Buzz: Twins are Feeling Pressure on Santana
…there is more and more buzz coming from Nashville suggesting that the Twins are feeling a ton of pressure, from their fans, from ownership, from the media, etc, to get a big-time return for Johan Santana, more than is being offered by the Red Sox, and they are now questioning whether such a deal is even possible…it doesn’t help that a team in their own division, the Tigers, are about to acquire Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis…
…also, from what i can gather, the problem the Mets are having in these deals is not necessarily Carlos Gomez or Mike Pelfrey or Phil Humber or Fernando Martinez, all of whom hold fairly solid value on the trade market for their level of prospect…the problem, as i understand it, is that to acquire a player like Joe Blanton or Johan Santana or Erik Bedard, the Mets must give up a proven, major-league hitter, who is young and under control, like Dodgers OF Matt Kemp, or D’Backs 1B Conor Jackson…which means, the Mets must part with a player like Jose Reyes or Ryan Church, not minor-leaguers who are still in need of development, like gomez or martinez…the thing is, the Mets will not trade reyes or David Wright…and at the same time, church isn’t turning heads, and neither was Lastings Milledge for that matter…
…which is why, as i have said before, in order to pull off a deal for this caliber of pitcher, the Mets may need to involve a third team, who can help deliver the young bat needed in such a trade…otherwise, the Reds, D’Backs, Angels, Dodgers and especially the Mariners will remain far more appealing to teams like the Orioles, Twins and A’s…
…so, yes, it’s going to be tough to trade for a pitcher…not impossible…but very, very tough…which, by the way, is very, very disappointing…
…Update…1:32 pm…
…most people in Nashville with whom i have talked with all seem to think it’s still the Red Sox or bust, with the Mets and Angels expected to make a last ditch effort before a final decision is made by the Twins…
