Johan Santana (right) is still up for grabs now that negotiations between the Red Sox and Twins have reportedly fallen apart.
If Santana, one of baseball's best and most-respected hurlers, doesn't go to the Red Sox (like they need more top line pitching), who is going to get the 28-year-old lefty?
According to various sources including manager Willie Randolph, the Mets are very interested, as are the Texas Rangers and Seattle Mariners. Also getting back into the mix are the New York Yankees, who made overtures to Minnesota earlier in the fall to no avail.
The Yankees are in dire need of a front-line pitcher, since Roger Clemens is unlikely to come back at age 46, and the staff of Mike Mussina, Andy Pettitte, CC Wang and Carl Pavano (if healthy) is still in search of a number one. Santana would fit right in, but a Yankee deal might still be predicated on what comes of the Alex Rodriguez deal. The Yanks and A-Rod have agreed in principle, though terms of the contract have yet to be worked out. On Dec. 2nd, the Yankees offer arbitration to A-Rod, but he's not likely to go that route.
If A-Rod is as wise as he is powerful at the plate, he'll defer some salary to make room for Santana on the roster. The lefty would be good for 20-25 quality starts and is a perfect fit for Yankee Stadium.
As for the Mets, they've got the dough and the desire. After last season's September swoon, they could use a guy who routinely lasts into the 7th inning and can handcuff opposing hitters.
Last year, Santana was one of baseball's hardest-luck starters, going 15-13 with a 3.33 ERA, 235 Ks and only 52 walks in 219 innings. Five times he lasted 6 innings or more, allowed 2 runs or less and either received no decision or took a loss. But in the National League, he could be one of the most devastating pitchers of this or any century. His strikeout total would likely approach 300, and with the right team behind him, 20 wins would be a no-brainer. With a solid bullpen, 25 wins would be possible.
Whether or not the Mets are the proper fit is questionable, however. The team will have plenty of contention in the NL East in 2008 from the Phillies and Braves, and the bullpen was rocky at best last year.
Of course, the Twins could keep him, though he's going to be an expensive commodity, but Minnesota has a tremendous amount of raw pitching talent, much of it making its way through AAA Rochester in 2006 and 2007. Of course, Matt Garza has already been dealt to Tampa Bay, but Francisco Liriano will be back from elbow surgery and Nick Blackburn, Kevin Slowey, Boof Bonser and Scott Baker are already on the 40-man roster. Of those, Blackburn is one to watch. He strung together 41 innings in which he did not allow an earned run last season in Rochester, and has a devastating fastball to go with some wicked off-speed stuff.
With a healthy Liriano and Santana, Blackburn, Baker and either Slowey or Bonser, the Twins might end up with the best starting five in the division.
Whether the Twins keep Santana or not, they're in a good spot because they'll likely get a solid center fielder to replace Torii Hunter, cash and/or draft choices. The stakes are high. Let the bidding commence.
Friday, December 7, 2007
Who Wants Johan Santana?
Minnesota Twins' pitcher Johan Santana (right) is still up for grabs now that negotiations between the Red Sox and Twins have reportedly fallen apart.
If Santana, one of baseball's best and most-respected hurlers, doesn't go to the Red Sox (like they need more top line pitching), who is going to get the 28-year-old lefty?
According to various sources including manager Willie Randolph, the Mets are very interested, as are the Texas Rangers and Seattle Mariners. Also getting back into the mix are the New York Yankees, who made overtures to Minnesota earlier in the fall to no avail.
The Yankees are in dire need of a front-line pitcher, since Roger Clemens is unlikely to come back at age 46, and the staff of Mike Mussina, Andy Pettitte, CC Wang and Carl Pavano (if healthy) is still in search of a number one. Santana would fit right in, but a Yankee deal might still be predicated on what comes of the Alex Rodriguez deal. The Yanks and A-Rod have agreed in principle, though terms of the contract have yet to be worked out. On Dec. 2nd, the Yankees offer arbitration to A-Rod, but he's not likely to go that route.
If A-Rod is as wise as he is powerful at the plate, he'll defer some salary to make room for Santana on the roster. The lefty would be good for 20-25 quality starts and is a perfect fit for Yankee Stadium.
As for the Mets, they've got the dough and the desire. After last season's September swoon, they could use a guy who routinely lasts into the 7th inning and can handcuff opposing hitters.
Last year, Santana was one of baseball's hardest-luck starters, going 15-13 with a 3.33 ERA, 235 Ks and only 52 walks in 219 innings. Five times he lasted 6 innings or more, allowed 2 runs or less and either received no decision or took a loss. But in the National League, he could be one of the most devastating pitchers of this or any century. His strikeout total would likely approach 300, and with the right team behind him, 20 wins would be a no-brainer. With a solid bullpen, 25 wins would be possible.
Whether or not the Mets are the proper fit is questionable, however. The team will have plenty of contention in the NL East in 2008 from the Phillies and Braves, and the bullpen was rocky at best last year.
Of course, the Twins could keep him, though he's going to be an expensive commodity, but Minnesota has a tremendous amount of raw pitching talent, much of it making its way through AAA Rochester in 2006 and 2007. Of course, Matt Garza has already been dealt to Tampa Bay, but Francisco Liriano will be back from elbow surgery and Nick Blackburn, Kevin Slowey, Boof Bonser and Scott Baker are already on the 40-man roster. Of those, Blackburn is one to watch. He strung together 41 innings in which he did not allow an earned run last season in Rochester, and has a devastating fastball to go with some wicked off-speed stuff.
With a healthy Liriano and Santana, Blackburn, Baker and either Slowey or Bonser, the Twins might end up with the best starting five in the division.
Whether the Twins keep Santana or not, they're in a good spot because they'll likely get a solid center fielder to replace Torii Hunter, cash and/or draft choices. The stakes are high. Let the bidding commence.
Johan Santana (right) is still up for grabs now that negotiations between the Red Sox and Twins have reportedly fallen apart.
If Santana, one of baseball's best and most-respected hurlers, doesn't go to the Red Sox (like they need more top line pitching), who is going to get the 28-year-old lefty?
According to various sources including manager Willie Randolph, the Mets are very interested, as are the Texas Rangers and Seattle Mariners. Also getting back into the mix are the New York Yankees, who made overtures to Minnesota earlier in the fall to no avail.
The Yankees are in dire need of a front-line pitcher, since Roger Clemens is unlikely to come back at age 46, and the staff of Mike Mussina, Andy Pettitte, CC Wang and Carl Pavano (if healthy) is still in search of a number one. Santana would fit right in, but a Yankee deal might still be predicated on what comes of the Alex Rodriguez deal. The Yanks and A-Rod have agreed in principle, though terms of the contract have yet to be worked out. On Dec. 2nd, the Yankees offer arbitration to A-Rod, but he's not likely to go that route.
If A-Rod is as wise as he is powerful at the plate, he'll defer some salary to make room for Santana on the roster. The lefty would be good for 20-25 quality starts and is a perfect fit for Yankee Stadium.
As for the Mets, they've got the dough and the desire. After last season's September swoon, they could use a guy who routinely lasts into the 7th inning and can handcuff opposing hitters.
Last year, Santana was one of baseball's hardest-luck starters, going 15-13 with a 3.33 ERA, 235 Ks and only 52 walks in 219 innings. Five times he lasted 6 innings or more, allowed 2 runs or less and either received no decision or took a loss. But in the National League, he could be one of the most devastating pitchers of this or any century. His strikeout total would likely approach 300, and with the right team behind him, 20 wins would be a no-brainer. With a solid bullpen, 25 wins would be possible.
Whether or not the Mets are the proper fit is questionable, however. The team will have plenty of contention in the NL East in 2008 from the Phillies and Braves, and the bullpen was rocky at best last year.
Of course, the Twins could keep him, though he's going to be an expensive commodity, but Minnesota has a tremendous amount of raw pitching talent, much of it making its way through AAA Rochester in 2006 and 2007. Of course, Matt Garza has already been dealt to Tampa Bay, but Francisco Liriano will be back from elbow surgery and Nick Blackburn, Kevin Slowey, Boof Bonser and Scott Baker are already on the 40-man roster. Of those, Blackburn is one to watch. He strung together 41 innings in which he did not allow an earned run last season in Rochester, and has a devastating fastball to go with some wicked off-speed stuff.
With a healthy Liriano and Santana, Blackburn, Baker and either Slowey or Bonser, the Twins might end up with the best starting five in the division.
Whether the Twins keep Santana or not, they're in a good spot because they'll likely get a solid center fielder to replace Torii Hunter, cash and/or draft choices. The stakes are high. Let the bidding commence.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
A-Rod Wins AL MVP Award
As if there was any doubt about the Most Valuable Player in the American League, New York Yankees' 3rd baseman Alex Rodriguez took the award in a nearly unanimous vote last week.
Rodriguez (right) had a career year, even for a player as accomplished as him, slugging 54 home runs, driving in 156 while scoring 143 runs, all tops in the league. Rodriguez also batted a solid .314, tied for 13th in the league, and swiped 24 bases.
Finishing a distant second in the voting was Detroit's Magglio Ordonez, who led the majors with a .363 batting average.
Rodriguez, who opted out of a long-term contract with the Yankees during the World Series, has resumed talks with the club after testing the free agency waters on the advice of his long-time agent, Scott Boras. The Yankees are only interested in negotiating with Rodriguez and not Boras at this time though any word of a breakthrough or deal has yet to be announced.
Rodriguez (right) had a career year, even for a player as accomplished as him, slugging 54 home runs, driving in 156 while scoring 143 runs, all tops in the league. Rodriguez also batted a solid .314, tied for 13th in the league, and swiped 24 bases.
Finishing a distant second in the voting was Detroit's Magglio Ordonez, who led the majors with a .363 batting average.
Rodriguez, who opted out of a long-term contract with the Yankees during the World Series, has resumed talks with the club after testing the free agency waters on the advice of his long-time agent, Scott Boras. The Yankees are only interested in negotiating with Rodriguez and not Boras at this time though any word of a breakthrough or deal has yet to be announced.
Monday, October 29, 2007
That's a Wrap: Red Sox Sweep Series
Boston 4 Colorado 3 - The Boston Red Sox completed their second World Series sweep in 4 years, topping the Colorado Rockies, 4 games to none, to capture the 2007 Championship. Boston, in their last trip to the World Series in 2004, bested the St. Louis Cardinals by the same margin.
Outside of Boston, the remainder of the baseball universe hopes sweeping the fall classic doesn't become a habit.
Sunday night's affair went along the same lines as the previous three games, with Colorado failing to generate any offense against Boston's starter, Jon Lester, who cruised through 5 2/3 innings without allowing a Colorado run. Lester (right) allowed three hits, walked three and struck out three in a commanding performance, similar to the other three Boston starters, Josh Beckett, Curt Schilling and Daisuke Matsuzaka, each of whom worked into at least the 6th inning and earned a win.
By the time Lester left the game, the Red Sox had established a 2-0 lead, and expanded it to 3-0 on Mike Lowell's solo homer in the 7th. Lowell, who batted .375 over the course of the four games, was named MVP of the series.
Colorado got one back in the bottom of the 7th on Brad Hawpe's solo shot to right, but Bobby Kielty homered in Boston's half of the 8th to make it 4-1.
Series MVP Lowell (right), was the ultimate hitting star in the middle of Boston's potent lineup going 6-for-16 with 3 doubles, a home run, 4 RBI and 6 runs scored. He was the only player from either squad to score at least one run in each game.
Boston has now won 8 straight World Series games and finished 2007 by winning seven straight through the playoffs and series. Their post-season record for 2007 was 11-3, having swept the Angels in the ALDS and taking 4 of 7 from the Indians in the ALCS.
Boston outscored Colorado 29-10. In the AL Championship Series they scored 51 runs to Cleveland's 32, and outscored the Angels 19-4 in the ALDS, for a cumulative post-season score of 94-46.
Spring training begins in just over four months.
Sunday night's affair went along the same lines as the previous three games, with Colorado failing to generate any offense against Boston's starter, Jon Lester, who cruised through 5 2/3 innings without allowing a Colorado run. Lester (right) allowed three hits, walked three and struck out three in a commanding performance, similar to the other three Boston starters, Josh Beckett, Curt Schilling and Daisuke Matsuzaka, each of whom worked into at least the 6th inning and earned a win.
By the time Lester left the game, the Red Sox had established a 2-0 lead, and expanded it to 3-0 on Mike Lowell's solo homer in the 7th. Lowell, who batted .375 over the course of the four games, was named MVP of the series.
Colorado got one back in the bottom of the 7th on Brad Hawpe's solo shot to right, but Bobby Kielty homered in Boston's half of the 8th to make it 4-1.
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Mike Timlin got the last out in the seventh and the first out in the bottom of the 8th inning, but after Garrett Atkins tightened the score to 4-3 with a 2-run blast off Hideki Okajima, closer Jonathan Papelbon came on to get the final five outs and clinch the sweep and send the title back to Boston.
Papelbon was magnificent in his closer role, earning saves in games 2, 3, and 4, while allowing no earned runs and only 2 hits and no walks, while fanning 3 in 4 1/3 innings overall.
Though the Rockies didn't win a game, they came close in games 2 and 4, losing both of them by a single run, but Boston's starters were much better and their bullpen a lot more effective than Colorado's. In the hitting department it was no contest. Boston batted a cumulative 47-141 (.333) in the four games, while the Rockies managed only 29 hits in 133 at-bats for a disappointing .218 batting average. Colorado led the National League with a .280 team batting average during the regular season.
Boston's starters were the story, however, allowing just 4 earned runs in 23 1/3 innings for a combined ERA of 1.55 in their four starts.
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Series MVP Lowell (right), was the ultimate hitting star in the middle of Boston's potent lineup going 6-for-16 with 3 doubles, a home run, 4 RBI and 6 runs scored. He was the only player from either squad to score at least one run in each game.
Boston has now won 8 straight World Series games and finished 2007 by winning seven straight through the playoffs and series. Their post-season record for 2007 was 11-3, having swept the Angels in the ALDS and taking 4 of 7 from the Indians in the ALCS.
Boston outscored Colorado 29-10. In the AL Championship Series they scored 51 runs to Cleveland's 32, and outscored the Angels 19-4 in the ALDS, for a cumulative post-season score of 94-46.
Spring training begins in just over four months.
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Hey, Rockies, It's OVER!
Boston 10 Colorado 5 - The Boston Red Sox took a commanding 3-0 lead in the World Series on Saturday - a lead that has never been overcome. Of the 22 teams that have established the same margin, 19 have won game 4. None have lost four straight.
So it would appear, that after winning 21 of 22 games to get to the World Series, the Colorado Rockies have run into a buzzsaw of a team in Boston. The Red Sox have outscored Colorado 25-7 in the three games and unless their pitching and hitting goes completely into limbo, they are going to be the 2007 champs.
In Saturday's game, the Sox got on the board early, with 6 runs in a fateful third inning, highlighted by Daisuke Matsuzaka's (right) two-run single. Matsuzaka also kept the Rockies at bay from the mound, hurling shutout ball over 5 innings, before walking Todd Helton and Garrett Atkins with one out in the 6th.
Reliever Jose Lopez came in and immediately gave up run-scoring singles to Brad Hawpe and Yorvit Torreabla before getting out of the inning.
Lopez allowed a pair of singles in the 7th and was replaced on the mound by Hideki Okajima, who was immediately blasted by Matt Holliday's three-run homer. All of a sudden it was 6-5, but that was as close as the Rockies would get.
Boston put up 3 more in the 8th and another run in the 9th. Jonathan Papelbon came on with 2 outs in the 8th and put the Rockies to rest, but not before allowing a two-out triple by Hawpe.
In Saturday's game, the Sox got on the board early, with 6 runs in a fateful third inning, highlighted by Daisuke Matsuzaka's (right) two-run single. Matsuzaka also kept the Rockies at bay from the mound, hurling shutout ball over 5 innings, before walking Todd Helton and Garrett Atkins with one out in the 6th.
Reliever Jose Lopez came in and immediately gave up run-scoring singles to Brad Hawpe and Yorvit Torreabla before getting out of the inning.
Lopez allowed a pair of singles in the 7th and was replaced on the mound by Hideki Okajima, who was immediately blasted by Matt Holliday's three-run homer. All of a sudden it was 6-5, but that was as close as the Rockies would get.
Boston put up 3 more in the 8th and another run in the 9th. Jonathan Papelbon came on with 2 outs in the 8th and put the Rockies to rest, but not before allowing a two-out triple by Hawpe.
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As exciting as the Rockies made it - for half an inning - this game was, like the others before it, all about Boston. Jacoby Ellsbury, who won't technically be a rookie until next season, made the most of his promotion to the leadoff spot in the lineup with 3 doubles and a single in 5 at-bats, scoring twice and driving in a pair. Boston's other rookie, Dustin Pedroia, was 3-5 with a double and two RBI.
Game four is Sunday night, with first pitch scheduled for 8:29. After Saturday's world series record, 4 hour and 19 minute marathon, viewers and fans hope that starters Jon Lester (Boston) and Aaron Cook (Colorado) throw plenty of strikes.
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