ever detered a team from getting one of the best starters in baseball? Baseball is just like anything else, it's supply and demand. If you have something (like pitching) that is available only in a small quantity and there are many teams wanting that, you have a good chance of getting what you want in return. The Yankees will pay the price for Santana, or if they don't some other team will.

Answer 8

Okay, first of all I am no more happy about this than you are. Johan was a great pitcher for the Twins...I would know I am a great fan. But you have no reason to go and rag on him. It is so like you Yankee boys. Having a fit because someone is (supposedly) coming in to rain on your parade. Ya I am a girl and I can say all of this because I am a girl with feelings for the Twins and every player on their team. No matter where they come from they will always be better than A-Rod. Even if they don't play shortstop they will always be better. So I will finish on that note. Hope the Yankees lose another season.......Adios Amigos!

Answer 9

Craig S is right -- the Yankees' championships in the 90s were mainly built on bought pitching, not homegrown stuff. And Santana is much younger than any of the other hired guns (Clemens, Johnson, Mussina, KBrown). I wouldn't give up Joba for him but I would be willing to part with just about any other player (and certainly any other pitcher under contract) to get Santana. D

Answer 10

Just so long as he is not Japanese, then we should be OK. The Yankees never have any luck with Japanese pitchers is all I am pointing out.

Personally, I think Santana will be a good fit to the yankee rotation. A big strong lefty is what they need. Especially if Andy decides to retire. He isn't 42 like Randy Johnson was.