Blog: Johan or No Johan
In his blog for ESPN.com, Buster Olney compares Twins GM Bill Smith’s effort to trade Johan Santana to the popular 
NBC game show Deal or No Deal.
In his analogy, according to Olney, the million-dollar and the $750,000 cases are unavailable to Smith, ‘who only has what he regards as subpar offers on the table.’
At this point, if he were Smith, Olney writes, he would keep Santana through opening day, since most executives involved in these conversations do not believe Santana will reject a mid-season trade, despite his previous statements.
In the end, Olney concludes…
“If this were “Deal Or No Deal,” Smith still would have the $500,000 slot, the $400,000 slot, nothing better. He should just continue to say no deal and play out the Santana game.”
…it’s a fair statement…as i also have pointed out in the past, i’m fairly certain that smith can wrangle a three– or four-prospect package for santana in mid-june, just like he could settle for now…this is why, as i keep suggesting, the way i see it, santana is in the driver’s seat here…if he sits quiet, smith has all the time in the world, unless he just wants this over with and to move on come the start of the season…but, if so, that’s smith’s decision, for smith’s reasons on his own timetable…if, however, santana kicks and screams a bit, smith loses a ton of negotiating power and will be forced to pick a case…
Per usual, Olney continues on to blog about the rest of baseball, as well as his thoughts regarding yesterday’s Congressional Hearings about PEDs.
To subscribe to Olney’s blog, go here.
…and thanks to jason b for the link…
