Do the Yankees need Johan Santana?

Question

No I don't think so they have great young pitching coming up and Brian Cashman is a fool to even consider giving it up . They resigned Pettitte let
and Mariano Rivera let them and Mussina Mentor Hughes, Kennedy and Chamberlin and they can always Get Santana when he becomes a freeagent.

Answer 1

They may not need him but they definitely need better starting pitching if they want to win next year and Johan would be a huge upgrade...so they don't need him but they could definitely use him.

Answer 2

You know what I was thinking.. how everyone has forgotten Roger Clemens, suddenly... who, while absolutely robbing the Yankees last season... was the 'influence' at least, that impacted on Hughes, Chamberlain etc. He also made MORE money last season, than what Santana is asking for... meaning, it's NOT Barry Zito that Santana is measuring his contract demands against -- it's Roger Clemens. (Since the sportswriters collectively are JUST dopey school of prey-fish -- that copy/paste anything they read online, these days... maybe someone will pick up on this, now?)

But, the Yankees.. do NEED a #1 starter, because Clemens couldn't be that Ace last season (he fizzled & disappeared, when he needed him). Joe Torre isn't even a good manager, in my eyes -- and I've been consistent, since I watch near every game & nuance... and Torre place Wang as the Yankees ace, let's say vs. the Indians -- when he had ANDY Pettitte and his postseason track record, sitting on his thumb in Games 1 and 5. (Torre relieved Wang in that Game 1, with Scott Olendorff.. by the way, with a full & rested bullpen? and brought in Hughes, when it was 10-3 or so.. but I'm getting off the point...) What I'm saying is -- that Wang ISN'T the ace of the staff, although he's very good. And they Yankees might have won, last season... if Torre had simply started Pettitte in Game 1, over Wang (but Torre confounded me, even when he starting Cairo at 1B, benching Damon, batting a .100 Mientkewizc 2nd in May & at all in the postseason!, and not EVER seeing that his 3 hottest hitters in the AL -- despite the Yankees April-June slump (Jeter, Arod, Posada) SHOULD BE HITTING 2,3,4 or 3,4,5 in the freaking batting order.. instead of separating them with SLUMPING batters throughout?!?). Ugh...

Back to your question: If you want to stay pat -- you can, with Pettitte back.. which doubtless is the thinking of the Steinbrenners, right now. But, Oakland and Baltimore are NOT going to give their aces, to the New York Yankees -- these are 2 franchises that LOST in their recent heydeys, to NY. They are rivals. In fact, the Yankees should be going FULL GUNS for Dontrelle Willis -- who would be a great addition to NY, the Bronx and can become every bit of what they'd get with Santana (and is 5 years younger). They'd also save some talent, and money, in the process.

I don't think the Yankees "need" Santana... but, they can afford him... if the Twins are trying to squeeze the Yankees, it would be nothing new... because the Twins might rather send Santana to the Dodgers or Cubs... into the NL, at that.

Answer 3

Nope. We don't need him. I really like the young pitchers, and there is a reason why Cashman is against giving up the youngster came out of our farm system. I was against giving up Hughes with Melky, and a package of these two + another prospect is far better than any package the Red Sox put together. The Twins failed to realized that, and I am glad they did.
Now if the Yankees go after Haren, that will be a solid addition, but it must not be at the expense of Hughes and Cabrera.

Bottom line is , Keep the Kids.

Answer 4

If they don't need him, then they sure need someone like him. They are in desperate need of a legitimate #1 starter. A go to guy. Santana is the best they could get.
Melky Cabrera is a good young player, but there are other options out there who are better center fielders, and Hughes is a great prospect but he needs to work on a few pitches to be effective for an entire season.
It's a good move for the Yanks.

Answer 5

I think they need Santana more right now than the Red Sox need Santana...you are talking about the best pitcher in Baseball right now; giving one top pitching "PROSPECT" is nothing in a deal like that, they are still keeping Kennedy and Chamberlin so they are not out that much and they are getting Koufax in his prime (sorry Frizzer but best analogy that I could come up with!), you are getting the pitcher to headline for you, Pettite is a good pitcher now but not a headline guy, Wang is also not a headliner despite back to back 19 win seasons. Mussina is a shell of his former self and would be better served as a 4-5 starter, possibly bullpen or even better Pitching Coach.

He is the right pitcher for them, they have the possible talent to give up for the real thing!

Answer 6

The point I believe you are missing is that if the Twins make a deal for Santana, to get the players they are asking, it's simply assumed that to approve the trade, Santana would require a long term contract to entice him not to be a free agent.
In other words, if Santana is dealt, he won't be a free agent for 5 or 6 years.

Hughes, Kennedy and Chamberlain are NOT Santana.
Whatever you are thinking one of these three may be, Santana is now.

Also, let's face it, prospects are all well and good, but they represent what may be if all things go well. They may ask for a guy and the guy they asked for, and the Yankees denied, turns out to be a bust. You could look back and say "We could have had Santana for the equivilent of a Charlie Hudson or an Al Leiter.

Don't get me wrong, I am hoping the Yankees don't get Santana, hold on to those 3 young guys. On the other hand, if I were the Twins GM, I would ask (at a minimum) for Chamberlain and one of Hughes/Kennedy and then Cabrera.

My job would not to be doing the Yankees any favours, but to get the best players for my asset.

I would rather him stay out of the east, but Boston vs. Yankees, I would rather see him on the Red Sox.

Answer 7

Yes. Santana will make them the team to beat. He'll get them into the World Series. He's that good.
Pettite is getting older now and might be less effective. Some of there younger guys may not yet be ready for a spot in the starting rotation. And some of their older guys aren't very reliable anymore.

Santana probably won't become a free agent, he'll be traded, and he'll only waive his no-trade clause if the team that gets him signs him to a contract of his liking.

Answer 8

Do they need him at the price that the TWINS want NO!!! The Yankees have some great young talent that are viewed as being MLB Superstars.....There is talent on the free agent market that the Yankees can get at a much less of a price...Yankees are building for the future and they are doing OK by not giving theTwins what they want

Answer 9

The Yankees do have some good young prospects that don't have enough experience to get it done next year. Santana could be the key to instant success for the Yankees and it would be well worth the effort to trade some of their young prospects for one of the games top pitchers. Yankees management must feel the same way since they are doing everything they can to get Santana.

Answer 10

As an Yanks fan I would love to see them get him. Do they need him today it depends on how you look at it. He is only 29 so he has a few more years on the mound. Mussina is OLD and should retire, Pettitte has only a year or so left. So looking long term, they do need him..

He will not be available come free agency. MN will move him before then so now is the only time to get him..

Answer 11

Yes, but not at that ridiculous price the Twins have posted for us. The rest of the league can trade for Santana with wooden nickels and chewed gum.... you know, what the Red Sox are now offering!!