Keep The Faith, Yankee Fans!
Despite the wringing of hands and cries of terror from some Yankee fans, the move that the Yankees DID NOT make may prove to be the BEST move.
The Yankees have apparently escaped the Johan Santana drama without mortgaging their future. For now. The Yankees have a tremendous amount of players in the minors that are just mere moments away from the Majors; the Yankees have rightly decided to hold onto them.
How many extra wins would Johan Santana add to the Yankees in the upcoming season? If he would win 18-20 games, then how many would Phil Hughes win? If Phil Hughes wins 14-15 games this season with healthy legs (and therefore improved velocity), then the difference is just between 3-5 games.
Trading away the farm just isn't worth that few wins.
Don't forget just how close this season AND post-season truly was; the Yankees were second by a slight 2 games in the American League East, and could have beaten the Indians minus an over-rested Game One starter and an orgy of Midges in Game Two. Even then, with a couple of moves from the manager, these two losses COULD have been averted.
Had the Yankees beaten Cleveland (as they SHOULD have), then the series with Boston could have been up for grabs, because the Yankees and the Red Sox are built to beat one another. Exactly NONE of the Red Sox players wanted to play the Yankees.
Call me crazy, call me names, call me anything you want... but so far this winter I've been right about Girardi, A-Rod, Posada, Rivera and Pettitte...
Just keep the faith, Yankee fans! Good things come to those that wait patiently! Don't let the sensationalist, anti-Yankee Media cause you to lose what you know deep in your hearts to be true. The Yankees are going to be really good next year.
GO YANKEES!
You are right, Rick. There is a lot of unnecessary hand wringing, and how most have forgotten just how close the Yankees were this year. It isn't like the lost the division by a dozen games.
Michael Norton - Some Clubhouse
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Don't worry, Rick, one thing I won't call you is late for dinner.
I pretty much agree. While I don't think that trading Hughes, Melky, and a middle-rung prospect would have been mortgaging the future for a terrific pitcher in Santana (when Joba, Kennedy, and others would have remained), I too think that a healthy Hughes will have a good year. I also think that while Santana is a front-line ace, there's absolutely nothing wrong with going with a rotation full of young talent. Trading for Santana would have been a good move, but far from essential and certainly not for too exorbitant a price. Pettite's return is a great move for both sides. He became the Yanks' most reliable starter last year and, with better run support in the first half, should have had 18 wins instead of 15.
The Yankees still have the bullpen to iron out (though the trade for Albaladejo is a step in the right direction), but they'll be a very formidable team without question. Despite the unnecessary A-Rod drama, I'm quite pleased with this off-season thus far--lots of good move to keep the Yanks strong. Let's Go, Yankees!
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You talk Truth Rick!
No matter how much I liked the idea of Johan Santana in pinstripes, I just couldnt get the lump outta my mouth thinking of the costs:
Melky (Gulp!), Hughes (nervous sweat) and then Kennedy (r u kidding me???).
I actually think that the twins wanted to weaken the Yankees with this trade, and I hate the way they played us against the BoSox. Like Hank, I am dispossed to tell Minnesota to get lost.
Besides, when has trading the farm for an Ace been a recipe for success???
If you disagree, I have two words for you: CARL PAVANO!
What we need are relivers, not ace pitchers. We need to make the bridge to Mo, the safest bridge in baseball. And that is where I think Hank, Hal and Mo-cash need to concentrate their efforts.
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